U.S. patent application number 12/545339 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-26 for method for filling bottles or similar containers with an oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material under counterpressure and filling machine for the performance of this method.
Invention is credited to Ludwig Clusserath, Manfred Hurtel, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch.
Application Number | 20100212773 12/545339 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39269348 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100212773 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Clusserath; Ludwig ; et
al. |
August 26, 2010 |
METHOD FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS WITH AN OXYGEN
SENSITIVE EFFERVESCENT LIQUID BEVERAGE FILLING MATERIAL UNDER
COUNTERPRESSURE AND FILLING MACHINE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS
METHOD
Abstract
A method for filling bottles or similar containers with an
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material
under counterpressure and filling machine for the performance of
this method. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith
as required by 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R.
.sctn.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.
Inventors: |
Clusserath; Ludwig; (Bad
Kreuznach, DE) ; Krulitsch; Dieter-Rudolf; (Bad
Kreuznach, DE) ; Hurtel; Manfred; (Bretzenheim,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NILS H. LJUNGMAN & ASSOCIATES
P. O. BOX 130
GREENSBURG
PA
15601-0130
US
|
Family ID: |
39269348 |
Appl. No.: |
12/545339 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/EP2008/000316 |
Jan 17, 2008 |
|
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12545339 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/6 ; 141/197;
141/48; 141/52; 141/59; 53/432 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67C 3/06 20130101; B67C
3/286 20130101; B67C 3/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/6 ; 53/432;
141/48; 141/52; 141/59; 141/197 |
International
Class: |
B65B 31/02 20060101
B65B031/02; B65B 3/14 20060101 B65B003/14; B65B 3/26 20060101
B65B003/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 23, 2007 |
DE |
10 2007 009 435.5 |
Claims
1. A method for filling beverage bottles with an oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material under counterpressure
using a beverage filling machine, said method achieving a minimal
consumption of carbon dioxide gas, minimizing costs of bottling,
and avoiding, restricting, and/or minimizing the absorption of
oxygen by the oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling
material in a liquid reservoir for filling the beverage bottles and
thereby maximizing the shelf life of said oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material, said beverage
filling machine comprising: a plurality of beverage filling
positions, each filling position comprising a beverage filling
device for filling a beverage bottle; a gas return duct common to
each filling device in said filling machine configured to receive
displaced carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle during
liquid filling and to supply carbon dioxide gas during carbon
dioxide gas filling of said beverage bottles; a gas sink common to
each filling device in said filling machine configured to receive
displaced carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle during
liquid filling and to supply carbon dioxide gas to said beverage
bottle during pressurizing said beverage bottle; a connecting line
for supplying carbon dioxide gas to said gas sink from a carbon
dioxide head space in said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material; said gas
sink being large enough to contain at least the volume of gas
displaced thereto from said beverage bottle when filling with said
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material and
small enough to be substantially flushed with carbon dioxide gas
from said connecting line during a pressurizing step, thereby
minimizing an amount of oxygen entering said connecting line during
liquid filling of said bottle; said connecting line being
configured to contain a smaller volume than a volume configured to
be contained by said gas sink and a volume large enough to minimize
an amount of oxygen that may enter a head space in the liquid
reservoir containing said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material, upon any gas being displaced from said
gas sink to said connecting line, during liquid filling of said
bottle; a vacuum duct common to each filling device in said filling
machine; and a liquid connection configured to deliver said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material from said
liquid reservoir to each of said filling devices; the method
comprising the steps of: moving a beverage bottle to be filled in
sequence with other bottles to said filling machine; elevating said
beverage bottle to be filled to a corresponding filling device
thereby placing said beverage bottle in a configuration to be in
flow communication with said gas return duct, said gas sink, said
vacuum duct, and said liquid connection, with the operation of one
or more valves; sealing said beverage bottle to be filled against
the corresponding filling device; evacuating said beverage bottle
sealed to said filling device by opening a first valve, thus
providing flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device and said vacuum duct; filling said beverage
bottle sealed to said filling device with carbon dioxide gas by
closing said first valve and opening a second valve, thus providing
flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to said
filling device and said gas return duct; repeating said evacuating
and said filling steps at least one time to displace a desired
amount of residual air present out of said beverage bottle sealed
to said filling device; pressurizing said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device with carbon dioxide gas by closing said second
valve and opening a third valve, thus providing flow communication
between said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device and said
gas sink; maintaining a bottling pressure in said gas sink by
maintaining flow communication between said gas sink and carbon
dioxide gas in a head space of a said liquid reservoir containing
said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material
for filling; filling said beverage bottle sealed to said filling
device with an initial amount of said oxygen sensitive effervescent
liquid beverage filling material by opening a fourth valve, thus
providing flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device and said liquid connection; displacing a first
volume of carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device into said gas return duct; displacing a second
volume of carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device into said gas sink; said first volume of carbon
dioxide gas being greater than said second volume of carbon dioxide
gas, thereby minimizing an amount of oxygen entering said gas sink;
said second volume of carbon dioxide gas being less than a volume
of said gas sink, thereby minimizing an amount of oxygen entering
said connecting line; said second volume of carbon dioxide gas
being less than a volume of carbon dioxide gas flowing from said
head space of said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material to said gas
sink during said step of maintaining a bottling pressure in said
gas sink, said second volume of carbon dioxide gas and said volume
of carbon dioxide gas flowing into said gas sink, during said
maintaining step, providing a sum of the volume of said carbon
dioxide gas flowing into said gas sink from said carbon dioxide gas
in a head space of a said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material and carbon
dioxide gas flowing out of said gas sink to said beverage bottle
sealed to said filling device, the sum of said carbon dioxide gas
flowing into and out of said gas sink resulting in a flow of carbon
dioxide gas from said head space of a said liquid reservoir
containing said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage
filling material to said bottle sealed to said filling device,
minimizing contamination of said carbon dioxide gas, in said head
space of a said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material, with said displaced
gas; filling said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device
with a final amount of said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material by closing said third valve, thus
providing flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device and said liquid connection and said gas return
duct; displacing a third volume of carbon dioxide gas from said
beverage bottle sealed to said filling device into said gas return
duct; sensing the level of oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material in said beverage bottle sealed to said
filling device; stopping the filling of said beverage bottle sealed
to said filling device upon said sensed level of oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material in said beverage
bottle sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level;
calming the oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling
material in said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device for
a predetermined period of time to attain a pressure below the
carbonating material saturation pressure and thus reducing excess
bubbles; reducing the pressure in said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device to a final pressure; distancing said filled
beverage bottle filled with oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material from the sealing relationship with the
corresponding filling device; and removing said filled beverage
bottle from said filling machine.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein each filling device is disposed
proximate a perimeter of a rotor at a substantially equal distance
from one another.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of providing
flow communication between said gas sink and said gas return duct,
prior to filling a first beverage bottle in a run of beverage
bottles to be filled.
4. A method for filling containers with a gas sensitive material
under counterpressure, the method comprising the steps of: moving a
container to be filled in sequence with other containers to a
filling machine; sealing said container to be filled against a
corresponding filling device in said filling machine, thus enabling
flow communication between the container to be filled and a gas
return duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive material
connection; pressurizing said container sealed to said filling
device with an inert gas, substantially unreactive with said
sensitive material, by providing flow communication between said
container sealed to said filling device and said gas chamber;
maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining
flow communication between said gas chamber and a supply of said
inert gas, said gas chamber being maintained in flow communication
with said supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line,
said gas chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a
volume of said inert gas configured to be contained by said
connecting line; filling said container sealed to said filling
device with said gas sensitive material by providing flow
communication between said container sealed to said filling device
and said gas sensitive material connection; displacing a first
portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas return duct; displacing a second portion of gas from
said container sealed to said filling device into said gas chamber;
said second portion of gas being less than a portion of said inert
gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to said gas chamber
during said step of maintaining a filling pressure in said gas
chamber; sensing a level of said gas sensitive material in said
container sealed to said filling device; stopping the filling of
said container sealed to said filling device upon said sensed level
of said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to said
filling device reaching a desired level; distancing said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and removing said filled container from said
filling machine.
5. A means for performing the method according to claim 4, said
means comprising: means for moving a container to be filled in
sequence with other containers to a filling machine; means for
sealing said container to be filled against a corresponding filling
device in said filling machine, thus enabling flow communication
between the container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas
chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; means for
pressurizing said container sealed to said filling device with an
inert gas, substantially unreactive with said sensitive material,
by providing flow communication between said container sealed to
said filling device and said gas chamber; means for maintaining a
filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow
communication between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert
gas, said gas chamber being maintained in flow communication with
said supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line, said
gas chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a
volume of said inert gas configured to be contained by said
connecting line; means for filling said container sealed to said
filling device with said gas sensitive material by providing flow
communication between said container sealed to said filling device
and said gas sensitive material connection; means for displacing a
first portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling
device into said gas return duct; means for displacing a second
portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less than a
portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to
said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling pressure
in said gas chamber; means for sensing a level of said gas
sensitive material in said container sealed to said filling device;
means for stopping the filling of said container sealed to said
filling device upon said sensed level of said gas sensitive
material in said container sealed to said filling device reaching a
desired level; means for distancing said filled container from the
sealing relationship with the corresponding filling device; and
means for removing said filled container from said filling
machine.
6. A container filling machine for performing the method according
to claim 4 comprising: a container moving arrangement configured to
move a container to be filled in sequence with other containers to
a filling machine; a container sealing arrangement configured to
seal said container to be filled against a corresponding filling
device in said filling machine, thus enabling flow communication
between the container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas
chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; a container
pressurizing arrangement configured to pressurize said container
sealed to said filling device with an inert gas, substantially
unreactive with said sensitive material, by providing flow
communication between said container sealed to said filling device
and said gas chamber; a first gas connecting arrangement configured
to maintain a filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining
flow communication between said gas chamber and a supply of said
inert gas, said gas chamber being maintained in flow communication
with said supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line,
said gas chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a
volume of said inert gas configured to be contained by said
connecting line; a gas sensitive material filling arrangement
configured to fill said container sealed to said filling device
with said gas sensitive material by providing flow communication
between said container sealed to said filling device and said gas
sensitive material connection; a second gas connecting arrangement
configured to deliver a first portion of displaced gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas return duct;
a third gas connecting arrangement configured to deliver a second
portion of displaced gas from said container sealed to said filling
device into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less
than a portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert
gas to said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling
pressure in said gas chamber; a sensing arrangement configured to
sense a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; a stopping arrangement configured to
stop the filling of said container sealed to said filling device
upon said sensed level of said gas sensitive material in said
container sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level; a
container moving arrangement configured to distance said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and a container moving arrangement configured to
remove said filled container from said filling machine.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein said supply of inert gas and a
supply of said gas sensitive material are maintained in a reservoir
common to a plurality of filling devices.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said reservoir is maintained at a
filling pressure with the addition of inert gas and gas sensitive
material and maintaining a head pressure of inert gas above said
gas sensitive material in said reservoir.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of providing
flow connection between said gas chamber and said gas return duct,
prior to filling a container in a run of containers to be
filled.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said filling machine further
comprises a vacuum duct, said method further comprising the steps
of: evacuating said container sealed to said filling device, at
least once, by providing flow connection between said container
sealed to said filling device and said vacuum duct; and filling,
after said at least one evacuation, said container sealed to said
filling device with said inert gas by providing flow connection
between said container sealed to said filling device and said gas
return duct.
11. The method of claim 10 comprising at least one of a), b), c),
d), e), and f): a) said gas chamber is directly connected with said
supply of inert gas and said inert gas connecting line has no valve
controlling the flow of said inert gas therethrough; b) said gas
chamber and said gas return duct are in valved flow connection with
one another; c) said gas return duct comprises a single gas return
duct which is in flow connection with a plurality of filling
devices in said filling machine; d) said gas chamber comprises a
single gas chamber in flow connection with a plurality of filling
devices in said filling machine; e) said filling machine comprising
a plurality of filling devices disposed proximate a perimeter of a
rotor at a substantially equal distance from one another; and f)
said inert gas is carbon dioxide and said gas sensitive material is
an effervescent liquid.
