Refilling Device for Plastic Container Fill Level Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing form-filling machines face issues with product spilling during transport, leading to underfilling and hygiene concerns due to the containers being hot and dimensionally variable, resulting in increased cleaning efforts and non-uniform fill levels.
Innovation Solution
A form-filling machine equipped with a refilling device and a filling level sensor, controlled by a regulatory device, ensures that plastic containers are filled to a minimum legally required volume, with the refilling device adding product as needed to maintain a consistent fill level, preventing underfilling and ensuring uniform appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If plastic containers are filled to the minimum legally required volume in the treatment stations, then the filling quantity requirement is met, but product spills out during transport and soils the machine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by filling containers to only 80-90% of the minimum legal volume in the treatment station, leaving a deliberate deficit. This preliminary underfilling prevents spilling during transport, and the containers are subsequently refilled in a separate refilling device to reach the complete minimum legal volume. The preliminary action of partial filling resolves the contradiction between meeting filling requirements and preventing spillage.
2Quantity of substance
If containers are filled to minimum volume, then legal filling requirements are met, but underfilling occurs due to spillage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback control through filling level sensors that detect the actual fill level of containers. These sensors provide feedback signals to a control device that regulates the refilling process. The feedback mechanism ensures that containers receive the precise additional volume needed to reach the minimum legal filling requirement, compensating for any variations and preventing underfilling while maintaining consistent fill levels across all containers.
3Productivity
If containers are filled in treatment stations, then filling function is achieved, but hygiene conditions deteriorate due to spillage and hot containers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filling process into two distinct stages: initial filling in the treatment station to 80-90% volume, and subsequent refilling in a separate refilling device to complete the minimum legal volume. This segmentation separates the hot-fill operation from the final topping-off operation, allowing the refilling to occur under more controlled hygiene conditions and preventing spillage-related contamination that would occur if full volumes were filled in the treatment station.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents underfilling, maintains a uniform fill level, and enhances hygiene by ensuring all containers meet the minimum volume requirement, reducing spillage and cleaning efforts while maintaining a consistent product appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a filling level sensor (24) for ascertaining the fill level
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a mold-filling machine (1) for molding and filling plastic containers (2) with several processing stations (5), each having a hollow mold (6) in which a preform (3) can be molded and filled to form the plastic container (2). The machine has at least one refilling device (21) downstream of the processing stations (5) for dosing product into the respective already filled plastic containers (2).