Patent ID: 8985164
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: B65B,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method for filling to a predetermined fill level a product container of a particular configuration with a flowable product using a product filling machine, comprising the steps of: (a) causing, during a filling operation at a filling station of the filling machine, a flowable product to flow through a fill valve assembly and through a mouth of and into the product container of the particular configuration located at the filling station, (b) using a sensor mounted at the filling station and positioned over a shoulder of the product container but below the mouth of the product container during flow of the product into the product container, generating a signal in response to the first sensing of the flowable product within the container; and (c) using a controller operably coupled to the sensor and configured to operate the fill valve assembly at the filling station, stopping flow of the flowable product into the container at the filling station upon receiving the generated signal from the sensor at the filling station; (d) wherein the method further comprises a preliminary step of positioning the sensor at the filling station so that the threshold of the sensor's range for first sensing the flowable product through a wall of such a container when the sensor is positioned over the shoulder of the product container but below the mouth of the product container corresponds to the predetermined fill level.