JP7435952B2 - Method for counterpressure filling of containers and filling system of counterpressure filling machine - Google Patents

Description

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

When filling liquids into containers under pressure, for example when filling bottles or cans with carbonated products and beverages, the mouth of the container to be filled is closed during the filling process to the outflow of the filling elements used. The container is pressed essentially air-tight against the container, so that the filled product can be introduced into the container under increased pressure.

For example, as described in German Patent No. 41 34 446, the first unexamined publication, the container to be filled is raised by means of a suitable displacement device and the filling device, i.e. the filling element used, is It can be pressed against the outlet. Alternatively, the filling element may be lowered into the mouth of the container until a gas-tight contact is established, as described, for example, in the first unexamined German publication, DE 4101891. Can be done. Appropriately designed sealing and centering means can ensure that the outflow opening is located precisely at the mouth of the container to be filled and remains essentially airtight during the filling process. can.

Before filling, the container can be pre-purged with a purge gas, for example nitrogen or carbon dioxide, especially in the case of products that react with oxygen. By filling liquid under increased pressure, the pressure within the container also increases continuously. Alternatively or additionally, the container can be pre-pressurized (preloaded) via a pressure gas channel with a pressure gas, in particular carbon dioxide, up to the preload pressure, the container then containing the product, in particular carbon dioxide. It is filled under pressure equal to the incoming product.

After the container has been filled with liquid or product, the pressurized headspace of the container is relieved of pressure by means of an associated pressure relief valve via a pressure relief path. The pressure is generally reduced to ambient pressure. Once the filling element is depressurized, the pressure relief valve is removed from the mouth of the container or the container is lowered, so that the filled container can be removed from the filling machine, for example from a filling carousel. It looks like this.

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

Via pressure gas channel 160 and associated pressure gas valve 170, container 140 is preloaded to a preload pressure before the filling process begins. 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 closure 125 of the filling valve 110 is retracted from the valve seat 120 of this closure 125, so that the liquid to be filled is transferred to the pressure sleeve 128 and the container 140. , through the closure 125 and through the filling channel 105 . Because the cross-section of the opening in valve seat 120 is smaller than the channel in pressure sleeve 128, liquid enters container 140 through port 145 as an open jet.

During filling, the preload gas passes through the filling valve 110, through the pressure gas channel 160, and escapes aside via the pressure gas valve 170. For example, carbon dioxide used as pressure gas can be recovered in this way and returned to the storage vessel. 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 containers can be filled under equal pressure. However, the preload gas may also escape elsewhere or some may remain in the container.

After the filling process is completed, in conventional filling systems, the relief valve 165 relieves the headspace of the filled container, which is under increased pressure. For this purpose, the pressure 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 pressure relief valve 165. In a further special development shown in FIG. 1, the relief channel for depressurizing the headspace of the container before raising the filling element 100 is partially identical to the preload channel. However, since this pressure relief occurs at ambient pressure, conventional filling systems provide separate pressure relief paths. Through this pressure relief path, preload gas can escape from the headspace.

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

During the cleaning required at regular intervals, conventional filling systems do not ensure that sufficient cleaning and disinfection medium is conveyed across each pressure relief channel. Pressure relief valves that do not switch or become clogged due to temperature increases, for example, are generally not easy to find. Metrological monitoring, for example by monitoring the temperature and flow rate for each filling element, can only be ensured with great effort and therefore cannot be implemented from an economic point of view. Metrological monitoring also results in increased space requirements.

