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BEVERAGE BOTTLING PLANT FOR FILLING BOTTLES WITH A BEVERAGE, A CONTAINER FILLING PLANT FOR FILLING BOTTLES, CANS, BAGS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS WITH A LIQUID, AND A CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE FOR FILLING CONTAINERS IN A CONTAINER FILLING PLANT

  • US 20100101183A1
  • Filed: 04/23/2009
  • Published: 04/29/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a beverage;

  • said beverage bottling plant comprising;

    a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey beverage bottles to be filled to a bottle filling machine;

    a bottle filling machine comprising;

    a reservoir being configured and disposed to house a beverage;

    a rotor being configured and disposed to rotate about a vertical rotational axis;

    said rotor comprising at least one duct being configured and disposed to concentrically surround the vertical rotational axis and house at least one of;

    a vacuum and a media not being a beverage;

    a plurality of filling elements being disposed about the circumference of said rotor;

    said plurality of filling elements being configured and disposed to fill bottles with a beverage;

    a plurality of product lines being configured and disposed to permit the flow of a beverage from said reservoir to each of said plurality of filling elements;

    each one of said plurality of product lines corresponding to each one of said plurality of filling elements;

    a plurality of connecting sockets, each of said plurality of connecting sockets being configured and disposed to connect each one of said plurality of product lines to said reservoir;

    a plurality of flow meters being configured and disposed to control the flow of a beverage through each one of said plurality of product lines as a function of the quantity of a beverage having flowed through each of said plurality of product lines;

    each one of said plurality of flow meters corresponding to each one of said plurality of product lines and each one of said plurality of filling elements;

    each one of said plurality of flow meters comprising;

    a first portion being in contact with a beverage; and

    a second portion not being in contact with a beverage;

    a plurality of support elements being configured and disposed to support said reservoir and being connected to said rotor;

    each one of said plurality of support elements comprising;

    a first end being attached to said rotor;

    a second end being attached to said reservoir; and

    an elongated portion being disposed between said first end and said second end;

    said rotor, said at least one duct not in contact with the beverage, second portions of said plurality of flow meters not in contact with the beverage, and said plurality of support elements not in contact with the beverage comprising a stainless steel substantially free of molybdenum and titanium, to minimize the cost of said bottle filling machine in said beverage bottling plant;

    said reservoir, said plurality of product lines, said plurality of filling elements, said first portions of said plurality of flow meters, and said plurality of connecting sockets comprising a stainless steel with at least one of;

    a sufficient amount of molybdenum and a sufficient amount of titanium, to minimize pitting of said stainless steel and minimize contamination of a beverage in said reservoir, said plurality of product lines, said plurality of filling elements, said first portions of said plurality of flow meters, and said plurality of connecting sockets;

    a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move bottles into said bottle filling machine; and

    a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move bottles out of said bottle filling machine;

    a second conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled bottles from said bottle filling machine to a bottle closing machine;

    said bottle closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled bottles;

    said bottle closing machine comprising;

    a rotor;

    a rotatable vertical machine column;

    said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column;

    a plurality of closing devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotor;

    each of said plurality of closing devices being configured and disposed to place closures on filled bottles;

    each of said plurality of closing devices comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold filled bottles;

    a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled bottles into said bottle closing machine; and

    a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed bottles out of said bottle closing machine;

    a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled, closed bottles from said bottle closing machine to a bottle packaging machine;

    said bottle packaging machine being configured and disposed to package filled, closed bottles;

    said bottle packaging machine comprising;

    a grouping arrangement being configured and disposed to group filled, closed bottles into groups;

    a packaging arrangement being configured and disposed to package groups of filled, closed bottles; and

    a fourth conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey packages of filled, closed bottles from said bottle packaging machine.

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