Container filling apparatus and method

A method of filling a container with a flowable product, comprising:

• providing at least one product supply comprising at least one feed container containing a flowable product, coupled to a valve and a nozzle;
• providing at least one support for a container;
• providing two or more sensors disposed in preselected positions corresponding to different fill levels of flowable product within the container, wherein each sensor is operable to generate a filled signal in response to flowable product reaching one of the fill levels within the container;
• flowing a flowable product from the at least one product supply through the corresponding valve and nozzle into the container, while the container is carried by the at least one support;
• using each sensor to generate a filled signal as flowable product reaches a fill level corresponding to that sensor, and
• in response to each filled signal, either:
• (a) operating the corresponding valve so as to change the flowrate of the flowable product currently flowing into the container;
• or
• (b) operating the corresponding valve to stop the flow of the flowable product and flowing a different flowable product from the at least one product supply through the corresponding valve and nozzle into the container, while the container is carried by the at least one support.

An apparatus for filling a container with a flowable product, comprising:

• a product supply operable to create a flow of the flowable product;
• a nozzle;
• a valve coupled between the product supply and the nozzle;
• a sensor mounted in a preselected position relative to the apparatus, the sensor operable to generate a first filled signal in response to the product reaching a predetermined fill level within the container, wherein the sensor is disposed outside the container and does not physically contact the flowable product;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is operable to operate the valve in response to the filled signal.

A method of metering a flowable product from a feed container, comprising:

• providing a product supply comprising a feed container containing a flowable product, coupled to a valve;
• providing a sensor disposed in a position corresponding to a selected fill level of flowable product within the feed container, wherein the sensor is operable to generate a signal indicating that the flowable product is either present or not present at the selected fill level, and wherein the sensor is disposed outside the feed container and does not physically contact the flowable product;
• flowing the flowable product from the feed container through the valve;
• and
• in response to a signal from the sensor indicating that the flowable product is not present, closing the valve to stop the flow of the flowable product.

An apparatus for metering a flowable product from a feed container, comprising:

• a product supply comprising a feed container, coupled to a valve;
• a sensor disposed in a position corresponding to a selected fill level of flowable product within the feed container, wherein the sensor is operable to generate a signal indicating that the flowable product is either present or not present at the selected fill level, and wherein the sensor is disposed outside the feed container and does not physically contact the product;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is programmed to close the valve to stop the flow of the flowable product in response to a signal from the sensor indicating that the flowable product is not present.