Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02738852 2011-03-29
TRANSLATION (HICH-122):
WO 2010/037,356 Al
PCT/DE2009/00),026
FILLING METHOD AND DEVICE
The invention pertains to a method for filling containers
with liquid, which is supplied to the container through a
filling valve and a filling nozzle.
The invention also pertains to a device for filling
containers with a liquid, the device comprising at least one
filling valve and at least one filling nozzle.
Many different filling devices and methods of this type
for filling cartons and bottles, for example, are known. An
essential goal of implementing a filling method is to fill the
container both rapidly and reliably. So that a container an
be filled rapidly, it is helpful to avoid or to reduce as much
as possible the formation of foam during the filling
operation.
A problem with the filling of containers with a non-
circular cross-sectional shape results from the fact that the
distance between the filling nozzle, which is centrally
located in most cases, and the inside walls differs, depending
on the solid angle in question, and this promotes the
formation of foam.
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TRANSLATION (HKR-122);
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PCT/DE2009/001,026
The goal of the present invention is to improve a method
of the type indicated above in such a way that containers with
non-circular cross sections can be filled more effectively.
This goal is achieved according to the invention in that
the liquid emerging from the filling nozzle is sent to a guide
element, which is provided with a geometric shape such that
the edge of the guide element positioned inside the container
is arranged so that it extends along and a short distance away
from the container wall.
An additional goal of the present invention is to design
a device of the type indicated above in such a way that
containers with a non-circular cross section can be filled
more effectively.
This goal is achieved according to the invention in that,
downstream of the filling nozzle, a guide element is arranged,
which comprises a design such that the edge of the guide
element positioned inside the container is arranged so that it
extends along and a short distance away from an inside wall of
the container to be filled.
The inventive method and the inventive device are
especially suitable for filling beverage cartons. During the
filling process, these types of beverage cartons are opened at
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their vertically upward-facing end and are sealed only after
the completion of the filling operation. It is therefore easy
to introduce the inventive guide element into the upper end of
the interior of the container.
By designing the geometry of the guide element so that
the entire edge of the guide element extends along and a short
distance away from the inside walls of the container, the
liquid flowing along the guide element is directed against the
inside walls of the container and can then flow uniformly down
these walls. The design of the guide element, furthermore,
ensures the uniform distribution of the liquid, so that that
equal volume flow rates are supplied to essentially all areas
of the inside periphery of the container. As a result, the
container can be filled more rapidly and more uniformly
without the formation of significant amounts of foam.
The uniform distribution of the liquid over the entire
area of the inside surface of the container leads to a
significant reduction in the flow rate of the liquid. Because
the liquid slides down uniformly along the inside walls of the
container, the speed at which the liquid hits the bottom of
the container and, as the filling operation proceeds, the
speed at which it hits the surface of the liquid already in
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TRANSLATION (HKH-122):
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the container, is reduced, as a result of which the formation
of foam is again decreased.
The inventive guide element can be used in stationary
filling machines operating in cycles and also in filling
machines with rotating filling wheels.
The use of the guide element as a diffuser promotes the
uniform feed of the liquid to the interior of the container.
That the liquid is guided by the guide element toward the
wall of the container at an angle to the horizontal helps the
liquid to run smoothly down the inside wall.
Selecting the distance in such a way that the liquid
flowing over the edge of the guide element reaches the inside
surface of the side walls of the container promotes the
continuous transfer of the liquid from the guide element to
the inside surface of the walls of the container.
A distance of no more than 15 mm is selected as an
effective value.
According to a preferred embodiment, the container is
filled with liquid under aseptic conditions.
A typical filling operation of non-circular containers
involves the filling of a container made of paperboard
material.
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An additional way to ensure a uniform filling
operation is to use deflector surfaces on the guides to keep
the liquid away from the edges of the container, as a result of
which the air displaced from the interior of the containet can
escape upwards along the container edges.
It is especially effective for the air deflector
elements to be positioned in the area of the corners of the
guide element.
It is also possible to ensure rapid venting during
the filling operation by the use of a hollow-bore valve shaft.
In particular, it is effective for the interior of the package
to be flushed with inert gas, for example, nitrogen, through
this valve shaft before the filling operation in order to
decrease the amount of oxygen in the headspace.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method for filling a container with a fluid product,
which is supplied to the container through a filling valve and
a filling nozzle, the method comprising: sending the fluid
product emerging from the filling nozzle to a guide element,
which is provided with a geometric shape such that the edge of
the guide element positioned inside the container extends along
and a certain distance away from the walls of the container;
diffusing the fluid product with the guide, wherein: the guide
has a non-round shape; starting from a central region directed
to the filling nozzle the guide element extends in a direction
of the edge with a slope to a vertical direction; a shaft
extends in a lengthwise direction of the nozzle; the filling
nozzle and the guide element are covered by a cover; the guide
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element is arranged with a distance to the cover; and the guide
element is connected to the shaft.
