Method, filling system and filling element for filling containers

• US 9,637,254 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Fahldieck, Andreas, Lorenz, Jonathan, Krulitsch, Dieter-Rudolf, Clusserath, Ludwig
• Primary Examiner(s): Laurenzi, Mark A
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAKOMAKI, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US14/344,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20140345745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 141 82, 141 9, 141 90, 141 91, 141105, 141302, 141 94, 141 89, 141 2, 222148
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/26 Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/002 using cups or dummies to be placed under the filling heads
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/045 Apparatus specially adapted for filling bottles with hot liquids
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/286 related to flow rate control, i.e. controlling slow and fast filling phases

Abstract

A method for filling containers with filling goods that comprise liquid that has a solids content includes using a magnetically inductive flow meter for controlling at least one of volume and quantity of said filling goods in a particular container.

Claims

1. A method for filling containers with filling goods, said method comprising selecting said filling goods to have a solids content between 10% by weight and 60% by weight in relation to a total weight of said filling goods, causing a first flow of filling goods, causing a second flow of filling goods, and causing a third flow of filling goods, wherein causing said first flow comprises causing said filling goods to flow into a filling element that has a discharge opening and an outlet, said discharge opening being disposed along a filling-element axis of said filling element, said filling goods being directed to flow along a flow path through said outlet for return-flow of said filling goods and to do so along a flow direction that is perpendicular to said filling-element axis, whereby, as a result, said filling goods fail to enter any container, wherein causing said second flow comprises causing flow of filling goods through a magnetically inductive flow meter and through said discharge opening, whereby said filling goods enter a container disposed to receive said filling goods through said discharge opening, said flow being high enough to pass between 50 ml and 150 ml of said filling goods in less than ten seconds, and using said magnetically inductive flow meter for controlling a quantity of said filling goods that enters said container, and wherein causing said third flow comprises, after a desired quantity of filling goods has entered said container, causing flow of filling goods in said flow direction toward said outlet.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a rotating magnetic field, causing said filling goods to flow through said rotating magnetic field, and generating a signal based on flow of said filling goods through said rotating magnetic field.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a liquid valve to discharge a controlled quantity of said filling goods into said container.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating said filling element, wherein heating said filling element comprises, when causing said first flow, selecting said filling goods to be heated filling goods, and causing said filling goods to flow through a valve chamber of said filling element along a flow path having a liquid valve and a further valve, wherein said further valve is open and said liquid valve is closed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to filling said containers with filling goods, executing an operation, wherein executing said operation comprises causing a medium to flow through a valve chamber having a liquid valve, a further valve, and a discharge opening, wherein, during said operation, said medium flows through a flow path in which said further valve is open and said discharge opening is closed with one of a closing cap and a closure, wherein said operation is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing operation, a cleaning operation, and a disinfecting operation, and wherein said medium is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing medium, a cleaning medium, and a disinfection medium.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to filling said containers with filling goods, executing an operation, wherein executing said operation comprises causing a medium to flow through a valve chamber having a liquid valve, a further valve, and a discharge opening, wherein, during said operation, said medium flows through a flow path in which said further valve is open and said liquid valve is closed with one of a closing cap, and a closure, wherein said operation is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing operation, a cleaning operation, and a disinfecting operation, and wherein said medium is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing medium, a cleaning medium, and a disinfection medium.

7. An apparatus for filling containers with filling goods, said apparatus comprising a filling element for a filling system, said filling element being configured to receive filling goods that comprise a liquid and a solids content, said filling goods having a solids content between 10% by weight and 60% by weight in relation to total weight of said filling goods, said filling element comprising a filling-element housing, a valve chamber, a liquid valve, a valve seat, a valve body, an actuation installation, an inlet, an outlet, a discharge opening, a further valve, and a magnetically inductive flow meter disposed along a path of said filling goods, wherein said filling element has a filling-element axis that passes through said discharge opening, wherein said discharge opening is disposed to pass filling goods into a container along said filling-element axis, wherein said magnetically inductive flow meter comprises an electromagnet arrangement, wherein said electromagnet arrangement generates a rotating magnetic field within a measuring channel through which said filling goods flow, wherein said valve chamber is formed in said filling element housing, wherein said liquid valve and said valve body are disposed in said valve chamber, wherein said liquid valve and said valve body interact with said valve seat, wherein said actuation installation opens and closes said liquid valve with a movement stroke, wherein said liquid valve transitions between a position releasing said valve seat and a position lying against said valve seat, wherein said inlet opens into said valve chamber, wherein said outlet opens into said valve chamber with opening of said further valve, wherein said inlet and said outlet open into said valve chamber such that, when said further valve opens, a flow path arises between said inlet and said outlet along a direction that is perpendicular to said filling-element axis, and wherein said flow path is selected from the group consisting of a straight-line flow path and a flow path that avoids areas without flow.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said inlet opens into said valve chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a cross-sectional area of said outlet is between 0.7 and 1.3 times that of said inlet.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an axial length of an outlet channel at said outlet is substantially smaller than a cross-section dimension of a discharge opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said valve body comprises a section of a membrane, wherein said membrane comprises a rubber-elastic material.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said inlet and said outlet are arranged for substantially one-dimensional flow inside said valve chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said inlet and said outlet are coaxial.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said inlet has an axis, wherein said outlet has an axis, wherein said axis of said inlet and said axis of said outlet enclose an angle, and wherein said angle is in excess of a right angle.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an axis of said inlet and an axis of said outlet are arranged on a common height level.

16. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an axis of said inlet and an axis of said outlet are offset in height from each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said further valve and said liquid valve have the same design.

18. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said outlet opens into said valve chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an outlet on said valve seat opens into said valve chamber.

20. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an outlet a distance from said valve seat into said chamber opens into said valve chamber, said distance being smaller than said movement stroke of said valve body.

21. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said flow path is a straight-line flow path.