EP2881360A1 - Device for treating a container in a drink filling assembly and method for cleaning said device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling plant, particularly preferably for filling a container with a filling product, comprising a treatment member (2) having a treatment opening (22) for treating the container with a treatment fluid A closure (3) for closing the treatment opening (22) for cleaning the treatment organ (2), and a pivoting device (4) for moving the closure (3) from a production position leaving the treatment opening (22) open to treat the container. 22) closing cleaning position, wherein the closure (3) by the pivoting device (4) in a relative to the treatment member (2) stationary plane (Y) is pivotable.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling plant, particularly preferably for filling a container with a filling product. The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning the apparatus for treating the containers.

State of the art

In beverage filling plants, it is known to treat containers with a treatment organ. Such a treatment member may be, for example, a filling member having a treatment opening in the form of a filling opening through which a treatment fluid in the form of a filling product passes into the container. Furthermore, it is known to treat the container to be treated with rinsing devices or rinsers, in which case a treatment opening of the respective treatment member is present in the form of a corresponding flushing opening, through which a treatment fluid in the form of a flushing fluid enters the container to be treated. It is also known to clean containers by introducing a cleaning fluid, wherein the corresponding treatment member is then provided in the form of a cleaning member having a treatment opening in the form of the outlet opening for the treatment fluid in the form of the cleaning fluid.

In beverage filling plants, it is customary to clean said treatment organs at specified intervals. Such a cleaning can be carried out, for example, when the filling product to be filled by means of a filler is exchanged and, correspondingly, a complete cleaning of the filling product-carrying channels and components of the beverage filling plant has to be carried out in order then to ensure again a sorted filling. Furthermore, it is known for hygienic reasons periodically Perform equipment cleaning to prevent the formation of microbiological contaminants that could contaminate the fill product.

To carry out a cleaning of the treatment member, it is known to first fluid-tightly close the treatment openings of the treatment member by means of a closure. Then, a cleaning medium via the channels, which in the production operation, the treatment fluid - for example, the filling product - lead introduced into the treatment device to perform the cleaning of the treatment member. The cleaning medium can then not drain through the treatment opening due to the attached closure, but is withdrawn via a separate cleaning channel, which branches off, for example, above the treatment opening of the channel leading to the treatment medium. The cleaning medium can accordingly flow through the treatment member, but does not escape from the treatment opening.

In one variant, the cleaning medium for cleaning the treatment member is introduced via a separate cleaning channel in the treatment member, and then withdrawn via the leading in the production operation, the treatment fluid channel in the treatment organ, so that here quasi a backward flushing of the treatment fluid leading channels in the treatment device is made possible. Again, the cleaning medium does not escape from the treatment opening.

This type of cleaning, in which the treatment opening of the treatment member for cleaning the treatment member is closed with a closure and the treatment fluid leading channels are flushed in the treatment member with a cleaning medium, without this exits the treatment opening is also called "cleaning in place" (CIP ) or "Sterilization in Place" (SIP), since the treatment organ need not be removed, disassembled or disassembled to carry out the cleaning.

The closure closing the treatment opening is usually designed in the form of a closure cap which seals the treatment opening of the treatment organ in a sealing manner. For this purpose, the closure or the closure cap by means of a pivoting device from a production position in which the treatment opening is released and the treatment member is used to treat the container in a cleaning position pivoted, in which the treatment opening is closed in a fluid-tight manner and a cleaning of the treatment member is performed.

The pivoting device usually has a rotary shaft, which is connected via a boom with the corresponding cap. By means of a combined rotary-lifting movement of this rotary shaft, the cap is pivoted from the production position to the cleaning position and back to the production position. In order to enable the actual sealing, the rotary shaft carries out in addition to the pivoting movement of a lifting movement, by means of which the cap is raised and is pressed onto the treatment opening when the cap is in the cleaning position. Accordingly, a complex pivoting device is necessary to perform the combined rotary-stroke movement and thus to move the shutter from the production position to the cleaning position and back again. Such pivoting caps in the form of CIP caps with a rotary lifting device are for example from the DE 10 2009 033 557 A1 . DE 10 2010 027 623 A1 or the DE 10 2010 027 624 A1 known.

