U.S. patent application number 14/131063 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-22 for method and linear installation for filling containers with a filling material.
The applicant listed for this patent is Thomas Niehr. Invention is credited to Thomas Niehr.
Application Number | 20140137521 14/131063 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47426570 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140137521 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Niehr; Thomas |
May 22, 2014 |
METHOD AND LINEAR INSTALLATION FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH A
FILLING MATERIAL
Abstract
A method for filling containers with a filling material and
subsequently sealing the filled containers with container closures
includes, using a linear transporter, moving the containers in a
container-transport direction and in a timed manner, toward a
sealing device, at the sealing device, sealing the containers with
a container closure during a stationary phase of a timed movement,
moving the containers onward in a subsequent movement phase of the
timed movement, and during the subsequent movement phase, and
before applying a container closure on the containers, dosing
headspaces of the containers with liquid nitrogen to force air out
of the headspace and to achieve an internal pressure in the sealed
containers.
Inventors: |
Niehr; Thomas; (Bad Munster
am Stein Ebernburg, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Niehr; Thomas |
Bad Munster am Stein Ebernburg |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
47426570 |
Appl. No.: |
14/131063 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
June 2, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/002348 |
371 Date: |
January 6, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/467 ;
53/510 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 31/006 20130101;
B65B 7/2807 20130101; B65B 31/025 20130101; B65B 31/041 20130101;
B65B 31/043 20130101; B67C 3/222 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/467 ;
53/510 |
International
Class: |
B65B 31/02 20060101
B65B031/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 5, 2011 |
DE |
10 2011 106 760.8 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A method for filling containers with a filling material and
subsequently sealing said filled containers with container
closures, said method comprising using a linear transporter, moving
said containers in a container-transport direction and in a timed
manner, toward a sealing device, at said sealing device, sealing
said containers with a container closure during a stationary phase
of a timed movement, moving said containers onward in a subsequent
movement phase of said timed movement, and during said subsequent
movement phase, and before applying a container closure on said
containers, dosing headspaces of said containers with liquid
nitrogen to force air out of said headspace and to achieve an
internal pressure in said sealed containers.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein dosing headspaces of said
containers with liquid nitrogen comprises arranging a dosing nozzle
such that a jet of nitrogen emerging from said dosing nozzle has a
component of velocity oriented along a container transport
direction.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said container closure is a
cap-type container closure having an interior, said method further
comprising charging said interior to force out air using nitrogen
emerging from said dosing nozzle.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising, after dosing
headspaces of said containers with liquid nitrogen, placing
container closures on said containers in way such that said
closures are fixed in an area of said container mouth, and gas can
continue to escape from said headspace.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, after a further
movement phase, finally fixing said container closures at a sealing
station.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein dosing headspaces of said
container with liquid nitrogen comprises placing said containers in
a sterile chamber.
22. The method of claim 16, further comprising filling said
containers, wherein filling said containers and sealing said
containers occur together with dosing a headspace of said container
with liquid nitrogen on a number of parallel movement paths.
23. An apparatus for filling and sealing containers with liquid
filling material, said apparatus comprising a linear installation
comprising a linear transporter for moving said containers along a
movement path, a filling section, and a sealing section, wherein
said linear transporter is configured to move said containers along
said movement path in a timed movement through said filling section
and said sealing section, a dosing nozzle disposed above said
movement path, said dosing nozzle being disposed to dose headspaces
of filled containers with nitrogen during said timed movement of
said containers.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said dosing nozzle is
disposed along said movement path between said filling station and
a closure transfer station.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a distance between said
dosing nozzle and said closure transfer station is smaller than a
length of a movement step of said timed movement.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said closure transfer
station comprises a closure supply station at which container
closures are arranged, and wherein said dosing nozzle is disposed
on a level below a level at which said container closures are
arranged.
27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said closure transfer
station is configured for loose application of container
closures.
