EP1270499A1 - Filling element without filling tube for a filling machine for low-oxygen filling of beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

The filling unit (1) for a filling machine for nearly oxygen free filling of drinks, in particular, beer into bottles (8) comprises a probe serving for determining the filling height. This probe is constituted as a flushing pipe with a channel (19') which is open at its lower, free end and, by means of a gas line (32) with a control valve (29), is connected to a flushing gas channel (4). Also claimed is a filling machine with such filling units. These units are constituted so that they can be used for filling either glass or plastic bottles.

Description

The innovation relates to a filling element according to the preamble protection claim. 1 and to a filling machine according to the preamble protection claim 14th

In the beverage industry are increasingly plastic bottles, d. H. PET bottles used. The market introduction of such bottles for such Beverages, such as beer, which are low in oxygen for durability Filling require, is imminent, this being the case when filling beer-practiced filling methods are in principle not suitable.

The currently most commonly used in bottling beer filling, in which the interior of each bottle is at least once pre-evacuated and then rinsed with an inert gas, namely CO ₂ gas, is eliminated when using plastic bottles already because they have a relatively low resistance to negative pressure and implode already at a low vacuum, for example at a negative pressure of only 200 to 300 mbar. If the wall thickness of such PET bottles is further reduced for saving material, for example for cost and environmental reasons, which is to be expected in the future, this leads to a further reduction of the vacuum resistance of such PET bottles.

In the conventional multiple pre-evacuation followed by rinsing, CO ₂ atmospheres of more than 99% CO ₂ are currently easily achieved when bottled in glass bottles. Under these conditions, then the oxygen uptake in the beverage during the filling is below 0.03mg / l. For the durability of oxygen-sensitive drinks, such as beer, but it is essential that these values are not exceeded even when bottled in plastic bottles.

This is also true in view of the fact that today under economic Viewpoint applicable plastic materials for bottles anyway limited diffusion of oxygen through the bottle wall unavoidable is. The burden of oxygen-sensitive drinks with additional oxygen from the production process and in particular from the filling process must therefore on an absolute minimum be restricted.

The object of the innovation is to show a filling element which is an oxygen-poor Bottling of beverages, in particular beer both in bottles of glass, and in made of plastic, and specifically with the filling of beer or other oxygen-sensitive drinks required and kept to a minimum reduced oxygen load during the filling process.

To solve this problem, a filling element according to the protection claim. 1 and a filling machine having a plurality of such filling elements correspondingly the protection claim 14 is formed.

With the inventive filling element is a filling level controlled filling of Fillings optionally available in bottles made of glass or plastic. This Füllhöhengesteuerte filling system or filling level controlled filling has compared to volumetric filling system both for glass bottles, as well as bottles Plastic the advantage that in the filling height controlled filling fluctuations of the Void volume of the bottles, which (fluctuations) especially at Returnable bottles are to be determined, do not lead to different filling levels, the could give consumers the impression of a lesser quality.

Another important aspect of the filling level controlled filling is also to be seen that especially when bottling beer or other CO ₂ -containing drinks there is the possibility of the harmful oxygen in the bottleneck not taken by the contents by means of a final high-pressure injection and foaming generated by this from the bottleneck to displace, which is especially important for plastic bottles. In order to achieve reproducible foaming results and a low oxygen content in the bottleneck, uniform filling heights are absolutely necessary. From these viewpoints, the level-controlled filling system is an essential feature of the present invention.

With the filling element according to the invention is an oxygen-poor filling of oxygen-sensitive beverages, in particular beer, including in plastic bottles or PET bottles possible. In particular, it is with the inventive Training also possible, by simply selecting the program, so to speak per Mouse click, the filling machine from a bottling in bottles of glass to a To switch bottling from plastic (PET bottles) and vice versa, without this "hardware-moderate" changes to the filling machine or to the There filling elements are necessary.

The innovation is characterized by a high degree of flexibility with the greatest possible filling comfort and thus facilitates an investment decision for the user, as with the filling element according to the invention or with the filling machine according to the invention a bottling of oxygen-sensitive drinks, especially beer of the same quality and one among other economic For reasons and reasons of environmental protection particularly advantageous low consumption of inert gas (CO ₂ gas) is possible.

