Abstract:
A system for efficiently filling liquid containing bottles having removable and replaceable threaded screw tops. The system includes a bottle spindle mechanism having a bottle receiving receptacle, and a liquid dispensing head movable between a raised position for enabling placement and removal of bottles into and from the receptacle with the screw tops in place and lowered liquid dispensing position. With a bottle in the receptacle, the receptacle and bottle are rotatable in one rotary direction while the screw top is manually retained against rotation for unscrewing and removing the screw top; the dispensing head is then lowered to the liquid dispensing position for filling the bottle; the dispensing head then is raised and the screw top repositioned on the bottle; and the receptacle and bottle are rotated in an opposite direction while the screw top is retained for rescrewing the screw top on the bottle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERNCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/199,738, filed Jul. 31, 2015, which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to liquid container filling systems, and more particularly, to a system for individually filling reusable bottles having a spray head or the like screwed onto the top of the bottles with determined quantities of liquid for reuse of the refilled bottles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In many commercial establishments, it is necessary to refill bottles or like containers with liquids or chemicals on a daily basis. In hotels, for example, the room cleaning staff commonly uses one liter bottles of liquid cleaners, such as sodium hydroxide, for surface cleaning in bathrooms, night stands, and the like, and liquid sanitizers, such as hypochlorous acid, for sanitizing toilets, bathroom fixtures and the like. In large hotels, such as 4000 and 5000 room hotels, the cleaning staff each day can use 600 or more one liter bottles of liquid cleaners and 300 hundred or more bottles of liquid sanitizer. In such establishments, it is common practice to refill the bottles on a daily basis for reuse. This can be a highly time consuming, and hence, a relatively expensive endeavor. Manual filling of individual bottles with cleaning fluids for prolonged periods also can expose workers to irritating, if not harmful, fumes from the liquids being dispensed. 
         [0004]    While systems are available for simultaneously filling a multiplicity of reusable bottles or containers with cleaning fluids and sanitizers, such as disclosed in International application serial number PCT/US2015/063411 filed on Dec. 2, 2015, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, the bottles typically have a spray head that must be removed by unscrewing prior to refilling, and then reassembled on the refilled bottle. This alone can be tedious and time consuming, significantly increasing the time of the refilling process. Moreover, since multiple bottle filling systems can be relatively costly, the need exists, particularly for smaller users, for a system for more efficiently and economically refilling individual bottles or containers having screw top spray heads or the like. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for more efficiently and quickly filling individual bottles or like containers with cleaning fluid or other liquids, such as used in hotels and other commercial establishments. 
         [0006]    Another object is provide a bottle filling system as characterized above that can be used for refilling bottles at a rate comparable to, or more quickly, than more expensive and complex systems for filling multiple bottles. 
         [0007]    A further object is to provide a bottle filling system of the foregoing type that eliminates the necessity for manually unscrewing and rescrewing spray heads on bottles before and after a refilling operation. 
         [0008]    Another object is to provide a system for individually filling bottles of the foregoing type which minimizes exposure to the operator of irritating or harmful fumes of cleaning fluids or other liquids during the refilling process. 
         [0009]    A further object is to provide a bottle filling system of the above kind that is operable for quickly removing and replacing screw on spray heads or the like on bottles as an integral part of the refilling process. 
         [0010]    Still another object is to provide a bottle filling system of the foregoing type that is relatively simple in construction and lends itself to economical manufacture. 
         [0011]    Yet a further object is to provide a system for more quickly removing and replacing screw top spray heads or the like from reusable containers that is usable in conjunction with systems for filling multiplicities of reusable bottles or containers. 
         [0012]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a partially broken away perspective of an illustrative bottle filling system in accordance with the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged broken away perspective of a bottle spindle mechanism of the illustrated bottle filling system for facilitating removal and replacement of screw top spray heads from bottles that are to be refilled; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the bottom of the illustrated bottle filling system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, partially broken away, perspective of a liquid dispensing head of the illustrated bottle filling system; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of an underside of the liquid dispensing head shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6-12  are sequential views depicting the use of the illustrative bottle filling system; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a perspective of an alternative embodiment of a bottle spindle mechanism usable in connection with systems for filling multiplicities of bottles with liquid. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown an illustrative bottle filling system  10  in accordance with the invention operable for refilling individual bottles  11  with cleaning fluids or other liquids that are dispensed from the bottles  11  and which are then refilled for reuse. The illustrated bottles  11  have screw top spray heads  12  ( FIGS. 6-12 ) of a conventional type comprising an internally threaded cap  14  screwed on to the upper end of the bottle  11  and a trigger actuated spray nozzle  15  or the like for dispensing liquids form the bottle in a spray form. It will be understood that the term “bottle” is broadly used to encompass bottles and other liquid containing vessels. 
