Filling element with an oscillating body a measurement device
AssigneeKHS GmbH
InventorsLudwig Clüsserath, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch, Matthias Damerow
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Abstract
A filling element includes a filling-level sensor having an oscillating body disposed to interact with fluid that is in a container being filled. A change in the oscillation of the body, triggered either electromechanically or by fluid flow, provides information indicative of filling level.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises a level sensor, a filling-element body, a filling valve, a dispensing opening, an excitation device, an evaluator, and a retainer, wherein said level sensor comprises an oscillating body and a measuring device, wherein said filling-element body comprises a product channel, wherein said filling valve is formed in said filling-element body, wherein said dispensing opening is formed at a lower end of said product channel, wherein said retainer is formed under said dispensing opening for receiving a container, wherein said level sensor extends at least partially vertically below said dispensing opening, wherein a signal from said level sensor actuates said filling valve, wherein said measuring device measures oscillation of said oscillating body, wherein said filling element further comprises a connection cable, wherein said oscillating body comprises a piezoelectric element, and wherein said connection cable connects said oscillating body to said measurement device, and wherein said container stands on said retainer, said apparatus further comprising a filling machine, wherein said filling element is one of a plurality of filling elements of said filling machine and wherein said excitation device and said evaluator are integrated in an electronic circuit that is common to said filling elements such that said excitation device and said evaluator operate in multiplex mode.
An apparatus comprising a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises a level sensor, a filling-element body, a filling valve, a dispensing opening, and a retainer, wherein said level sensor comprises an oscillating body and a measuring device, wherein said filling-element body comprises a product channel, wherein said filling valve is formed in said filling-element body, wherein said dispensing opening is formed at a lower end of said product channel, wherein said retainer is formed under said dispensing opening for receiving a container, wherein said level sensor extends at least partially vertically below said dispensing opening, wherein a signal from said level sensor actuates said filling valve, and wherein said measuring device measures oscillation of said oscillating body, wherein said oscillating body comprises a flexible element arranged in a horizontal plane inside said dispensing opening, wherein said measuring device is configured to detect oscillation of said flexible element, and wherein said measuring device comprises an acoustic sensor for detecting the oscillation of the flexible element.
An apparatus comprising a filling element, wherein said filling element comprises a level sensor, a filling-element body, a filling valve, a dispensing opening, and a retainer, wherein said level sensor comprises an oscillating body and a measuring device, wherein said filling-element body comprises a product channel, wherein said filling valve is formed in said filling-element body, wherein said dispensing opening is formed at a lower end of said product channel, wherein said retainer is formed under said dispensing opening for receiving a container, wherein said level sensor extends at least partially vertically below said dispensing opening, wherein a signal from said level sensor actuates said filling valve, and wherein said measuring device measures oscillation of said oscillating body, wherein said oscillating body is a first oscillating body and wherein said apparatus further comprises an evaluator, an excitation device, and a second oscillating body that is parallel to said first oscillating body, wherein said excitation device sets said first and second oscillating bodies into oscillation, and wherein said evaluator evaluates oscillation of said first and second oscillating bodies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.