Multiple stream filling system

• US 10,099,911 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Goldman, James E., LeSage, James, Gruben, Donald E., Reid, Kevin L., Kirschner, Jonathan, Patel, Nilang
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US15/184,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 141 9, 141144, 141145, 141146, 141147, 141148, 141130, 141129, 141103, 141100
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/007 Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery flow-control B67C3/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/023 Filling multiple liquids in a container B67C3/208 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/20 with provision for metering the liquids to be introduced, e.g. when adding syrups measuring volume, or volume flow, in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/208 specially adapted for adding small amounts of additional liquids, e.g. syrup

Abstract

A filling line for filling a number of containers. The filing line may include a continuous conveyor, one or more micro-ingredient dosers positioned about the continuous conveyor, and one or more macro-ingredient stations positioned along the continuous conveyor.

Claims

1. A filling line for filling a number of containers with a product, comprising:

a continuous conveyor;

a plurality of micro-ingredient dosers positioned about the continuous conveyor, each micro-ingredient doser including a nozzle and each micro-ingredient doser in fluid communication with a micro-ingredient supply with a micro-ingredient therein with a reconstitution ratio of at least about ten to one or higher;

a sensor configured to read an identifier on a container transported via the continuous conveyor, wherein the identifier identifies the product to be filled within the container;

a controller configured to trigger one of the micro-ingredient dosers to deliver a dose of a micro-ingredient into the container as the container passes under the nozzle of the one of the micro-ingredient dosers as determined by the sensor; and

one or more macro-ingredient stations positioned along the continuous conveyor.

2. The filling line of claim 1, wherein each one or more macro-ingredient station is in fluid communication with a macro-ingredient supply.

3. The filling line of claim 2, wherein the macro-ingredient supply comprises a macro-ingredient base product.

4. The filling line of claim 1, wherein the identifiers comprises a barcode, a snowflake code, a color code, or an RFID tag.

5. The filling line of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a positioning sensor.

6. The filling line of claim 5, wherein the positioning sensor comprises a photoelectric device, a high speed camera, or a mechanical contact device.

7. The filling line of claim 1, further comprising a dosing sensor positioned downstream of one or more of the plurality of micro-ingredient dosers to ensure that the correct dose has been added to the container.

8. The filling line of claim 7, wherein the dosing sensor comprises a check weight scale or a load cell.

9. The filling line of claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-ingredient dosers comprise a flow sensor.

10. The filling line of claim 9, wherein the flow sensor comprises a Coriolis meter, a conductivity meter, a lobe meter, a turbine meter, or an electromagnetic flow meter.

11. The filling line of claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-ingredient dosers comprises a positive displacement pump in communication with the micro-ingredient supply.

12. The filling line of claim 11, wherein the plurality of micro-ingredient dosers comprises a servomotor in communication with the positive displacement pump.