# US 10,479,666 B2 · Sampling control station for bottles or containers filling plant

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- Number: US 10,479,666 B2
- Document ID: US10479666B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/395,866
- Filed: 2010-09-08
- Published: 2012-10-04
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-14
- Assignees: FT Systems, Inc.; Arol S.P.A.
- Applicants: Fabio Forestelli; Alberto Cirio
- Inventors: Fabio Forestelli; Alberto Cirio
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479666B2

## CPC

- B67B 3/261: {Devices for controlling the tightening of threaded caps, e.g. testing the release torque (torque testers in general G01L5/00)}
- B67C 3/007: {Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery (flow-control B67C3/28)}
- B67B: APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS (opening or closing devices attached to, or incorporated in, containers or container closures B65D)
- B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS

## Abstract

The sampling control station comprises at least one grasping and transporting group (22) for picking up containers or bottles (16) from conveying means (18) and transporting them to at least one measuring module (21′,21″,21′″), the containers or bottles (16) being provided with a body tapered into a neck and ending with a mouth, wherein an annular ribbing (19) is foreseen at the mouth, and it is characterized in that the grasping and transporting group (22) comprises gripping means (23) connected to a mobile support structure (30), the gripping means (23) being mobile between a gripping position, in which they are engaged with the neck of the container (16) at and below the annular ribbing (19), and a release position in which they are not engaged with the container (16).

## Claims

### Claim 1

Sampling control station (20) for a container or bottle filling plant having a filling and closing station said sampling control station comprising at least one grasping and transporting group (22) for picking up containers or bottles (16) from conveying means (18) and transporting said containers or bottles to at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) said container or bottle (16) being provided with a body tapered into a neck and ending with a mouth, said neck having an annular ribbing (19), characterised in that said grasping and transporting group (22) comprises gripping means (23) being connected to a mobile rotary support structure (30) said mobile rotary support structure (30) having a centre of rotation arranged at said conveying means (18), said at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) being arranged along a circumference described by the rotational movement of said gripping means (23) through said mobile rotary support structure (30), said mobile rotary structure being adapted to pick up said container or bottle (16) from said conveying means (18) with said grasping and transporting group (22) and to transport said container or bottle (16) to said at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) to then take said container or bottle (16) back again to a release point of said conveying means (18) once measurement has been carried out and no anomaly has been detected or to then position said container or bottle (16) at a discarding container in the case in which anomalies are found, said gripping means (23) comprising a pincer adapted to be opened and closed through a lever mechanism (27), said gripping means (23) being mobile between a gripping position, in which they are engaged with said neck of said container (16) at and below said annular ribbing (19), and a release position in which they are not engaged with said container (16), gripping means (23) means being connected to and supported by mobile support structure (30) in order to perform a gripping from above the neck of container (16), wherein said mobile support structure (30) is vertically translatable in order to adjust the suspension height of said gripping means (23) means and wherein said sampling control station also includes a removal or reclosing module (40) for measuring a removal torque and/or a reclosing angle of a cap (28) of said container (16) connected to said grasping and transporting group (22) so as to be positioned above said gripping means (23).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Sampling control station (20) for a containers or bottles filling plant according to claim 1, characterised in that said gripping means (23) define a gripping mouth having a vertical axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Sampling control station (20) for a containers or bottles filling plant according to claim 1, characterised in that said removal or reclosing module (40) for measuring the removal torque and/or the reclosing angle of a cap (28) comprises a first part that can translate vertically with respect to said transporting group (22) comprising means (41) for coupling with said cap (28) arranged near to said gripping means (23) and mobile between a first position engaged with said cap (28) and a second position disengaged from said cap (28), said coupling means (41) being set in rotation so as to transfer a rotation torque to said cap, a torsion sensor (42) being arranged above said coupling means (41) to measure the torque needed to begin unscrewing said cap (28).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Sampling control station (20) for a containers or bottles filling plant according to claim 3, characterised in that said coupling means (41) are connected on top to a slide (49) able to translate vertically through two bearing blocks (43, 43′) mounted on a vertical shaft (48) that allow the relative rotation between said coupling means (41) and said slide (49).

