Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material and a method and device for the treatment of bottles and containers to be filled

• US 7,497,237 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS Maschinen-und Anlagenbau AG (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Till, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust; Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/167,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 141/5, 141/11, 141/63, 141/69, 141/70, 141/82, 141/89, 141/91, 141/92, 141/144, 141/145, 531/11.RC, 531/27, 534/25, 534/26, 531/67, 532/72, 422/28, 422/292
• US Class Current: 141/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/10 by liquids or gases

Abstract

A container filling plant for filling containers comprising a plastic material with a filling material and a method of operation thereof. The container filling plant has at least one treatment device having a source of a treatment agent, wherein at least one pulse of the treatment agent is configured to be heated to treat the inside surface of a container without destructive effects on the container.

Claims

1. A method of operating a container filling plant for filling containers comprising a plastic material with a filling material, said container filling plant comprising:

a controller arrangement to monitor and control said container filling plant;

a filling machine being configured and disposed to fill empty containers with a filling material;

a first moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move plastic material containers to said filling machine;

said filling machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept plastic material containers from said first moving arrangement and to move plastic material containers within said filling machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold plastic material containers during filling; and

at least one filling device being configured and disposed to fill plastic material containers with a filling material upon the plastic material containers being within said filling machine;

a closing machine being configured and disposed to close filled plastic material containers;

a second moving arrangement being configured and disposed to accept filled plastic material containers from said moving device of said filling machine to move filled plastic material containers out of said filling machine;

said second moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled plastic material containers from said filling machine to said closing machine;

said closing machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept filled plastic material containers from said second moving arrangement and to move filled plastic material containers within said closing machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold filled plastic material containers during closing; and

at least one closing device being configured and disposed to close filled plastic material containers upon the filled plastic material containers being within said closing machine;

a treatment machine being configured and disposed to treat plastic material containers prior to filling;

a third moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move plastic material containers to said treatment machine;

said first moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move treated plastic material containers from said treatment machine to said filling machine;

said treatment machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept plastic material containers from said third moving arrangement and to move plastic material containers within said treatment machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold plastic material containers during treating;

at least one treatment device being configured and disposed to treat plastic material containers upon the plastic material containers being within said treatment machine; and

said at least one treatment device comprising;

a source of a treatment agent, which treatment agent is configured to be heated to treat the inside surface of a plastic material container;

a heater being configured and disposed to heat a portion of said treatment agent to a temperature greater than the temperature which a plastic material container can tolerate without destructive effects on the plastic material container;

a dispensing arrangement being configured to dispense at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into a plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a plastic material container if applied for a length of time, at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the plastic material container, and sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the plastic material container;

said controller arrangement being configured to control said dispensing arrangement to dispense at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into a plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a plastic material container if applied for a length of time, at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the plastic material container, and also sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the plastic material container; and

said controller arrangement being further configured to permit forming with said dispensing arrangement said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent to maximize throughput of plastic material containers and minimize treatment time of plastic material containers, said method comprising the steps of;

moving a plastic material container into said treatment machine;

heating a portion of said treatment agent to a temperature greater than the temperature which the plastic material container can tolerate without destructive effects on the plastic material container;

dispensing at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into the plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort the plastic material container if applied for a length of time, at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the plastic material container, and also sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the plastic material container;

terminating the dispensing of said at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into the plastic material container upon sufficient dispensing of heated treatment agent;

controlling the dispensing and termination of the dispensing of said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent into the plastic material container;

moving the treated plastic material container from said dispensing arrangement to said filling machine;

filling the treated plastic material container;

moving the treated, filled plastic material container to said closing machine;

closing the treated, filled plastic material container;

moving an additional plastic material container into said treatment machine;

dispensing at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into the additional plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort the plastic material container if applied for a length of time at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the additional plastic material container, and also sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the additional plastic material container;

terminating the dispensing of at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into the additional plastic material container upon sufficient dispensing of heated treatment agent;

controlling the dispensing and termination of the dispensing of at least one pulse of heated treatment agent into the additional plastic material container;

moving the additional treated plastic material container from said dispensing arrangement to said filling machine;

filling the additional treated plastic material container;

moving the additional treated, filled plastic material container to said closing machine; and

closing the additional treated, filled plastic material container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent comprises a series of pulses separated from one another.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

said dispensing arrangement comprises;

a vertical tube;

an actuator device being configured and disposed to move said tube from a disengaged position outside of the plastic material container to an engaged position within the plastic material container, and back again; and

said tube is configured to be disposed in said engaged position within a plastic material container to permit a flow of heated treatment agent within the plastic material container.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

said plastic material containers comprise polyethylene terephthalate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said treatment agent comprises hydrogen peroxide to sterilize plastic material containers in preparation for filling.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the treatment agent is heated to a temperature in the range between about one hundred thirty degrees Celsius and about one hundred fifty degrees Celsius.

