Fill station for a liquid dispensing system

• US 6,637,478 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Jungmann, Ronald D., Laughland, Gregory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US10/103,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20030010397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 141/9, 141/94, 141/86-88, 141/100, 141/104-107, 141/18, 141/21, 141/351, 141/360, 141/361, 141/369, 141/370, 141/378-380
• US Class Current: 141/378
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/06 and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged

Abstract

A fill station for filling various sizes of containers from a liquid dispensing system includes a first stationary platform and second rotatable platform positioned above the first platform. The second platform is hinged to move between a horizontal loading position and a stowed position to provide access to the first platform. A third platform may be positioned above the second platform, wherein the third platform is hinged at an opposite end from the second platform to move between a horizontal load position and a stowed position. Sensors may be used to detect whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms and to detect the positions of the different rotatable platforms.

Claims

1. A fill station for filling containers of varying sizes from a liquid dispensing system, the fill station comprising:

a drain outlet;

a first platform positioned above the drain outlet for holding a first container;

a second platform positioned above the first platform for holding a second container smaller in size than the first container, wherein the second platform is hinged to move between a horizontal loading position for holding the second container and a stowed position to provide access to the first platform for loading the first container on the first platform; and

a third platform positioned above the second platform for holding a third container smaller in size than the second container, wherein the third platform is hinged to move between a horizontal loading position for holding the third container and a stowed position to provide access to the first and second platforms.

2. A fill station as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms to receive product from the liquid dispensing system.

3. A fill station as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

a position sensor for determining whether at least one of the second platform and the third platform is in the horizontal loading position.

4. A fill station as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the second platform is hinged at a first end to allow the second platform to pivot in a first direction between the horizontal loading position and the stowed position; and

the third platform is hinged at a second end to allow the third platform to pivot in a second direction between the horizontal loading position and the stowed position, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction.

5. A fill station as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms to receive product from the liquid dispensing system.

6. A fill station as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

position sensors for each of the second and third platforms for determining whether each of the second and third platforms are in their respective horizontal loading position.

7. A fill station as defined in claim 4 wherein the first, second and third platforms are each perforated to allowed spilled liquid to drain through each of the platforms to the drain outlet below the first platform.

8. A fill station as defined in claim 7 wherein the first platform is removable from the fill station to provide access to the drain outlet.

9. A fill station as defined in claim 4 wherein each of the first, second and third platforms includes a container stop extending vertically upward from the platform to properly position the first, second and third containers, respectively, relative to a product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system.

10. A fill station as defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms in proximity to the product discharge tube to receive product from the liquid dispensing system.

11. A fill station as defined in claim 4 wherein:

the fill station further comprises a bottom wall, a rear wall, left and right side walls, and a lower front wall extending upward from the bottom wall, the walls combining to form a drain pan below the first platform; and

the bottom wall is slanted to direct fluid in the drain pan toward the drain outlet.

12. A fill station as defined in claim 11 wherein the stowed position of the third platform is along the left side wall and the stowed position of the second platform is along the right side wall to provide access to the first platform for loading the first container on the first platform.

13. A fill station as defined in claim 12 wherein the third platform defines a slot extending from a right end of the platform to provide clearance for a product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system as the third platform is pivoted between the horizontal loading position and the stowed position.

14. A fill station as defined in claim 11 wherein the rear wall includes offset edge pieces for each of the first, second and third platforms to support a rear edge of each platform when the platform is positioned horizontally to receive a container.

15. A fill station as defined in claim 14 wherein the rear edge of each of the first, second and third platforms includes a down-turned extension fitting between the rear wall and a vertical extension of the offset edge piece when the platform is positioned horizontally to receive a container.

16. A fill station as defined in claim 11 wherein the rear wall includes holes for mounting the fill station to a wall below a product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system.

17. A fill station as defined in claim 16 further comprising:

a drain line having a first end adapted to be connected to the liquid dispensing system, the drain line extending downward through each of the three platforms so that a terminal end of the drain line extends below the first platform to discharge liquid contents of the drain line into the drain pan of the fill station.

18. A fill station for filling containers of varying sizes from a liquid dispensing system, the fill station comprising:

a frame including a bottom wall, a rear wall, left and right side walls, and a lower front wall, wherein the walls combine to form a drain pan and the bottom wall includes a drain outlet;

a stationary platform positioned above the drain outlet;

a first rotatable platform positioned above the stationary platform, the first rotatable platform hinged to move between a horizontal loading position and a substantially vertical stowed position; and

a second rotatable platform positioned above the first rotatable platform, the second rotatable platform hinged to move between a horizontal loading position and a substantially vertical stowed position.

19. A fill station as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms to receive product from the liquid dispensing system.

20. A fill station as defined in claim 19 further comprising:

a position sensor for determining the position of at least one of the rotatable platforms.

21. A fill station as defined in claim 18 wherein:

the first rotatable platform is hinged at a first end; and

the second rotatable platform is hinged at a second end different from the hinged first end of the first rotatable platform.

22. A fill station as defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms to receive product from the liquid dispensing system.

23. A fill station as defined in claim 22 further comprising:

position sensors for determining the position of each of the first and second rotatable platforms.

24. A fill station for filling containers of varying sizes from a liquid dispensing system, the fill station comprising:

a frame including a bottom wall, a rear wall, left and right side walls, and a lower front wall, wherein the walls combine to form a drain pan and the bottom wall includes a drain outlet;

a bottom platform positioned above the drain outlet, the bottom platform adapted to properly position a large-sized container beneath a product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system;

a middle platform positioned above the bottom platform, the middle platform hinged at one end to move between a horizontal loading position and a substantially vertical stowed position for providing access to the bottom platform, wherein the middle platform is adapted to properly position a medium-sized container beneath the product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system when the middle platform is in the horizontal loading position; and

a top platform positioned above the middle platform, the top platform hinged at one end opposite the hinged end of the middle platform to move between a horizontal loading position and a substantially vertical stowed position for providing, access to the middle platform, wherein the top platform is adapted to properly position a small-sized container beneath the product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system when the top platform is in the horizontal loading position.

25. A fill station as defined in claim 24 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting whether a container is positioned on one of the platforms in proximity to the product discharge tube of the liquid dispensing system.

26. A fill station as defined in claim 25 further comprising:

position sensors for determining the position of each of the middle and top platforms.