         [0022]    The illustrated bottle filling system  10  basically comprises a frame  19 , a bottle spindle mechanism  20  for facilitating removal and replacement of screw top spray heads  12  from and onto bottles  11  to be refilled, and a liquid dispensing mechanism  21  for directing liquid into the bottles during refilling. The frame  19  comprises a lower frame structure  24  that supports a horizontal table  25  in elevated relation to the surface upon which the system is mounted. In this case, a platform plate  26  is fixedly mounted centrally on the table  25  and an upstanding ledge  28  is fixed about the periphery of the table  25  for containing any liquid that may accidentally spill during a refilling operation. 
         [0023]    In keeping with the illustrated embodiment, the spindle mechanism  20  comprises a rotatable bottle receiving receptacle  30  mounted in central depending relation to the table  25  for relative rotation. The receptacle  30  in this case has an upwardly opening cylindrical section  31  having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the bottle  11  to be filled with liquid, a middle inwardly tapered hollow section  32 , and a bottom annular hub section  34  ( FIG. 2 ). A tubular drive shaft  35  is fixedly supported in depending relation to the bottom hub section  34 . 
         [0024]    For supporting the receptacle  30  for rotation, the depending tubular drive shaft  35  is mounted in a pair of conventional pillow blocks  36 ,  38  horizontally secured to a support plate  39  fixed in depending relation to the table  25  ( FIG. 2 ). An upper perimeter of the rotatable receptacle  30  has an outwardly flared flange  40  disposed in overlying relation to the platform plate  26  with an annular bushing  41  interposed therebetween for facilitating relative rotation of the receptacle  30  while preventing migration of liquid that may spill upon the table. The lower end of the tubular drive shaft  35  in this instance is disposed within an upwardly opening end of 90 degree elbow  42  for relative rotation. As will become apparent, if any liquid should spill over from the bottle down into the receptacle  30  during a refilling cycle, it will drain through the tubular drive shaft  35  and into the elbow  42 . In the illustrated embodiment, the elbow  42  drains to a drain pipe  43  having a drain outlet  44 . 
         [0025]    For selectively rotating the bottle receiving receptacle  30 , a reversible gear motor  45  of a conventional type is supported under the table  25  which through a drive pulley  46  and belt  48  drives a pulley  49  carried by the tubular drive shaft  35  of the receptacle  30  ( FIG. 2 ). The gear motor  45  in this instance is operated by a pair of foot pedals  50 ,  51  electrically coupled to the gear motor  45  by a control box  52  ( FIG. 1 ). Operating the right foot pedal  50  in this instance directly operates the gear motor  45  in a manner for rotating the receptacle  30  in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from above, and actuating the left foot pedal  51  operates the gear motor  45  by way of a reversing relay in the control box  52  for rotating the receptacle  30  in an opposite or clockwise direction. 
         [0026]    For facilitating rotation of a bottle  11  simultaneously with the receptacle  30 , a bottle gripping frictional element, in this case in the form of a resilient o-ring  55 , is disposed at a bottom of the cylindrical section  31  for contact with and support of the bottom of a bottle  11  positioned the receptacle  30 . The o-ring  55  in this case is supported at the top of an internal tapered wall of the middle tapered section  32  of the receptacle  30 . The illustrated o-ring  55  has a hollow donut shape and may be made of a low durometer PVC or other plastic material that deforms and frictionally engages an underside of a bottle  11  positioned within a receptacle  30  and pressed against the o-ring  55 . The bottle  11  preferably is supported within the receptacle  30  such that an axial length l of the cylindrical section  31  of the receptacle  30  surrounding the bottle  11  is at least ⅓ the height of the bottle for maintaining vertical alignment of the bottle during removal and replacement of the screw top spray head  12 , as will become apparent, as well as during dispensing of liquid during a liquid refilling operation. In a typical embodiment, the cylindrical section  31  may have an axial length “l” of 3½ inches for supporting a bottle  11  having a height of about 8 inches without the screw top spray head  12 . 
         [0027]    During a bottle refilling operation, it can be seen that an empty bottle  11  with its screw top spray head  12  in place may be positioned into the rotatable receptacle  30  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ). By gripping the annular cap  14  of the spray head  12 , the operator can apply downward pressure on the bottle  11  against the frictional o-ring  55 . The operator may then depress the left peddle  57  for causing the receptacle  30  and the bottle  10  held therein to rotate in a clockwise direction, automatically causing the bottle  10  to unscrew from the spray head  12  which is held against rotation by the operator. When the spray head  12  disengages form the bottle  11 , the operator may release the foot pedal  51  and place the removed spray head  12  aside ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). As will become apparent, such spray head removal can be quickly and easily accomplished. 
