US 12,110,225 B2
Container filling system and valve for same
John A. Eaton, Valhalla, NY (US); David William Martin, Londonberry, NH (US); David Jay Warburton, Lexington, MA (US); Nathan John Coleman, Murrieta, CA (US); Samuel Frank Feller, Somerville, MA (US); Thomas John Evans, Brighton, MA (US); Jason Karl Sorge, Geneseo, NY (US); and Randy A. Straub, Palmyra, NY (US)
Assigned to PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed by PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed on May 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/313,967.
Application 18/313,967 is a division of application No. 17/068,373, filed on Oct. 12, 2020, granted, now 11,679,971.
Application 17/068,373 is a division of application No. 16/374,900, filed on Apr. 4, 2019, granted, now 10,836,624, issued on Nov. 17, 2020.
Application 16/374,900 is a division of application No. 14/778,720, granted, now 10,294,091, issued on May 21, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2014/031469, filed on Mar. 21, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/804,452, filed on Mar. 22, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0312321 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B67C 3/28 (2006.01); B65B 55/02 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B67C 3/04 (2006.01); B67C 3/06 (2006.01); B67C 3/16 (2006.01); B67C 3/20 (2006.01); B67C 3/26 (2006.01); F16K 31/08 (2006.01); G01G 17/04 (2006.01)
CPC B67C 3/286 (2013.01) [B65B 55/027 (2013.01); B65B 59/00 (2013.01); B65B 59/001 (2019.05); B67C 3/045 (2013.01); B67C 3/06 (2013.01); B67C 3/16 (2013.01); B67C 3/202 (2013.01); B67C 3/2634 (2013.01); B67C 3/28 (2013.01); F16K 31/086 (2013.01); G01G 17/04 (2013.01); B65B 59/003 (2019.05); B65B 2220/14 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A container filling system comprising:
a beverage product reservoir;
a beverage container filling valve connected to the reservoir and configured to fill containers with beverage product from the reservoir; and
a vacuum source connected to a fluid space that includes an interior of the reservoir;
a pressure control valve connecting the fluid space to a source of fluid at a pressure above an ambient atmospheric pressure;
a pressure transducer configured to generate pressure transducer signals indicative of pressures in a flow path from the reservoir interior to the beverage container filling valve; and
a controller configured to receive input data corresponding to a target pressure value based on a desired flow rate, wherein the controller is configured to receive the pressure transducer signals, and is configured to generate, based on the received pressure transducer signals and on the input data, pressure valve control signals to open and close the pressure valve and maintain a pressure at or near the target pressure.