EP0775668B1 - Filling machine and filling head for such a machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to a filling element for use in such a machine Preamble of claim 11.

The competition among beverage producers has led to the fact that the number of on Types of beverages on the market have increased steadily in recent years. So e.g. one in the market segment of soft drinks (e.g. lemonades) and fruit drinks wide range of different flavors offered that the entire range of fruit types, aromatics suitable for beverage production etc. include. There are also variants of reduced calories Products. The beverage manufacturers are therefore forced to keep their bottling lines in switch to different products at shorter intervals. This leads to the filling systems currently used to significantly reduce the Output and thus increasing production costs, since these plants for high product change cycles are unsuitable.

The usual bottling lines for soft drinks or fruit juice drinks today are in general from the filling machine and an upstream beverage mixing system (Mixer), in which the individual components, namely the liquid Base product (e.g. water + CO2) and an additive, e.g. syrup, Fruit syrup or another concentrate containing the flavorings or ready drink is mixed. A product change has the consequence that both the Filling machine, as well as the mixer, i.e. both aggregates have to be emptied, rinsed and refilled with new product.

A filling tube for filling different liquids is already known Bottles or similar containers (DE-PS 968 900). It is provided here that different liquids one after the other into the bottle in question to be introduced, namely via several channels provided separately in a filling tube, which each form spatially offset delivery openings on the filling tube. A filling machine according to US Pat. No. 2,372,899 A is also known Preamble of claim 1 and a filling element according to Preamble claim 11.

The object of the invention is a filling machine or a filling element for such Machine to show which or which with an optimal mixing of the Base product with the respective additive an exact dosage of this additive enables.

To solve this problem is a filling machine according to the characterizing part of claim 1 or a filling element for this machine according to the characterizing part of claim 10 formed.

In the invention, a quantity or volume measurement is carried out on the respective Containers of the basic product and the additive to be mixed with two independent flow meters, both with control electronics interact, which then both the respective liquid valve, as well as a Dosing valve device controls in the feed line of each filler element for the additive. This metering valve device is preferably a valve which is between two States can be switched, i.e. can only assume two states, namely one closed state or an open state.

The additive is added with the liquid valve open in front of the liquid valve or the valve seat or by an in a return gas pipe arranged pipe section so that a intimate mixing takes place during filling. The addition of the additive can also take place in several successive sections, for example such that the valve forming the metering valve device opens several times at short notice and is closed again, the number of openings of this valve during a filling phase corresponds to the desired proportion of additive or concentrate.

Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Schnittdarstellung ein füllrohrloses Füllelement einer Gegendruck-Füllmaschine rotierender Bauart zusammen mit dem Ringkessel der Füllmaschine sowie mit einer an das Füllelement angesetzten Flasche;

Fig. 2

in sehr vereinfachter Teildarstellung eine weitere Ausführung eines Füllelementes der Erfindung.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a simplified sectional view of a filler-less filler element of a counterpressure filling machine of rotating design together with the ring bowl of the filling machine and with a bottle attached to the filler element;

Fig. 2

in a very simplified partial representation, a further embodiment of a filling element of the invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a ring bowl which, on an otherwise not shown, by a vertical machine axis rotating rotor of the filling machine is provided, which for filling bottles 2 under counter pressure with a carbonated drink which serves as beverage components at least one liquid base drink or Contains base product and at least one additive. These beverage components are For example, in the case of soft drinks, water + CO2 and one containing the flavorings Concentrate (e.g. syrup).

On the circumference of the ring bowl 1, a plurality of filling points are formed, each of which a filling element 3 and under this one can be moved up and down in the vertical direction Bottle holder 4 has.

The ring bowl 1 forms a ring encircling the vertical machine axis Interior 5, which up to a predetermined level N with the carbonated Base product (e.g. water + CO2) is filled so that below the level N a liquid space 5 'occupied by the base product and above the Levels N a gas space 5 '' is formed for the CO2 gas under pressure P1 is.

Each filling element has a housing 6 in which a liquid channel 7 is formed, the one end at a passage 8 with the liquid space 5 'in connection stands and on the underside of the filling element 3 or the housing 6 a vertical Filling element axis FA forms a concentrically enclosing annular discharge opening 9.

In the liquid channel 7, the liquid valve 10 is provided, which in FIG its closed position is shown. This liquid valve consists of the Valve body 11 which for opening and closing by a predetermined Movement stroke in the direction of the axis FA is movable, namely by a pneumatic actuator 12, and the closed state of the Liquid valve 10 bears against a valve seat formed in the liquid channel 7. With 13 a centering bell is designated, which has an annular seal 14, against the bottle 2 in its sealing position with the filling element with its Muzzle 2 'is pressed.