For filling systems for weakly acidic beverages, the use of filling valves with pressure relief channels is only conceivable with the use of further hygienic measures. For the production of non-carbonated beverages, in addition to monitoring the temperature and flow rate of the individual pressure relief channels, it is necessary to thermally isolate the pressure relief channels from the environment, for example in the form of a vapor barrier. It won't happen. Overall, the provision of separate pressure relief channels for the filling elements increases the costs of both installation and cleaning and maintenance of the entire filling system.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for filling containers with liquid under increased pressure and a filling system for a counterpressure filling machine for carrying out the method. The invention avoids the above-mentioned drawbacks. Specifically, the headspace of a filled container shall be depressurized without increasing installation and maintenance costs. Furthermore, cleaning of the filling system will be simplified. In general, the invention is based on the object of providing a method and a filling system for filling carbonated drinks, which, in particular, does not require high maintenance costs and can be used under high hygiene standards. There is.

The above-mentioned object is a method for filling containers with liquid under increased pressure, the object of which is to provide a method for filling containers with liquid under increased pressure, the object being to provide a method for filling containers with liquid under increased pressure, the method comprising: preloading the container to be filled with preload gas by means of a gas connection of the filling element until a preload pressure is reached; A method comprising the steps of filling the container with liquid by means of a filling valve and separating, in particular withdrawing, the container opening from the outlet opening after completion of the filling process, before separating or withdrawing the container opening. , the contact between the container opening and the outlet opening is resolved at least once temporarily in order to at least partially relieve the preload pressure.

The container can be, for example, a bottle or a can. By increased pressure we mean here and in the following a pressure that is higher than the ambient pressure. The liquid may in particular be a liquid food product, such as a drink. 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 into containers under pressure.

As already mentioned, the container opening, for example the mouth of a bottle, is first pressed against the outlet opening of the filling element, thus creating 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 along the circumference of a filling line designed as a rotating machine. The outflow opening of the filling element is accordingly formed and arranged in such a way as to ensure an essentially gas-tight contact. An essentially gas-tight contact is understood here and below as a mechanical contact that blocks the escape of gas even under the filling pressure prevailing during the filling process. The outflow opening of the filling element can be provided on a separately provided pressure sleeve, for example as shown in Figure 1, so that the pressure sleeve can be replaced as a formatting part when changing to another container type. can do.

In order to prevent undesirable foaming of the carbonated beverage during filling, the container to be filled is preloaded with preload gas to a preload pressure above ambient pressure before the filling process is started. Preload gas is fed into the vessel under pressure, for example 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 includes an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide. The preload pressure can be selected depending on the filling pressure. Specifically, counterpressure filling can be performed at a constant pressure provided by a preload pressure. In this case, the preload gas is continuously returned from the container via a pressure gas channel during filling and is stored, for example, in a gas chamber above the supply of liquid. In a particular further development, the container, the pressure gas channel and the storage, for example a ring storage, form a system in which they communicate at a pressure that is in equilibrium with respect to the product to be filled.

By opening the filling valve of the filling element, the container may be filled with liquid, whereby the device may be provided to ensure filling with the desired filling amount. A large number of such devices are known in the state of the art and therefore will not be described in detail here. For example, a probe can be inserted into the container as a fill level sensor that signals when a 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 to determine the maximum filling level. Alternatively, filling can be carried out according to the open jet principle, as described above. That is, it can in particular be carried out without a return gas tube. A flow sensor or a filling volume distribution can ensure the desired filling volume. As part of the filling process, controlled refilling can also provide adjustment of the filling amount.

After the filling process has been 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 withdrawal, so that the filling The container can eventually be removed for further processing. Depending on the procedure for pressing on the filling element, the filling element is withdrawn by lowering the container and/or by raising the filling element or the filling valve.

According to the invention, the gas-tight contact between the container opening and the outlet opening is made temporarily at least once before the final separation of the container opening in order to at least partially relieve 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 each other to a certain extent by a certain gap or slot. be done. This range is such that a part of the gas under increased pressure, in particular a part of the preload gas, present in the headspace of the container 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 fill level inside the container, escapes directly into the environment.