Presentation of the invention

Starting from the known prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for treating a container, which provides a simplified structure, and to provide a method for cleaning the device.

This object is achieved by a device for treating a container having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, a device for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling plant, particularly preferably for filling a container with a filling product, comprising a treatment member having a treatment opening for treating the container with a treatment fluid, a closure for closing the treatment opening for cleaning the treatment member, and a pivoting device for moving the closure of a treatment opening for the treatment of the container release production position proposed in a treatment opening closing cleaning position. According to the invention, the closure can be pivoted by the pivoting device in a plane which is stationary relative to the treatment element.

Due to the fact that the pivoting device pivots the closure from the production position into the cleaning position in a plane fixed relative to the treatment member, a complex trajectory for moving the closure and thus a complex mechanical design of the pivoting device can be dispensed with. Due to the pivoting in a stationary plane, the pivoting device must accordingly execute only one rotation about a pivot axis. Lifting or lowering movements of the closure are not necessary. Accordingly, the pivoting device can be formed by a simple rotary drive, for example an electric motor or a compressed air drive. It is therefore unnecessary to provide a complex control for raising or lowering the closure for sealing the treatment opening in the cleaning position.

The pivoting device preferably pivots the closure as close as possible under the treatment opening, so that the stationary plane in which the closure is pivoted is designed so that a sealing of the treatment opening with the closure can be achieved.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the closure has a membrane, which can be pressed in the cleaning position by applying a pressure medium for sealing against the treatment opening. The membrane is preferably acted upon with compressed air, cleaning medium or any other medium, such that in the cleaning position, a sealing closure of the treatment opening of the treatment member is achieved by the closure. By providing the membrane can be achieved that, despite the simple pivoting of the closure in a stationary plane with respect to the treatment member, a fluid-tight and pressure-tight sealing of the treatment opening of the treatment member can be achieved. By applying the membrane with a corresponding pressure medium, the membrane can then be pressed against the treatment opening. By choosing the pressure by means of which the membrane is pressed against the treatment opening, the pressure resistance of the sealing of the treatment opening can be adjusted. In other words, by providing the membrane in the closure, a pressure-tight sealing of the treatment opening can be achieved, so that a cleaning process or a sterilization process can be carried out at high pressures of the respective cleaning or sterilization medium.

Preferably, the membrane has a reinforcement region, which preferably follows the outer contours of the treatment opening. The reinforcing region may, for example, be in the form of a plate-shaped reinforcement in the region of the membrane which is pressed against the treatment opening. By reinforcing a more uniform pressing of the membrane can be achieved on the treatment member, so that a reliable and pressure-tight sealing of the treatment opening is made possible. The reinforcing area further allows uniform application of the membrane to the treatment member to seal the treatment opening, and not accidental leakage due to deflection of the membrane material at a location with possibly a slightly lower contact force.

Preferably, the pivoting device pivots the closure about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is preferably arranged on the pitch circle of a rotary container treatment machine and / or is arranged eccentrically to the rotational axis of a carousel of the rotary treatment machine. Particularly preferably, each treatment member is assigned its own pivoting device with closure directly, which is arranged correspondingly together with the treatment member on a pitch circle of a rotary container treatment machine. By the individual assignment of the pivoting device and the closure, the closure of each treatment opening in a rotary container treatment machine can be adjusted so that an optimum sealing effect is achieved. Furthermore, the treatment member and the pivoting device can be controlled individually together with the closure or, in the case of maintenance or defect, removed modularly from the rotary container treatment machine and then exchanged modularly.

Preferably, a piston is provided in the closure instead of or in addition to the membrane, by means of which the closure closes the treatment opening. For this purpose, the piston may comprise either a seal or a correspondingly shaped part, which is complementary to the region of the treatment member surrounding the treatment opening, in order to achieve a corresponding sealing.

