METHOD OF FILLING BOTTLES OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS IN A BOTTLE OR CONTAINER FILLING PLANT AND A FILLING SYSTEM FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS IN A BOTTLE OR CONTAINER FILLING PLANT

• US 20100192521A1
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Clüsserath, Ludwig
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/473
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/007 Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery flow-control B67C3/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/20 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 3/28 Flow-control devices, e.g. using valves B67C3/2617, B67C3/2625, B67C3/2637 take precedence; valves in general F16K

Abstract

A method of filling bottles or similar containers in a bottle or container filling plant and a filling system for filling bottles or similar containers in a bottle or container filling plant. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

Claims

1. A method of operating a beverage bottling plant and filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material, said method comprising the steps of:

feeding beverage bottles into a beverage bottle filling machine;

feeding a first beverage bottle into a first filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine;

feeding a second beverage bottle into a second filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine, which second filling position is disposed above said first filling position of said filling machine;

opening a first valve and beginning the filling phase of said first beverage bottle;

opening a second valve and beginning the filling phase of said second beverage bottle;

measuring the combined flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to both said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

filling said first beverage bottle at a first filling rate;

filling said second beverage bottle at a second filling rate, which second filling rate is greater than said first filling rate;

closing said second valve and ending the filling phase of said second filling position upon said second beverage bottle being filled;

continuing to fill said first beverage bottle; and

closing said first valve and ending the filling phase of said first filling position upon said first beverage bottle being filled.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14) of the filling positions (3, 4) of the filling position group taking into consideration the measurement signal supplied by the flowmeter (9) and the time correction that compensates for the different filling rates of the filling positions (3, 4), so that each container (2) contains the required quantity of liquid following the completion of the filling phase.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein with at least two filling positions (3, 4) of the at least one filling position group located on different vertical levels, the time-corrected opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14) occurs as a function of the difference in height between the level (N) of the liquid in the reservoir (6) and the level of the respective filling position (3, 4) or its discharge opening.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the compensation for the different filling rates of the filling positions (3, 4) of the at least one group of filling positions is accomplished by throttling the delivery of liquid to the filling position (4) with the higher filling rate.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the quantity of liquid and/or the fill level of the containers (2) which were filled in one and the same filling phase in the filling positions (3, 4) are determined, and any differences determined in the quantity and/or level are compensated by turning on the time corrections on the opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14).

37. An arrangement for performing the method of operating a beverage bottling plant and filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material according to claim 1, said arrangement comprising:

a feeding arrangement being configured to feed beverage bottles into a beverage bottle filling machine;

said feeding arrangement being further configured to feed a first beverage bottle into a first filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine;

said feeding arrangement being further configured to feed a second beverage bottle into a second filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine, which second filling position is disposed above said first filling position of said filling machine;

a first opening arrangement being configured to open a first valve and begin the filling phase of a first beverage bottle;

a second opening arrangement being configured to open a second valve and begin the filling phase of a second beverage bottle;

a measuring arrangement being configured to measure the combined flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to both said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

a first filling arrangement being configured to fill a first beverage bottle at a first filling rate;

a second filling arrangement being configured to fill a second beverage bottle at a second filling rate, which second filling rate is greater than the first filling rate;

a first closing arrangement being configured to close said second valve and end the filling phase of said second filling position upon a second beverage bottle being filled;

a continuing arrangement being configured to continue to fill a first beverage bottle; and

a second closing arrangement being configured to close said first valve and end the filling phase of said first filling position upon a first beverage bottle being filled.

7-20. -20. (canceled)

21. Filling system for filling bottles or similar containers (2) with a liquid, from a reservoir or bowl (6) that provides the liquid to be bottled, with control valves or liquid control valves (13, 14) and filling elements, the filling quantity of which is controlled by a control device (10), wherein the filling elements (3, 4) form at least one filling element group with at least two filling elements (3, 4), that each filling element group is associated with a flowmeter (9) for the measurement of the total quantity of liquid which is discharged in each filling phase via the filling elements (3, 4) of this filling element group, and the control device (10) of the liquid control valves (13, 14) opens and/or closes the liquid control valves (13, 14) in a staggered manner, taking into consideration the measurement signal supplied by the respective flowmeter (9) and a time correction that compensates for the different flow rates of the filling elements (3, 4), and/or the at least one adjustable throttle (15) is influenced so that each container (2) contains the required quantity of liquid after the completion of the filling phase.

22. Filling system as recited in claim 21, wherein an individual flowmeter (9) is associated with each filling element group.

23. Filling system as recited in claim 22, wherein the control device (10) opens and/or closes the liquid control valves (13, 14) in a staggered manner taking into consideration the measurement signal supplied by the respective flowmeter (9) and a time correction that compensates for the different fill rates of the filling elements (3, 4).

26. Filling system as recited in claim 23, wherein:

the at least one filling element group has at least two filling elements (3, 4) which are located at different heights;

at least one throttle (15) is provided in a liquid line of the filling element (4) with the higher filling rate for the compensation of the different filling rates of the filling elements (3, 4) of the at least one filling element group; and

said filling system comprises which determine the quantity of liquid and/or the fill height in the containers (2) which were filled in one and the same filling phase at the filling elements (3, 4) and thereby compensate for any differences measured in the quantity and/or fill level by activating time corrections on the opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14).

