WO2009141061A2

WO2009141061A2 - Filling head for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2009141061A2
Application number: PCT/EP2009/003258
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thorsten Schmidt
Original assignee: Khs Ag
Priority date: 2008-05-21
Filing date: 2009-05-07
Publication date: 2009-11-26
Also published as: EP2303760B1; DE102008024579A1; RU2442745C1; DE102008024579B4; WO2009141061A3; EP2303760A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a container, in particular a large-volume container for receiving pressurised drinks, in particular a keg (1). The container is fitted with a filling head (3) which comprises a first channel (7), e.g. product channel (7), and a second channel (8), e.g. gas channel (8). Said container also comprises a pusher (4) that can be moved inside the filling head (3) and that defines separate flow paths for a product and a gas, in the inside the container and optionally, to the outside of the container. According to the invention, the pusher (4) is designed in such a manner that the flow paths of the gas and the product are interchangeable.

Description

Filling head for containers

The invention relates to a container, in particular a large-volume container for receiving biased liquids such as

Beverages, preferably a so-called keg keg or a keg container, with a filling head, which has a first channel, for. B. product channel, and a second

Channel, z. B. gas channel, and with a displaceable inside the filling head tappet, which pretends separate flow paths of on the one hand a product medium and on the other hand a gas medium into the container interior and optionally to the container exterior.

Such large-volume containers, especially keg barrels are usually designed as reusable containers and are used specifically for industrial filling and germ-free storage of beverages. Of course, liquids can generally be included in such containers. The term "keg" derives from English and stands for "small keg". Keg barrels or containers according to the invention are used predominantly in gastronomy and usually have a content in the size of 30 I or 50 I. For filling is the filling head, via which the content of liquid is supplied to the container and also a propellant gas as a gas medium. The propellant gas is generally carbon dioxide, but it is also possible to use nitrogen or basically other gases.

By the propellant gas or the gas medium, an overpressure is generated in the interior of the large-volume container, respectively, of the keg, so that the liquid absorbed in this way in the container or the prestressed beverage can be removed via a dispensing system.

In a container of the embodiment described above according to DE 31 05 706 A1, a connection head is provided to fill the keg with usually swept down end-face valve fitting from the outside. For this purpose, the said connection head or filling head has a hollow-cylindrical ram. By means of the plunger, a valve seal of the valve fitting can be lifted off its sealing seat. Characterized in that the plunger is seated on the front side of the seal, both a flow path in the Keginnere for the product medium respectively the liquid or the beverage are released as well as a flow path in a riser of the valve manifold. These two flow paths can be used not only for example for filling the large-volume container or keg, but also when it is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid. In most cases, however, the keg is filled by a so-called annular channel on the outer peripheral side of said plunger and vented during the filling process on the described second flow path and a so-called siding. This basic procedure has in practice led to the fact that the entire system technology, the piping and also the filling head have been optimized and designed for this process.

In practice, but now increasingly the requirement in connection with the resulting problem that actually provided for the gas flow path through the interior of the plunger and the flow path of the product medium or a cleaning fluid must be reversed on the outer peripheral side of the plunger , Such has previously been attempted to catch the fact that the corresponding routes for the product or the cleaning fluid and the gas medium have been reversed in the system. An exchange of filling heads was tried. However, all of the measures described are to be classified as disadvantageous due to the high associated costs.

The invention is based on the technical problem of developing such a container, in particular large-volume container, so that the paths of the product medium on the one hand and the gas medium on the other hand can be exchanged easily and with little effort.

To solve this technical problem, it is provided in a generic container, that the plunger is arranged so that the flow paths of on the one hand the product medium and on the other hand

Gas medium can be interchanged with each other. For this purpose, the plunger generally has a Strömungswegwechselelement. With the help of this

Strömungswegwechselelementes the flow path for the gas medium in the filling head is further passed into the flow path for the product medium and vice versa. For this purpose, the invention proposes in detail that the plunger is designed as a replaceable tappet with Strömungswegwechselelement. In this case, the flow path change element may be integrated in the replaceable tappet. But it is also possible that the plunger has a replacement element. Then the replacement element is usually equipped with the optionally integrated Strömungswegwechselelement.

For a change of the flow paths, it is therefore only necessary in the latter variant, the exchange element - and not the entire plunger - to exchange. Of course, it is also within the scope of the invention to replace the entire plunger when the flow paths are to be reversed. Then the plunger is designed as a total change plunger. Of course, both approaches can not only be realized alternatively, but optionally also combined.

In the event that the plunger is equipped with a replacement element with optionally integrated Strömungswegwechselelement, the plunger regularly has a two-part construction. This is composed of a plunger base and a so that can be coupled plunger top. The exchange element is advantageously configured as a plunger upper part that can be coupled to the plunger base.