Each filling element 3 has a return gas pipe arranged coaxially with the axis FA 15, on which the valve body 11 is provided and which extends through the liquid channel 7 extends upwards to the actuating device 12. With its lower end stands the return gas pipe 15 protrudes over the underside of the housing 6, is sufficient when pressed Bottle 2 into the mouth of this bottle and stands with the top open end in connection with a space 16 formed in the housing 6.

Each filling element 3 has two individually in the embodiment shown Steuerare and pneumatically operated control valves 17 and 18, a control block form and different, partly in the housing 6, but partly in the ring bowl 1 control trained channels. In detail, the control valves 17 and 18 are as follows Channels connected.

Control valve 17:

On the input side to a connecting channel 19, which is partly formed in the ring bowl 1 and partly in the housing 6 and is connected to the gas space 5 ″ and
on the output side with a channel 20 which opens into room 16.

Control valve 18:

On the input side with a channel 21 and
on the output side with a connecting channel 22, which is partly formed in the housing 6 and partly in the ring bowl 1 and opens into a return gas channel 23, which is a ring channel that is common to all filling elements 3 and surrounds the vertical machine axis in a ring.

Parallel to the channel 21 is a channel 24 with a check valve and throttle. The Check valve is designed so that there is a flow from the channel 20 in the Channel 22 opens, blocking flow in the opposite direction.

mit Vorspannen bei geöffnetem Steuerventil 17 und geschlossenem Steuerventil 18 sowie geschlossenem Flüssigkeitsventil 10,

mit langsamem Anfüllen bei geöffnetem Flüssigkeitventil 10 und geschlossenen Steuerventilen 17 und 18 während der Füllphase,

mit Schnellfüllen bei geöffnetem Flüssigkeitsventil 10 und geöffnetem Steuerventil 18 während der Füllphase,

mit langsamem Füllen am Ende der Füllphase bei geöffnetem Flüssigkeitsventil 10 und geschlossenen Steuerventilen 17 und 18,

mit Beendigung des Füllvorganges durch Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventiles 10 und

mit Entspannen der gefüllten Flasche 2 durch Öffnen des Steuerventiles 18.

With the individually controllable control valves 17 and 18, the usual filling of the bottle in the sealing position with the filling element 3 is possible

with pretensioning with open control valve 17 and closed control valve 18 and closed liquid valve 10,

with slow filling when the liquid valve 10 is open and the control valves 17 and 18 are closed during the filling phase,

with quick filling with the liquid valve 10 open and the control valve 18 open during the filling phase,

with slow filling at the end of the filling phase with the liquid valve 10 open and the control valves 17 and 18 closed,

at the end of the filling process by closing the liquid valve 10 and

relaxing the filled bottle 2 by opening the control valve 18.

The actuation device 12 is controlled by an electronic one Control device 27, which is preferably a computer-aided control device, via a electrically controllable pneumatic valve 28, which is individual for each Actuator 12 is provided.

In the same way, the control valves 17 and 18 are also controlled via a controlled by the control device 27 and not shown in the figure pneumatic control valve.

In particular, the closing of the liquid valve 10 is carried out via the control device 27 caused by a signal from a flow meter 29, preferably a magnetic-inductive flow meter (MID), and that when a predetermined amount of base product in the sealing position with the filling element 3 located bottle 2 has reached.

At 30 there is a on the rotor or ring bowl of the filling machine for all filling elements 3 Common channel denotes the addition to be added to the base product (Concentrate) with a pressure P2 leads. On the ring channel 30 there is 3 for each filling element a separate channel 31 connected to this in the liquid channel 7 Filling element 3 opens, based on the flow direction of the Base product with the liquid valve 10 open immediately before this Liquid valve or the valve seat, as indicated for the opening 32. In the Line 31 are a pneumatically controllable control valve 33, which via a Pneumatic valve 34 is also controlled by the control device 27 and in Hibernation is closed, and a flow meter 35 which sends its measurement signal to the Control device 27 delivers and is also preferably a MID. The pressure is P2 preferably greater than the span gas pressure P1 in the gas space 5 ″.

