JP2020075766A - Method for counter pressure filling of container and filling system of counter pressure filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method for filling a container with a liquid under increased pressure.SOLUTION: There is provided a method in which airtight contact is established between a container opening (145) of a container (140) to be filled and an outflow opening (230) of a filling element (200) before starting a filling process. The filling element (200) is temporarily removed at least once to enable at least partial pressure discharge of the filled container before finally separating the container opening (145) from the outflow opening (230) after the filling process is completed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for filling a container with liquid under increased pressure and a filling system for a counterpressure filling machine for carrying out the method.

  When filling liquids into a container under pressure, for example when filling carbonated products and beverages into bottles or cans, the mouth of the container to be filled is such that the filling element used during the filling process flows out. It is pressed against the part in an essentially gas-tight manner, so that the filled product can be introduced into the container under increased pressure.

  The container to be filled is raised by means of a suitable transfer device, for example as described in German patent No. 4134446, the first unexamined publication in Germany, and the filling device, ie the filling element used It can be pressed against the outflow. Alternatively, the filling element is lowered into the mouth of the container until a gas-tight contact is established, for example as described in German Patent No. 4101891, the first unexamined publication in Germany. You can Properly designed sealing and centering means ensure that the outflow opening is precisely located at the mouth of the container to be filled and remains essentially airtight during the filling process. it can.

  Prior to filling, especially in the case of products that react with oxygen, the container can be pre-purged with a purge gas, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide. By filling the liquid under increased pressure, the pressure in the container also increases continuously. Alternatively or additionally, the container can be pre-pressurized (pre-loaded) via a pressure gas channel with a pressure gas, in particular carbon dioxide, up to a pre-loading pressure, the container then being fed with a product, in particular carbon dioxide. It is filled under the same pressure as the packaged product.

  After the container is filled with liquid or product, the pressurized headspace of the container is depressurized by the associated depressurization valve via the depressurization path. The pressure is generally reduced to ambient pressure. When the filling element is released, the relief valve is removed from the mouth of the container or the container is lowered, whereby the filled container can be removed from the filling machine, for example from the carousel for filling. It is like this.

  A filling system for a counter pressure filling machine, as known in the state of the art, is shown, for example, in FIG. The filling element 100 is arranged on the holding device 152 in a height-adjustable manner. In the position shown, the filling element 100 has already the outlet opening 130 of the pressure sleeve 128 lowered into the mouth 145 of the container 140 to be filled. The container 140 is arranged below the filling element 100 by means of a container holding device 150, for example a gripping element in the form of a clamp for gripping the neck. FIG. 1 also shows a cleaning-in-place (CIP) device 180. The CIP device 180 allows the filling element 100 to be cleaned.

  Via pressure gas channel 160 and associated pressure gas valve 170, vessel 140 is preloaded to a preload pressure before the filling process is initiated. The filling valve 110 of the filling element 100 is then opened by moving the valve stem 115. Due to the upward movement of the valve stem 115, the closing part 125 of the filling valve 110 retracts from the valve seat 120 of this closing part 125, whereby the liquid to be filled is forced into the pressure sleeve 128 and the container 140. Through the closure 125 and through the filling channel 105. Since the cross section of the opening of the valve seat 120 is smaller than the channel of the pressure sleeve 128, the liquid enters the container 140 through the mouth 145 as an open jet.

  During filling, preload gas escapes through the fill valve 110, through the pressure gas channel 160, and through the pressure gas valve 170. For example, carbon dioxide used as pressure gas can be recovered in this way and returned to the storage container. It is also known to supply pressurized gas back into the gas chamber above the product to be filled, for example into a ring bowl. In this way the filling can be carried out under equal pressure on the container. However, the preload gas may also be allowed to escape elsewhere, or some may remain in the container.

  After the filling process is complete, in a conventional filling system, the relief valve 165 releases the headspace of the filled container under increased pressure. For this purpose, the relief valve is opened after closing the filling valve 110, so that the preload gas in the headspace can be relieved via the preload channel 160 and the relief valve 165. In a further special development shown in FIG. 1, the relief channel for releasing the head space of the container before raising the filling element 100 is partly identical to the preload channel. However, since this relief is done at ambient pressure, the conventional filling systems of the prior art provide separate relief paths. Through this pressure release path, the preload gas can escape from the head space.

