FILLING SYSTEM FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH A FILLING PRODUCT

Abstract

A filling system for filling a container with a filling product includes a filling device for filling the container with the filling product, and a deflection device having an electrostatic field for deflecting the filling product relative to the container.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A filling system for filling a container with a filling product, comprising: a filling device configured to fill the container with the filling product; and a deflection device having an electrostatic field configured to deflect the filling product into the container.

10. The filling system of claim 9, wherein the filling device is configured to fill the container by a free jet method, and the deflection device acts on the filling product.

11. The filling system of claim 9, further comprising a first transport device configured to transport a filled container.

12. The filling system of claim 11, wherein the deflection device is configured to move with the first transport device.

13. The filling system of claim 11, wherein the deflection device is configured to act on the filling product in the filled container.

14. The filling system of claim 11, further comprising a second transport device in a transfer area that is configured to receive the filled container from the first transport device.

15. The filling system of claim 14, wherein the deflection device is configured to act on the filling product in the filled container in the transfer area.

16. The filling system of claim 9, wherein the deflection device comprises an electrostatically charged element.

17. The filling system of claim 16, wherein the electrostatically charged element comprises a plastic or a rubber.

18. The filling system of claim 9, wherein the deflection device comprises a capacitor.

19. The filling system of claim 18, wherein the capacitor comprises a plate capacitor.

20. The filling system of claim 9, wherein the deflection device is stationary and extends along a transport region of the container.

21. A filling system for filling a container with a filling product, comprising: a filling device configured to fill the container with the filling product; and a deflection device having an electrostatic field configured to deflect the filling product into the container, wherein the deflection device is disposed at least in a region between the filling device and the container.

22. The filling system of claim 21, wherein the filling device is configured to fill the container by a free jet method, and the deflection device acts on the filling product.

23. The filling system of claim 21, further comprising a first transport device configured to transport a filled container.

24. The filling system of claim 23, wherein the deflection device is configured to act on the filling product in the filled container.

25. The filling system of claim 23, further comprising a second transport device in a transfer area that is configured to receive the filled container from the first transport device.

26. The filling system of claim 21, wherein the deflection device comprises an electrostatically charged element.

27. The filling system of claim 21, wherein the deflection device comprises a capacitor.

28. The filling system of claim 21, wherein the deflection device is stationary and extends along a transport region of the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] Further embodiments of the invention are more fully explained by the description below of the figures.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a free jet filling process in which a container is filled when at rest;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a free jet filling process in a rotary-type filler at a low speed of rotation according to the state of the art;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a free jet filling process in a rotary-type filler at a high speed of rotation according to the state of the art;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a free jet filling process in a rotary-type filler at a high speed of rotation, wherein the deflection device that is proposed here is provided;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a container that is filled with a filling product and is at rest;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a container that is filled with a filling product and is in a rotary-type transport device at a high speed of rotation according to the state of the art;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the transfer of a container that is filled with a filling product from a rotary-type transport device to a subsequent rotary-type transport device according to the state of the art; and

[0035] FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the transfer of a container that is filled with a filling product from a rotary-type transport device to a subsequent rotary-type transport device, wherein the deflection device that is proposed here is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Examples of embodiments are described below with the aid of the figures. In the figures, elements which are identical or similar, or have identical effects, are designated with identical reference signs. In order to avoid redundancy, repeated description of these elements is in part dispensed with in the description below.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows schematically a section of a filling system 1, wherein the filling system 1 has a rotary-type filling device with a filling element 10, which has a filling product outlet 12. The filling product flows out of the filling element 10, i.e. out of the filling product outlet 12 of the filling element 10, and flows as a stream of filling product 14 into a container 2 that is to be filled, which has a neck area 20 that defines a container mouth 22. The stream of filling product 14 flows through the container mouth 22 of the container 2 that is to be filled into the interior of the container 2 that is to be filled. If the container 2 that is to be filled is still completely empty, the stream of filling product 14 impinges upon a point of impingement 24 on the base 26 of the container 2 that is to be filled.

[0038] The example embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a section of a filling system 1, which usually has a plurality of filling elements 10 disposed around the periphery of a rotary filler. As the filling elements 10 circulate, the containers 2 that are disposed below the filling elements, and circulate together with them, are filled with the filling product.

