FILLING MACHINE AND ITS METHOD OF USE

Abstract

 A filling machine (1) is configured to be connected to a main tank (4) for containing a liquid foodstuff and has a hydraulic circuit having a filling tank (8) for containing the liquid foodstuff; a feed branch (18) for feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank (4) to the filling tank (8); a filling branch (9) and a vent branch (10) connected to the filling tank (8) and connectable to a container to be filled through a centring mouth (7); a connector (20) selectively seal-connectable to the centring mouth, in replacement of the container to be filled; and a discharge branch (22) connected to the connector (20) and selectively connectable to a discharge port (23) for the discharge of liquids, to a drainage port (16) for the evacuation of gas, and to the main tank (4).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102023000007029 filed on April 12, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to a filling machine, in particular for filling containers with a liquid foodstuff, such as wine.

STATE OF THE ART

[0003] As is known, the filling of bottles with liquid foodstuff is generally classified into two categories based on the technology used to detect that the right amount of liquid has been delivered, and precisely, filling by level and filling by volume.

[0004] In particular, in the case of flat or viscous liquids, the filling can be carried out by sealing the container to the filling valve, or without contact between the container and the valve. The product is usually bottled at atmospheric pressure, under light pressure or under slight depression.

[0005] In the case of carbonated liquids, the container is normally sealed to the filling valve and pressurized. The filling takes place at a pressure well above atmospheric pressure, to prevent excessive foaming during the filling. This type of filling is also commonly referred to as "isobaric filling".

[0006] Generally, a filling machine suitable for "isobaric filling" comprises a hydraulic circuit configured to be connected to a main tank containing a liquid foodstuff and comprises a filling tank suitable for containing the liquid foodstuff; a feed branch for selectively feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank to the filling tank; at least one filling branch connected to the filling tank and selectively connectable to a container to be filled; at least one vent branch connected to the filling tank and selectively connectable to the container to be filled to evacuate the air in the container during filling.

[0007] At the end of the filling operations, the filling tank and the branches of the circuit must be flushed to prevent contamination.

[0008] Flushing involves a circulation of washing liquid, usually when the machine is stopped at night, and a final rinse, usually with sterile water, which leaves residues in the form of droplets inside the hydraulic circuit. The rinse residues risk being introduced into the first containers that are filled after the flushing, when a new production cycle is started. This is a negative circumstance, in particular when the liquid foodstuff is particularly valuable as wine, which risks being significantly diluted in the first containers that are filled.

[0009] In order to overcome this drawback, a certain amount of liquid foodstuff must be circulated through the hydraulic circuit to remove the residual rinse liquid and collect the liquid foodstuff and the rinse liquid in a large container in which the residual rinse liquid is diluted in a large mass of liquid foodstuff, so that the impact on the quality of the liquid foodstuff is negligible.

[0010] However, this practice, called "wine washing" in jargon, is complex and requires prolonged machine downtime. In a related sector, methods are known to be used for cleaning and sterilizing the liquid supply circuit as described in document EP 4,151,586 A1. However, the method described in this document appears to be excessively complex.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One object of the present invention is to provide a filling machine of the type identified above, which is free from the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0012] In accordance with the present invention, a filling machine is provided, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid foodstuff, such as wine; the machine comprising a hydraulic circuit configured to be connected to a main tank for containing a liquid foodstuff and comprising:

• a filling tank for containing the liquid foodstuff;
• a feed branch for selectively feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank to the filling tank;
• a filling branch connected to the filling tank and selectively connectable to a container to be filled at a centring mouth;
• a vent branch connected to the filling tank and selectively connectable to the container to be filled at the centring mouth;
• a connector selectively seal-connectable to the centring mouth, in place of the container to be filled, to the filling branch, and to the vent branch;
• a discharge branch connected to the connector and selectively connectable to a discharge port, a drainage port and the main tank;
• a control branch selectively seal-connectable to the connector and configured to degas and/or compensate and/or level and/or create vacuum selectively connectable to the container to be filled; and
• a rinse branch selectively connectable to the control branch and to the drainage port and/or the discharge port

the filling machine being characterized in that the circuit comprises a de-gassing branch for selectively connecting the control branch to the drainage port, the rinse branch being selectively connectable to the de-gassing branch.