When using plastic bottles, the interior of these bottles before the actual biasing and filling flushed with the purge gas, which over the the Level determining and designed as a purge tube probe blown into the bottle and sucked with the help of the vacuum from the bottle at the mouth of the bottle. The parameters are set in this case so that the pressure in the bottle approximately equal to the atmospheric pressure, but in no case a critical Negative pressure is reached at which the risk of implosion of the plastic bottle consists.

The filling height-determining and designed as a flushing tube probe has such Length, with their probe end relatively far and from the mouth of the bottle sufficiently spaced into the respective bottle or bottleneck extends.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung ein füllrohrloses Füllelement einer Füllmaschine umlaufender Bauart zum sauerstoffarmen Abfüllen von Getränken, insbesondere Bier, wahlweise in Flaschen aus Glas oder aus Kunststoff (z. B. PET-Flaschen), zusammen mit einer an dem Füllelement angesetzten Flasche sowie mit einer Teildarstellung eines Rotors und eines teilgefüllten Ringkessels der Füllmaschine;

Fig. 2

in vergrößerter Teildarstellung das Füllelement der Figur 1 im Bereich seiner Abgabeöffnung sowie im Bereich der Mündung der Flasche;

Fig. 3

in vergrößerter Teildarstellung eine als Spülrohr ausgebildete, die Füllhöhe bestimmende Sonde im Bereich eines oberen Endes des in dieser Sonde ausgebildeten Spülrohrkanals;

Fig. 4

in Einzeldarstellung und im Schnitt eine weitere Ausführung der die Füllhöhe bestimmenden Sonde.

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The innovation will be explained below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation, a filler tube-free filling element of a filling machine of rotating design for low-oxygen filling of beverages, especially beer, optionally in bottles made of glass or plastic (eg PET bottles), together with an attached to the filling bottle and a partial representation of a Rotor and a partially filled ring vessel of the filling machine;

Fig. 2

in an enlarged partial view of the filling element of Figure 1 in the region of its discharge opening and in the region of the mouth of the bottle;

Fig. 3

in enlarged partial view designed as a flushing pipe, the filling height determining probe in the region of an upper end of the trained in this probe Spülrohrkanals;

Fig. 4

in a separate representation and in section another embodiment of the filling height determining probe.

The generally designated 1 in the figures filling element is part of a filling machine of rotating design and is distributed along with a plurality of similar filling elements 1 at even angular intervals about a vertical machine axis on the circumference of a rotor 2. In this rotor 2, a first annular channel 3 and a second annular channel 4 are formed in the illustrated embodiment. Of these ring channels, which are provided in common for all filling elements 1 of the filling machine, the annular channel 3 serve as a vacuum channel and the annular channel 4 as a return gas and gas channel. For this purpose, the annular channel 3 with a vacuum or vacuum source, not shown, and the annular channel 4 are connected to a device which delivers an inert purge gas, preferably CO ₂ purge gas under pressure.

The rotor 2 is further provided for all filling elements 1 common ring vessel 5, the interior 6 is partially level regulated up to a level N filled with the liquid product (beverage), so that above the level of the liquid level of the liquid space 6 ', a gas space 6 " The liquid space 6 'is connected to a supply line for supplying the contents under pressure and the gas space 6 "is connected to a line for supplying the inert gas (CO ₂ gas) occupying this gas space under prestressing pressure.

Each filling element 1 is associated with a bottle carrier 7, with which each to filling bottle 8 with its bottle mouth 8 'in sealing position against an annular Seal 9 is pressed and held at the bottom of the Füllelementgehäuses 10 of the respective filling element 1 is provided and a there surrounds the annular discharge opening 11 for the contents. in the Füllelementgehäuse 10, inter alia, a liquid channel 12 is formed over a supply 13 with the liquid space 6 'of the annular boiler 6 is in communication. In the liquid channel 12, which forms the discharge opening 11 with its lower end, is continue in a known manner, the liquid valve 14 for the controlled introduction and Ending the Füllgutzuflusses provided in the respective bottle 8.

As FIG. 2 shows in particular, the liquid valve 14 is in the essential from the valve body 15, on the outer surface of a co-axial with a vertical filling element axis FA arranged return gas pipe 16 is provided. This return gas pipe 16 is axially in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA to a given stroke for opening and closing the liquid valve 14 slidably, by an actuator 17, which is essentially of a Pneumatic piston and a spring formed and at each filling element 1 through the not shown electronic control of the filling machine and also not about illustrated pneumatic control valves can be controlled individually. Part of the Liquid valve 14 is further a cooperating with the valve body 15 and in the liquid passage 12 formed valve seat 18th

Aligned with the newly in the area of the ring seal newly ending return gas pipe 16 a level determining probe 19 is provided, which with a predetermined Length from the discharge opening 11 via the underside of the Füllelementgehäuses 10th protrudes. Between the outer surface of the probe 1 and the inner surface of the Return gas pipe 16 is an annular Rückgaskanal 16 'formed at its lower end in the region of the discharge opening 11 is open and with its upper end in a formed in Füllelementgehäuse 10 gas space 20 opens.

