EP2788275B1 - Filler element comprising a trinox tube - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling element for filling containers with a liquid product according to the preamble of claim 1, to a filling system according to the preamble of claim 4 and to a method for filling containers with a liquid product according to the preamble of claim 5.

Filling elements for filling containers, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid product, such as beverage, are known in different designs. In particular, so-called Trinox methods are known in which a tube-like, open-ended tube or Trinox tube is used as filling height-determining element, which extends with a lower open end into the respective when filling in sealing position with the filling element arranged container. When filling initially overfilling the container with the contents to a level above the desired filling level, so that the Trinox tube dips into the level of the contents in the container. The desired nominal filling level is then adjusted by applying a pressurized Trinox gas to the headspace of the container which is not occupied by the contents and thereby pressing contents from the container over the Trinox tube until the Trinox tube leaves the container Filling material level appears and thus the desired filling level is set. A disadvantage of known processes is that the filling material (Trinox liquid) displaced from the respective container via the Trinox tube is returned to the product vessel (for example ring bowl) which provides the filling material, i.a. with the risk that contaminated filling material from this container passes back into the product vessel due to its contact with a contaminated container. The object of the invention is to show a filling element, which in a Trinox filling process, the aforementioned disadvantages, i. avoids contamination of the filling material in the product container due to recirculated product. To solve this problem, a filling element according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A filling system is the subject of patent claim 4.

A method for filling containers is the subject of patent claim 5.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

For the purposes of the invention, "containers" are in particular cans, bottles, tubes, pouches, each made of metal, glass and / or plastic, but also other packaging materials which are suitable for filling liquid or viscous products. "Füllhöhengesteuertes filling" means according to the invention, a controlled filling of the container such that they are filled at the end of the respective filling process to a desired nominal filling level with the contents.

"Füllhöhebestimmendes element" is in the context of the invention, an element, preferably a probe or tube-like element which extends into the container during filling and with which the desired filling level is controlled and / or adjusted.

The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

• Fig. 1 - 3 jeweils in vereinfachter Darstellung ein Füllelement eines Füllsystems oder einer Füllmaschine umlaufender Bauart zum füllhöhengesteuerten Füllen von Behältern in Form von Flaschen mit einem flüssigen Füllgut, und zwar in unterschiedlichen Ausführungsformen.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• Fig. 1-3 in a simplified representation, a filling element of a filling system or a filling machine of rotating design for filling level controlled filling of containers in the form of bottles with a liquid product, in different embodiments.

In the FIG. 1 1 is a filling element for filling level controlled filling of containers in the form of bottles 2 with a liquid product.

The filling element 1 is provided together with a plurality of similar filling elements 1 on the circumference of a rotatable about a vertical axis of the machine rotor 3 of a filling system or a filling machine rotating design. On the rotor 3 are common for all filling elements of the filling machine, a ring vessel 4 for providing the liquid contents and several, i. In the illustrated embodiment, a total of three ring channels 5, 6 and 7. During the filling operation of the ring vessel 4 is partially filled with the liquid contents, so that in the ring vessel 4, a lower liquid space 4.1 and overlying a gas chamber 4.2 are formed, which latter example, in a pressure filling the bottles from a pressurized inert gas (eg CO2 gas) is taken.

The ring channels 5-7 have different function depending on the filling process. The annular channel 5 serves, for example, to provide a pressurized Trinox gas, i. of a pressurized inert gas, e.g. is a CO2 gas or nitrogen. The annular channel 6 serves for example to provide a pressurized clamping gas, i. a pressurized inert gas (e.g., CO2 gas), and the annular channel 7 is e.g. a vacuum channel and serves to provide a vacuum or negative pressure.

The filling element 1 comprises a filling element housing 8 in which u.a. a product or liquid channel 9 is formed, which is connected in its upper region via a product line 10 with the liquid space 4.1 of the ring vessel 4. At the bottom of the housing 8, the liquid channel 9 forms an annular discharge opening 11 via the u.a. during filling, the liquid contents of the bottle 2 flows, which rests tightly against the filling element with its mouth via a seal of a centering cone 12 in the region of the discharge opening 11, ie. is in sealing position with the filling element 1, and that raised by the filling element 1 associated container carrier or bottle plate thirteenth

In the liquid channel 9, a liquid valve 14 is provided with a valve body 15 in the flow direction of the filling material in front of the discharge opening 11, which with a Valve surface in the liquid channel 9 cooperates and is arranged on a coaxial with a vertical Füllelementachse FA and acting as a valve tappet gas pipe 16 or on a widened cross-section portion of this gas pipe. The gas pipe 16 protrudes through the discharge opening 11 on the underside of the filling element 1, and thus extends during filling in the relevant bottle 2 and in the head space. For controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve 14, a force acting on the gas pipe 16 and in the illustrated embodiment pneumatic actuator 17 is provided, which is housed in a separate from the liquid channel 9 and sealed against the liquid channel 9 interior of the housing 8.