[0013] The present invention makes it possible to provide a closed circuit allowing the liquid foodstuff to circulate in the parts of the hydraulic circuit used in the filling and flushing mode, the rinse liquid to be removed therefrom, and the liquid foodstuff and the residual rinse liquid to return into the main tank.

[0014] In this way, the control branch can be used to feed the rinse liquid through the connector and the discharge branch to remove residual liquid foodstuff from the parts of the hydraulic circuit that will not be used in the filling steps.

[0015] In particular, the rinse branch is connectable to a de-gassing branch to selectively connect the control branch to the drainage port and/or to a compensation branch to selectively connect the control branch to the filling tank (16) and/or to a levelling branch to selectively connect the control branch to a pressure source and/or to a suction branch to selectively connect the control branch to a suction source, the rinse branch being selectively connectable to the suction branch.

[0016] In this way, the de-gassing, compensation, levelling and vacuum branches can be used to access the control branch and, from this, the connector and the discharge branch to feed the rinse liquid. The levelling branch is particularly useful for injecting gas into the circuit and removing some of the residual rinse liquid.

[0017] Advantageously, the hydraulic circuit comprises a return branch for selectively connecting the feed branch to the main tank so that the feed branch is also emptied of the liquid foodstuff.

[0018] The filling machine comprises an actuator for moving the connector between the operating position and a rest position in a fully automatic manner.

[0019] The filling machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a control unit, which is configured to control a plurality of flow intercepting elements of the hydraulic circuit for selectively feeding, through the hydraulic circuit or portions thereof, the liquid foodstuff, rinse liquid, and gas. The control unit is configured to control the flow intercepting elements according to three operating modes: filling, flushing, and "wine washing" via a user interface.

[0020] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a filling machine, which is free from the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0021] In accordance with the present invention, a method of using a filling machine is provided, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid foodstuff, such as wine; the method comprising:

• pressurising a filling tank to a first pressure value suitable for handling the liquid to be bottled;
• placing a connector into an operating position sealed to a centring mouth;
• feeding a volume of liquid foodstuff from a main tank to the filling tank via a feed branch;
• pressurising a hydraulic circuit (5) extending through the filling tank and the connector (20) to the said first pressure value;
• pressurising the filling tank to a second pressure value higher than the first pressure value;
• emptying the filling tank of the liquid foodstuff via the connector and a discharge branch into the main tank; and
• emptying the feed branch of the liquid foodstuff into the main tank via a return branch connecting the feed branch to the main tank.

[0022] In this way, the filling machine is able to perform a process of wine washing of the hydraulic circuit before starting the filling operations.

[0023] Once the parts of the circuit dedicated to the filling have been wine-washed, the method comprises rinsing the connector and the discharge branch with rinse liquid fed through a control branch connected to the centring mouth and evacuating the rinse liquid through a drainage port connectable to the discharge branch in order to prevent contamination due to residual liquid foodstuff in the connector and in the discharge branch.

[0024] The method further comprises feeding pressurised gas to drain the rinse liquid from the section of a vacuum branch into a filling branch to remove the residual rinse liquid and arranging the connector in a rest position via a respective actuator.

[0025] In this way, the wine washing procedure is fully automated and safe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0026] The invention will now be described with reference to the attached Figure, which illustrates, schematically and with parts removed for clarity, a non-limiting embodiment thereof.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] With reference to the Figure, a plant configured to fill containers, in this case bottles, with a particularly valuable liquid foodstuff, such as wine, is shown as a whole.

[0028] The plant comprises a filling machine 1 having a frame 2 and at least one filling station 3; and a main tank 4 containing the liquid foodstuff.

