Abstract
A liquid filling apparatus has a vertical tube with bottom opening opened and closed by a valve. The tube is insertable into a container from above and supplies liquid to the container. A flexible separating disk extends radially from the bottom end of the tube. The tube with flexible separating disk is movable toward the container bottom and air in the container escapes between peripheral rim of the separating disk and container wall as the tube moves down until the flexible separating disk rests on the container bottom. The tube with flexible separating disk then is moved upwardly so that, between flexible separating disk and container bottom, an enlarging space is formed with upward movement. Liquid is supplied into this space through the open tube opening as upward movement continues. When a targeted liquid level is reached, the valve closes and the tube is pulled from the container.
Claims
1. An apparatus for filling a container with a liquid, the apparatus comprising: a vertical tube having an opening at a bottom end; a valve arranged at the vertical tube and adapted to open and close the opening at the bottom end; wherein the tube is insertable into a container that is open at the top during a filling process and wherein the tube supplies a liquid to the container through the opening at the bottom end; a flexible separating disk disposed at the bottom end of the tube and extending in a radial direction of the tube, wherein the flexible separating disk is a bellows; wherein the tube together with the bellows is adapted to be moved in a downward direction to a bottom of the container such that air that is located between the bellows and the bottom of the container upon downward movement of the tube can flow out between a peripheral rim of the bellows and an inner wall surface of the container and, in a lower end position of the tube, the bellows is resting on the bottom of the container; wherein the tube together with the bellows is further adapted to be moved, beginning with the lower end position of the tube, in an upward direction so that, between the bellows and the bottom of the container, a space is formed during the upward movement and is enlarged as the upward movement progresses, wherein into the enlarging space the tube simultaneous with the upward movement supplies a liquid through the opening at the bottom end of the tube that is opened by the valve; wherein upon reaching a targeted filling level of the liquid in the container, the valve is closed and the tube with the bellows is pulled out of the container.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during the upward movement of the tube a diameter of the bellows is greater than an inner diameter of the container so that the bellows seal-tightly contacts the inner wall surface of the container.
3. (canceled)
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during the downward movement of the tube a diameter of the bellows is smaller than an inner diameter of the container.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bellows is matched to a bottom profile of the bottom of the container.
6. (canceled)
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the bellows is adjustable.
8. (canceled)
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, for adjusting the diameter of the bellows, a spiral spring is provided that is concentric to the tube, wherein the spiral spring has an inner end arranged in an inner area of the bellows so as to be concentrically rotatable relative to an axis of the tube, and wherein the spiral spring has an outer end that is secured on an outer area of the bellows.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bellows is adapted to be pneumatically or hydraulically loaded with overpressure or underpressure for adjusting the diameter.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a valve rod and a horizontal valve plate connected to the valve rod, wherein the valve rod is vertically movable within the tube.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve has a float member provided at the lower end of the tube.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, near the opening at the bottom end of the tube, at least one venting opening is provided that is adapted to be opened and closed.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Embodiments of an apparatus for filling a container in the form of a can with a liquid intended, in particular, for consumption will be explained in the following with the aid of the drawings. They show in:
[0021] FIG. 1 a first embodiment in a schematic illustration;
[0022] FIGS. 2a to 2k an illustration of the filling process in sequential steps with the apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIGS. 3a and 3b a modified embodiment of the filling apparatus with regard to profiling of the lower flexible separating disk;
[0024] FIGS. 4a and 4b the apparatus according to FIG. 1, however with a different arrangement of the valve;
[0025] FIGS. 5a and 5b the apparatus of FIG. 1, however with additional venting action;
[0026] FIGS. 6a and 6b an embodiment with an alternative venting action;
[0027] FIGS. 7a and 7b an embodiment with an alternative venting action;
[0028] FIGS. 8a and 8b an embodiment with an alternative venting action;
[0029] FIGS. 9a to 9c a further embodiment of the filling apparatus with a different valve arrangement;
[0030] FIG. 10 an alternative embodiment in a schematic illustration using a bellows as a flexible separating disk;
[0031] FIGS. 11a to 11p an illustration of the filling process in sequential steps with the apparatus of FIG. 10;
[0032] FIGS. 12a and 12b an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 10 with a modification of the valve arrangement;
[0033] FIGS. 13a to 13c an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 10 with a modification of the valve arrangement;
[0034] FIGS. 14a to 14e a further embodiment in a schematic illustration using a bellows with spiral spring as a flexible separating disk.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] The filling apparatus of FIG. 1 for filling a container 1 in the form of a can has a vertical tube 2. In the area of the lower opening of this tube 2 a flexible separating disk 3 of rubber or plastic material is arranged seal-tightly, for example, on a circumferentially extending annular flange of the tube 2. Moreover, a valve 4 is provided. The latter is comprised of a valve rod that is coaxial to the tube 2 and has a valve plate at its lower end.
