Bottle filling machine with sensor and method thereof

Abstract

A filling apparatus and method including a carrier for transporting containers and having a plurality of valves, each of the valves being opened for an individual, specific period of time to control a flow of liquid into the respective containers, while the containers are transported by the carrier. An exit feed path transports the containers after the containers have been filled, and a sensor, such as a camera, detects a level of liquid in the respective containers, while the containers are on the exit feed path. The sensor produces a signal that is stored as data representing the level of liquid for the individual containers. The data is then tracked and used for valve optimization. A period of time that each individual valve is opened for subsequent fillings is adjusted based on the signal and the historical performance of each valve.

1 . A filling apparatus, said filling apparatus comprising: 
 a carrier for transporting containers;    a plurality of electrically controllable valves, each of which is opened for a period of time to fill a first group of said containers respectively with a liquid, while said containers are transported by said carrier;    an exit feed path which conveys said containers after said containers have been filled; and    at least one sensor which detects a level of liquid in said containers, while said containers are on said exit feed path, such that said sensor produces respective signals which represent the level of liquid in each said first group of containers,    wherein said plurality of electrically controllable valves are configured so that the period of time that said plurality of electrically controllable valves are individually opened is adjusted for subsequent fillings based on said signals corresponding to said first group of said containers.    
   
   
       2 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said electrically controllable valves are electric servo valves which allow control that provides more than two filling speeds.  
   
   
       3 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of valves are provided to correspond to individual ones of said containers, such that said sensor monitors said containers on said exit feed path and produces data representing past performances of each of the plurality of said valves, which is used to determine individually the period of time that the plurality of valves each remain open for the subsequent fillings.  
   
   
       4 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor is a stationary camera and a respective illumination source positioned to observe said containers in said exit feed path, and said exit feed path is a path that the containers, which have been filled, follow after filling and after the valve has been shut off.  
   
   
       5 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor communicates with a processor which receives said signals and controls said period of time that each of said plurality of electrically controllable valves are kept open.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an entrance feed path that leads said containers to said carrier, and at least one auxiliary sensor positioned adjacent to said entrance feed path to observe said containers while on said entrance feed path, said auxiliary sensor is operative to determine a volumetric capacity of said containers before said containers are disposed on said carrier for filling.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein information pertaining to said volumetric capacity is utilized to initially determine the period of time individually that each of said electrically controllable valves remain open.  
   
   
       8 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said electrically controllable valves provide a period of high flow and a period of low flow, such that at least one of said period of said high flow and said period of low flow is adjusted based on said signals.  
   
   
       9 . The filling apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the illumination source is comprised of solid state devices and is equipped to produce more than one wavelength.  
   
   
       10 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the level of liquid in multiple containers, filled by one of said electrically controllable valves, is detected by said sensor before adjusting said period of time that said one of said electrically controllable valves is opened, even when the levels of liquid are not consistent between said multiple containers.  
   
   
       11 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 one of an encoding device and a detection sensor that facilitates associating the containers respectively to said valves, so that fill level data of each of said valves can be tracked over a period of time,    wherein said period of time that said valves are opened for the subsequent fillings, is adjusted based on said tracked fill level data.    
   
   
       12 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor obtains data from said plurality of containers to provide historic data for said valves, such that a performance trend of each of said valves is provided to predict future performance of said valves.  
   
   
       13 . The filling apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said processor utilizes an algorithm to determine whether said electrically controllable valves should be adjusted.  
   
   
       14 . The filling apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said processor utilizes an algorithm to determine at least one of how, and how much to adjust the period of time that said valves are opened.  
   
   
       15 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a timing device which regulates said period of time that each of said valves remain open so as to fill a predetermined amount of said liquid into said containers, 
 said timing device being capable of being periodically updated to new regulation times based on signals from said at least one sensor.    
   
   
       16 . The filling apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein additional data besides the level of liquid is used to predict the future performance of each of said respective valves.  
   
   
       17 . The filling apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said additional data includes at least one of temperature of the liquid, pressure of the liquid, ambient temperature, container mass, container shape, container wall thicknesses, container volume, liquid flow rates, machine speed, and valve current.  
   
   
       18 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said carrier is rotatable.  
   
   
       19 . The filling apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one auxiliary sensor is an electronic camera.  
   
   
       20 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor senses levels of liquid in a plurality of said containers simultaneously.  
   
   
       21 . A method of adjusting an amount of liquid that flows into a plurality of containers, the method comprising: 
 transporting the containers by a carrier;    flowing liquid respectively through a plurality of filling valves into the containers;    controlling an amount of liquid that flows into the containers while the containers are transported by the carrier, the amount of liquid being controlled by electrically opening the plurality of filling valves for a predetermined period of time;    conveying the containers along an exit feed path after the containers have been filled;    sensing a level of liquid in the containers while the containers are on the exit feed path to produce signals which represent the level of liquid in the containers, respectively; and    adjusting the predetermined period of time that each of the plurality of filling valves remain open for subsequent fillings based on the signals.    
   
