Counter-pressure filling device and method of counter-pressure filling

Abstract

In a counterpressure filling device (G), for filling bottles (F) with impregnated beverages (B) from a filling connection ( 8 ) which cooperates with closing element (V) and a sealing arrangement ( 11 ) for the bottle mouth ( 2 ) to the closing element (V), is a full-stream cone ( 12 ) for creating a full stream (ST) of the impregnated beverage which is directed through the bottleneck ( 1 ) down to the bottom ( 3 ) of the bottle without coming in contact with the same, the cross section of said full stream corresponding to a predetermined amount of the inside cross section of the bottleneck and bordering together with the bottleneck a return gas path (W) and a fluid channel ( 17 ) at least for return gas (E) opens outside the filling connection and inside the sealing arrangement. During filling, a free full stream (ST) is formed from the impregnated beverage and is directed through the bottleneck ( 1 ) down to the bottom ( 3 ) of the bottle without coming in contact with the same, while the return gas (E) is also removed outside of the filling connection ( 8 ) besides being removed between the full stream and the bottleneck.

1 . Counterpressure filling device (G) for filling bottles (F) with impregnated beverages (B) a comprising a filling connection ( 8 ) which cooperates with an adjustable closing element (V), sealing arrangement ( 11 ) between the filling connection ( 8 ) and the bottle F which can be brought into sealing contact with its bottle mouth ( 2 ) by a pressure device ( 4 ) at least during pressurizing and filling, the closing element (V) being a full-stream cone ( 12 ) positioned in any position above the bottle mouth ( 2 ), creating a full stream (ST) of the impregnated beverage (B) which, when in the filling position with the filling connection ( 8 ), is directed through the bottleneck ( 1 ) down to the bottom ( 3 ) of the bottle without coming in contact with the bottle, the cross section of this full stream of beverage corresponding to a predetermined amount of the internal cross section of the bottleneck ( 2 ) and bordering a return gas path (W) in the bottleneck ( 2 ), and a fluid channel ( 17 ) at least for return gas (E) opens outside of the filling connection ( 8 ) and inside of the sealing arrangement ( 11 ).  
   
   
       2 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the full stream (ST) corresponds to between 35% and 70% of the inside cross section of the bottleneck ( 2 ).  
   
   
       3 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement ( 11 ) is arranged in a centering bell for the bottle mouth ( 2 ), the centering bell being concentric with the filling connection ( 8 ).  
   
   
       4 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the full-stream cone ( 12 ) has a closing sealing element ( 16 ), for cooperating with a conical section ( 7 ) of the filling connection ( 8 ).  
   
   
       5 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 3 , wherein the centering bell has a holding ring ( 10 ) for the sealing arrangement ( 11 ) designed as a ring gasket, the holding ring being detachably attached to a housing ( 5 ) containing the filling connection ( 8 ).  
   
   
       6 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 5 , wherein the ring gasket is clamped between the holding ring ( 10 ) and a supporting ring ( 9 ), and the supporting ring ( 9 ) has a passage larger than the outlet opening of the filling connection ( 8 ) and together with the housing ( 5 ) borders a ring chamber (K) in which at least one mouth of the fluid channel ( 17 ) is arranged.  
   
   
       7 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 6 , wherein a gasket is provided between the supporting ring ( 9 ) and the housing ( 5 ).  
   
   
       8 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel ( 17 ) leads to a control system(s) having at least one control valve ( 18  through  22 ).  
   
   
       9 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the full-stream cone ( 12 ) is connected to a linear actuator ( 14 ) via a shaft ( 13 ) inside a filling chamber ( 6 ) and is acted upon by a spring.  
   
   
       10 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the full-stream cone ( 12 ) with its shaft ( 13 ) in the filling chamber ( 6 ) has a closing pressure surface which is acted upon by the pressure of the impregnated beverage (B) in the closing direction, and the ring chamber (K) has an opening pressure surface that can be acted upon by a control pressure, correlated with the full-stream cone ( 12 ).  
   
   
       11 . Method for counterpressure filling of bottles (F) with impregnated beverages (B), comprising bringing a bottle (F) with its bottleneck mouth ( 2 ) into sealing contact with a filling connection ( 8 ) and holding there, forming a free full stream (ST) of the impregnated beverage (B), directing the full stream through the bottleneck ( 1 ) to the bottom ( 3 ) of the bottle without coming in contact therewith, and removing the return gas (E) to the outside between the full stream (ST) and the bottleneck ( 1 ) and outside of the filling connection ( 8 ).  
   
   
       12 . Method according to  claim 11 , and aligning the free full stream (ST) at least approximately coaxially with the axis of the bottleneck.  
   
   
       13 . Method according to  claim 11 , and forming the full stream (ST) with a cross section amounting to approximately 35% to approximately 70% of the free inside cross section of the bottleneck.  
   
   
       14 . Method according to  claim 11 , forming the full stream (ST) by means of a full-stream cone ( 12 ) which cooperates with a conical section ( 7 ) of the filling connection ( 8 ), and adjusting the full-stream cone ( 12 ) in a controlled manner between the open position and the closed position in relation to the conical section ( 7 ).  
   
   
       15 . Filling device (G) for filling bottles (F) with beverages, comprising a filling connection ( 8 ) which cooperates with an adjustable closing element (V), the closing element (V) being a full-stream cone ( 12 ) positioned in any position above the bottle mouth ( 2 ), creating, when the filling connection ( 8 ) is in the filling position, a full stream (ST) of the beverage which is directed through the bottleneck ( 1 ) to the bottom ( 3 ) of the bottle without coming in contact with the bottle, the cross section of said full stream being smaller than the inside cross section of the bottleneck, a fluid channel ( 17 ) for return gas (E) which opens outside of the mouth of the filling connection ( 8 ), and the filling device (G) being adjustable between counterpressure bottling in which the bottle mouth ( 2 ) can be brought into contact with a sealing arrangement ( 11 ) that surrounds the filling connection ( 8 ) and the fluid channel ( 17 ) and an atmospheric pressure bottling in which the bottle mouth ( 3 ) has no contact with the sealing arrangement ( 11 ).  
   
   
       16 . Filling device according to  claim 15 , wherein the switching is performed by removing and attaching the sealing arrangement ( 11 ) and/or adjusting the lift of a holding device ( 4 ) for the bottles (F).  
   
   
       17 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 2 , wherein the cross section of the full stream (ST) corresponds to between 45% and 50% of the inside cross section of the bottleneck ( 2 ).  
   
   
       18 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 2 , wherein the full stream (ST) has a round cross section and is directed at least approximately coaxially with the axis of the bottleneck.  
   
   
       19 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 4 , wherein the closing sealing element is an O-ring.  
   
   
       20 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 6 , wherein the ring gasket is separated from the holding ring ( 10 ).  
   
   
       21 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 9 , wherein the spring has adjustable pressurization.  
   
   
       22 . Counterpressure filling device according to  claim 10 , wherein the opening pressure surface is larger than the closing pressure surface.  
   
   
       24 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein the formed cross section amounts to approximately 45% to approximately 50% of the free inside cross section of the bottleneck.  
   
   
       24 . Method according to  claim 13 , and forming the cross section of the full stream (ST) to have a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the bottleneck and the bottle mouth ( 2 ).