JP7065647B2 - Liquid filling system and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid filling system for filling a container with a product liquid.

Conventionally, a liquid filling system for filling a container with a product liquid such as drinking water has been known. In the filling line of this type of liquid filling system, the supplied container is sterilized and cleaned, and the cleaned container is filled and capped with a predetermined amount of product liquid.
For example, if there is an abnormality in the nozzle of the sterilizer or cleaning device, the container processed by the nozzle with the abnormality is regarded as a defective product, and the product liquid is not filled and capped. A configuration for removing with is also proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1-2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-75703 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-209105

In Patent Document 1-2, a defective empty container is lighter than a container filled with a liquid, so that the container tends to tip over during transportation even with a small force. Further, in the subsequent stage of the filling device, the transport device is adjusted on the premise of transporting a container filled with a predetermined amount of product liquid. An empty container of a defective product has a large weight difference from a container of a good product filled with a predetermined amount of product liquid, and there is a possibility that the container cannot be smoothly delivered by the transport device.
If the container is not transported normally, the operation may be stopped in order to remove the container that was not normally transported from the filling line, and the production yield in the liquid filling system may decrease.

Based on the above, the present invention provides a liquid filling system capable of stably transporting a defective container with a transport device common to a non-defective container filled with product liquid while reducing the amount of product liquid to be discarded. The purpose.

The liquid filling system of the present invention has a detection unit that detects a first container that is a good product and a second container that is a defective product, a filling unit that fills the first container with a product liquid, and a second container. A weight liquid injection part for injecting a weight liquid for weight into a container is provided , and the filling part also serves as a weight liquid injection part, and the filling part is a product in a smaller amount than the first container with respect to the second container. Inject the liquid as a weight liquid.

In the liquid filling system, since the filling unit also serves as the weight liquid injection unit, the filling unit injects a smaller amount of product liquid as the weight liquid into the second container than in the first container.
The weight liquid injection unit may inject the weight liquid into the second container at least to the position of the center of gravity of the second container.
The liquid filling system may further include a distribution unit that distributes the first container and the second container that have passed through the filling unit and the weight liquid injection unit to different transport paths. The distribution unit may distribute the first container and the second container to different transport paths by using the same information as the filling unit and the weight liquid injection unit.
The detection unit may detect at least one of a container molding defect, a container scratch, a container sterilization defect, and a container cleaning defect.
The container may be a resin container. Further, the product liquid may be drinking water.
In the liquid filling system of the present invention, the first container which is a good product and the second container which is a defective product are detected by the detection unit, and the first container is filled with the product liquid by the filling unit. The weight liquid for weight is injected into the two containers by the weight liquid injection part, and the filling part that also serves as the weight liquid injection part is used to inject a smaller amount of product liquid into the second container than in the first container. Inject as a weight liquid.

In the liquid filling system of the present invention, the first container, which is a non-defective product, is filled with the product liquid at the filling portion, and the second container, which is a defective product, is filled with the weight liquid for weight at the weight liquid injection portion. The second container into which the weight liquid is injected is heavier than the empty container, and the force required for the upright container to tilt is larger than that of the empty container. Therefore, the second container is less likely to tip over during transportation.
Further, by injecting the weight liquid into the second container, the weight difference between the first container and the second container after passing through the filling part and the weight liquid injection part becomes small, and the first container and the second container are conveyed. It becomes easy to smoothly transfer any of them between the devices.
Therefore, according to the liquid filling system of the present invention, the defective second container is stably transported while reducing the amount of waste product liquid by the same transport device as the first container of the non-defective product filled with the product liquid. can.