12. A method for filling containers with a gas sensitive material
under counterpressure, the method comprising the steps of: moving a
container to be filled in sequence with other containers to a
filling machine; sealing said container to be filled against a
corresponding filling device in said filling machine, thus enabling
flow connection between the container to be filled and a gas return
duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection;
pressurizing said container sealed to said filling device with an
inert gas, substantially unreactive with said sensitive material,
by providing flow connection between said container sealed to said
filling device and said gas chamber; maintaining a filling pressure
in said gas chamber by maintaining flow connection between said gas
chamber and a supply of said inert gas; filling said container
sealed to said filling device with said gas sensitive material by
providing flow connection between said container sealed to said
filling device and said gas sensitive material connection;
displacing a first portion of gas from said container sealed to
said filling device into said gas return duct; displacing a second
portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas chamber; said second portion of gas being less than a
portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to
said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling pressure
in said gas chamber, said second portion of gas and said portion of
gas flowing into said gas chamber, during said maintaining step,
providing a sum of the volume of said inert gas flowing into said
gas chamber from said supply of inert gas and inert gas flowing out
of said gas chamber to said container sealed to said filling
device, the sum of said inert gas flowing into and out of said gas
chamber resulting in a flow of inert gas from said supply of inert
gas to said container sealed to said filling device, minimizing
contamination of said inert gas, in said supply of inert gas, with
said displaced gas; sensing a level of said gas sensitive material
in said container sealed to said filling device; stopping the
filling of said container sealed to said filling device upon said
sensed level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level; distancing
said filled container from the sealing relationship with the
corresponding filling device; and removing said filled container
from said filling machine.
13. A container filling machine for performing the method according
to claim 12 comprising: a container moving arrangement being
configured to move a container to be filled in sequence with other
containers to a filling machine; a container sealing arrangement
configured to seal said container to be filled against a
corresponding filling device in said filling machine, thus enabling
flow connection between the container to be filled and a gas return
duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; a
container pressurizing arrangement configured to pressurize said
container sealed to said filling device with an inert gas,
substantially unreactive with said sensitive material, by providing
flow connection between said container sealed to said filling
device and said gas chamber; a first gas connecting arrangement
configured to maintain a filling pressure in said gas chamber by
maintaining flow connection between said gas chamber and a supply
of said inert gas; a gas sensitive material filling arrangement
configured to fill said container sealed to said filling device
with said gas sensitive material by providing flow connection
between said container sealed to said filling device and said gas
sensitive material connection; a second gas connecting arrangement
configured to deliver a first portion of displace gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas return duct;
a third gas connecting arrangement configured to deliver a second
portion displaced gas from said container sealed to said filling
device into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less
than a portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert
gas to said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling
pressure in said gas chamber, said second portion of gas and said
portion of gas flowing into said gas chamber, during said
maintaining step, providing a sum of said inert gas flowing into
said gas chamber from said supply of inert gas and inert gas
flowing out of said gas chamber to said container sealed to said
filling device, the sum of said inert gas flowing into and out of
said gas chamber resulting in a flow of inert gas from said supply
of inert gas to said container sealed to said filling device,
minimizing contamination of said inert gas, in said supply of inert
gas, with said displaced gas; a sensing arrangement configured to
sense a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; a stopping arrangement configured to
stop the filling of said container sealed to said filling device
upon said sensed level of said gas sensitive material in said
container sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level; a
container moving arrangement configured to distance said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and a container moving arrangement configured to
remove said filled container from said filling machine.
14. A means for performing the method according to claim 12, said
means comprising: means for moving a container to be filled in
sequence with other containers to a filling machine; means for
sealing said container to be filled against a corresponding filling
device in said filling machine, thus enabling flow connection
between the container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas
chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; means for
pressurizing said container sealed to said filling device with an
inert gas, substantially unreactive with said sensitive material,
by providing flow connection between said container sealed to said
filling device and said gas chamber; means for maintaining a
filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow connection
between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert gas; means for
filling said container sealed to said filling device with said gas
sensitive material by providing flow connection between said
container sealed to said filling device and said gas sensitive
material connection; means for displacing a first portion of gas
from said container sealed to said filling device into said gas
return duct; means for displacing a second portion of gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas chamber, said
second portion of gas being less than a portion of said inert gas
flowing from said supply of inert gas to said gas chamber during
said step of maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber,
said second portion of gas and said portion of gas flowing into
said gas chamber, during said maintaining step, providing a sum of
said inert gas flowing into said gas chamber from said supply of
inert gas and inert gas flowing out of said gas chamber to said
container sealed to said filling device, the sum of said inert gas
flowing into and out of said gas chamber resulting in a flow of
inert gas from said supply of inert gas to said container sealed to
said filling device, minimizing contamination of said inert gas, in
said supply of inert gas, with said displaced gas; means for
sensing a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; means for stopping the filling of
said container sealed to said filling device upon said sensed level
of said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to said
filling device reaching a desired level; means for distancing said
filled container from the sealing relationship with the
corresponding filling device; and means for removing said filled
container from said filling machine.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of maintaining a
filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow connection
between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert gas is carried
out by maintaining said gas chamber in flow connection with said
supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line, said gas
chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a volume
configured to be contained by said inert gas connecting line.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said supply of inert gas and a
supply of said gas sensitive material are maintained in a reservoir
common to a plurality of filling devices.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said reservoir is maintained at
a filling pressure with the addition of inert gas and gas sensitive
material and maintaining a head pressure of inert gas above said
gas sensitive material in said reservoir.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step of providing
flow connection between said gas chamber and said gas return duct,
prior to filling a first container in a run of containers to be
filled.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said filling machine further
comprises a vacuum duct, said method further comprising the steps
of: evacuating said container sealed to said filling device, at
least once, by providing flow connection between said container
sealed to said filling device and said vacuum duct; filling, after
said at least one evacuation, said container sealed to said filling
device with said inert gas by providing flow connection between
said container sealed to said filling device and said gas return
duct.
20. The method of claim 19 comprising at least one of a), b), c),
d), e), and f): a) said gas chamber is directly connected with said
supply of inert gas and said inert gas connecting line has no valve
controlling the flow of said inert gas therethrough; b) said gas
chamber and said gas return duct are in valved flow connection with
one another; c) said gas return duct comprises a single gas return
duct which is in flow connection with a plurality of filling
devices in said filling machine; d) said gas chamber comprises a
single gas chamber in flow connection with a plurality of filling
devices in said filling machine; e) said filling machine comprising
a plurality of filling devices disposed proximate a perimeter of a
rotor at a substantially equal distance from one another; and f)
said inert gas is carbon dioxide and said gas sensitive material is
an effervescent liquid.
Description
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part application of
International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2008/000316, filed on
Jan. 17, 2008, which claims priority from Federal Republic of
Germany Patent Application No. 10 2007 009 435.5, filed on Feb. 23,
2007. International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2008/000316 was
pending as of the filing date of this application. The United
States was an elected state in International Patent Application No.
PCT/EP2008/000316.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present application relates to a method for filling
bottles or similar containers with an oxygen sensitive effervescent
liquid beverage filling material under counterpressure and filling
machine for the performance of this method.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] Background information is for informational purposes only
and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned
information and publications are prior art.
[0006] The present application relates to a method for filling
bottles or similar containers with a liquid under counterpressure,
using a filling machine which has, on a rotor, a plurality of
filling elements, a bowl that is common to the filling elements,
whereby the interior of the bowl forms a liquid space which is
occupied by the liquid being bottled and a headspace above the
liquid for an inert gas under pressure (filling pressure), and at
least one return gas duct which is common to the filling elements
or to each of a group of filling elements, whereby before the
filling, the interior of the container is pressurized by means of a
controlled gas path of each filling element with inert gas
originating from the headspace of the bowl and at the filling
pressure, and during the filling at least some of the inert gas is
displaced from the containers by the incoming liquid into the at
least one return gas duct. The present application also relates to
a filling machine with a rotary construction for the filling of
bottles or similar containers with a liquid under counterpressure,
with a bowl which is provided on a rotor that can be driven in
rotation around a vertical machine axis, whereby the interior of
the bowl forms a liquid space which is occupied by the liquid being
bottled and a headspace above the surface of the liquid being
bottled for an inert gas under pressure (filling pressure), with a
plurality of filling elements located on the periphery of the
rotor, each of which has a fluid duct which is in communication
with the liquid space of the bowl and a discharge opening with a
controlled liquid valve, with at least one common return gas duct
on the rotor which is common to the filling elements or a group of
filling elements, and with controlled gas paths realized in the
filling elements, by means of which gas paths the individual
container to be filled and located in sealed contact with a filling
element can be pressurized with an inert gas at the filling
pressure from the headspace of the bowl, and which makes possible a
removal of the inert gas displaced from the containers during the
filling at least partly to the return gas duct.
[0007] The filling of bottles or similar containers may include
filling with a liquid, in one possible embodiment with a carbonated
liquid such as beer, for example, with the use of counterpressure
with a single-chamber filling system. In such processes, the liquid
being bottled is prepared in a bowl which is common to a plurality
of filling elements of a filling machine that employs a rotary
construction, whereby the interior of the bowl is divided into a
liquid chamber which is occupied by the liquid being bottled and a
headspace which is located above it and is filled with an inert
gas. The inert gas is thereby generally carbon dioxide or carbon
dioxide gas. The entire bowl and its contents are thereby under
bottling pressure.
[0008] Before the actual filling, each container located in sealed
contact with the filling element is pressurized to the filling
pressure with inert gas. The pressurization gas used for this
purpose is at least partly the inert gas that is housed in the bowl
and is extracted from the bowl for the purpose. During the filling,
some of the pressurization or inert gas which is displaced from the
respective container by the incoming liquid is returned into a
rotor-side return gas duct which is common to the filling elements
of the filling machine, but some of the gas is also returned to the
headspace of the bowl, for economic reasons among other things,
i.e. to reduce the consumption of inert gas.
[0009] To increase the shelf life and quality of the liquid being
bottled, the interior of the containers that are in sealed contact
with the filling elements can be flushed with inert gas one or more
times before the pressurization, whereby the container is evacuated
before and/or after each purging, and in one possible embodiment by
a controlled connection of the interior of the individual bottle
with a rotor-side vacuum duct which is common to the filling
elements.
[0010] In spite of the evacuation and purging, however, a small
amount of air or oxygen remains in the pressurized containers, so
that during the filling not only is inert gas or carbon dioxide gas
returned into the headspace of the bowl, but a certain amount of
air and/or oxygen is returned along with it. As a result, the
liquid being bottled begins to absorb oxygen while it is still in
the bowl, and in one possible embodiment at the boundary surface
between the liquid being bottled and the inert gas/oxygen mixture
above it, which has an adverse effect on the shelf life and quality
of the liquid being bottled.
OBJECT OR OBJECTS
[0011] An object of the present application is a method and a
filling machine which achieves a low consumption of inert gas. In
one possible embodiment the inert gas is carbon dioxide gas. The
method may provide an economical operation and may avoid, restrict,
and/or minimize the absorption of oxygen by the liquid in the bowl
with its related disadvantages.
SUMMARY
[0012] The present application teaches that this object can be
accomplished with a method for filling bottles or similar
containers with a liquid under counterpressure, using a filling
machine which has, on a rotor a plurality of filling elements, a
bowl that is common to the filling elements. The interior of the
bowl forms a liquid space which is occupied by the liquid being
bottled and a headspace above the liquid for an inert gas under
pressure. The filling machine comprises at least one return gas
duct which is common to the filling elements or to each of a group
of filling elements. Before the filling, the interior of the
container is pressurized by means of a controlled gas path of each
filling element with inert gas originating from the headspace of
the bowl and at the filling pressure. During the filling at least
some of the inert gas is displaced from the containers by the
incoming liquid into the at least one return gas duct. The
individual container is pressurized from at least one additional
gas duct that functions as a gas sink and is common to the filling
element or a group of filling elements. The additional gas duct is
connected by means of at least one gas connection to the headspace
of the bowl. This object may also be accomplished with a filling
machine with a rotary construction for the filling of bottles or
similar containers with a liquid under counterpressure. The filling
machine comprises a bowl which is provided on a rotor that can be
driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis. The interior of
the bowl forms a liquid space which is occupied by the liquid being
bottled and a headspace above the surface of the liquid being
bottled for an inert gas under pressure (filling pressure). A
plurality of filling elements are located on the periphery of the
rotor, each of which has a fluid duct which is in communication
with the liquid space of the bowl. The filling machine also
comprises a discharge opening with a controlled liquid valve, with
at least one common return gas duct on the rotor which is common to
the filling elements or a group of filling elements, and with
controlled gas paths realized in the filling elements, by means of
which gas paths the individual container to be filled and located
in sealed contact with a filling element can be pressurized with an
inert gas at the filling pressure from the headspace of the bowl.
This makes possible a removal of the inert gas displaced from the
containers during the filling at least partly to the return gas
duct. On the rotor for the filling elements or for each group of
filling elements, at least one common additional gas duct that
functions as a gas sink is provided, which is in communication by
means of at least one gas connection with the headspace of the
bowl, and with which the filling elements are in communication with
their controlled gas paths which effect the pressurization of the
containers.
