Patent Publication Number: US-2017369297-A1

Title: Machine and a method for filling containers

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a machine and a method for filling containers with pourable products, in particular carbonated liquids, such as sparkling water, soft drinks and beer, which the following description will refer to, although this is in no way intended to limit the scope of protection as defined by the accompanying claims. 
     The present invention may be also used to particular advantage for any type of container, such as containers or bottles made of glass, plastics, aluminum, steel and composites, and for any type of pourable product, such as non-carbonated liquids (including still water, juices, teas, sport drinks, liquid cleaners, wine, etc), emulsions, suspensions and high viscosity liquids. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As is known, many pourable products are sold in a wide range of bottles or containers, which are sterilized, filled and closed in container handling plants typically including a plurality of processing stations or machines, such as rinsing machines, filling machines, capping machines and labelling machines. 
     These processing stations can be defined by linear machines or, more frequently, by carousel-type machines. The following description will refer to carousel-type machines only, although this is in no way intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. 
     The containers to be handled are generally fed to and removed from these machines by means of a transport system including star wheels and linear conveyors. 
     Known container handling plants are therefore fairly bulky and allow little freedom of choice in terms of layout; moreover, this kind of plants requires quite complicated adjustments to synchronize the different processing stations and entails relatively high operating and maintenance costs. 
     Another problem posed in respect of known filling machines is the formation of foam at the end of the operation of filling the container. 
     This problem is mainly caused by the fact that, for reasons of economy, commercial containers are not such larger than the volume required for accommodating of the contents. Thus, during filling operations, which have to be carried out at high speed, it is common for some amount of liquid in the form of foam to bubble over the top of the container prior to the container being capped or sealed. The product loss can be as high as ten percent, which translates into higher cost for the consumer or lower profitability for the bottler, or both. 
     To reduce this product loss, some filling machines include a dwell station that allows for the product foam in a recently filled container to settle prior to capping. 
     Other filling machines include a short suction pipe adapted to be introduced into the container to be sealed, and a suction system whereby the foam over the top surface of the liquid is removed and optionally recycled into the product reservoir. 
     Some filling machines may also use blast nozzles for blowing any drops and residual foam from the surfaces to be sealed or capped. 
     Some filling machines reduce the temperature of the liquid at the mixing tanks or other reservoirs to reduce foaming. 
     In certain cases, the containers are purposefully overfilled to compensate for lost product in the form of foam and thereby achieve the desired net fill volume, which results in undesirable product loss. 
     Other possible solutions are based on the use of ultrasonic waves for collapsing the foam; in practice, the portion of liquid forming the foam again becomes part of the liquid content of the container rather than being wasted. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for filling containers, designed to eliminate at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is cheap and easy to implement. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for filling containers as claimed in claim  1 . 
     The present invention also relates to a method for filling containers as claimed in claim  15 . 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for filling containers as claimed in claim  23 . 
     The present invention also relates to a method for filling containers as claimed in claim  30 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic top plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a first embodiment of a machine for filling containers according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a larger-scale top plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a part of the  FIG. 1  machine; 
         FIG. 3  shows a larger-scale, partly sectioned side view of a handling assembly of the  FIG. 1  machine for carrying and filling a relative container; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic top plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a second embodiment of a machine for filling containers according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a sectioned side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a handling assembly of the 
         FIG. 4  machine for carrying and filling a relative container, and 
         FIG. 6  shows a larger-scale sectioned side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the handling assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Number  1  in  FIG. 1  indicates as a whole a machine for filling containers, in particular bottles  2 , with pourable products, in the example shown carbonated liquids, such as sparkling water or carbonated beverages, including soft drinks and beer. 
     As visible in  FIG. 3 , each bottle  2  has a longitudinal axis A and is bounded at the bottom by a bottom wall  3  substantially perpendicular to axis A, and has a top neck  4  substantially coaxial with the axis A. 