It is a figure which shows the liquid filling system of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the periphery of the pressure sensor installed in each of the three places of PosA, PosB, and PosC of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the pressure sensor in line III-III of FIG. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a liquid-filled state of the first container, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a liquid-filled state of the second container. It is a figure which shows the liquid filling system of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the liquid filling state of the 2nd container in 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[First Embodiment]
The liquid filling system 1 of the first embodiment is configured to continuously fill a resin container (for example, a PET bottle) that is sequentially conveyed with drinking water as a product liquid. Hereinafter, the resin container is also referred to as a bottle 60.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid filling system 1 of the first embodiment includes a blow molding machine 10 for supplying an empty bottle 60, a container inspection device 11, a first rotary sterilizer 12, and a first rotary sterilizer 12 in order from the upstream side. 2 It has a rotary sterilizer 13, a rotary cleaning device 14, a rotary filling device 15, a capper device 16, and a bottle sorting device 17.

The first rotary sterilizer 12, the second rotary sterilizer 13, the rotary cleaning device 14, the rotary filling device 15, the capper device 16 and the bottle sorting device 17 are provided in a clean chamber 40 whose inside is maintained at a positive pressure by clean air. Be housed. The operation of each element of the liquid filling system 1 is controlled by the control unit 50.

In the liquid filling system 1, the bottle 60 shown in FIG. 4 is held at a constant pitch on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body (star wheel) of each element, and is directed from the front stage to the rear stage as the star wheel rotates in the arrow direction. Are transported in sequence. In the liquid filling system 1, the order of the bottles 60 supplied from the blow molding machine 10 is known. Further, in each element of the liquid filling system 1, information (serial number information) that indicates the order of the bottles 60 being transported and uniquely identifies each bottle 60 is inherited.

Further, the blow molding machine 10, the container inspection device 11, the first rotary sterilizer 12, the second rotary sterilizer 13, the rotary cleaning device 14, the rotary filling device 15, the capper device 16, and the bottle sorting device 17 transfer bottles. The transfer star wheels 18A, 18B, 18C, ..., 18N are connected to each other.
The transfer star wheel 18E provided in front of the first rotary sterilizer 12 turns the bottle 60 180 degrees from the upright state to bring it into the inverted state. Further, the transfer star wheel 18K provided in the front stage of the rotary filling device 15 turns the bottle 60 180 degrees from the inverted state to return it to the upright state.

[Container inspection device 11]
The container inspection device 11 detects, for example, molding defects of the bottle 60 in the blow molding machine 10, scratches on the bottle 60, and the like. The container inspection device 11 outputs defect information to the control unit 50 for the bottle 60 that has detected a molding defect or a defect due to a scratch. The control unit 50 records the defect information in association with the serial number information of the bottle 60 in which the container inspection device 11 has detected the defect. The container inspection device 11 is an example of a detection unit that detects a molding defect of the bottle 60 and a defect due to a scratch on the bottle 60.

[First rotary sterilizer 12]
The first rotary sterilizer 12 sterilizes the inside of the bottle 60.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first rotary sterilizer 12 has a star wheel 12A, a plurality of (n) nozzles 20, and a pressure sensor 21. The star wheel 12A holds the bottle 60 on the outer peripheral portion at a constant pitch.

The plurality of nozzles 20 are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of a rotating body (not shown) that rotates in synchronization with the star wheel 12A. Identification numbers from No. 1 to No. n are assigned to each nozzle 20. The identification number of the nozzle 20 is associated with the serial number information of the bottle 60 in the control unit 50.
Each nozzle 20 is connected to, for example, a liquid supply unit (not shown) that supplies a sterilizing liquid containing peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Then, each nozzle 20 injects the sterilizing liquid into the bottle 60 while rotating in synchronization with the bottle 60. The sterilizing liquid is ejected from the normal nozzle 20 which is not clogged at the same injection pressure.