28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said nozzle extends along a
nozzle axis, wherein said movement path extends along a container
transport direction, and wherein said nozzle axis and said
container transport direction define an acute angle that opens in a
direction opposite said container transport direction.
29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a nitrogen dosing
station, wherein said dosing nozzle comprises a nozzle head of said
nitrogen dosing station and a channel, said channel being inclined
against said container transport direction.
30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a sterile chamber
into which container mounts are moved.
31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising functional
elements that interact directly with said containers during filling
and sealing thereof, wherein said functional elements are disposed
in said sterile chamber, and wherein said nozzle is disposed in
said sterile, and wherein remaining functional elements are
disposed outside said sterile chamber.
32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for
cleaning said sterile chamber and functional elements disposed in
said sterile chamber, wherein said means for cleaning with a
cleaning medium.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising means for
supplying said cleaning medium and means for removing said cleaning
medium from a movement area in which containers move during a
filling and sealing operation.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the national stage entry under 35 USC
371 of PCT application PCT/EP2012/002348, filed on Jun. 2, 2012,
which claims the benefit of the Jul. 5, 2011 priority date of
German application DE 10 2011 106 760.8, the contents of which are
herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns a method and apparatus for filling
containers.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The dosed introduction of liquid nitrogen in the headspace
of filled containers is known in particular in the drinks industry,
in order on the one hand to force air and thus oxygen out of the
headspace by the evaporation or degassing of the nitrogen (oxygen
reduction), but on the other hand to generate an internal pressure
in the sealed container, so that in this way an adequate stability
is achieved even for thin-walled containers, i.e. low-weight
containers, and thus the use of containers of this kind is
possible. In particular, in the case of oxygen-sensitive products
or filling materials, their shelf-life and quality is substantially
improved due to the oxygen reduction in the headspace of the
containers, e.g. the vitamin C decomposition in relevant drinks is
reduced.
[0004] Also known is the sterile filling and sealing of containers,
in particular, the sterilization of the closures used for sealing
by charging with a suitable sterilization medium, for example with
aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2) at a high concentration
and by subsequent drying immediately before the use of the
particular container closure (EP 1 741 666 A2, EP 0 993 418 B1, EP
1 175 343 B1).
SUMMARY
[0005] The aim of the invention is to disclose a method by which
the filling and sealing of containers is possible with the
admission of nitrogen, preferably liquid nitrogen, at least into
the headspace of the filled container, with optimum oxygen
reduction and however at a sufficient internal pressure of the
container, preferably a pressure above atmospheric in the
particular filled container.
[0006] In the invention, the charging of the containers or the
headspace of the containers not taken up by the filling material,
with the liquid nitrogen takes place during a movement phase of the
timed movement of the containers, this being preferably in the
movement phase of the timed movement immediately before the
application or placement of the particular container closure.
Achieved in this way, is inter alia, that there remains sufficient
time for the evaporation or degassing of the nitrogen and thus
sufficient time for the forcing-out of air and oxygen from the
headspace of the containers, but at the same time after the final
sealing of the particular container, the container has a sufficient
internal pressure generated by the nitrogen.
[0007] By way of the method according to the invention, an oxygen
reduction is possible without any problem so that far less than 1%
of the original oxygen remains in the particular headspace.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the
invention, after the charging of the particular container with
liquid nitrogen, initially only a "loose" application of the
container closure occurs, i.e. an application of the container
closure in such a way that while it is secured sufficiently on the
particular container, there are gaps between the container closure
and the container through which nitrogen, and air, and in
particular oxygen forced out by the nitrogen, can flow out. Only
after the end of a further period, corresponding approximately to
the duration of a movement step of the timed movement with which
the containers are moved through the linear installation, or a
complete multiple thereof, is the final tight sealing of the
containers with the particular container closure carried out.
[0009] The closures are preferably cap-tight closures, for example
closures that are fixed by distortion and/or screwing onto the
containers or onto the container areas having the container
mouth.
