Method and Apparatus for Monitoring the Length of a Liquid Column

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring the length of a liquid column of an aqueous solution and, more specifically, for monitoring the filling level of beverage bottles.

It is known to monitor the filling level of liquid columns in glass bottles or similar objects using optical techniques. For example, infrared or visible radiation is used to provide transverse irradiation of the liquid column or surface reflection from the liquid column through the use of mirrors and/or other optical components.

The basic disadvantage of such techniques involves the fact that such measurements are negatively influenced by or simply made impossible because of diverse factors such as the presence of labels on the bottles, dirt and foam in and/or on the bottles, the shapes of the bottles, agitation of the bottles, the color of bottles and many other factors. Because of this, such optical techniques are of only limited use and are not suitable for many applications. Optical techniques of the type described above are disclosed, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,133,638, 3,218,463 and 3,225,191.

It is also known to monitor liquid columns using gamma rays wherein irradiation of a liquid column with gamma rays is effected by means of a radiator and a slit diaphragm. This approach has certain advantages since, for example, tin cans may also be irradiated. On the other hand, the use of such processes is generally subject to industrial licensing procedures. Moreover, certain radiation problems, and other problems in connection with public opinion (which is often highly negative) have limited the general use of such techniques.

The present invention concerns the provision of a method and apparatus of the type discussed above which enables very precise but completely harmless monitoring of the lengths of liquid columns, such as of filled beverage bottles, in a relatively simple and cheap manner.

Generally speaking, the invention is based on the concept of using high frequency signals for monitoring purposes. In this regard, investigations have been made, within the scope of the present invention, as to the feasibility of transverse radiation of a test object with such high frequency signals. It has been found, however, that irradiation transverse to the longitudinal axis of the liquid column produces very imprecise results. However, on the other hand, it was found, within the scope of the present invention, that longitudinal irradiation of the liquid column with high frequency signals produces very favorable results.

In accordance with the invention, a parallel electrical circuit, comprising a first branch containing the liquid column and a second branch connected in parallel thereto, is connected to a frequency electrical signal of a predetermined power or current. The signal is applied to the liquid column in a substantially longitudinal direction, and is of such a frequency that in the first branch, in a longitudinal area of the liquid column to be monitored, electrical resonance occurs at a frequency depending on the length of the column. The magnitude of the electric power or current at resonance as measured in the second branch is used as a measure of the length of the liquid column. Consequently, when predetermined high frequency power, or a corresponding high frequency current, is applied to the two branches, the power (or current) in the second branch is directly related to that in the first branch. Stated differently, because of the resonance phenomenon as reflected into in the second branch and, in particular, because of the lowering, or raising, at resonance, of the high frequency resistance of the first branch and thus the corresponding redistribution of power applied to, or current flow in, the second branch, the length of the liquid column affecting resonance may be monitored by determining the power or the current in the second branch. This technique is quite simple, and because of the use of resonance phenomenon, the method is very precise. Further, because of the use of a low power, high frequency signal, the method is completely harmless. The interfering factors mentioned above in connection with optical techniques, as well as other factors which disturb the measurement, are substantially insignificant with the present high frequency method of the invention.

In one embodiment, the first branch is operated as a resonant sink, so as to provide a lowering of the branch resistance at resonance. In this embodiment, a minimum power, or a minimum current, is produced in response to a liquid column of the correct length, in the parallel second branch. The opposite conditions exist when the first branch is operated as a pumping branch, i.e., produces an increase in resistance at resonance. Under this circumstance, when the liquid column, is of the correct length maximum power, or a maximum current, is produced in the parallel second branch. Both embodiments are essentially equivalent and either may be used depending on the particular application.

Preferably, high frequency signal is coupled to the liquid column by way of an air gap. This approach is advantageous because of the simplicity thereof, although it is possible to omit the use of such an air gap.

Advantageously, a high frequency of about 1 MHz to about 1 GHz, preferably of 27.12 MHz, is used. In view of the utilization of resonance phenomenon, this frequency range has proven to be particularly effective. A high frequency power of about 0.1 mW may be used and it is thus apparent that the use of the high frequency process of the invention is completely harmless.