The pressure sensor 21 is a sensor for detecting clogging of the nozzle 20.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pressure sensor 21 has a bracket 25 on a pedestal 24 having a support column 22 erected on the bottom surface of the clean chamber 40 and a beam 23 supported at both ends by the support column 22. Is fixed by. As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensor 21 is located at a position PosA sandwiched between the transfer star wheels 18E and 18F on the outer peripheral portion of the star wheel 12A. Even in PosA where the bottle 60 does not pass on the outer peripheral portion of the star wheel 12A, the injection is performed by the nozzle 20, and the injection pressure is measured by the pressure sensor 21. Therefore, the pressure sensor 21 sequentially measures the injection pressure from each nozzle 20 as the star wheel 12A rotates.

As the pressure sensor 21, for example, a piezo resistance type pressure sensor having a pressure receiving diaphragm 26 can be adopted. A gauge resistance (not shown) is formed on the pressure receiving diaphragm 26. When the pressure receiving diaphragm 26 bends, the gauge resistance changes the electric resistance rate (piezoresistive effect) according to the magnitude of the bending, so that the pressure sensor 21 can measure the injection pressure from the nozzle 20. The configuration of the pressure sensor 21 is an example, and a sensor other than the piezo resistance type may be used.

When the pressure sensor 21 detects an abnormality in the injection pressure of the nozzle 20 (for example, a decrease in the injection pressure), the first rotary sterilizer 12 obtains information on the identification number of the nozzle 20 that has detected the abnormality and information on the defect of the nozzle 20. It is associated and output to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 records the defect information of the nozzle 20 in association with the serial number information of the bottle 60 corresponding to the identification number of the nozzle 20.
As described above, the control unit 50 associates the defective information with the serial number information of the defective bottle 60 which may not be normally sterilized in the first rotary sterilizer 12. The pressure sensor 21 of the first rotary sterilizer 12 is an example of a detection unit that detects a bottle 60 with poor sterilization.

[Second rotary sterilizer 13]
The second rotary sterilizer 13 shown in FIG. 1 sterilizes the inside of the bottle 60 in the same manner as the first rotary sterilizer 12.
The second rotary sterilizer 13 has a star wheel 13A similar to the star wheel 12A of the first rotary sterilizer 12, a plurality of nozzles 20, and a pressure sensor 21. Since the configurations of the nozzle 20 and the pressure sensor 21 in the second rotary sterilizer 13 are the same as those of the first rotary sterilizer 12, duplication and illustration are omitted.
However, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensor 21 of the second rotary sterilizer 13 is provided at a portion PosB sandwiched between the transfer star wheels 18F and 18G in the outer peripheral portion of the star wheel 13A.

Also in the second rotary sterilizer 13, the abnormality of the nozzle 20 is detected in the same manner as in the first rotary sterilizer 12. That is, when the pressure sensor 21 of the second rotary sterilizer 13 detects an abnormality in the injection pressure of the nozzle 20, the second rotary sterilizer 13 has information on the identification number of the nozzle 20 that has detected the abnormality and information on the defect of the nozzle 20. Is associated with and output to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 records the defect information of the nozzle 20 in association with the serial number information of the bottle 60 corresponding to the identification number of the nozzle 20.
As described above, the control unit 50 associates the defective information with the serial number information of the defective bottle 60 which may not be normally sterilized in the second rotary sterilizer 13. The pressure sensor 21 of the second rotary sterilizer 13 is an example of a detection unit that detects a bottle 60 with poor sterilization.

[Rotary cleaning device 14]
The rotary cleaning device 14 shown in FIG. 1 sprays a cleaning liquid to wash away the sterilizing liquid sprayed by the first rotary sterilizing device 12 and the second rotary sterilizing device 13 from the bottle 60.
The rotary cleaning device 14 also has a star wheel 14A similar to the star wheel 12A, a plurality of nozzles 20 , and a pressure sensor 21. The configuration of the nozzle 20 and the pressure sensor 21 in the rotary cleaning device 14 is the same as that of the first rotary sterilizing device 12 except that the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the nozzle 20, so duplicate description and illustration are omitted.
However, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensor 21 of the rotary cleaning device 14 is provided at a portion PosC sandwiched between the transfer star wheels 18I and 18J in the outer peripheral portion of the star wheel 14A.