  The pressure relief path requires space inside the carousel of the filling machine and must also be integrated into the cleaning circuit. A separate track must be provided in the media distributor of the state-of-the-art filling system for this purpose. This increases the cost of installation and maintenance. The connection is made from the media distributor via several distribution lines. This distribution line connects to the ring channel. The filling valves are individually connected from this ring channel. In order to be able to open each filling element individually, each filling element must have its own pressure relief valve.

  During the required cleaning at regular intervals, conventional filling systems do not guarantee that sufficient cleaning and sterilizing medium is delivered over each pressure relief channel. Pressure relief valves, for example that do not switch or become clogged due to increased temperature, are generally not easily found. Monitoring by metering can only be ensured with a great deal of effort, for example by monitoring the temperature and the flow rate for each filling element, and thus cannot be implemented from an economic point of view. Metrological monitoring also results in increased space requirements.

  The use of filling valves with pressure relief channels for filling systems for weakly acidic beverages is only conceivable with the use of more hygienic measures. For the production of non-carbonated beverages, in addition to monitoring the temperature and flow rate of the individual pressure relief channels, the heat of the pressure relief channels must be insulated from the environment, for example in the form of a vapor barrier. I won't. Overall, by providing a separate pressure relief channel for the filling element, the cost of both the installation and the cleaning and maintenance of the entire filling system is increased.

  The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for filling a container with liquid under increased pressure and a filling system for a counterpressure filling machine for carrying out the method. The invention avoids the drawbacks mentioned above. Specifically, the head space of the filled container is released without increasing the installation and maintenance costs. Moreover, cleaning of the filling system will be simplified. In general, the invention is based in particular on the object of providing a method and a filling system for filling carbonated drinks, which can be used under high hygiene standards without being expensive to maintain. There is.

  The above-mentioned object is a method of filling a container with liquid under increased pressure, wherein a container opening is provided between the container opening of the container to be filled and the outlet opening of the filling element, in particular with respect to the outlet opening. Pressing to establish a substantially gas-tight contact, preloading the container to be filled with preload gas with the gas connection of the filling element until the preload pressure is reached, A method comprising filling a container with a liquid by means of a filling valve and, after completion of the filling process, separating the container opening from the outlet opening, in particular withdrawing, before the separation or withdrawal of the container opening. The contact between the container opening and the outlet opening is solved by a method in which the contact is temporarily released at least once in order to at least partially release the preload pressure.

  The container can be, for example, a bottle or a can. By increased pressure here and also below is meant a pressure above ambient pressure. The liquid may especially be a liquid food product such as a beverage. Emulsions or suspensions can also be filled under increased pressure. Finally, non-food liquid products, such as cosmetics, cleaning products, or similar products, can also be filled under pressure into the container.

  As already mentioned, the container opening, for example the mouth of the bottle, is first pressed against the outflow opening of the filling element, thus forming an essentially gas-tight contact. As already mentioned, this pressure can be applied by raising the container and / or lowering the filling element. The filling element can be part of a number of filling elements arranged around the circumference of the filling line designed as a rotating machine. The outflow opening of the filling element is accordingly shaped and arranged so as to ensure an essentially gas-tight contact. An essentially gas-tight contact is here and below understood as a mechanical contact that blocks escape of gas, even under the prevailing filling pressure during the filling process. The outlet opening of the filling element can be provided on a separate pressure sleeve, for example as shown in FIG. 1, so that the pressure sleeve can be replaced as a part to be formatted when changing to another container type. can do.

  In order to prevent undesired foaming of the carbonated beverage during filling, the container to be filled is preloaded with preloading gas to a preloading pressure above ambient pressure before the filling process is started. The preload gas is fed into the vessel under pressure, eg, via the preload gas channel shown in FIG. 1 until the desired preload pressure is reached. The filling element is supplied via a gas connection. As mentioned above, the preload gas is preferably or comprises an inert gas such as carbon dioxide. The preload pressure can be selected depending on the filling pressure. Specifically, counterpressure filling can be carried out at a constant pressure provided by the preload pressure. In this case, the preload gas is continuously returned from the container via the pressure gas channel during filling and is stored, for example, in the gas chamber above the liquid supply. In a further particular development, the container, the pressure gas channel and the storage, for example a ring storage, form a system in communication with a pressure which is in equilibrium with respect to the product to be filled.

