Device for use in a bottle filling head

Abstract

A device for use in a bottle filling head comprises a vent tube in the form of an electrically insulating tubular member and at least two elongate electrical conductors which are substantially parallel, wherein (a) the electrical conductors are embedded in the walls of the tubular member, terminating in connectors at or close to one end of the tubular member and extending out of the opposite lower end of the tubular member; (b) at least the opposite end of the tubular member is open; and (c) the tubular member includes at least one port which permits free communication with the opposite end of the tubular member. The elongate electrical conductors are preferably arranged to act as a level detector. The invention also provides a bottle filling apparatus incorporating such a device in a bottle filling head. The apparatus also includes a circuit connected to the elongate electrical conductors of the device and arranged to allow the conductors to function as a level detector, the circuit being arranged to produce an output command when the response of said conductors corresponds to a pre-set level within a bottle; and a process control device, responsive to commands from the circuit, for controlling operation of the bottle filling head and supply of liquid thereto.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.