Bottle burst detection is a critical control point in bottle filling devices for preventing glass splinters being present in filled and capped bottles. Bottle burst itself can not be prevented during an industrial filling operation wherein a large number of bottles is filled with a pressurised liquid at very high speed. The burst of bottles occasionally occurs due to small defects in the bottle construction decreasing the pressure resistance of the bottle. In case bottle burst occurs, glass splinters are spread all around the bursted bottle, some of which splinters may end up in bottles on the transport line in proximity of the bursted bottle. In order to prevent commercializing bottles that might comprise glass splinter, the bottle filling device is equipped with sensors detecting bottle burst and is programmed with a burst bottle handling protocol that automatically rejects bottles that were located in the proximity of the bursted bottle.
At present, the bottle burst handling protocol is tested on a regular basis (every 2-3 hours in industrial filling lines) by introduction of a weakened bottle in the device. The weakened bottle will burst upon filling and should then trigger the burst bottle handling protocol. The major inconvenience of this process is that glass splinters are actually spread, which includes a potential hazard for the device operators and which necessitates cleaning of the workspace after each test. Also creating a weakened bottle brings a potential hazard for the device operator.
Another known method of controlling the bottle burst protocol includes electronically activating the bottle burst detectors without the detectors actually detecting bottle burst and as such initiating the bottle burst handling protocol. Although such method allows controlling the protocol without creating glass splinters, it has the drawback that the sensors are not actually tested and hence offers no full guarantee on the exact functioning of the bottle burst handling as is expected at a critical control point in the production line.
It is clear from the above that there remains a need for a control method that overcomes the above stated inconveniences and drawbacks.