  Opening the fill valve of the fill element may fill the container with liquid, thereby providing the device to ensure that the desired fill volume is filled. Many such devices are known in the state of the art and are therefore not described in detail herein. For example, the probe can be inserted into the container as a fill level sensor that signals that the desired fill level has been reached. A return gas tube can also be provided, especially in communication with the pressure gas channel. A pressure gas channel is inserted into the container and through its lower end determines the maximum filling level. Alternatively, as mentioned above, the filling can be done according to the open jet principle. That is, it can be performed without a return gas tube. The flow sensor or the distribution of the filling quantity can guarantee the desired filling quantity. A controlled refill can also be used to adjust the fill volume as part of the filling process.

  After the filling process is completed, in particular after the headspace above the liquid filled in the container has been depressurized, the container opening is separated from the outflow opening, for example by withdrawing, and thereby filled. The container is finally ready for removal for further processing. Depending on the procedure for pressing the filling element, the filling element is withdrawn by lowering the container and / or raising the filling element or the filling valve.

  According to the invention, the hermetic contact between the container opening and the outlet opening is temporarily at least once prior to the final separation of the container opening in order to at least partially release the preload pressure. It will be canceled. In other words, the container and / or the filling element or parts of the filling element are moved at least once such that the container opening and the outlet opening are temporarily separated from one another to a certain extent by a gap or slot. To be done. This range is such that a portion of the gas under increased pressure present in the headspace of the container, in particular a portion of the preload gas, can escape through this formed gap or slot. A portion of this gas in the headspace, ie in the volume of the container above the filling level inside the container, escapes directly into the environment.

  At least initially, the contact is temporary so that the bubbling of the liquid in the container due to the sudden pressure drop can be softened again before the contact is released again or finally. It will be opened only once and will be established again. In particular, the contact can be temporarily released and reestablished several times until the container opening is finally separated from the outflow opening. This allows the headspace to be continuously depressurized to a pressure close to ambient pressure or completely to ambient pressure, so that only a slight foaming of the filled product results during the final separation. It is supposed to occur.

  Since the gas in the headspace escapes directly to the surroundings through the resulting slots, according to the invention, there is clearly no further pressure relief through the separately provided pressure relief valve. In particular, such pressure relief valves can be omitted altogether, which significantly reduces the installation effort and simplifies the required regular cleaning.

  According to a further development, the contact can be released by relative movement of the filling element and / or the container. The relative movement takes place, in particular, along the longitudinal axis of the container or the filling element. For example, the filling element can be lifted from the container opening by air pressure. For this purpose, compressed air can be selectively introduced by a closed-loop and / or open-loop unit of the filling machine into a chamber provided for this purpose in order to displace the filling element. .. Alternatively, the filling element can be raised mechanically, for example by a servomotor or a control cam.

  According to a further development, the contact can be released by temporarily raising the filling element from the container opening, whereby movement of the filling element during raising is restricted by a mechanical block. According to this further development, the container does not descend to release contact, but the filling element rises. For example, the container may be held stationary by a suitable receiving and / or holding device along the longitudinal axis of the container, while displacing the filling element along the longitudinal axis. Are provided with suitable means. For example, the filling element blows compressed air into a chamber provided for this purpose until an appropriately designed element of the filling element, for example a locking element, mechanically engages the mechanical block. By doing so, it is possible to raise along the longitudinal axis. The mechanical block limits the relative movement of the filling element and thus the width of the annular slot formed in the container opening as the contact is raised. In this way, the rate at which the pressure in the headspace is released can be effectively limited.

  In particular, the contact can be temporarily released repeatedly until the container opening is finally separated from the outflow opening or lifted off. Each time contact is temporarily released, the pressure in the headspace of the container is further relieved. By repeatedly raising the contact portion, it is possible to prevent the filled carbonated product from foaming and overflowing.

  The preload gas may especially be or contain carbon dioxide and the liquid is in particular a carbonated drink. For example, carbonated drinks may be beer, sparkling wine, soft drinks, and the like. By using carbon dioxide as the preload gas, the container to be filled is evacuated of oxygen or other external gas, maintaining the carbon dioxide content of the beverage to be filled during the filling process. The use of carbon dioxide or any other inert gas such as nitrogen as the preload gas or as part of the preload gas also extends the shelf life of the product being filled.