At least initially, the contact is temporary so that any foaming of the liquid in the container due to the sudden drop in pressure can be tempered again before the contact is broken again or finally. It will only be opened and re-established. In particular, contact can be temporarily broken and re-established several times until the container opening is finally separated from the outlet opening. This allows the headspace to be continuously relieved to near ambient pressure or completely to ambient pressure, so that only slight foaming of the filled product occurs during the final separation. It has started to occur.

According to the invention, there is clearly no further pressure relief through a separately provided pressure relief valve, since the gas in the headspace escapes directly to the surroundings through the resulting slot. In particular, such pressure relief valves can be completely omitted, which significantly reduces the installation effort and simplifies the required periodic cleaning.

According to a further development, the contact can be broken by a 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 filling element. For example, the filling element can be raised from the container opening by pneumatic 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 servo motor or a control cam.

According to a further development, the contact can be broken by temporarily lifting the filling element out of the container opening, whereby the movement of the filling element during the lifting is restricted by a mechanical block. According to this further development, the container does not lower to break the contact, but the filling element rises. For example, the container may be held against movement along the longitudinal axis of the container by a suitable receiving and/or holding device, while displacing the filling element along the longitudinal axis. Appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure that: For example, the filling element blows compressed air into a chamber provided for this purpose until a suitably designed element of the filling element, for example a locking element, mechanically engages the mechanical block. This allows it to be raised 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 when the contact part is raised. In this way, the rate at which pressure in the headspace is relieved can be effectively limited.

In particular, the contact can be temporarily broken repeatedly until the container opening is finally separated from the outlet opening or lifted off. Each time contact is temporarily broken, the pressure within 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 in particular be or contain carbon dioxide and the liquid is in particular a carbonated beverage. For example, carbonated beverages may be beer, sparkling wine, soft drinks, etc. The use of carbon dioxide as a preload gas evacuates oxygen or other extraneous gases from the container to be filled and maintains the carbon dioxide content of the beverage being filled during the filling process. The use of carbon dioxide, or any other inert gas such as nitrogen, as or as part of the preload gas also extends the shelf life of the product being filled.

As already mentioned, the preload gas can be partially withdrawn via the gas connection during the filling process. For this purpose, a suitable pressure gas valve can be opened during the filling process, allowing a portion of the preload gas to flow back from the container via the pressure gas valve, for example into a storage container. Can be done. In this way, the need for preload gas can be reduced.

The described method can also be used to fill containers with slightly acidic beverages. Mildly acidic beverages, such as milk or plant-based milk alternatives, generally require higher hygiene standards than carbonated beverages. The described method can also be used for filling 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 needed.

The above-mentioned object is a filling system of a counterpressure filling machine for carrying out one of the above-mentioned methods, whereby the filling system presses substantially air-tightly against the container opening of the container to be filled. at least one filling element with an outflow opening that can be filled, a gas connection for a preload gas and a filling valve for a liquid, and at least one filling element for the container to be filled. one receiving and/or holding device, one or both of the filling element and the receiving and/or holding device being capable of bringing the outlet opening of the filling element and the container opening into contact for filling. In a filling system, one or more of a filling element and a receiving and/or holding device are configured to be movable relative to each other along an axis, in particular a longitudinal axis of a container, such that The filling system is also provided with a lifting device configured to temporarily break the contact between the outflow opening and the container opening by moving both along the axis.

Here, the same variants and further developments mentioned above in connection with the method according to the invention for filling containers 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 outflow opening of the filling valve itself can be brought into air-tight contact with the container opening. For this purpose, the outlet openings are suitably shaped and arranged to ensure the required tightness under the filling pressure in contact with the respective container opening.

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

In particular, the lifting device may be designed such that it can move one or both of the filling element and the receiving and/or holding device along an axis in a controlled manner. be. For example, the lifting device may act pneumatically on one or both of the filling element and the receiving and/or holding device, thereby ensuring that appropriate pressure chambers, supply lines, discharge lines, valves, pumps, etc. , may be provided to effect a relative displacement of the filling element and the receiving and/or retaining 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 with respect to a filling machine designed as a rotating unit.