         [0028]    In keeping with a further feature of the illustrated embodiment, the liquid dispensing mechanism  21  includes a liquid dispensing head  60  ( FIGS. 1 and 4 ) that is movable between a raised position for enabling positioning of a bottle  11  with its screw top spray head  12  in place into the rotatable receptacle  30  and a lowered liquid refilling position in operative relation to an open top of the bottle  11  after removal of the spray head  12 . The liquid dispensing head  60  in this case is supported in elevated relation to the rotary bottle receiving rotatable receptacle  30  by a vertical support plate  61  fixed in upstanding relation to the platform plate  26  of the table  52 . The illustrative liquid dispensing head  60  has a cylindrical upper body  62  and a rectangular base  64 , with a central liquid direction tube  65  extending vertically through the dispensing head  60 . A lower terminal end of the liquid direction tube  65  in this case protrudes from an underside of the head  60  and defines a liquid discharge orifice or nozzle  66  ( FIG. 5 ) of the dispensing head  60  and an upper end of the liquid direction tube  65  communicates with a three directional liquid valve  70  ( FIGS. 1 and 4 ). 
         [0029]    The valve  70  has a first liquid inlet  71  coupled to a first liquid supply by a flexible liquid supply tube  72  through which the first liquid can be pumped to the valve  70  and a second liquid inlet  74  on an opposite side of the valve  70  for connection to a second liquid supply, which may be different from the first liquid supply, and again which can be pumped to the second liquid inlet  74  through a flexible supply tube  75  ( FIG. 1 ). In a typical embodiment, the bottle filling system  10  may be used directly with an electrolyzing system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,53,489 and International patent application PCT/US2015/063411, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, which simultaneously produce a hyrochlorous acid liquid sanitizer and a sodium hydroxide liquid cleaner, with the outlet for the liquid sanitizer, for example being connected to the first liquid inlet  71  of the valve  70  and the outlet for the liquid cleaner being coupled to the second liquid inlet  74 . When a directional lever  78  of the valve  70  is in a central position, such as depicted in  FIG. 1 , both liquid inlets  71 ,  74  are closed from the respective liquid supplies. It will be understood that alternatively individual control valves could be used for the respective first and second liquid supply lines  72 ,  74 . 
         [0030]    In keeping this embodiment, the liquid dispensing head  60  is movable between a raised position that enables replacement and removal of a bottle  11  into and out of the receptacle  30  with the spray head  12  in place and a lowered position for refilling the bottle  11  with liquid following removal of the spray head  12 . In this case, the liquid dispensing head  60  is mounted on a slide block  77  which has a pair of vertical slide openings extending therethrough for selected vertical movement along a pair of vertical guide rods  79 . The guide rods  79  are supported between a pair of forwardly extending flanges  80  fixed in vertically spaced relation on the support plate  61 . A coil spring  81  is disposed about each support rod  79  in interposed relation between the lower flange  81  and the slide block  77  for biasing the liquid dispensing head  60  in the raised position. 
         [0031]    To facilitate movement of the liquid dispensing head  60  between the raised position and a lowered liquid filling position, the dispensing head  60  has a laterally extending handle  84  which may be manually grasped by an operator for lowering the dispensing head  60  against the biasing force of the coil springs  81  to the filling position. It will be understood that the flexible liquid inlet lines  72 ,  75  have a length sufficient to permit such movement of the dispensing head  60  movement during a liquid refilling cycle. 
         [0032]    The discharge orifice or nozzle  66  of the liquid direction tube  65  of the dispensing head  60 , as depicted in  FIG. 5 , which protrudes from the underside of the liquid dispensing head is positionable into an upper open end of a bottle  11  in the receptacle  30  during a refill cycle. The dispensing head  60  has a foam sealing gasket  80  on its underside about the liquid dispensing tube  64  for engaging and sealing the upper open end of the bottle during a refill cycle. The discharge orifice or nozzle  66  of the liquid direction tube  65  preferably has a conically tapered pointed terminal end for minimizing drippage from the tube following completion of a refilling operation. 