The plunger can be moved axially in the filling head and is mounted axially displaceable in the filling head accordingly. As a result, the filling head can rest against a valve seal, as described in DE 31 05 706 A1, when the container is opened or the valve fitting opened accordingly - and lift it off its sealing seat. In this way, the two flow paths are released on the one hand along the so-called Ringkanais outer peripheral side of the plunger and on the other hand by the interior of the plunger and the siding. According to the invention, it is now possible not only to direct the product medium, for example beer, into the interior of the keg via said outer annular channel and at the same time supply the prestressing gas via the riser pipe arranged in the center of the filling head or to guide it out of the keg. But the paths of the product medium and the gas medium can be reversed by the product medium via the riser and the outer ring channel provides for the guidance of the gas medium. That can - as already described - can be achieved with the ram designed as a change ram according to the invention or by resorting to the exchange element.

It has proven useful if the plunger - as well as the rest, the filling head as a whole - is rotationally symmetrical and substantially cylindrical. The valve fitting generally has a rotationally symmetrical and substantially cylindrical structure. The plunger has the already described outer annular channel, which is realized on the outer peripheral side. In fact, this annular channel is designed in detail so that the plunger over a certain range has an outer cylinder jacket, which opens into openings, via which the outer annular channel usually communicates with the barrel interior. The openings are predominantly in a sealing collar, so that they are closed when the plunger assumes its rest position and the container or the keg is closed. In this position, the valve seat of the valve assembly is not lifted.

However, if the container or keg in its "open" position, the valve is lifted from the valve seat and the sealing collar of his seat, so that the openings are released and a total of the described two separate flow paths for one hand Product medium and on the other hand, the gas medium are open. It should be emphasized that product medium and gas medium in the context of the invention means virtually all flowable media, so in the example of the product medium not necessarily only drinks or cleaning liquid. The same applies to the gas medium, which is generally a propellant or gas span, but in principle can also be a liquid. Therefore, one could also speak of a first medium and a second medium. However, for reasons of better identification and based on the main purpose of use is mainly the product medium and the gas medium the speech.

The design of the flow path change element is done in detail as follows. Thereafter, the outer annular channel is equipped in the Strömungswegwechselelement with a shut-off, which divides the outer annular channel into a closed inlet channel and an outlet channel with the at least one opening. In addition, the Strömungswegwechselelement advantageously has a divided riser inside, which is composed of inlet pipe and outlet pipe. The design of the flow path Change element is now made such that the closed inlet channel with the discharge line and the inlet line to the outlet channel and consequently the at least one opening are connected.

In this way, the desired change of the flow paths of one hand the product medium and on the other hand the gas medium is achieved by minor modifications to an existing plunger. As a result, the conversion can be realized relatively inexpensively. Of course, it is still possible to work with a conventional plunger, which does not interchange the flow paths of the product medium and the gas medium. Rather, the plunger according to the invention is an option, which is then used when the described requirement for the flow path change must be realized. Here are the main benefits.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one embodiment; show it:

1 shows the container according to the invention schematically with associated filling head and valve fitting,

Fig. 2 the inserted plunger in a perspective

Overall view,

Fig. 3 is a plunger top in a conventional design and

Fig. 4, the ram upper part as a replacement element with exchanged flow path on the one hand the product medium and on the other hand, the gas medium.

In Fig. 1, a container, in particular a large-volume container in the form of a keg barrel 1 is shown. The keg barrel 1 is generally used to hold liquids, in the present case for receiving drinks, especially beer. For this purpose, the keg barrel 1 is moved to an overhead position shown in FIG. 1 and a local valve fitting 2 is connected to a filling head 3. In the filling head 3 is an axially displaceable plunger 4, which is shown in an overall view in Fig. 2. With the help of the plunger 4, a valve 5 can be lifted within the filling head 3 of an associated valve seat 6, as shown in the right part of Fig. 1. In this way, a product medium, in the present case, the liquid or the beverage or beer, flow through an outer annular channel 7 in the barrel interior, as indicated by corresponding arrows. Since the barrel interior extends above the filling head 3, the arrows for the flow path through the outer annular channel 7 are logically directed upward in FIG. This also applies to arrows that mark the flow path of the gas medium. In fact, the gas medium or biasing gas is supplied via a gas channel 8, which extends through the interior of the hollow cylindrical ram 4. The gas channel 8 is continued in a riser pipe or siding S, which or which projects into the interior of the keg barrel 1. It can be seen that in the right-hand illustration according to FIG. 1, both the outer ring channel or product channel 7 and also the gas channel 8 are open. Both channels 7, 8 form a first channel 7 and a second channel 8 for different media, which must be designed to be flowable in order to ensure the filling of the keg barrel 1.

If the plunger 4 is in its rest position or retracted position according to the left part of Fig. 1, the valve 5 is not lifted from the valve seat 6. As a result, both the outer ring channel or product channel 7 and the gas channel 8 are closed. Consequently, the keg barrel 1 is closed and it can be filled in this position, neither the product medium nor escape gas from the interior as well as the product medium.