[0010] The "headspace" of the containers is the part of the
interior of a container underneath the container opening, that is
not taken up by the filling material after filling.
[0011] As used herein, the expression "substantially" means
deviations from exact values in each case by +/-10%, and preferably
by +/-5% and/or deviations in the form of changes that are not
significant for functioning.
[0012] Further benefits and application possibilities of the
invention arise also from the following description of examples of
embodiments and from the figures. In this regard, all
characteristics described and/or illustrated individually or in any
combination are categorically the subject of the invention,
regardless of their inclusion in the claims or reference to them.
The content of the claims is also an integral part of the
description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The invention is explained in more detail below by means of
the figures using an example of an embodiment. The following are
shown:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a very simplified schematic representation from
above of a linear installation for the filling and sealing of
containers in the form of bottles under sterile conditions with
oxygen reduction and with the establishment of an internal pressure
(e.g. pressure above atmospheric) in the sealed container;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a simplified partial representation in side view
of the section of the installation in FIG. 1 having the sealing
device;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a partial representation in cross-section of one
of the dosing heads of a nitrogen dosing device with a dosing valve
and a nozzle opening;
[0017] FIG. 4 in items a) and b) in each case is a partial
representation of a container with a container seal after an
initial provisional application of the container seal (item a)) and
after the final fixing of the container seal (position b)).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The linear installation generally identified by 1 in FIG. 1
serves for the filling and sterile sealing of containers 2 in the
form of bottles. The containers 2 to be filled and sealed are
supplied to the installation 1 by means of a container inlet 3
according to arrow A and are then moved in a multi-lane flow of
containers or on a number of movement paths 4.1 by a transporter 4
through various sections of the installation 1, this being, in the
embodiment shown, through a pre-treating section 5 for pre-treating
the containers 2, through a filling section 6 for filling the
containers 2, and through a sealing section 7 for sealing the
containers under sterile conditions. The containers 2 stand, for
example, with their bases on the transporter 4 and are secured
against toppling by supporting elements 4.2 moved synchronously
with them in the area of their container mouth. In an alternative
embodiment, the transporter 4 is made for a suspended
transportation of the containers 2.
[0019] The containers 2 filled and sealed in this way are removed
by means of a container outlet 8 according to arrow C. The movement
of the containers 2 through the sections 5, 6 and 7 in transport
direction B occurs in a timed manner, i.e. in a stepwise transport
movement, in which stationary phases and movement phases follow
each other in turn. It is clear that the devices needed for the
particular handing of the containers 2 are provided on each
movement path 4.1. Furthermore, the containers 2, which are
arranged vertically, i.e. with their container axes oriented in a
vertical direction, are moved through sections 5-7 so that at least
the particular container opening or container mouth 2.1 is taken
into a sterile chamber 9 (FIG. 2), which at least during the
operation of the installation 1 is charged with a sterile medium in
the form of gas and/or vapour preferably at a slight pressure above
atmospheric, for example with sterile air.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows the section 7 of one of the movement paths 4.1
in the area of a sealing device. Illustrated are the containers 2
with their container mouths 2.1 arranged in the sterile or aseptic
chamber 9 and a closure transfer station 10 and a sealing station
11 following in transport direction B, which is at a distance from
the closure transfer station 10 in transport direction B by a timed
or movement step of the timed transport movement or by a complete
multiple of such a movement step. The cap-type container closures
12 used to seal the containers 2 or the container mouths 2.2 are
supplied in sterile form, for example after sterilization with a
suitable sterilization medium, for example with H.sub.2O.sub.2 and
after drying, by means of a slideway 13 to a closure supply
position arranged in the sterile chamber 9 of the closure transfer
station 10. From there, the closures are each placed on a container
mouth 2.1 with a closure transfer element in the stationary phase
of the timed transport movement. Following a further movement cycle
of the timed movement, the relevant container 2 is then positioned
under the sealing station 11 at which the container closure 12 is
definitely fixed in the stationary phase of the timed transport
movement on the mouth area, which has the container mouth 2, of the
relevant container 2, for example by pressing and/or depressing
and/or distorting and/or screwing and/or welding and/or sealing
etc.
