EP2879961B1 - Filling element and filling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling element for filling systems or filling machines for filling cans or similar containers according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 8.

Filling machines for filling, especially for pressure filling of containers in the form of cans with a liquid filling material (for example, beer, soft drinks, etc.) are known in various designs. Especially in filling machines of high performance (number of filled containers per unit time), it is common that the sealing layer between the respective arranged below a filling element on or on a container carrier container and the filling element by lowering a Abdichttulpe on the container, which then with a seal sealed against the opening edge of the container in question and thereby a ua creates the container opening and the discharge opening of the filling element enclosing, sealed to the outside space. The sealing tulip formed by an annular body is displaceably arranged on a housing section of the filling element housing in the direction of a filling element axis, namely between a raised position and the lowered position. In order to seal the transition between the annular body and the Füllelementgehäuse, at least one the Füllelementachse concentrically enclosing sliding seal is provided between the annular body of Abdichttulpe and the outer surface of the housing portion. This must be constantly lubricated with water during operation of the filling machine to keep the wear, in particular the sliding seal low. However, it can not be avoided that the water required for lubrication also gets into the containers by dripping, which is increasingly viewed critically by customers or consumers. Furthermore, it is also unavoidable that in an aseptic, especially also cold aseptic filling of a filling in cans or the like containers via the sliding seal dirt particles, germs, etc. enter the container or in a container receiving this filling during filling clean room or aseptic area of a filling machine.

The publication DE 10 2008 057 752 A1 discloses a filling element for filling containers. The filling element has a first housing part, which at the bottom a boiler is arranged. In the first housing part, a return gas pipe is held, which extends with its upper free end into the gas space of the boiler. Furthermore, the filling element has a second housing part, which is movable relative to the first housing part or to the return gas pipe and has on its underside a cone-like seal which is provided for bearing against the container mouth. By acting between the first and second housing part spring means of the second housing part is biased in a lower stroke position in which the second housing part formed on the dispensing opening is closed by the formed on the return gas tube radial intent or the seal provided there. When pushing up the container mouth against the seal, the second housing part against the spring means is displaced upwards, whereby the discharge opening is opened and thus the liquid channel is released. Between the first and second housing part, a bellows is provided, via which a flow channel for heating the filling element is separated from the outside in a fluid-tight manner.

The publication DE 1 907 283 A1 discloses a filling element for filling containers with a filling tube and a displaceably guided on the filling tube centering tulip. At the lower end of the filling tube, an outlet opening is provided, while the upper end of the filling tube is fixed in a lower part of a filler cock. The centering tulip and the lower part of the filler tap are connected by a bellows. In this case, the bellows surrounds the filling tube circumferentially such that a gas-tight space is formed between these elements. When the centering tulip is tight against the container mouth of the container to be filled, the gas displaced by the inflow of the filling material is discharged via an annular gap, the gas-tight space and the line to the environment.

Also known was the JP 2007 062771 A , This document is concerned with a can filling machine in which the movable seal between Abdichttulpe and the outer housing of the respective filling valve by means of a bellows, which is formed by this type of seal between the bellows and housing an annular gap.

Furthermore, this document provides that a gas channel opens into the annular gap, specifically at one of the Abdichttulpe remote end of the annular gap.

With regard to the angle at which this gas channel opens into the annular gap makes this document no information.

The object of the invention is to show a filling element, which avoids the sliding seal between the Abdichttulpe and the Füllelementgehäuse and the disadvantages associated with this seal. To solve this problem, a filling element according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A filling machine is the subject of patent claim 5.

The lifting movement of the sealing tulip, preferably also designed as a centering tulle, in the filling element axis between the raised starting position and the lowered working position is effected, for example, by means of a tappet, e.g. cam-controlled, wherein the contact pressure with which the Abdichttulpe abuts against the opening edge of the container during filling, is at least partially generated by the biasing and / or filling pressure, possibly supported by a force exerted on the plunger contact pressure.

The contact pressure generated by the biasing and filling pressure is essentially determined by the effective diameter of the bellows, taking into account the effective, i. determined by the Abdichttulpe opening cross-section of the container and can be adjusted by appropriate choice of the effective diameter of the bellows. Also by changing the biasing and / or filling pressure, the component of the contact force resulting from this pressure can be adjusted and / or regulated and adapted to the respective container, in particular also to its strength.

