JPS6212114B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an improvement in a liquid filling method and apparatus suitable for filling containers of non-carbonated beverages such as youth drinks.

[Conventional technology]

1 and 2 show a conventional liquid filling method and device, in which 1 is a filler bowl, 2 is a valve body fixed to the filler bowl 1, and 3 is integral with the valve body 2, with holes 3a and 3b. 4 is in a sliding relationship with the valve body 2 and has a diameter of φ
A ring 5, a sliding valve having a liquid hole 4a, and a guide sleeve 6 having a base 7 are integral with the sliding valve 4 and are in a sliding relationship with the valve body 2. 8 is a spring provided between the valve body 2 and the sliding valve 4, 9 is a bottle seal member held by the sliding valve 4, and 10 is in a slidable relationship with the sliding valve 4 and the cylinder body 3. , part 10a, air conduit having hole 10b, 11 is 3b of cylinder body 3, 1 of air conduit 10
12 is a stopper integral with the air conduit 10, 13 is an adjustment bolt screwed into the stopper 12, and 14 is a lock nut. 15 indicates a bottle.

In the above configuration, the bottle 15 is raised by a bottle lifting device (not shown), and when the mouth of the bottle 15 hits the seal member 9 while being guided by the cap 7 and lifts the seal member 9, etc., the sliding valve 4 and the air conduit 10 are integrated. The air conduit 10 is lifted up and hits the adjustment bolt 13, the hole 10b communicates with the upper part of the filler bowl 1, and the liquid remaining in the air conduit 10 flows down into the bottle 15. Continuing bottle 1
5, the lower end of the air conduit 10 and the lower end of the sliding valve 4 open, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 2, in which the liquid in the filler bowl 1 flows into the bottle 15.
The air inside returns to the filler bowl 1 via the air conduit 10 and the hole 10b. When the liquid level in the bottle 15 rises and the liquid level comes into contact with the lower end of the air conduit 10, the bottle 15
The internal air is no longer expelled, and instead the liquid rises in the air conduit 10 until it reaches approximately the same level as the liquid level in the filler bowl 1.
The flow of liquid from the tank stops.

The bottle 15 is then lowered and returns to the state shown in FIG.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Conventionally, liquid is filled into the bottle using the method described above, but when the bottle is raised and the mouth of the bottle is sealed with the seal member 9 and moved up a predetermined stroke, the air conduit 1
Since the liquid remaining in the bottle is allowed to fall into the bottle, it takes longer to start filling, and the pressure inside the bottle increases due to the liquid falling, which lengthens the falling time and reduces filling capacity. This problem was particularly noticeable in the case of bottles with a small capacity.

In addition, since the cylindrical spring for the air conduit is installed inside the filler bowl, the pulp contained in juice, etc. gets stuck on the inside of the spring, and it is necessary to wash it out with a brush during cleaning, which takes time. It takes time and effort, and the air conduit 10
In order to open and close the hole 10b, as well as open and close the lower ends of the air conduit 10 and the sliding valve 4, it is necessary to increase the vertical stroke of these, which causes problems such as wear and malfunction. .

[Means and actions for solving problems]

The present invention was proposed in view of the above points, and
The purpose is to improve the filling capacity, simplify the structure of the filling device that is immersed in the liquid in the filler bowl, and facilitate cleaning.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid filling method and device for non-carbonated beverages that can eliminate wear and malfunction of parts constituting the filling device.

The filling method of the present invention includes a step in which a container is supplied directly below a filling device, and the opening at the top of an air conduit is changed from a closed state to an open state to cause the liquid held in the air conduit to fall into the container. The container is lifted by a container lifting device and the mouth of the container is sealed with a sealing member, and as the container continues to rise, the sliding valve is raised together with the sealing member to open the liquid valve and pour the liquid into the container. The container is characterized by comprising a filling step, and a step of lowering the container by changing the opening at the top of the air pipe from an open state to a closed state when the liquid is retained in the air pipe after filling is completed. Since the liquid held in the air pipe is allowed to fall into the container before the mouth of the air pipe is sealed, the internal pressure of the container does not increase and the time for the liquid to fall in the air pipe is shortened. Filling starts immediately after the area is sealed. Therefore, the filling capacity can be increased.

Further, the filling device of the present invention includes a valve body fixed to a filler bowl, and a valve body that is provided within the valve body so as to be movable up and down, and that is biased downward by a spring loaded between the valve body and the valve body. a sliding valve that opens and closes the liquid valve by moving up and down as the container moves up and down; an air conduit having an opening, an outer periphery of which engages with the sliding valve in a lowered position to open and close the liquid passage, and an opening formed in the upper part of the air conduit is connected to the upper space of the filler bowl; The supplied container provided at the upper end rises and contacts the sealing member of the liquid filling device, and before its mouth is sealed, the upper opening of the air conduit is opened and the liquid flows into the air conduit. It is characterized by an opening/closing mechanism for the upper opening that is configured to close the upper opening after the flow of air has stopped, and since the air conduit is fixed to the valve body, the filler A cylindrical body that supports an air conduit in a bowl so that it can be raised and lowered, or
There is no need to provide a spring, so the configuration of the filling device in the liquid in the filler bowl can be simplified, and the cleaning performance is improved, and the time and effort required for cleaning can be reduced. Furthermore, since the air conduit is fixed and only the sliding valve moves up and down, the up and down stroke of the air conduit can be made small, and wear and malfunction caused by going up and down can be reduced. Note that the air conduit is configured such that the opening formed in the upper part of the air conduit can be opened and closed at the above-mentioned time point by the opening/closing mechanism.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

