Filling machine and method for controlling a filling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9284173-B2
Application number	US-201214240462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2012
Priority date	Aug 23, 2011
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A filling machine for filling containers includes a rotor, a transport element, a vertical machine axis, and filling positions, each of which comprises a filling element, a container support, and a closure element, and a common actuating drive for all closure elements of the filling machine. The transport element revolves on the rotor about the machine axis. The filling positions are on the transport element. The closure element is a rinsing cap or a rinsing sleeve. Each closure element is movable by the common actuating drive between a parking position and a working position. In the parking position, the closure element is within a movement path of the filling elements. In the working position, the closure element is coaxial with the associated filling element and below the filling element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a filling machine for filling containers with a liquid filling material, said filling machine comprising a rotor, a transport element, a vertical machine axis, and a multiplicity of filling positions, each of which comprises a filling element, a container support, and a closure element, and a common actuating drive for all closure elements of said filling machine, wherein said transport element is driven to revolve on said rotor about said vertical machine axis, wherein said filling positions are on said transport element, wherein said closure element is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing cap and a rinsing sleeve, wherein said common actuating drive is configured to simultaneously move each closure element between a parking position and a working position along said vertical machine axis, wherein, in said parking position, said closure element is within a path of movement of said filling elements, and wherein, in said working position, said closure element is arranged coaxially with said associated filling element and below said filling element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a protective wall, wherein said protective wall extends along a path of movement of said filling elements, wherein said protective wall is arranged within said path of movement, wherein said protective wall is arranged on a structure selected from the group consisting of said transport element and said rotor, wherein said protective wall has an axial height that extends in a direction of said machine axis, wherein said axial height can be reduced for release of a space for movement, and wherein, within said space for movement, said closure elements are moved between said parking position and said working position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said closure elements are moved by pivoting about at least one axis parallel to said machine axis between said parking position and said working position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a pivoting structures, wherein each of said closure elements is provided on a corresponding one of said pivoting structures, wherein each of said pivoting structures is pivotable about a pivot axis, wherein each of said pivoting structures is selected from the group consisting of a pivot support and pivot arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising means for generating controlled vertical movement of said closure elements along said machine axis during movement thereof between said working position and said parking position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said means for generating controlled vertical movement is configured for lifting said closure elements during movement from said parking position to said working position and for lowering said closure elements during movement from said working position to said parking position.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said means for generating said controlled vertical movement of said closure elements comprises lifting cams that can be moved in a controlled manner along said direction of said machine axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said lifting cams are provided separately for each filling position.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising pivot bearings, wherein said pivot bearings are coupled to said closure elements, and wherein said lifting cams work together with said pivot bearings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a bearing element, wherein said bearing element is a constituent of said pivot bearings, and wherein said bearing element is common to at least two filling positions.

11. A method for controlling a filling machine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said rotor includes a lower rotor part, and an upper rotor part, wherein said upper rotor part is height adjustable, at the lower rotor part, in said direction of the machine axis, and wherein said method comprises raising said upper rotor part, and, while said upper rotor part is raised, moving said closure elements between said parking positions and said working positions.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing liquid-tight closure of a filling element with an associated closure element, wherein causing liquid-tight closure comprises lowering said filling element onto said closure element, wherein lowering said filling element comprises, while lowering said upper rotor part.

13. An apparatus comprising a filling machine for filling containers with a liquid filling material, said filing machine comprising a transport element, a rotor, a vertical machine axis, and a multiplicity of filling positions, each of which comprises a filling element, a container support, and a closure element, and a protective wall, wherein said protective wall extends along a path of movement of said filling elements, wherein said protective wall is arranged on a structure within said path of movement, wherein said structure is selected from the group consisting of said transport element and said rotor, wherein said transport element is driven such as to revolve on said rotor wherein said rotor is driven such as to revolve about said vertical machine axis, wherein said closure element is selected from the group consisting of a rinsing cap and a rinsing sleeve, wherein each closure element can be moved by a drive between a parking position and a working position, wherein, in said parking position, said closure element is within a path of movement of said filling elements, wherein, in said working position, said closure element is arranged coaxially with said associated filling element and below said filling element, wherein said protective wall has an axial height along a direction of said machine axis, wherein said axial height can be reduced to create a space for movement, and wherein said closure elements are moved in said space for movement between said parking position and said working position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a common actuating drive that is provided for all closure elements of said filling machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said closure elements are moved by pivoting about at least one axis parallel to said machine axis between said parking position and said working position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a pivoting structures, wherein each of said closure elements is provided on a corresponding one of said pivoting structures, wherein each of said pivoting structures is pivotable about a pivot axis, wherein each of said pivoting structures is selected from the group consisting of a pivot support and pivot arm.

17. A method of operating a filling machine as recited in claim 13 , wherein said method comprises reducing said axial height of said protective wall prior to moving said closure element.

Assignees

• Krulitsch Dieter-Rudolf
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Krulitsch Dieter-Rudolf

Classifications

• B67C3/22

  Details · CPC title

• B67C2003/2668

  Means for adapting the filling head to various sizes of containers · CPC title

• B67C3/005

  Cleaning outside parts of filling devices · CPC title

• B67C3/004 Primary

  permanently attached to the filling machine and movable between a rest and a working position · CPC title