28. Filling system as recited in claim 26, wherein said filling system comprises means which determine the quantity of liquid and/or the fill height in the containers (2) which were filled in one and the same filling phase at the filling elements (3, 4) and the same filling element group, and thereby compensate for any differences measured in the quantity and/or fill level by influencing the at least one adjustable throttle (15), and it is a component of a filling machine with a plurality of filling element groups on a rotor (5) which can be driven in rotation around a machine axis (VM).

24-25. -25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

29. A method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material, said method comprising the steps of:

feeding containers into a container filling machine;

feeding a first container into a first filling position of said container filling machine, which first filling position comprises first flow filling characteristics;

feeding a second container into a second filling position of said container filling machine, which second filling position comprises second flow filling characteristics being different than said first flow filling characteristics;

opening a first valve and beginning the filling phase of said first container;

opening a second valve and beginning the filling phase of said second container;

measuring the combined flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to both said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

continuing filling said first container;

continuing filling said second container;

closing said second valve and ending the filling phase of said second filling position upon said second container being filled; and

closing said first valve and ending the filling phase of said first filling position upon said first container being filled.

6. The method according to claim 29 of operating a beverage bottling plant and filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material, said method comprising the steps of:

feeding beverage bottles into a beverage bottle filling machine;

feeding a first beverage bottle into a first filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine;

feeding a second beverage bottle into a second filling position of said beverage bottle filling machine, which second filling position is disposed above said first filling position of said filling machine;

opening a first valve and beginning the filling phase of said first beverage bottle;

opening a second valve and beginning the filling phase of said second beverage bottle;

measuring the flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

filling said first beverage bottle at a first filling rate;

adjusting a second filling rate with an adjustable throttle such that said second beverage bottle is filled at said first filling rate;

closing said second valve and ending the filling phase of said second filling position upon said second beverage bottle being filled; and

closing said first valve and ending the filling phase of said first filling position upon said first beverage bottle being filled.

30. The method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 29, wherein said first flow filling characteristics and said second flow filling characteristics are caused by differences in at least one of:

the height of said first filling position and said second filling position; and

the dimensions of liquid-conducting lines connecting said reservoir with said first filling position and said second filling position, which liquid-conducting lines are configured to permit the flow of liquid beverage material from said reservoir to said first filling position and said second filling position.

31. The method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 30, wherein said method further comprises using an adjustable throttle to adjust the flow of liquid beverage material through one of said liquid-conducting lines to one of:

said first filling position and said second filling position.

32. The method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 31, wherein said method further comprises filling beverages such that each container is filled to its desired fill level following completion of the filling phase.

33. The method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 32, wherein the opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14) of the filling positions (3, 4) of the filling position group taking into consideration the measurement signal supplied by the flowmeter (9) and the time correction that compensates for the different filling rates of the filling positions (3, 4), so that each container (2) contains the required quantity of liquid following the completion of the filling phase.

34. The method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 33, wherein:

with at least two filling positions (3, 4) of the at least one filling position group located on different vertical levels, the time-corrected opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14) occurs as a function of the difference in height between the level (N) of the liquid in the reservoir (6) and the level of the respective filling position (3, 4) or its discharge opening;

the compensation for the different filling rates of the filling positions (3, 4) of the at least one group of filling positions is accomplished by throttling the delivery of liquid to the filling position (4) with the higher filling rate; and

the quantity of liquid and/or the fill level of the containers (2) which were filled in one and the same filling phase in the filling positions (3, 4) are determined, and any differences determined in the quantity and/or level are compensated by turning on the time corrections on the opening and/or closing of the liquid control valves (13, 14).

39. Means for performing the method of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material according to claim 29, said means comprising:

means for feeding containers into a container filling machine;

means for feeding a first container into a first filling position of said container filling machine, which first filling position comprises first flow filling characteristics;

means for feeding a second container into a second filling position of said container filling machine, which second filling position comprises second flow filling characteristics being different than the first flow filling characteristics;

means for opening a first valve and beginning the filling phase of a first container;

means for opening a second valve and beginning the filling phase of a second container;

means for measuring the combined flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to both said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

means for continuing filling a first container;

means for continuing filling a second container;

means for closing said second valve and ending the filling phase of said second filling position upon a second container being filled; and

means for closing said first valve and ending the filling phase of said first filling position upon a first container being filled.

40. An arrangement for performing the method according to claim 29 of operating a container filling plant and filling containers with a liquid beverage material, said arrangement comprising:

a feeding arrangement being configured to feed containers into a container filling machine;

said feeding arrangement being further configured to feed a first container into a first filling position of said container filling machine, which first filling position comprises first flow filling characteristics;

said feeding arrangement being further configured to feed a second container into a second filling position of said container filling machine, which second filling position comprises second flow filling characteristics being different than said first flow filling characteristics;

a first opening arrangement being configured to open a first valve and begin the filling phase of a first container;

a second opening arrangement being configured to open a second valve and begin the filling phase of a second container;

a measuring arrangement being configured to measure the combined flow of liquid beverage material from a reservoir to both said first filling position and said second position with a sole flow meter;

a first closing arrangement being configured to close said second valve and end the filling phase of said second filling position upon a second container being filled; and

a second closing arrangement being configured to close said first valve and end the filling phase of said first filling position upon a first container being filled.

35-36. -36. (canceled)

38. (canceled)