US 5,713,403 A · Method and system for filling containers with a liquid filling product, and filling machine and labelling device for use with this method or system

Abstract

The consumer, and in particular the beverage consumer, frequently demands different packaging units which consist of different beverages or different assortments of beverages. That means that packaging units must be assembled which contain, for example, two bottles of a carbonated fruit-flavor beverage and four bottles of a beverage containing cola. The labelling and other packaging of the container must correspond to the product In the individual container. The packaging units are generally assembled either manually or semi-automatically. The invention relates to a method which simplifies the preparation of packaging units which contain different filling products. The invention is characterized by the fact that to fill the containers according to a Specified or selected filling formation with different filling products, i.e. optionally with at least a first or a second filling product, the filling machine is controlled by a control device so that, as a function of the filling formation, the filling positions dispense different products into containers which are unique and appropriate to each product.

Claims18

Dependent claims

Method for filling containers with liquid filling products utilizing a filling machine having a revolving construction with a plurality of filling positions for filling the containers with the filling product on the periphery of a rotor which revolves around a vertical machine axis, each of the filling positions having a filling element and a container carrier, at least two liquid filling products, and a control device;

said method comprising the steps of:
feeding the bottles into the filling machine;
moving each container into one of the plurality of filling positions;
entering data into a control device to provide a filling formation, defining the sequence in which the containers are to be filled with one of each of said at least two liquid filling products, to result in a predetermined packaging unit formation;
controlling with the control device which one of the at least two liquid filling products is to be released into each of the containers at each filling position in accordance with the filling formation;
and
filling each container with its designated one of the at least two liquid filling products.

4 more elements

A system for filling containers with at least two liquid filling products, said system comprising:

a filling machine;
said filling machine defining a vertical axis;
said filling machine comprising:
a rotor disposed to revolve around said axis;
said rotor having a periphery;
a plurality of filling positions disposed about said periphery;
said filling positions comprising a filling element and a container carrier;
apparatus to hold said at least two liquid filling products;
an arrangement for supplying said at least two liquid filling products from said holding apparatus to its corresponding filling position;
said supplying arrangement comprising:
two conduits corresponding to said at least two liquid filling products being connected to said holding apparatus;
said conduits being connected to at least one valve to control the flow of said at least two liquid filling products;
said at least one valve being connected to its corresponding filling element;
a closing unit for closing the containers disposed downstream from said filling machine;
a labelling unit for labelling the containers disposed downstream from said closing unit;
said labelling unit comprising at least one labelling station;
means for providing a filling formation defining the sequence in which the containers are to be filled with one of each of said at least two liquid filling products, to result in a predetermined packaging unit formation;
and
means for controlling which one of the at least two liquid filling products is to be released into each of said containers at each one of said filling positions in accordance with said filling formation.

16 more elements

A filling machine for filling containers with at least two liquid filling products, said filling machine comprising:

a revolving rotor;
a vertical machine axle;
said machine axle defining an axis of rotation;
said rotor revolving around said axis of rotation;
said rotor having a periphery;
a plurality of filling positions disposed about said periphery;
each of said filling positions comprising a filling element and a container carrier;
apparatus to hold said at least two liquid filling products;
an arrangement for supplying said at least two liquid filling products from said holding apparatus to its corresponding filling position;
said supplying arrangement comprising:
two conduits corresponding to said at least two liquid filling products being connected to said holding apparatus;
said conduits being connected to at least one valve to control the flow of said at least two liquid filling products;
said at least one valve being connected to its corresponding filling element;
means for providing a filling formation defining the sequence in which the containers are to be filled with one of each of said at least two liquid filling products, to result in a predetermined packaging unit formation;
and
means for controlling which one of said at least two liquid filling products is dispensed into containers for each corresponding product at each corresponding filling position, in accordance with said predetermined filling formation.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for filling containers with a liquid filling product, and filling machine and labelling device for use with this method or system

Life of this patent

Method and system for filling containers with a liquid filling product, and filling machine and labelling device for use with this method or system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18