   
       22 . The filling method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 obtaining information pertaining to the level of liquid in a first group of the containers, filled by a first of said plurality of filling valves, to control the period of time that liquid flows into containers that are to be filled subsequently; and    obtaining information pertaining to the level of liquid in a second group of the containers, filled by a second of said plurality of said filling valves, to control a period of time that liquid flows into containers that are to be filled subsequently by the second filling valve.    
   
   
       23 . The filling method of  claim 21 , further comprising collecting data which separately represents the level of liquid provided by each of the separate valves; and 
 determining the period of time that each of the valves respectively remain open for subsequent fillings based on the data.    
   
   
       24 . The filling method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing at least one stationary electronic camera to perform said sensing.  
   
   
       25 . The filling method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a processor to receive the signals and control the period of time that the liquid flows into each of the containers.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 providing an entrance feed path that leads the containers to the carrier, and    observing the containers while on the entrance feed path to determine a volumetric capacity of the containers before the containers are filled.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising initially determining the period of time that the liquid flows into the containers respectively based on at least one of the volumetric capacity and historical data of the filling valves.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a period of high flow of the liquid into the containers and providing a period of low flow of the liquid into the containers, and adjusting the period of the low flow based on the signals.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a period of high flow of the liquid into the containers and providing a period of low flow of the liquid into the containers, and adjusting the period of the high flow based on the signal.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising detecting the levels of liquid in multiple containers filled by a corresponding one of the plurality of valves before adjusting the period of time that the corresponding valve remains open, even when the levels of liquid are not consistent between the multiple containers.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 correlating the containers to the valves which respectively provided the flow of the liquid into the containers,    tracking historical data pertaining to the level of liquid in the containers over a period of time, and    as required, adjusting the time that each of said plurality of valves remains open based on the historical data which is tracked.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising predicting future flow rates of the liquid through each of the plurality of valves based on the historical sensor data which is tracked.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising utilizing an algorithm to determine whether the period of time that each of the plurality of valves stays open should be adjusted for subsequent fillings.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising utilizing an algorithm to determine how much to adjust the period of time that each of the plurality of valves remains open.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising obtaining additional data, besides the liquid level, to predict when and how much to adjust the period of time respectively that the plurality of valves remain open for subsequent fillings.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the additional data includes at least one of temperature of the liquid, pressure of the liquid, valve current signature, ambient temperature, container temperature, container mass, container shape, container wall thickness, container volume, liquid flow rates, machine speed, and fill reservoir levels.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the containers are rotatably transported by the carrier.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising sensing the levels of liquid in more than one of said plurality of containers substantially simultaneously.  
   
   
       39 . A filling apparatus, said filling apparatus comprising: 
 a carrier for transporting containers;    means for electrically controlling a period of time that liquid flows into said containers, while said containers are transported by said carrier;    an exit feed path which conveys said containers after said containers have been filled; and    means for sensing a level of liquid in said containers while said containers are on said exit feed path, such that said means for sensing produces a signal which represents said level of liquid,    wherein said period of time is adjusted for subsequent fillings based on said signal.    
   
   
       40 . The filling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein information pertaining to said level of liquid in a first group of said containers is obtained by said means for sensing to electrically adjust the period of time that liquid flows into said containers, and 
 wherein information pertaining to said level of liquid in a second group of said containers is obtained, said second group of containers being filled by a second means for electrically controlling flow, and is used to adjust a period of time that liquid flows into said second group of containers.    
   
   
       41 . The filling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said means for sensing communicates with a processor which receives said signal and controls said period of time for subsequent fillings.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , further comprising an entrance feed path that leads said containers to said carrier, and a second means for sensing positioned adjacent to said entrance feed path to observe said containers while on said entrance feed path, said second means for sensing is operative to determine a volumetric capacity of said containers before said containers are filled to determine an initial period of time that liquid is to flow into said containers.  
   
   
       43 . The filling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said level of liquid in multiple containers is detected by said means for sensing before adjusting said period that liquid flows into said containers, even when the levels of liquid are not consistent between said multiple containers.  
   
   
       44 . The filling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said means for sensing obtains data from a plurality of containers that were each filled by said means for controlling to provide historic data, such that a performance trend of said means for controlling is monitored and used to predict future performance of said means for controlling.  
   
   
       45 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects the level of liquid in said containers by determining respective weights of said containers, which are filled.  
   
   
       46 . The filling method of  claim 21 , wherein the sensing comprises determining respective weights of said containers, which are filled.  
   
   
       47 . The filling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said means for sensing senses the level of liquid in said containers by determining respective weights of said containers, which are filled.  
   
   
       48 . The filling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said servo valves allow for an adjustment of a filling speed profile during a filling period.  
   
   
       49 . The filling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a processor is provided with a memory that includes an algorithm using at least mathematical statistics including mean and standard deviation calculations to determine when and how much to adjust the timing for each of the plurality of valves, and to measure a sample size for estimating the reliability of a sensor, which performs said sensing.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the algorithm uses mathematical statistics including at least one of mean and standard deviation calculations to determine when and how much to adjust the timing for each of the plurality of valves, and a calculated sample size for estimating the reliability of a measuring sensor, which performs said sensing.