20 is a filler bowl, 21 is a valve body that is integrated with the filler bowl 1, and 22 is a φ ring 22.
a, a sliding valve having a hole 22b, which is in a sliding relationship with the valve body 21;
A liquid valve is formed between the Reference numeral 23 denotes a cap having a sealing member 24, which is slidably held on the sliding valve 22. 25 is a spring provided between the valve body 21 and the sliding valve 22, 26 is a spacer held by the sliding valve 22, and 27 is a hole 27 in the upper part.
a sliding valve 22 with its lower end in the lowered position
and is secured to the valve body 21 by a nut 28 integral with the valve body and in slidable relationship with the sliding valve 22. 2
9 is a charging cap having a hole 29a and is slidably held at the upper end of the air conduit 27;
The hole 27a constitutes an air valve. A bearing 30 is integral with the filler bowl 20 and rotatably holds a fork 31 that engages with the charging cap 29. 32 is a charging cap sliding lever that is integrated with the fork 31.

In the above configuration, when the bottle 15 is fed according to a predetermined filling cycle onto the bottle lifting device disposed directly below the filling device and in correspondence with the filling device, the lever 32 is moved by means not shown. Rotate and lift the charging cap 29.
The hole 27a thus communicates with the filler bowl 20 and the liquid remaining in the air conduit 27 falls into the bottle 15. The bottle 15 is lifted by the lifting device, and the mouth of the bottle 15 hits the sealing member 24 while being guided by the cap 23, and the bottle 1 continues to be sealed.
5, the cap 23 that is integral with the seal member 24 rises, lifting the spacer 26, and the sliding valve 22 rises against the spring 25. The φ ring 22a is separated from the valve body 21, and then the sliding valve The moving valve 22 hits the valve body 21 and stops rising. At this time, the lower end of the sliding valve 22 and the air conduit 27
The opening size between the lower end flanges of the filler bowl 20 is determined, and the liquid in the filler bowl 20 flows down into the bottle 15 through the hole 22b. When the liquid level inside the bottle 15 rises and blocks the lower end of the air conduit 27, the air inside the bottle 15 is no longer removed.
Instead, the liquid rises in the air conduit 27 to approximately the same level as the liquid level in the filler bowl 20, and the flow of liquid from the filler bowl 20 stops. In this state, the lever 32 is rotated, the charging cap 29 closes the hole 27a, and then the bottle 1
5 is lowered and returns to the state shown in FIG. 3, completing the filling cycle. At this time, liquid is retained in the air conduit 27 and, at the beginning of the next filling cycle, drops into the bottle by opening the hole 27a into the filler bowl, as described above.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the method and apparatus of the present invention, the residual liquid in the air conduit is dropped into the bottle before the bottle opening is sealed, so the pressure inside the bottle does not increase, and the falling time is shortened. Filling capacity can be increased. With conventional products, when the bottle rises, the mouth is sealed, and the bottle moves up a specified stroke, the liquid in the air pipe begins to fall, which lengthens the filling time by the amount of time it takes for the liquid to fall. .
By performing this process before the bottle rises and its mouth is sealed, filling can be started immediately after the mouth is sealed, thereby improving the filling capacity.

Furthermore, in the device of the present invention, there is no need to provide a cylinder or a spring to support the air conduit so that it can rise and fall in the liquid of the filler bowl, which simplifies the configuration of the filling device in the liquid and makes cleaning easier. In addition, since the air conduit is fixed, the lifting stroke of the sliding valve and bottle can be shortened.
It can have many effects, such as reducing wear and malfunction caused by lifting and lowering.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views showing a conventional device; Figure 1 shows the state before filling, Figure 2 shows the state during filling, and Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example, and FIG. 3 shows a state before filling, and FIG. 4 shows a state during filling. 15...bottle, 20...filler bowl, 21...
... Valve body, 22 ... Sliding valve, 27 ... Air conduit, 29 ... Charging cap.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A step in which a container is supplied directly below the filling device, and the opening at the top of the air conduit is changed from the closed state to the open state to cause the liquid held in the air conduit to fall into the container; The container is lifted by a container lifting device and the mouth of the container is sealed with a sealing member, and as the container continues to rise, the sliding valve is raised together with the sealing member to open the liquid valve and pour the liquid into the container. A non-carbonated beverage liquid characterized by comprising a filling step, and a step of lowering the container by changing the opening at the top of the air conduit from an open state to a closed state when the liquid is retained in the air conduit after filling is completed. Filling method. 2. The valve body fixed to the filler bowl,
It is installed in the valve body so that it can move up and down, and is biased downward by a spring loaded between the valve body and the valve body to form a liquid valve and move up and down as the container goes up and down. and a sliding valve that opens and closes the liquid valve; and a sliding valve that is fixed to the valve body, passes through the inside of the sliding valve, has an opening at its lower end, and has an outer periphery that engages with the sliding valve in the lowered position to open and close the liquid valve. An air conduit whose passage can be opened and closed and whose opening is connected to the upper space of the filler bowl, and an air conduit provided at the upper end of the air conduit so that the supplied container rises and seals the sealing member of the liquid filling device. The upper opening of the air conduit is opened before the liquid comes into contact with the air conduit and its mouth is sealed, and the upper opening is closed after the liquid stops flowing into the air conduit. A liquid filling device for non-carbonated beverages, characterized by comprising an upper opening and an opening/closing mechanism.