[0013] The teaching of the present application is that, on the
rotor of the filling machine, at least one additional gas duct is
provided which functions as a gas sink and is in communication with
the headspace of the bowl via a gas connection or line, and the
container is pressurized with the inert gas from the additional gas
duct which is at the filling pressure.
[0014] During the filling, a portion of the pressurization or inert
gas displaced from the containers is returned into this additional
duct which functions as a gas sink. The other part of the displaced
pressurization gas goes into the return gas duct. By means of a
conventional system of control of the filling elements and/or of
their gas paths, and taking into consideration the gas exchange
between the filling elements, it can also be essentially ensured or
promoted that the quantity of inert gas that is returned to the
common duct that functions as the gas sink during the filling is
uniformly as large as possible, although in one possible embodiment
less than the quantity of inert gas extracted from this additional
duct during the pressurization of the container. Because in one
possible embodiment of the present application, the quantity of gas
extracted from the filling valves during the pressurization is
always or substantially always greater than the quantity of inert
gas discharged into the additional gas duct during the filling,
there is always or substantially always a deficit of gas in the
additional gas duct.
[0015] Consequently, inert gas that comprises air or oxygen from
the additional duct cannot get into the headspace of the bowl.
Rather, a gas flow is formed which runs out of the headspace of the
bowl into the duct that functions as the gas sink. To compensate
for the gas deficit and/or to maintain the filling pressure in the
headspace of the bowl, a controlled quantity of inert gas is fed to
this headspace.
[0016] The above-discussed embodiments of the present invention
will be described further herein below. When the word "invention"
or "embodiment of the invention" is used in this specification, the
word "invention" or "embodiment of the invention" includes
"inventions" or "embodiments of the invention", that is the plural
of "invention" or "embodiment of the invention". By stating
"invention" or "embodiment of the invention", the Applicant does
not in any way admit that the present application does not include
more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and
maintains that this application may include more than one
patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. The Applicant
hereby asserts that the disclosure of this application may include
more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than
one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and
non-obvious one with respect to the other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Developments of the present application are described
according to the present application. The present application is
explained in greater detail below with reference to one possible
embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of a filling element of
a filling machine that employs the rotary construction for the
filling of bottles or similar containers with a liquid under
counterpressure;
[0019] FIG. 1A is a simplified illustration of a filling element of
a filling machine that employs the rotary construction for the
filling of bottles or similar containers with a liquid under
counterpressure;
[0020] FIG. 1B is a section of FIG. 1B showing details of a
simplified illustration of a filling element of a filling
machine;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic function diagram that shows a plan
view of the filling machine combined with a capper or closer;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a table showing method steps, associated valve
positions, and flow conditions of an embodiment of a method for
filling containers with a gas sensitive material under
counterpressure; and
[0023] FIG. 4 shows schematically the main components of one
possible embodiment example of a system for filling containers.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OR EMBODIMENTS
[0024] In the figures, 1 is a filling machine for the filling of
containers realized in the form of bottles 2 with a liquid that
houses carbon dioxide such as beer, for example. For this purpose,
the filling machine 1 has, and distributed at equal intervals on
the periphery of a rotor 3 which is driven in rotation (Arrow A)
around a vertical machine axis, a plurality of filling stations 4,
each of which comprises a filling element 5, which does not have a
filling tube in the illustrated embodiment, and a bottle or
container carrier 6 which is located underneath this filling
element 5 in the form of a bottle plate that can be raised and
lowered in a controlled manner by a lifting device.
[0025] The bottles 2 to be filled are delivered to the filling
machine 1 in the upright position in the form of a container stream
2.1 via a conveyor 7, and each container arrives individually via a
container inlet 8 at one of the filling positions 4, in which the
respective bottle 2 is oriented with its bottle axis in the
vertical direction and standing upright on the initially lowered
container carrier 6. After the respective bottle 2 with the
container carrier 6 has been raised and placed in sealed contact
against the filling element 5, the filling process is initiated.
The filled bottles 2 are transported by an outlet or a transfer
star wheel 9 to the capper 10. The filled and capped bottles 2 are
transported outward by means of a machine outlet 11 on the conveyor
7.
[0026] The filling process which is performed during the rotational
movement (Arrow A) of the rotor in each filling position 4
comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of process steps
which are performed in sequence, each of which takes place in the
angular sectors identified as W1 through W11 in FIG. 2 of the
rotational motion of the rotor 3, and including:
[0027] W1: Evacuation or pre-evacuation of the bottles 2,
[0028] W2: First carbon dioxide purging of the bottles 2,
[0029] W3: Evacuation of the bottles 2,
[0030] W4: Second carbon dioxide purging of the bottles 2,
[0031] W5: Evacuation or final evacuation of the bottles 2,
[0032] W6: Partial pressurization of the bottles 2 with carbon
dioxide,
[0033] W7: Pressurization of the bottles 2 with carbon dioxide,
[0034] W8: Filling of the bottles 2 under counterpressure (filling
pressure),
[0035] W9: Low-speed and corrective filling of the bottles 2,
[0036] W10: Completion of filling, preliminary depressurization and
defoaming,
[0037] W11: Final depressurization.
[0038] Basically it is also possible, for example, to perform the
filling process in a simplified manner, and in one possible
embodiment, for example, so that the second carbon dioxide purging
(angular sector W4 and the subsequent evacuation (angular sector
W5) can be omitted, and therefore the partial pressurization
(angular sector W6) and the subsequent pressurization (angular area
W7) occur after the first carbon dioxide purging (angular sector
W2) and the subsequent evacuation (angular sector W3).
[0039] Each filling element 5 comprises a housing 12 which is
fastened on the periphery of the rotor 3, in which housing 12 a
liquid duct 13, among other things, is realized, which is in
communication with its upper end in FIG. 1 by means of a liquid
connection or line 14 with a bowl 15 which is common to the filling
elements 5 of the filling machine 1. At least during the filling
operation the bowl 15 is partly filled with the liquid being
bottled by means of its supply connection 15.3, so that the
interior of the bowl 15 has a lower portion or liquid space 15.1
which is occupied by the liquid being bottled and another partial
space or headspace 15.2 above the liquid space which is occupied by
the inert gas or carbon dioxide gas under pressure (filling
pressure) which is supplied in a controlled manner to the headspace
15.2 via a carbon dioxide gas supply line with a control valve
16.1.
[0040] On the underside of each filling element 5, the liquid duct
13 of each filling element 5 also forms a discharge opening 17 with
a seal 17.1 against which the individual bottle 2 is pressed during
the filling process by the bottle carrier 6 with its bottle mouth
in sealed contact. Located in the liquid duct 13 is a liquid valve
18 which is opened by means of a pneumatically controlled actuator
element 19, at the beginning of the filling (angular sector W8),
and at the end of the low-speed and correction filling (angular
sector W9 is closed in a controlled manner, and, in one possible
embodiment, as a function of the fill level by a probe 20 which
extends into the individual bottle 2 during the filling
process.
[0041] In a valve tappet 18.1 which also forms the valve body 18.2
of the liquid valve 18 and is connected with the actuator element
19, a gas duct 21 which is open to the discharge opening 16 and
surrounds the probe 20 in a circular fashion is realized, which is
a common component of a plurality of the controlled gas paths
realized in the housing 12. In the illustrated embodiment, these
gas paths have three control valves 22, 23 and 24, which are each
closed when the system is in the non-activated status. The control
valves 22 and 23 are each connected on the output side with a
common gas duct 25 which is in communication with the gas duct 21.
In the housing 12 of each filling element 5, gas ducts 26 through
28 are provided to realize the gas path, whereby the gas duct 26
connects the input of the control valve 22 with a rotor-side return
gas duct 29, the gas duct 27 connects the input of the control
valve 23 with a rotor-side vacuum duct 30 and the gas duct 28
connects the input of the control valve 24 with an additional
rotor-side gas duct 31, which functions as the gas sink in the
manner described in greater detail below and represents a possible
feature of the filling machine 1.
[0042] The return gas duct 29, the vacuum duct 30 and the
additional duct 31 are each realized in the rotor 3 in the form of
ring-shaped ducts which concentrically encircle the vertical
machine axis and are provided in common for the filling elements 5
of the filling machine 1.
[0043] The additional gas duct 31 is in constant or substantially
constant communication via a pipeline 32, which has a volume that
is very much smaller than the volume of the gas duct 31, with the
headspace 15.2.
[0044] Corresponding to the filling process described above, after
the individual bottle 2 to be filled and located in a filling
position 4 has been raised and brought into sealed contact with the
filling element 5, the interior of the bottle is evacuated. For
this purpose, with the liquid valve 18 closed, the control valve 23
is opened and the interior of the bottle 2 in question is placed in
communication with the vacuum duct 30 by means of the
filling-element-side gas ducts 21, 25, and 27.
[0045] After this preliminary evacuation, with the control valve 23
closed again, the interior of the bottle is purged with inert gas
or carbon dioxide, and in one possible embodiment from the
rotor-side return gas duct 29 by opening the control valve 22, so
that the interior of the bottle 2 in question is placed in
communication via the filling-element-side gas ducts 21, 25 and 26
with this return gas duct 29. The inert gas purging from the return
gas duct 29 is possible because, as a result of the gas exchange
between the filling elements 5, sufficient carbon dioxide gas under
pressure is available in the return gas duct 29, which is displaced
out of the bottle 2 during the main filling, the low-speed filling
and the correction filling and into the return gas duct 29.
[0046] After the carbon dioxide purging, with the control valve 22
closed, the interior of the bottle is flushed once again by opening
the control valve 23. After this process step, it is then possible
to initiate the partial pressurization (angular sector W6) and the
subsequent pressurization (angular sector W7), for example. In one
possible embodiment, however, first there is an additional carbon
dioxide purging of the interior of the bottle from the return gas
duct 29 by opening the control valve 22 and then, with the control
valve 22 closed again, re-evacuating the interior of the bottle by
opening the control valve 23.
[0047] The partial pressurization is also performed from the return
gas duct 29 by opening the control valve 22, while the final
pressurization of the interior of the individual bottle to the
filling pressure that is present in the bowl 15 can then be done
from the additional duct 31 by opening the control valve 24.
[0048] For the subsequent filling, with the control valve 24 open,
the liquid valve 18 is opened so that the liquid being bottled
flows out of the liquid space 15.1 via the liquid connection 14,
the liquid duct 13 and the dispensing opening 17 to the interior of
the bottle 2 in question. During this process, the carbon dioxide
gas displaced from the bottle 2 by the incoming liquid is partly
displaced into the additional gas duct 31, although the majority of
the displaced carbon dioxide gas is displaced via the throttled gas
connection 33 into the return gas duct 29.
[0049] For the low-speed and corrective filling steps that end the
filling process, the control valve 24 is closed so that the carbon
dioxide gas that is displaced from the bottle 2 by the liquid that
is now flowing into the bottle in a throttled manner flows into the
return gas 29 via a gas connection 33 which is also realized in the
housing 12 of each filling element 5, is throttled and is provided
with a non-return valve. The low-speed and corrective filling steps
are terminated by closing the liquid valve 18. This step is
followed by the depressurization, defoaming and final
depressurization.
[0050] Because the bottle 2 is pressurized from the additional gas
duct 2 and a majority of the quantity of carbon dioxide gas which
is displaced by the incoming liquid being bottled out of the
interior of the individual bottle during the filling and during the
low-speed and corrective filling steps travels into the return gas
duct 29, there is a deficit of carbon dioxide gas in the additional
gas duct 31 as well as in the bowl 15, which is made up in a
controlled manner via the line 16. That means in one possible
embodiment that a permanent or substantially permanent carbon
dioxide gas flow in the line 32 from the headspace 15.2 into the
gas duct 31 is realized, and thus carbon dioxide gas comprising
portions of air and/or oxygen displaced from the bottle 2 during
the filling can travel into the relatively large-volume gas duct
31, but not via the line 32 into the headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15.
As a result, the absorption of oxygen at the boundary surface
between the liquid being bottled and the carbon dioxide atmosphere,
i.e. at the boundary surface between the liquid space 15.1 and the
headspace 15.2 in the bowl 15, is effectively prevented,
restricted, and/or minimized, as a result of which the oxygen
content in the liquid being bottled in the bottles 2 is
significantly reduced, and consequently the shelf life and quality
of the product are significantly improved.
[0051] The present application was described above on the basis of
one possible embodiment. It goes without saying that modifications
and variations can be made without thereby going beyond the
teaching of the present application.