[0036] The function is as follows (compare FIGS. 2a to 2j):
[0037] Starting from the initial position as illustrated in FIG. 1, the tube 2 with its flexible separating disk 3 is moved vertically in downward direction. As a result of its flexibility, the separating disk 3 bends upwardly in the peripheral area as a result of the smaller opening diameter of the container 1 wherein between the peripheral rim of the separating disk 3 and the inner wall surface of the container 1 a sealing action is realized (FIG. 2a). Subsequently, the tube 2 with its separating disk 3 is moved farther downward (FIG. 2b) until it meets the bottom (FIG. 2c). During the downward movement, the air contained in the intermediate space between the separating disk 3 and the bottom of the container 1 flows out laterally between the peripheral rim of the separating disk 3 and the inner wall surface of the container 1.
[0038] Starting from this lower position (FIG. 2c), the tube 2 with the separating disk 3 is then moved upwardly. In doing so, the separating disk 3 essentially folds over wherein the seal-tightness is maintained (FIG. 2d). While up to now the valve 4 has always been closed, it is now opened in that the valve rod with the valve plate is moved downwardly (FIG. 2e). In this position, liquid can now be supplied through the tube 2. The liquid escapes from the lower opening of the tube 2 and collects at the bottom of the container 1. In this context, the hollow space that is being generated is completely filled by the liquid. The tube 2 with its separating disk 3 is moved farther upwardly (FIG. 2f) until it has reached the opening area of the container 1 (FIG. 2g). After the desired filling level has been reached, the valve 4 is closed (FIG. 2h), the tube 2 with its separating disk 3 is moved farther upwardly (FIG. 2i and FIG. 2j) until it is completely pulled out of the container 1 (FIG. 2k). The filling process is thus completed and a new filling process can be started.
[0039] The embodiment according to FIGS. 3a and 3b differs from the preceding embodiment in that the flexible separating disk 3 has such a profile that it is matched to the bottom profile shape of the container 1. Otherwise, the process sequence is identical.
[0040] The embodiment according to FIGS. 4a and 4b differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that here the valve 4 is not moved for opening with its valve plate in the downward but instead moved in the upward direction for opening. For this purpose, the lower end of the tube 2 has an appropriate sealing flange.
[0041] The embodiment according to FIGS. 5a and 5b is based on the embodiment of FIG. 1. The difference resides in that in addition a venting opening 5 is provided. The latter is created by means of a cylinder that is vertically movable relative to the tube 2 and upon downward movement releases the venting openings 5.
[0042] The embodiment of FIGS. 6a and 6b is based on the preceding embodiment of FIGS. 5a and 5b. Here, venting openings 5 are also provided. They are closed and opened by means of the afore described cylinder. Here, the cylinder is however movable in upward direction for opening.
[0043] The embodiment according to FIGS. 7a and 7b has also a venting opening 5. It is formed in that the valve rod is embodied as a tube. In this valve rod tube there is a closing element, spherical in the illustrated embodiment, located at the end of a rod. The closing element is moved for opening of the venting opening 5 in downward direction.
[0044] The embodiment in FIGS. 8a and 8b differs from the afore described embodiment only in that the closure ball for opening the venting opening 5 is moved upwardly.
[0045] The embodiment of FIGS. 9a to 9c shows an alternative embodiment of the valve. It is formed by a float member. It floats on the liquid to be filled in. Depending on the filling level, this float member is seal-tightly resting on the lower circumferential flange (FIG. 9a) or it is seal-tightly forced by the buoyance against the upper annular flange (FIG. 9c). The central position of the float member is illustrated in FIG. 9b.
[0046] The embodiment of FIG. 10 differs from the preceding embodiments in regard to the configuration of the separating disk 3. While before the separating disk 3 has been provided as a flat flexible structure, now the separating disk is a bellows. The latter is substantially of an annular configuration and is located on a rigid disk which is arranged on the lower end of the tube 2. On this peripheral rim of the rigid disk the annular or hose-type bellows is arranged. By means of a sleeve that is coaxial to the tube 2 the bellows can be moved downwardly and in this way an expansion can be caused.
[0047] The function is as follows (compare FIGS. 11a to 11p):
[0048] The initial position is illustrated in FIG. 11a. The tube 2 with its separating disk 3 in the form of a bellows is located above the opening of the container 1. The bellows is in its contracted position, i.e., has its minimal diameter.
