Bottle filling machine with sensor and method thereof
First Claim
1. A filling apparatus, said filling apparatus comprising:
- a carrier for transporting containers;
a plurality of electrically controllable valves, each of which is opened for a period of time to fill a first group of said containers respectively with a liquid, while said containers are transported by said carrier;
an exit feed path which conveys said containers after said containers have been filled; and
at least one sensor which detects a level of liquid in said containers, while said containers are on said exit feed path, such that said sensor produces respective signals which represent the level of liquid in each said first group of containers, wherein said plurality of electrically controllable valves are configured so that the period of time that said plurality of electrically controllable valves are individually opened is adjusted for subsequent fillings based on said signals corresponding to said first group of said containers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A filling apparatus and method including a carrier for transporting containers and having a plurality of valves, each of the valves being opened for an individual, specific period of time to control a flow of liquid into the respective containers, while the containers are transported by the carrier. An exit feed path transports the containers after the containers have been filled, and a sensor, such as a camera, detects a level of liquid in the respective containers, while the containers are on the exit feed path. The sensor produces a signal that is stored as data representing the level of liquid for the individual containers. The data is then tracked and used for valve optimization. A period of time that each individual valve is opened for subsequent fillings is adjusted based on the signal and the historical performance of each valve.
53 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A filling apparatus, said filling apparatus comprising:
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a carrier for transporting containers;
a plurality of electrically controllable valves, each of which is opened for a period of time to fill a first group of said containers respectively with a liquid, while said containers are transported by said carrier;
an exit feed path which conveys said containers after said containers have been filled; and
at least one sensor which detects a level of liquid in said containers, while said containers are on said exit feed path, such that said sensor produces respective signals which represent the level of liquid in each said first group of containers, wherein said plurality of electrically controllable valves are configured so that the period of time that said plurality of electrically controllable valves are individually opened is adjusted for subsequent fillings based on said signals corresponding to said first group of said containers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 45, 48, 49)
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21. A method of adjusting an amount of liquid that flows into a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
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transporting the containers by a carrier;
flowing liquid respectively through a plurality of filling valves into the containers;
controlling an amount of liquid that flows into the containers while the containers are transported by the carrier, the amount of liquid being controlled by electrically opening the plurality of filling valves for a predetermined period of time;
conveying the containers along an exit feed path after the containers have been filled;
sensing a level of liquid in the containers while the containers are on the exit feed path to produce signals which represent the level of liquid in the containers, respectively; and
adjusting the predetermined period of time that each of the plurality of filling valves remain open for subsequent fillings based on the signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 46, 50)
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39. A filling apparatus, said filling apparatus comprising:
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a carrier for transporting containers;
means for electrically controlling a period of time that liquid flows into said containers, while said containers are transported by said carrier;
an exit feed path which conveys said containers after said containers have been filled; and
means for sensing a level of liquid in said containers while said containers are on said exit feed path, such that said means for sensing produces a signal which represents said level of liquid, wherein said period of time is adjusted for subsequent fillings based on said signal. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 47)
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Specification