Apparatus for Filling Containers According to Weight

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for the weight-dependent filling of containers, especially bottles ( 3 ), which comprise a tubular neck section ( 7 ) and which consists of a fill nozzle ( 8 ), a weighing device ( 5 ) and a holding element ( 6 ) for holding the container ( 3 ) under the fill nozzle ( 8 ). In that regard the weighing device ( 5 ) includes a force uptake element ( 14 ), a force introduction element ( 15 ) and a deformation body ( 17, 18 ) that is arranged therebetween and that is provided with strain gages ( 24 ) applied thereon. In that regard, the force uptake element ( 14 ) is secured on a machine frame ( 2 ) and the holding element ( 6 ) is secured on the force introduction element ( 15 ). The invention is characterized in that the force uptake element ( 14 ) is embodied as an outwardly lying ring element ( 14 ) and the force introduction element is embodied as a coaxially inwardly lying ring element ( 15 ), between which at least one radially spring-elastic connecting web ( 17, 18 ) is arranged as the deformation body. In that regard, the holding element ( 6 ) is secured on the inwardly lying ring element ( 15 ) therebelow.

1 . An apparatus for the weight-dependent filling of containers, especially bottles ( 3 ), having a tubular neck section ( 7 ), wherein the apparatus comprises a fill nozzle ( 8 ), a weighing device ( 5 ) and a holding element ( 6 ) for holding the container ( 3 ) under the fill nozzle ( 8 ), and in which the weighing device ( 5 ) includes a force uptake element ( 14 ), a force introduction element ( 15 ) and a deformation body ( 17 ,  18 ) arranged therebetween and with strain gages ( 24 ) applied on the deformation body, whereby the force uptake element ( 14 ) is secured on a machine frame ( 2 ) and the holding element ( 6 ) is secured on the force introduction element ( 15 ), characterized in that the force uptake element is embodied as an outwardly lying ring element ( 14 ) and the force introduction element is embodied as a coaxial inwardly lying ring element ( 15 ), between which at least one radially spring-elastic connecting web ( 17 ,  18 ) is arranged as the deformation body, whereby the holding element ( 6 ) is secured to the inwardly lying ring element ( 15 ) therebelow. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fill nozzle ( 8 ) is guided from the top through a central hollow space ( 16 ) of the weighing device ( 5 ) at least to the fill opening of the container ( 3 ). 
     
     
         3 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the weighing device is embodied as a rotationally symmetrical load cell ( 5 ), which includes a one-piece base body ( 38 ), which consists of the inner ring ( 15 ) and the coaxially surrounding outer ring ( 14 ) and the at least one connecting web ( 17 ,  18 ) arranged radially therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the one-piece base body ( 38 ) consists of a spring-elastic stainless steel, aluminum, titanium or ceramic. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the outer ring ( 14 ) and the inner ring ( 15 ) are connected with one another in a frictional or force-coupling manner by two connecting webs ( 17 ,  18 ) lying radially 180° opposite one another in a horizontal center plane ( 31 ). 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each connecting web ( 17 ,  18 ) consists of a first radial web section ( 35 ) that is connected with the inner ring ( 15 ) and a second radial web section ( 36 ) that is connected with the outer ring ( 14 ), and a tangential ring web section ( 34 ) lying therebetween. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , characterized in that each tangential ring web section ( 34 ) comprises two tangentially spaced-apart transverse grooves ( 22 ), which form two spring-elastic thin locations ( 23 ), on which strain gages ( 24 ) are applied. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , characterized in that the connecting webs ( 17 ,  18 ) are formed by two axially throughgoing ring groove sections ( 20 ,  21 ) that lie radially opposite one another, whereby an inner ring groove section ( 21 ) extends on the inner ring ( 15 ) and an outer ring groove section ( 20 ) extends on the outer ring ( 14 ). 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , characterized in that both ring groove sections ( 20 ,  21 ) extend on a radial angular range of the load cell ( 5 ) of approximately 235° and overlap one another on their ends on a range of approximately 60°, whereby the tangential ring web sections ( 34 ) extend on a tangential angular range of about 60°. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the load cell ( 5 ), symmetrically to its longitudinal axis ( 37 ), comprises a throughgoing central hollow space ( 16 ), which serves for the contact-less through-guidance of the fill nozzle ( 8 ). 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the outer ring ( 14 ) and the inner ring ( 15 ) are hermetically tightly connected at their axial end areas with a lower cover ( 28 ) and an upper cover ( 29 ). 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the covers ( 28 ,  29 ) respectively consist of a membrane-like thin metal sheet, which is welded to the ring elements ( 14 ,  15 ). 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the covers ( 28 ,  29 ) comprise at least one load relief groove ( 30 ), which is impressed or embossed therein concentrically to the inner ring ( 15 ), and which has a radially flexurally soft structure. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one holding ring ( 32 ), which is secured on one side on the outer ring ( 14 ), is provided in the inner space of the load cell ( 5 ) above or below a center plane ( 31 ), and an electronic circuit board ( 33 ) with a weighing electronics is secured on the holding ring. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a sealed cable inlet ( 27 ) is arranged on a circumferential surface of the outer ring ( 14 ), which serves for the connection of the weighing electronics or regarding which the weighing electronics is integrated in the connection cable. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the holding element ( 6 ) is embodied as a radially outwardly open U-shaped holding bail ( 10 ), of which the lower horizontally oriented shank ( 11 ) has a radially outwardly open recess that serves for receiving the bottle neck ( 7 ) and/or for vertically fixing the container.