Device and method for filling containers with a liquid, in particular for bottling

Abstract

A device for filling containers with a liquid includes a filling unit; an elevating mechanism; and optionally a conveyor suitable to support and have the containers advance in succession to the filling unit. The filling unit includes connections connected to a source of the liquid, a source of an inert gas and a suction device; a pipe comprising a first tube and a second tube, and a retainer to hold the containers in the filling unit. The elevating mechanism varies the depth with which the pipe and/or at least one of the tubes is inserted in the container. A method for filling containers with a liquid is also provided, wherein the liquid and an inert gas are injected simultaneously through two separate tubes. The tubes are each connectable/connected to one of the connections connectable/connected to a source of liquid, a source of an inert gas and to a suction device.

Claims

1. A device for filling a container with a liquid, comprising: a filling unit, comprising: connections connected to a source of the liquid, a source of an inert gas and a suction device; a pipe comprising a first tube and a second tube; a third tube, a bottom end of the third tube being above a bottom end of the first tube and a bottom end of the second tube; a retainer to hold a container in the filling unit; and a controller configured to maintain said at least one of said tubes at a determined distance from a level of the liquid residing in said container, wherein said first and second tubes are each connected to one of said connections connected to the source of liquid and to the source of an inert gas, respectively and the third tube is connected to the suction device, and wherein a bottom end of the third tube is above a bottom end of the first tube and a bottom end of the second tube and located radially outwardly from the first tube and the second tube.

2. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 1, wherein said elevating mechanism is configured to move at least one of said tubes in an axial direction and/or said elevating mechanism is configured to raise and to lower a support onto which said container is positioned in said filling unit.

3. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 2, wherein said filling unit is configured to close the container so as to create through said suction device a negative pressure or a vacuum.

4. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to maintain said pipe and/or at least one of said tubes at a determined distance from the level of the liquid residing in said container.

5. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 2, wherein the first tube is connected to the connection connected to said source of liquid and the second tube is connected to the connection connected to said source of inert gas.

6. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 1, wherein said filling unit is configured to close the container so as to create through said suction device a negative pressure or a vacuum.

7. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 6, further comprising a controller configured to maintain said pipe and/or at least one of said tubes at a determined distance from the level of the liquid residing in said container.

8. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 1, wherein the first tube is connected to the connection connected to said source of liquid and the second tube is connected to the connection connected to said source of inert gas.

9. The device for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 1, wherein the first tube and second tube are separately movable.

10. A method for filling a container with a liquid, comprising the following step: filling said container simultaneously with said liquid and an inert gas through a pipe which comprises a first tube and a second tube; applying a vacuum through a third tube, a bottom end of the third tube being above a bottom end of the first tube and a bottom end of the second tube, wherein said inert gas runs down through the first tube and said liquid through the second tube, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: raising the first tube and the second tube during the filling, wherein the first tube and the second tube during the filling of said container with said liquid are not in contact with the level of the liquid poured into the container.

11. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, wherein said step of filling said container simultaneously with said liquid and an inert gas is preceded by the following step: creating a vacuum in said container.

12. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 11, wherein prior to said step of filling said container is inserted the following step: introducing said inert gas into said container.

13. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, wherein prior to said step of filling said container simultaneously with said liquid and an inert gas: said inert gas is injected into said container.

14. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 13, further comprising the step of: raising the tube through which said liquid is injected; and/or lowering said container during the filling, wherein the tube through which said liquid is injected during the filling of said container with said liquid is not in contact with the level of the liquid poured into the container.

15. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, wherein in said step of filling said container is simultaneously applied a vacuum so to create an inert gas cushion on the bottom of the container or on a level of the liquid if already residing in the container.

16. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, wherein in said step of filling said container, the filling of the container with the inert gas and application of a vacuum are carried out in an alternating manner.

17. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, wherein said method is implemented using a device for filling a container with a liquid, comprising: a filling unit, comprising: connections connected to a source of the liquid, a source of an inert gas and a suction device; a pipe comprising the first tube and the second tube, a retainer to hold said container in the filling unit; an elevating mechanism configured to vary the depth with which said pipe and/or at least one of said tubes is inserted in said container; and a conveyor configured to support and have said container advance in succession to said filling unit, wherein said tubes are each connected to one of said connections connected to the source of liquid, the source of an inert gas and suction device.