  As already mentioned, the preload gas may be partially recovered during the filling process via the gas connection. For this purpose, a suitable pressure gas valve can be opened during the filling process, whereby a portion of the preload gas is allowed to flow back from the container via the pressure gas valve, for example into a storage container. You can In this way, the need for preload gas can be reduced.

  The method described can also be used to fill a container with a weakly acidic beverage. Weakly acidic beverages, such as milk or plant-based milk substitutes, generally require higher hygienic specifications than carbonated beverages. The described method can also be used to fill such weakly acidic beverages. The reason for this is that the pressure relief channels of conventional filling machines, which are difficult to clean, are no longer required.

  The above-mentioned object is a filling system of a counter-pressure filling machine for carrying out one of the above-mentioned methods, whereby the filling system presses the container opening of the container to be filled substantially gas-tightly. At least one filling element with an outlet opening that can be, a gas connection for the preload gas and a filling valve for the liquid, and at least for the container to be filled. With one receiving and / or holding device, one or both of the filling element and the receiving and / or holding device can bring the outlet opening of the filling element and the container opening into contact for filling. One or more of the filling element and the receiving and / or holding device in a filling system configured to be movable relative to one another along an axis, in particular along the longitudinal axis of the container, A filling system is also provided in which a lifting device is provided, which is arranged to temporarily release the contact between the outflow opening and the container opening by moving them both along an axis.

  Here, the same variants and further developments described above in connection with the method according to the invention for filling a container can also be applied to the filling system. For example, the outflow opening can be formed in a suitably shaped pressure sleeve of the filling element. Alternatively, the outlet opening of the filling valve itself can be in gas-tight contact with the container opening. For this purpose, the outflow openings are appropriately shaped and arranged to ensure the required airtightness under the filling pressure, in contact with the respective container openings.

  The gas connection for the preload gas can have a pressure gas valve. The pressure gas valve can be opened in a controlled manner to preload the container. The gas connection can be connected to the pressure gas channel. This pressure gas channel can be connected, for example, to a storage container for the pressure gas or a gas chamber above the filling product in the storage container for the liquid to be filled. The receiving and / or holding device for the container to be filled can be designed such that the container can be raised and pressed against the outflow opening. Alternatively, the receiving and / or holding device may be axially fixed and the filling element is lowered accordingly so as to establish contact between the outflow opening and the container opening. It The receiving and / or holding device may, for example, have a gripping element, especially for gripping the neck of a plastic bottle.

  In particular, the lifting device may be designed such that the lifting device is capable of moving one or both of the filling element and the receiving and / or holding device along an axis in a controlled manner. is there. For example, the lifting device may act pneumatically on one or both of the filling element and the receiving and / or holding device so that a suitable pressure chamber, supply line, exhaust line, valve, pump, etc. , May be provided to enable relative displacement of the filling element and the receiving and / or holding device. Alternatively, mechanical means such as control cams, levers, and / or motors can be provided. This mechanical means produces a relative displacement as a function of the angular position of the filling element, for example for a filling machine designed as a rotary unit.

  According to a further development, the filling element is relatively movable along the axis, whereby the lifting device is designed to lift the filling element from the container opening in order to release the contact. There is. According to this further development, the receiving and / or holding device for the container to be filled may be formed stationary, especially with respect to axial movement.

  Greater cross-sectional areas are available for this further development when moving the finished filling element axially. On this cross section, for example, in a pressure chamber, the pressure of the gas can be applied, which pneumatically operates the lifting device. This means that the filling element can also be lifted from the container opening against the filling pressure that presses the filling valve against the container opening. According to a special further development, the filling valve itself can be pressed against the container opening instead of the previously mentioned pressure sleeve. The filling element also causes the filling valve to be temporarily raised from the container opening.

