# US 11,305,977 B2 · Container-filling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,977 B2 - Document ID: US11305977B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/788,376 - Filed: 2020-02-12 - Published: 2020-08-13 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-12 - Assignees: Berry Global, Inc. - Applicants: Berry Global, Inc. - Inventors: David Y. O'Nan; David C. Arnold - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305977B2 ## CPC - B67D 1/0888: {Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)} - B67D 1/0894: {for the vessel to be filled} - B67D 1/124: {the flow being started or stopped by means actuated by the vessel to be filled, e.g. by switches, weighing} - B67D 2210/00076: Cup conveyors - B67D 2210/00078: Cup dispensers - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) ## Abstract A container-filling system includes a product-dispenser system and a control system. The product-dispenser system includes a conveyor defining a predetermined path, a container loader, and a container filler. The predetermined path has a sensing station, a loading station, and a filling station. The control system determines if a container is present at the sensing station. The cup loader provides a container at the loading station. The cup filler dispenses a product into the container at the filling station. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A container-filling system comprising a product-dispenser system including a conveyor defining a predetermined path and a plurality of container holders coupled to the conveyor and configured to travel along the predetermined path, the predetermined path including a sensing station and a loading station, a control system including a sensor unit configured to emit a sensor beam toward at least one of the container holders at the sensing station to generate a sensor signal associated with an empty container holder and a controller coupled to the sensor unit and configured to send a command signal to the product-dispenser system to deliver a container to the at least one container holder upon receipt of the sensor signal, and a filter coupled to the at least one container holder and configured to filter the sensor beam at the sensing station so that the sensor signal is generated when no containers are present in the container holder to cause the controller to send the command signal to the conveyor unit to provide the container in the empty cup holder at the loading station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the container holders is formed to include first and second side apertures and the sensor beam travels along an axis through the first and second side apertures to generate the sensor signal at the sensing station and at least a portion of the filter is positioned in the path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the filter includes a side wall extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the side wall has a first height and the first and second side apertures have a second height that is less than the first height. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the side wall has a first height and the first and second side apertures have a second height that is equal to or less than the first height. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the filter includes a floor, a side wall extending upwardly from the floor along a longitudinal axis, and a brim coupled to the side wall and spaced apart from the floor along the axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the filter includes a carrier and a coating disposed on the carrier in line with the side apertures. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the filter includes a plurality of ribs coupled to the side wall and spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the floor includes a raised disc and a peripheral section spaced radially from the raised disc and the raised disc is offset vertically from the peripheral section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the peripheral section includes a plurality of arms that extend from the raised disc to the side wall and a peripheral opening is formed between each of the arms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the filter includes a location feature that engages the cup holder to orient the filter relative to the cup holder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the location feature includes a tab formed on the filter and a slot formed in the cup holder and the tab is sized to fit in the slot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the container holder has a first height and the filter has a second height less than the first height. ### Claim 14 A container-filling system comprising at least one container holder, a sensor unit configured to emit a sensor beam toward the at least one container holder and generate a sensor signal when a container is absent from the container holder, and a filter coupled to the at least one container holder and configured to filter the sensor beam so that the sensor beam is blocked when a transparent container is present in the cup holder, wherein the container holder has a first height and the filter has a second height less than the first height. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a product-dispenser system including a conveyor defining a predetermined path having a sensing station and a loading station and a container loader configured to provide a container at the loading station, and wherein the container holder is coupled to the conveyor and is configured to travel along the predetermined path from the sensing station, where the sensor unit is configured to determine if a transparent container is present, to the loading station, where the container loader is configured to provide a container if the sensor signal is generated. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the filter includes a location feature that engages the cup holder to orient the filter relative to the cup holder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the filter includes a floor, a side wall extending upwardly from the floor along a longitudinal axis, and a brim coupled side wall and spaced apart from the floor along the axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the filter further includes a plurality of ribs coupled to the side wall and spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the floor includes a raised disc and a peripheral section spaced radially from the raised disc and the raised disc is offset vertically from the peripheral section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the peripheral section includes a plurality of arms that extend from the raised disc to the side wall and a peripheral opening is formed between each of the arms.