According to a further development, the filling element is relatively movable along the axis, whereby the lifting device is designed to raise the filling element out of the container opening in order to break the contact. There is. According to this further development, the receiving and/or holding device for the container to be filled may be designed to be stationary, in particular with regard to axial movement.

A larger cross-sectional area is available for this further development when moving the finished filling element in the axial direction. On this cross-section, for example in a pressure chamber, the pressure of a gas can act, causing the lifting device to operate pneumatically. This means that the filling element can also be raised out of 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 aforementioned pressure sleeve. The filling element also temporarily raises the filling valve 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 set back and offset from the outflow opening. For this purpose, an axial spacing exists between the outflow opening and the valve seat of the filling valve, so that when the filling valve is opened, the product to be filled enters the container in the form of an open jet. It's meant to be entered. Here, and in the following, filling using the open jet principle is carried out in such a way that the cross-section of the filling jet is smaller than the cross-section of the container opening, so that the preload gas, which is replaced by the filled product, flows from the container opening into the filling This means that they can escape by passing through the jet stream.

The gas connection of the filling element may have a pressure gas valve arranged at the level of the valve seat when viewed in the axial direction. Arrangement at valve seat level means that the pressure gas valve is arranged 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 aforementioned axis, may be less than 2 cm. Due to the described arrangement of the pressure gas valves, the dead space on the filling element is reduced to a minimum, thus avoiding undesired contamination.

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

The filling system may also include at least one connection for compressed air, the filling element being arranged such that the filling element can be pneumatically raised from the container opening via the connection for compressed air. Designed. The compressed air can be ambient air or a suitable gas such as nitrogen. The filling system may have one or more adjustable valves that can be opened and closed by closed-loop and/or open-loop units of the filling line to supply or discharge 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, the pressure of a small amount of compressed air is sufficient to pneumatically raise the filling element.

The invention further comprises a closed-loop and/or open-loop unit designed to repeatedly break contact between the outlet opening and the container opening before being relieved to ambient pressure. A counterpressure filling machine with a plurality of filling systems according to one of its developments is also provided. Relief to ambient pressure can be achieved in particular by a final separation of the outlet opening and the container opening. As mentioned above, repeatedly breaking contact can result in continuous depressurization of the headspace without foaming and overflowing the filled liquid. Closed-loop and/or open-loop units can be designed, for example, as programmable logic controllers. The programmable logic controller determines the number and frequency of relative movements between the filling element and the container depending on the filling product, filling pressure, and/or container type.

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

Further features and exemplary embodiments as well as 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 also be combined in other ways.

1 schematically shows a conventional filling element with a separate pressure relief valve; FIG. 1 schematically shows a filling element according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of a method for filling a container according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of a method of filling a container according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of a method of filling a container according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of a method of filling a container according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of a method of filling a container according to the invention; FIG.

In the figures described below, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements. For greater clarity, identical elements are listed only the first time they occur. However, it goes without saying that variants and embodiments of elements described with reference to one of the figures can also be applied to the corresponding elements in the other figures.

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

In a non-limiting further development presented here, the opening of the filling valve 210 is itself surrounded by an annular opening. Through this annular opening, preload gas can be introduced into the container 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 through the pressure gas channel 260 during filling of the container with the filling product. The filled product is filled into the container 140 via the filling channel 205 and past the valve seat 220 as an open jet. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the further developments described above, 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 to control the introduction of preload gas into the container and the withdrawal of gas from the container. In particular, the pressure prevailing within the container during the filling process can be regulated by valve 270. The valve 270 may be controlled by a closed-loop and/or open-loop unit 285 of the filling system. 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, the filling element shown in Figure 2 does not have a relief valve that can be used to relieve 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 holding device 252 for the filling element 200 in a further development shown here above. This holding device 252 is fixed in particular in the vertical direction, so that 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 displacement of the filling elements, the lifting device 290 is equipped with a supply line 291 and a supply line 293 for compressed air. The supply lines 291 and 293 are connected to corresponding ring chambers 292 and 294. Although not shown, suitable controllable valves, compressed air supplies, and/or one or more pumps apply compressed air to the supply lines 291 and 293, as is known per se. It may be provided to do so. Supply lines 291 and 293 can simultaneously serve as exhaust lines. The control of valves or compressed air supply devices via 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 in such a way that vertical movement of the filling element is guaranteed. For this purpose, suitably designed sealing elements can be used and/or parts of the pressure gas channel can be designed flexibly.