In a preferred embodiment, a theoretical value range is assigned to the longitudinal range of the liquid column to be monitored corresponding to power or current values detected in the second branch, and determined relative to an increasing or decreasing flank of the resonance characteristic wherein power, or current, is plotted as a function of column length. Using this approach, it can be readily determined whether or not the monitored liquid column is too short or too long, since the actual determined value will not fall within the theoretical value range. It is also advantageous to determine direction of the deviation from the theoretical value range, i.e., whether the actual value is too high or too low, rather than simply determining that the actual value does not fall within the range in question.

In an alternate preferred embodiment, a theoretical value range is assigned to the longitudinal area of the liquid column to be monitored, corresponding to power or current values detected in the second branch and determined relative to a miminum or maximum of the resonance characteristic. Because of the clear change in the characteristic at resonance, a particularly precise monitoring result can be obtained. However, information is not provided as to whether the actual value lies above the upper limit of the theoretical value range or below the lower limit of this range, and thus whether the liquid column is too long or too short. In cases in which such information is not required, this embodiment is particularly suitable for use in applications where high precision is a requirement.

The invention is particularly adapted to monitoring a plurality of liquid columns in succession at a rapid rate and thus the determination of the power or current values is synchronized in time in the second branch with this monitoring rate. As a result of this, faulty outputs may be avoided in the time intervals between two successive monitoring operations.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a monitoring apparatus of the type discussed above is provided which includes a high frequency generator which produces a predetermined output power or current and a parallel circuit connected to the output of the generator. A first branch of the parallel circuit is electrically coupled to the liquid column to be monitored, (i.e., a filled beverage bottle) by way of electrodes located at the ends of the column. The second branch of the parallel circuit includes evaluating means for determining and evaluating the magnitude of power or current in the second branch. The use of a parallel circuit has particular advantages although it would basically be possible to use a series circuit with suitable modification. The determination of the magnitude of power or current in the second branch takes place completely separately from the liquid column and enables the length thereof to be precisely monitored.

Advantageously, at least the lowermost electrode is coupled to the liquid column by way of a bottom wall of a container, such as the bottom wall of a glass bottle, which receives the liquid column. The container wall will not disturb the resonance phenomenon in any way and provides a clear separation between the electrode and the liquid. It is particularly advantageous to couple the upper electrode to the liquid column by way of an air gap, and optionally, and in addition, by way of the container wall. As long as the air gap is sufficiently small, such a gap will not disturb the resonance phenomenon. In fact, such an air gap enables contactless coupling of the high frequency signal to the liquid column located, for example, in a glass bottle.

In a further embodiment, the lowermost electrode is connected to a mass associated with a bottle conveyer or formed thereby. Such bottle conveyers take a number of forms and may, for example, comprise a conveyer trough or a conveyer belt on which, for example, filled beverage bottles are conveyed past the monitoring arrangement.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the uppermost electrode includes oppositely directed electrode shoes which are directly connected with one another electrically and between the lower ends of which pass the upper end of a liquid column of the desired length. The provision of electrode shoes on both sides of the column enables one to compensate for errors in the position of the column because of the fact that because when the air gap becomes larger at the one electrode shoe, the air gap at the other electrode shoe becomes smaller. Both electrode shoes are at the same fixed potential so that no high frequency current flows between them. A further advantage of positioning the electrode shoes on both sides of the column is that coupling of the high frequency signal to the liquid column is enhanced.

Preferably, the uppermost electrode forms a channel aligned with the bottle conveyer, for passage of the neck of a bottle. the maximum length of the channel is equal the diameter of the bottle. With this arrangement, and through the provision of proper synchronization or triggering of the monitoring operation, it can be assured that only one liquid column is monitored at a time, because, due to the location of the upper electrode, two liquid columns can never be located in the area of influence of the upper electrode at the same time. In order to increase the precision of the measurements obtained and in order to substantially avoid scattering of the high frequency signal, it is preferred that the electrode shoes always be spaced at a distance of about 3-50 mm from the neck of the bottle. This distance is sufficiently small to enable, even with due consideration to positional tolerances, contactless coupling to the liquid column. This is important because the upper electrode is stationary and the liquid columns (for example, filled beverage bottles) move with the conveyer. A further improvement concerns the provision of outside screening for the upper electrode. This increases the precision of the result obtained in that scattering of high frequency signal is substantially eliminated. This embodiment is particularly important whenever the individual members of a liquid column series are monitored successively. In this case, it is preferred that the external screening surround or encompass the electrode shoes on the sides along the path of travel of the liquid columns so that the influence of the liquid column adjacent to that under test can be eliminated.

