APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID CONTENTS

Abstract

An apparatus for filling containers with a product includes a filling element, a supply line that supplies the product, a switching valve, a control valve, a vessel that is disposed between the switching valve and the control valve, and a volumeter that is disposed between the switching valve and the control valve. The vessel supplies a pre-metered quantity of the product for discharge via the switching valve to the filling element, the quantity having been pre-metered by the volumeter. The supply line provides the product to the vessel at a first flow rate. Discharge of the product through the switching valve and into the filling element occurs at a second flow rate that exceeds the first flow rate, the first and second flow rates being volumetric flow rates.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for filling containers with a product, said product being a liquid filling-product, said apparatus comprising a filling element, a supply line that supplies said product, a switching valve, a control valve, a vessel that is disposed between said switching valve and said control valve, and a volumeter that is disposed between said switching valve and said control valve, wherein said vessel supplies a pre-metered quantity of said product for discharge via said switching valve to said filling element, said quantity having been pre-metered by said volumeter, wherein said supply line provides said product to said vessel at a first flow rate, and wherein discharge of said product through said switching valve and into said filling element occurs at a second flow rate that exceeds said first flow rate, said first and second flow rates being volumetric flow rates.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a regulator, said regulator comprising a pressure sensor that detects pressure in said supply line, a controller that receives said pressure, and a regulating valve that is controlled by said controller.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a distributor that conveys said product towards said filling element, said distributor being arranged downstream of said first regulator.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said distributor comprises a tank, wherein, during filling, said tank is partially filled with said product and an upper gas space above said product is filled with a pre-stressing gas that is under pressure.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vessel is a header vessel that supplies said pre-metered quantity of product for discharge via said switching valve to said filling element.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said volumeter comprises a flow meter that is arranged upstream of said header vessel.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said vessel is a header vessel, wherein said regulator is a first regulator and said apparatus further comprises a second regulator that comprises a regulating valve, a pressure sensor, and a controller, wherein said pressure sensor provides a measurement of pressure in said header vessel to said controller for use by said controller in controlling said regulating valve.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said second regulator comprises a pressure regulator for regulating supply of a pre-stressing gas to said header vessel.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said header vessel is a first header vessel, said apparatus comprising a second header vessel having an associated regulator, wherein said apparatus further comprises slide valves, each of which is disposed between said switching valve and said control valve, wherein said slide valves are configured to cause product to enter one of said first and second header vessel and to be discharged from one of said first and second header vessels.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vessel is a metering vessel and said volumeter comprises said metering vessel.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said volumeter comprises a piston, a cylinder, and a drive that drives said piston through said cylinder to cause filling of said vessel.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said drive comprises a linear drive.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a discharge line that leads to said filling element, said discharge line having a cross-sectional area that is greater than that of said supply line.

29. A method for filling containers with a product, said product being a liquid filling-product, said method comprising providing a product at a first flow rate, using a volumeter that is disposed between a switching valve and a control valve to pre-meter a quantity of said product for discharge via said switching valve into a filling element, storing said quantity in a vessel that is disposed between said switching valve and said control valve, and discharging said quantity from said vessel into said filling element at a second flow rate that exceeds said first flow rate, said first and second flow rates being volumetric flow rates.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The method is described hereinafter in greater detail on the basis of the Figures relating to exemplary embodiments. These show:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a device for the filling of containers with a liquid filling product;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a device for filling containers.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment of a device for filling containers.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a device for filling containers.

[0032] Identical reference numbers are used in the Figures for elements of the invention which are the same or have the same effect. Moreover, for the sake of easier overview, only those reference numbers are represented in the individual Figures which are required for the description of the respective Figure. The invention is also represented in the Figures only in schematic views to explain the mode of operation. In particular, the representations in the Figures serve only to explain the underlying principle of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIGS. 1-4 shows a device 1 for carrying out free-jet filling of containers 2 with a liquid filling-product 3.

[0034] The device 1 comprises a filling-and-closing device 23 having a filling element 22 that fills the container 2 with liquid filling-product 3 that is fed from a product-feed line 4. The device 1 also includes a switching valve 6 and a control valve 7 upstream of the switching valve 6. The control valve 7 controls the stream of product 3 that flows towards the switching valve 22. The switching valve 22 switches the stream of product 3 towards the filling-and-closing device 23. Some embodiments include more than one filling element 22, switching valve 6, and control valve 7.

[0035] The device 1 also includes at least one filling vessel 8 and, in some embodiments, two filling vessels 8, 9. The filling vessels 8, 9 are arranged between the switching valve 6 and the control valve 7 along the path taken by the product 3. The device 1 also includes a volumeter 5 between the switching valve 6 and the control valve 7. Alternative embodiments include those with more than two filling vessels 8, 9 and those with more than one volumeter 5.

