FILLING DEVICE

Abstract

A filling device includes a product space that ends in a filling valve with first and second valve elements disposed in a region thereof and moved by an actuator, a sealing face, a valve stem, a valve housing having a reduced-diameter edge, and a profiled plastic sleeve that runs over the reduced-diameter edge. One of the valve elements has a plastic lining. A valve stem forms one of the valve elements and the valve housing forms the other.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. An apparatus for filling containers with liquid-containing product, said apparatus comprising a filling device, said filling device comprising a filling valve, a product space, first and second valve elements, an actuator, a sealing face, a plastic lining, a valve stem, and a valve housing having a reduced-diameter edge, wherein said product space ends in said filling valve, wherein, said first and second valve elements are disposed in a region of said filling valve, wherein said actuator causes said first and second valve elements to move relative to each other, wherein said first and second valve elements bear against each other at said sealing face when said filling valve is in a closed position, wherein said first and second valve elements are spaced apart from each other when said filling valve is in an open position, wherein a third valve element comprises said plastic lining facing said product space, wherein said third valve element is selected from the group consisting of said first valve element and said second valve element, wherein said first valve element comprises said valve stem, wherein said second valve element comprises said valve housing, wherein said plastic lining comprises a profiled plastic sleeve, wherein said profiled plastic sleeve runs over said reduced-diameter edge.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a profile part applied to a hard carrier material of said third valve element, wherein said profile part forms said plastic lining.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said profile part is held on said third valve element in a manner that makes said profile part replaceable.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said hard carrier material comprises metal.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said hard carrier material comprises thermosetting plastic.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining is formed from a plastic that contains at least one of PEEK, PVDF, and PTFE.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining is formed by an elastomer.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining surrounds a portion of said product space in front of said sealing face.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining forms a portion of said sealing face of one of said first and second valve elements, and wherein an other of said first and second valve elements comprises, in a region of said sealing face, one of metal and thermosetting plastic.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining comprises a recess for an O-ring seal for forming a portion of said sealing face, and wherein at least one of said first and second valve elements comprises, in a region of said sealing face, one of metal and thermosetting plastic.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining comprises a profiled plastic sleeve that covers an entire inner side of said valve housing.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said profiled plastic sleeve surrounds said valve stem.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a transition region, wherein said profiled plastic sleeve comprises first and second ends having corresponding first and second diameters, wherein said first diameter corresponds to said product space, wherein said second diameter corresponds to said filling valve, wherein said transition region extends between said first and second diameters, and wherein said transition region is circular in cross-section and edge free.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said profiled plastic sleeve projects into an opening of a container that is to be filled.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said profiled plastic sleeve comprise an end wall on a container side thereof and lateral exit openings in said end wall.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said end wall comprises a flow-guiding face.

34. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said valve stem is a centric valve stem, and wherein said plastic lining sheaths said centric valve stem.

35. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plastic lining comprises fluorinated hydrocarbon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention will be described below by way of example with reference to the schematic drawing.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away side view of a first embodiment of a filling device;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the filling device of FIG. 1; and

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a view according to FIG. 2 of a second embodiment of a profiled plastic sleeve that projects into the opening of a container to be filled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container 38 ready to be filled at a filling device 10. The filling device 10 has a cylindrical housing 12 that defines a cylindrical product space 14 in its interior. The filling device 10 also has a product feed 16 for feeding a product into the cylindrical product space 14, a holder 18, and a filling valve 20, which has a cylindrical valve housing 22 arranged at the lower end of the housing 22.

[0036] An actuating mechanism moves a plunger rod 24 along an axis of the product space 14. A plunger head 26 at the plunger rod's upper end bears a roller 27 that runs along a control cam of the filling device's actuating mechanism. At its lower end, the plunger rod 24 widens into a droplet-shaped valve stem 29.

[0037] A spring 28 biases the plunger head 26 axially against the housing 12 in such a way as to urge the roller 27 to bear against a control cam. As a result, the valve stem 29 cooperates with the valve housing 22 at the sealing face.

[0038] A reduced-diameter edge 30 of the valve housing 22 defines the region of the filling valve's sealing face. A profiled plastic sleeve 32 covers the entire region of the valve housing 22, from the cylindrical product space 14 at the lower end of the housing 12 to the filling region of the filling device 10. The profiled plastic sleeve 32 runs over the reduced-diameter edge 30 of the valve housing 22 and cooperates there with the droplet-shaped widening of the valve stem 29 to form a sealing face.