The filling element 1 further comprises a coaxial with the Füllelementachse FA arranged, enclosed by the gas pipe 16 at a distance and at both ends open probe-like tube or Trinox tube 18, which during filling operation as Füllhöhebestimmendes element with its lower open end 18.1 also in the upper region or Headspace of the bottle extends and projects beyond the lower, open end of the gas pipe 16.

The Trinox tube 18 is passed through the Füllelementgehäuse 8 and protrudes with an upper, the upper end 18.1 forming length over the top of this housing and is held, for example, with the local, also open end 18.2 on a support arm or support ring 19 of an adjustment 20 , with which the Trinox tube 18 is axially movable (double arrow A), and indeed for adjusting the filling height to which the bottles 2 are filled after filling each with the liquid product. The upper end 18.2 of the Trinox tube 18 is connected via a control valve 21 with a common for all filling element 1 of the Füllmasche or the filling system collecting space or annular channel 22, which serves in the illustrated embodiment as Füllgutsammelkanal and together with the control valve 21 at the Support arm 19 is provided.

The annular channel 22 is connected via a flexible line 23 to a preferably electrically actuated changeover valve 24, via which the annular channel 22 optionally with the ring vessel 4 for emptying into this boiler or with a Line 25 can be connected, which leads to a Füllgutaufbereitungseinrichtung, ie to a device in which the derived from the annular channel 22 during emptying contents by filtering or filtering and / or by heating or heating to a desired temperature and / or by sterilizing and / or carbonating is treated before it is used for further use, for example, is fed back into the ring vessel 4.

Inside the housing 8 u.a. a gas space 26 into which the upper open end of the gas pipe 16 or a gas channel 27 formed between the inner surface of the gas pipe 16 and the outer surface of the Trinox pipe 18 opens. Furthermore, 8 different controlled gas paths with control valves 28 - 31 are provided in the interior of the housing, via which in particular the gas channel 27 controlled in the manner described in more detail below with the ring channels 5-7 can be connected.

With the filling element 1 in particular a pressure filling of the bottles 2 in the Trinox filling process is possible. The respectively desired nominal filling level is set at the beginning of the filling operation by the axial adjustment of the Trinox tube 18, specifically for all filling elements 1 of the filling machine, wherein the lower end 18.1 reaches the desired filling level (level N1) after completion of the respective filling process. Are defined.

• Das Flüssigkeitsventil 14 sowie sämtliche Steuerventile 21 und 28 - 31 befinden sich zunächst im geschlossenen Zustand. Die jeweils zu füllende Flasche 2 wird mit dem Flaschenteller 13 gegen das Füllelement 1 angehoben, sodass sie dann mit ihrer Flaschenmündung in Dichtlage gegen das Füllelement 1 anliegt.

Specifically, with the filling element 1, a filling process with the following process steps is possible:

• The liquid valve 14 and all control valves 21 and 28 - 31 are initially in the closed state. Each to be filled bottle 2 is raised with the bottle plate 13 against the filling element 1, so that it then rests with its bottle mouth in sealing position against the filling element 1.

At the beginning of the respective filling process, it is preferable to first evacuate the bottle 2, specifically by opening the control valve 30 to establish a connection between the annular channel 7 and the gas channel 27 communicating with the interior of the bottle 2.

After evacuation, the cylinder interior is biased to the inflation pressure with a pressurized inert gas after closing the control valve 30 by opening the control valve 29 to establish communication between the gas passage 27 and the annular channel 6. Biasing may also be performed preceded by simple or multiple flushing of the bottle interior with the inert gas, for which the bottle interior is evacuated by appropriate control of the control valves 29 and 30 at least once in addition and then acted upon with the inert gas.

After biasing the bottle 2 to the filling pressure, the liquid valve 14 is opened for the actual filling phase with the control valve 29 still open, so that filling material flows via the annular, the gas pipe 14 enclosing discharge opening 11 to the bottle interior. The thereby displaced from the contents of the bottle interior inert gas is returned via the gas channel 27 and the open control valve 29 into the annular channel 6. During this filling phase, the bottle 2 is overfilled deliberately up to a level N 2 above the level N 1 of the desired filling level before the filling material flow into the bottle 2 is ended by closing the liquid valve 14.

Subsequently, by opening the control valve 28, i. by making a connection between the annular channel 5 and the gas channel 27, an admission of the headspace of the bottle 2 with the pressurized Trinox gas from the annular channel 5, which is not occupied by the contents, so that after the opening of the control valve 21 contents (Trinox liquid) is pressed from the bottle interior via the Trinox tube 18 in the annular channel 22, and that until the lower end 18.1 of the Trinox tube 18 is no longer immersed in the medium and thus the desired level (level N1) is reached.