The surface of the filling element 200, which is of substantially cylindrical shape, has an annular projection 295 in the form of an annular shoulder, rail or the like, according to a further embodiment described above. This annular projection 295 can move vertically within the cylindrical cavity of the lifting device 290. In a non-limiting further development shown here, two projections 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 a gas-tight manner.

By introducing compressed air into the annular pressure chamber 292 via the supply line 291, a downward force is created on the protrusion 295 and thus on the filling element 200. This downward force causes the filling element to move downward, as shown by the double arrow, and positions it with the outlet opening 230 over 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 upwardly along its longitudinal axis. In particular, the filling element 200 can be temporarily raised from the container opening 145 by the controlled introduction of compressed air into the pressure chamber 294, as described above, and the filling element's container opening 145 and the outlet opening 230 to form an annular slot.

Through this annular slot, a portion of the gas in the headspace of the container can escape, thus partially relieving the gas pressure in the headspace. By releasing compressed air into the lower pressure chamber 294 and simultaneously introducing compressed air into the upper pressure chamber 292, contact between the filling element and the container opening 145 is established to allow the liquid within the container to settle again. can be re-established so that This process can be repeated, whereby the height of the upward movement and the duration of contact release can be used to determine how much to relieve the pressure of the gas in the headspace. can.

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

However, the invention is not limited to the above-mentioned further developments involving pneumatic lifting devices, for example mechanical lifting devices with mechanical levers, control cams and/or one or more servo motors. It should be understood that it can also be implemented by

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

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

In the 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 particularly at the level of the valve seat 220, for example in close proximity to the valve seat. In this way, the dead space within the pressure gas channel 260 can be reduced to a minimum.

3 to 7 are diagrams illustrating the sequence of steps for filling a container according to the present invention. For better understanding, the figures have been limited to 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 non-limiting further development shown here, the filling element has a pressure sleeve 228. This pressure sleeve 228 establishes a gas-tight contact between the outlet opening and the container opening of the container 140. In this basic position, the filling element is separated 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. A gripping device 250 is attached to a valve carrier plate 252. In addition to the illustrated filling elements, this carrier plate 252 holds a number of other filling elements, for example as part of a filling machine designed as a rotary unit.

Additionally, FIG. 3 schematically depicts the pressure gas channel 260, the aforementioned bellows 255, and the fill valve 210. Filling valve 210 has its valve seat 220 schematically shown. In the basic position, the closing part of the fill valve, shown in black, 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 over the container opening in the direction indicated by the arrow so that a gas-tight contact is formed between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening. be lowered. 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, whereby the preload gas is introduced into the container 140 under pressure and also preloads this gas to the preload pressure. It is supposed to be done.

Once the preload pressure is reached, the fill valve 210 is opened by moving the closure vertically, as shown by the arrow in FIG. It is designed to be entered through an opening. At the same time, the preloaded gas in the container can escape via the pressure gas channel 260 and can also be recycled. During the entire filling process, the outlet opening of the filling element maintains tight mechanical contact with the opening of the container, as indicated by the arrow. The filling process continues 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 headspace 142. Once the desired fill level is reached, the fill valve 210 is closed as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6 by moving the closure relative to the valve seat 220. Pressure gas channel 260 is also closed by a pressure gas valve.