Preferably, an electrical component or device for influencing the resonance, e.g., a tuning device, is located between one of the electrodes, i.e., the upper electrode, and the high frequency generator. Such a device helps produce resonance and enables crude and/or fine tuning of the resonant circuit in accordance with operating conditions. This approach is used when the first branch operates as a resonant sink. In the case of operation as a "pumping circuit", the first branch includes a first circuit in which the liquid column is connected and a second circuit connected in parallel with the first circuit and including the at least one electrical component or device for influencing resonance, i.e., the tuning device. This approach assists in producing resonance and enables crude and/or fine tuning of the resonant frequency.

In a preferred practical embodiment, the circuitry in the second branch includes a high frequency recitifer and a window discriminator connected to the output of the rectifier. By providing high frequency rectification and by using a power dissipation device, such as a resistor, it is possible to determine the power or the current in the second branch of the parallel circuit, a voltage proportional to this power or current being fed to the window discriminator. For this purpose, an amplifier such as an operation amplifier is preferably located between the high frequency rectifier and the window discriminator. This enables clear recognition of those instances in which the length of the liquid column does not fall within a predetermined (longitudinal) theoretical value range, so that measures can be taken to rectify the situation.

In a further embodiment, a triggering unit is provided for synchronizing the operation of the window discriminator and the high frequency action of a liquid column. Advantageously, a proximity switch is used in activating the window discriminator whenever a container for the liquid column, such as a beverage bottle, is present within the operating range of both electrodes. For example, an optical, inductive, capacitive, magnetic or mechanic scanner can be used in this connection. As a result of the approach, the window discriminator provides fault recognition only when a liquid column (or a container for the column) is actually located in the operating area of both electrodes. Faulty operation is thus safely avoided.

In the embodiment employing a window discriminator, acoustical and/or optical indicating means are preferably connected to the window discriminator for recording the "faulty" liquid columns, e.g., for recording the improperly filled beverage bottles. Alternately, or additionally, a release device is connected to the output of the window discriminator for removing such faulty liquid columns, e.g., such improperly filled beverage bottles. In the first instance, the operating personnel are informed about the existence of the fault, while in the second instance, provision is made for automatic operation wherein the improperly filled bottles are diverted or removed.

Advantageously, an adjustable support is provided for the upper electrode to enable readily adaptation of the vertical position thereof to the length of the liquid column to be monitored.

The invention will be explained in more detail below in connection with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention suitable for use in carrying out the process according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned plan view of a bottle conveyer and an upper electrode of the arrangement according to the invention;

FIG. 3 are curves used in explaining the method of operation of the process according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows the starting signal for a window discriminator used in a further embodiment of the present invention.

In a preferred application of the arrangement according to the invention, beverage bottles lined up in side by side relationship are conveyed through the arrangement one following the other and are checked individually as to the level to which they are filled. Since the beverage bottles are filled in large installations at a very high speed of, for example, 80,000 bottles per hour, this checking or monitoring operation is of very considerable importance. The monitoring process must also be carried out with precision, taking into consideration the continuous movement of the bottles, in order to be able to sort out those beverage bottles whose filling level deviates an unacceptable amount from a theoretical desired level. It will be appreciated that improper filling at a filling location or station cannot be avoided in any practical system and thus there will be repeated instances where levels of filling are either too great or too small.

Referring to FIG. 1, a parallel circuit, indicated generally at 14, is connected in the illustrated embodiment by way of a coupling capacitor 12 to a high frequency generator 10 which, for example, produces a frequency of 27.12 MHz at a power of 0.1 mW. Because high frequency generator 10 delivers substantially constant power or substantially constant current, a power or current distribution takes place which is directly proportional to the relationship between the resistances in the first and second branches 16 and 18 of the parallel circuit 14.