[0029] The filling machine 1 comprises a hydraulic circuit 5 connectable to the main tank 4; and a control unit 6 to handle the operations of the filling machine 1.

[0030] For practical reasons, the attached Figure shows a single filling station 3, it being understood that the present invention covers filling machines that comprise a plurality of filling stations and move a plurality of containers, in this case bottles, arranged simultaneously at respective filling stations.

[0031] The filling station 3 comprises a centring mouth 7 configured, in use, to sealingly couple to each of the containers, which are arranged in succession at the filling station.

[0032] The tank 4 has the function of containing a large quantity of liquid foodstuff, in the order of thousands of litres, for example 10,000 litres.

[0033] The hydraulic circuit 5 has the main function of transferring the liquid foodstuff from the main tank 4 to the filling station 3 and the additional functions of flushing and "wine washing".

[0034] The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a filling tank 8 arranged above the centring mouth 7; a filling branch 9 for selectively conveying the liquid foodstuff from the filling tank 8 to the container, not shown in the attached Figure; and a vent branch 10 extending between the centring mouth 7 and the filling tank 8 to evacuate the gas from the container, not shown, into the filling tank 8. The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a control branch 11, which selectively connects the centring mouth 7 to a series of auxiliary branches that comprise a de-gassing branch 12, a compensation branch 13, a levelling branch 14, and a suction branch 15.

[0035] In the case shown herein, the de-gassing branch 12 selectively connects the control branch 11 to a drainage port 16 through which any excess gas is evacuated.

[0036] The compensation branch 13 selectively connects the control branch 11 to the upper part of the filling tank 8, in which, in use, there is an overpressure over the surface of the liquid foodstuff generated by an external pressure source 17 selectively connectable to the filling tank 8.

[0037] The levelling branch 14 is connected to an external pressure source, not shown in the attached Figure, whereas the suction branch 15 is connected to a suction source, not shown in the attached Figure.

[0038] From a constructional point of view, the vent branch 10 comprises a pipe arranged within a pipe defining the filling branch. A portion of the control branch 11 is tubular in shape, extending around the filling branch 11 and forming, at its free end, the centring mouth 7.

[0039] The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a feed branch 18, for selectively feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank 4 to the filling tank 8 via a pump P, and a return branch 19, which branches off from the feed branch 18 for selectively returning the liquid foodstuff to the main tank 4.

[0040] The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a connector 20 selectively connectable to the centring mouth 7 in place of a container, not shown in the attached Figure. The connector 20 in the jargon of the sector is referred to as the "false bottle" and is operated by an actuator 21 between a rest position, shown with broken lines in the attached Figure, and an operating position in which it is sealingly coupled to the centring mouth 7.

[0041] The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a discharge branch 22 connected to the connector 20 and selectively connectable to a discharge port 23.

[0042] The "wine washing" function also includes a rinsing operation. For this purpose, the hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a rinse branch 24, which is selectively connectable to a source, not shown in the attached Figure, of rinse liquid, usually sterile water, and to the control branch 11. In the case shown herein, the rinse branch 24 splits into a plurality of sections connected to the de-gassing 12, compensation 13, levelling 14 and vacuum 15 branches, respectively, through which it can be selectively connected to the control branch 11.

[0043] The discharge branch 22 intersects the de-gassing branch 12 and the return branch 19 and is potentially connectable to the drainage port 16, the main tank 4 and the discharge port 23.

[0044] The hydraulic circuit 5 comprises a plurality of flow intercepting elements controlled by the control unit 6.

[0045] In this case, the intercepting elements comprise the valves V1, V2, V3 for selectively directing the liquid foodstuff from the main tank 4 to the filling tank or directing the flow along the return branch 19; a valve V4 to allow the rinse liquid 5 to enter; the valves V5, V6, V7, and V8 to control the feeding of the rinse liquid into the control branch 11 through the vacuum 15, leveling 14, compensation 13 and de-gassing branches 12, respectively.

