Patent ID: 7104033
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: B67C

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a beverage bottling plant for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material, said beverage bottling plant comprising: a beverage bottle cleaning machine being configured and disposed to clean beverage bottles; a feed arrangement to supply beverage bottles to said beverage bottle cleaning machine; a beverage filling machine being configured and disposed to fill beverage bottles with liquid beverage material; at least one storage unit being configured and disposed to store a supply of liquid beverage material; at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one storage unit to said beverage filling machine to supply liquid beverage material to said beverage filling machine; a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles from said beverage bottle cleaning machine into said beverage filling machine; said first conveyer arrangement comprising a star wheel structure; a beverage bottle closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled beverage bottles; a second conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled beverage bottles from said beverage filling machine into said beverage bottle closing machine; said second conveyer arrangement comprising a star wheel structure; a beverage bottle labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles; a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage bottles from said beverage bottle closing machine into said beverage bottle labeling machine; said third conveyer arrangement comprising a star wheel structure; a beverage bottle packing station being configured and disposed to package labeled, filled, closed beverage bottles; a fourth conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to move labeled, filled, closed beverage bottles from said beverage bottle labeling machine to said beverage bottle packing station; said fourth conveyer arrangement comprising a linear conveyor structure being configured and disposed to arrange beverage bottles in groups for packing; said beverage filling machine comprising a rotatable carousel being configured and disposed to be rotated about a central, vertical axis of rotation; said beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling devices for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material; said beverage filling devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotatable carousel; each of said beverage filling devices comprising: a dispensing arrangement being configured and disposed to control the dispensation of liquid beverage material into a beverage bottle; a liquid duct being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid beverage material into a beverage bottle upon filling, and being configured and disposed to permit the outflow of cleaning fluid upon cleaning of said beverage filling device; at least one additional duct being configured and disposed to permit the flow of gas out of a beverage bottle upon filling, and being configured and disposed to permit the inflow of cleaning fluid upon cleaning of said beverage filling device; a discharge opening being configured and disposed to be brought into sealing engagement with a mouth of a beverage bottle upon filling of the beverage bottle with liquid beverage material; a housing being configured and disposed to house said dispensing arrangement, said liquid duct, and said at least one additional duct; said housing comprising a projecting portion which projects beyond and encloses said discharge opening, said projecting portion comprising a perimeter edge disposed about the end of said projecting portion; said housing projecting portion forms a recess being configured and disposed to receive and enclose at least a portion of a mouth of a beverage bottle; a lifting device being configured and disposed to lift a mouth of a beverage bottle into sealing engagement with said discharge opening; said lifting device comprising: a support and centering structure to hold a neck of a beverage bottle; lifting rods being connected to said support and centering structure and being configured to be moved vertically to permit vertical movement of said support and centering structure; and a closing element being configured to be moved and to be brought into sealing engagement with said perimeter edge of said housing projection portion to close said recess to create a rinsing space that is closed toward the outside environment to permit cleaning of the interior of said beverage filling device and essentially prevent leakage of cleaning fluid upon cleaning, said method comprising the steps of: supplying beverage bottles to said beverage bottle cleaning machine; cleaning beverage bottles; transporting beverage bottles to said beverage filling machine; filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material; transporting filled beverage bottles to said beverage bottle closing machine; closing tops of filled beverage bottles; transporting filled beverage bottles to said beverage bottle labeling machine; attaching labels onto filled beverage bottles; transporting filled beverage bottles to said beverage bottle packing station; arranging filled beverage bottles into groups of beverage bottles; packing groups of beverage bottles; performing a cleaning operation for cleaning each of said filling devices, said cleaning operation comprising the steps of: resuming filling beverage bottles with said beverage filling machine upon completion of said cleaning operation.