During counterpressure filling, the gas, particularly the preload gas that is present in the headspace 142 after the actual filling process is completed, is under increased pressure. In contrast to conventional methods, this increased pressure is relieved by temporarily raising the filling element from the container opening, according to the method according to the invention shown in FIG. This can be done, for example, as described above, by pneumatically raising the filling element by a limited amount of lift, as indicated by the arrow in the figure. The lift thus opens an annular slot between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening. Through this annular slot, gas can partially escape from the headspace 142. In this way, the pressure of the gas in the headspace is partially relieved.

As mentioned above, the filling element is lowered again into the container opening after it has been raised for a short period of time, so that a gas-tight contact between the pressure sleeve 228 and the container opening is again established. It has become. This causes the carbonated beverage that foams during the pressure release process to become soft again before the process is repeated or the contact is finally broken. Pressure relief can be carried out once or repeatedly, as described above, before the contact is finally released.

Finally, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 7, the filling element is completely raised and is thus separated from the filled container. The filled containers are then removed by a suitable device and transferred from the gripping device 250 to a downstream container processing machine, such as an outlet star wheel or a capping machine, for example. The filling element is then returned to its initial position.

The described filling element and filling method do not require a separately provided pressure relief path, which significantly reduces installation and cleaning efforts. The elimination of the pressure relief pass also eliminates significant process uncertainties resulting from the lack of prior conventional pressure relief pass cleaning and disinfection monitoring. For this reason, the filling element according to the invention can also be used for filling weakly acidic products that have additional microbiological requirements for hygiene. The described method can be used for both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and non-food products.
[Item of invention]
[Item 1]
A method of filling a container (140) with a liquid under increased pressure, the method comprising:
establishing a substantially gas-tight contact between the container opening (145) of the container (140) to be filled and the outlet opening (230) of the filling element (200);
preloading the container (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 a filling valve (210) of the filling element;
separating the container opening (145) from the outlet opening (230) after completion of the filling process;
In a method comprising:
The contact between the container opening (145) and the outlet opening (230) prior to separation of the container opening is temporarily broken at least once to at least partially relieve the preload pressure. A method characterized by:
[Item 2]
Method according to item 1, wherein said contact is broken by relative movement of said filling element (200) and/or said container (140).
[Item 3]
Method according to item 2, wherein the filling element (200) is pneumatically raised from the container opening (145).
[Item 4]
said contact is broken by temporarily raising said filling element (200) from said container opening (145), and movement of said filling element (200) during said raising is restricted by a mechanical block. , the method described in any one of items 1 to 3.
[Item 5]
5. A method according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the contact is repeated and temporarily broken before the container opening (145) is separated from the outlet opening (230).
[Item 6]
Method according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the preload gas is carbon dioxide itself or comprises carbon dioxide, and the liquid is in particular a carbonated beverage.
[Item 7]
Method according to any one of the preceding items, wherein during the filling process the preload gas is partially withdrawn via the gas connection (260).
[Item 8]
The method according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the liquid is a weakly acidic beverage.
[Item 9]
A filling system for a counterpressure filling machine for carrying out the method according to any one of items 1 to 8, comprising:
at least one said filling element (200) having said outlet opening (230) that can be pressed substantially airtight against said container opening (145) of said container (140) to be filled;
the filling element (200) with 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;
Equipped with
One or both of the filling element (200) and the receiving and/or holding device (250) can open the outlet opening (230) and the container opening (145) of the filling element for filling. in a filling system configured to be movable relative to each other along an axis, in particular the longitudinal axis of said container, so as to be able to come into contact;
By moving one or both of the filling element (200) and the receiving and/or holding device along the axis, the Filling system, characterized in that it comprises a lifting device (290) configured to temporarily release the contact.
[Item 10]
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 break the contact. The filling system according to item 9, configured to:
[Item 11]
Filling system according to item 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).
[Item 12]
Filling system according to item 11, wherein the gas connection (260) comprises a pressure gas valve (270) arranged at the level of the valve seat (220) with respect to the axis.
[Item 13]
Filling according to any one of items 10 to 12, wherein the filling element (200) has a mechanical block, in particular switchable, for limiting the movement of the filling element during the lifting. system.
[Item 14]
further comprising at least one compressed air connection (291, 293),
Items 10 to 10, wherein said filling element (200) is designed such that said filling element (200) can be raised pneumatically from said container opening (145) via said connection for compressed air. 14. The filling system according to any one of 13.
[Item 15]
A counterpressure filling machine comprising a plurality of filling systems according to any one of items 9 to 14,
a closed-loop and/or open-loop control unit (285) configured to repeatedly break the contact between the outlet opening (230) and the container opening (145) before being relieved to ambient pressure; A counter pressure filling machine further equipped with.