According to the invention opens into the annular gap formed between the bellows and the Abdichttulpe and enclosed by these elements housing portion of the Füllelementgehäuses, at least one channel in a CIP cleaning and / or sterilization of the filling system for supplying or discharging an example, liquid cleaning - And / or sterilization medium in the annular gap or from this annular gap is used. The channel opens preferably at an upper end of the annular gap in this annular gap, preferably in the region of the local attachment of the bellows. Also according to the invention opens the at least one channel obliquely into the annular gap, in such a way that the emerging from the channel cleaning and / or disinfecting medium flows through the annular gap from top to bottom in a helical flow, which then due to their high flow velocity and their helical course, all the inner surfaces of the bellows and in particular the surfaces within the folds of the bellows are optimally cleaned and / or disinfected.

The filling element according to the invention is designed in particular for pressure filling of cans or the like containers and in this case also especially for pressure filling with high performance.

For the purposes of the invention, "pressure filling" is generally to be understood as meaning a filling process in which the container to be filled in each case rests in a sealing position against the filling element and, as a rule, before the actual filling phase, i. is biased before opening the liquid valve via at least one controlled, formed in the filling gas path with a pressurized gas clamping gas (inert gas or CO2 gas), which is then displaced during filling of the inflowing the container contents increasingly as return gas from the container interior , also via at least one controlled gas path formed in the filling element. This biasing phase may be preceded by further treatment phases, for example, evacuation and / or flushing of the container interior with an inert gas, e.g. CO2 gas, etc., also via the gas paths formed in the filling element.

"In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container" means in the context of the invention that the respective container to be filled pressed with its container mouth and tightly against the filling element or at the local Abdichttulpe.

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.

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

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung und im Teilschnitt ein Füllelement gemäß der Erfindung zusammen mit einem zu füllenden Behälter;

Fig. 2

in sehr vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung einen Schnitt durch ein Füllelementgehäuse im Bereich eines Kanals oder einer Bohrung zum Zuführen oder Abführen eines CIP-Reinigungs- und/oder Sterilisationsmediums.

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

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation and in partial section a filling element according to the invention together with a container to be filled;

Fig. 2

in a very simplified schematic representation of a section through a Füllelementgehäuse in the region of a channel or a bore for supplying or discharging a CIP cleaning and / or sterilization medium.

Shown in the FIG. 1 the filling position of a filling machine for pressure filling of containers 2 in the form of cans with a liquid filling material, for example with a carbonated filling material, eg with beer or with soft drink. The filling position 1 includes, inter alia, a filling element 3, which is arranged together with a plurality of similar filling elements on the circumference of a rotor 4 driven circumferentially about a vertical machine axis. Under the filling elements 3, a base 5 is formed on the rotor 4, on which the container to be filled 2 with its bottom stand up.

Each filling element 3 comprises a filling element housing 6, in which u.a. a liquid channel 7 is formed for the filling material, which is connected at its upper, not shown in the figure area with a common for all filling elements 3, provided on the rotor 4 and the contents waiting boiler is connected and at the bottom of an annular discharge opening 8 for the contents forms.

In the liquid channel 7, a liquid valve 9 is provided in the flow direction of the filling material in front of the discharge opening 8, which essentially consists of a valve body 10 cooperating with a valve seat in the liquid channel 7, which is formed in the region of a lower end of a gas pipe 11 serving as a valve stem. With the gas pipe 11, which with its axis in a parallel to Machine axis MA oriented Füllelementachse FA is arranged and in which an open at the bottom of the filling element 3 gas channel 12 is formed, the valve body 10 is raised from its closed position shown in the figure by an unillustrated actuator for opening the liquid valve 9 and closing the liquid valve 9 lowered again.

The Füllelementgehäuse 6 forms at its lower portion a tubular housing portion 6.1 with a reduced diameter. At this housing portion, on which the discharge opening 8 and the valve seat for the liquid valve 9 are provided, a Abdichttulpe 13 in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA is movably provided (double arrow A). The Abdichttulpe 13 is formed as a housing section enclosing the 6.1 round body 13.1, the front end with a larger outer diameter with an inner, the Füllelementachse FA concentrically enclosing ring seal 14 and with an outer, the ring seal 14 and the Füllelementachse FA concentrically enclosing lip seal at a lower ring body portion 13.1 15 is provided.