[0052] For example, the additional duct 31 and/or the connecting
line 32 can be connected by means of an additional closable gas
duct directly with the return gas duct 29. In at least one possible
embodiment according to the present application, if there are
interruptions in the feed of bottles to the filling machine,
because it can happen in such a case that the gas supply available
from the actual filling processes in the additional duct 31 exceeds
the demand for gas from the purging and pressurization processes,
as a result of which excess gas could get into the bowl 15. As a
result of the gas path according to the present application, which
can be closed by a controllable valve, for example, between the
additional duct 31 and the return gas duct 29, in such a situation
excess gas is conducted from the additional duct 31 directly into
the return gas duct 29, as a result of which a backflow of gas
comprising oxygen into the bowl 15 is reliably or substantially
reliably prevented, restricted, and/or minimized.
[0053] FIGS. 1A and 1B show gas and liquid flow ducts and valves of
filling element 5. Control valves 22, 23, and 24 provide control of
gas flow within bottle 2 and filling element 5. Control valve 22
controls the communication between return gas duct 29, via gas duct
26, and gas duct 25. Gas duct 25 is in communication with control
valves 22, 23, and 24 and gas duct 25a. Gas duct 25a provides the
flow of gas between gas duct gas duct 21, which is in flow
communication with bottle 2, and gas duct 25a through gas duct 25b.
Control valve 23 controls the communication between vacuum duct 30
and gas duct 25. Control valve 24 controls the communication
between additional duct or gas sink or gas chamber 31 and gas duct
25 through gas duct 28. In short, control valve 22 controls the
flow communication between return gas duct 29 and bottle 2, control
valve 23 controls the flow communication between vacuum duct 30 and
bottle 2, and control valve 24 controls the flow communication
between additional duct or gas sink 31 and bottle 2. A process for
filling bottles is now described with reference to FIG. 2B. The
table shown in FIG. 3 summarizes valve control and the flow of
liquids and carbon dioxide for steps taken in at least one
embodiment of a method for filling beverage bottles with a liquid
beverage filling material under counterpressure.
[0054] Each bottle 2 may first be evacuated by first closing liquid
valve 18. Control valves 22 and 24 are closed and control valve 23
is opened, providing flow communication between vacuum duct 30 and
bottle 2 through gas ducts 27, 25, 25a, 25b, and 21.
[0055] After evacuation, bottle 2 may be purged with carbon
dioxide. Carbon dioxide is stored in return gas duct 29 and is
primarily supplied by gas displaced during filling of bottles 2 but
may also be supplied by gas sink 31 via connecting line 32 at a
bottling pressure. The purging of bottles 2 comprises closing
valves 23 and 24 and opening control valve 22. In this
configuration, the interior of the bottle 2 is placed in flow
communication with return gas duct 29 through gas ducts 21, 25b,
25a, 25 and 26. The evacuation and purging steps may be repeated to
obtain a desired purity of carbon dioxide in bottle 2.
[0056] A final pressurization of bottle 2 may be done by closing
control valves 22 and 23 and opening control valve 24, allowing
carbon dioxide to flow from gas sink or gas chamber 31. Gas sink or
chamber 31 has carbon dioxide maintained proximate a bottling
pressure through connecting line 32.
[0057] Bottle 2 is then filled with liquid through liquid
connection 14. To fill bottle 2 with a liquid, gas control valves
22 and 23 are closed and control valve 24 is opened. In this
configuration, gas sink 31 is in flow communication with bottle 2.
Liquid valve 18 is then opened to allow liquid to flow through
liquid connection 14 and liquid duct 13 into bottle 2.
[0058] During filling, carbon dioxide is displaced from the
interior of bottle 2. This displaced carbon dioxide enters gas duct
21 and flows into gas duct 25b. Gas duct 25b is in flow
communication with gas ducts 21, 25a, and 25c. The gas flows into
gas duct 25b from gas duct 21 since bottle 2 is at or above a
bottling pressure. A significant portion of the gas flows from 25b
into return gas duct 29 through gas duct 25c since gas duct 29 may
be below a bottling pressure. Gas duct 25c has flow restrictor 25d
and one way valve 33 regulating the flow of carbon dioxide into
return gas duct 29 through gas duct 26. This regulation of flow of
the carbon dioxide into return gas duct 29 may form a backpressure
proximate flow restrictor 25d, increasing the pressure of carbon
dioxide in gas duct 25c above the carbon dioxide pressure in gas
sink 31. Having gas control valve 24 open provides flow
communication between gas duct 25b and gas sink 31 through gas
ducts 25a, 25, and 28. Therefore, a portion of the gas displaced
from bottle 2 during filling may enter gas sink 31. In at least one
embodiment, the volume of gas sink 31 is sufficient to contain the
displaced gas fed thereto. In at least one embodiment the volume of
gas sink 31 is larger than the volume of gas duct 32. Gas duct 32
is in flow communication with the head space 15.2 of liquid space
15.1. Having a volume of gas sink 31 sufficient to hold the
displaced carbon dioxide fed thereto prevents most all of the
displaced gas to enter head space 15.2, keeping head space 15.2
substantially free of oxygen.
[0059] A final or corrective filling of bottle 2, filling bottle 2
to a desired level, may be accomplished by closing control valve
24. With control valve 24 closed, the carbon dioxide is displaced
into return gas duct 29 through gas duct 25c. At the end of the
final filling, return gas duct 29 may be proximate a bottling
pressure.
[0060] In at least one embodiment, the quantity of carbon dioxide
exiting gas sink 31, during a final carbon dioxide pressurization
of bottle 2, is greater than the amount of carbon dioxide entering
gas sink 31 during the liquid filling of bottle 2 with liquid
through liquid duct 13. In this embodiment, the carbon dioxide
displaced during filling, with control valve 24 open, fills gas
ducts 21, 25b, 25a, 25, and 25c. Since return duct 29 is below a
bottling pressure, from purging, at the beginning of the filling
step a majority of carbon dioxide displaced by the liquid in bottle
2 flows into return gas duct 29. However, throttled gas connection
33 and/or flow restrictor 25d may create sufficient head pressure
to divert a portion into gas sink 31. Yet, the volume of gas sink
31 is large enough to hold the carbon dioxide flowing into gas sink
31 to avoid displaced carbon dioxide from entering connecting line
32. Further, the volume of gas sink 31 may not be too large so that
gas sink 31 is substantially filled with carbon dioxide from
connecting line 32, during the final pressurization step.
[0061] In at least one embodiment, gas sink 31 is large enough to
hold a portion of displaced gas from bottle 2, which may be
contaminated with oxygen, and small enough to be substantially
flushed of oxygen for each bottle 2 being filled in a filling run.
This sizing of gas sink 31 preventing or minimizing oxygen from
entering connecting line 32 and head space 15.2 during a filling
run of bottles 2.
[0062] A first evacuation step of bottle 2 comprises opening valve
23, evacuating the oxygen in the bottle to vacuum duct 30. Bottle 2
is then filled with gas, such as carbon dioxide which may be
contaminated with oxygen, from return duct 29, by opening valve 22.
The evacuation and gas filling of bottle 2 may be repeated until
the oxygen concentration in bottle 2 is lowered to about the oxygen
concentration in return duct 29. The pressure in bottle 2 and
return duct 29 are below a bottling pressure after the evacuation
and gas filling steps. Prior to liquid filling of bottle 2, a final
pressurization of bottle 2 brings it up to approximately the
bottling pressure. The final pressurization of bottle 2 comprises
opening valve 24 and pressurizing bottle 2 with the gas in gas sink
31. The volume of gas sink 31 is small enough so that most all of
the oxygen introduced into gas sink 31, during liquid filling, is
displaced with makeup carbon dioxide from connecting line 32.
[0063] During liquid filling of bottle 2, valves 18 and 24 are
opened and the head pressure of the liquid being introduced into
bottle 2, through valve 18, forces the gas into return duct 29 and
gas sink 31. The gas displaced from bottle 2 may be contaminated
with oxygen. Since the pressure in return duct 29 is below a
bottling pressure, most or a substantial portion of the displaced
gas flows into return duct 29. However, a portion of the displaced
gas is diverted to gas sink 31 with flow restrictor 25d and
throttled gas connection 33. Gas sink 31 is large enough to contain
the displaced gas diverted thereto. In this respect, almost none or
a very small portion or an amount that will not effect the shelf
life of the beverage, of the oxygen contaminated gas, from bottle
2, enters connecting line 32 and therefore keeps liquid 15.1 and
head space 15.2 relatively free of oxygen. A corrective filling of
bottle 2, with valves 22, 23, and 24 closed forces displaced gas
into return duct 29 and brings return duct 29 approaching a
bottling pressure. Filling element 5 is now ready to receive the
next bottle of a filling run. Optionally, valve 24 may be opened to
deliver gas from gas sink 31 to gas duct 29 through gas ducts 28,
25a, 25b, 25c, flow restrictor 25d, and throttled gas connection
33. This may be done prior to filling a first bottle 2, in a run of
bottles 2, or anytime it is desired to bring gas duct 29 up to a
pressure approaching a bottling pressure.
[0064] In at least one embodiment, the volume of ducts 21, 25b,
25c, 25a, 26, 28, are minimal as compared to the volume of gas sink
31. In this respect, gas sink 31 serves to achieve a low
consumption of carbon dioxide, in an economical manner, and avoid,
restrict, and/or minimize the absorption of oxygen by liquid 15.1
in bowl or reservoir 15. The minimization of absorption of oxygen
by liquid 15.1 may be highly desirable when filling bottles 2 with
an oxygen sensitive beverage. For example, the liquid 15.1 may be a
non-pasturized beverage that may require aseptic filling.
[0065] In at least one other embodiment, flow restrictor 25d and
throttled gas connection 33 are configured to divert gas displaced
from bottle 2, during filling, in an amount that does not exceed
the volume of gas sink 31. For example, flow restrictor 25d may
have a diameter configured to divert a portion of the gas being
displaced from bottle 2 during spikes in gas pressure to gas sink
31. Also, throttle gas connection 33 may comprise a weight 33a
configured to create a back pressure within gas duct 25c. Weight
33a may be configured to provide a threshold pressure that lifts
weight 33a and provides flow of gas from gas duct 25b to return gas
duct 29. In this embodiment, weight 33a also substantially prevents
backflow from gas sink 29 through gas duct 25c. Weight 33a may have
a desired weight for diverting a desired amount of displaced gas to
gas sink 31. The threshold pressure created by weight 33a may
provide for a desired pressure difference between gas sink 31 and
gas return 29, thus almost eliminating or minimizing an amount of
oxygen entering connecting line 32 during a bottle filling run.
[0066] FIG. 1b may show gas and liquid flow ducts and valves of
filling element 5. Control valves 22, 23, and 24 may possibly
provide control of gas flow within bottle 2 and filling element 5.
Control valve 22 may control the communication between return gas
duct 29, via gas duct 26, and gas duct 25. Gas duct 25 may be in
communication with control valves 22, 23, and 24 and gas duct 25a.
Gas duct 25a may provide the flow of gas between gas duct 21, which
is in flow communication with bottle 2, and gas duct 25a through
gas duct 25b. Control valve 23 may control the communication
between vacuum duct 30 and gas duct 25. Control valve 24 may
control the communication between additional duct or gas sink 31
and gas duct 25 through gas duct 28. In short, control valve 22 may
control the flow communication between return gas duct 29 and
bottle 2, control valve 23 may control the flow communication
between vacuum duct 30 and bottle 2, and control valve 24 may
control the flow communication between additional duct or gas sink
31 and bottle 2. A process for filling bottles is now described
with reference to FIG. 2b.
[0067] Each bottle 2 may first be evacuated by first closing liquid
valve 18. Control valves 22 and 24 may be closed and control valve
23 may be opened, possibly providing flow communication between
vacuum duct 30 and bottle 2 through gas ducts 27, 25, 25a, 25b, and
21.
[0068] After evacuation, bottle 2 may be purged with carbon
dioxide. carbon dioxide may be stored in return gas duct 29 and is
may be primarily supplied by gas displaced during filling of
bottles 2 but may also be supplied by gas sink 31 via connecting
line 32 at a bottling pressure. The purging of bottles 2 may
comprise closing valves 23 and 24 and opening control valve 22. In
this configuration, the interior of the bottle 2 may be placed in
flow communication with return gas duct 29 through gas ducts 21,
25b, 25a, 25 and 26. The evacuation and purging steps may be
repeated to obtain a desired purity of carbon dioxide in bottle
2.
[0069] A final pressurization of bottle 2 may be done by closing
control valves 22 and 23 and opening control valve 24, allowing or
possibly permitting carbon dioxide to flow from gas sink 31. Gas
sink 31 has carbon dioxide maintained proximate a bottling pressure
through connecting line 32. In other words, the gas sink 31 may
possibly permit carbon dioxide to be kept at a desired bottling
pressure through the connecting line 32.
