Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a filling machine

Abstract

A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a filling machine. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1 . 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 rotary beverage filling machine being configured and disposed to fill beverage bottles with liquid beverage material;    said rotary beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling elements for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material;    at least one liquid reservoir being configured to hold a liquid to be bottled;    said at least one liquid reservoir comprising a gas headspace being disposed above a liquid to be bottled within said at least one liquid reservoir;    at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one liquid reservoir 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 rotor being configured and disposed to carry said plurality of filling elements about its periphery;    each of said filling elements comprising: 
 a dispensing opening being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid through said dispensing opening and into a bottle to be filled;  
 a liquid duct being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid from said liquid reservoir;  
 a housing being configured and disposed to house said liquid duct;  
 a return gas tube comprising an open bottom end being disposed adjacent said dispensing opening;  
   said return gas tube being configured and disposed to permit the flow of gas from a bottle being filled with a liquid beverage;    a gas cutoff element, comprising: 
 a substantially disk-shaped body portion being disposed about said liquid duct;  
 said substantially disk-shaped body portion being substantially flat;  
 a plurality of passages being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid beverage through said gas cutoff element;  
 said passages being disposed in a substantially circular pattern around said gas cutoff element;  
 said passages comprising an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and an inner wall portion;  
 said outlet portion being vertically offset from said inlet portion;  
 said inner wall portion being disposed between said inlet portion and said outlet portion;  
   said passages being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid beverage such that liquid beverage exits said passages in a circular or swirling motion;    said passages having a size, shape, angle, diametrical dimension, cross section, and inner contour to utilize and being configured and disposed to utilize the Coriolis effect;    said passages being configured to take into account the latitude of the hemispheric location of the bottling plant, the viscosity of the liquid being bottled, the size and amount of solid matter in the liquid to be bottled, the temperature of the liquid to be bottled, and the type of bottle being filled;    said passages being configured and disposed to minimize gas bubbling back up through said passages, to minimize entry of liquid into said gas return tube, and to minimize filling time.    
   
   
       2 . The beverage bottling plant according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the gas cutoff is provided with recesses on its perimeter;    the passages and/or recesses or their side surfaces are at an inclination with respect to the vertical;    the inclination is realized as a function of the circumference of an imaginary circle around the valve axis; and    the inclination in the direction of flow is directed radially outward.    
   
   
       3 . The beverage bottling plant according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the inclination is realized as a function of the location in which the filling machine will be used so that the Coriolis effect is utilized and positively assisted;    the passages or recesses run in a straight line or do not run in a straight line;    the upper side of the gas cutoff is at least partly in the shape of a funnel or cone; and    the installation space for the gas cutoff is realized so that the filling valve is suitable to hold gas cutoffs of different thicknesses.    
   
   
       4 . A filling machine for filling bottles, cans, or similar containers with a liquid, said filling machine comprising: 
 a return gas tube being configured and disposed to permit the flow of gas out of a bottle being filled with a liquid beverage;    a closable liquid duct being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid beverage into a bottle to be filled;    a gas cutoff element, comprising: 
 a substantially flat, substantially disk-shaped body portion being disposed about said closable liquid duct;  
 at least one passage being configured and disposed to permit the flow of liquid beverage through said gas cutoff element such that liquid beverage exits said at least one passage in a circular or swirling motion; and  
 said at least one passage being configured and disposed to minimize gas bubbling back up through said at least one passage and to minimize entry of liquid into said gas return tube during filling.  
   
   
   
       5 . The filling machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the gas cutoff is provided with a plurality of passages.  
   
   
       6 . The filling machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the gas cutoff is provided with recesses on its perimeter.  
   
   
       7 . The filling machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the passages and/or recesses or their side surfaces are at an inclination with respect to the vertical.  
   
   
       8 . The filling machine according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the inclination is realized as a function of the circumference of an imaginary circle around the valve axis;    the inclination in the direction of flow is directed radially outward; and    the inclination is realized as a function of the location in which the filling machine will be used so that the Coriolis effect is utilized and positively assisted.    
   
   
       9 . The filling machine according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the fact that the passages or recesses run in a straight line or do not run in a straight line;    the upper side of the gas cutoff is at least partly in the shape of a funnel or cone;    the installation space for the gas cutoff is realized so that the filling valve is suitable to hold gas cutoffs of different thicknesses.    
   
   
       10 . A filling machine for filling bottles, cans, or similar containers with a liquid comprising a valve arrangement, said valve arrangement comprising: 
 a closable liquid duct being configured and disposed to control the flow of liquid into a container to be filled;    a gas cutoff element being configured and disposed to effect a swirling of liquid in said closable liquid duct; and    said gas cutoff element comprising a substantially flat, planar element.    
   
   
       11 . The filling machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the gas cutoff is provided with passages.  
   
   
       12 . The filling machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the gas cutoff is provided with recesses.  
   
   
       13 . The filling machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the passages and/or recesses or their side surfaces are at an inclination with respect to the vertical.  
   
   
       14 . The filling machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the inclination is realized as a function of the circumference of an imaginary circle around the valve axis.  
   
   
       15 . The filling machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the inclination in the direction of flow is directed radially outward.  
   
   
       16 . The filling machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the inclination is realized as a function of the location in which the filling machine will be used so that the Coriolis effect is utilized and positively assisted.  
   
   
       17 . The filling machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the upper side of the gas cutoff is at least partly in the shape of a funnel or cone.  
   
   
       18 . The filling machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the installation space for the gas cutoff is realized so that the filling valve is suitable to hold gas cutoffs of different thicknesses.  
   
   
       19 . The filling machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the passages or recesses run in a straight line.  
   
   
       20 . The filling machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the passages or recesses do not run in a straight line.