Bottle with sensors for probing and optimizing bottling line performance

Abstract

A bottle with sensors for probing and optimizing bottling line performance is disclosed. According to one embodiment a bottle, comprises an outer layer and a reservoir tube inside the outer layer that connects a reservoir inside the outer layer to a neck of the bottle. The bottle has a battery inside the outer layer and one or more sensors powered by the battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bottle, comprising:
 an outer layer;   a reservoir tube inside the outer layer that connects a reservoir inside the outer layer to a neck of the bottle;   a battery inside the outer layer; and   one or more sensors powered by the battery.   
     
     
         2 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes an internal temperature sensor located in the reservoir tube that measures the temperature of fluid in the bottle. 
     
     
         3 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes an external bottle top temperature sensor that measures a temperature distribution on top of the bottle. 
     
     
         4 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes an internal pressure sensor that measures internal pressures created by a rinser, filler, and pressure created in the bottle due to a closure application. 
     
     
         5 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a force sensor on a bottom of the bottle that measures a top load force applied on the bottle, the top load force applied by a filler or a capper head. 
     
     
         6 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a chemical sensor in the reservoir tube that measures one or more of acidity, sugars, alcohol, oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of fluid in the bottle. 
     
     
         7 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a chemical sensor that measures levels of gasses in a headspace, the gasses including one or more of oxygen and carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a 3-axis accelerometer that measures and detects movement of the bottle, and also detects shocks due to impact with bottling line components that are improperly set, wearing, or defective. 
     
     
         9 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a vacuum/pressure sensor that detects faults including one or more of inadequate vacuum, high headspace pressure, leaks that may occur in bottling line systems. 
     
     
         10 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising a data acquisition and signal conditioner to measure conditions including one or more of temperature, humidity, light, pressure, force, gas chemistry, liquid chemistry and acceleration. 
     
     
         11 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes force sensing resistors, voltage dividers, load cells, pressure transducers, chemical, proximity, location, and temperature 
     
     
         12 . The bottle of  claim 10 , wherein the data acquisition and signal conditioner communicates with a wireless transmission device to send data including one or more of temperature, humidity, light, pressure, force, chemical and acceleration along with digital data including one or more of addresses, locations, and names. 
     
     
         13 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the bottle sends data to a data collection server and analytics server. 
     
     
         14 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising an output module that has indicator lights and a display. 
     
     
         15 . The bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the battery can charge wirelessly when placed on a charging base. 
     
     
         16 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader. 
     
     
         17 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising grooves on the neck used to configure one or more capper head rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising top bearings around a top of the neck of the bottle. 
     
     
         19 . The bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising bottom bearings at a bottom edge of the bottle.