Method and apparatus for dispensing a liquid into containers in an aseptic or sterile manner

An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under counterpressure into a container, which may break due to temperature shock, in an aseptic or sterile manner, whereby said container that is to be filled is acted upon, at least during a portion of a sterilization phase that precedes a filling phase where said container is filled with said liquid, by a hot, gaseous or vaporous sterilization medium that is under pressure, said apparatus comprising:

• a container entry mechanism at a container entry position for supplying containers that are to be filled;
• a container outlet mechanism at a container discharge position for the discharge of filled and capped containers;
• a rotor that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation;
• a plurality of filling elements that are disposed about the periphery of said rotor, with each of said filling elements including a liquid flow valve for controllably dispensing said liquid via a liquid channel and a filling tube that is connected thereto and has an exit on its lower end;
• a plurality of container supports, with each container support being associated with one of said filling elements and being movable toward and away from said filling element in a vertical direction, with said containers that are to be filled being delivered to said rotor at said container entry position and being withdrawn from said rotor at said container discharge position;
• a plurality of bell-shaped portions provided on said rotor, each of said bell-shaped portions defining a chamber and being disposed below one of said filling elements and having a closed upper end adjacent to the filling element and an open bottom end that is remote from said filling element;
• on each side of said filling elements, delivery means for delivery said hot sterilization medium under pressure, said delivery means including at least one control valve arrangement and serving for supplying said sterilization medium to said container and to said bell-shaped portion during said sterilization phase;
• a mechanism for closing or capping said containers after the same have been filled with the liquid;
• each chamber formed by the interior of one of the bell-shaped portions having a height that is at least somewhat greater than the height of a container that is to be filled;
• means for closing off said open bottom end of each bell-shaped portion to the atmosphere by said container support at said sterilization phase as well as at said filling phase for accommodating said container that is to be filled completely in said closed chamber in such away that the interior of said container communicates via a mouth of said container with the interior of said bell-shaped portion;
• said control valve arrangement having a first portion, and said liquid channel having a portion that in the direction of flow of said liquid is disposed after said liquid flow valve and that is adapted to communicate via said first portion of said control valve arrangement with said sterilization medium delivery means for introducing said sterilization medium via said filling tube and said exit thereof into said interior of said container;
• the length of each filling tube, which extends through said mouth of said container into the interior thereof during the sterilization phase and the filling phase, being such that said exit of said filling tube is positioned directly at the bottom of a container that is to be filled at the sterilization phase and at the filling phase when the open bottom end of the respective bell-shaped portion is closed off;
• and
• said mechanism for closing or capping said containers is provided beyond said rotor and, in the direction in which said containers are conveyed, ahead of said container outlet mechanism;
• and in which a mechanism for additionally supplying heat to the filled containers is provided between said container release position of said rotor and said mechanism for closing or capping said containers.

An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under counterpressure into a container, which may break due to temperature shock, in an aseptic or sterile manner, whereby sid container that is to be filled as acted upon, at least during a portion of a sterilization phase that precedes a filling phase where said container is filled with said liquid, by a hot, gaseous or various sterilization medium that is under pressure, said apparatus comprising:

• a container entry mechanism at a container entry position of for supplying containers that are to be filled;
• a container outlet mechanism at a container discharge position for the discharge of filled and capped containers;
• a rotor that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation;
• a plurality of filling elements that are disposed about the periphery of said rotor, with each of said filling elements including a liquid flow valve for controllably dispensing said liquid via a liquid channel and a filling tube that is connected thereto and has an exit on its lower end;
• a plurality of container supports, with each container support being associated with one of said filling elements and being movable toward and away from said filling element in a vertical direction, with said containers that are to be filled being delivered to said rotor at said container entry position and being withdrawn from said rotor at said container discharge position;
• a plurality of bell-shaped portions provided on said rotor, each of said ball-shaped portions defining a chamber and being disposed below one of said filling elements and having a closed upper end adjacent to the filling element and an open bottom end that is remote from said filling element;
• on each side of said filling elements, delivery means for delivering said hot sterilization medium under pressure, said delivery means including at least one control valve arrangement and serving for supplying said sterilization medium to said container and to said bell-shaped portion during said sterilization phase;
• a mechanism for closing or capping said containers after the same have been filled with the liquid;
• each chamber formed by the interior of one of the bell-shaped portions having a height that is at least somewhat greater than the height of a container that is to be filled;
• means for closing off said open bottom end of each bell-shaped portion to the atmosphere by said container support at said sterilization phase as well as at said filling phase for accommodating said container that is to be filled completely in said closed chamber in such a way that the interior of said container communicates via a mouth of said container with the interior of said bell-shaped portion;
• said control valve arrangement having a first portion, and said liquid channel having a portion that in the direction of flow of said liquid is disposed after said liquid flow valve and that is adapted to communicate via said first portion of said control valve arrangement with said sterilization medium delivery means for introducing said sterilization medium via said filling tube and said exit thereof into said interior of said container;
• the length of each filling tube, which extends through said mouth of said container into the interior thereof during the sterilization phase and the filling phase, being such that said exit of said filling tube is positioned directly at the bottom of a container that is to be filled at the sterilization phase and at the filling phase when the open bottom end of the respective bell-shaped portion is closed off;
• and
• a stationary element, which is a flat plate, is disposed between said container discharge position and said container entry position in such a way that each of said bell-shaped portions is closed between said container discharge position and said container entry position with the exception of a narrow annular gap that is formed between said element and said open bottom end of said bell-shaped portion.