Filling Element Liquid Channel for Reducing Product Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling systems for mixed drinks require significant time and product loss during component changes, as the entire liquid volume in connecting lines must be discarded, leading to inconsistent product quality and increased operational inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
The method involves adding additional components directly to the container or the stream of the main component during filling, eliminating the need for pre-mixing and allowing for separate introduction of components, which reduces the volume of mixed product in the system, thereby minimizing waste and time required for changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If components are pre-mixed in a separate mixer before filling, then the filling process can be simplified, but the connecting lines contain significant liquid volume that must be discarded during product changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the mixing function from the pre-filling stage and moves it to the filling stage itself. The additional component is introduced directly into the filling element's liquid channel just before the product is dispensed, eliminating the need for pre-mixing in a separate mixer and the associated connecting lines that would require purging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces the additional component into the liquid channel in advance of the actual filling moment, but only in the minimal volume required for immediate mixing and dispensing. This preliminary introduction occurs right before filling, not beforehand in a separate mixing stage, thus minimizing the volume of mixed product that would need to be discarded.
2Reliability
If the entire liquid volume in connecting lines is discarded during component changes, then product quality consistency is maintained, but time and productivity are significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the long connecting lines between mixer and filling machine entirely, introducing the additional component directly at the filling element. This extraction of the intermediate transport环节 eliminates the large liquid volume that would otherwise need to be discarded, maintaining product quality while dramatically reducing changeover time.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the entire liquid volume in connecting lines, the system only introduces and mixes the additional component in the minimal partial volume present in the filling element's liquid channel, which is then immediately dispensed or flushed with negligible waste.
3Measurement precision
If additional component is introduced into the ring vessel before filling, then dosing can be controlled, but undesirable mixing occurs and quality consistency is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses the liquid channel of the filling element as an intermediary medium. The additional component is introduced into this channel where it mixes with the main component under controlled conditions immediately before dispensing, rather than mixing in the ring vessel which would compromise quality consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing of components occurs locally in the liquid channel at the filling element, not globally in the ring vessel. This localized mixing ensures that the additional component is dosed precisely where needed while maintaining the quality consistency of the main component in the ring vessel.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for filling bottles or similar containers (2) with a liquid filling material comprising at least two components, using a filling system (1) comprising at least one filling element (3) having a fluid channel (6) for the controlled dispensing of the filling material by way of at least one dispensing opening (11), said channel forming said dispensing opening, a liquid valve (13) being disposed in said channel and said channel being connected to a first component supply container or vessel (8) by way of a liquid connection (7).