  As already mentioned, the filling valve can be designed as a so-called open jet valve, whereby in particular the valve seat of the filling valve is retracted and offset from the outlet opening. For this reason, there is an axial gap between the outlet opening and the valve seat of the filling valve, so that when the filling valve is opened, the product to be filled into the container in the form of an open jet in the form of an open jet. It is supposed to enter. Here and in the following, filling using the principle of open jets means that the cross section of the filling jet is smaller than the cross section of the container opening, whereby the preload gas displaced by the filled product is filled from the container opening. It means that it is possible to escape through the jet.

  The gas connection of the filling element may have a pressure gas valve arranged at the height of the valve seat when viewed axially. Positioning at the height of the valve seat means that the pressure gas valve is positioned within an axial distance of less than 2 cm from the valve seat. Furthermore, the radial distance of the pressure gas valve, ie the distance perpendicular to the above-mentioned axis, may be less than 2 cm. The described arrangement of the pressure gas valve reduces the dead space on the filling element to a minimum, thus avoiding unwanted contamination.

  The filling element may be provided with a mechanical block, in particular a switchable block, in order to limit the movement of the filling element during raising. For example, a cam may be provided to limit the elevation of the filling element along the axis. Since only a small stroke is required to depressurize the headspace by temporarily raising the filling element from the container opening, the mechanical block is activated after lowering the filling element into the container opening. And can be switched off after the completion of the filling process, so that the filling element can finally be lifted away from the container opening. The mechanical blocks can be switched, for example, via cam control.

  The filling system may also include at least one connection for compressed air, such that the filling element allows the filling element to be pneumatically elevated from the container opening, via the compressed air connection. Is designed. Compressed air can be ambient air or a suitable gas such as nitrogen. The filling system can have one or more adjustable valves that can be opened and closed by closed-loop and / or open-loop units of the filling line for supplying or discharging compressed air. Corresponding supply and discharge lines for compressed air can be provided as is generally known. Due to the larger cross section of the filling element, a small amount of compressed air pressure is sufficient to pneumatically raise the filling element.

  The invention further comprises a closed-loop and / or open-loop unit designed to repeatedly release contact between the outlet opening and the container opening before being released to ambient pressure. A counterpressure filling machine having a plurality of filling systems according to one of the developments is also provided. Relieving pressure to ambient pressure can be achieved, in particular, by finally separating the outlet opening and the container opening. As mentioned above, repeated release of contact can result in continuous depressurization of the headspace without the filled liquid foaming and overflowing. The closed-loop and / or open-loop unit can be designed, for example, as a programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller determines the number and cycle of relative movement of the filling element and the container, depending on the filling product, filling pressure, and / or container type.

  The filling system described can be explicitly designed without a separate pressure relief channel or without a relief valve, which on the one hand reduces the installation effort and, on the other hand, a complex cleaning system. Can be omitted. This also makes the described counterpressure filling machine suitable for filling weakly acidic beverages into containers.

  Further features and exemplary embodiments, as well as the advantages of the invention, are explained in more detail below using the drawings. It goes without saying that the embodiments do not exhaust the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that some or all of the features described below can be combined in other ways.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional filling element having a separate pressure relief valve. FIG. 3 schematically shows a filling element according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of a method for filling a container according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of a method for filling a container according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of a method for filling a container according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of a method for filling a container according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of a method for filling a container according to the present invention.

  In the drawings described below, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements. For the sake of clarity, the same elements are listed only when they first appear. However, it goes without saying that variations and embodiments of the elements described with reference to one of the drawings can also be applied to the corresponding elements in the other figures.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a filling element 200 according to the present invention. Like the conventional filling element shown in FIG. 1, the filling element according to the invention also has a filling valve 210 with a closure 225. Closure 225 can be retracted from valve seat 220 of fill valve 210 by valve stem 215, as indicated by the double arrow. However, the present invention is not limited to the further developments of the fill valve described above and can be used with other known fill valves. However, unlike conventional filling elements in the past, the filling element shown in FIG. 2 does not have a separate pressure sleeve. Instead, the filling valve 210, which has its own outlet opening 230, is lowered directly onto the container opening 145 of the container 140 to be filled.

  In a further non-limiting development shown here, the opening of the filling valve 210 itself is surrounded by an annular opening. Through this annular opening, preload gas can be introduced into the vessel 140 via the pressure gas channel 260. Conversely, the gas present in the container at the beginning of the filling process escapes through this opening and the pressure gas channel 260 during the filling of the container with the filling product. The fill product is filled into container 140 via fill channel 205 and through valve seat 220 as an open jet. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the further developments described above, and in particular that a pressure sleeve may be provided between the filling valve 210 and the mouth of the container 140.