[0049] For starting the filling process, the tube 2 with the bellows is moved in downward direction. The diameter of the bellows in this context is such that it is smaller than the opening diameter of the container 1. Therefore, there is no contact taking place (FIG. 11b).
[0050] The filling apparatus is moved farther downwardly (FIGS. 11c to 11e) until the separating disk 3 in the form of the bellows contacts the bottom of the container 1 (FIG. 11f). This is the starting position for the actual filling process.
[0051] In this context, first the bellows is expanded so that it contacts seal-tightly the inner wall surface of the container 1 (FIGS. 11g and 11h).
[0052] Subsequently, the tube 2 is moved upwardly. The valve 4 that has been closed up to this point is now opened (11i). The liquid flows through the tube 2 in downward direction and exits from the tube opening. In this context, the liquid fills the hollow space that is created by the upward movement of the separating disk 3. The tube 2 with its separating disk 3 is successively moved upwardly and liquid is supplied synchronously (FIG. 11j to FIG. 11l) until the upper filling level has been reached at which point the valve is closed (FIG. 11m).
[0053] In this position, the bellows of the separating disk 3 is retracted (FIG. 11n) so that the tube 2 with its separating disk 3 can be moved completely out of the container 1 without there being a contact with the opening edge of the container 1 taking place (FIG. 11o and FIG. 11p).
[0054] In this way, the filling process is completed. A new filling process can be started.
[0055] FIGS. 12a and 12b show a modified embodiment variant of the embodiment of FIG. 10. The difference resides in that here the valve plate of the valve 4 closes in upward direction and is moved upwardly for opening.
[0056] The embodiment variant in FIGS. 13a to 13c shows again the already described float member as a valve.
[0057] The embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 14a to 14e is based on the embodiment of the flexible separating disk 3 as a bellows as has been illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 10 as well as FIGS. 11a to 11p. This bellows is substantially of an annular configuration and is located on a rigid disk which is arranged at the lower end of the tube 2. On this peripheral rim of the rigid disk, the annular or hose-shaped bellows is then arranged. By means of a sleeve 6 that is coaxial to the tube 2 the bellows can be expanded or reduced with regard to the diameter. This is achieved in that between the afore described coaxial sleeve 6 and the bellows a spiral spring 7 is arranged as is illustrated in principle in FIG. 14e.
[0058] The function is as follows:
[0059] The initial position is illustrated in FIG. 14a. The tube 2 with its separating disk 3 in the form of a bellows is located above the opening of the container 1. The bellows is in its retracted position, i.e., has its minimal diameter. This has been achieved in that the inner end of the spiral spring by means of the sleeve 6 has been moved to the right about the center and the outer end in this context is blocked from moving on the circumference (in FIG. 14e the lower illustration of the spiral spring 7).
[0060] For initiating the filling process, the tube 2 with the bellows is moved in downward direction. In this context, the diameter of the bellows is smaller than the opening diameter of the container 1. Therefore, no contact takes place (FIG. 14b).
[0061] The filling apparatus is moved father in downward direction until the separating disk 3 in the form of the bellows contacts the bottom of the container 1. In this position, the bellows is expanded so that it contacts seal-tightly the inner wall surface of the container 1 (FIG. 14c). This is achieved in that the diameter of the bellows is enlarged and a radially uniformly distributed contact pressure for increasing the sealing action is generated in that the inner end of the spiral spring 7 is moved to the left about the center and the outer end is blocked from moving freely on the circumference (in FIG. 14e the upper illustration of the spiral spring 7).
[0062] In this position, the tube 2 can now be moved in upward direction for the filling process (FIG. 14d). The valve that has been closed up to this point is no opened. The liquid flows through the tube 2 in downward direction and exits at the lower tube opening. In this context, the liquid fills the hollow space that is created by the upward movement of the separating disk. The tube 2 with its separating disk 3 is successively moved upwardly and the liquid is synchronously supplied until the upper filling level is reached. The valve is then closed.
[0063] In this position, the bellows of the separating disk 3 is then returned by rotation of the sleeve 6 to its minimal diameter (in accordance with FIG. 14a) so that the tube 2 with its separating disk 3 can be moved completely out of the container 1 without a contact with the opening edge of the container 1 occurring.
[0064] In this way, the filling process is completed. A new filling process can be started.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0065] 1 container [0066] 2 tube [0067] 3 separating disk [0068] 4 valve [0069] 5 venting opening [0070] 6 sleeve [0071] 7 spiral spring
