Method and filling machine for the open jet filling of bottles or similar containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9365403-B2
Application number	US-201214009541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2012
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A method for open jet filling of containers with liquid content using a machine having a rotor that rotates around a machine axis. The rotor carries filling stations, each having a filling element, each having an opening and a container carrier. The carrier holds a container such that its opening is at a selected distance from the dispensing opening. Contents dispensed in a controlled manner by the filling element flow in an open filling jet directed toward the container opening. The method includes compensating for deflection of the filling jet due to centrifugal force acting on it when the rotor rotates by causing controlled relative movement between the filling element and the container. As a result of this movement, the open jet cleanly enters the container through the container opening.

First claim

Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new, and secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A method for open jet filling of containers with liquid content using a filling machine having a rotor that rotates around a vertical machine axis, wherein said rotor carries filling stations, wherein each filling station comprises a filling element, wherein each filling element comprises a dispensing opening and a container carrier, wherein said container carrier holds a container such that a container opening of said container is disposed at a selected distance from said dispensing opening of said corresponding filling element so that contents dispensed in a controlled manner by said filling element flow in an open filling jet directed toward said container opening, said method comprising compensating for a deflection of said filling jet due to centrifugal force acting on said filling jet when said rotor rotates, wherein compensating for said deflection of said filling jet due to centrifugal force comprises causing a controlled relative movement between said filling element and said container, wherein, as a result of said controlled relative movement, said open jet enters said container completely and said open jet is centered within said container opening, wherein causing a controlled relative movement comprises moving one of said filling element and said dispensing opening radially toward said machine axis to an extent that depends on speed of said rotor, wherein moving one of said filling element and said dispensing opening radially toward said machine axis to an extent that depends on speed of said rotor comprises swiveling said filling element around a swivel axis, wherein said swivel axis is oriented tangentially to a direction of rotation of said rotor, and wherein said swivel axis is disposed above said dispensing opening.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving one of said filling element and said dispensing opening radially toward said machine axis to an extent that depends on speed of said rotor comprises causing radial movement of said filling element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing a controlled relative movement between said filling element and said container comprises detecting an increase in rotor speed, and, in response to said increase in rotor speed, moving one of said filling element and said dispensing opening radially toward said machine axis, thereby causing a radial distance between said dispensing opening and said machine axis to decrease.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing a controlled relative movement comprises moving said container radially to an extent that depends on speed of said rotor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein moving said container radially comprises causing radial movement of said container such that a radial distance between said machine axis and said container increases when rotor speed increases.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein moving said container radially comprises swiveling said container around a swivel axis, wherein said swivel axis is oriented tangentially to a direction of rotation of said rotor, and wherein said swivel axis is disposed above said dispensing opening such that a swivel angle increases as rotor speed increases.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing a controlled relative movement between said filling element and said container comprises, based on a speed of said rotor, causing controlled relative movement that causes an axial direction of said open filling jet, upon entry into said container, to be oriented parallel to an axis of said container opening.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing controlled relative motion comprises causing said dispensing opening to be at a first distance from said machine axis and causing said container to be at a second distance from said machine axis, wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising selecting a difference between said first distance and said second distance based at least in part on how fast said rotor rotates.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting a difference between said first distance and said second distance based at least in part on how fast said rotor rotates comprises selecting said first distance to be a first value when said rotor rotates at a first rotational speed, and selecting said first distance to be a second value when said rotor rotates at a second rotational speed, wherein said second rotational speed is greater than said first rotational speed, and said second value is greater than said first value.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing said dispensing opening to be at a first distance from said machine axis and causing said container to be at a second distance from said machine axis, wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance comprises moving said dispensing opening.

12. An apparatus for open jet filling of containers, said apparatus comprising a circulating filling machine, said circulating filling machine comprising a rotor that rotates around a vertical machine axis, and a plurality of filling stations provided on said rotor, each of said filling stations comprising a filling element, and a container carrier for holding a container with a container opening thereof at a selected distance under a dispensing opening of said filling element so that contents dispensed in a controlled manner by said filling element flow in an open filling jet during filling of said container, said filling machine further comprising an actuator configured to compensate for deflection of said open filling jet caused by centrifugal forces due to the rotation of said rotor wherein said actuator causes a structure to engage in a controlled movement in a radial direction relative to said machine axis, said movement being dependent on a speed of said rotor, wherein said structure is selected from the group consisting of a filling element and a container carrier holding a container, wherein said controlled movement results in a change in a distance between a portion of said structure and said machine axis as a result of swiveling of said structure around a swivel axis that is oriented tangentially to a direction of rotation of said rotor and above said filling element.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a pipe connecting said filling elements to a source of fluid.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said pipe is a flexible and telescopic pipe.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said pipe is a U-shaped pipe.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said pipe is a S-shaped pipe.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said actuator is common to all filling elements on said rotor.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an actuation installation for setting centrifugal force compensation of at least one of said filling elements and said container carriers, wherein said actuation installation is common to at least one of all filling elements and all container carriers of said filling machine that are within an angular range of rotational movement of said rotor, said angular range being between a container outlet and a container inlet, wherein said angular range is not used for container filling, wherein said actuation installation performs compensation for centrifugal force, wherein said filling stations comprise means for fixing or locking a relevant setting of centrifugal force compensation at a filling station until said filling station is carried by said rotor to said angular range.

Assignees

• Vorwerk Jürgen
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Vorwerk Jürgen

Classifications

• B67C3/04 Primary

  without applying pressure · CPC title

• B67C3/26

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