Also in the rotary cleaning device 14, the abnormality detection of the nozzle 20 is performed in the same manner as in the first rotary sterilizing device 12. That is, when the pressure sensor 21 of the rotary cleaning device 14 detects an abnormality in the injection pressure of the nozzle 20, the rotary cleaning device 14 associates the information of the identification number of the nozzle 20 that has detected the abnormality with the defect information of the nozzle 20. Is output to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 records the defect information of the nozzle 20 in association with the serial number information of the bottle 60 corresponding to the identification number of the nozzle 20.
As described above, the control unit 50 associates the defective information with the serial number information of the defective bottle 60 which may not have been normally cleaned by the rotary cleaning device 14. The pressure sensor 21 of the rotary cleaning device 14 is an example of a detection unit that detects a bottle 60 with poor cleaning.

[Rotary filling device 15]
The rotary filling device 15 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a filling unit and a weight liquid injection unit, and fills the inside of the bottle 60 with drinking water as a product liquid.
The rotary filling device 15 is configured to discharge the product liquid to the bottle 60 from a plurality of filling valves (not shown) provided on the circumference of the star wheel 15A while gripping the bottle 60 with the star wheel 15A.
The rotary filling device 15 receives the bottles 60 that have passed through the rotary cleaning device 14 in order by the star wheel 15A, and while the star wheel 15A makes substantially one rotation and the bottle 60 is conveyed in the circumferential direction, the bottle 60 is conveyed from the filling valve. Inject the product liquid into the bottle.

The rotary filling device 15 adjusts the discharge amount of the filling valve according to the instruction of the control unit 50, and changes the injection amount of the product liquid L between the non-defective bottle 60 and the defective bottle 60.
The control unit 50 determines whether or not the defect information is associated with the serial number information of the bottle 60 for each bottle 60 received by the rotary filling device 15. The control unit 50 determines that the bottle 60 to which the defect information is not associated with the serial number information is a non-defective product, and determines that the bottle 60 to which the defect information is associated with the serial number information is a defective product.
Hereinafter, the non-defective bottle 60 is also referred to as a first container 61, and the defective bottle 60 is also referred to as a second container 62.

The control unit 50 outputs an instruction to fill the container full product liquid L to the rotary filling device 15 to the filling valve that injects into the first container 61. As shown in FIG. 4A, the rotary filling device 15 fills the first container 61 with the full amount of the product liquid L specified by the specifications of the bottle 60. FIG. 4A shows the full filling line of the product liquid L in the first container 61 by F1.

On the other hand, in order to stably convey the second container 62 in the first embodiment, the control unit 50 tells the filling valve that injects into the second container 62 that the liquid for weight (weight liquid) is larger than the full amount of the container. An instruction to inject a small amount of the product liquid L is output to the rotary filling device 15. As shown in FIG. 4B, the rotary filling device 15 injects a smaller amount of the product liquid L into the second container 62 than the first container 61. In FIG. 4B, the taste line of the product liquid L in the second container 62 is shown by F2, and the full amount of the taste line F1 in the container is shown by a broken line for comparison.

The injection amount of the product liquid L into the second container 62 is appropriately set according to the operator's instruction within the range in which stable transportation of the second container 62 is possible. Since the product liquid L filled in the second container 62 is discarded, the smaller the injection amount of the product liquid L into the second container 62, the smaller the amount of the product liquid L discarded, and the higher the production yield.

For example, the rotary filling device 15 may inject the product liquid L into the second container 62 up to half of the full container.
Further, it is empirically known that when the product liquid L is injected to the position of the center of gravity G of the bottle 60, the bottle 60 is less likely to fall and becomes stable. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4B, the rotary filling device 15 may inject the product liquid L into the second container 62 up to the position of the center of gravity G. However, the above example is merely an example, and the rotary filling device 15 may stop the injection of the product liquid L at a position lower than the center of gravity G of the second container 62.