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

Sampling control station (20) for a containers or bottles filling plant according to claim 3, characterised in that said coupling means (41) are positive coupling cone (41) comprising a flared portion for coupling with said cap (28).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Sampling control station (20) for a container or bottle filling plant according to claim 1, characterised in that said at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) is chosen from the measuring modules belonging to the group consisting of:
a module for measuring the fill level;
a module for measuring the weight;
a module for measuring the capping height;
a module for measuring the colour;
a module for measuring gas content and/or pressure of said container (16).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Plant (10) for filling containers or bottles comprising conveying means (18) on which a plurality of containers or bottles (16) is moved along a direction of forward movement, with there being, arranged in succession along said direction of forward movement, a first filling station (11) of said containers or bottles (16), a second closing and/or capping station (12) of said containers or bottles (16) and at least one third station (13) for checking at least one filling parameter, characterised in that downstream of said at least one third control station (13), a secondary branch (17) of said conveying means is provided for sending said containers or bottles (16) to at least one sampling control station (20) according to claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

Plant (10) for filling containers or bottles according to claim 7, characterised in that said secondary branch (17) is configured like a by-pass branch parallel to said direction of forward movement.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

Plant (10) for filling containers or bottles comprising conveying means (18) on which a plurality of containers or bottles were (16) is moved along a direction of forward movement, with there being, arranged in succession along said direction of forward movement, a first filling station (11) of said containers or bottles (16), a second closing and/or capping station (12) of said containers or bottles (16) and at least one third station (13) for checking at least one filling parameter, characterised in that downstream of said at least one third control station (13), a secondary branch (17) of said conveying means is provided for sending said containers or bottles (16) to at least one sampling control station (20) at predetermined time periods according to claim 1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

Sampling control station (20) for a containers or bottles filling plant according to claim 1, characterised in that said removal or reclosing module (40) comprises a second part which is prevented from translating with respect to said transporting group (22), said second non-translating part comprising a hub (44) in which said vertical shaft (48) of said first translating part is free to vertically slide, said shaft (48) being connected to said hub (44) so that they cannot rotate one with respect to the other, said hub (44) being set in rotation and transferring a rotation torque to said vertical shaft (48).

### Claim 11

Sampling control station (20) for a container or bottle filling plant having a filling and closing station said sampling control station comprising at least one grasping and transporting group (22) for picking up containers or bottles (16) from conveying means (18) and transporting said containers or bottles to at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) said container or bottle (16) being provided with a body tapered into a neck and ending with a mouth, said neck having an annular ribbing (19), characterised in that said grasping and transporting group (22) comprises gripping means (23) connected to a mobile support structure (30) said mobile support structure (30) having a centre of rotation arranged at said conveying means (18), said at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) being arranged along a circumference described by the rotational movement of said gripping means (23) through said rotary support structure (30), said mobile rotary structure being adapted to pick up said container or bottle (16) from said conveying means (18) with said grasping and transporting group (22), and to transport said container or bottle (16) to said at least one measuring module (21′, 21″, 21′″) to then take said container or bottle (16) back again to a release point of said conveying means (18) once measurement has been carried out and no anomaly has been detected or to then position said container or bottle (16) at a discarding container in the case in which anomalies are found, said gripping means (23) comprising a pincer adapted to be opened and closed through a lever mechanism (27), said gripping means (23) being mobile between a gripping position, in which they are engaged with said neck of said container (16) at and below said annular ribbing (19), and a release position in which they are not engaged with said container (16), gripping means (23) being connected to and supported by mobile support structure (30) in order to perform a gripping from above the neck of container (16), wherein said mobile support structure (30) is vertically translatable in order to adjust the suspension height of said gripping means (23) and wherein said sampling control station also includes a removal or reclosing module (40) for simultaneously measuring a removal torque and a reclosing angle of a cap (28) of said container (16) connected to said grasping and transporting group (22) so as to be positioned above said gripping means (23) wherein said sampling control station (20) for a container or bottle also includes a module for measuring fill level of said container, a module for measuring weight; a module for measuring capping height; a module for measuring colour; and a module for measuring gas content and/or pressure of said container (16).