subject: New Invention Filling Machines [print this page] The present invention provides filling machines operable to dispense a fluid from a fluid supply to a container having an opening and a cap configured to cover the opening. The filling machine includes a housing that defines a fill chamber and a cap removal assembly at least partially located within the fill chamber. The cap removal assembly is operable to remove the cap from the opening of the container within the fill chamber. The filling machines further includes a fill line assembly having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to be coupled to the fluid supply and the outlet is located within the fill chamber. The outlet is configured to be placed in fluid communication to the opening of the container. The fill line assembly is removably coupled with the filling machines, and fluid flowing from the fluid supply to the container flows through the fill line assembly.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of operating filling machines. The method includes inserting a fill conduit of a container into a fill chamber of the fillings machine such that a body portion of the container remains outside of the fill chamber, and inserting a cap that covers an opening of the container defined by the fill conduit into a cap removal assembly of the filling machine. The method further includes removing the cap from the opening of the fill conduit, dispensing a fluid from a fluid supply into the container, and sealing the fill conduit of the container.
Automated fill systems and filling machines are used for transferring fluids from a reservoir to containers. Typically, these automated systems incorporate a flow meter to accurately control the amount of fluid introduced into each container, either by mass (weight) or volume. These systems are typically used in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, chemical, and food packaging industries. The automated systems also generally include a stop valve controlled by the flow meter and a nozzle used to transfer the measured amount of fluid to a container.
