METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH CARBONIZED FILLING MATERIAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLOSING THE FILLED CONTAINERS

Abstract

The method relates to a method for filling a container (13, 32) with carbonized liquid filling material and for closing the filled container, in which the filling material is introduced in a filling station (10, 30) by a filling head (11, 33) at defined filling pressure into the container (13, 32), wherein the filling head (11, 33) is firstly moved from an idle position, which permits supplying and inserting a container (13, 32) into the filling station (10, 30), into a working position toward the inserted container, in which an end region (16) of the filling head seals off the opening (14) of the container, the container (13, 32) is then filled, the filling head (11, 33) is moved after completion of the filling phase back out of the working position into an idle position spaced apart from the container (13, 32) and the container (13, 32) is then closed in the filling station (10, 30) using a cap (20) at least enough that filling material can no longer escape, and the container (13, 32) is then removed from the filling station (11, 33), characterized in that before the movement of the filling head (11, 33) from the working position into the idle position spaced apart from the container (13), an overpressure lying between the ambient pressure and the filling pressure is set in a pressure chamber (15) of the filling station (10, 30) surrounding the opening (14) of the inserted container (13, 32), which overpressure is selected in such a way that possible foaming up of the filling material located in the container (13, 32) is minimized enough that filling material does not escape from the container (13, 32) when the filling head (11, 33) is raised out of the working position after the filling procedure.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method for filling a container having an opening with a carbonated liquid filling material in a device having at least one filling station that includes a filling head and for closing the opening of the container after the container has been filled with the carbonated liquid filing material, the method comprising steps of: inserting the container into the filling station such that, after insertion of the container, the filling head is axially aligned above the opening of the container and the filling head is spaced apart from the container; after the inserting step, moving the filling head axially toward the inserted container to a working position in which an end region of the filling head seals off the opening of the container; filling the container in the filling station by introducing the carbonated liquid filing material into the container through the filling head in the working position at a defined pressure; after completion of the filling step, moving the filling head out of the working position such that the filling head is axially spaced apart from the container; closing the container in the filling station using a closure cap such that carbonated liquid filling material cannot escape from the container; and removing the filled and capped container from the filling station; wherein, before moving the filling head out of the working position, a selected overpressure lying between ambient pressure and the defined filling pressure is set in a pressure chamber of the filling station surrounding the opening of the inserted container, and wherein the overpressure is selected such that foaming up of the carbonated filling material introduced in the container is minimized enough that the carbonated filling material does not escape from the container when the filling head is moved out of the working position and the closing step is performed.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the container is a preform, which is inserted in a mold in the filling station, and wherein the preform is simultaneously filled and expanded by the introduced carbonated liquid filling material so as to have a container contour predetermined by the mold.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein, before moving the filling head out of the working position after introducing the carbonated liquid filling material into the container, the filled container is first depressurized from defined filling pressure to the overpressure set in the surrounding pressure chamber of the filling station.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the overpressure set in the pressure chamber is between 4-10 bar.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein, to close the container, the closure cap, which is arranged in the surrounding pressure chamber of the filling station, is pressed onto the opening of the container by the filling head at least up into a first sealing position.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the closure cap is a screw closure cap.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the pressing on of the closure cap by the filling head is performed by an axial pressing-on stroke movement of the filling head.

22. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the overpressure in the surrounding pressure chamber of the filling station is set in a CO.sub.2 atmosphere.

23. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the overpressure set in the surrounding pressure chamber of the filling station is only depressurized to ambient pressure after the closure cap has been pressed onto the container opening.

24. A device for filling a container provided with an opening with a carbonated liquid filling material and for closing the opening of the container after the container has been filled with the carbonated liquid filing material, the device comprising: at least one filling station that includes a filling head for introducing the carbonated liquid filling material into the container under pressure; and a capping unit for closing the container using a closure cap, said capping unit including a cap holder; wherein a pressure chamber is provided in the filling station to accommodate the opening of the container, an end of the filling head facing toward the opening in the container and the cap holder having a cap arranged thereon in an externally sealed manner, and wherein the filling head is accommodated in the station such that the filling head is axially movably relative to the opening in the container between an idle position in which the end of the filling head is spaced above the container opening and a working position in which the end of the filling head seals off the opening of the container.

25. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the container is a preform, which, after thermal conditioning, is expanded and filled with the carbonated liquid filling material in the filling station, wherein the filling station comprises a mold into which the preform is inserted, and wherein the mold predetermines the final contour of the container after expansion and filling.

26. The device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the filling head includes an axially displaceable stretching rod for axially stretching and guiding the preform.

27. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the closure cap is a screw closure cap, and wherein the filling head is configured to at least partially press the closure cap onto the container.

28. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the cap holder provided in the pressure chamber is configured such that the closure cap is arranged in a waiting position before the container is filled, and the cap holder permits a displacement of the closure cap from the waiting position into a position between the container-facing end of the filling head and the opening of the container.

29. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the pressure chamber is connected to a feed line for a gas.

30. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the gas is CO.sub.2.

30. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the filling head comprises a pressure equalization line between the pressure chamber and an interior of the container.

