초록 ▼

Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling flow of a flowable material. The flowable material passes from a product supply through one or more valves which are coupled to a controller. The controller is also coupled to one or more sensors operable to generate a signal indicating whether flow

Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling flow of a flowable material. The flowable material passes from a product supply through one or more valves which are coupled to a controller. The controller is also coupled to one or more sensors operable to generate a signal indicating whether flowable product is present or not present at a specific level within a container. The controller is programmed to operate the valves based on signals received from the sensors. The sensors may be associated with the feed container and used to control metering of flowable product out of the feed container, or they may be associated with a container and used to control filling of the container with flowable product.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for filling a container with a flowable product from a product supply, the apparatus comprising: a filling station that receives the flowable product from the product supply, the filling station including (i) a fill valve, (ii) a nozzle connected to a downstream end of the fill valve

1. An apparatus for filling a container with a flowable product from a product supply, the apparatus comprising: a filling station that receives the flowable product from the product supply, the filling station including (i) a fill valve, (ii) a nozzle connected to a downstream end of the fill valve and configured to direct the flowable product into the container, and (iii) a capacitive sensor configured so that during a filling operation the capacitive sensor is operable (A) to sense, through the container, when the flowable product reaches a predetermined fill level within the container, and (B) to generate a signal in response to the sensing of the flowable product reaching the predetermined fill level within the container, the capacitive sensor being positioned entirely outside the container and at least a portion of the capacitive sensor being positioned below a mouth of the container being filled during the filling operation, wherein the capacitive sensor is positioned remotely from the flowable product and does not physically contact the container during the filling operation, and wherein the positioning of the capacitive sensor is adjustable so that different predetermined fill levels within a container can be selected by adjusting the positioning of the capacitive sensor; anda controller operably coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to close the fill valve in response to receiving the generated signal from the capacitive sensor to stop flow of the flowable product into the container. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flowable product contains an abrasive. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a support configured to carry the container, wherein the nozzle and the support are configured to move relative to each other. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the capacitive sensor is fixedly positioned relative to the support during the filling operation. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is fixedly positioned relative to the nozzle during the filling operation. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fill valve includes a pinch valve. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the product supply includes a feed container and a pump. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a programmable logic controller. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to fill the container with a gel. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to fill the container with a hand soap. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to be positioned above the container during the filling operation. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to be positioned above a shoulder of the container, but below the mouth of the container, during the filling operation. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is configured to be positioned proximate a shoulder of the container during the filling operation. 14. The apparatus for filling containers with a flowable product of claim 1, further comprising a bracket, the capacitive sensor being mountable to the bracket in a manually adjustable manner to allow positioning of the capacitive sensor relative to the apparatus prior to the filling operation. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is elongate and includes a distal tip directed toward, and a portion of the capacitive sensor is positioned above the mouth of, the container being filled during the filling operation. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is elongate and includes a distal tip directed toward, and positioned above a shoulder but below the mouth of, the container being filled during the filling operation. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is elongate and includes a distal tip directed toward, and positioned proximate a shoulder of, the container being filled during the filling operation. 18. A method for filling a container with a flowable product from a product supply, the method comprising the steps of: (a) directing the flowable product from the product supply into the container with a nozzle connected to a downstream end of a fill valve of a filling station;(b) positioning a capacitive sensor remotely from the flowable product so that the capacitive sensor does not physically contact the container during a filling operation, the capacitive sensor being positioned entirely outside the container and at least a portion of the capacitive sensor being positioned below a mouth of the container being filled during the filling operation;(c) sensing through the container with the capacitive sensor when the flowable product reaches a predetermined fill level within the container;(d) generating a signal in response to the sensing of the flowable product reaching the predetermined fill level within the container;(e) coupling a controller to the capacitive sensor; and(f) closing the fill valve with the controller in response to receiving the generated signal from the capacitive sensor to stop flow of the flowable product into the container at the filling station. 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of adjusting the positioning of the capacitive sensor at the filling station so that different predetermined fill levels within the container can be selected. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the flowable product includes an abrasive. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the flowable product includes a gel. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the flowable product includes a hand soap. 23. The method of claim 18, wherein at the filling station a portion of the capacitive sensor is positioned above the mouth of the container during a filling operation. 24. The method of claim 18, wherein at the filling station the capacitive sensor is positioned above a shoulder of the container, but below the mouth of the container, during a filling operation. 25. The method of claim 18, wherein at the filling station the capacitive sensor is positioned proximate a shoulder of the container during a filling operation. 26. An apparatus for filling a container with a flowable product from a product supply, the apparatus comprising: a filling station that receives the flowable product from the product supply, the filling station including (i) a fill valve, (ii) a nozzle connected to a downstream end of the fill valve and configured to direct the flowable product into the container, and (iii) a capacitive sensor configured so that during a filling operation the capacitive sensor is operable (A) to sense, through the container, when the flowable product reaches a predetermined fill level within the container, and (B) to generate a signal in response to the sensing of the flowable product reaching the predetermined fill level within the container, wherein the capacitive sensor is elongate and includes a distal tip directed toward, and positioned above a shoulder but below a mouth of, the container being filled during the filling operation, wherein the capacitive sensor is positioned remotely from the flowable product and does not physically contact the container during the filling operation, and wherein the positioning of the capacitive sensor is adjustable so that different predetermined fill levels within a container can be selected by adjusting the positioning of the capacitive sensor; anda controller operably coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to close the fill valve in response to receiving the generated signal from the capacitive sensor to stop flow of the flowable product into the container. 27. A method for filling a container with a flowable product, the method comprising the steps of: directing the flowable product from a product supply into the container with a nozzle connected to a downstream end of a fill valve of a filling station;positioning a capacitive sensor remotely from the flowable product so that the capacitive sensor does not physically contact the container during a filling operation, wherein at the filling station the capacitive sensor is positioned above a shoulder of the container and below a mouth of the container during a filling operation;sensing through the container with the capacitive sensor when the flowable product reaches a predetermined fill level within the container;generating a signal in response to the sensing of the flowable product reaching the predetermined fill level within the container;coupling a controller to the capacitive sensor; andclosing the fill valve with the controller in response to receiving the generated signal from the capacitive sensor to stop flow of the flowable product into the container at the filling station.