The admixture of the additive, i.e. the control valve 33 is opened, for example at the beginning of the filling phase, i.e. after opening the liquid valve 10, for example in the slow filling phase, the control valve 33 remaining open until a predetermined amount of additive was measured by the flow meter 35. As soon as this is the case, the measurement signal of the flow meter 35 causes this the control valve 33 closed. Since the addition of the additive when open Liquid valve 10 takes place, is prevented that additive via the liquid channel 7 in can reach the interior 5. At the same time it is also achieved that the Flow through the relatively narrow, between the open valve body 11, the over this valve body projecting downward end of the return gas pipe 15 and the Liquid channel 7 bounding wall formed ring channel and through there Existing liquid guiding or swirl elements, which with the liquid valve open 10 a flow of the filling material along the inner surface of the wall of the bottle 2 cause an intimate mixing of the additive and the base product, wherein in the rapid filling phase, further mixing within the bottle 2 is ensured.

As shown in Figure 1, the opening 32 is in the immediate vicinity the valve seat of the liquid valve 10, i.e. the opening 32 has of this Valve seat in the direction of the axis FA a distance that is significantly smaller than that Distance the opening 32 has in the direction of the axis FA from the passage 8. This contributes significantly to the fact that no addition through the passage 8 in the Liquid space 5 'arrives.

The filling machine has the advantage that in the manufacture and filling of Soft drinks, mixing devices upstream of the filling machine can be omitted and the end product is mixed directly in the filling machine.

The filling machine described enables the ring bowl 1 to be cleaned easily and the channels formed in the filling elements 3 in the usual form (CIP cleaning), but also easy cleaning of the ring channel 30 and the lines 31 for the concentrate.

The mixing ratio between the additive and the base product is in the Control device 27 or in a local data store by appropriate Input is specified and can be changed if desired. For different ready drinks are preferably different mixing ratios in the control device 27 predetermined, so that only when changing a product new product or a corresponding identifier on the input device of the Control device 27 must be entered by the operating personnel.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment which differs from the embodiment of Fig. 1 in essentially differs in that each line 31 for admixing the Addition does not open at an opening 32 in the liquid channel 7, but in a concentrically provided in the return gas pipe 15 and formed by a pipe 36 Concentrate feed. The tube 36 stands over the underside of the return gas tube 15 something in front and is open there and has such a small cross section that at closed control valve 33, the concentrate in the concentrate feed is held back. The addition of the specified amount is carried out for example, also in this embodiment parallel to the running in Base product in the respective bottle 2, i.e. with the liquid valve 10 open.

Since the amounts of additive required for the filling process are clearly below those Amounts that are required for the base product and accordingly Cross sections for the ring channel 30 as well as for the lines 31 and the pipes 36 can be kept very small is also a problem-free and quick product change possible. For this purpose, the old additive is made from the water with release agent Lines 31 and the tubes 36 pushed out. The filling process can continue until the resulting mixing zones from additive and Water in the lines 31 are immediately in front of the filling elements 3. Subsequently the annular channel 30 and the lines 31 are flushed out with a suitable one Flushing medium, for example with hot water, specifically with the control valves 33 open and closed liquid valves 10. Then the ring channel 30 at open control valves 33 with the new addition, which then the water remaining in the lines 31 and the tubes 36 to the Filling elements 3 or at the openings of the tubes 36 pushes out into the open. Is this Condition occurred, the control valves 33 are closed, so that the Filling machine is ready for filling with the new product.

Due to the relatively small cross-sections of the feeds for the In addition, a product change is possible in a short, timely manner. The base product remains unaffected under pressure during the change of concentrate Ring bowl 1.

The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It understands themselves that changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as set out in the claims. Also, for example a filling element with or without a filling tube can be used.

Reference list

1

rotor

2nd

bottle

2 '

Bottle mouth

3rd

Filling element

4th

Bottle carrier

5

inner space

5 '

Space for basic product

5 ''

Gas space

6

casing

7

Liquid channel

8th

Passage

9

Delivery opening

10th

Liquid valve

11

Valve body

12th

Actuator

13

Centering tulip

14

poetry

15

Return gas pipe

16

room

17, 18

Control valve

19-22

channel

23

Return gas duct

24th

channel

27

Control device

28

Pneumatic valve

29

Flow meter

30th

channel

31

management

32

opening

33

Control valve

34

Pneumatic valve

35

Flow meter

36

pipe

Claims (17)