[0039] In the example embodiments shown here, the filling elements 10 are provided for free jet filling. Accordingly, the container 2 that is to be filled is not pressed onto the filling element 10. Instead, there is an open space between these, through which the stream of filling product 14 from the filling product outlet 12 of the filling element 10 flows before it enters the container mouth 22 of the container 2 that is to be filled. In other words, there is at least one portion of the stream of filling product 14 which is not directly surrounded by either the filling element 10 or the container 2, and in which the filling product falls, as it were, freely through the open space.

[0040] In the at rest state shown in FIG. 1, the stream of filling product 14 thus falls through the middle of the container 2 that is to be filled, and impinges upon the center of the base 26 at the point of impingement 24.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the same configuration as FIG. 1, but in this case both the container 2 that is to be filled and the filling element 10 are undergoing a rotational displacement about an axis of the rotary filler. It can be seen that the stream of filling product 14 is deflected outwards due to the centrifugal forces that now arise. Thus the stream of filling product 14 no longer impinges upon the center of the base 26 of the container 2 that is to be filled. Instead, the point of impingement 24 moves outwards, and in the example embodiment that is shown the stream of filling product 14 impinges exactly in the angle between the base 26 and the cylindrical wall of the container 2 that is to be filled. Due to this, the tendency to foam can increase, such that even a moderate rotational speed of the rotary filler causes a stronger tendency to foam. As a result, the filling process as a whole cannot be further accelerated, and/or the filling process may be subject to a limitation relating to the reaching of the actual end of filling.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows the device that was shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a state in which the rotary filler rotates so rapidly that the stream of filling product 14 is deflected by the centrifugal force, to the extent that part of it strikes the neck area 20 of the container 2 that is to be filled, and due to this not all of the stream of filling product 14 now passes through the container mouth 22 into the container 2. FIG. 3 thus shows a situation in which spattering or overflow of the stream of filling product 14 can be observed, as a result of the deflection of the stream of filling product 14 caused by the centrifugal force. The filling outcome is therefore not satisfactory, since the quantity of filling product to be introduced into the container 2 that is to be filled cannot be measured accurately. Furthermore, the plant and the container are contaminated by filling product which flows down the outside of the container. In addition, filling product is wasted, since it does not enter the container 2 that is to be filled, and instead must be discarded.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a filling system 1 as proposed here, which has a filling element 10 disposed on a rotary filler. The filling element 10 is again provided for filling a container 2 with a filling product by means of a stream of filling product 14. A deflection device 3 is provided, at least in the region in which the stream of filling product 14 falls freely, i.e. at least in the region from the point at which the stream of filling product 14 leaves the filling product outlet 12 of the filling element 10, to the point at which the stream of filling product 14 enters the container mouth 22 of the container 2 that is to be filled. The deflection device 3 can, however, also be provided in additional regions of the stream of filling product 14, and can also act on the entire stream of filling product 14.

[0044] The deflection device 3 provides an electrostatic field 30, which acts on the stream of filling product 14 such as to deflect it in the direction of the deflector surface 3 shown in FIG. 4.

[0045] If the device shown in FIG. 4, in particular the filling element 10 together with the container 2 that is to be filled, now rotates about the axis of the rotary filler, the centrifugal force that is actually acting on the stream of filling product 14 can be counteracted by means of the provision of the deflection device 3. Accordingly, the strong deflection of the stream of filling product 14 that is shown in FIG. 3 can be reduced or fully compensated by the provision of the deflection device 3. The force applied to the filling product, i.e. to the stream of filling product 14, by the deflection device 3, i.e. by the electrostatic field 30 of the deflection device 3, is opposed to the centrifugal force that arises, such that the resulting force acting on the stream of filling product 14 is reduced or fully compensated.

[0046] Accordingly the point of impingement 24 moves, by comparison with the state shown in FIG. 3, back to the base 26 of the container 2 that is to be filled. Thus by means of the provision of the deflection device 3 it can be achieved not only that that the full stream of filling product 14 again enters the container 2 that is to be filled through the container mouth 22, but also that the point of impingement 24 on the base 26 of the container 2 that is to be filled can be brought back far enough to reduce advantageously the tendency to foam.

[0047] Thus it can be achieved that the system 1 can also be operated at higher or high rotational speeds of the rotary filler, without the displacement outwards of the stream of filling product 14 such as is shown in FIG. 3, which causes a loss of filling product, inaccurate filling of the container 2 that is to be filled, and contamination of the plant.

[0048] Accordingly, the overall performance of the plant can be enhanced in this manner.

