An apparatus for the automated filling of cartridges of e-vapor devices may include a filling drum configured to receive at least one cartridge of an e-vapor device. The apparatus may additionally include a needle assembly including at least one hypodermic needle. The needle assembly is configured to transition between a lowered state and a raised state. The lowered state is where the hypodermic needle is moved down into the cartridge, while the raised state is where the hypodermic needle is lifted up and away from the cartridge. The apparatus may further include a pump assembly configured to pump a pre-vapor formulation into the cartridge when the needle assembly is in the lowered state. The pump assembly may include a variable amplitude cam system configured to adjust an amount of the pre-vapor formulation for pumping to the cartridge without changing start and stop times for the pumping.

A system and method for simultaneously filling containers of different shapes and/or sizes are disclosed. A plurality of vehicles are routable along a track system to facilitate simultaneous delivery of first containers and second containers to different unit operation stations. The first and second containers may differ from one another in outer shape and/or interior volume.

The present invention relates to a machine 1 for filling containers with liquids, comprising:a support structure;a rotating carousel provided with a tank;a plurality of valve groups mounted on said carousel for filling containers; and a logic control unit suitable to automatically manage the operation of the filling machine. Each valve group comprises an air return tube which is provided with an open lower end, susceptible to be inserted in a container, and an opposite upper end and can be moved axially between at least one lowered position and a raised position. Each valve group comprises: means for guiding the axial movement of the return air tube between a lower end stop and an upper end stop, wherein said at least one lowered position is between said two end stops; elastic mechanical means suitable to exercise constantly an axial thrust action on the return air tube towards the raised position;means for reversibly blocking the return air tube in any axial position between said lower end stop and said upper end stop; anda cam follower rigidly connected to the tube. The filling machine comprises a cam which is placed peripherally to the rotating carousel at a first angular position 1 with respect to an entry station to be cyclically engaged by the cam follower. The cam is profiled so as to impose on each tube a predetermined axial displacement H towards the lower end stop and has a circumferentially limited operating angle of working . The filling machine 1 comprises means for moving the cam in height. The logic control unit is operatively connected to the means for moving the cam in height and to the reversible blocking means of each return air tube and is programmed:to command the blocking of the blocking means when the individual tube is located within the operating angle of working of the cam to keep the return air tube in the lowered position, andto command the unblocking of the reversible blocking means of each individual air return tube at a second angular position chosen as a function of the filling operating cycle to be performed on the containers.

To reduce an amount of use of a replacement gas used for replacing air in a container. A gas replacement system includes: a washing machine that washes the container with water; a filling machine that fills the container with a content fluid; a sealing machine that seals the container transferred from the filling machine; a chamber that covers the filling machine and the sealing machine, and contains a replacement gas; and a water discharge mechanism (washing machine) that discharges the water in the container having been carried into the chamber while containing the water out of the container in the chamber. The water in the container is replaced with an ambient gas in the chamber along with the discharge of the water.

Systems and methods for filling a beverage container with a carbonated fluid at ambient temperature while minimizing foam formation are provided. The carbonated fluid can maintain a laminar flow through the filling machine.

A device for distributing fluid media for a rotary machine, in particular a filling machine, including: a rotary distributor having a non-rotatably designed first assembly and a second assembly designed to be rotatable about a machine's axis of rotation, wherein the first assembly comprises one or several supply points for at least one fluid medium, and one or several supply lines for the at least one fluid medium connected with the supply point or supply points, wherein at least one supply line includes two or more lying swivel joints whose axes of rotation are arranged essentially in parallel to the machine's axis of rotation.

An anti-rotation device for a distributor inner shaft structure comprises an upright column, a bracket fastened on the upright column, two swing arms arranged in opposite directions, and two connecting rods arranged in parallel, wherein the upright column is fixed on the ground or fixedly connected to a non-rotating base frame on a filling machine, the middle parts of the two swing arms are respectively hinged on the bracket to swing horizontally, and the end parts of the two swing arms have meshing gear teeth. The two connecting rods are located between the swing arms and an inner shaft structure of the distributor, one end of each is respectively hinged to the other end of the corresponding swing arm, and the other ends of the two connecting rods are respectively hinged to the lower part of the inner shaft structure of the distributor, and capable of swinging horizontally.

An apparatus for the automated filling of cartridges of e-vapor devices may include a filling drum configured to receive at least one cartridge of an e-vapor device. The apparatus may additionally include a needle assembly including at least one hypodermic needle. The needle assembly is configured to transition between a lowered state and a raised state. The lowered state is where the hypodermic needle is moved down into the cartridge, while the raised state is where the hypodermic needle is lifted up and away from the cartridge. The apparatus may further include a pump assembly configured to pump a pre-vapor formulation into the cartridge when the needle assembly is in the lowered state. The pump assembly may include a variable amplitude cam system configured to adjust an amount of the pre-vapor formulation for pumping to the cartridge without changing start and stop times for the pumping.

Disclosed is a process for enriching silicate content in drinking water that includes separating raw water via reverse osmosis into a permeate comprising demineralised raw water and a retentate comprising mineral enriched raw water. The permeate is mixed with a water glass solution comprising sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate. An ion exchange process is used to reduce the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions in at least part of the mixture. At least part of the retentate is supplied to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions to provide a silicate-enriched drinking water. Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing a drinking water enriched with silicate. The apparatus includes a reverse osmosis unit, a mixing unit, an ion exchanger, and a feed unit for feeding at least part of the retentate to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions.

A filling element includes a liquid valve having a valve element that forms part of the liquid channel. An electromagnetic drive couples to the valve element and moves it along a stroke axis such that the valve element moves while a valve body remains stationary. A gap across which the magnetic field extends lies outside the liquid channel.