1. Filling machine for the filling of a liquid filling stock into bottles (2) or the like, the filling stock consisting of at least one liquid base product and of at least one liquid additive added to the base product during filling; with filling elements (3, 3a) each having a liquid channel (7) provided with a liquid valve (10) and forming a discharge opening (9), via which (liquid channel) the base product flows to the container (2) applied to the respective filling element (3, 3a) during a filling phase when the liquid valve is open, as well as with a feeding device (31, 36) with a provided dosaging valve (33), via which the additive is supplied to each filling element (3, 3a) in a controlled and dosed quantity corresponding to the desired mixing ratio between base product and additive in the respective container (2) after the filling, characterised in that a first flowmeter (29) is provided in the liquid channel (7) of each filling element (3) and a second flowmeter (35) in the feeding device (31, 36) of each filling element (3) interacting with a control device (27) controlling the liquid valve (10) and the dosaging valve (33) in dependence of signals of both flowmeters (29, 35) in such a way that the desired mixing ratio is achieved, with the additive to be added to the base product being added to the liquid channel (7) of the respective filling element (3, 3a) in front of the liquid valve (10) or the valve seating with the liquid valve (10) being open or through a pipe member (36) arranged in a return gas pipe (15).
2. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the dosaging valve (33) for each filling element (3, 3a) of the filling machine can be controlled separately and individually.
3. Filling machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the control device (27) controls the dosaging valve (33) in such a way that the addition of the additive before and/or during the filling phase takes place with the liquid valve (10) being open.
4. Filling machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the control device (27) opens the dosaging valve (33) for adding the additive before and/or after the opening of the liquid valve (10).
5. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the feeding device (31) opens out to a liquid channel (7) of the respective filling element (3, 3a) at a distance from the liquid valve or a valve seating of this liquid valve, which (distance) is essentially smaller than the distance to an opening (8) via which the liquid channel (7) is connected with a tank (5) or a feeding device for the base product.
6. Filling machine according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the feeding device is provided with a pipe member (36) centrically passed through the return gas pipe (15) of the filling element (3a) with an open bottom end for the discharge of the additive.
7. Filling machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a channel (30) for the additive, common for all filling elements (3, 3a), to which (channel) the feeding device (31, 36) for each filling element (3, 3a) is connected.
8. Filling machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one of the flowmeters (29, 35) of each filling element (3, 3a) is formed by an inductive flowmeter.
9. Filling machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filling means (3, 3a) are filling means without a filling pipe.
10. Filling element for filling machines for the filling of a liquid stock into bottles (2) or the like, the filling stock consisting of at least one liquid base product and of at least one liquid additive added to this base product during filling; with a liquid channel (7) provided with a liquid valve (10) and forming a discharge opening (9), via which (liquid channel) the base product flows to the container (2) applied to the respective filling element (3, 3a) during a filling phase when the liquid valve is open, as well as with a feeding device (31, 32, 36) with a provided dosaging valve (33) via which the additive is supplied in a quantity corresponding to the desired mixing ratio between base product and additive in the respective container (2) after filling, characterised in that a first flowmeter (29) is provided in the liquid channel (7) of the filling element (3) and a second flowmeter (35) in the feeding device (31) for the additive, which (flowmeter) interact with a control device (27) controlling the liquid valve (10) and the dosaging valve (33) in dependence of signals of both flowmeters (29,35) in such a way that the desired mixing ratio is achieved, with the additive to be added to the base product being added to the liquid channel (7) of the filling element (3, 3a) in front of the liquid valve (10) or the valve seating with the liquid valve (10) being open, or through a pipe member (36) arranged in a return gas pipe (15).
11. Filling element according to claim 10, characterised in that the control device (27) controls the dosaging valve (33) in such a way that the adding of the additive takes place during the filling phase with an open liquid valve (10).
12. Filling element according to claim 11, characterised in that the control device (27) opens the dosaging valve (33) for the adding of the addditive after the opening of the liquid valve (10).
13. Filling element according to claim 10, characterised in that the feeding device (31) opens out to a liquid channel (7) at a distance from the liquid valve or a valve seating of this liquid valve, which (distance) is essentially smaller than the distance to an opening (8) via which the liquid channel (7) is connnected with a tank (5) or a feeding device for the base product.
14. Filling element according to one of the claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the feeding device is provided with a pipe member (36) centrically passed through the return gas pipe (15) of the filling element (3a) with an open bottom end for the discharge of the additive.
15. Filling element according to one of the claims 10 to 14, characterised in that at least one of the flowmeters (29, 35) is formed by an inductive flowmeter.
16. Filling element according to one of the claims 10 to 15, characterised in that the filling element has no filling pipe.
17. Filling element according to one of the claims 10 to 16, characterised in that the filling element has a filling pipe.

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