The probe 19, which is passed through the gas space 20 is as a flushing pipe with a probe channel 19 'formed at the lower end of the probe 19 "of the probe 19th is open. The closed at the upper end of the probe 19 probe channel 19 ' There it opens via a radial opening 21 into a gas space 22.

The tubular probe 19 is formed in three layers in the illustrated embodiment and consists of an outer layer 23 of electrically conductive material, for example, a corrosion-resistant metal, from the middle layer 24th of an electrically insulating material, for example of a suitable one Plastic or ceramic material and from the inner layer 25 of the electrically conductive material, for example of the corrosion-resistant metal.

As FIG. 2 shows, the layers 23 - 25 end at different distances from one another the lower, free end of the probe 19, d. H. the layer 25 forms with its lower End of the probe end 19 "The layer 24 terminates at a first distance from the lower end of the probe 19 and the layer 24 with a larger second distance from this lower end, wherein the lower end of the layer 23 when filling the Bottles 8 desired filling height FH corresponds or at a timed Refilling slightly lower than the filling level FH desired during filling. Otherwise the layer 23 - 25 extend over the entire length of the probe 19. Above of the gas space 22, the probe 19 is for example in stages in the direction of its axis height adjustable held on Füllelementgehäuse 10 (double arrow A), so For example, to be able to set different filling heights FH. The gas space 22 has an axial length which is at least equal to the maximum Verstellhub A for the Probe 19 is, so that at each setting of the probe 19, the probe channel 19 'on the Opening 21 opens into the gas space 22.

An upper rod-shaped portion electrically connected to the inner layer 25 25 'of the probe 19 is connected to a filling level monitoring the input of Connected control system of the filling machine, so that this input then on the Ground potential of the filling machine is, if the product level during filling the lower End of the outer layer 23 has reached.

The probe 19 has at its over the discharge opening 11 downwardly projecting Part length and at a distance above the lower end of the layer 23 another axial opening 26, in particular for a filling material leveling within the Probe channel 19 'at the end of each filling phase and for emptying the Probe channel 19 'when removing or removing the filled bottle 8 of the respective filling element. 1

On Füllelementgehäuse 10 are three individually controllable and pneumatic actuatable control cylinder or control valves 27, 28 and 29 are provided, of which the control valve 27 is assigned to the gas space 6 "and therefore also as Clamping gas valve can be called, the control valve 28 as a vacuum channel serving channel 3 is assigned and therefore also as a vacuum control valve can be designated, and the control valve 29 as the return gas and purge gas channel serving annular channel 4 is assigned and therefore also as Rückgas- and purge gas valve can be designated.

Gasweg 30, der das Steuerventil 27 aufweist und der den Gasraum 6" mit dem Gasraum 20 verbindet;

Gasweg 31, der das Steuerventil 28 enthält und den Ringkanal 3 (Vakuumkanal) mit dem Gasraum 20 verbindet;

Gasweg 32, der das Steuerventil 29 enthält und den Ringkanal (Rückgas- und Spülgaskanal) mit dem Gasraum 22 verbindet.

In Füllelementgehäuse 10 different gas paths are further formed, which contain these control valves 27 - 29, namely:

Gas path 30, which has the control valve 27 and which connects the gas space 6 "with the gas space 20;

Gas path 31, which contains the control valve 28 and connects the annular channel 3 (vacuum channel) with the gas space 20;

Gas path 32 which contains the control valve 29 and the annular channel (return gas and purge gas channel) connects to the gas space 22.

Furthermore, a gas path 33 is provided, which directly to the gas space 20th leading part of the gas path 30 and 31 with the directly with the annular channel 4 in Connecting part of the gas path 32 connects and in which a throttle 34th and in series with this a check valve 35 are provided, which for a Gas flow from the gas path 30 or 31 in the gas path 32 opens, in particular for a filling with slowed filling speed at the beginning and, if necessary also at the end of the respective filling phase, and which for a gas flow in reverse Direction locks.

