Lever Filling Device Inversion for Sparkling Wine Precision
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling devices for bottles, particularly those used for gaseous liquids like sparkling wine, face challenges in achieving precise filling levels and efficient degassing, often requiring unnecessary steps that can lead to contamination and foam formation.
Innovation Solution
The filling device positions the second closure member at the bottom end of the inner tube, allowing for precise control of the filling level without an emptying step and optimizing the degassing process by excluding the inner tube's gas volume, thereby reducing contamination and foam formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the second closure member is positioned at the top end of the inner tube, then the filling device can operate with a simpler structure, but the filling precision deteriorates and an additional emptying step is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional position of the second closure member from the top end of the inner tube to the bottom end. This inversion eliminates the need for the emptying step and improves filling precision, as the closure member now seals the inner tube at the point where liquid enters the bottle, preventing backflow and ensuring accurate filling levels.
2Reliability
If the inner tube's gas volume is included in the degassing process, then complete degassing is achieved, but the degassing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inner tube's gas volume from the degassing process by positioning the second closure member at the bottom end of the inner tube. This exclusion allows the degassing process to focus only on the necessary gas volumes, reducing degassing time and energy consumption while maintaining sufficient degassing effectiveness for the product.
3Manufacturing precision
If the emptying step is performed to convey liquid back into the vessel, then the filling level precision is improved, but the contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by positioning the second closure member at the bottom end of the inner tube before the filling process. This positioning prevents liquid from entering the inner tube in the first place, eliminating the need for the emptying step and thereby preventing contamination risk associated with conveying liquid back into the vessel.
Data Source
AI summary
Filling devices for lever filling of bottles with liquids are provided. Such devices may include a body having a vertical inner cavity, an outer tube which is fixed at the top to a bottom wall of a main vessel intended to contain the liquid with which the bottles are to be filled, extending through the inner cavity of the body and projecting downward from the body, an inner tube which is arranged coaxially with the outer tube, extending with a lower portion thereof inside the outer tube and projecting upward from the outer tube, so as to reach with its top end a level higher than the level of the liquid contained in the main vessel. Filling machines containing such devices are also provided.