7. A container filling plant for filling containers comprising polyethylene terephthalate with liquid, said container filling plant comprising:

a controller arrangement to monitor and control said container filling plant;

a container filling machine being configured and disposed to fill polyethylene terephthalate containers with liquid;

a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey polyethylene terephthalate containers to be filled to said container filling machine;

said container filling 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 container filling elements for filling polyethylene terephthalate containers with liquid being disposed on the periphery of said rotor;

each of said plurality of container filling elements comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold each polyethylene terephthalate container to be filled;

each of said plurality of container filling elements being configured and disposed to dispense liquid into each polyethylene terephthalate container to be filled;

at least one liquid reservoir being configured to hold a supply of liquid;

at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one liquid reservoir to said container filling machine to supply liquid to said container filling machine;

a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move polyethylene terephthalate containers into said container filling machine;

a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move polyethylene terephthalate containers out of said container filling machine;

a container closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled polyethylene terephthalate containers;

a second conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled polyethylene terephthalate containers from said container filling machine to said container closing machine;

said container 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 each filled polyethylene terephthalate container;

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

a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled polyethylene terephthalate containers into said container closing machine;

a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed polyethylene terephthalate containers out of said container closing machine;

a container sterilization machine being configured and disposed to sterilize polyethylene terephthalate containers prior to filling;

a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey sterilized polyethylene terephthalate containers from said container sterilization machine to said container filling machine

said container sterilization 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 first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move polyethylene terephthalate containers into said container sterilization machine;

a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move sterilized polyethylene terephthalate containers out of said container sterilization machine;

a plurality of container sterilization devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotor and being configured to sterilize the insides of polyethylene terephthalate containers prior to filling;

each of said plurality of sterilization devices comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold each polyethylene terephthalate container;

each of said plurality of sterilization devices comprising;

a supply for containing treatment agent of hydrogen peroxide to treat polyethylene terephthalate containers;

a spray device being configured and disposed to spray and mix compressed air with a supply of treatment agent comprising hydrogen peroxide to create treated air to treat polyethylene terephthalate containers to sterilize polyethylene terephthalate containers in preparation for filling;

a heater or heat exchanger being configured and disposed to heat treated air;

a helical heating channel being configured and disposed to heat treated air and to permit the flow of treated air there through;

a vertical tube being configured and disposed to permit a flow of treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container;

said tube comprising a dispensing opening being configured to be disposed within a polyethylene terephthalate container to permit the flow of treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container;

said helical heating channel being disposed about said tube;

a rod being disposed vertically and being configured and disposed to move up and down from a disengaged position outside of the polyethylene terephthalate container to an engaged position within the polyethylene terephthalate container, and back again;

said rod comprising a channel being in an operative connection with said dispensing opening in said tube;

an actuator device being configured and disposed to move said rod up and down from a disengaged position outside of the polyethylene terephthalate container to an engaged position within the polyethylene terephthalate container, and back again, thus being configured and disposed to move said tube into and out of a polyethylene terephthalate container;

a control valve system being configured and disposed to control injection of at least one pulse of treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container;

said heater being configured and disposed to heat treated air to a temperature greater than the temperature which a polyethylene terephthalate container can tolerate without destructive effects on the polyethylene terephthalate container;

a dispensing arrangement being configured and disposed to dispense treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container to be treated;

said dispensing arrangement being configured to dispense at least one pulse of treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container, which said at least one pulse of heated, treated air is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a polyethylene terephthalate container if applied for a length of time, at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse of heated, treated air is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the polyethylene terephthalate container and also sufficiently short to minimize destructive effects on the polyethylene terephthalate container; and

said controller arrangement being configured to control said dispensing arrangement to dispense at least one pulse of treated air into a polyethylene terephthalate container, which said at least one pulse of heated, treated air is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a polyethylene terephthalate container if applied for a length of time, at least somewhat greater than a length of a pulse of said at least one pulse, and said at least one pulse of treated air is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the polyethylene terephthalate container, and also sufficiently short to minimize destructive effects on the polyethylene terephthalate container;

said controller arrangement being configured further to permit forming with said dispensing arrangement said at least one pulse of heated, treated air to maximize throughput of polyethylene terephthalate containers and minimize treatment time of polyethylene terephthalate containers.

8. The container filling plant according to claim 7, wherein:

said at least one pulse of heated, treated air comprises a series of pulses separated from one another.

9. The container filling plant according to claim 8, wherein:

said rod can be moved axially by the actuator device in an axis parallel to a vertical treatment device axis between an idle position and a work position, in which rod an axial channel is formed that is in communication with the dispensing opening, and which has, on the end that is farther from the dispensing opening, at least one control opening, which when the rod is in the work position is in communication with the heater channel or with a chamber that is connected with said channel;

said tube that forms the dispensing opening can be fastened on the end farther from the discharge openings to one end of the rod, preferably so that it can be replaced or exchanged;

preceding the heater channel in the direction of flow there is a sprayer device for the introduction of the water mixed with hydrogen peroxide by means of at least one spray nozzle;

said heater device, comprising an electrical heater device or heater cartridge, is configured to heat the heater channel;

a plurality of treatment device heads are disposed on the periphery of a rotor that rotates around a vertical machine axis;

said heater channel is realized to heat the treatment agent to a processing temperature in the range between about one hundred thirty degrees Celsius and about one hundred fifty degrees Celsius;

said heater channel is a channel that is coiled around an axis of the treatment device head;

said heater channel is realized in a housing of a heat exchanger of the treatment device head; and

said housing comprises a core which has at least one groove on its periphery that forms the heater channel.