18. The method for filling a container with a liquid according to claim 10, further comprising separately moving the first tube and second tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view, partially in vertical section and with removed parts for clarity, of an exemplary embodiment of a filling unit in a first operating position.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a second operating position;

(3) FIG. 3 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a third operating position;

(4) FIG. 4 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a fourth operating position;

(5) FIG. 5 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a fifth operating position;

(6) FIG. 6 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a sixth operating position;

(7) FIG. 7 shows the filling unit of FIG. 1 in a seventh operating position.

(8) FIG. 8 shows in two details the retaining means with elements for the application of a vacuum and the pipe of the filler unit of FIG. 1, respectively from FIG. 9.5.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a schematic form of an alternative succession of filling phases with respect to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7.

(10) FIGS. 10A and 10B depict the tubes movable relative to one another.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES

(11) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, U generally refers to a filling unit of bottles B with wine V, which is part of a generally known bottling facility 1M, which substantially comprises a filling station S, in correspondence of which the filling unit U is positioned, conveyor means C capable of supporting and advancing in succession the bottles B below the filling unit U itself, and retaining means T of the neck N of each bottle B.

(12) The filling unit U comprises a filling assembly 1 defined by a dispenser tap/dispenser 5, by a guide unit 2, of which an attachment portion 3 is adapted to be arranged, when in use, in correspondence of the inlet mouth I of each bottle B, and then brought into contact and in closed position therewith, at the upper outer end of the neck N of the bottle B itself (FIGS. 2 to 5).

(13) Coaxially within the guide unit 2, an injecting pipe 4 is slidingly arranged in an axially vertical direction to and from the inside and the bottom F of each bottle B through controlled electromechanical axis (not shown), said pipe consisting of a central tube 4a coaxially internal to a second tube 4b which holds it with a suitable interstice 4c between the two tubes 4a and 4b (FIG. 8).

(14) The tubes 4b and 4a, i.e. the interstice 4c and the tube 4a, are connected alternatively and selectively by means of suitable ducts and known valve means (not shown) to a supply tank (not shown) of wine V and a source of inert gas G. In addition to the retaining means T, it is provided a suction group (not shown) to create a vacuum inside the bottle B.

(15) In use, the filling unit U is suitable for the bottling procedure of bottles B with wine V. An exemplary bottling sequence is shown in FIGS. 1 to 7: In FIG. 1, in correspondence of the station S, each empty bottle B, held by the neck N by the retaining means T, is intercepted by the filling unit U, whose pipe 4 is slid onto the guide unit 2 to be inserted inside the bottle B until arriving with the opening close to the bottom F of the bottle B itself. The injecting of inert gas G is activated through the pipe 4 inside the bottle B so that the inert gas, flowing at appropriate pressure from the bottom F of the bottle B, is able to fully fill the bottle B (point-dash area inside the bottle) progressively ejecting completely the air A (dotted area inside the bottle) initially present inside the bottle B with a continuous and constant push from bottom to top allowing the total outflow of air A through spaces or gaps left free from the pipe 4 or the retaining means T and/or the attachment portion on the mouth I of the bottle (arrows f1 and f2 in FIG. 1) or, alternatively, by means of a suction group located in the retaining means T. In this way, the oxygen inside the bottle is eliminated and replaced with inert gas G. In FIG. 2, the attachment portion 3 of the guiding unit is in contact and sealed to the mouth I of the bottle B which is filled with inert gas G (point-dash area within the bottle). In FIG. 3, the step of injection of wine V in the bottle B is activated. The pipe 4, positioned with the opening next to the bottom F of the bottle B, is connected with one of its tubes 4a and 4b to the wine V supply tank, simultaneously creating a slight vacuum with the suction group. The vacuum has the dual function of assisting the wine V flow and aspirating the gas G that the wine should gradually replace in the bottle B. At the same time, through the tube not used by wine, an inert gas may optionally be introduced. In FIGS. 4 and 5 it is seen that, as the wine V flows into the bottle B, the pipe 4 rises simultaneously and accordingly to the progressive rise of wine V, thereby maintaining a constant distance and no contact with the liquid. The rise from the bottom F arrives next to the neck N (arrow K) so as to completely fill the bottle B until reaching the desired final/predefined level, precisely determined by an electronic photocell or camera electronic system W. Advantageously, the wine V comes out of the central tube 4a, while the inert gas and, in variants of the device, the vacuum are applied to the interstice 4c. The filling from the bottom and not from above along the walls (umbrella filling) of the bottle causes wine V to be poured into the bottle without stress and without foam, thus greatly limiting the absorption of oxygen which is instead maximized by turbulence, resulting in foam, which is created in the traditional “umbrella” filling along the bottle walls. In addition, at this stage and in any other part of the filling process, the pipe 4 never comes into contact with the poured wine, which is important to avoid possible bacterial contaminations or re-introduction of oxygen between the wine and the pipe head, which during the production process comes into contact with air and is exposed to pollution when passing from a bottle to another. Very likely pollution, being the pipe 4 always wet with wine if in contact with the level of the liquid. The control of the final level of bottle B next to the neck N by means of a photocell or camera system W coupled to electronic volumetric filling, ensures the constant level in the production process without allowing the pipe 4 to come into contact with the wine as is usually the case of the filling heads of the traditional systems, wherein the pouring of wine is always carried out with the contact of the wine in the bottle. In FIG. 6, the attachment portion 3 of the guide unit 2 is removed from the mouth I of the bottle, also by a relative and progressive downward movement of the conveyor means C supporting the bottle B itself, and preferably with simultaneous injection of inert gas G through the pipe 4 in the neck N of the bottle B. In FIG. 7, the bottle B filled in this way with wine V, is further moved down (arrow Z) so as to release it from the retaining means T. The bottle is then ready to be fed to a subsequent capping step, while the filling unit U is ready to receive a new empty bottle and to start a new filling cycle with wine.