200...filling element, 205...filling channel, 210...filling valve, 215...valve stem, 220...valve seat, 225...closure, 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 (14)

A method of filling a container (140) with a liquid under increased pressure, the method comprising:
establishing a gas -tight contact between the container opening (145) of the container (140) to be filled and the outlet opening (230) of the filling element (200);
preloading the container (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 a filling valve (210) of the filling element;
separating the container opening (145) from the outlet opening (230) after completion of the filling process,
Before separation of the container opening, the contact between the container opening (145) and the outlet opening (230) is temporarily broken and reestablished to at least partially relieve the preload pressure. A method, characterized in that: is carried out at least once. Method according to claim 1, wherein the contact is broken by relative movement of the filling element (200) and/or the container (140). 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the filling element (200) is pneumatically raised from the container opening (145). said contact is broken by temporarily raising said filling element (200) from said container opening (145), and movement of said filling element (200) during said raising is restricted by a mechanical block. , the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. According to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact is repeatedly broken and re-established before the container opening (145) is separated from the outlet opening (230). Method described. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the preload gas is carbon dioxide itself or contains carbon dioxide, and the liquid is a carbonated beverage. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the filling process the preload gas is partially withdrawn via the gas connection (260). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liquid is a slightly acidic beverage. A filling system of a counterpressure filling machine for filling a container (140) with a liquid under increased pressure , the filling system comprising:
at least one filling element (200) having an outflow opening (230) that can be pressed airtight against a container opening (145) of said container (140) to be filled;
a filling element (200) with a gas connection (260) for preload gas and a filling valve (210) for 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) can open the outlet opening (230) and the container opening (145) of the filling element for filling. a filling system configured to be movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis of said containers so as to be able to come into contact;
The filling system is configured to open the outlet opening (230) and the container opening (145) by moving one or both of the filling element (200) and the receiving and/or holding device along the axis. further comprising a lifting device (290) configured to temporarily break and re-establish said contact between the
Filling system , characterized in that the filling element (200) has a switchable mechanical block for limiting the movement of the filling element during raising . 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 break the contact. 10. The filling system of claim 9, configured to. Filling system according to claim 10, wherein the filling valve (210) is designed as an open-jet valve , and the valve seat (220) of the filling valve is offset from the outlet opening (230). Filling system according to claim 11, wherein the gas connection (260) comprises a pressure gas valve (270) arranged at the level of the valve seat (220) with respect to the axis. further comprising at least one compressed air connection (291, 293),
10 . The filling element ( 200 ) is designed in such a way that the filling element ( 200 ) can be raised pneumatically from the container opening ( 145 ) via the compressed air connection. 10 . The filling system according to any one of items 1 to 12 . A counterpressure filling machine comprising a plurality of filling systems according to any one of claims 9 to 13 ,
A closed loop and/or an open loop configured to repeatedly break and re-establish the contact between the outlet opening (230) and the container opening (145) before being released to ambient pressure. A counterpressure filling machine further comprising a loop control unit (285).

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