[0070] Bottle 2 may then be filled with liquid through liquid
connection 14. To fill bottle 2 with a liquid, gas control valves
22 and 23 may be closed and control valve 24 may be opened. In this
configuration, gas sink 31 may be in flow communication with bottle
2. Liquid valve 18 may then be opened to allow or permit liquid to
flow through liquid connection 14 and liquid duct 13 into bottle
2.
[0071] During filling, carbon dioxide may be displaced from the
interior of bottle 2. This displaced carbon dioxide may enter gas
duct 21 and may flow into gas duct 25b. Gas duct 25b may be in flow
communication with gas ducts 21, 25a, and 25c. The gas may flow
into gas duct 25b from gas duct 21 since bottle 2 may be at or
above a bottling pressure. A portion of the gas may flow from 25b
into return gas duct 29 through gas duct 25c since gas duct 29 may
be below a bottling pressure. Gas duct 25c may have a flow
restrictor 25d and one way valve 33 regulating the flow of carbon
dioxide into return gas duct 29 through gas duct 26. This
regulation of flow of the carbon dioxide into return gas duct 29
may form a backpressure proximate flow restrictor 25d, possibly
increasing the pressure of carbon dioxide in gas duct 25c above the
carbon dioxide pressure in gas sink 31. Having gas control valve 24
open provides or possibly permits flow communication between gas
duct 25b and gas sink 31 through gas ducts 25a, 25, and 28.
Therefore, a portion of the gas displaced from bottle 2 during
filling may possibly enter gas sink 31. In at least one possible
embodiment, the volume of gas sink 31 may be sufficient to house
the displaced gas fed thereto. In at least one possible embodiment,
the volume of gas sink 31 may be larger than the volume of gas duct
32. Gas duct 32 may be in flow communication with the head space
15.2 of liquid space 15.1. Having a volume of gas sink 31
sufficient to hold the displaced carbon dioxide fed thereto
prevents, restricts, and/or minimizes the displaced gas to enter
head space 15.2, possibly keeping head space 15.2 substantially
free of oxygen.
[0072] A final or corrective filling of bottle 2, filling bottle 2
to a desired level, may be accomplished by closing control valve
24. With control valve 24 closed, the carbon dioxide may be
displaced into return gas duct 29 through gas duct 25c. At the end
of the final filling, return gas duct 29 may possibly be proximate
a bottling pressure.
[0073] In at least one possible embodiment, the quantity of carbon
dioxide exiting gas sink 31, during a final carbon dioxide
pressurization of bottle 2, may be greater than the amount of
carbon dioxide entering gas sink 31 during the liquid filling of
bottle 2 with liquid through liquid duct 13. In this embodiment,
the carbon dioxide displaced during filling, with control valve 24
open, may fill gas ducts 21, 25b, 25a, 25, and 25c. Since return
duct 29 may be below a bottling pressure, from purging, at the
beginning of the filling step a majority of carbon dioxide
displaced by the liquid in bottle 2 may flow into return gas duct
29. However, throttled gas connection 33 and/or flow restrictor 25d
may possibly create sufficient head pressure to divert a portion
into gas sink 31. Yet, the volume of gas sink 31 may be large
enough to hold the carbon dioxide flowing into gas sink 31 to
avoid, restrict, and/or minimize displaced carbon dioxide from
entering connecting line 32. Further, the volume of gas sink 31 may
not be too large so that gas sink 31 is substantially filled with
carbon dioxide from connecting line 32, during the final
pressurization step.
[0074] Gas sink 31 may be large enough to hold a portion of
displaced gas from bottle 2, which may be contaminated with oxygen,
and small enough to possibly be substantially flushed of oxygen for
each bottle 2 being filled in a filling run. This sizing of gas
sink 31 preventing, restricting, and/or minimizing oxygen from
entering connecting line 32 and head space 15.2 during a filling
run of bottles 2.
[0075] A first evacuation step of bottle 2 may comprise opening
valve 23, evacuating the oxygen in the bottle to vacuum duct 30.
Bottle 2 may then be filled with gas, carbon dioxide which may be
contaminated with oxygen, from return duct 29, by opening valve 22.
The evacuation and gas filling of bottle 2 may be repeated until
the oxygen concentration in bottle 2 may possibly be lowered to
about the oxygen concentration in return duct 29. The pressure in
bottle 2 and return duct 29 may be below a bottling pressure after
the evacuation and gas filling steps. Prior to liquid filling of
bottle 2, a final pressurization of bottle 2 may bring it up to
approximately the bottling pressure. The final pressurization of
bottle 2 may comprise opening valve 24 and pressurizing bottle 2
with the gas in gas sink 31. The volume of gas sink 31 may possibly
be small enough so that most all or a substantial portion of the
oxygen introduced into gas sink 31, during liquid filling, may be
displaced with makeup carbon dioxide from connecting line 32.
[0076] During liquid filling of bottle 2, valves 18 and 24 may be
opened and the head pressure of the liquid being introduced into
bottle 2, through valve 18, may force the gas into return duct 29
and gas sink 31. The gas displaced from bottle 2 may be
contaminated with oxygen. Since the pressure in return duct 29 is
below a bottling pressure, most or substantially most of the
displaced gas may flow into return duct 29. However, a portion of
the displaced gas may be diverted to gas sink 31 with flow
restrictor 25d and throttled gas connection 33. Gas sink 31 may
possibly be large enough to house the displaced gas diverted
thereto. In this respect, almost none or a small portion of the
oxygen contaminated gas, from bottle 2, may enter connecting line
32 and therefore may keep liquid 15.1 and head space 15.2
relatively free of oxygen. A corrective filling of bottle 2, with
valves 22, 23, and 24 closed, may force displaced gas into return
duct 29 and may bring return duct 29 approaching a bottling
pressure. Filling element 5 may now be ready to receive the next
bottle of a filling run. Optionally, valve 24 may be opened to
deliver gas from gas sink 31 to gas duct 29 through gas ducts 28,
25a, 25b, 25c, flow restrictor 25d, and throttled gas connection
33. This may possibly be done prior to filling a first bottle 2, in
a run of bottles 2, or anytime it may be desired to bring gas duct
29 up to a pressure approaching a bottling pressure.
[0077] In at least one embodiment, the volume of ducts 21, 25b,
25c, 25a, 26, 28, may be minimal as compared to the volume of gas
sink 31. In this respect, gas sink 31 may serve to achieve a low
consumption of carbon dioxide, in an economical manner, and avoid,
restrict, and/or minimize the absorption of oxygen by liquid 15.1
in bowl 15. The minimization of absorption of oxygen by liquid 15.1
may be highly desirable when filling bottles 2 with an oxygen
sensitive beverage. For example, the liquid 15.1 may be a
non-pasturized beverage that may require aseptic filling.
[0078] In at least one other embodiment, flow restrictor 25d and
throttled gas connection 33 may be configured to divert gas
displaced from bottle 2, during filling, in an amount that does not
exceed the volume of gas sink 31. For example, flow restrictor 25d
may have a diameter configured to divert a portion of the gas being
displaced from bottle 2 during spikes in gas pressure to gas sink
31. Also, the weighted throttle in throttled gas connection 33 may
have a desired weight for diverting a desired amount of displaced
gas to gas sink 31.
[0079] In at least one embodiment, the filling is controlled as a
function of the level of the liquid, and for this purpose each
filling element 5 of the filling machine has a probe 20 that
determines the filling level and during the filling process extends
with its probe tip into the respective bottle 2. Probe 20 may be an
electronic sensing probe, a float probe, or other type of probe as
is known in the art for sensing the liquid level in a container.
Liquid valve 18 may be controlled in response to the liquid level
sensed with probe 20 in the bottle 2 being filled.
[0080] In at least one embodiment, to prevent the liquid flowing
into the bottle 2 to splash or otherwise form bubbles may interfere
with sensing by probe 20 or may cause the liquid effervescent
beverage to absorb oxygen, a swirling mechanism is provided. Guide
elements 18b may be provided for the liquid, generally these
devices may be referred to as screens or shields. Guide elements
18b may be located on the external contour of the valve body 18.2
and may be configured to deflect the liquid and steer it toward the
bottle 2 wall in a swirling motion. For example, guide elements 18b
may be swirl inserts or torsion bodies and may be located inside
the liquid path and impart a rotational motion to the liquid, as a
result of which the liquid flows into bottle 2 in contact with the
inside wall of the bottle 2 by centrifugal force. A swirl effect of
the liquid may be realized with a swirler 18b in the form of a
flat, plane element. In at least one possible embodiment, the
liquid beverage is swirled into the bottles or containers 2 to
cause the liquid to travel across at least a substantial portion of
the interior surface of the bottles. A seal 18a may be located
proximate guide elements 18b to effectuate sealing with liquid
valve 18.
[0081] FIG. 4 shows schematically the main components of one
possible embodiment example of a system for filling containers,
specifically, a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles B with
at least one liquid beverage, in accordance with at least one
possible embodiment, in which system or plant could possibly be
utilized at least one aspect, or several aspects, of the
embodiments disclosed herein.
[0082] FIG. 4 shows a rinsing arrangement or rinsing station 101,
to which the containers, namely bottles B, are fed in the direction
of travel as indicated by the arrow A1, by a first conveyer
arrangement 103, which can be a linear conveyor or a combination of
a linear conveyor and a starwheel. Downstream of the rinsing
arrangement or rinsing station 101, in the direction of travel as
indicated by the arrow A 1, the rinsed bottles B are transported to
a beverage filling machine 105 by a second conveyer arrangement 104
that is formed, for example, by one or more starwheels that
introduce bottles B into the beverage filling machine 105.
[0083] The beverage filling machine 105 shown is of a revolving or
rotary design, with a rotor 105', which revolves around a central,
vertical machine axis. The rotor 105' is designed to receive and
hold the bottles B for filling at a plurality of filling positions
113 located about the periphery of the rotor 105'. At each of the
filling positions 103 is located a filling arrangement 114 having
at least one filling device, element, apparatus, or valve. The
filling arrangements 114 are designed to introduce a predetermined
volume or amount of liquid beverage into the interior of the
bottles B to a predetermined or desired level.
[0084] The filling arrangements 114 receive the liquid beverage
material from a toroidal or annular vessel 117, in which a supply
of liquid beverage material is stored under pressure by a gas. The
toroidal vessel 117 is a component, for example, of the revolving
rotor 105'. The toroidal vessel 117 can be connected by means of a
rotary coupling or a coupling that permits rotation. The toroidal
vessel 117 is also connected to at least one external reservoir or
supply of liquid beverage material by a conduit or supply line. In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, there are two external supply
reservoirs 123 and 124, each of which is configured to store either
the same liquid beverage product or different products. These
reservoirs 123, 124 are connected to the toroidal or annular vessel
117 by corresponding supply lines, conduits, or arrangements 121
and 122. The external supply reservoirs 123, 124 could be in the
form of simple storage tanks, or in the form of liquid beverage
product mixers, in at least one possible embodiment.
[0085] As well as the more typical filling machines having one
toroidal vessel, it is possible that in at least one possible
embodiment there could be a second toroidal or annular vessel which
contains a second product. In this case, each filling arrangement
114 could be connected by separate connections to each of the two
toroidal vessels and have two individually-controllable fluid or
control valves, so that in each bottle B, the first product or the
second product can be filled by means of an appropriate control of
the filling product or fluid valves.
[0086] Downstream of the beverage filling machine 105, in the
direction of travel of the bottles B, there can be a beverage
bottle closing arrangement or closing station 106 which closes or
caps the bottles B. The beverage bottle closing arrangement or
closing station 106 can be connected by a third conveyer
arrangement 107 to a beverage bottle labeling arrangement or
labeling station 108. The third conveyor arrangement may be formed,
for example, by a plurality of starwheels, or may also include a
linear conveyor device.
[0087] In the illustrated embodiment, the beverage bottle labeling
arrangement or labeling station 108 has at least one labeling unit,
device, or module, for applying labels to bottles B. In the
embodiment shown, the labeling arrangement 108 is connected by a
starwheel conveyer structure to three output conveyer arrangements:
a first output conveyer arrangement 109, a second output conveyer
arrangement 110, and a third output conveyer arrangement 111, all
of which convey filled, closed, and labeled bottles B to different
locations.