[Capper device 16]
The capper device 16 shown in FIG. 1 attaches a cap (not shown) to the mouth portion 63 of the bottle 60 delivered from the rotary filling device 15 and seals the mouth portion 63 of the bottle 60.
In the present embodiment, since the product liquid L is injected into both the first container 61 and the second container 62, the capper device 16 attaches a cap to all the bottles 60.

[Bottle sorting device 17]
The bottle distribution device 17 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a distribution unit, which is arranged after the capper device 16 and discharges the first container 61 and the second container 62 to different carry-out routes. The first container 61 and the second container 62 are similarly conveyed until they are sent out from the rotary filling device 15 and delivered to the bottle sorting device 17.
The bottle sorting device 17 has a first star wheel 17A, a second star wheel 17B, and a first carry-out path 17C and a second carry-out path 17D. Both the first carry-out path 17C and the second carry-out path 17D are composed of a conveyor device.

The first star wheel 17A receives the bottle 60 to which the cap is attached by the capper device 16, discharges the first container 61 to the first carry-out path 17C, and delivers the second container 62 to the second star wheel 17B. As a result, the first container 61 is sent out to the next facility by the first carry-out path 17C.
The second star wheel 17B pays out the second container 62 received from the first star wheel 17A to the second carry-out path 17D. As a result, the second container 62 is transferred to the second carry-out path 17D and removed.

[Operation of liquid filling system 1]
Next, the operation of the liquid filling system 1 in the first embodiment will be described.
In the liquid filling system 1, the empty bottle 60 supplied from the blow molding machine 10 sequentially passes through the container inspection device 11, the first rotary sterilizer 12, the second rotary sterilizer 13, and the rotary cleaning device 14, and is rotary. It is sent to the filling device 15.
The container inspection device 11 outputs defect information to the control unit 50 for the bottle 60 that has detected a molding defect or a defect due to a scratch. The control unit 50 records the defect information in association with the serial number information of the bottle 60 in which the container inspection device 11 has detected the defect.

The first rotary sterilizer 12 and the second rotary sterilizer 13 each execute the sterilization process of the bottle 60. The rotary cleaning device 14 performs a cleaning process for the sterilized bottle 60.
The first rotary sterilizer 12 measures the injection pressure of the nozzle 20 with the pressure sensor 21. When an abnormality in the injection pressure of the nozzle 20 is detected, the first rotary sterilizer 12 outputs the information of the identification number of the nozzle 20 that has detected the abnormality and the defect information of the nozzle 20 to the control unit 50 in association with each other. Then, the control unit 50 records the serial number information of the bottle 60 corresponding to the identification number of the nozzle 20 in association with the defect information of the nozzle 20.

The second rotary sterilizer 13 and the rotary cleaning device 14 also have a pressure sensor 21 that measures the injection pressure of the nozzle 20 in the same manner as the first rotary sterilizer 12. When the second rotary sterilizer 13 and the rotary cleaning device 14 also detect an abnormality in the injection pressure of the nozzle 20, the same processing as that of the first rotary sterilizer 12 is performed.
Therefore, in the first rotary sterilizer 12, the second rotary sterilizer 13, and the rotary cleaning device 14, defective bottles 60 that may not be normally sterilized or cleaned are subjected to serial number information by the control unit 50. Defect information is associated.

In the liquid filling system 1, the processing of the rotary filling device 15 and the bottle sorting device 17 differs between the case of the first container 61 and the case of the second container 62.
The control unit 50 determines whether or not the defect information is associated with the serial number information for each bottle 60. The control unit 50 determines that the bottle 60 to which the defect information is not associated with the serial number information is a non-defective product, and determines that the bottle 60 to which the defect information is associated with the serial number information is a defective product.

