1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage, having a filling element for filling bottles with a liquid beverage and a filling machine having such a filling element.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material can possibly comprise a beverage filling machine with a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position having a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material. The filling devices may have an apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined volume of liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material. The apparatus designed to introduce a predetermined flow of liquid beverage filling material further comprises an apparatus that is designed to terminate the filling of the beverage bottles upon the liquid beverage filling material reaching the predetermined level in bottles. There may also be provided a conveyer arrangement that is designed to move bottles, for example, from an inspecting machine to the filling machine. Upon filling, a closing station closes the filled bottles. There may further be provided a conveyer arrangement configured to transfer filled bottles from the filling machine to the closing station. Bottles may be labeled in a labeling station, the labeling station having a conveyer arrangement to receive bottles and to output bottles. The closing station and the labeling station may be connected by a corresponding conveyer arrangement.
Filling elements for the filling of bottles or similar containers with a liquid product, in particular for the filling bottles with beverages, are known in a variety of designs, including filling elements for volume-controlled filling (volumetric filling). With these filling elements, a flow meter is provided in the liquid line between a source of the liquid product (e.g. reservoir or bowl) and the respective filling element. The flow meter ends the filling process by sending a measurement or control signal that closes the liquid valve to a central control unit (computer) in the filling machine.