[0088] The first output conveyer arrangement 109, in the embodiment
shown, is designed to convey bottles B that are filled with a first
type of liquid beverage supplied by, for example, the supply
reservoir 123. The second output conveyer arrangement 110, in the
embodiment shown, is designed to convey bottles B that are filled
with a second type of liquid beverage supplied by, for example, the
supply reservoir 124. The third output conveyer arrangement 111, in
the embodiment shown, is designed to convey incorrectly labeled
bottles B. To further explain, the labeling arrangement 108 can
comprise at least one beverage bottle inspection or monitoring
device that inspects or monitors the location of labels on the
bottles B to determine if the labels have been correctly placed or
aligned on the bottles B. The third output conveyer arrangement 111
removes any bottles B which have been incorrectly labeled as
determined by the inspecting device.
[0089] The beverage bottling plant can be controlled by a central
control arrangement 112, which could be, for example, computerized
control system that monitors and controls the operation of the
various stations and mechanisms of the beverage bottling plant.
[0090] The description presented above refers exclusively to
filling systems which purge the containers to be filled at least
once before the actual filling to replace any air that comprises
oxygen in the containers with an inert gas. On account of the
number of process steps required and/or desired and the technical
complexity, this application presents the most challenging
technical requirements that are met by this present application. It
goes without saying that this present application can also be used
for filling systems that omit purging of the containers.
[0091] One feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the
time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside
broadly in a method for filling bottles or similar containers 2
with a liquid under counterpressure, using a filling machine 1
which has, on a rotor 3 a plurality of filling elements 5, a bowl
15 that is common to the filling elements 5, whereby the interior
of the bowl 15 forms a liquid space 15.1 which is occupied by the
liquid being bottled and a headspace 15.2 above the liquid for an
inert gas under pressure (filling pressure), and at least one
return gas duct which is common to the filling elements 5 or to
each of a group of filling elements 5, whereby before the filling,
the interior of the container 2 is pressurized by means of a
controlled gas path 21, 24, 28 of each filling element with inert
gas originating from the headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15 and at the
filling pressure, and during the filling at least some of the inert
gas is displaced from the containers 2 by the incoming liquid into
the at least one return gas duct 29, wherein the individual
container 2 is pressurized from at least one additional gas duct 31
that functions as a gas sink and is common to the filling element 5
or a group of filling elements 5, which additional gas duct 31 is
connected by means of at least one gas connection 32 to the
headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15.
[0092] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein at least the pressurization
of the containers 2 and the filling of the containers are performed
under counterpressure by controlling the gas paths of the filling
elements 5 such that, taking into consideration a gas exchange
between the filling elements 5, the quantity of inert gas taken
from the additional gas duct 31 during the pressurization is
greater than the quantity of gas displaced from the bottles 2 into
this additional gas duct 31 during the filling under
counterpressure.
[0093] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein inert gas is fed in a
controlled manner to the headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15 to maintain
the filling pressure.
[0094] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein the additional gas duct 31
that functions as a gas sink has a volume which is significantly
greater than the volume of the rotor-side gas connection 32 that
connects this gas duct 31 with the headspace 15.2 of the bowl
15.
[0095] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein the containers 2 are
pressurized exclusively from the additional gas duct 31 that
functions as a gas sink.
[0096] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein during the filling of the
containers 2, some of the inert gas is also displaced by means of a
controlled gas path 21, 24, 28 of each filling element into the
additional gas duct 31 that functions as the gas sink.
[0097] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein the pressurization is
preceded by a partial pressurization of the containers 2 by means
of a controlled gas path 21, 22, 26 of the individual filling
element 5 from the return gas duct 29.
[0098] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein before the pressurization or
before the partial pressurization, there is at least one purging of
the containers 2 via controlled gas paths 21, 22, 26 of the filling
elements 5 with inert gas.
[0099] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein the container 2 is flushed
with inert gas from the return gas duct 29.
[0100] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein before and/or after the
purging via controlled gas paths 21, 23, 27 of the filling elements
5, the container 2 which is in sealed contact with the respective
filling element 5 is evacuated.
[0101] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein carbon dioxide gas is used as
the inert gas.
[0102] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein under certain operating
conditions, return gas can be conducted by means of a controlled
gas path from the additional duct 31 to the return gas duct 29 or
from the connecting line 32 to the return gas duct 29.
[0103] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the method, wherein there is at least a one-time
evacuation or purging of the container prior to the filling of the
container.
[0104] One feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the
time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside
broadly in a filling machine with a rotary construction for the
filling of bottles or similar containers 2 with a liquid under
counterpressure, with a bowl 15 which is provided on a rotor 3 that
can be driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis, whereby
the interior of the bowl 15 forms a liquid space 15.1 which is
occupied by the liquid being bottled and a headspace 15.2 above the
surface of the liquid being bottled for an inert gas under pressure
(filling pressure), with a plurality of filling elements 5 located
on the periphery of the rotor 3, each of which has a fluid duct 13
which is in communication with the liquid space 15.1 of the bowl 15
and a discharge opening 17 with a controlled liquid valve 18, with
at least one common return gas duct 29 on the rotor which is common
to the filling elements 5 or a group of filling elements 5, and
with controlled gas paths 21, 22, 26; 21, 23, 27; 21, 24, 28
realized in the filling elements 5, by means of which gas paths the
individual container 2 to be filled and located in sealed contact
with a filling element 5 can be pressurized with an inert gas at
the filling pressure from the headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15, and
which makes possible a removal of the inert gas displaced from the
containers 2 during the filling at least partly to the return gas
duct 29, wherein on the rotor 3 for the filling elements 5 or for
each group of filling elements 5 at least one common additional gas
duct 31 that functions as a gas sink is provided, which is in
communication by means of at least one gas connection 32 with the
headspace 15.2 of the bowl, and with which the filling elements 5
are in communication with their controlled gas paths 21, 24, 28
which effect the pressurization of the containers 2.
[0105] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein the additional gas
duct 31 that functions as a gas sink has a volume which is greater
than the total volume of the rotor-side gas connection 23 which
connects this gas duct 31 with the headspace 15.2 of the bowl
15.
[0106] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein the at least one
additional gas duct 31 is in constant or substantially constant
communication with the headspace 15.2 of the bowl 15.
[0107] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, comprising means 16, 16.1
for the controlled feeding of inert gas into the headspace 15.2 of
the bowl 15 for the maintenance of the filling pressure.
[0108] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein on the rotor 3, at
least one vacuum duct 30 which is common to the filling elements 5
or to a group of filling elements 5 is provided, to which the
filling elements 5 are connected with at least one controlled gas
path 21, 23, 27 which is realized in the filling elements 5.
[0109] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein one gas duct 21 is
common to the gas paths realized in each filling element 5, which
gas duct 21 empties into the interior of the container that is
located in sealed contact with the related filling element 5.
[0110] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein the discharge
opening 17 of each filling element 5 is realized in the form of a
ring or partial ring so that it encircles a container-side opening
of the gas duct 21 which is common to the gas paths.
[0111] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein the filling elements
5 are filling elements without filler tubes.
[0112] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein there is a
controllable connecting line between the additional duct 31 and the
return gas duct 29 and/or the connecting line 32 and the return gas
duct 29.
[0113] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in the filling machine, wherein means are provided
for the evacuation and/or purging of the container.
[0114] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling beverage bottles with an
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material
under counterpressure using a beverage filling machine, said method
achieving a minimal consumption of carbon dioxide gas, minimizing
costs of bottling, and avoiding, restricting, and/or minimizing the
absorption of oxygen by the oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material in a liquid reservoir for filling the
beverage bottles and thereby maximizing the shelf life of said
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material,
said beverage filling machine comprising: a plurality of beverage
filling positions, each filling position comprising a beverage
filling device for filling a beverage bottle; a gas return duct
common to each filling device in said filling machine configured to
receive displaced carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle
during liquid filling and to supply carbon dioxide gas during
carbon dioxide gas filling of said beverage bottles; a gas sink
common to each filling device in said filling machine configured to
receive displaced carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle
during liquid filling and to supply carbon dioxide gas to said
beverage bottle during pressurizing said beverage bottle; a
connecting line supplying carbon dioxide gas to said gas sink from
a carbon dioxide head space in said liquid reservoir containing
said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling
material; said gas sink being large enough to contain at least the
volume of gas displaced thereto from said beverage bottle when
filling with said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage
filling material and small enough to be substantially flushed with
carbon dioxide gas from said connecting line during a pressurizing
step, thereby minimizing an amount of oxygen entering said
connecting line during liquid filling of said bottle; said
connecting line being configured to contain a smaller volume than a
volume configured to be contained by said gas sink and a volume
large enough to minimize an amount of oxygen that may enter a head
space in the liquid reservoir containing said oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material, upon any gas being
displaced from said gas sink to said connecting line, during liquid
filling of said bottle; a vacuum duct common to each filling device
in said filling machine; and a liquid connection configured to
deliver said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling
material from said liquid reservoir to each of said filling
devices; the method comprising the steps of: moving a beverage
bottle to be filled in sequence with other bottles to said filling
machine; elevating said beverage bottle to be filled to a
corresponding filling device thereby placing said beverage bottle
in a configuration to be in flow communication with said gas return
duct, said gas sink, said vacuum duct, and said liquid connection,
with the operation of one or more valves; sealing said beverage
bottle to be filled against the corresponding filling device;
evacuating said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device by
opening a first valve, thus providing flow communication between
said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device and said vacuum
duct; filling said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device
with carbon dioxide gas by closing said first valve and opening a
second valve, thus providing flow communication between said
beverage bottle sealed to said filling device and said gas return
duct; repeating said evacuating and said filling steps at least one
time to displace a desired amount of residual air present out of
said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device; pressurizing
said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device with carbon
dioxide gas by closing said second valve and opening a third valve,
thus providing flow communication between said beverage bottle
sealed to said filling device and said gas sink; maintaining a
bottling pressure in said gas sink by maintaining flow
communication between said gas sink and carbon dioxide gas in a
head space of a said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material for
filling; filling said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device
with an initial amount of said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material by opening a fourth valve, thus providing
flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to said
filling device and said liquid connection; displacing a first
volume of carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device into said gas return duct; displacing a second
volume of carbon dioxide gas from said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device into said gas sink; said first volume of carbon
dioxide gas being greater than said second volume of carbon dioxide
gas, thereby minimizing an amount of oxygen entering said gas sink;
said second volume of carbon dioxide gas being less than a volume
of said gas sink, thereby minimizing an amount of oxygen entering
said connecting line; said second volume of carbon dioxide gas
being less than a volume of carbon dioxide gas flowing from said
head space of said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material to said gas
sink during said step of maintaining a bottling pressure in said
gas sink, said second volume of carbon dioxide gas and said volume
of carbon dioxide gas flowing into said gas sink, during said
maintaining step, providing a sum of the volume of said carbon
dioxide gas flowing into said gas sink from said carbon dioxide gas
in a head space of a said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen
sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material and carbon
dioxide gas flowing out of said gas sink to said beverage bottle
sealed to said filling device, the sum of said carbon dioxide gas
flowing into and out of said gas sink resulting in a flow of carbon
dioxide gas from said head space of a said liquid reservoir
containing said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage
filling material to said bottle sealed to said filling device,
minimizing contamination of said carbon dioxide gas, in said head
space of a said liquid reservoir containing said oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material, with said displaced
gas; filling said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device
with a final amount of said oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material by closing said third valve, thus
providing flow communication between said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device and said liquid connection and said gas return
duct; displacing a third volume of carbon dioxide gas from said
beverage bottle sealed to said filling device into said gas return
duct; sensing the level of oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material in said beverage bottle sealed to said
filling device; stopping the filling of said beverage bottle sealed
to said filling device upon said sensed level of oxygen sensitive
effervescent liquid beverage filling material in said beverage
bottle sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level;
calming the oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling
material in said beverage bottle sealed to said filling device for
a predetermined period of time to attain a pressure below the
carbonating material saturation pressure and thus reducing excess
bubbles; reducing the pressure in said beverage bottle sealed to
said filling device to a final pressure; distancing said filled
beverage bottle filled with oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid
beverage filling material from the sealing relationship with the
corresponding filling device; and removing said filled beverage
bottle from said filling machine.
[0115] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling beverage bottles with an
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material
under counterpressure wherein each filling device is disposed
proximate a perimeter of a rotor at a substantially equal distance
from one another.
[0116] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling beverage bottles with an
oxygen sensitive effervescent liquid beverage filling material
under counterpressure comprising a step of providing flow
communication between said gas sink and said gas return duct, prior
to filling a first beverage bottle in a run of beverage bottles to
be filled.