31. The device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the pressure equalization line is controlled by a controllable valve.

Description

[0032] The invention is to be explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of several figures. In the figures:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention as a filling station,

[0034] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention as a forming and filling station,

[0035] FIG. 3 shows an illustration of a suitable rail, in which the closure cap may be displaced.

[0036] The fundamental construction of a machine for filling containers and/or for simultaneously forming and filling containers made of preforms is well known from the prior art. To avoid repetitions, reference is made with respect to a forming and filling station to DE 10 2010 007 541 A1, in particular to paragraphs [0028] to [0065] therein and to FIGS. 1 to 8 therein. Only the special features relevant for the present invention are described in this regard hereafter.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a filling station 10 having a filling head 11 arranged displaceably in the axial direction, to which the filling material to be filled can be applied via a feed line 12. Furthermore, a container 13, which is arranged in its filling position, is shown. The container opening 14 aligned on the filling head side is located inside a pressure chamber 15. The pressure chamber 15 surrounds both the container opening 14 and also an end 16 of the filling head 11 facing toward the container 13. This end 16 of the filling head 11 is designed so that upon lowering of the filling head 11, it comes into sealing contact with the opening 14 of the container, whereupon the filling can then be performed.

[0038] The pressure chamber 15 is formed by a bell-type chamber body 24, which is arranged vertically movably in relation to a carrier element 25 of the filling machine. The vertical mobility is schematically indicated by the illustrated hydraulic cylinder 26. The filling head 11 penetrates the chamber body wall 27 facing away from the container in a sealed and axially displaceable manner, i.e., in the direction of the arrow 100. The filling head is also vertically movable in relation to the carrier element 25 in the schematically indicated manner, indicated by a further actuator 28. On its container-side lower side, the chamber body 24 comprises a circumferential seal 29. In the sealing position shown of the chamber body 24, this seal 29 is applied to form a seal. The chamber body 24 can be raised via the hydraulic cylinder or actuator 26 to enable a removal of the filled container 13, an insertion of an empty container, and the tracking of a closure cap 20.

[0039] A desired overpressure can be set using a suitable gas in the pressure chamber 15 via a feed line 17 and a discharge line 18. Furthermore, a holding unit formed as a rail 19 is apparent in the pressure chamber 15, in which a closure cap 20 is accommodated in a waiting position 41. By means of a loading finger 22, the closure cap 20 can be displaced from the waiting position 41 shown into a position 42 between the end 16 of the filling head 11 and the container opening 14. The cap 20 can then be pressed onto the opening 14 using the end 16 of the filling head 11 by a corresponding lowering movement of the filling head 11.

[0040] The supply of closure caps, for example, of screw closure caps, into the waiting position 41 of the holding unit is performed by a cap supply unit (not shown). In this case, this can be, for example, a supply rail in which the caps are supplied to the filling station by sliding.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a filling station, which is designed as a forming and filling station. This forming and filling station 30 substantially corresponds to the filling station 10 shown in FIG. 1. Corresponding components are therefore identified with identical reference signs as in FIG. 1.

[0042] In contrast to FIG. 1, in the forming and filling station 30 illustrated in FIG. 2, finished containers are not filled, but rather a preform 32 inserted into an external mold 31. As already stated at the outset, the preform 32 has been thermally conditioned beforehand in such a way that upon introduction of a filling medium at corresponding pressure, it can be expanded in the mold 31 into the final container form. To assist this process, the forming and filling station comprises a forming and filling head 33, in which a stretching rod 34 is provided, which can be displaced in the direction of the arrow 35. During the forming and filling procedure, the stretching rod 34 is lowered into the preform 32 and stretches it in the longitudinal direction. After completion of the forming and filling procedure, the stretching rod 34 is retracted into the filling head 33 and then preferably releases a pressure equalization valve (not shown), via which the internal pressure prevailing in the now formed container 13 is depressurized to an overpressure prevailing in a surrounding pressure chamber 15.

[0043] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the chamber body 24 is again shown in its sealing position and the seal 29 presses against the mold 31 to form a seal.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a holding unit formed as a rail 19, as can similarly be used in the filling station shown in FIG. 1, but also in the forming and filling station shown in FIG. 2, for accommodating and displacing a cap 20 in the pressure chamber 15. Via a cap supply unit (not shown), the cap 20 is transferred before beginning the filling procedure from a transfer position 40 to the rail 19 and arranged therein in a waiting position 41 predetermined by clamping cams 43. The desired overpressure atmosphere is then set in the pressure chamber 15 via the lines 17 and 18 (after assuming the sealing position of the chamber body) and the filling procedure can be carried out. After completion of the filling procedure, the filling head 11 or 33, respectively, is disengaged from the opening 14 of the container 13 again. Subsequently, using the loading finger 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the closure cap 20 is moved into a pressing-on position 42 defined by cams 44 between the opening 14 of the container 13, 32 and the free end 16 of the filling head 11, 33. The filling head 11, 33 is then lowered and presses the cap 20 onto the opening 14. The filling and the closing of containers in forming and filling stations is performed similarly.