The pivoting device preferably comprises a rotary shaft, which extends along the axis of rotation, and by means of which the closure can be pivoted from the production position into the cleaning position. Particularly preferably, the rotary shaft to a pressure medium channel to Actuation of the membrane and / or the piston of the closure with a pressure medium, preferably with cleaning medium or compressed air on. In this way, the required pressure medium, which acts on the membrane and / or the piston for pressure-tight pressing, can be supplied without external pressure medium hoses or pressure medium lines. Accordingly, parts can be saved in this way, whereby the overall device is less complex and thus less vulnerable and at the same time easier to clean and to sanitize.

The object described above is further achieved by a method having the features of claim 11. Advantageous developments of the method will become apparent from the dependent claims.

Accordingly, a method for cleaning a device for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling plant, is proposed, comprising closing a treatment opening of a treatment member for treating a container by means of a closure and applying a cleaning fluid to the closed treatment member. According to the invention, the closure for closing the treatment opening is pivoted from a production position leaving the treatment opening open for treatment of the container in a position fixed relative to the treatment organ into a cleaning position closing the treatment opening.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

eine schematische Schnittzeichnung durch eine Vorrichtung zum Behandeln eines Behälters in Form eines Füllorgans;

Figur 2

eine schematische, perspektivische und teilgeschnittene Ansicht einer weiteren Vorrichtung zum Behandeln eines Behälters; und

Figur 3

eine schematische perspektivische Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung aus Figur 2.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic sectional view through an apparatus for treating a container in the form of a filling member;

FIG. 2

a schematic, perspective and partially sectional view of another device for treating a container; and

FIG. 3

a schematic perspective side view of the device FIG. 2 ,

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, identical, similar or equivalent elements in the different figures are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part in order to avoid redundancies.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for treating a container not shown here in a beverage filling plant, comprising a treatment member 2 in the form of a filling member 20 with a treatment opening 22 in the form of a Füllproduktauslaufes 26. About the Füllproduktauslaufes 26 and using a filling valve 24 which a Füllventilkegel 240 and has a Füllventilkegelsitz 242, according to fill product from an overlying Füllproduktreservoir via the treatment opening 22 in the container disposed below flow. Such a filling member 20 is known in principle.

Furthermore, a closure 3 for closing the treatment opening 22 is shown, wherein the treatment opening 22 of the treatment member 2 for cleaning and / or sterilizing the treatment member 2 by means of the closure 3 is closed. The closure 3 has a carrier 30, on which a membrane 32 is arranged. Between the membrane 32 and the carrier 30, a volume 34 is correspondingly formed, which can be acted upon by a pressure medium such that the membrane 32 is expanded and comes into contact with the treatment member 2 so that the treatment opening 22 fluid-tight and preferably also sealed pressure-tight becomes.

The pressure of the pressure medium, which is introduced into the volume 34 between the support 30 and the membrane 32, determines the contact pressure of the membrane 32 to the treatment member 2 and thus also the maximum pressure of a cleaning medium, which can be applied to the treatment opening 22, without the seal applied by means of the closure 3 fails.

The shutter 3 is about a pivoting device 4 of the in FIG. 1 shown cleaning position pivoted to a production position, wherein a pivoting about the pivot axis X takes place around. The swiveling device 4 pivots the closure 3 in such a way that, in the production position, it completely releases the treatment opening 22, and on the other hand so far out of the way that a container to be filled can be easily installed under the treatment opening 22 so that the filling product can flow into the container.

The pivoting device 4 pivots the shutter 3 in a pivoting plane Y fixed relative to the treatment member 2 from the treatment position to the production position and back again. Accordingly, the swivel device 4 does not have to apply any lifting or lowering movement to the closure 3. The sealing of the treatment opening 22 of the treatment member 2 is effected by a corresponding loading of the volume 34 between the carrier 30 and the membrane 32 with a pressure medium.

