Method and filling system for pressure-filling containers
AssigneeKHS GmbH
InventorLudwig Clüsserath
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A filling system pressure-fills containers with a filling material using filling elements for filling containers against a counter-pressure using a multi-phase treatment process that includes pre-pressurizing a container to a first pressure, filling them, and relieving the containers to ambient pressure. The system has a single pressure-measuring device, and a control device. The pressure-measuring device detects an internal-pressure profile for all filling elements during the treatment phases, and provides timing control of treatment duration of the phases. The control device either monitors or corrects treatment durations of all treatment phases of all the filling elements based at least in part on an internal-pressure profile detected by the pressure-measuring device.
Claims14
A method for pressure-filling a container with a liquid filling material using a filling system comprising a filling element group, said filling element group comprising a plurality of filling elements, wherein, during a first treatment phase, said container is arranged in a sealed position at a filling element from said plurality of filling elements and pre-pressurized with an inert gas to a counter-pressure, said counter-pressure being selected from the group consisting of a clamping pressure and a filling pressure, wherein, during a second treatment phase, said container is filled against said counter-pressure, wherein during a third treatment phase following said second treatment phase, said container is relieved to ambient pressure, wherein treatment duration of said treatment phases is determined by a timing control, and wherein, during all treatment phases, a pressure profile of an internal pressure of said container is detected, said method comprising with a pressure-measuring device, detecting an internal-pressure profile of a selected container only at a first filling element of said filling element group, and based at least in part on said internal-pressure profile, for all treatment phases of all filling elements of said filling element group, carrying out a step selected from a first group of steps, wherein said first group of steps consists of monitoring treatment duration, and correcting treatment duration.
An apparatus for controlling a filling system for pressure-filling containers with a liquid filling material in one multi-phase filling process using a filling-element group comprising a plurality of filling elements for filling said containers against a counter-pressure, wherein said counter-pressure is selected from the group consisting of a clamping pressure and a filling pressure, wherein said multi-phase treatment process comprises in a first treatment phase, pre-pressurizing a container with an inert gas to said counter-pressure, in a second treatment phase, filling said container to said counter-pressure, and in a third phase after said second phase, relieving said container to ambient pressure, wherein a control device provides timing control of one of treatment duration-said apparatus comprising a single pressure-measuring device, and a control device, wherein said single pressure-measuring device is configured for detecting an internal-pressure profile for all filling elements during said treatment phases, and wherein said control device is configured for providing timing control of treatment duration of said phases, said control device being configured for at least one of monitoring and correcting treatment durations of all treatment phases of all filling elements of said filling element group based at least in part on an internal-pressure profile detected by said pressure-measuring device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.