To seal the transition between the Abdichttulpe 13 and the annular body 13.1 and the Füllelementgehäuse 6 a housing section 6.1 above the Abdichttulpe 13 enclosing bellows 16 is provided with its upper, the discharge opening 8 further away edge with the Füllelementgehäuse 6 and with his lower, the discharge opening 8 closer edge with the seals 14 and 15 facing away from the top of Abdichttulpe 13 is connected. The bellows 16 is made of a suitable elastic and / or flexible material, such as Teflon. As the FIG. 1 Also shows, surround both the Abdichttulpe 13 and the bellows 16 the housing portion 6.1 at a distance to form an annular gap 19th

In the upper region of the annular gap 19 formed between the bellows 16 and the outer surface of the housing section 6.1 opens a channel 18, which serves, for example, in a CIP cleaning of the filling machine and the filling elements 3, a liquid cleaning and / or sterilization medium in the annular gap 19 zuzuleiten, which then this annular gap 19 also for the cleaning and / or sterilization of the inner surfaces of the bellows 16 over the entire axial Length flows through. The channel 18 is formed so that it opens obliquely, ie at an angle α smaller than 90 ° with respect to a plane E perpendicular to Füllelementachse FA in the annular gap 19, so that the CIP cleaning and / or disinfecting medium when flowing out of the channel 18th has a velocity vector in the circumferential direction of the outer surface of the housing section 6.1 or about the Füllelementachse FA and due to this velocity vector, the annular gap 19 flows through helically from top to bottom. In this way, taking into account a sufficiently high flow rate of the CIP cleaning and / or disinfecting medium and the helical course of the flow, all the inner surfaces of the bellows 16 thoroughly and optimally cleaned and disinfected.
The channel 18 can also serve, for example, for rinsing and / or pretensioning a container already in sealing position at the filling position.

To the housing section 6.1 is followed by a step 6.2 a housing section 6.3, which has an enlarged compared to the housing section 6.1 outer diameter. For attachment of the upper, the discharge opening 8 furthest away end of the bellows 16 of this is there for example, with an annular Faltenbalgabschnitt 16.1 made in one piece. The bellows section 16.1 is received in an annular recess 20 formed concentrically around the filling element axis FA at the step 6.2 and fastened there by clamping ring 21 concentrically enclosing the filling element axis FA. At the lower, closer to the discharge opening 8 end of the bellows 16 is integrally formed with an annular Faltenbalgabschnitt 16.2, which extends into the ring body 13.1 and there in a recess on the inner surface of the ring body 13.1 connected thereto in a suitable manner, for example by gluing Clamping, clamping, vulcanizing, screwing, etc., in such a way that the inner surface of the Faltenbalgabschnitts 16.2 is flush or substantially flush with the subsequent inner surface of the annular body 13.1.

For filling the respective container 2 arranged with its container opening below the filling element 3, the sealing tulip 13 in the filling element axis FA is first lowered onto the container 2, so that the annular seal 14 bears in a sealed manner against the container or opening edge 2.1 surrounding the container opening.

As a result, the container in question 2 is then centered and in sealing position on the relevant filling element 3. The controlled lowering of Abdichttulpe 13 takes place, for example, cam-controlled via a plunger 17th
The also provided lip seal 15 is used for example in the case of a CIP cleaning to seal a then required flushing cap.

Prior to the actual filling, the respective container 2 located in sealing position on the filling element 3 is prestressed, for example, via the gas channel 12 with a pressurized inert gas, for example pressurized CO2 gas. After preloading, the actual filling phase is initiated by opening the liquid valve 9, whereby the inert gas displaced from the container 2 by the filling material is removed via the gas channel 12.

By biasing and / or filling pressure, which acts on the inner annular surfaces of the Abdichttulpe 13 and the bellows 16, results for the Abdichttulpe 13 a contact pressure, which may also act in addition to a force exerted on the plunger 17 contact force and with the Abdichttulpe 13 and the ring seal 14 is pressed against the opening edge 2.1. By the biasing and / or filling pressure can thus be the contact force with which the Abdichttulpe 13 and the annular seal 14 abuts against the opening edge 2.1, are set.

The effective diameter of the bellows 16, which is decisive for the pressure force resulting from the biasing and / or filling pressure, is dependent on the small inner bellows diameter di and the larger outer bellows diameter da and corresponds to the root of (di ² + da ² ) / 2 ).