According to another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a device for filling a container with a fluid
product, the device comprising at least one filling valve and
at least one filling nozzle, whereby wherein a guide element is
arranged downstream, with respect to the flow direction, of the
filling nozzle, the guide element being designed in such a way
that the edge of the element positioned on an inside of the
container can be arranged along and a certain distance away
from an inside surface of a side wall of the container to be
filled, wherein: a) the guide element is used as a diffuser; b)
the guide element has a non-round shape; c) a shaft extends in
a lengthwise direction of the nozzle; d) starting from a
central region directed to the filling nozzle the guide element
extends in a direction of the edge with a slope to a vertical
direction; e) the filling nozzle and the guide element are
covered by a cover; f) the guide element is arranged with a
distance to the cover; and g) the guide element is connected to
the shaft.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are
illustrated schematically in the drawings:
-- Figure 1 shows a partially cut-away schematic
diagram of a filling device with the associated part of the
container to be filled;
-- Figure lA shows a partially cut-away schematic
diagram of the device of Figure 1;
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-- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the guide
element with additional air deflector elements;
-- Figure 3 shows a perspective view illustrating the
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flow of liquid over the guide element to the inside surface of
the container; and
-- Figure 4 shows a side view of the arrangement
according to Figure 1.
Figure 1 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic
diagram of a filling device 1. The filling device 1 comprises
a connecting line 2 for connecting the device to a supply tank
(not shown) holding the liquid with which the container is to
be filled. Typically, the connecting line 2 is connected by
way of an elbow 3 to a valve seat 4, which is provided to
receive a filling valve (not shown). The valve seat 4 is
connected to a nozzle 6 by a valve elbow 5. A shaft 7,
which
is usually hollow and thus allows gas exchange to occur in the
interior of the package before and during the filling
operation, extends longitudinally through the nozzle 6.
A guide element 9 is arranged underneath the filling
nozzle 6 with respect to the flow direction 8. This guide
element comprises an edge 10. The geometric shape of the
guide element 9 and in particular the course of the edge 10
are adapted to the cross section of the container 11 to be
filled, only part of which is shown in Figure 1.
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Proceeding from the central area 12 of the guide element
9 facing the filling nozzle 6, the guide element 9 extends
toward the edge 10 with a gradient to the vertical and, in the
area of the edge 10, it remains a certain distance 13 away
from the inside surface 14 of the side walls of the container
11.
The filling nozzle 6 and the guide element 9 are covered
by a hood 15, so that the container can be filled with the
liquid under aseptic conditions.
To make it possible for air to escape from the interior
space 17 of the container 2 to be filled as the level of the
liquid rises, the guide element 9 comprises one or more air
discharge elements 18. The air discharge elements 18 are
preferably arranged at the corners 19 of the guide element 9.
In the area where they face the central area 12, the air
discharge elements 18 are provided with deflector surfaces 20.
The air discharge elements 18 can be designed as profiles
open toward the inside surface 14 of the container 12. It is
also possible to use hollow profiles open in the vertical
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direction.
Figure 1A shows the device 1 of Figure 1. In the
example of Figure 1A, arrow 22 illustrates which direction the
liquid to be filled flows through the arc shaped pipe 2.
Figure 1A also shows arrow 24 that indicates the upward and
downward directions of movement of the central shaft 7. Also
shown is distance 23 between guide element 9 and hood 15.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the guide
element 9 and of the filling nozzle 6 arranged above the guide
element 9. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated
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CA 02738852 2011-03-29
TRANSLATION (HKH-122):
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PCT/DE2009/001,026
here, the guide element 9 is designed for the filling of
containers 11 with an essentially square cross section. The
guide element 9 comprises a surface profile 21, which promotes
the uniform feed of liquid to the inside surfaces 14 of the
container 11. In the area of each corner 19 of the guide
element 9, an air discharge element 18 is arranged in such a
way that it rises like a post above the edge 10.
Figure 3 shows how a filling operation is carried out.
The liquid 22 emerges from the filling nozzle 6 and strikes
the guide element 9. As a result of the guide element 9, the
liquid 22 is guided uniformly toward the inside surfaces 14 of
the container 11 and can then run uniformly down these inside
surfaces 14. Figure 4 shows a side view of the filling
operation according to Figure 3. Here, too, the extremely
uniform flow of the liquid 22 down the inside surfaces 14 can
be seen.
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