The first branch 16 includes a lower electrode 20 which is grounded to the mass on which the test sample is supported and an upper electrode 22 which is coupled to the test sample by way of an air gap. In the present embodiment, the upper electrode 22 includes two electrode shoes 24, 26 which are disposed at the same lateral distance from the test sample and which are connected directly to one another by way of a bridging shoe connection 28 to the electric circuit. Thus, the electrode shoes 24, 26, are always at the same potential. A metallic shoe mount 30 is disposed at the spaced ends of the electrode shoes 24, 26 which are directed toward each other. Thus, the upper electrode 22 provides a kind of channel or passage through which a beverage bottle 32 passes. The bottle 32 contains a liquid column 34 therein in the form of a beverage, with the neck of the bottle being disposed in such a way that in the ideal filling state the upper end of the liquid column 34 will be approximately in the area of the electrode shoes 24, 26 or somewhat therebelow. The coupling of a high frequency signal to the liquid column 34 thus is accomplished at both ends thereof by way of (i) the air gap located between the electrode shoes 24, 26 and the liquid column 34 and (ii) the glass bottom wall of the beverage bottle 32 which engages electrode 20. It is noted that it is also possible to dispose the upper electrode 22 directly above the liquid level and not on both sides thereof as in FIG. 1. The contactless, high frequency coupling in the area of the upper electrode 22 is extremely advantageous in applications, such as the exemplary embodiment under consideration, wherein the test samples are moved rapidly such that the necks of the beverage bottles 32 pass at a high speed through the channel or passage provided by the upper electrode 22.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a component or device, which is generally denoted 36 and which influences the resonance frequency of the electrical circuit, is inserted into the first branch 16 (or in branch 18) between the upper electrode 22 and the coupling capacitor 12. Device 36 can comprise a tuning device for coarse and/or fine tuning. Alternatively, or additionally, it is possible, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, to provide corresponding component or device 38, indicated in dashed lines, for influencing resonance. The device 38 may comprise a tuning member and is connected in parallel with the upper electrode 22 as well as with the test sample. The device 38 may also be connected directly to the connection between the coupling capacitor 12 and the second branch 18. When device 36 is used, the first branch 16 basically acts as a resonant sink which, at resonance, provides a low resistance path, and when device 38 is used, branch 16 acts as a "pumping" circuit which, at resonance, provides a high resistance path.

The second branch 18 contains a high frequency rectifier 40 which detects the increased or decreased current flow at resonance. Rectifier 40 may comprise a high frequency diode rectifier employing silicon diodes, an associated smoothing capacitor, and a resistance voltage limiter. The starting signal developed thereby is fed by way of an amplifier 42 to the input of a window discriminator 44. The amplifier 42 may be an operational amplifier, including a feedback and frequency compensation loop, which provides a gain of about 1:250. The window discriminator 44 may comprise a Siemens Model TCA 965 discriminator which is connected to threshold switches (not shown), Siemens Model TCA 345, used in pulse formation.

The operation of the window discriminator 44 is synchronized with the high frequency signal applied to liquid column 34, or with the presence of a beverage bottle 32 at a monitoring location or station in the area of the electrodes 20, 22. For this purpose, a contactless proximity switch 46 is provided at the monitoring station, which, in response to the presence of a test sample at the monitoring station, triggers the window discriminator 44. The output of window discriminator 44 is connected to an optical and/or acoustic recording means 48 and to a triggering device 50 which, in the case of a fault, will provide for removal of faulty test sample from the row of beverage bottles 32 that are to be monitored. Furthermore, a register or counter (not shown) may be connected with the window discriminator 44 which provides a record of what has happened during the operation of the system.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the beverage bottles 32 are arranged close together in a row on a bottle conveyor 52 which may comprise, for example, a channel conveyor or a belt. The lower electrode 20 of FIG. 1 may be connected, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, to the bottle conveyer 52 or may be formed therefrom. The necks 54 of the beverage bottles 32 move in the direction of the arrow through the channel or passage between the electrode shoes 24, 26, with the air gap between the neck 54 of the bottle and the electrode shoes 24, 26 being approximately 5 to 10 mm. Advantageously, the length of the electrode shoes 24, 26 measured in the direction of movement of the beverage bottles 32 is not substantially greater than the diameter of the bottles so that any influence of adjacent test samples on the monitoring results is eliminated or minimized. In order to improve these results, the electrode shoes 24, 26 are, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, surrounded by screens 56, 58 which are U-shaped in cross section and which provide a reduction in the high frequency scatter, especially with respect to adjacent test samples so that the coupling of the high frequency signal to the sample under test is optimized. Although in the embodiment shown, the length of the electrodes measured in the direction of movement of the bottles 32 corresponds approximately to the diameter of the bottles, a shorter length, corresponding to the diameter of the neck 54 of the bottle, will suffice. This length may be in the range of 3 to 50 mm and in a specific example, about 35 mm.