(16) FIG. 8 shows a detail of the filling unit U of FIG. 1 (referring to FIG. 9.5), and specifically of the retaining means T and of the pipe 4. The retaining means T comprise spaces 10 for the release of the gas G (arrow f) surrounding the pipe 4 in a coaxial form, thus creating a triple tube at the top of the pipe 4. The pipe 4 is clearly a double tube in which a central tube 4a is coaxially housed within an outer tube 4b with a greater diameter creating an interstice 4c between the tubes. Wine and gas are simultaneously and separately injected through the two tubes 4a and 4b (advantageously, the wine through the central tube 4a in order to reduce turbulences). The wine descends from the central tube 4a (arrow a) and the inert gas from the tube 4b (arrow b), i.e. from the interstice 4c.

(17) Finally, FIG. 9 shows an additional variant for a container filling procedure. In FIG. 9.1 it is possible to see the bottle B filled with air A, thereby containing oxygen. The retaining means T are not yet fixed on the neck N of the bottle. In the following step (FIG. 9.2), the neck N of the bottle is hermetically sealed. A vacuum is applied at neck N height, while at the same time the double-tube pipe 4 drops. The air is extracted through the retaining means T. The symbol A now means a less dense air, since a vacuum has been applied. In FIG. 9.3, the pipe 4 is next to the bottom F of the bottle B and the step of injecting inert gas through the interstice 4c or the tube 4b of the pipe 4 is initiated, simultaneously a vacuum is being applied, the balance between gas and vacuum injection causes a gas G cushion inside the bottle B to be created. The symbol A now means a mixture of air and inert gas, wherein the air constantly decreases. In FIG. 9.4, the simultaneous injection of inert gas (through the interstice 4c) and wine (through the central tube 4a) begins. The simultaneous application of a vacuum keeps the gas cushion constant, always covering and protecting the wine V. The cushion system allows great gas savings. Although the space called A still needs to contain air (mixed with inert gas and liquid vapour), the liquid V is however protected by the inert gas cushion. In FIG. 9.5 it is still shown the filling of the bottle B with wine and gas with vacuum application, wherein the pipe 4 rises as the wine level rises to avoid a contact between wine and pipe. At the end of the filling, clear from FIG. 9.6, the volume above the wine is filled with inert gas resulting from the above cushion.

(18) In another embodiment of the invention, the first and second tubes can be raised or lowered independently of each other, as seen in FIGS. 10A and 10B, thus allowing, for instance, a bottom up filling of the container with liquid or inert gas and the creation of vacuum from above, if vacuum is created by means of one of the tubes. The resulting different height of the two tubes allows liquid and gas to be injected, or vacuum to be created from different heights.

(19) During operation, further embodiment modifications or variants of the device and method for filling containers with a liquid, in particular for bottling, subject-matter of the invention and not described herein, may be implemented. If such modifications or such variants should fall within the scope of the following claims, they should all be considered protected by the present patent.