[0046] The circuit 5 comprises the valves V9, V10 and V11 to control the node formed by the discharge branch 22 and the drainage branch 12; the valve V12 to control the opening and closing of the drainage port 16; the valve V13 to control the opening and closing of the rinse liquid discharge port 23; and the valve V14 to control the access to the main tank 4 along the return branch.

[0047] The auxiliary de-gassing 12, compensation 13, leveling 14 and vacuum 15 circuits are controlled by respective valves V15, V16, V17, V18, V19, V20, V21 to control the communication between the rinse branch 24 and the control branch 11.

[0048] The circuit 5 comprises a valve V22 to control the delivery of the liquid foodstuff along the filling branch 9, and a valve V23 to control the ventilation along the vent branch 10.

[0049] The control unit 6 controls the operation of the entire machine 1 and comprises an interface 25 to allow the user to set the filling mode, flushing mode and "wine washing" mode.

[0050] In order to frame the context of the plant, it is specified that the flushing function comprises feeding the flushing liquid along the branch 18 upstream of the pump P and circulating the liquid through the hydraulic circuit 5.

[0051] With reference to the attached Figure, the "wine washing" procedure comprises:

• pressurising the filling tank 8 to a pressure value P1 suitable for handling the liquid to be bottled (e.g., 0.5 bar in the case of still wines, 5-6 bar in the case of sparkling wines);
• placing the connector 20 (the false bottle) into the operating position sealed to the centring mouth 7;
• feeding 30/150 litres of liquid foodstuff to the filling tank 8 depending on the size of the machine 1 (the number of filling stations) by opening and then closing the valves V1 and V2;
• simultaneously opening and closing the valves V19, V7, V10, V9, V11 and V14 to pressurize the hydraulic circuit 5 and the connector 20 to the pressure P1;
• increasing the pressure of the filling tank 8 by approximately 0.1 to 0.2 bar to reach a pressure value P2;
• opening the valves V22, V9, V11, V14: due to the difference in pressure between P1 inside the connector 20 and P2 inside the filling tank 8, the product in the filling tank 8 will drain from the filling tank 8 back into the main tank 4, thus wine washing the filling tank 8 and the filling branch 9;
• when the filling tank 8 is completely empty, closing all the valves;
• with the opening of the valves V2, V3 and V14 and again due to the difference in pressure between P1 and P2, returning the liquid foodstuff in the branch 18 to the main tank 4.

[0052] Then all the valves are closed and the hydraulic circuit 5 is brought to ambient pressure by opening the valves V9 and V12.

[0053] At this point, before starting production, the connector 20 must be rinsed to prevent residual drops of liquid foodstuff occurring inside the connector 20 and in the discharge branch 22, as they are exposed to air, from causing contamination during production.

[0054] In order to overcome this drawback, the valves V4, V5, V18, V9, V12 are opened, so as to allow the rinse liquid to enter the control branch 11, in order to rinse the connector 20 and the discharge branch 22 and evacuate the rinse liquid through the drainage port 16. Once the rinsing is completed, the valves V4 and V9 are closed and the valves V17 and V20 are opened, so as to exploit the pressurized gas in the leveling branch 14 to drain the rinse liquid from the section of the vacuum branch 15 via the opening of the valves V18, V5, V10 and V12 and perform the drainage through the drainage port 16.

[0055] All the valves are then closed and the outer surface of the branch 9 is drained/blown.

[0056] For this purpose, V20, V17, V9 and V12 are opened and the pressurized gas in the leveling branch 14 removes the drops of rinse liquid occurring in the branch 9.

[0057] At this point, the "wine washing" procedure is complete, the connector 20 is brought into the rest position and production can be started.

[0058] The procedure described above, of course, can be varied without departing from the scope of protection of the application.

[0059] For example, three valves arranged around a node can be replaced by a single three-way, three position valve.

[0060] As it appears from the description of the procedure, this solution allows the filling machine 1 to be wine-washed in a fully automatic manner.

