Apparatus for filling containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10287151-B2
Application number	US-201615371962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for filling containers comprises a nozzle for establishing fluid communication with a container, a filling line extending between the nozzle and a source of a product fluid, a filling valve in the filling line, an auxiliary line extending from the nozzle to a drain, and a drain isolation valve in the auxiliary line; further comprising at least one additive line which extends from a junction with the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the drain valve to an additive fluid source; and a dosing valve in the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the at least one additive line, which permits a predetermined volume of additive fluid to flow through the auxiliary line to the nozzle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for filling containers, comprising:
a nozzle with a mouth configured to cooperate with a container and establish fluid communication therewith;
a filling line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a primary fluid source configured to introduce a volume of a product fluid into the filling line;
a filling valve selectively blocking fluid communication through the filling line;
an auxiliary line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a drain;
a drain isolation valve disposed in the auxiliary line and selectively blocking fluid communication with the drain;
at least one additive line extending from a junction with the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the drain isolation valve, and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and an additive fluid source configured to introduce a volume of an additive fluid into the at least one additive line; and
a dosing valve disposed in the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the at least one additive line, the dosing valve being configured to permit a predetermined volume of additive fluid to flow through said auxiliary line to the nozzle.

2. The container-filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein there is provided a plurality of additive fluid sources, each in communication with the nozzle through the auxiliary line and a respective additive line, each of the respective additive lines comprising an additive isolation valve.

3. The container-filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each at least one additive line comprises an additive isolation valve selectively blocking fluid communication through the additive line.

4. The container-filling apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a flow meter disposed on at least one additive line.

5. The container-filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing valve is a proportional valve or a two-way valve.

6. An installation comprising a plurality of container-filling apparatuses comprising:
a nozzle with a mouth configured to cooperate with a container and establish fluid communication therewith;
a filling line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a primary fluid source configured to introduce a volume of a product fluid into the filling line;
a filling valve selectively blocking fluid communication through the filling line;
an auxiliary line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a drain;
a drain isolation valve disposed in the auxiliary line and selectively blocking fluid communication with the drain;
at least one additive line extending from a junction with the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the drain isolation valve, and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and an additive fluid source configured to introduce a volume of an additive fluid into the at least one additive line; and
a dosing valve disposed in the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the at least one additive line, the dosing valve being configured to permit a predetermined volume of additive fluid to flow through said auxiliary line to the nozzle, at least some of the plurality of container-filling apparatuses having a common filling line and a common auxiliary line.

7. A method for producing a fluid product comprising an additive, comprising the steps of:
providing a container-filling apparatus comprising: a nozzle with a mouth configured to cooperate with a container and establish fluid communication therewith; a filling line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a primary fluid source configured to introduce a volume of a product fluid into the filling line; a filling valve selectively blocking fluid communication through the filling line; an auxiliary line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a drain; a drain isolation valve disposed in the auxiliary line and selectively blocking fluid communication with the drain; at least one additive line extending from a junction with the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the drain isolation valve, and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and an additive fluid source configured to introduce a volume of an additive fluid into the at least one additive line; and a dosing valve disposed in the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the at least one additive line, the dosing valve being configured to permit a predetermined volume of additive fluid to flow through said auxiliary line to the nozzle;
opening the filling valve, thereby causing a volume of a product fluid to flow through said filling line from the primary fluid source through the mouth of the nozzle; and
opening the dosing valve and injecting a volume of an additive fluid into the at least one additive line, the volume of additive fluid being thereby conducted through the auxiliary line and into the nozzle, the additive fluid being thereby combined with the volume of product fluid flowing through the mouth of the nozzle.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the dosing valve is a proportional valve, the degree to which the dosing valve is opened being proportionate to the concentration of the additive fluid in the mixed fluid.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the dosing valve is a two-position valve, the dosing valve being opened during the injecting of the volume of additive fluid for a duration of time proportionate to the concentration of the additive fluid in the mixed fluid.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the additive fluid is an edible flavoring concentrate.

11. A method for filling a sequence of containers with a fluid product, comprising the steps of:
providing a container-filling apparatus comprising: a nozzle with a mouth configured to cooperate with a container and establish fluid communication therewith; a filling line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a primary fluid source configured to introduce a volume of a product fluid into the filling line; a filling valve selectively blocking fluid communication through the filling line; an auxiliary line extending from the nozzle and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and a drain; a drain isolation valve disposed in the auxiliary line and selectively blocking fluid communication with the drain; at least one additive line extending from a junction with the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the drain isolation valve, and establishing fluid communication between the mouth and an additive fluid source configured to introduce a volume of an additive fluid into the at least one additive line; and a dosing valve disposed in the auxiliary line between the nozzle and the at least one additive line, the dosing valve being configured to permit a predetermined volume of additive fluid to flow through said auxiliary line to the nozzle;
pre-determining the volume of at least one additive fluid in each container of the sequence of containers;
and for each of the containers in the sequence of containers,
opening the filling valve, thereby causing a volume of a product fluid to flow through the filling line from the primary fluid source through the mouth of the nozzle and into one of a plurality of containers; and
selectively injecting a volume of at least one additive fluid into a respective at least one additive line according to the pre-determined volume, the volume of the at least one additive fluid being subsequently conducted through the auxiliary line, the nozzle, and into the one of the plurality of

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Comin Andrea
• Kannengiesser Damien

Classifications

• B67C3/002

  using cups or dummies to be placed under the filling heads · CPC title

• B67C3/208 Primary

  specially adapted for adding small amounts of additional liquids, e.g. syrup · CPC title

• B67C3/282

  related to filling level control (B67C3/2617, B67C3/2625 take precedence) · CPC title

• B67C3/26

  Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks · CPC title