Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage, having a flow meter integrated into the filling element and located in the flow path for filling bottles with a liquid beverage and a filling machine having such a filling element

• US 8,256,474 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Stienen, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US12/235,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20090071569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 141/96, 141144-146, 141/301, 141/392, 532/81, 535/03
• US Class Current: 141/144
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/004 moving linearly
• 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 3/26 Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks

Abstract

A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage, having a flow meter integrated into the filling element and located in the flow path for filling bottles with a liquid beverage and a filling machine having such a filling element. 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 filling element configured to fill containers with a liquid product, said filling element comprising:

a liquid channel, a liquid valve, a flowmeter, and a discharge opening;

said flowmeter being disposed at a measuring section of said liquid channel between said liquid valve and said discharge opening;

said liquid valve comprises a valve seat and a movable valve body;

said movable valve body is configured to engage with said valve seat to close said liquid valve, and is configured to be moved away from said valve seat to open said liquid valve;

said liquid channel comprises a connecting section disposed between said measuring section and a liquid source; and

said movable valve body is disposed solely within said connecting section.

2. The filling element according to claim 1, wherein said discharge opening is configured to discharge liquid product from said liquid channel into a container.

3. The filling element according to claim 2, further comprising a gas trap disposed downstream of said measuring section, wherein said gas trap is configured to retain liquid in said measuring section after said liquid valve is closed and minimize entry of gas into the liquid in said measuring section.

4. The filling element according to claim 3, wherein said gas trap is disposed adjacent or at said discharge opening.

5. The filling element according to claim 4, wherein said liquid valve comprises an actuator rod connected to said valve body to move said valve body.

6. The filling element according to claim 5, wherein said liquid duct extends in an essentially straight line from a liquid source to said dispensing opening, coaxially with said actuator rod.

7. The filling element according to claim 6, wherein said gas trap has a plurality of channels for promoting lamellar fluid flow there through.

8. The filling element according to claim 7, wherein said flow sensor is a magnetic flow meter.

9. The filling element according to claim 8, wherein said actuator rod is made of an electrically conducting and/or magnetic material.

10. The filling element according to claim 9, wherein said valve body is movable in the direction of said discharge opening to open said liquid valve and in the opposite direction to close said liquid valve.

11. The filling element according to claim 10, further comprising a pneumatic actuating element configured to move said actuator rod.

12. The filling element according to claim 1, further comprising a gas trap disposed downstream of said measuring section, wherein said gas trap is configured to retain liquid in said measuring section after said liquid valve is closed and minimize entry of gas into the liquid in said measuring section.

13. The filling element according to claim 12, wherein:

said liquid valve comprises an actuator rod connected to said valve body to move said valve body; and

said liquid duct extends in an essentially straight line from a liquid source to said dispensing opening, coaxially with said actuator rod.

14. The filling element according to claim 13, wherein said gas trap is disposed adjacent said discharge opening.

15. The filling element according to claim 13, wherein said gas trap is disposed at said discharge opening.

16. The filling element according to claim 1, in combination with a rotary-type filling machine, wherein said filling machine comprises a plurality of said filling elements disposed on a rotatable rotor.

17. The combination according to claim 16, wherein:

said filling machine comprises a liquid vessel or plurality of liquid vessels configured to contain a supply of liquid product; and

each of said filling elements is attached to the underside of said liquid vessel or a corresponding one of said liquid vessels.

18. The combination according to claim 17, wherein:

said liquid valve comprises an actuator rod connected to said valve body to move said valve body;

each of said filling elements comprises an actuating element connected to said actuator rod to move said actuator rod and said valve body; and

said actuating element and said valve body of each of said filling elements are disposed on opposite sides of said liquid vessel or a corresponding one of said liquid vessels, such that said actuator rod of each of said filling elements is disposed within the interior of said liquid vessel or a corresponding one of said liquid vessels.