Claims

1. A filling machine, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid foodstuff, such as wine; the machine comprising a hydraulic circuit configured to be connected to a main tank (4) for containing a liquid foodstuff and comprising:

- a filling tank (8) for containing the liquid foodstuff;

- a feed branch (18) for selectively feeding the liquid foodstuff from the main tank (4) to the filling tank (8) ;

- a filling branch (9) connected to the filling tank (8) and selectively connectable to a container to be filled at a centring mouth (7);

- a vent branch (10) connected to the filling tank (8) and selectively connectable to the container to be filled at the centring mouth (7);

- a connector (20) selectively seal-connectable to the centring mouth (7), in place of the container to be filled, to the filling branch (9), and to the vent branch (10);

- a discharge branch (22) connected to the connector (20) and selectively connectable to a discharge port (23), a drainage port (16) and the main tank (4)- a control branch (11) selectively seal-connectable to the connector (20) at the centring mouth (7) and configured to degas and/or compensate and/or level and/or create vacuum selectively connectable to the container to be filled;

- a rinse branch (24) selectively connectable to the control branch (11) and to a drainage port (16) and/or a discharge port (23), the filling machine being characterized in that the circuit comprises a de-gassing branch (12) for selectively connecting the control branch (11) to the drainage port (16), the rinse branch (24) being selectively connectable to the de-gassing branch (12).

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydraulic circuit (5) comprises a compensation branch (13) for selectively connecting the control branch (11) to the filling tank (16), the rinse branch (24) being selectively connectable to the compensation branch (13).

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydraulic circuit (5) comprises a leveling branch (14) for selectively connecting the control branch (11) to a pressure source, said rinse branch (24) being selectively connectable to the leveling branch (14).

4. The machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydraulic circuit (5) comprises a suction branch (15) for selectively connecting the control branch (11) to a suction source, said rinse branch (24) being selectively connectable to the suction branch (15).

5. The machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydraulic circuit (5) comprises a return branch (19) for selectively connecting the feed branch (18) to the main tank (4).

6. The machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and comprising an actuator (21) for moving the connector (20) between the operating position and a rest position.

7. The machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and comprising a control unit (6), the hydraulic circuit (5) comprising a plurality of flow intercepting elements (V1, ..., V23), in particular electro-controlled valves, for selectively feeding, through the hydraulic circuit or portions thereof, the liquid foodstuff, rinse liquid, gas; the control unit (6) being configured to control the flow intercepting elements (V1, ..., V23) according to three operating modes: filling, flushing, and wine washing and comprising a user interface (25) to select said operating modes.

8. A method of using a filling machine, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid foodstuff, such as wine; the method comprising:

- pressurising a filling tank (8) to a first pressure value (P1) suitable for handling the liquid foodstuff to be bottled;

- placing a connector (20) into an operating position sealed to a centring mouth (7);

- feeding a volume of liquid foodstuff from a main tank (4) to the filling tank (8) via a feed branch (18);

- pressurising a hydraulic circuit (5) extending through the filling tank (8) and the connector (20) to the said first pressure value (P1);

- pressurising the filling tank (8) to a second pressure value (P2) higher than the first pressure value (P1) ;

- emptying the filling tank (8) of the liquid foodstuff via the connector (20) and a discharge branch (22) into the main tank (4); and

- emptying the feed branch (18) of the liquid foodstuff into the main tank (4) via a return branch (19) connecting the feed branch (18) to the main tank (4).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, and comprising rinsing the connector (20) and the discharge branch (22) with rinse liquid fed through a control branch (11) connected to the centring mouth (7) and evacuating the rinse liquid through a drainage port (16) connectable to the discharge branch (22).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, and comprising feeding pressurised gas to drain the rinse liquid from the section of a vacuum branch (15) connectable to the control branch (11).

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 or 10, and comprising feeding pressurised gas along the control branch (11) to remove residual rinse liquid.

12. The method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, and comprising arranging the connector (20) in a rest position via a respective actuator (21).

Drawing