[0036] The volumeter 5 pre-meters a quantity 10 of product 3, which is held in the filling vessel 8, 9. This volume 10 is to be discharged, via the switching valve 6, to the filling element 22. This pre-metering is able to take place while the container 2 is being prepared for filling, for example by evacuation, pre-stressing, while the container 2 is being transferred, or while the previously-filled container 2 is being closed. This provides ample time for pre-metering. As a result of pre-metering, it becomes possible for a precise volume of liquid to be filled from the filling vessel 8, 9 or the filling vessels 8, 9. This is particularly useful for cases in which the container is to be filled rapidly. The invention is therefore also well-suited in particular for devices 1 and methods with which the filling product 3 must be filled rapidly for example, with lightning filling or form-fill filling.

[0037] To promote more rapid filling from the vessel 8, 9, it is useful for to have a discharge line 20 having a cross-section that is greater than that of the feed line 4. The discharge line 20 extends downstream of the switching valve 6.

[0038] In some embodiments, product 3 travels through the feed line 4 at a first volume rate-of-flow V1 and discharges into the filling element 22 at a second volume rate-of flow V2 that exceeds the first. In some cases, the second flow rate V2 is between about half a liter per second and two liters per second, or on the average at one liter per second or one and a half liters per second. The first flow rate V1 can be less than one liter per second or even less than half a liter per second. This permits volume to be measured more precisely.

[0039] The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 includes a header vessel 8 that supplies the quantity 10 of product 3, which has been pre-metered by the volumeter 5. In the embodiment shown, the volumeter 5 is a flow meter 5, such as a magnetic-inductive flow meter.

[0040] The embodiment of FIG. 2 also includes a first regulator RK1 that includes a first pressure sensor 13, a first regulating valve 11, and a first controller 12. The first pressure sensor 13 detects pressure in the feed line 4 and provides it to the first controller 12, which thus carries out closed loop feedback control of the regulating valve 11.

[0041] The embodiment of FIG. 2 also includes a distributor 24 arranged downstream of the first regulator RK1. The distributor 24 conveys the filling product 3 towards the header vessel 8. The first regulator RK1 thus regulates the rate at which the product 3 flows to the distributor 24 during the filling of the header vessel 8.

[0042] In FIG. 3, the distributor 24 comprises a tank 24. During filling, the tank 24 is partially filled with the liquid filling product 3. This results in a lower liquid space 24.1 and an upper gas space 24.2. A pre-stressing gas, which is maintained at a filling pressure, fills the upper gas space 24.2. The pre-stressing gas, which is preferably carbon dioxide, is conveyed to the tank 24 using a line that has been omitted for clarity.

[0043] The device 1 also includes a second regulator RK2. The second regulator RK2 includes a second pressure sensor 18, a second regulating valve 15, and a second controller 17. The second pressure sensor 18 detects pressure in the header vessel 8.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the second regulator RK2 includes a pressure regulating device 14 together with a second switching valve 16 for controlling or regulating the conveyance of a pre-stressing gas to the header vessel 8. The second regulator RK2 is therefore a pressure regulator.

[0045] The second regulator RK2 regulates the pressure in the container 2 so that it remains below the pressure of the gas space 24.2. This suppresses foaming due to any dissolved carbon dioxide in the product 3. The second regulator RK2 carries out such regulation during the pre-stressing phase, and at least before the beginning of the subsequent filling of the pre-metered filling product quantity 10 into the container 2.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 that differs as a result of having not one but two filling vessels in the form of header vessels 8. It is also conceivable, however, that other embodiments have more than two vessels 8.

[0047] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes both the second regulator RK2 and a third regulator RK3 that together have regulating valves 15, 16, 25, 26, pressure sensors 18, 28, and controllers 17, 27. Each regulator RK2, RK3 is assigned to its own vessel 8.

[0048] The embodiment shown also includes corresponding slide valves 19 between the switching valve 6 and the control valve 7 for switching the product stream into and out of the respective header vessels 8.

[0049] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is particularly useful for lightning filling and for form-fill processes because of the demand for high speed. Such methods aspire to fill a half liter container in about three hundred milliseconds. With such speeds expected, it is possible that the flow meter 5 will not be able to measure volume with enough precision even with the use of a header vessel 8. However, having two header vessels 8 for each container 2 is to be filled enables the header vessels 8 to cooperate. As an example, while a container 2 is being filled with filling product 3 with a predefined filling product quantity 10 from one header vessel 8, the other header vessel 8 can be filled with the desired filling product quantity 10. Thus, the header vessels 8 alternate so that one can be filled while the other is being used for filling the container.

[0050] The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has a filling vessel that is configured as a measuring and/or metering vessel 9 that supplies the filling product quantity 10 of the filling product 3, which has been pre-metered by the volumeter 5, per volume measurement, for discharging via the switching valve 6 to the filling element 22.

[0051] In this embodiment variant shown, the measuring and/or metering vessel 9 itself functions as a volumeter 5. In this embodiments, a drive 21 drives a piston 9.2 of piston-cylinder system 9.1 through a cylinder 9.3 to fill the vessel 9. Preferably, the drive is a linear drive 21 that controls the quantity 10 and the flow rate. In this embodiment, the geometry of the piston-cylinder system 9.1 and the piston's stroke controls the quantity 10.

[0052] The invention has been described heretofore by way of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous modifications and derivations are possible, without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.