     In the example shown, the bottles  2  filled by machine  1  are made of plastics; however, machine  1  may be also used for other types of containers, such as containers made of aluminum, steel, glass and composites. Moreover, the containers used in machine  1  may be filled with any type of pourable product, including non-carbonated liquids (such as still water, juices, teas, sport drinks, liquid cleaners, wine, etc), emulsions, suspensions and high viscosity liquids. 
     Machine  1  comprises a conveying device  5  that, according to the present invention, serves not only to fill the bottles  2  but also to label them during the filling process. 
     In the preferred embodiment as illustrated on the figures, the conveying device  5  comprises a carousel  6 , which is mounted to rotate continuously (anticlockwise in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) about a vertical axis B perpendicular to the  FIG. 1  plane. The carousel  6  receives a succession of empty bottles  2  from an input star wheel  7 , which is connected to carousel  6  at a first transfer station  8  and is mounted to rotate continuously about a respective longitudinal axis C parallel to axis B. The carousel  6  releases a succession of filled bottles  2  to an output star wheel  9 , which is connected to carousel  6  at a second transfer station  10  and is mounted to rotate continuously about a respective longitudinal axis D parallel to axes B and C. 
     Machine  1  further comprises a plurality of handling units  12 , which are equally spaced angularly about axis B, are mounted along a peripheral portion  11  of carousel  6 , and are moved by the carousel  6  along a path P extending about axis B and through stations  8  and  10 . 
     As shown in the enclosed Figures, each handling unit  12  comprises a support device  13  adapted to receive and retain a relative bottle  2  in a vertical position, in which such bottle  2  has its axis A parallel to the axis B of carousel  6 , and a filling device  14  for feeding the pourable product into a bottle  2  as the support device  13  travels along path P. 
     Each filling device  14  is conveniently arranged above the bottle  2  to be filled. 
     With particular reference to  FIG. 3 , support device  13  of each handling unit  12  comprises a support plate  15  adapted to receive a relative bottle  2  in a vertical position, i.e. resting on support plate  15  with its axis A extending vertically; more specifically, the bottle  2  is arranged with its bottom wall  3  in contact with the support plate  15  and extends vertically from the latter. 
     Support plate  15  is advantageously mounted on carousel  6  in a rotatable manner about its own axis E, coaxial in use with axis A of the relative bottle  2 . In greater detail, peripheral portion  11  of carousel  6  has a plurality of through holes  16  equally spaced angularly about axis B, and a plurality of support sleeves  17 , each protruding downwards from the edge of a relative hole  16 ; in the example shown, each support sleeve  17  is secured to the bottom face of the edge of the relative hole  16  by screws  18  and extends coaxially with a relative axis E. 
     Each support plate  15  is secured on top of a relative rotating element  19  engaging both the relative hole  16  and support sleeve  17  in a rotatable manner about relative axis E. 
     Each support device  13  further comprises an electric motor  20  having a casing  21 , coaxially secured to a bottom end of the relative support sleeve  17 , and an output shaft  22  supported in a rotatable manner by the casing  21  and coupled to a bottom end of the relative rotating element  19 . 
     In practice, electric motor  20  and rotating element  19  of each handling unit  12  define actuator means for rotating a bottle  2  about its axis A during its movement along path P together with carousel  6 . 
     Thanks to this type of arrangement, each bottle  2  has, in use, a revolution motion about axis B together with carousel  6  and a rotary motion about its own axis A as a result of the torque imparted by electric motor  20  to rotating element  19  and support plate  15 . 
     Filling device  14  of each handling unit  12  basically comprises a support block  23  secured, in a manner known per se and not shown, to the carousel  6  and terminating, towards the bottle  2 , with a hollow body  24 , in the example shown having a tubular configuration; filling device  14  of each handling unit  12  further comprises a filling head  25  engaging hollow body  24  in a fluid-tight manner and adapted to cooperate with the top neck  4  of the relative bottle  2  to perform the filling operation. 
     In particular, each filling head  25  defines a filling mouth  26  and has a lower end  25   a  facing the top neck  4  of the relative bottle  2  and provided with a gasket (known per se and not shown). 