[0049] In the example embodiment that is shown, the deflection device 3 is designed in the form of a capacitor plate of a plate capacitor, which is charged such as to achieve an attraction of the stream of filling product 14 contrary to its deflection by the centrifugal forces.

[0050] In the example embodiment that is shown, the deflection device 3 is disposed in a stationary position, and does not rotate with the rotary filler. Instead, the stationary deflection device 3 is provided only in those areas of the rotary filler in which free jet filling of containers that are to be filled with the filling product actually takes place. In particular, the deflection device 3 is not provided in those areas in which the container 2 is received into the rotary filler, or in the areas in which settling of the filling product takes place before the filled container is transferred to a subsequent transport device.

[0051] The deflection device 3 is typically provided in the form of a capacitor, wherein the electrostatic field that acts on the filling product can be adjusted via the voltage applied to the capacitor. Thus the deflection carried out by means of the deflection device 3 can also be adjusted to the respective machine speeds, in particular to the speeds of rotation and the centrifugal forces that these create. By this means it is possible to approximate to, or maintain, an optimum point of impingement 24 at all times, in order to reduce the periods that are provided to allow the filling product in the container to settle.

[0052] The deflection device 3 can also be provided by an electrostatically charged element, for example an electrostatically charged plate. The electrostatically charged element can be provided for example in the form of a plastic or hard rubber material. Such a design has the advantage that in this case no separate voltage source is necessary in order to charge the element. It is for example possible to maintain an electrostatic charge of a stationary electrostatically charged element by passing it across a charging element that is disposed on the rotary device. By this means the electrostatic charge of the deflection element 3 persists throughout the entire filling operation.

[0053] FIGS. 5 to 8 show a filled container 2 which has already been filled with filling product 16. Such a state of a filled container 2 is for example reached at the conclusion of the filling process in the rotary filler. The filling product 16 has reached a filling product surface level 18 in the filled container 2, and the container mouth 22 is still open. In other words, the container 2 has already been filled with the filling product, but has not yet been closed.

[0054] If the filled container is at rest, for example as shown schematically in FIG. 5, the filling product surface 18 is substantially horizontal.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows the container from FIG. 5 in a transport device which is rotating. In this case the filled container 2 is held on the periphery of a transport carousel, a transport starwheel, or also for example the filling device, and then circulates about the axis of the applicable carousel. Consequently, the filling product surface 18 is pushed outwards due to the action of the centrifugal force, and forms a meniscus.

[0056] When the filled container 2 is transferred from one rotating transport device to another subsequent rotating transport device, the previously deflected filling product surface 18, as shown in FIG. 6, is deflected in the opposite direction due to the transfer to a subsequent transport device, causing an opposite deflection 19 of the filling product surface. This opposite deflection 19 occurs because the direction in which the centrifugal force acts on the filling product 16 in the filled container 2 changes abruptly due to the abrupt change in the axes of rotation during the transfer from one transport device to the next.

[0057] Thus the transfer of the filled container 2 from one transport device to the next leads to a strong deflection of the filling product surface 18 from the position indicated by reference sign 18 to the position indicated by reference sign 19 in FIG. 7. Depending on the speed of transfer and the abruptness of the change in the forces acting on the filling product, this can result in the filling product sloshing over through the container mouth 22. This sloshing over takes place, among other reasons, because when the force acting on the filling product changes, a superimposition of forces occurs, which can lead to sloshing over.

[0058] FIG. 8 again shows the deflection device 3 that is proposed here, by means of which the centrifugal forces that act in each case can be counteracted. In the example embodiment that is shown, it is envisaged that the filling product surface 18, which was previously deflected, as shown for example in FIG. 6, due to the circulation of the filled container 2 about the central axis of the carousel, is influenced and straightened, so to speak, by the application of the deflection device 3, as shown by reference sign 19. Accordingly, when the filled container is then transferred to a subsequent transport device, the sloshing motion can be reduced. The occurrence of sloshing motions can be still further reduced, or even substantially eliminated, by means of the provision on the subsequent transport device of a further deflection device on the opposite side.

[0059] In consequence, by the use of the deflection device 3, which provides an electrostatic field 30, it is possible to reduce or eliminate both the unsatisfactory impingement or aiming of a free jet at high speeds of rotation, and the sloshing over of filling product during the transfer from one rotating transport device to a subsequent rotating transport device.

[0060] To the extent applicable, all individual features that are described in the individual example embodiments can be combined with each other and/or exchanged, without departing from the field of the invention.