Following this, after closing the control valves 21 and 28 with the liquid valve 14 still closed, for example by opening the valve 31, relieving or relieving the filled bottle 2, which is then lowered by the filling element 1 at the end of the filling process with the bottle plate 13. It goes without saying that, in particular, the method steps preceding the actual filling phase can also be designed differently than described above. With the filling element 1 or with these filling elements having filling system also a pressure filling is possible, in which the Trinox tube 18 is used as filling level determining return gas pipe, via which at closed control valves 28 - 31 and with open liquid valve 14 and control valve 21 at least at the end the filling phase is returned from the contents of the bottle interior displaced inert gas in the gas space 4.2 of the ring boiler 4. For this purpose, a connection between the annular channel 22 and the gas space 4.2 is made via the switching valve. The inflow of Füllgute in the bottle 2 is automatically terminated when the lower, open end 18.1 of the Trinox tube 18 is immersed in the level of contents of the reached in the bottle 2 contents and a state of equilibrium between the height of Füllgutspiegels in the ring bowl 4 and which has set in the Trinox tube 18 forming filling column. The level of the lower end 18.1 thus again determines the filling level (level N1) of the filling material in the respective bottle 2.

The FIG. 2 shows as a further embodiment, a filling element 1a, which differs from the filling element 1 in that the annular channel 22 is provided on the ring bowl 4 and connected via a line 32 fixed to the ring bowl 4. The switching valve 24 and the line 25 are not provided therein differently than the filling element 1. With the filling element 1a, basically the same filling methods are possible as with the filling element 1.

The FIG. 3 shows a filling element 1 b, which differs from the filling element 1 only in that the annular channel 22 is also provided on the ring bowl 4 and connected via the flexible line 23 to the control valve 21, and that directly to the annular channel 22, the line 25 is connected , The filling element 1 b is particularly suitable for Trinox filling process with treatment of the collected in the annular channel 22 filling.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a, 1b

filler

2

bottle

3

rotor

4

ring bowl

4.1

liquid space

4.2

headspace

5 - 7

annular channel

8th

casing

9

liquid channel

10

product line

11

discharge opening

12

centering bell

13

bottle plates

14

liquid valve

15

valve body

16

gas pipe

17

actuator

18

Return gas or Trinox tube

19

Support arm or support ring

20

adjustment

21

control valve

22

Ring channel or plenum

23

flexible line

24

switching valve

25

management

26

headspace

27

gas channel

28 - 31

control valve

32

management

A

axial adjustment stroke of the Trinox tube

FA

filling element

N1, N2

Level of contents level in the bottle 2

Claims (5)

1. Filler element for filling containers (2) with liquid contents, comprising a liquid channel (9) formed in a filler element housing (8), which channel can be permeated by liquid contents made available in a content vat (4), with at least one liquid valve (14) in the liquid channel (9), with a dispensing opening (11) downstream of the liquid valve (14) in the flow direction of the liquid contents, for dispensing the contents into the respective container (2) when the liquid valve (14) is open, with a Trinox tube (18) adjusting the desired fill level of the contents in the container (2), which tube extends with a first open end (18.1), projecting over the dispensing opening (11), into the interior of the container (2) during filling, and by means of which, in order to adjust the desired fill level, by subjecting the container interior to the pressure of a Trinox gas, excess contents are displaced out of the container (2), as well as with at least one controlled gas channel (27, 28) for subjecting the container interior to the Trinox gas, wherein the Trinox tube is in connection with a collection chamber or ring channel (22), separated from the liquid vat (4), and preferably via at least one control valve (21), wherein the collection chamber (22) is in connection with a pipe (25) for conveying excess filling contents displaced via the Trinox tube, preferably via a non-return valve and/or changeover valve (24), characterised in that the pipe (25) is connected to a device, in which the excess filling contents displaced via the Trinox tube (18) is prepared by filters and/or filtration and/or by warming or heating to a predetermined reference temperature and/or by sterilising and/or carbonisation, before being conveyed to a further use.
2. Filling element according to claim 1, characterised in that the collection chamber (22) is in connection with the liquid contents vat, preferably via a non-return valve and/or changeover valve (24).
3. Filling valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the collection chamber (22) is provided for a plurality of filling elements (1, 1a, 1b) and is preferably configured as a ring channel.
4. Filling system, preferably in the form of a filling machine of circulating design, with a plurality of filling elements (1) on a transport element, for example on a circulating rotor (3), characterised in that the filling elements (1) are configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims 1-3.
5. Method for filling containers with liquid contents made available in a contents vat (4), making use of a Trinox tube extending into the container, via which, at the end of the filling or of a filling phase, in order to adjust the desired fill level, excess content is displaced out of a head space of the overfilled container which is subjected to a Trinox pressurised gas, wherein the content displaced via the Trinox tube is conveyed to a collection chamber or ring channel (22) separated from the content vat (4) or is collected in this collection chamber (22), characterised in that the content collected in the collection chamber (22) is conveyed to a device in which the excess content displaced via the Trinox tube (18) is prepared by filters and/or filtration and/or by warming or heating to a predetermined reference temperature and/or by sterilising and/or carbonisation, after which it is conveyed back into the content vat (4).

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