Device for filling a container with a carbonated filling product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730734-B2
Application number	US-201615580255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A device for filling a container with a carbonated filling product in a beverage filling system is described. The device includes a gas valve for supplying a gas into the container, the gas valve being biased by a gas valve spring in a specified switch state, and a filling valve for supplying the filling product into the container, the filling valve being biased by a filling valve spring in a specified switch state. The gas valve and the filling valve are operatively connected to a common actuator for switching between an open and a closed switch state, and the gas valve spring applies a spring force which differs from that of the filling valve spring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for filling a container with a carbonated filling product in a beverage filling system, comprising:
a gas valve configured to supply a gas into the container, wherein the gas valve is biased by a gas valve spring in a specified switch state and the gas valve spring biases the gas valve in an open switch state; and
a filling valve configured to supply the carbonated filling product into the container, wherein the filling valve is biased by a filling valve spring in a specified switch state and the filling valve spring biases the filling valve in the open switch state,

wherein the gas valve and the filling valve are operatively connected to a single actuator configured to switch the gas valve and the filling valve between the open switch state and a closed switch state, and
wherein the gas valve spring applies a spring force which is greater than a spring force applied by the filling valve spring.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gas valve and the filling valve are mechanically connected in series.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the single actuator comprises a double-stroke actuator.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the double-stroke actuator comprises a pneumatic double-stroke actuator.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein a first return stroke of the double-stroke actuator opens the gas valve fully.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the single actuator comprise a single-stroke actuator.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the single-stroke actuator comprises a pneumatic single-stroke actuator.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spring force applied by the filling valve spring is greater than a force of a weight of a filling valve cone of the filling valve.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the single actuator comprises a proportional actuator.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the proportional actuator comprises a spindle actuator.

11. A device for filling a container with a carbonated filling product in a beverage filling system, comprising:
a gas valve configured to supply a gas into the container, wherein the gas valve is biased by a gas valve spring in a specified switch state and the gas valve spring biases the gas valve in an open switch state;
a filling valve configured to supply the carbonated filling product into the container, wherein the filling valve is biased by a filling valve spring in a specified switch state and the filling valve spring biases the filling valve in the open switch state; and
a filling product outlet aperture disposed at an outlet of the filling valve,

wherein the gas valve and the filling valve are operatively connected to a single actuator configured to switch the gas valve and the filling valve between the open switch state and a closed switch state, and
the gas valve spring applies a spring force which is greater than a spring force applied by the filling valve spring.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the filling product outlet aperture is in fluid communication with a rinsing valve via a rinsing channel configured to rinse the container with a rinsing gas.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the gas valve is displaceably disposed relative to a filling valve seat configured to close the filling valve.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the gas valve spring and the filling valve spring have differing spring constants and/or differing preloads.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the gas valve spring and/or the filling valve spring has at least two spring components.

16. The device of claim 11 , wherein the gas valve and the filling valve are mechanically connected in series.

17. The device of claim 11 , wherein the single actuator comprises a pneumatic double-stroke actuator, a pneumatic single-stroke actuator, or a spindle actuator.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Brey Christian
• Baumgartner Sebastian

Classifications

• B67C3/262 Primary

  and the filling operation stopping when the liquid rises to a level at which it closes a vent opening · CPC title

• B67C2003/2657

  specially adapted for filling cans · CPC title