     Each filling head  25  is supported by the relative support block  23  in a rotatable manner about the relative axis E; each filling head  25  is also supported by the relative support block  23  in a displaceable manner along the relative axis E between a rest position (not shown), in which it has its lower end  25   a  spaced from the top neck  4  of the relative bottle  2 , and a filling position ( FIG. 3 ), in which it has the gasket of its lower end  25   a  in contact with the top neck  4  of the relative bottle  2  so that the relative filling mouth communicates with the inside of the bottle  2  in a fluid-tight manner towards the outside. 
     In practice, each filling head  25  is supported by the relative support block  23  in an idle manner about axis E and can be displaced along the same axis between the rest position and the filling position; in this way, when a filling head  25  is set in the filling position, rotation of the relative support plate  15  about its axis E is transmitted, through the relative bottle  2 , to the filling head  25 , which is also driven to rotate about the axis E, so performing a guiding and supporting action on top neck  4  of the bottle  2 . 
     Each filling head  25  defines a central conduit  27 , a first annular conduit  28  extending around the conduit  27 , and a second annular conduit  29  formed between the side wall of the filling head  25  and the outer side wall of the conduit  28 . 
     Support block  23  of each filling device  14  internally defines at least three different fluid circuits, known per se and only schematically shown in  FIG. 3 : 
     a product circuit  30  for connecting, through an ON/OFF valve (known per se and not shown), the relative annular conduit  28  to a tank (known per se and not shown) containing the pourable product; 
     a pressurization circuit  31  for connecting, through an ON/OFF valve  32 , the relative central conduit  27  to a chamber  33  filled with a pressurization fluid, e.g. carbon dioxide; and 
     a decompression circuit  35  for connecting, through an ON/OFF valve  36 , the relative annular conduit to a chamber  37  in turn connected to a discharge device (known per se and not shown). 
     According to one important aspect of the present invention, each bottle  2  is in use rotated about its axis A, by activating the relative electric motor  20 , while the bottle  2  is filled with the pourable product by the relative filling device  14 . 
     Thanks to this additional rotation of the bottle  2  about its axis A during the revolution movement of the same bottle  2  about axis B, it is possible to obtain the following effects: 
     the centrifugal force caused by this double rotation generates an additional pressure on the pourable product in the bottle  2 , which entraps the carbon dioxide into the product; and 
     the pourable product comes down into the bottle  2  along the lateral wall thereof instead of centrally. 
     Both these effects permits to obtain a significant reduction in the formation of foam at the end of the filling operation. 
     According to a possible alternative not shown, each support device  13  may be defined by gripping means acting on the top neck  4  of a bottle  2  to retain it in a suspended position. In this case, the rotary motion of each bottle  2  about its axis A may be obtained by an electric motor having a casing, secured to the support block  23  of the relative filling device  14 , and an output shaft connected to the relative filling head  25  and to the gripping means. In practice, in this case, the electric motor would be carried by the relative filling device  14 . 
     According to another important aspect of the present invention, machine  1  further comprises a labelling unit  40  arranged peripherally with respect to carousel  6  and configured to feed a succession of labels  41  to the respective handling units  12  while such units are advanced along path P by carousel  6  and pass by the labelling unit  40 . 
     As visible in  FIG. 1 , labelling unit  40  is arranged between input star wheel  7  and output star wheel  9  along path P; more specifically, labels  41  are supplied to handling units  12  at a transfer station  42  interposed between transfer stations  8  and  10  along path P and preferably arranged closer to transfer station  8  than transfer station  10 . 
     With particular reference to  FIG. 2 , labelling unit  40  basically comprises a supply assembly  44  for supplying a web  45 , provided with the labels  41 , along a path Q towards carousel  6 , and an interaction device  46  interacting with the web  45  at transfer station  42  to separate each label  41  from the rest of the web  45  and supplying such label  41  to the handling unit  12  passing by the transfer station  42 . 
     In the example shown, labels  41  are of the pressure-sensitive type and are originally affixed to web  45  at spaced apart positions. 