         [0033]    In carrying out still a further feature of this embodiment, the liquid dispensing head  60  has an outer tube  83  disposed in concentric surrounding relation to the liquid directing tube  65  for defining an annular passageway  82  for channeling away from the bottle  11  any gasses emitted from the liquid during a refill operation as well as any overflow liquid inadvertently directed to the bottle  11 . The outer tube  83  has an enlarged downstream end  89  disposed in surrounding relation to the protruding discharge end or nozzle  66  of the liquid directing tube  65  and in this case extends upwardly within the dispensing head  60  to and overflow passage  85  communicating through a right angle hub  86  of the head  60 . Annular seals  87  are disposed on opposite sides of the overflow passage  85  such that any gas or liquid passing through the annular passage  82  is directed through the overflow passage  85 . An overflow and gas discharge tube  88  is connected between the right angle hub  86  and the drain pipe  43  for directing drawn gasses or overflowed liquid to the drain. 
         [0034]    In use of the bottle filling system  10 , it can be seen that an operator may position an empty bottle  11  with a screw on spray head in place into the receptacle  30  of the spindle mechanism  20  ( FIG. 6 ). With the operator holding the spray cap  14  of the spray head  12  and applying downward pressure ( FIG. 7 ), the left foot switch may be pressed to cause the receptacle to rotate clockwise (as viewed from above) causing the bottle  11  to quickly unscrew from the spray head  12  being held against rotation by the operator. The foot switch may then be released and the disengaged spray head  12  placed aside on the table  25  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). 
         [0035]    By grasping the handle  84  of the liquid dispensing head  60 , the dispensing head  60  may be pulled down along the guide rods  79  against the biasing force of the springs  81  positioning the protruding nozzle  66  of the liquid directing tube  65  into the upper open end of the bottle  11  with the sealing gasket  80  on the underside of the head firmly engaging and sealing the top of the bottle  11  about the liquid direction tube  65 . The operator may then actuate the lever  78  of the directional valve  70  to the appropriate side for the bottle  11  being filled ( FIG. 10 ), for example, to the left for a liquid cleaner and to the right for a liquid sanitizer, and when the bottle  11  is full the operator may return the lever  78  to the center off position. During the refill process, it can be seen that any fumes that are emitted from the liquid dispensing to the bottle are channeled through the annular passage  82  and overflow passage  85  to the drain pipe  43 . Likewise, any excess liquid inadvertently directed to the bottle  11  will pass through the overflow passage  85  to the drain pipe  43 . 
         [0036]    With the bottle  11  full, the operator may raise the liquid dispensing head  60  to its original upright position where it is maintained by the biasing springs  81 . The operator may then reinsert the spray head  12  into the bottle  11 , and then press the bottle firmly downwardly into the receptacle  30  by means of the spray head ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ). Depressing the right foot pedal  50  will cause the bottle  11  to rotate in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed from above, causing the screw head  12  held by the operator against rotation to quickly and automatically screw back onto the bottle  11 , at which time the foot switch is released. The operator may then remove the filled bottle and repeat the process until all bottles are filled. In practice, it has been found that an operator may unscrew the spray head form an empty liquid bottle, refill the bottle, and refasten the spray head in less than 20 seconds. By filling nearly 180 bottles per hour, it can be seen that the system can be operated at a rate comparable to that of more expensive and complex systems for filling multiplicities of bottles. Moreover, since the filling system of the present invention is largely automated, it can be carried out with lesser operator fatigue. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 13  there is shown an alternative embodiment which is particularly adapted for use with systems for filling multiplicities of liquid containing bottles having screw top spray heads, such as shown in the above referenced International application PCT/US2015/063411, wherein reference numerals similar to those described above have been given similar reference numerals. As previously indicated, even in systems for simultaneously filling multiplicity of bottles, particularly time consuming aspects of the refilling process are the tasks of manually unscrewing the spray head from the bottle in preparation for refilling and then reattaching the spray head after the bottles have been filled. The spindle mechanism  20 , as depicted in  FIG. 13 , when used in conjunction with such multiple bottle filling systems, similarly substantially shortens the refilling process. The screw top heads  12  of the bottles  11  may be quickly and easily removed and replaced by the operator in a significantly more efficient manner. 
         [0038]    Form the foregoing, it can be seem that a system is provided for more quickly and efficiently filling individual bottles or like containers with cleaning fluid or other liquids such as used in hotels and other commercial establishments, which eliminates the need for manually screwing and unscrewing spray tops on the bottles before and after a refilling operation. The bottle filling system can be used for filling bottles at a rate comparable to, or more quickly, than more expensive and complex systems for filling multiplicities of bottles. It further minimizes the exposure to the operator of irritating or harmful fumes of cleaning fluids or other liquids that may be emitted during the refilling process. The spindle mechanism of the system also may be effectively used to substantially improve the efficiently of systems for simultaneously filling a multiplicity of reusable bottles. In either case, the system is relatively simple in construction and lends itself to economical manufacture.