  As is known, the pressure gas channel 260 is equipped with a valve 270. This valve 270 can be opened and closed in a controlled manner so that the introduction of preloaded gas into the container and the withdrawal of gas from the container can be controlled. Specifically, the pressure prevailing in the container during the filling process can be regulated by valve 270. The valve 270 can be controlled by a closed-loop and / or open-loop unit 285 of the filling system. The closed loop and / or open loop unit 285 may be, for example, a programmable logic controller having a processor and at least one storage medium. However, in contrast to conventional filling elements in general, the filling element shown in FIG. 2 does not have a relief valve that can be used to depressurize the headspace of the filled container before the container is removed. ..

  Instead, the illustrated filling element has a lifting device 290. This lifting device 290 allows the entire filling element 200 to be pneumatically moved along the longitudinal axis of the filling element or container. The lifting device 290 is provided with a retaining device 252 for the filling element 200 in a further development shown here above. The holding device 252 is particularly vertically fixed, whereby the lifting device 290 is firmly connected to the holding device 252, while the filling element 200 can be moved vertically within the lifting device 290. For pneumatic movement of the filling element, the lifting device 290 comprises a supply line 291 and a supply line 293 for compressed air. The supply line 291 and the supply line 293 are connected to the corresponding ring chamber 292 and ring chamber 294. Although not shown, suitable controllable valves, compressed air supplies, and / or one or more pumps apply compressed air to supply lines 291 and 293, as is known per se. Can be provided. The supply lines 291 and 293 can simultaneously serve as discharge lines. The control of the valve or compressed air supply via the supply lines 291 and 293 can also be replaced by a closed-loop and / or open-loop unit 285. The connection of the pressure gas channel 260 with the filling element is designed such that vertical movement of the filling element is guaranteed. For this purpose, appropriately designed sealing elements can be used and / or some of the pressure gas channels can be designed flexibly.

  The surface of the filling element 200, which is substantially cylindrically shaped, according to the further embodiments described above, has an annular projection 295 in the form of an annular shoulder, rail, or the like. This annular protrusion 295 can move vertically in the cylindrical cavity of the lifting device 290. In a further non-limiting development shown here, two protrusions 295 are provided. A sealing ring 296 is arranged between the two protrusions 295. This sealing ring 296 separates the upper pressure chamber 292 from the lower pressure chamber 294 in an airtight manner.

  By introducing compressed air into the annular pressure chamber 292 via the supply line 291, a downward force is exerted on the projection 295 and thus on the filling element 200. This downward force causes the filling element to move downwards, as shown by the double arrow, to position the filling element with the outflow opening 230 above the mouth 145 of the container 140 to be filled. Conversely, by introducing compressed air into the annular pressure chamber 294 via the supply line 293, an upward force can be generated on the lower protrusion 295. This upward force displaces the filling element 200 upwards along its longitudinal axis. In particular, the filling element 200 can be temporarily elevated from the container opening 145 by the controlled introduction of compressed air into the pressure chamber 294, as described above, and the filling element container opening 145 and outflow opening. An annular slot is formed with 230.

  Through this annular slot, some of the gas in the headspace of the container can escape, thus partially relieving the gas pressure in the headspace. By allowing compressed air to be discharged into the lower pressure chamber 294 and at the same time introducing compressed air into the upper pressure chamber 292, the contact between the filling element and the container opening 145 is re-settled with the liquid in the container. Can be reestablished so that This process can be repeated so that the height of the ascending movement and the duration of the release of contact can be used to determine how much the pressure of the gas in the headspace is released. it can.

  According to a further embodiment shown, not only the filling valve 210, but the entire filling element 200 moves along the longitudinal axis, so that the larger cross section Q, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. Available for pneumatic control of movement. In this way, even low pressures in the pressure chamber 294 are sufficient to lift the filling element 200 vertically upwards against the filling pressure.

  However, the present invention is not limited to the further developments described above involving pneumatic lifting devices, including but not limited to mechanical levers, control cams, and / or mechanical lifting devices such as one or more servomotors. It should be understood that it can also be implemented by.