     Supply assembly  44  basically comprises a supply reel  47 , off which web  45  is unwound, and a plurality of rollers  48 , about which the web  45  is wound to be guided and supplied along path Q; at least one of the rollers  48  is motorized to drive web  45  off the supply reel  47  and towards transfer station  42  of carousel  6 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , interaction device  46  comprises a peeler blade  50 , over which the web  45  is pulled, thereby causing each label  41  to separate from the web  45 , which is then disposed of. In practice, at transfer station  42 , labels  41  are sequentially peeled off web  45  about peeler blade  50  and applied to corresponding bottles  2  sequentially arriving at transfer station  42  as a result of the advancement of handling units  12  by carousel  6 . 
     According to a possible alternative not shown, labels  41  may be integral parts of a web, which is then cut by cutting means at the transfer station  42  to feed a succession of labels  41  to the bottles  2  on carousel  6 . 
     In order to allow application of each label  41  on the corresponding bottle  2 , the latter is rotated about its axis A by activating electric motor  20 . 
     As it will be explained in greater detail hereafter, the application of each label  41  on the corresponding bottle  2  is performed after pressurization of such bottle  2  by opening valve  32  of the relative pressurization circuit  31 . 
     Operation of machine  1  will now be described with reference to the filling of one bottle  2 , and therefore to one handling unit  12 , and as of the instant in which such bottle  2  is received by support device  13  of the handling unit  12  from input star wheel  7  in order to be filled with the pourable product. 
     In this condition, the bottle  2  is centered with respect to the relative filling device  14  by moving the filling head  25  from the rest position to the filling position. In particular, the gasket of the lower end  25   a  of the filling head  25  contacts the top neck  4  of the bottle  2 , which reaches a position coaxial with the filling head  25 . In practice, the axis A of the bottle  2  is coaxial with the axis E of the filling head  25 . 
     At this point, valve  32  of pressurization circuit  31  is opened (the valve of product circuit  30  and valve of decompression circuit  35  are in a closed condition) and is maintained in that condition up to the moment in which pressure in the bottle  2  reaches a given first value V 1 , for instance about 1.5 bar, adapted to make the bottle  2  sufficiently rigid for labelling. Then, the valve  32  is closed. 
     In the meantime, the handling unit  12  reaches transfer station  42 , where a label  41  is supplied by labelling unit  40  to the bottle  2 ; in order to allow application of the label  41  on the bottle  2 , the latter is rotated about its axis A by activating electric motor  20 . In particular, in this stage, rotary motion imparted by output shaft  22  of electric motor  20  to rotating element  19  and support plate  15  is transmitted to the bottle  2  and from the latter to the filling head  25 , which is in contact with the top neck  4  of the bottle  2  and is supported in an idle condition by support block  23 . 
     Once the label  41  has been applied on bottle  2 , a further pressurization step is carried out by opening valve  32  of pressurization circuit  31 , which is maintained in the open condition up to the moment in which pressure in the bottle  2  reaches a given second value V 2 , for instance about 6 bar, higher than first value V 1  and defining the requested condition for the filling operation with the carbonated liquid. Then, the valve  32  is again closed. 
     By opening the valve of product circuit  23 , the actual filling of the bottle  2  with the product can be started. This step ends when the product reaches the desired level in the bottle  2 . 
     During this step, electric motor  20  is again activated to rotate the bottle  2  about its axis A. 
     Therefore, the bottle  2  is subjected to a revolution motion about axis B and a rotary motion about axis A. Thanks to this double rotation about axes A and B, the bottle  2  can be filled at high speed with a reduced formation of foam. As a matter of fact, the centrifugal force caused by this additional rotation about axis A generates an additional pressure on the product in the bottle  2 , which entraps the carbon dioxide into the product. Moreover, the product comes down into the bottle  2  along the lateral wall thereof instead of centrally. 
     The next step is the decompression of the bottle  2 , which is achieved by connecting the bottle  2  with decompression circuit  35 . At this point, the filling head  25  can be moved to the rest position. 
     In the case in which the pourable product delivered to the bottle  2  is a non-carbonated liquid, the second pressurization step is not performed. 