10. A container filling plant for filling containers comprising a plastic material with a filling material, said container filling plant comprising:

a controller arrangement to monitor and control said container filling plant;

a filling machine being configured and disposed to fill empty plastic material containers with a filling material;

a first moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move plastic material containers to said filling machine;

said filling machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept plastic material containers from said first moving arrangement and to move plastic material containers within said filling machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold plastic material containers during filling; and

at least one filling device being configured and disposed to fill plastic material containers with a filling material upon the plastic material containers being within said filling machine;

a closing machine being configured and disposed to close filled plastic material containers;

a second moving arrangement being configured and disposed to accept filled plastic material containers from said moving device of said filling machine to move filled plastic material containers out of said filling machine;

said second moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled plastic material containers from said filling machine to said closing machine;

said closing machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept filled plastic material containers from said second moving arrangement and to move filled plastic material containers within said closing machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold filled plastic material containers during closing; and

at least one closing device being configured and disposed to close filled plastic material containers upon the filled containers being within said closing machine;

a treatment machine being configured and disposed to treat plastic material containers prior to filling;

a third moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move plastic material containers to said treatment machine;

said first moving arrangement being configured and disposed to move treated plastic material containers from said treatment machine to said filling machine;

said treatment machine comprising;

a moving device being configured and disposed to accept plastic material containers from said third moving arrangement and to move plastic material containers within said treatment machine;

an apparatus being configured and disposed to hold plastic material containers during treating;

at least one treatment device being configured and disposed to treat plastic material containers upon the plastic material containers being within said treatment machine; and

said at least one treatment device comprising;

a source of a treatment agent, which treatment agent is configured to be heated to treat the inside surface of a plastic material containers;

a heater being configured and disposed to heat a portion of said treatment agent to a temperature greater than the temperature which a plastic material container can tolerate without distortion on the plastic material container;

a dispensing arrangement being configured to dispense at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into a plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a plastic material container if applied for a substantial length of time, and said at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the plastic material container, and sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the plastic material container, thus, to maximize throughput and minimize treatment time; and

said controller arrangement being configured to control said dispensing arrangement to dispense at least one pulse of said heated treatment agent into a plastic material container, which said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is at a sufficiently high temperature to distort a plastic material container if applied for a substantial length of time, and said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent is sufficiently long and at a sufficiently high temperature to treat the inside surface of the plastic material container, and also sufficiently short to minimize distortion of the plastic material container.

11. The container filling plant according to claim 10, wherein:

said at least one pulse of heated treatment agent comprises a series of pulses separated from one another.

12. The container filling plant according to claim 11, wherein:

said dispensing arrangement comprises a vertical tube;

including an actuator device being configured and disposed to move said tube from a disengaged position outside of the plastic material container to an engaged position within the plastic material container, and back again; and

said tube is configured to be disposed within a plastic material container to permit a flow of heated treatment agent within the plastic material container during engagement.

13. The container filling plant according to claim 12, wherein:

said heater comprises at least one heater channel through which said treatment agent flows;

said injecting arrangement comprises a valve control and a dispensing opening for the timed dispensing of said heated treatment agent into a plastic material container; and

said valve control comprises a control valve system and said actuator device is configured and disposed to permit a pulsed opening and closing of the valve system.

14. The container filling plant according to claim 13, wherein said heater channel is configured to heat said treatment agent to a processing temperature in the range between about one hundred thirty degrees Celsius and about one hundred fifty degrees Celsius.

15. The container filling plant according to claim 14, wherein said heater channel is a channel that is coiled around a central axis.

16. The container filling plant according to claim 15, wherein said heater comprises a heat exchanger housing disposed about and to house said heater channel.

17. The container filling plant according to claim 16, wherein a core is disposed in said heat exchanger housing which has at least one groove on its periphery that forms the heater channel.

18. The container filling plant according to claim 17, wherein said at least one treatment device comprises a rod configured and disposed be vertically moved by said actuator device between an idle position and a work position, in which rod an axial channel is formed that is in communication with the dispensing opening, and which has, on the end the is farther from the dispensing opening, at least one control opening, which when the rod is in the work position is in communication with the heater channel or with a chamber that is connected with said channel.

19. The container filling plant according to claim 18, wherein the tube that forms the dispensing opening can be fastened on the end farther from the discharge openings to one end of the rod, preferably so that it can be replaced or exchanged.

20. The container filling plant according to claim 19, wherein:

said at least one treatment device comprises a sprayer device for the introduction of water by at least one spray nozzle, said sprayer device being disposed to precede the heater channel in the direction of flow;

said heater comprises an electrical heater device or heater cartridge to heat the heater channel;

said container treatment machine comprises a plurality of treatment devices disposed on the periphery of a rotor that rotates around a vertical machine axis; and

said treatment agent comprises hydrogen peroxide.