Filling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9790074-B2
Application number	US-201414770199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A filling system for filling bottles with liquid filling-material includes filling point pairs, each having filling points. Each filling point has a filling element and a container holder. Each filling element comprises a filling element housing, a liquid channel, a delivery opening that delivers liquid filling material to a bottle, a liquid valve that controls delivery through said delivery opening, a gas path control valve, and a lifter device for lifting and lowering said container holder. The lifter device includes a pneumatically operated actuating element. In operation, the actuating element connects to a bottle's interior

First claim

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

1. An apparatus for filling bottles with liquid filling-material, said apparatus comprising a filling system having a plurality of filling point pairs, each of which comprises a first tilling point, a second filling point, a control module, a second gas path, a third gas path, and a gas path control valve, wherein each of said first and second filling points comprises a filling element and a container holder, wherein each filling element comprise a filling element housing, a liquid channel, a delivery opening, a liquid valve, a first gas path, and a lifter device, wherein said delivery opening delivers said liquid filling-material into a container, wherein said liquid valve controls said delivery of said liquid filling-material, wherein said gas path control valve provides control over said second gas path, wherein said second gas path at least in part provides control over said filling process, wherein said lifter device is configured for lifting and lowering said container holder, wherein said second gas path and said gas path control valve are configured in said control module, wherein said control module is common to both filling elements, and wherein said first gas path is connected to said control module, and wherein said lifter device comprises a pneumatically operated actuating element, wherein said third gas path connects said pneumatically operated actuating element to a container's interior.

2. An apparatus for processing bottles, said apparatus comprising a filling system for filling bottles with liquid filling-material, wherein said filling system comprises filling point pairs, wherein said filling point pairs comprise a first filling point pair, wherein said first filling point pair comprises first and second filling points, wherein each of said filling point comprises a tilling element and a container bolder, wherein each filling element comprises a filling element housing, a liquid channel, a delivery opening, a liquid valve, a gas path control valve, a lifter device, and a pneumatically operated actuating element, wherein, said delivery opening delivers liquid filling material to a bottle, wherein said liquid valve controls delivery through said delivery opening, wherein said gas path control valve is configured to control a filling process, wherein said lifter device is configured for lifting and towering said container holder, wherein said lifter device comprises said pneumatically operated actuating element, wherein, in operation, said pneumatically operated actuating element is connected to a bottle's interior, wherein said container holder comprises a common container holder and said lifter device, and wherein said common container holder lifts containers for both filling points of said filling point pair.

3. The filling system of claim 2 , further comprising a control module, an outer gas path, and an inner gas path, wherein said outer gas path is configured in said control module and outside of said tilling elements, wherein said outer gas path is common to two filling elements of said filling point pair, wherein said gas path control valve controls said outer gas path, and wherein said inner gas path is internal to said filling points.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said control module serves more than one filling point pair.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said control module serves no more than one filling point pair.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said gas path control valve is a constituent of said control module.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said pneumatically operated actuating element is a constituent of said control module.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a first structure and a second structure, wherein said first structure is common to all tilling point pairs of said filling system, wherein said first structure comprises a surface side, wherein said second structure is provided on said surface side wherein said outer gas path is configured in said first structure, wherein said first structure is selected from the group consisting, of a plate and a ring, and wherein said second structure is selected from the group consisting of said pneumatically operated actuating element and said lifter device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a third structure, wherein said first structure comprises an upper side, wherein said first structure comprises an underside, wherein said third structure is attached to said upper side, wherein said filling element housings each comprise a top side that faces away from said delivery opening thereof, wherein said filling elements are attached to said underside by said top sides, and wherein said third structure is selected from the group consisting of said gas path control valve and said pneumatically operated actuating element.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a container-gas path, and a linkage, wherein said filling point pair comprises a first pneumatically operated actuating element, a second pneumatically operated actuating element, a first filling element, and a second filling element, wherein said first pneumatically operated actuating element is associated with said first filling element and said second pneumatically operated actuating element is associated with said second filling element, wherein, during a filling process, a bottle is sealed against said first filling element, wherein, during said filling process, said container gas path connects an interior of said bottle to said first pneumatically operated actuating element, and wherein said first and second pneumatically operated actuating elements are coupled to said container holder via said linkage.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a container gas path, and a linkage, wherein said lifter device comprises at most one pneumatically operated actuating element, wherein, during a tilling operation, said container gas path connects an inner chamber of a container that is held sealed against said filling element with said at most one pneumatically operated actuating element, wherein, during said tilling operation, said at most one pneumatically operated actuating element is charged with an internal pressure of said container, and wherein said linkage couples said at most one pneumatically operated actuating element to said common container holder.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said pneumatically operated actuating element comprises a piston/cylinder arrangement.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said pneumatically operated actuating element comprises a bellows.

14. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said filling system further comprises a control module and a rotor element, wherein said rotor element separates an aseptic space below said rotor element from an atmosphere above said rotor element, wherein each filling element comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein each tilling element is disposed on said rotor element, wherein said upper portion extends above said rotor element, wherein said lower portion extends below said rotor element, where said delivery opening is disposed in said lower portion, and a control module, wherein said control module is disposed above said rotor element, and wherein said gas path control valve is disposed above said rotor element.

15. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said filling system comprises control modules, and wherein each filling point pair is associated with a separate control module.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wher

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• CLüSSERATH LUDWIG
• Krulitsch Dieter Rudolf

Classifications

• B67C3/244

  Bottle lifting devices actuated by jacks, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic (B67C3/242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67C3/225 Primary

  Means for filling simultaneously, e.g. in a rotary filling apparatus or multiple rows of containers · CPC title

• B67C2003/228

  Aseptic features · CPC title

• B67C3/2634

  specially adapted for vacuum or suction filling · CPC title