[0117] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure, the method comprising the
steps of: moving a container to be filled in sequence with other
containers to a filling machine; sealing said container to be
filled against a corresponding filling device in said filling
machine, thus enabling flow communication between the container to
be filled and a gas return duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive
material connection; pressurizing said container sealed to said
filling device with an inert gas, substantially unreactive with
said sensitive material, by providing flow communication between
said container sealed to said filling device and said gas chamber;
maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining
flow communication between said gas chamber and a supply of said
inert gas, said gas chamber being maintained in flow communication
with said supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line,
said gas chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a
volume of said inert gas configured to be contained by said
connecting line; filling said container sealed to said filling
device with said gas sensitive material by providing flow
communication between said container sealed to said filling device
and said gas sensitive material connection; displacing a first
portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas return duct; displacing a second portion of gas from
said container sealed to said filling device into said gas chamber;
said second portion of gas being less than a portion of said inert
gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to said gas chamber
during said step of maintaining a filling pressure in said gas
chamber; sensing a level of said gas sensitive material in said
container sealed to said filling device; stopping the filling of
said container sealed to said filling device upon said sensed level
of said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to said
filling device reaching a desired level; distancing said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and removing said filled container from said
filling machine.
[0118] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a means for performing a method for filling
containers with a gas sensitive material under counterpressure said
means comprising: means for moving a container to be filled in
sequence with other containers to a filling machine; means for
sealing said container to be filled against a corresponding filling
device in said filling machine, thus enabling flow communication
between the container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas
chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; means for
pressurizing said container sealed to said filling device with an
inert gas, substantially unreactive with said sensitive material,
by providing flow communication between said container sealed to
said filling device and said gas chamber; means for maintaining a
filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow
communication between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert
gas, said gas chamber being maintained in flow communication with
said supply of inert gas through an inert gas connecting line, said
gas chamber being configured to contain a larger volume than a
volume of said inert gas configured to be contained by said
connecting line; means for filling said container sealed to said
filling device with said gas sensitive material by providing flow
communication between said container sealed to said filling device
and said gas sensitive material connection; means for displacing a
first portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling
device into said gas return duct; means for displacing a second
portion of gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less than a
portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to
said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling pressure
in said gas chamber; means for sensing a level of said gas
sensitive material in said container sealed to said filling device;
means for stopping the filling of said container sealed to said
filling device upon said sensed level of said gas sensitive
material in said container sealed to said filling device reaching a
desired level; means for distancing said filled container from the
sealing relationship with the corresponding filling device; and
means for removing said filled container from said filling
machine.
[0119] One feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the
time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside
broadly in a container filling machine for a method for filling
containers with a gas sensitive material under counterpressure
comprising: a container moving arrangement configured to move a
container to be filled in sequence with other containers to a
filling machine; a container sealing arrangement configured to seal
said container to be filled against a corresponding filling device
in said filling machine, thus enabling flow communication between
the container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas chamber,
and a gas sensitive material connection; a container pressurizing
arrangement configured to pressurize said container sealed to said
filling device with an inert gas, substantially unreactive with
said sensitive material, by providing flow communication between
said container sealed to said filling device and said gas chamber;
a first gas connecting arrangement configured to maintain a filling
pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow communication
between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert gas, said gas
chamber being maintained in flow communication with said supply of
inert gas through an inert gas connecting line, said gas chamber
being configured to contain a larger volume than a volume of said
inert gas configured to be contained by said connecting line; a gas
sensitive material filling arrangement configured to fill said
container sealed to said filling device with said gas sensitive
material by providing flow communication between said container
sealed to said filling device and said gas sensitive material
connection; a second gas connecting arrangement configured to
deliver a first portion of displaced gas from said container sealed
to said filling device into said gas return duct; a third gas
connecting arrangement configured to deliver a second portion of
displaced gas from said container sealed to said filling device
into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less than a
portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert gas to
said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling pressure
in said gas chamber; a sensing arrangement configured to sense a
level of said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to
said filling device; a stopping arrangement configured to stop the
filling of said container sealed to said filling device upon said
sensed level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level; a container
moving arrangement configured to distance said filled container
from the sealing relationship with the corresponding filling
device; and a container moving arrangement configured to remove
said filled container from said filling machine.
[0120] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein said supply of
inert gas and a supply of said gas sensitive material are
maintained in a reservoir common to a plurality of filling
devices.
[0121] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein said reservoir is
maintained at a filling pressure with the addition of inert gas and
gas sensitive material and maintaining a head pressure of inert gas
above said gas sensitive material in said reservoir.
[0122] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure comprising a step of
providing flow connection between said gas chamber and said gas
return duct, prior to filling a container in a run of containers to
be filled.
[0123] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein said filling
machine further comprises a vacuum duct, said method further
comprising the steps of: evacuating said container sealed to said
filling device, at least once, by providing flow connection between
said container sealed to said filling device and said vacuum duct;
filling, after said at least one evacuation, said container sealed
to said filling device with said inert gas by providing flow
connection between said container sealed to said filling device and
said gas return duct.
[0124] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure comprising at least one of
a), b), c), d), e), and f): a) said gas chamber is directly
connected with said supply of inert gas and said inert gas
connecting line has no valve controlling the flow of said inert gas
therethrough; b) said gas chamber and said gas return duct are in
valved flow connection with one another; c) said gas return duct
comprises a single gas return duct which is in flow connection with
a plurality of filling devices in said filling machine; d) said gas
chamber comprises a single gas chamber in flow connection with a
plurality of filling devices in said filling machine; e) said
filling machine comprising a plurality of filling devices disposed
proximate a perimeter of a rotor at a substantially equal distance
from one another; and f) said inert gas is carbon dioxide and said
gas sensitive material is an effervescent liquid.
[0125] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure, the method comprising the
steps of: moving a container to be filled in sequence with other
containers to a filling machine; sealing said container to be
filled against a corresponding filling device in said filling
machine, thus enabling flow connection between the container to be
filled and a gas return duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive
material connection; pressurizing said container sealed to said
filling device with an inert gas, substantially unreactive with
said sensitive material, by providing flow connection between said
container sealed to said filling device and said gas chamber;
maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining
flow connection between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert
gas; filling said container sealed to said filling device with said
gas sensitive material by providing flow connection between said
container sealed to said filling device and said gas sensitive
material connection; displacing a first portion of gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas return duct;
displacing a second portion of gas from said container sealed to
said filling device into said gas chamber; said second portion of
gas being less than a portion of said inert gas flowing from said
supply of inert gas to said gas chamber during said step of
maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber, said second
portion of gas and said portion of gas flowing into said gas
chamber, during said maintaining step, providing a sum of the
volume of said inert gas flowing into said gas chamber from said
supply of inert gas and inert gas flowing out of said gas chamber
to said container sealed to said filling device, the sum of said
inert gas flowing into and out of said gas chamber resulting in a
flow of inert gas from said supply of inert gas to said container
sealed to said filling device, minimizing contamination of said
inert gas, in said supply of inert gas, with said displaced gas;
sensing a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; stopping the filling of said
container sealed to said filling device upon said sensed level of
said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to said
filling device reaching a desired level; distancing said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and removing said filled container from said
filling machine.
[0126] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a container filling machine for a method for
filling containers with a gas sensitive material under
counterpressure comprising: a container moving arrangement being
configured to move a container to be filled in sequence with other
containers to a filling machine; a container sealing arrangement
configured to seal said container to be filled against a
corresponding filling device in said filling machine, thus enabling
flow connection between the container to be filled and a gas return
duct, a gas chamber, and a gas sensitive material connection; a
container pressurizing arrangement configured to pressurize said
container sealed to said filling device with an inert gas,
substantially unreactive with said sensitive material, by providing
flow connection between said container sealed to said filling
device and said gas chamber; a first gas connecting arrangement
configured to maintain a filling pressure in said gas chamber by
maintaining flow connection between said gas chamber and a supply
of said inert gas; a gas sensitive material filling arrangement
configured to fill said container sealed to said filling device
with said gas sensitive material by providing flow connection
between said container sealed to said filling device and said gas
sensitive material connection; a second gas connecting arrangement
configured to deliver a first portion of displace gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas return duct;
a third gas connecting arrangement configured to deliver a second
portion displaced gas from said container sealed to said filling
device into said gas chamber, said second portion of gas being less
than a portion of said inert gas flowing from said supply of inert
gas to said gas chamber during said step of maintaining a filling
pressure in said gas chamber, said second portion of gas and said
portion of gas flowing into said gas chamber, during said
maintaining step, providing a sum of said inert gas flowing into
said gas chamber from said supply of inert gas and inert gas
flowing out of said gas chamber to said container sealed to said
filling device, the sum of said inert gas flowing into and out of
said gas chamber resulting in a flow of inert gas from said supply
of inert gas to said container sealed to said filling device,
minimizing contamination of said inert gas, in said supply of inert
gas, with said displaced gas; a sensing arrangement configured to
sense a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; a stopping arrangement configured to
stop the filling of said container sealed to said filling device
upon said sensed level of said gas sensitive material in said
container sealed to said filling device reaching a desired level; a
container moving arrangement configured to distance said filled
container from the sealing relationship with the corresponding
filling device; and a container moving arrangement configured to
remove said filled container from said filling machine.
[0127] A further feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a means for a method for filling containers with
a gas sensitive material under counterpressure, said means
comprising: means for moving a container to be filled in sequence
with other containers to a filling machine; means for sealing said
container to be filled against a corresponding filling device in
said filling machine, thus enabling flow connection between the
container to be filled and a gas return duct, a gas chamber, and a
gas sensitive material connection; means for pressurizing said
container sealed to said filling device with an inert gas,
substantially unreactive with said sensitive material, by providing
flow connection between said container sealed to said filling
device and said gas chamber; means for maintaining a filling
pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining flow connection between
said gas chamber and a supply of said inert gas; means for filling
said container sealed to said filling device with said gas
sensitive material by providing flow connection between said
container sealed to said filling device and said gas sensitive
material connection; means for displacing a first portion of gas
from said container sealed to said filling device into said gas
return duct; means for displacing a second portion of gas from said
container sealed to said filling device into said gas chamber, said
second portion of gas being less than a portion of said inert gas
flowing from said supply of inert gas to said gas chamber during
said step of maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber,
said second portion of gas and said portion of gas flowing into
said gas chamber, during said maintaining step, providing a sum of
said inert gas flowing into said gas chamber from said supply of
inert gas and inert gas flowing out of said gas chamber to said
container sealed to said filling device, the sum of said inert gas
flowing into and out of said gas chamber resulting in a flow of
inert gas from said supply of inert gas to said container sealed to
said filling device, minimizing contamination of said inert gas, in
said supply of inert gas, with said displaced gas; means for
sensing a level of said gas sensitive material in said container
sealed to said filling device; means for stopping the filling of
said container sealed to said filling device upon said sensed level
of said gas sensitive material in said container sealed to said
filling device reaching a desired level; means for distancing said
filled container from the sealing relationship with the
corresponding filling device; and means for removing said filled
container from said filling machine.
[0128] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein the step of
maintaining a filling pressure in said gas chamber by maintaining
flow connection between said gas chamber and a supply of said inert
gas is carried out by maintaining said gas chamber in flow
connection with said supply of inert gas through an inert gas
connecting line, said gas chamber being configured to contain a
larger volume than a volume configured to be contained by said
inert gas connecting line.
[0129] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein said supply of
inert gas and a supply of said gas sensitive material are
maintained in a reservoir common to a plurality of filling
devices.
[0130] One feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at the
time of the filing of this patent application to possibly reside
broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas sensitive
material under counterpressure wherein said reservoir is maintained
at a filling pressure with the addition of inert gas and gas
sensitive material and maintaining a head pressure of inert gas
above said gas sensitive material in said reservoir.
[0131] Another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed at
the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure comprising a step of
providing flow connection between said gas chamber and said gas
return duct, prior to filling a first container in a run of
containers to be filled.
[0132] Yet another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure wherein said filling
machine further comprises a vacuum duct, said method further
comprising the steps of: evacuating said container sealed to said
filling device, at least once, by providing flow connection between
said container sealed to said filling device and said vacuum duct;
filling, after said at least one evacuation, said container sealed
to said filling device with said inert gas by providing flow
connection between said container sealed to said filling device and
said gas return duct.
[0133] Still another feature or aspect of an embodiment is believed
at the time of the filing of this patent application to possibly
reside broadly in a method for filling containers with a gas
sensitive material under counterpressure comprising at least one of
a), b), c), d), e), and f): a) said gas chamber is directly
connected with said supply of inert gas and said inert gas
connecting line has no valve controlling the flow of said inert gas
therethrough; b) said gas chamber and said gas return duct are in
valved flow connection with one another; c) said gas return duct
comprises a single gas return duct which is in flow connection with
a plurality of filling devices in said filling machine; d) said gas
chamber comprises a single gas chamber in flow connection with a
plurality of filling devices in said filling machine; e) said
filling machine comprising a plurality of filling devices disposed
proximate a perimeter of a rotor at a substantially equal distance
from one another; and f) said inert gas is carbon dioxide and said
gas sensitive material is an effervescent liquid.