     The advantages of machine  1  and the filling method according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. 
     In particular, the filling process and the labelling process of the containers are both performed on the same machine. This solution, when compared to a traditional solution using distinct machines for performing such processes, permits to reduce: 
     the overall space occupied by the resulting container handling plant; 
     the maintenance cost; and 
     the operating cost, as only one carousel with a relative motor is used instead of two. 
     Moreover, the step of pressurizing the containers, normally used in a filling process, is exploited in the labelling process of containers made of a deformable material, such as plastics, for permitting the application of the label directly on the container. 
     Last but not least, the rotation of each container about its axis, normally used in a labelling process to permit application of the label on the container, is also used in the filling operation to reduce the formation of foam and thereof to increase the filling speed. In fact, as above explained, the additional rotation of each container about its axis, during the revolution movement of the same container about the carousel axis, permits to obtain the following effects: 
     the centrifugal force caused by this additional rotation generates an additional pressure on the pourable product in the container, which, in the case of carbonated liquids, entraps the carbon dioxide into the product; and 
     the pourable product comes down into the container along the lateral wall thereof instead of centrally. 
       FIG. 4  shows a machine  51  for filling bottles  2 , which differs from the machine shown in  FIGS. 1-3  in that the labeling unit  40  is eliminated and the handling units  12  are eliminated and replaced by respective handling units  52 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , each handling unit  52  comprises a filling device  53  comprising, in turn, a vertical post  54  with a cylindrical shape, which has a longitudinal axis  55  parallel to axis B, and is fixed to the peripheral portion  11  of the carousel  6 . 
     The post  54  is radially delimited by an inner wall comprising an upper wide portion  57  and a lower narrow portion  58 , and is engaged in a sliding manner by a shutter  59  with a tubular shape, which is mounted inside the post  54  coaxial to the axis  55 . 
     The shutter  59  projects downwards from a lower end of the post  54 , and is coupled to the post  54  by means of a deformable annular membrane  60 , which is interposed between the post  54  and the shutter  59  itself. 
     The shutter  59  defines, together with the post  54 , a tubular feeding duct  61 , which extends between the post  54  and the shutter  59 , and is connected to a tank (not shown) of the pourable product to be fed into the bottles  2 . 
     The shutter  59  is axially mobile between a lowered closing position, in which the shutter  59  is arranged in contact with the wall  56  so as to be coupled to the post  54  in a fluid-tight manner and close the duct  61 , and a raised opening position, in which the duct  61  itself is open. 
     The shutter  59  is moved to its raised opening position—and normally kept there—by a spring  62 , which is mounted between the post  54  and the shutter  59  coaxial to the axis  55 , and is moved to its lowered closing position, against the action of the spring  62 , by an actuating cylinder  63 . 
     The cylinder  63  is obtained in the post  54  coaxial to the axis  55 , is provided with a piston  64 , which is coupled to the shutter  59  in an axially and angularly fixed manner, and is connected to a known pneumatic device, which is not shown. 
     The shutter  59  has, furthermore, a swirler  65 , which is obtained on the outer surface of the shutter  59  itself, and extends along—and around—the axis  55 , so as to cause the pourable product fed along the duct  61  to have a swirling movement. 
     The shutter  59  defines an inner feeding duct  66 , which extends inside the shutter  59 , and is connected to a feeding device (not shown), which is adapted to feed a gas under pressure along the duct  66  and into the bottles  2 . 
     The device  53  comprises, furthermore, an actuating cylinder  67  with a tubular shape, which extends around a lower narrow end  68  of the post  54 , is mounted coaxial to the axis  55 , and is coupled to the post  54  itself in an angularly and axially fixed manner. 
     The device  53  cooperates with a gripping member  69  for a bottle  2  comprising a substantially cylindrical bell  70 , which is coaxial to the axis  55 , extends around the cylinder  67 , and is arranged with its concavity facing upwards. 