[0021] In relation to the transport direction B before the closure
transfer station 10, in the sterile chamber, a nozzle opening 14 is
provided for the dosed supply of liquid nitrogen (N.sub.2) into the
headspace of the filled containers 2. The nozzle opening 14, which
is part of a nozzle head 16, extending into the sterile chamber 9
diagonally from top to bottom, of a nitrogen dosing unit 15, is
arranged in this sterile chamber 9 so that its distance from the
closure transfer station 10 or from the area at which the transfer
of the particular container closure 12 to a container 2 occurs, in
transport direction B is smaller than the distance between the
closure transfer station 10 and the sealing station 11 or is
smaller than a movement step of the timed transport movement of the
containers 2. Furthermore, the nozzle head 16 and the nozzle
opening 14 are arranged such that the axis DA of the nozzle opening
14 encloses, on a vertical or in a substantially vertical plane
with the transport direction B, an acute angle .alpha., i.e. an
angle .alpha. smaller than 45.degree., that opens in the direction
opposite to the transport direction B (FIG. 3). The nozzle opening
14, which is arranged above the movement path of the container
mouths 2.1, is on a level underneath the level of the closure
supply position 14 and is generally oriented so that the containers
2 moved past with their container mouths 2.1 underneath nozzle 14
and thereby in particular their headspaces are dosed with liquid
nitrogen emerging from the nozzle opening 14.
[0022] For the dosed dispensing of the liquid nitrogen, the nozzle
opening 14 is embodied as a dosing valve, this being also with the
use of a plunger-type valve body 16, the pointed end of which
extends into the open end of the channel 16 formed in the dosing
head 15 and thereby forms the annular nozzle opening 14. By axial
displacement (double arrow D) of the valve body 17, the nozzle
opening can be opened to a greater or lesser extent.
[0023] The described design and arrangement of the dosing head 16
and the nozzle opening 14 not only results in the headspace of the
containers 2 moved past the nozzle opening 14 being reliably
charged with the liquid nitrogen, but in particular also that
sufficient time remains for the expansion, evaporation, or
degassing of the liquid nitrogen in the particular headspace and
thus for the forcing of air, and in particular, of oxygen, out of
the particular headspace. However, the application of the container
closures 12 occurs so soon that after the sealing of the particular
container 2, there remains a sufficiently high internal pressure
from the nitrogen in the sealed container 2.
[0024] After the placing of the particular container closure 12 on
a container, this container closure 2 is provisionally fixed in its
position, but only loosely, so that, with a further evaporation of
liquid nitrogen, any oxygen still present is forced out of the
headspace of the container together with a certain proportion of
the nitrogen. The time available for this corresponds to the
distance between the closure transfer station 10 and the sealing
station 11, i.e. the duration of one movement phase of the timed
transport movement or a multiple thereof.
[0025] As the nozzle opening 14 is in the way described previously
on a level underneath the level of the closure supply position 10.1
of the closure transfer station 10, and the nozzle head 15 is
oriented in the way described previously in the container transport
direction B, diagonally downwards in the direction of the movement
path of the container mouths 2.1, along with the nitrogen emerging
from the nozzle opening 14 or along with the resulting and in part
rising nitrogen mist, also the gaseous nitrogen on the inside of
the container mouth 2.1 after the sealing, of the closure 12
waiting in the slideway 13 or already in place in the closure
transfer station 10.1 of the sealing station 11, is trapped and
oxygen is forced out. Thus, the gas volume on the inside of the
particular closure 12, which is in the closure transfer element of
the closure transfer station 10, is also deprived of oxygen before
or while it is placed on a container 2. In this way, the quality of
the oxygen-free or low-oxygen filling and sealing of the containers
2 is quite substantially improved.