The filling machine equipped with a plurality of filling elements 1 allows filling of bottles 8 made of glass with a carbonated filling material, for example beer under counter pressure with the usual process steps, in particular with a single or multiple pre-evacuation of the interior of the in sealing position with the filling element 1 located bottle 8 by opening the control valve 28 via the Return gas channel 16 'and with a subsequent flushing of the interior of the Bottle 8 e.g. by additionally opening the control valve 28 with purge gas from the Ring channel 4, via the probe channel 19 ', wherein the purge gas from the Bottle interior is discharged via the return gas channel 16 'in the annular channel 3. Then the biasing of the interior of the bottle 8 by opening the Control valve 27, the subsequent slow stuffing of the prestressed bottle. 8 by opening the liquid valve 14 with closed control valves 27 - 29 and the fast filling by opening the control valve 27, in which case after reaching the Fill level finally the pre-relieving and relieving the filled bottle 8 at closed liquid valve 14, by appropriate Control of the control valve 29 and by lowering the bottle 8 of the Filling element 1.

The filling machine 1 provided with the filling machine also allows only by selecting a different program sequence on the electronic control device of the filling a filling level controlled, oxygen-poor bottling of beverages and carbonated drinks in particular plastic or PET bottles with a low consumption of inert and To make CO ₂ gas. For this purpose, the actual biasing and filling phase is carried out in turn an effective flushing of the interior of these bottles via the channel 19 'of the probe 19, namely from the annular channel 4 by opening the control valves 28 and 29, so that the purge gas from the annular channel 4 via the opened control valve 29 is blown into the gas space 22 and from there via the probe channel 19 'with its lower end 19 "relatively far into the interior of the bottle 8 reaching into the probe 19 into this bottle and thereby also reaches the bottom of the bottle, said the removal of the purge gas via the return gas channel 16 'and the open control valve 28 takes place in the annular channel 3.

The parameters, and in particular the flow cross sections for feeding of the purge gas in the interior of the bottle 8 and for the discharge of the purge gas the interior of the bottle 8 are also taking into account the pressures in the ring channels 4 and 3 chosen so that in the bottle to be flushed 8 a Negative pressure on the atmosphere does not arise, but at least a critical one Negative pressure does not occur at which the bottle made of PET implode could. Preferably, the interior of the bottle 8 when flushing in about Atmospheric pressure maintained.

FIG. 4 shows, in a simplified representation and in section, another possible one Embodiment of the designed as flushing pipe level determining probe 19a. This in turn is essentially formed in three layers, d. H. it consists of the outer, of a thin tube of electrically conductive material, for example Metal-formed layer 23a, of the insulating layer 24a and the inner, electrically conductive layer 25a of a tubular probe body made of metal is formed, whose wall thickness is substantially greater than the wall thickness of the layers 23a and 24a. The layer 24a is of a coating of the electrical formed insulating material, preferably of a HALAR coating. That the outer layer 23a forming tube is pressed onto the layer 24a such or aufgehämmert that a dense, especially gas-tight transition between the two layers 23a and 24a results. Otherwise, the probe corresponds to 19a in their Further training and function of the probe 19.

The innovation has been described above in exemplary embodiments. It understands that changes and modifications are possible without thereby affecting the Innovation is left underlying inventive idea.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filler

2

rotor

3, 4

annular channel

5

ring bowl

6

Ring bowl interior

6 '

liquid space

6 "

headspace

7

bottle carrier

8th

bottle

8th'

bottle mouth

9

ring seal

10

filling element

11

Füllgutabgabeöffnung

12

liquid channel

13

feed

14

liquid valve

15

valve body

16

Return gas pipe

16 '

Return gas channel

17

Actuation device for liquid valve

18

valve seat

19, 19a

Probe for level-controlled filling

19 '

Probe or flushing channel

20

headspace

21

opening

22

headspace

23 - 24

layer

23a - 24a

layer

25 '

special section

26

opening

27, 28, 29

control valve

30, 31, 32, 33

gas path

34

throttle

35

check valve

A

adjusting stroke

FA

filling element

FH

filling height

Claims (14)