In the case of a non-defective first container 61, the rotary filling device 15 fills the first container 61 with the full amount of the product liquid L according to the instruction of the control unit 50 (FIG. 4A). The first container 61 filled with the product liquid L is delivered to the first star wheel 17A of the bottle sorting device 17 after the cap is attached by the capper device 16. The bottle distribution device 17 dispenses the first container 61 to the first carry-out path 17C in response to an instruction from the control unit 50.

In the case of a defective second container 62, the rotary filling device 15 injects a smaller amount of product liquid L as a weight liquid into the second container 62 than in the first container 61 according to the instruction of the control unit 50 (FIG. 4 (b)). The second container 62 into which the product liquid L is injected is delivered to the first star wheel 17A of the bottle sorting device 17 after the cap is attached by the capper device 16. The bottle sorting device 17 delivers the second container 62 to the second star wheel 17B and dispenses it to the second carry-out path 17D in response to the instruction of the control unit 50.
As described above, in the liquid filling system 1, the first container 61 and the second container 62 are distributed by the bottle sorting device 17.

[Effect of liquid filling system 1]
Hereinafter, the effect of the liquid filling system 1 of the first embodiment will be described.
(1) Stable Transport of Defective Bottle 60 In the liquid filling system 1 of the first embodiment, the first container 61 is filled with the full amount of the product liquid L by the rotary filling device 15, and the second container 62. A smaller amount of the product liquid L than that of the first container 61 is injected into the container 61. The second container 62 is conveyed to the bottle distribution device 17 in the subsequent stage of the rotary filling device 15 in the same manner as the first container 61, and in the bottle distribution device 17, the first container 61 is carried out with the first carry-out path 17C. Is paid out to a different second carry-out route 17D.

When the second container 62 is discharged from the second star wheel 17B of the bottle sorting device 17 to the second carry-out path 17D, the second star wheel is placed on the second container 62 immediately after being discharged to the second carry-out path 17D. Centrifugal force associated with the rotation of 17B acts. If the second container 62 is an empty container, the bottle 60 is tilted by the centrifugal force when it is discharged to the second carry-out path 17D, and the bottle 60 is likely to tip over in the second carry-out path 17D.
However, the product liquid L, which is smaller than the full amount of the container, is injected into the second container 62 as the liquid for the weight. Since the second container 62 becomes heavier than the empty container by injecting the product liquid L, the force required for the upright container to tilt is larger than that of the empty container. Therefore, in the first embodiment, even if a centrifugal force acts immediately after discharging to the second carry-out path 17D, the second container 62 is less likely to tilt, and the posture of the second container 62 is stabilized. As described above, according to the first embodiment, the second container 62 is less likely to tip over than the empty container.

Further, the second container 62 becomes heavier than the empty container by injecting a smaller amount of the product liquid L than the full amount of the container. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the weight difference between the first container 61 and the second container 62 after passing through the rotary filling device 15 is smaller than that in the case where the second container 62 is transported as an empty container. The transport conditions of the second container 62 approach the transport conditions of the first container 61.
As a result, the transfer star wheels 18M and 18N, the capper device 16, the first star wheel 17A, and the second star wheel 17B have a second container 62 that is closer to the weight of the first container 61 than in the case of transporting an empty container. It can be easily delivered.

As described above, the second container 62 is unlikely to tip over during transportation, and the second container 62 can be easily transferred between the transporting devices. Therefore, in the subsequent stage of the rotary filling device 15, the first container 62 is first. The container 61 and the second container 62 can be stably transported by a common transport device.
Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the chance of stopping the operation in order to remove the second container 62 that has not been normally transported can be reduced, and the production yield of the liquid filling system 1 can be improved.