The pivoting device 4 can thus be made quite simple, since only a rotation of the rotary shaft 40 about the pivot axis X around is necessary, a lifting movement but not done and is not provided. The pivoting device 4 can be pivoted in accordance with a simple electric motor or a compressed air driven rotation mechanism so that the shutter 3 can be pivoted from the production position to the cleaning position and back again. This results in a simple storage of the rotary shaft 40th

The shutter 3 is connected to the rotation shaft 40 via a cantilever 42, with the cantilever 42 extending radially away from the rotation shaft 40, for example.

The rotary shaft 40 and the boom 42 have a common channel 5, through which the pressure medium can be introduced into the volume 34 between the carrier 30 and the membrane 32. The channel 5 is formed in the embodiments shown in the figures by a introduced in the rotary shaft 40 through hole 50 and introduced into the boom 42 through hole 52. The two through holes 50, 52 are correspondingly interconnected and sealed against each other, that a pressure-resistant channel 5 is formed, extending from a source not shown in the figures for the pressure medium to the volume 34 between the carrier 30 and the membrane 32nd extends.

On additional print media lines for supplying the pressure medium to the volume 34 can be dispensed with.

In the cleaning position, which in FIG. 1 is shown, by pressing the channel 5 with pressure medium, the membrane 32 of the closure 3 are pressed against the treatment member 2, so that a sealing of the treatment opening 22 is achieved.

The treatment member 2 and the treatment opening 22 are preferably formed symmetrically to an axis B of the treatment member 2. The axis B of the treatment member 2 and the pivot axis X are preferably each on a pitch circle of a rotary container treatment machine. Accordingly, both the axis B of the treatment member 2, and the pivot axis X are arranged eccentrically to the rotational axis of a carousel of the rotary container treatment machine.

Each treatment element 2 in a rotary container treatment machine is preferably provided with its own pivoting device 4 and its own closure 3. Accordingly, the example in FIG. 1 shown unit of treatment member 2 and pivoting device 4 with the closure 3 are simply replaced modularly, if this should be necessary in the event of maintenance or defect. Individual pressurization of the membrane 32 with pressure also allows an individual adaptation of the pressure of the pressure medium applied to the membrane 32, so that a fluid-tight seal of the respective treatment opening 22 is achieved with minimal wear on the membrane 32.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the membrane 32 has a reinforcement 320 in the region of the treatment opening 22. The reinforcement 320 essentially follows the outer contours of the edge regions of the treatment opening 22. The reinforcement 320 prevents bulging of the membrane 32 in the area of the contact surfaces around the treatment opening 22. Furthermore, a uniform application of the membrane 32 is achieved to the treatment member 2, whereby the sealing effect of the membrane 32 is further improved. In this way, an unwanted opening of the seal at a possible weak point of the membrane 32 can be prevented.

The membrane 32 may be made of a plastic, preferably an elastic plastic. However, the membrane 32 can also be provided in the form of a bellows which contains plastic or metal or consists of these materials.

Instead of in FIG. 1 shown membrane 32 may be provided on the support 30 of the shutter 3, a piston not shown here, which is pressed to seal the treatment opening 22 by acting on the corresponding piston volume with a supplied for example via the channel 5 in the rotary shaft 40 pressure medium.

In FIG. 2 a schematic perspective and partially sectional view of another device 1 is shown, wherein again a treatment member 2 is shown in the form of a filling member 20. A closure 3 is provided, wherein the closure 3 has indeed been pivoted into the cleaning position in the pivoting plane Y, but the membrane 32 is not yet exposed to the corresponding pressure medium. Thus, the treatment opening 22 is not completely sealed.

The reinforcement 320 of the membrane 32 is in FIG. 2 Good to see and is here in the form of a circular or annular plate formed, which is applied to the membrane 32. The radius of the circular plate of the reinforcement 320 substantially corresponds to the outer contours of the edge region around the treatment opening 22, so that the reinforcement 320 can come into contact with the edge region of the treatment opening 22.

A container holder 6 is shown, by means of which containers to be treated can be held on their neck ring and can thus be guided under the treatment member 2.