[0134] The components disclosed in the various publications,
disclosed or incorporated by reference herein, may possibly be used
in possible embodiments of the present invention, as well as
equivalents thereof.
[0135] The purpose of the statements about the technical field is
generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public
to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this
patent application. The description of the technical field is
believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to
adequately describe the technical field of this patent application.
However, the description of the technical field may not be
completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this
patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent
application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from
this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to
the technical field are not intended to limit the claims in any
manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any
manner.
[0136] The appended drawings in their entirety, including all
dimensions, proportions and/or shapes in at least one embodiment of
the invention, are accurate and are hereby included by reference
into this specification.
[0137] The background information is believed, at the time of the
filing of this patent application, to adequately provide background
information for this patent application. However, the background
information may not be completely applicable to the claims as
originally filed in this patent application, as amended during
prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed
in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any
statements made relating to the background information are not
intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be
interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
[0138] All, or substantially all, of the components and methods of
the various embodiments may be used with at least one embodiment or
all of the embodiments, if more than one embodiment is described
herein.
[0139] The purpose of the statements about the object or objects is
generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public
to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this
patent application. The description of the object or objects is
believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to
adequately describe the object or objects of this patent
application. However, the description of the object or objects may
not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in
this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this
patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing
from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made
relating to the object or objects are not intended to limit the
claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the
claims in any manner.
[0140] All of the patents, patent applications and publications
recited herein, and in the Declaration attached hereto, are hereby
incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety
herein.
[0141] The summary is believed, at the time of the filing of this
patent application, to adequately summarize this patent
application. However, portions or all of the information contained
in the summary may not be completely applicable to the claims as
originally filed in this patent application, as amended during
prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed
in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any
statements made relating to the summary are not intended to limit
the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting
the claims in any manner.
[0142] It will be understood that the examples of patents,
published patent applications, and other documents which are
included in this application and which are referred to in
paragraphs which state "Some examples of . . . which may possibly
be used in at least one possible embodiment of the present
application . . . " may possibly not be used or useable in any one
or more embodiments of the application.
[0143] The sentence immediately above relates to patents, published
patent applications and other documents either incorporated by
reference or not incorporated by reference.
[0144] All of the patents, patent applications or patent
publications, which were cited in the German Office Action dated
Jan. 28, 2008, and/or cited elsewhere are hereby incorporated by
reference as if set forth in their entirety herein as follows: DE
42 01 698, having the following English translation of the German
title "Method for filling bottles or similar containers with a
liquid product and apparatus for carrying-out this method,"
published on Jul. 29, 1993.
[0145] All of the patents, patent applications or patent
publications, which were cited in the International Search Report
dated Apr. 25, 2008, and/or cited elsewhere are hereby incorporated
by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein as follows:
EP 1,216,952, having the following English translation of the
German title "Filling machine," published on Jun. 26, 2002; EP
1,162,167, having the following English translation of the German
title "Method and device for filling bottles, cans and similar
containers with a liquid product," published on Dec. 12, 2001; and
EP 1,584,601, having the following English translation of the
German title "Filling machine of the rotary type," published on
Oct. 12, 2005.
[0146] Some examples of methods for determining parameters such as
the filling volume, the empty volume, and the filling height which
may possibly be utilized or adapted for use in at least one
possible embodiment may possibly be found in the following U.S.
patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,964, invented by Clusserath, published
on Oct. 15, 2002 and entitled "Method of operating a machine for
filling bottles, cans or the like beverage containers with a
beverage, and a beverage container filling machine"; U.S. Pat. No.
4,134,407, issued to Elam on Jan. 16, 1979 and entitled "External
pressure-volume monitor"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,757 issued to Cohn on
Aug. 11, 1981 and entitled "Device for detecting rate of change in
pressure"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,412 issued to Goldhammer on Jul. 5,
1983 and entitled "Apparatus for limiting filling height of
containers"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,342 issued to Urman et al. on Aug.
23, 1988 and entitled "Timed drift compensation for rate volume
monitor"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,456 issued to Urman et al. on Nov.
29, 1988 and entitled "Variable threshold for rate volume monitor";
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,687 issued to Lampotang et al. on May 29, 1990
and entitled "CO 2 diagnostic monitor"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,653
issued to Kidd et al. on Apr. 16, 1991 and entitled "Fluid detector
with overfill probe"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,208 issued to Sreepada et
al. on May 5, 1992 and entitled "Measurement of average density and
relative volumes in a dispersed two-phase fluid"; U.S. Pat. No.
5,244,550 issued to Inoue on Sep. 14, 1993 and entitled "Two liquid
separating methods and apparatuses for implementing them"; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,279,157 issued to Mattis et al. on Jan. 18, 1994 and
entitled "Liquid level monitor"; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,470 issued
to Bahr on Aug. 8, 2000 and entitled "Monitor for diffusable
chemical substance", all of these U.S. patents being hereby
expressly incorporated by reference as if set forth in their
entirety herein.
[0147] Some examples of electric probes which may possibly be
utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may
possibly be found in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No.
5,190,084 issued to Diehl et al. on May 3, 1991 and entitled
"Filling element for filling machines for dispensing liquid"; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,903,530 issued to Hull on Dec. 8, 1988 and entitled
"Liquid level sensing system"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,783 issued to
Maier on Apr. 28, 1987 and entitled "Apparatus and method for
determining liquid levels"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,129 issued on
Jul. 11, 1988 to Jones et al. and entitled "Liquid dispensing
module" which U.S. patent is hereby expressly incorporated by
reference as if set forth in its entirety herein.
[0148] Some examples of swirl-inducing devices that may possibly be
utilized or adapted for use in at least one possible embodiment may
possibly be found in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. Pub. No.
2005/0257499, entitled "Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles
with a liquid beverage material having a filling machine", invented
by Krulitsch, published on Nov. 24, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,253,
entitled "Apparatus for filling vessels with liquid;" U.S. Pat. No.
5,190,084, entitled "Filling element for filling machines for
dispensing liquid;" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,847, entitled "Filling
machine filling element having no filling tube."
[0149] The patents, patent applications, and patent publication
listed above in the preceding five paragraphs are herein
incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety. The
purpose of incorporating U.S. patents, Foreign patents,
publications, etc. is solely to provide additional information
relating to technical features of one or more embodiments, which
information may not be completely disclosed in the wording in the
pages of this application. Words relating to the opinions and
judgments of the author and not directly relating to the technical
details of the description of the embodiments therein are not
incorporated by reference. The words all, always, absolutely,
consistently, preferably, guarantee, particularly, constantly,
ensure, necessarily, immediately, endlessly, avoid, exactly,
continually, expediently, need, must, only, perpetual, precise,
perfect, require, requisite, simultaneous, total, unavoidable, and
unnecessary, or words substantially equivalent to the
above-mentioned words in this sentence, when not used to describe
technical features of one or more embodiments, are not considered
to be incorporated by reference herein.
[0150] The corresponding foreign and international patent
publication applications, namely, Federal Republic of Germany
Patent Application No. 10 2007 009 435.5, filed on Feb. 23, 2007,
having inventors Ludwig CLUSSERATH, Dieter-Rudolf KRULITSCH, and
Manfred HARTEL, and DE-OS 10 2007 009 435.5 and DE-PS 10 2007 009
435.5, and International Application No. PCT/EP2008/000316, filed
on Jan. 17, 2008, having WIPO Publication No. WO 2008/101572 and
inventors Ludwig CLUSSERATH, Dieter-Rudolf KRULITSCH, and Manfred
HARTEL, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in
their entirety herein for the purpose of correcting and explaining
any possible misinterpretations of the English translation thereof.
In addition, the published equivalents of the above corresponding
foreign and international patent publication applications, and
other equivalents or corresponding applications, if any, in
corresponding cases in the Federal Republic of Germany and
elsewhere, and the references and documents cited in any of the
documents cited herein, such as the patents, patent applications
and publications, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set
forth in their entirety herein.
[0151] The purpose of incorporating the corresponding foreign
equivalent patent application(s), that is, PCT/EP2008/000316 and
German Patent Application 10 2007 009 435.5, is solely for the
purpose of providing a basis of correction of any wording in the
pages of the present application, which may have been mistranslated
or misinterpreted by the translator. Words relating to opinions and
judgments of the author and not directly relating to the technical
details of the description of the embodiments therein are not to be
incorporated by reference. The words all, always, absolutely,
consistently, preferably, guarantee, particularly, constantly,
ensure, necessarily, immediately, endlessly, avoid, exactly,
continually, expediently, need, must, only, perpetual, precise,
perfect, require, requisite, simultaneous, total, unavoidable, and
unnecessary, or words substantially equivalent to the
above-mentioned word in this sentence, when not used to describe
technical features of one or more embodiments, are not generally
considered to be incorporated by reference herein.
[0152] Statements made in the original foreign patent applications
PCT/EP2008/000316 and DE 10 2007 009 435.5 from which this patent
application claims priority which do not have to do with the
correction of the translation in this patent application are not to
be included in this patent application in the incorporation by
reference.
[0153] Any statements about admissions of prior art in the original
foreign patent applications PCT/EP2008/000316 and DE 10 2007 009
435.5 are not to be included in this patent application in the
incorporation by reference, since the laws relating to prior art in
non-U.S. Patent Offices and courts may be substantially different
from the Patent Laws of the United States.
[0154] All of the references and documents, cited in any of the
documents cited herein, are hereby incorporated by reference as if
set forth in their entirety herein. All of the documents cited
herein, referred to in the immediately preceding sentence, include
all of the patents, patent applications and publications cited
anywhere in the present application.
[0155] The description of the embodiment or embodiments is
believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to
adequately describe the embodiment or embodiments of this patent
application. However, portions of the description of the embodiment
or embodiments may not be completely applicable to the claims as
originally filed in this patent application, as amended during
prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed
in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any
statements made relating to the embodiment or embodiments are not
intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be
interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
[0156] The details in the patents, patent applications and
publications may be considered to be incorporable, at applicant's
option, into the claims during prosecution as further limitations
in the claims to patentably distinguish any amended claims from any
applied prior art.
[0157] The purpose of the title of this patent application is
generally to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public
to determine quickly, from a cursory inspection, the nature of this
patent application. The title is believed, at the time of the
filing of this patent application, to adequately reflect the
general nature of this patent application. However, the title may
not be completely applicable to the technical field, the object or
objects, the summary, the description of the embodiment or
embodiments, and the claims as originally filed in this patent
application, as amended during prosecution of this patent
application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from
this patent application. Therefore, the title is not intended to
limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as
limiting the claims in any manner.
[0158] The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as
required by 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R.
.sctn.1.72(b): [0159] 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.
[0160] The embodiments of the invention described herein above in
the context of the preferred embodiments are not to be taken as
limiting the embodiments of the invention to all of the provided
details thereof, since modifications and variations thereof may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments
of the invention.
AT LEAST PARTIAL NOMENCLATURE
[0161] 1 Filling and capping machine [0162] 2 Bottles [0163] 2.1
Flow of containers [0164] 3 Rotor of the actual filling machine
[0165] 4 Filling position [0166] 5 Filling element [0167] 6
Container carrier [0168] 7 Conveyor [0169] 8 Container or machine
inlet [0170] 9 Outlet or transfer star wheel [0171] 10 Capper
[0172] 11 Machine outlet [0173] 12 Housing of the filling element 5
[0174] 13 Liquid duct [0175] 14 Liquid connection [0176] 15 Bowl
[0177] 15.1 Liquid space [0178] 15.2 Headspace [0179] 15.3 Supply
connection [0180] 16 Carbon dioxide gas supply line [0181] 16.1
Control valve [0182] 17 Discharge opening [0183] 17.1 Seal at
discharge opening 17 [0184] 18 Liquid valve [0185] 18.1 Tappet
[0186] 18.2 Valve body [0187] 19 Actuator element [0188] 20 Probe
[0189] 21 Gas duct [0190] 22, 23, 24 Control valve [0191] 25-28 Gas
duct [0192] 29 Return gas duct [0193] 30 Vacuum duct [0194] 31
Additional duct or gas sink [0195] 32 Connecting line [0196] 33
Throttled gas connection in the filling element 5 [0197] A
Direction of rotation of the rotor [0198] B Direction of flow in
the line 32 [0199] W1-W11 Angular sectors of the rotational motion
of rotor 3
* * * * *