(2) Continuation of manufacturing when the nozzle 20 fails In the first embodiment, in the first rotary sterilizing device 12, the second rotary sterilizing device 13, and the rotary cleaning device 14, a part of a plurality of nozzles 20 fails during operation. Even so, the product liquid can be continuously filled in the non-defective first container 61 without stopping the operation of the liquid filling system 1. That is, even if a part of the nozzles 20 fails, the operation of the liquid filling system 1 can be avoided, so that the operating rate of the liquid filling system 1 can be improved.
If the operation of the liquid filling system 1 is stopped and the faulty part is repaired, the product liquid may be deteriorated during the operation stop depending on the product liquid to be filled, which may lead to the disposal of the entire prepared product liquid. According to the first embodiment, since the operation stop of the liquid filling system 1 can be avoided when a part of the nozzles 20 fails, it is possible to suppress the disposal of the product liquid due to the deterioration during the operation stop as described above.

(3) Reduction of Waste Amount of Product Liquid In the first embodiment, the product liquid L is not injected into each second container 62 up to the full capacity of the container. Therefore, the amount of the product liquid L injected into the second container 62 is suppressed, and therefore, according to the first embodiment, the amount of the product liquid L discarded by being injected into the second container 62 is small. I'm done.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the configuration of the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment is configured to separately provide a filling portion and a weight liquid injection portion.
In the second embodiment, the same elements as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

In the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment, a second rotary filling device 30 which is an example of the weight liquid injection unit is provided instead of the transfer star wheel 18L of the first embodiment.
The second rotary filling device 30 fills the second container 62 with the full amount of water W as a liquid for weights according to the instruction of the control unit 50. The liquid-filled state of the second container 62 in the second embodiment is shown in FIG.
On the other hand, the second rotary filling device 30 does not inject water W into the first container 61.

The bottle 60 that has passed through the second rotary filling device 30 is delivered to the rotary filling device 15 which is an example of the filling unit.
The rotary filling device 15 of the second embodiment fills the first container 61 with the full amount of the product liquid L in accordance with the instruction of the control unit 50. The state of the first container 61 in the second embodiment is the same as in FIG. 4A.
On the other hand, the rotary filling device 15 of the second embodiment does not inject the product liquid L into the second container 62 filled with water W by the second rotary filling device 30. That is, unlike the first embodiment, the rotary filling device 15 of the second embodiment does not function as a weight liquid injection unit.

The bottle 60 that has passed through the rotary filling device 15 sequentially passes through the capper device 16 and the bottle sorting device 17. In the second embodiment, the processing in the capper device 16 and the bottle sorting device 17 is the same as in the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, the effect of the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment will be described.
In the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment, the first container 61 is filled with the full amount of the product liquid L by the rotary filling device 15 (FIG. 4A). Further, the second container 62 is filled with the full amount of water W by the second rotary filling device 30 (FIG. 6).
Since the second container 62 of the second embodiment becomes heavier than the empty container by filling with water W, the force required for the upright container to tilt is larger than that of the empty container. Therefore, according to the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the second container 62 is less likely to tip over than the empty container.

Further, since the second container 62 of the second embodiment is filled with the full amount of water W in the container, the weights of the first container 61 and the second container 62 after passing through the rotary filling device 15 are substantially the same. ..
As a result, the transfer star wheels 18M and 18N, the capper device 16, the first star wheel 17A, and the second star wheel 17B can deliver the second container 62 under the same transport conditions as the first container 61.

As described above, also in the second embodiment, the second container 62 is unlikely to tip over during transportation, and the second container 62 can be easily transferred between the transporting devices. Therefore, the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment can obtain the effect shown in the above (1) as in the first embodiment.

Also in the second embodiment, the effect shown in the above (2) can be obtained as in the first embodiment.
Further, in the liquid filling system 1A of the second embodiment, the second container 62 is filled with water W and the product liquid L is not injected. Therefore, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the product liquid L that is discarded together with the second container 62.
Moreover, since the water W filled in the second container 62 can be easily discarded or reused, the operating cost of the liquid filling system 1A can be suppressed.