[0039] The roller 27 actuates the filling valve's valve stem 29, thus causing it to transition between closed and open positions. In all the figures, the open position of the filling valve 20 is shown.

[0040] In the closed position, a control cam deflects the roller 27 downwards, counter to the force of the spring 28. As a result, the valve stem 29 bears against the profiled plastic sleeve 32 in the region of the reduced-diameter edge 30.

[0041] At its lower end, the valve housing 22 has an O-ring seal 34. During filling, a container holder 36 holds the container 38 so that it bears with its mouth 40 against the O-ring seal 34.

[0042] The profiled plastic sleeve 32 extends to just above the O-ring seal 34. As a result, the profiled plastic sleeve 32 reliably protects the filling valve 20 against soiling by the product during the filling operation.

[0043] Referring now to FIG. 2, the profiled plastic sleeve 32 has a first region 32a and a second region 32b, the diameter of which is less than that of the first region 32a. The first region 32a adjoins the product space in a flush manner. The second region 32b forms a filling outlet through which filling material flows into the container 38. Between the first and second regions 32a, 32b is a transition region 32c that provides a smooth and step-free transition between the diameters of the first and second regions 32a, 32b. The valve stem 29 is arranged in the transition region 32c.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an extended profiled plastic sleeve 33 that is substantially identical to the profiled plastic sleeve 32 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The main difference is that the extended profiled plastic sleeve 33 has, at its lower end, a cylindrical sleeve part 42 that extends through the container's mouth 40 and into the container 38.

[0045] An end wall 44 at the lower end of the cylindrical sleeve part 42 includes a flow-guiding face 45. The flow-guiding face 45 slopes outwards and downwards from the center of the sleeve 33 to lateral exit openings. As a result, liquid filling product exits from the profiled plastic sleeve 33 and out through the lateral exit openings 46 without swirling. This permits the liquid filling product to enter the container 38 in an entry flow 50 along the container wall in a way that avoids pronounced bubble or foam formation occurring in the container 38 during the filling operation. Some embodiments omit the end wall 44. However, in these embodiments, there is essentially no protection against splashing.

[0046] The extended profiled plastic sleeve 33 has a first region 32a and a second region 32b, the diameter of which is less than that of the first region 32a. The first region 32a adjoins the product space in a flush manner. The second region 32b forms a filling outlet through which filling material flows into the container 38. Between the first and second regions 32a, 32b is a transition region 32c that provides a smooth and step-free transition between the diameters of the first and second regions 32a, 32b. The valve stem 29 is arranged in the transition region 32c.

[0047] As can be seen, in particular from FIGS. 2 and 3, the profiled plastic sleeve 32 and also the extended profiled plastic sleeve 33 offer very good protection against soiling of the filling device in the region upstream and downstream of the filling valve.

[0048] The plastic lining, which in the illustrated embodiment is a profiled plastic sleeve 32, 33, is made of any of a number of plastic materials. In some cases, the plastic lining is made of an elastomer. In other cases, it is made of a fluorinated hydrocarbon. Additional materials that can be used to make a plastic lining include PEEK, PVDF, and PTFE.

[0049] An upper edge 48 positions the profiled plastic sleeve 32, 33 on the product space 14. This upper edge 48 can be machined with great precision. Opening and closing of the valve therefore does not deform this plastic lining. This means that the transition the transition from the product space 14 to the profiled plastic sleeve 32 and 33 is insensitive to soiling.

[0050] Moreover, due to the use of a stepped seal arrangement 49 with an O-ring seal on the upper edge 48 of the profiled plastic sleeve 32, 33, it is possible to ensure 100% leak tightness. The region of the valve housing 22, which is covered by the profiled plastic sleeve, is thus reliably protected against soiling by the product. As a result, the apparatus described herein promotes a high standard of hygiene for filling devices.

[0051] In some embodiments, the plastic sleeve is configured at its lower end in such a way that it functions as a gas lock. This permits drip-free filling.

[0052] Certain gas locks cause swirling of the outflowing filling product. This means that the filling product bears against the container wall as it flows into the container.