Due to the formation of the filling element 3 with the bellows 16, the previously common sliding of the Abdichttulpe 13 on the housing section 6.1 is avoided with a sliding seal and the resulting disadvantages.

In particular, if in an existing filling machine, which is already designed for the use of conventional filling elements, instead of these conventional filling elements, the filling elements 3 are used, it is expedient, the effective diameter of the bellows 16 by appropriate choice of the inner and outer Faltenbalgdurchmessers di or to adjust so that this effective diameter corresponds to the sliding diameter of the sliding seal of conventional filling elements.

The invention has been described above by means of an embodiment. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention according to the independent claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filling position

2

Container or can

2.1

opening edge

3

filler

4

rotor

5

footprint

6

filling element

6.1

housing section

6.2

step

6.3

housing section

7

liquid channel

8th

discharge opening

9

liquid valve

10

valve body

11

gas pipe

12

gas channel

13

Abdichttulpe

13.1

Abdichttulpenabschnitt

13.1

ring body

13.1.1

Ring body section

14

ring seal

15

lip seal

16

bellow

16.1, 16.2

bellows

17

tappet

18

channel

19

annular gap

20

Recess at the level 6.1

21

Clamp or fastening ring

A

Stroke of the sealing tulip 13

FA

filling element

MA

machine axis

Claims (5)

1. Filling element of a filling system or of a filling machine for filling cans or similar containers (2) with a liquid content, comprising a filling element housing (6), which has at least one dispensing opening (8) on a housing portion (6.1) for dispensing the contents into the respective container (2) in a controlled manner, comprising a sealing tulip (13) which can be moved relative to the housing portion (6.1) in a filling element axis (FA) relative to the housing portion (6.1) between a raised position and a lowered position so as to seal against an opening edge (2.1) of the container (2), as well as sealing means for sealing the transition between the sealing tulip (13) and the filling element housing (6), wherein the sealing means are formed from a folding bellows element (16) surrounding the filling element axis (FA), which is connected by one end tight to the filling element housing (6) and by the other end tight to the sealing tulip (13), such that the sealing tulip (13) and the folding bellows element (16) surround the housing portion (6.1) on its outer surface or casing surface, forming a ring gap (19) between the outer surface of the housing portion (6.1) and an inner surface of the sealing tulip (13) as well as of the folding bellows element (16), such that at least one channel (18) opens into the ring gap (19) at an end of the ring gap (19) remote from the sealing tulip (13), characterised in that the channel (18) is provided such as, during a CIP cleaning process, to convey a liquid cleaning and/or sterilisation medium through it to the ring gap (19), wherein the channel (18) is configured in such a way that it opens into the ring gap (19) obliquely at an angle of less than 90° in relation to a plane perpendicular to the filling machine axis, such that the CIP cleaning and/or disinfection medium, when flowing out of the channel (18), exhibits a speed vector in the circumferential direction of the outer surface of the housing portion (6.1) and about the filling element axis (FA) and, incurred by this speed vector, flows through the ring gap (19) from top to bottom in helical fashion, such that all the inner surfaces of the folding bellows element (16) are also cleaned and disinfected.
2. Filling element according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing portion (6.1) is configured on its outer or casing surface as circular cylindrical or essentially circular cylindrical in shape.
3. Filling element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first housing portion (6.1), surrounded by the folding bellows element (16) and the sealing tulip (13) connects by means of a step (6.2) to a further housing portion (6.3) of the filling element housing (6) with an enlarged outer cross-section, and that the folding bellows element (16) is held at its end located further away from the dispensing opening (8), in the region of the step (6.2) by tensioning between a holding or clamping ring (20) and the filling element housing (6).
4. Filling element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the folding bellows element (16) extends at its end proximate to the dispensing opening (8), with a folding bellows section (16.2) surrounding the filling element axis (FA) in ring fashion, into a ring body (13.1) forming the sealing tulip (13), and is connected tight to the sealing tulip (13) on an inner surface of the ring body (13.1), preferably in a cut-out opening located there.
5. Filling machine for filling cans or similar containers (2) with a liquid content, with a filling system with a plurality of filling elements (3), in each case forming a filling position (1) and provided on a circulating transport element, for example on a rotor circulating about a vertical machine axis (MA), characterised in that the filling elements (3) are configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

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