In addition to the above, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which the product liquid filled in the bottle 60 is drinking water has been described. However, the liquid filling system of the present invention is not limited to filling drinking water, and other liquids such as seasonings and pharmaceuticals may be filled.

Further, the liquid filling system of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which a resin container (such as a PET bottle) is filled with a product liquid, and can be widely applied to a configuration in which a bottle or a can container is filled with a product liquid.

Here, in the liquid filling system for filling the can container with the product liquid, the can is sealed by a seamer device that wraps the can lid around the can body instead of the capper device 16. In the seamer device, if the processing conditions of the can container filled with the product liquid and the defective can container are different, the can may be crushed in the device when the can lid is wound and the seamer device may be damaged.
As the above countermeasure, for example, as shown in the second embodiment above, the defective can container may be filled with the full amount of water. As a result, when the liquid filling system of the present invention is applied to a can container, the processing conditions of the seamer device for the non-defective container and the defective container are almost the same, so that the operation stoppage due to the failure of the seamer device can be avoided.

In the above embodiment, the configuration example of the liquid filling system including the blow molding machine 10 and the container inspection device 11 has been described, but the liquid filling system may not have the blow molding machine 10 and the container inspection device 11.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example of distributing bottles by a bottle sorting device 17 using a star wheel is shown. For example, a second container 62 conveyed by a conveyor is pushed out from the side to be distributed. A rejector device having a configuration of the above may be adopted.

Further, in the second embodiment, an example of filling the second container 62 with water up to the full capacity of the container has been described. However, the amount of water W injected into the second container 62 in the second embodiment may be smaller than the full amount of the container as long as stable transportation of the second container 62 is possible. For example, the second rotary filling device 30 may inject water W into the second container 62 to the position of the center of gravity G.

1, 1A Liquid filling system 10 Blow forming machine 11 Container inspection device 12 1st rotary sterilizer 12A Star wheel 13 2nd rotary sterilizer 13A Star wheel 14 Rotary cleaning device 14A Star wheel 15 Rotary filling device 16 Capper device 17 Bottle sorting Device 17A 1st star wheel 17B 2nd star wheel 17C 1st carry-out path 17D 2nd carry-out path 18A-18N Transfer star wheel 20 Nozzle 21 Pressure sensor 22 Strut 23 Beam 24 Stand 25 Bracket 26 Pressure receiving diaphragm 30 Second rotary filling device 40 Clean chamber 50 Control unit 60 Bottle 61 1st container 62 2nd container 63 Mouth

Claims (6)

Regarding the container to be transported, a detection unit that detects a first container that is a good product and a second container that is a defective product,
A filling part for filling the first container with the product liquid, and
The second container is provided with a weight liquid injection unit for injecting a weight liquid for weights.
The filling portion also serves as the weight liquid injection portion.
The filling unit injects the product liquid in a smaller amount than the first container into the second container as the weight liquid.
A liquid filling system characterized by that. The weight liquid injection unit injects the weight liquid into the second container at least to the position of the center of gravity of the second container.
The liquid filling system according to claim 1. Further provided is a distribution unit that distributes the first container and the second container that have passed through the filling unit and the weight liquid injection unit to different transport paths.
The liquid filling system according to claim 1 or 2. The detection unit detects at least one of the molding defect of the container, the scratch of the container, the sterilization defect of the container, and the cleaning defect of the container.
The liquid filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The container is a resin container and is
The product liquid is drinking water.
The liquid filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . Regarding the container to be transported, the first container, which is a good product, and the second container, which is a defective product, are detected by the detection unit.
The first container is filled with the product liquid by the filling part, and the product liquid is filled.
The weight liquid for weight is injected into the second container by the weight liquid injection unit.
The filling portion that also serves as the weight liquid injection portion injects the product liquid in a smaller amount than the first container into the second container as the weight liquid.
A method of controlling a liquid filling system, characterized in that.

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