  By pneumatically raising the filling element 200 from the container opening 145, the preload gas can escape directly into the environment via the resulting annular slot. In particular, the pressure relief path and pressure relief valve provided by conventional filling elements can be dispensed with. This also eliminates the need for additional distribution trucks in the media distributor, as well as the valves needed to switch each pressure relief path on and off during cleaning and sterilization of the filling system.

  The further development shown in FIG. 2 also includes a bellows 255. The bellows 255 is provided at the lower end of the filling element 200 and can be lowered with the filling element via the container opening 145. Bellows 255 prevents contaminants from entering the area between fill valve 210 and container opening 145.

  In a further development shown, the pressure gas valve 270 is provided on the side of the pressure gas channel 260. However, as mentioned above, the gas valve may be located especially at the height of the valve seat 220, for example in the immediate vicinity of the valve seat. In this way, the dead space within the pressure gas channel 260 can be minimized.

  3 to 7 are diagrams showing the sequence of procedures for filling a container according to the present invention. For better understanding, these figures are limited to the essential elements for understanding.

  FIG. 3 shows the filling element according to the invention in its basic position before the filling process is started. In a further, non-limiting, further development shown here, the filling element has a pressure sleeve 228. This pressure sleeve 228 establishes a hermetic contact between the outlet opening and the container opening of the container 140. In this basic position, the filling element is separate from the container opening. In the further development shown, the container 140 is arranged below the filling element by means of a receiving and / or holding device designed as a gripping device 250. The gripping device 250 is attached to the valve carrier plate 252. This carrier plate 252 holds in addition to the illustrated filling element a number of other filling elements, for example as part of a filling machine designed as a rotary unit.

  Further, FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the pressure gas channel 260, the bellows 255 described above, and the fill valve 210. The fill valve 210 has a valve seat 220 shown schematically. In the basic position, the black valved closure of the fill valve closes the valve seat 220. Similarly, in this basic position, the pressure gas channel 260 is closed by a pressure gas valve not shown.

  At the beginning of the filling process, as shown in FIG. 4, the filling element is first placed on the container opening in the direction indicated by the arrow so that a hermetic contact is formed between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening. Be lowered. The fill valve 210 initially remains closed after contact is established. However, the pressure gas channel 260 is accordingly opened by actuating the pressure gas valve, so that the preload gas is introduced under pressure into the vessel 140 and also preloaded to the preload pressure. It is supposed to do.

  Upon reaching the preload pressure, the fill valve 210 is opened by moving the closure vertically, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, which causes the product to enter the container 140, the valve seat 220 and the pressure sleeve 228. It is designed to enter through the opening. At the same time, the preload gas in the container can escape via the pressure gas channel 260 and be reused. During the entire filling process, the outlet opening of the filling element maintains a hermetic mechanical contact with the opening of the container, as indicated by the arrow. The filling process is continued until the desired filling level in the container is reached, as shown in FIG. The volume above this fill level is generally referred to as the headspace 142. When the desired fill level is reached, the fill valve 210 is closed as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 6 by moving the closure relative to the valve seat 220. The pressure gas channel 260 is also closed by the pressure gas valve.

  During counterpressure filling, the gas, especially the preload gas present in the headspace 142 after the actual filling process is complete, is under increased pressure. In contrast to conventional methods, this increased pressure is relieved by following the method according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, but by temporarily raising the filling element from the container opening. This can be done, for example, by pneumatically raising the filling element a limited amount of elevation, as indicated by the arrow in the figure, as described above. Thus, the raising opens the annular slot between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening. Gas can escape partially from the headspace 142 through this annular slot. In this way, the pressure of the gas in the headspace is partly released.

  As mentioned above, the filling element is again lowered into the container opening after the filling element has been raised for a short time, so that the gas-tight contact between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening is once again established. It has become. This allows the carbonated beverage, which effervesces during the depressurization process, to be soft again, before the process is repeated or contact is finally released. The relief can be performed once or repeatedly, as described above, before the contact is finally released.

  Finally, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7, the filling element is fully raised and thus separated from the filled container. The filled container is then removed by a suitable device and transferred from the gripping device 250 to a downstream star wheel, for example, or a downstream container processing machine such as a capper. The filling element is then returned to its original position.