     The bell  70  is coupled to the cylinder  67  in an axially fixed manner and, furthermore, is coupled to the cylinder  67  in a rotary manner by interposing a rolling bearing  71 , so as to rotate, relative to the cylinder  67  itself and under the thrust of an actuating device  72 , around the axis  55 . 
     The device  72  comprises an electric motor  73 , which is fixed to the post  54 , and is provided with an output shaft  74  having a longitudinal axis  75  that is parallel to the axis  55 . 
     The shaft  74  is coupled to the bell  70  by means of a pair of gears  76 , of which one is splined to the shaft  74  and the other is obtained on the outer surface of the bell  70  itself. 
     The gripping member  69  comprises, furthermore, a support plate  77 , which projects downwards from the bell  70 , is fixed to the bell  70 , and supports a pair of holding jaws  78 , which are configured to hold a relative bottle  2  in correspondence to its top neck  4 . 
     The jaws  78  are mounted under the plate  77  and are hinged to the plate  77  so as to rotate, relative to the plate  77  itself, around respective fulcrum axes  79 , which are parallel to one another and to the axis  55 . 
     The jaws  78  are moved to a clamping position—and normally kept there—by a spring  80 , which is interposed between the jaws  78 , and are moved to a release position by the thrust exerted on the jaws  78  themselves by the relative bottle  2  during its insertion into the gripping member  69  or its extraction from the gripping member  69 . 
     The cylinder  67  is provided with a pneumatically operated piston  81 , which is mounted so as to slide inside the cylinder  67 , extends around the lower end  68 , and defines part of a filling head  82 . 
     The head  82  axially projects downwards from the post  54  and comprises, furthermore, a gasket  83  made of an elastomer material, which has an annular shape coaxial to the axis  55 , faces, in use, the top neck  4  of the bottle  2 , and is coupled to the piston  81  in an axially fixed manner, so as to be moved by the piston  81  between a lowered operating position, in which the gasket  83  is coupled to the top neck  4  in a fluid-tight manner, and a raised rest position, in which the gasket  83  is arranged at a given distance from the upper neck  4  itself. 
     The gasket  83 , furthermore, is coupled to the piston  81  in a rotary manner by interposing a rolling bearing  84 , so as to rotate, relative to the piston  81  itself, around the axis  55  under the thrust of the bottle  2 . 
     To this regard, it should be pointed out that the gasket  83  is angularly integral to a lower rotary race of the bearing  84  and that the race  85  radially extends above the gasket  83  so as to define a rotary ring  86  of a mechanical sliding gasket  87 . 
     The gasket  87  allows the piston  81  and the gasket  83 , namely the angularly fixed part and the rotary part of the head  82 , to be coupled to one another in a fluid-tight manner and comprises, furthermore, a further ring  88 , which is mounted above the ring  86  coaxial to the axis  55 . 
     The ring  88  is fixed to the lower free end of a sleeve  89 , which is coupled in an angularly fixed and axially sliding manner to the piston  81 , and is kept in contact with the ring  86  by a spring  90 , which is interposed between the piston  81  and the sleeve  89  itself. 
     In correspondence to the transfer stations  8 ,  10 , the position of each gripping member  69  and, hence, of the relative jaws  78  around the relative axis  55  is selectively controlled so as to guarantee a correct pick-up and a correct release of the bottles  2 , respectively. 
     The angular position of each gripping member  69  can be selectively controlled by means of an encoder, which is associated with the relative electric motor  73 , or by means of a cam mechanism, which cooperates with the bell  70 . 
     According to an embodiment not shown, the gripping members  69  are removed and replaced by respective lower plates, which are arranged under the relative bottles  2  and are motor-operated so as to rotate around the relative axes  55 , and the rotation motion is transmitted to the filling heads  82  by means of the bottles  2  themselves. In this case, when the bottles  2  are made of PET, the bottles  2  are pressurized through the feeding duct  66  so as to have a sufficient stiffness, preferably before being caused to rotate around the relative axes  55 . 
     Obviously, the machine  51  has all the advantages deriving from the rotation of the bottles  2  during their filling, as already described for the machine  1 .