According to the invention, the tappet 4 shown in an overview in FIG. 2 is now set up so that the flow paths can be interchanged with one another on the one hand the product medium and on the other hand the gas medium. For this purpose, the invention proposes in the context of the embodiment, a replacement element 4a, which is designed as a plunger top and can be interchangeable coupled to a plunger base 4b. In this case, the replacement element or plunger upper part 4a according to FIG. 3 is designed in a conventional sense, thus has the inside the continuous gas channel, wherein the outer annular channel 7 is also designed to be continuous and provides for the guidance of the product medium. In the variant according to FIG. 4, however, an inventively modified ram upper part 4a respectively exchange element 4a is used. This is equipped with an integrated flow path change element 9. For this purpose, the outer annular channel 7 is provided with the flow path change element 9 with a shut-off unit 10. The shut-off unit 10 divides the outer annular channel 7 into a closed inlet channel 7a and an outlet channel 7b. The outlet channel 7b opens on the output side into a plurality of openings 11, which are arranged like a ring and the periphery of the exchange element 4, in a sealing collar 12. If the plunger 4 in the retracted position shown in FIG. 1 or in its rest position, the Openings 11 of said sealing collar 12 is closed. If, on the other hand, the plunger 4 assumes its position corresponding to the open position of the keg barrel in accordance with the right-hand illustration in FIG. 1, the openings 11 in the sealing collar 12 are free of an associated valve seat 13.

The Strömungswegwechselelement 9 also has a subdivided riser 14, which is equipped with an inlet line 14a and a discharge line 14b. The inlet line 14a and the outlet line 14b communicate with each other just as little as the inlet channel 7a and the outlet channel 7b with its openings 11. In this way, the exchange of flow paths on the one hand the product medium and on the other hand, the gas medium can be easily realized. Because the flow path change element 9 connects the closed inlet channel 7a with the outlet line 14b. In this way, the product medium guided, for example, via the outer annular channel 7 with the help of the Strömungswegwechselelementes 9 in the interior of the exchange element 4 according to the invention is not further circumferentially of the exchange element 4 out (as in the exchange element 4 according to the prior art according to FIG. 3), but enters via the discharge line or the outlet channel 14b in the way, which has been previously reserved for the gas channel 8. Conversely, the inlet line 14a is connected to the outlet channel 7b and consequently the openings 11. In this way, the gas medium which is generally supplied via the outlet channel 7b ultimately reaches the outside via the openings 11, thus occupying the flow path previously taken up by the product medium. Of course, the exchange element according to FIG. 4 can be replaced by a replacement element 4a according to FIG. 3, so that then the original flow paths (again) are made. In fact, the exchange element 4a according to FIG. 3 is distinguished by the fact that the gas medium is guided continuously through the gas channel 8 in the interior of the hollow-cylindrical plunger 4, whereas the product medium is distributed over the entire length of the plunger 4 on the outer circumference through the annular channel 7 into the interior of the plunger 4 Keg-barrel 1 (or out of this) flows. The connection of the exchange element or ram upper part 4a with the plunger base 4b can be done by a screw, plug connection, bayonet connection or similar measures.

In any case, the compound allows a change of the respective exchange element 4a either according to the embodiment of FIG. 3 or the embodiment of FIG. 4. In principle, it is also possible to exchange the entire plunger 4, specifically against one in which the flow path changeover element 9 is integrated according to, for example, FIG. 4. In any case, in the context of the invention, a conventional filling head 3 by the replacement of the plunger 4 or ram upper part 4a for the filling or generally the treatment of the keg keg 1 be converted.

Treatment here means the emptying of the keg barrel 1 of residues, its cleaning, a pressure test, etc. In this way, can be used on conventional filling heads 3 and there are no new purchases required. Due to the described change of the flow paths for on the one hand the product medium and on the other hand, the gas medium can not only reusable container or keg barrels 1 for reusable operation with conventional systems treat, but also and especially disposable kegs on conventional Keganlagen, without major modification.

Claims

claims

1. container, in particular large-volume container for receiving pre-strained beverages, preferably keg barrel (1), with a filling head (3) having a first channel (7), z. B. product channel (7), and a second channel (8), z. B. gas channel (8), and with a inside of the filling head (3) displaceable plunger (4), which defines separate flow paths of a product on the one hand and on the other hand a gas medium into the container interior and optionally to the container outer, characterized in that the plunger ( 4) is set up so that the flow paths can be interchanged with each other.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the plunger (4) is designed as a replaceable ram with optionally integrated flow path change element (9).

3. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plunger (4) has a replacement element (4a) with optionally integrated flow path change element (9).

4. A container according to claim 3, characterized in that the exchange element (4a) as with a plunger base (4b) can be coupled to the push rod upper part (4a).

5. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plunger (4) is mounted axially displaceable in the filling head (3).

6. Container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the plunger (4) is rotationally symmetrical and substantially cylindrical.

7. Container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the plunger (4) has an outer annular channel (7) and an inner riser (14).

8. Container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the outer annular channel (7) in the Strömungswegwechselelement (9) with a shut-off unit (10) is equipped, which the outer annular channel (7) in a closed inlet channel (7a) and an outlet channel (7b) with at least one opening (11) divided.

9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the Strömungswegwechselelement (9) has a divided riser (14) with inlet line (14a) and outlet pipe (14b).

10. Container according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the Strömungswegwechselelement (9) the closed inlet channel (7a) with the discharge line (14b) and the inlet line (14a) with the outlet channel (7b) and consequently the at least one opening (11 ) connects.