The pivoting device 4 and in particular the rotary shaft 40 are in turn clearly visible. The pressurizing medium passage 5 is formed by the through-hole 50 in the rotating shaft 40 and the through-hole 52 in the boom 42.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of the device 1 for treating a container of FIG. 2 , wherein again the treatment member 2 is shown in the form of the filling member 20, which is arranged above the container holder 6, so that a guided in the container holder 6 container can be treated by means of the treatment member 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the treatment member 2 is a filling member 20, so that a filling product can be filled in the guided in the container holder 6 container.

In FIG. 3 the closure 3 is again shown in the cleaning position, but the membrane 32 is not yet loaded with the pressure medium, so that a fluid-tight closing of the Treatment opening 22 has not been completed. The swivel device 4 is likewise shown schematically and essentially has the rotary shaft 40, on which the shutter 3 is held over the boom 42. By simply rotating the rotary shaft 40 such that a lifting or lowering movement does not take place, the shutter 3 moves from the production position to the cleaning position and back again.

Where applicable, all individual features illustrated in the individual embodiments may be combined and / or interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Apparatus for treating a container

2

treatment member

20

Filling head

22

treatment opening

24

filling valve

26

Füllproduktauslauf

240

Füllventilkegel

242

Füllventilkegelsitz

3

shutter

30

carrier

32

membrane

34

volume

320

Reinforcement of the membrane

4

swivel device

40

rotary shaft

42

boom

5

channel

50

Through Hole

52

Through Hole

6

container holder

X

swivel axis

Y

pivot plane

B

Axis of the treatment organ

Claims (12)

Device (1) for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling installation, particularly preferably for filling a container with a filling product, comprising a treatment member (2) with a treatment opening (22) for treating the container with a treatment fluid, a closure (3) for Closing the treatment opening (22) for cleaning the treatment member (2), and a pivoting device (4) for moving the closure (3) from a production position leaving the treatment opening (22) open for treatment of the container into a cleaning position closing the treatment opening (22),
characterized in that
the closure (3) can be pivoted by the pivoting device (4) in a plane (Y) fixed relative to the treatment element (2). Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure (3) has a membrane (32), which in the cleaning position by pressing with a pressure medium sealingly to the treatment opening (22) can be pressed. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the membrane (32) with compressed air and / or cleaning medium to the treatment opening (22) can be pressed. Device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the membrane (32) has a reinforcement (320), which preferably follows the outer contours of the treatment opening (22). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure (3) has a piston, which in the cleaning position by pressing with a pressure medium sealingly against the treatment opening (22) can be pressed. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the piston with compressed air and / or cleaning medium to the treatment opening (22) can be pressed. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivoting device (4) has an axis of rotation (X) around which the shutter (3) in the stationary plane (Y) from the production position to the cleaning position and back again is pivotable. Device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the axis of rotation (X) is arranged on a pitch circle of a rotary container treatment machine and is preferably arranged eccentrically to the rotational axis of the carousel of a rotary container treatment machine. Device (1) according to one of Claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the closure (3) is held on a rotary shaft (40) of the pivoting device (4) extending along the axis of rotation (X), preferably via a jib (42). , and the rotary shaft (40) and preferably the boom (42) has a pressure medium channel (5) for guiding a pressure medium for acting on the membrane and / or the piston of the closure (3) with pressure medium. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each treatment member (2) is associated with its own pivoting device (4). Method for cleaning a device (1) for treating a container, preferably in a beverage filling installation, comprising closing a treatment opening (22) of a treatment member (2) for treating a container by means of a closure (3) and applying pressure to the closed treatment member (2) a cleaning fluid,
characterized in that
the closure (3) for closing the treatment opening (22) is pivoted from a production position leaving the treatment opening (22) open in a position (Y) fixed relative to the treatment element (2) into a cleaning position closing the treatment opening (22). A method according to claim 11, characterized in that in the cleaning position, a closure (2) arranged on the membrane (32) by applying a pressure medium, the treatment opening (22) seals.

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