# US 10,766,753 B2 · Filling element with an oscillating body a measurement device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,753 B2 - Document ID: US10766753B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/080,746 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Published: 2019-11-14 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-08 - Assignees: KHS GmbH - Applicants: KHS GmbH - Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath; Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch; Matthias Damerow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766753B2 ## CPC - B67C 3/26: Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks - B67C 3/285: {using liquid contact sensing means (B67C3/283 takes precedence)} - G01F 23/2965: Measuring attenuation of transmitted waves - G01F 23/2968: {Transducers specially adapted for acoustic level indicators} - B67C 2003/2685: {Details of probes} - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said excitation device is configured to set said oscillating body into oscillation during selected intervals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said excitation device excites said oscillating body in bursts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising electrical connections between said excitation device and said piezoelectric element, wherein said excitation device is configured to set said oscillating body into oscillation and wherein said measurement device measures a frequency of said oscillation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body comprises a rod. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body comprises a fork and wherein said excitation device comprises a filling jet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body extends coaxially through said product channel and below said dispensing opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body extends vertically. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body is arranged below said product channel and wherein a filling jet emerging from said dispensing opening fully surrounds said oscillating body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a valve element, wherein said valve element holds said oscillating body such that said oscillating body is axially movable along said product channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said evaluation device connects to said measuring device, wherein said evaluation device comprises a reference memory and a comparator, wherein said reference memory stores data that said comparator compares with a measurement of oscillation to derive an actuation signal for said filling valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body extends below said dispensing opening from said product channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a contact region, wherein said contact region is disposed at a lower end of said filling-element body, wherein said a contact region is arranged for receiving a mouth of a container that is standing on said retainer, and wherein said oscillating body extends vertically below said contact region, and wherein said body comprises a sealing surface around said dispensing opening against which said container's mouth seals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body comprises a flexible element arranged in a horizontal plane inside said dispensing opening and wherein said measuring device is configured to detect oscillation of said flexible element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said measuring device comprises an optical sensor for detecting oscillation of said flexible element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said measuring device comprises an acoustic sensor for detecting the oscillation of the flexible element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said oscillating body is a first oscillating body and wherein said apparatus further comprises 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. ### Claim 18 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. ### Claim 19 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.