  The described filling element and filling method do not require a pressure relief path provided separately, which significantly reduces the installation and cleaning effort. The elimination of the pressure relief path also eliminates the significant process uncertainty that results from the lack of previous cleaning and sterilization monitoring of conventional pressure relief paths. For this reason, the filling element according to the invention can also be used for filling weakly acidic products which impose further microbiological requirements on hygiene. The described method can be used for both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and for non-food products.

  200 ... Filling element, 205 ... Filling channel, 210 ... Filling valve, 215 ... Valve stem, 220 ... Valve seat, 225 ... Closure part, 228 ... Pressure sleeve, 230 ... Outflow opening, 250 ... Gripping device, 252 ... Receiving and / or Or holding device, 252 ... Valve carrier plate, 255 ... Bellows, 260 ... Pressure gas channel, 270 ... Pressure gas valve, 285 ... Control unit, 290 ... Lifting device, 291, 293 ... Supply line, 292 ... Upper pressure chamber, 294 ... Lower pressure chamber, 296 ... Sealing ring.

Claims (15)

A method of filling a container (140) with liquid under increased pressure, comprising:
Establishing a substantially hermetic contact between the container opening (145) of the container (140) to be filled and the outflow opening (230) of the filling element (200);
Preloading the vessel (140) to be filled with preload gas by means of the gas connection (260) of the filling element until a preload pressure is reached;
Filling the container (140) with the liquid by means of a filling valve (210) of the filling element;
Separating the container opening (145) from the outflow opening (230) after completion of the filling process.
The contact between the container opening (145) and the outlet opening (230) prior to separation of the container opening is temporarily released at least once to at least partially relieve the preload pressure. A method characterized by being performed.   The method of claim 1, wherein the contact is released by relative movement of the filling element (200) and / or the container (140).   The method of claim 2, wherein the filling element (200) is pneumatically raised from the container opening (145).   The contact is released by temporarily raising the filling element (200) from the container opening (145) and movement of the filling element (200) during the raising is limited by a mechanical block. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the contact is repeated and temporarily released before the container opening (145) is separated from the outflow opening (230).   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preload gas is carbon dioxide itself or one containing carbon dioxide, and the liquid is a carbonated drink.   7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein during the filling process the preload gas is partially recovered via the gas connection (260).   The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is a weakly acidic beverage. A filling system of a counter pressure filling machine for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:
At least one filling element (200) having said outlet opening (230) capable of being pressed in a substantially gas-tight manner against said container opening (145) of said container (140) to be filled;
A filling element (200) having the gas connection (260) for the preload gas and the filling valve (210) for the liquid;
At least one receiving and / or holding device (250) for said container to be filled,
One or both of the filling element (200) and the receiving and / or holding device (250) are provided for filling the outflow opening (230) and the container opening (145) of the filling element. A filling system configured to be movable relative to one another along an axis, in particular along the longitudinal axis of the container, so that they can be brought into contact,
By moving one or both of the filling element (200) and the receiving and / or holding device along the axis, the said between the outflow opening (230) and the container opening (145). Filling system, comprising a lifting device (290) configured to temporarily release contact.   The filling element (200) is relatively movable along the axis and the lifting device (290) raises the filling element from the container opening (145) to release the contact. The filling system according to claim 9, wherein the filling system is configured as follows.   11. The filling system according to claim 10, wherein the filling valve (210) is designed as an open jet valve, in particular the valve seat (220) of the filling valve is offset from the outlet opening (230).   The filling system according to claim 11, wherein the gas connection (260) comprises a pressure gas valve (270) located at the level of the valve seat (220) with respect to the axis.   13. The filling element (200) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the filling element (200) comprises a mechanical block for limiting the movement of the filling element during the raising, in particular switchable. Filling system. Further comprising at least one compressed air connection (291, 293),
11. The filling element (200) is designed such that the filling element (200) can be pneumatically lifted from the container opening (145) via the compressed air connection. The filling system according to claim 13. A counter pressure filling machine comprising a plurality of filling systems according to any one of claims 9 to 14,
A closed loop and / or open loop control unit (285) configured to repeatedly release the contact between the outflow opening (230) and the container opening (145) before being released to ambient pressure. A counter pressure filling machine further comprising:

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