[0026] The nozzle head 16 is furthermore formed and arranged or
inclined such that its channel 16.1 and the inner surface of this
channel likewise have an incline from the horizontal in all areas.
The channel 16 can thus be completely emptied in particular when
the nozzle opening is fully or largely open, namely for example at
the end of a production phase or during a cleaning and
sterilization phase, in which then not only the nozzle head 16, but
also all other components of the installation 1 are treated with a
suitable cleaning and/or sterilization medium.
[0027] In the embodiment shown, at least the final filling of the
containers 2 by a filling station 18 occurs a few cycles, generally
two to four cycles, before the application of the closures 2 on the
filled containers 2, i.e. in the stationary phase of the timed
movement, before the containers are moved in the next movement
phase of this movement to the closure transfer station 10 and, in
this movement phase before the next stationary phase, are charged
with the nitrogen emerging from the nozzle opening 14.
[0028] In the sterile chamber 9, preferably only the functional
elements, in particular the closure transfer station 10, the
sealing station 11, the filling station 18 and also the nitrogen
dosing units 15 that interact directly with the containers are
provided, while the other parts or elements of such stations are
disposed outside the sterile chamber 9, preferably above the
sterile chamber 9, in particular also the device for the supply of
the liquid nitrogen emerging at the nozzle opening 14.
[0029] In section 7, during the cleaning and sterilization phase in
a cleaning and/or sterilization operation of the installation 1,
the cleaning and/or sterilization media used, the media being, for
example, vaporous and/or gaseous and/or liquid media, for example
H.sub.2O.sub.2 in aqueous solution at a high concentration and as
an aerosol or vapor, are supplied inter alia through the channels
16.1 of the nozzle heads 16, whereby the cleaning and/or
sterilization medium emerging at the particular nozzle opening 14
is removed by means of a pipe section 19 arranged directly on the
particular nozzle opening 14. Moreover, during the cleaning and/or
sterilization operation, the particular cleaning and/or
sterilization medium inter alia, is also supplied to the sterile
chamber 9 at suitable places for the cleaning and/or sterilization
of this chamber and the functional elements disposed there, and
removed again from the chamber 9 for example at places between the
movement paths 4.1 of the containers 2. The functional elements
used for the supply and removal of the cleaning and/or
sterilization media, in particular also pipe sections 19, are,
insofar as they are disruptive during the normal filling and
sealing profile, made such that they can be moved or swiveled out
of the installation 1 or at least out of the area of movement of
the containers 2 for this filling and sealing operation.
[0030] One particular feature of the installation 1 consists inter
alia of a dosed treatment of the filled containers 2 with liquid
nitrogen in the case of a linear installation 1 or linear machine
for the cooling and sealing of the containers 2 under aseptic
conditions, wherein a relatively long degassing phase is achieved
for the nitrogen for oxygen reduction with nonetheless a safe
nitrogen pressure build-up in the containers within tight
tolerances.
[0031] The invention has been described above using an example of
an embodiment. It is clear that numerous modifications and
variations are possible without thereby departing from the
inventive idea underlying the invention.
REFERENCE DRAWING LIST
[0032] 1 Installation for the filling and sealing of containers
[0033] 2 Container [0034] 2.1 Container mouth [0035] 3 Container
inlet [0036] 4 Transporter [0037] 4.1 Conveyor belt [0038] 5, 6,7
Section [0039] 8 Container outlet [0040] 9 Sterile chamber [0041]
10 Closure transfer station [0042] 10.1 Closure supply position
[0043] 11 Sealing station [0044] 11.1 Sealing element [0045] 12
Container closure [0046] 13 Sideway for the closures 12 [0047] 14
Nozzle opening [0048] 15 Dosing head [0049] 16 Channel [0050] 17
Valve body [0051] 18 Filling element [0052] 19 Pipe section [0053]
A, B, C Container transport directions [0054] D Axial shift
* * * * *