Filling tube-free filling element for a filling machine for low-oxygen filling of a beverage, in particular beer, in bottles (8), with a liquid channel (12) having a controllable liquid valve (14) and ending in a Füllgutabgabeöffnung (11) at a bottom of a Füllelementgehäuses (10) with a return gas channel (16 '), which is open in the region of the filling material discharge opening (11) and at the filling element (1) attached bottle (8) as well as the Füllgutabgabeöffnung (11) opens into the interior of this bottle, with a filling height determining Probe (19, 19a) which projects beyond the Füllgutabgabeöffnung (11) on the underside of the Füllelementgehäuses (10) and extends in attached to the filling element bottle (8) in this, with controlled gas paths (30, 31, 32), at least partially Control valves (27, 28, 29) and via which the return gas channel (16 ') controlled at least with a vacuum channel (3) is connectable,
characterized in that the filling height determining probe (19, 19a) is designed as a flushing tube with a Spülrohr- or probe channel (19 ') which is open at the lower, free probe end (19 ") and a control valve (29) having gas path (32) with a purge gas channel (4) is connectable. Filling element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the probe (19, 19a) form at least two probe contacts (23, 25) which are electrically separate from one another on the probe body and offset from one another in the probe longitudinal direction. Filling element according to claim 2, characterized in that the probe (19, 19a) is formed by a multilayer or multi-layer tubular probe body comprising at least a first layer (23, 23a) made of an electrically conductive material, preferably a metal at least at the lower free end of the probe (19, 19a) is exposed, a subsequent to this first layer (23, 23a) to the probe axis subsequent second layer (24, 24a) made of an electrically insulating material and to this second layer (24, 24a) in the direction of the probe axis subsequent third layer (25, 25a) of electrically conductive material, the (third layer) at least in the region of the probe end (19 ") is exposed. Filling element according to Claim 3, characterized in that the third layer (25, 25a) forms the probe end (19 ") and the second layer (24, 24a) at a first distance from the probe end (19") and the first layer in one second distance from the probe end (19 ") and that the second distance is greater than the first distance. Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the probe channel (19 ') is axially closed at the end of the probe body remote from the probe tip and via at least one radial opening (21) with the controlled gas path leading to the flushing gas channel (4) ( 32) or with a with this gas path (32) connected gas space (22) is in communication. Filling element according to claim 5, characterized in that the probe (19, 19a) in the axial direction by a predetermined Verstellhub (A) axially adjustable on Füllelementgehäuse (10) is provided, and that the first gas space (22) in the axial direction of the probe (19, 19a) has a length which is at least equal to the adjustment stroke (A). Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the probe (19, 19a) is passed through a second gas space (20) into which the return gas channel (16 ') opens and which communicates with the first, controllable gas path (31) stands. Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the probe (19, 19a) at a distance above the probe end (19 ") and also at a distance above the lower end of the outer layer (23, 23a) at least one further radial opening (26 ) having. Filling element according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one further radial opening (26) has a flow cross section which is smaller than the flow cross section of the probe channel (19 '). Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition to the first and second gas path (31, 32), a third, also by at least one control valve (27) controllable gas path is provided, via which the return gas duct (16 ') controlled by a a bias gas containing channel or gas space (6 ') is connectable, and that a fourth gas path is provided, the return gas channel (16') or a constantly associated with this return gas channel (16 ') part of the first or third gas path (31, 30) communicates with the purge gas channel (4) or a part of the second gas path (32) directly in communication with this purge gas channel, and in that a throttle (34) forming a reduced flow cross section and a check valve (35) are provided in the fourth gas path, which blocks flow from the second gas path into the first or third gas path and opens for flow in the reverse direction. Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control valves (27, 28, 29) pneumatically actuatable valves or pneumatic cylinders. Filling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third layer (25a) of a tubular probe body made of electrically conductive material, preferably of metal, the second layer (24a) of a coating of the tubular probe body on its outer surface with an electrically insulating material , For example, plastic, and the first layer (23 a) of a tube of electrically conductive material, preferably metal is formed, which preferably has a relation to the probe body reduced wall thickness and applied to the coating and is secured there gas-tight. Filling element according to claim 12, characterized in that the tube forming the first layer (23a) is fixed by pressing or hammering on the coating forming the second layer (24a). A filling machine of a surrounding design for the low-oxygen filling of a beverage, in particular beer, in bottles (8), with a plurality of filling elements (1) provided on a rotor (2) which can be driven around a vertical machine axis,
characterized in that the filling elements (1) are designed for selectively filling the contents in bottles made of glass or in bottles made of plastic, for example PET bottles according to one of the preceding claims.

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