The upper electrode 22 is preferably adjustable vertically by means (not shown) so that the electrode shoes 24, 26 can be positioned approximately in the region of the upper liquid level or somewhat above this level. The arrangement is thus preset prior to the actual monitoring operation in accordance with the type of test samples to be monitored or the desired length of the liquid column 34.

Referring to FIG. 3, the curves shown therein illustrate the basic dependence of the magnitude of the power or current flow P, I in the second branch 18 upon the actual length of the liquid column 34, i.e., the filling level F. The values are amplified or reduced at resonance in correspondence to the behavior at resonance of the first branch 16. Specifically, curve a, shown in solid line, represents the case where the first branch 16 forms a "pumping" circuit while curve b, shown in dashed lines, represents the case of a "sink". Both approaches are equally valuable and for the sake of simplicity, curve a will be considered in discussions which follow. The theoretical values of the length of the liquid column 34, denoted S.sub.1, S.sub.2 or S.sub.3, may be considered in relationship to the rising or falling flank to maximum or minimum of the resonance curve chosen. Further, certain theoretical value ranges .DELTA.S.sub.1, .DELTA.S.sub.2 or .DELTA.S.sub.3 may be assigned to the individual theoretical values. It will be appreciated that when the detected filling level is not within the pertinent theoretical value range, and therefore is either too small or too large with respect to the endpoints of the range, a faulty filling operation for the corresponding bottle will be indicated.

Referring to FIG. 4, the diagram shown therein illustrates the dependence of the output or triggering signal A produced by the window discriminator 44 upon the actual filling level F for two different cases. In both cases the window discriminator 44 will not produce an output signal A for a theoretical value range .DELTA.S centered around the actual theoretical value. For this theoretical value range .DELTA.S, it is assumed that the filling level F is approximately correct and no correction is required. However, as soon as the actual filling level F becomes smaller than the theoretical value S, by an amount equal to one half the theoretical value area .DELTA.S, the window discriminator 44 produces a first output signal a.sub.1. Further, when the actual filling level F is correspondingly greater than the theoretical value S, a similar output signal a.sub.2 is produced. Alternately, an output signal a.sub.3, shown in a broken line and of opposite polarity, can be produced. It will be appreciated that whereas the signals a.sub.1 and a.sub.2 do not enable to differentiate between "too high" and "too low", differentiation is easily obtainable in the case of the signals a.sub.1 and a.sub.3. Accordingly, the output signals a.sub.1, a.sub.2 are suitable, for the theoretical value S.sub.3 of FIG. 3 while the output signals a.sub.1 and a.sub.3 are preferably used for the theoretical values S.sub.1, S.sub.2 of FIG. 3.

It should be pointed out that the theoretical value area .DELTA.S, which is shown as being arranged symmetrically in relation to the theoretical value S, does not have to be absolutely symmetrical. Moreover, the relationship between the output signal A produced by the window discriminator 44 and the filling level F shown in FIG. 4 is merely exemplary and many variations are possible. For example, the signals a.sub.1, a.sub.2, a.sub.3 may be variable in amplitude corresponding to the actual value of the detected power or current, so that at least with the theoretical values S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 of FIG. 3, differentiation between "directional" errors resulting from too little or too much filling is also possible.

It will be understood that apart from the changes described above further variations with regard to individual details can be effected within the scope of the present invention. However, it is important that the first branch of the parallel circuit, i.e., that containing the test sample, be a tuned resonant circuit and that further tuning or complete tuning to a certain value area be provided by the test sample only in the instance of the presence of a liquid column of a correct length or containing a beverage at the correct filling height of a beverage bottle. This resonance behavior is reflected, and correspondingly determined, by coupling a predetermined high frequency signal of preselected power or current to the second branch of the parallel circuit.

Although the invention has been described in relation to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.