Patents by Inventor Ludwig Clusserath

Ludwig Clusserath has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170321685
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pumping a liquid in a liquid line, in particular in a bottling system. The object of the invention is a device for pumping a liquid in a liquid line, the liquid-guiding areas of which device can be cleaned and/or disinfected without disassembling the piston assembly or performing any other interventions from the exterior. According to the invention, a device for pumping a liquid in a liquid line (1) comprises a pump element (2) and two valves (3, 4) which are disposed in the liquid line upstream of and downstream from the pump element, said pump element (2) comprising a pump piston (6) operating in a cylinder (5). The inventive device is characterized in that said pump element (2) comprises a closed chamber (7) having a constant volume of a secondary liquid on which the pump piston (6) acts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Rolf BAUMGARTE, Ludwig CLÜSSERATH, Werner LESINSKI, Michael LINKE, Michael LITZENBERG, Niels MEYER
  • Patent number: 9809436
    Abstract: A filling element includes an actuator, a liquid valve, and a gas tube on a plunger that extends into a container. The plunger and the gas tube define a first gas-duct that extends through the plunger and the gas tube. The first gas-duct has ends that extend respectively into a gas-space of a product vessel and the container's interior. A first gas-valve along the first gas-duct has a gas-valve body that interacts with a valve seat in the first gas-duct. The gas-valve body has a second gas-duct formed therethrough. This second gas-duct at least temporarily engages the first gas-duct in a fluid-tight manner. The gas-valve body has a valve face and a valve opening that cooperate to form a second gas-valve through which, when the second gas-valve opens, gas flows through the first and second gas-ducts and enters the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Publication number: 20170312973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stretch rod for the form-and-fill head of a machine for forming and filling of containers produced from preforms. The object of the invention is to devise a stretch rod of this type which can be cleaned and/or disinfected without being disassembled and without any other intervention. According to the invention, the object is achieved by a stretch rod (5) for the form-and-fill head (3) of a machine for forming and filling (molding and filling) of containers produced from preforms (2), which rod comprises a drive unit for axially moving said stretch rod (5). At least the part (6) of the drive unit which is connected to the stretch rod (5) is arranged in a drive chamber (11) which is sealed off from the regions of the form-and-fill head (3) which come into contact with the filling material (the material with which the container is being filled). The inventive stretch rod is characterized in that the sealing action is achieved by a seal (12) which surrounds the stretch rod (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Ludwig CLÜSSERATH, Michael LINKE, Michael LITZENBERG, Rolf BAUMGARTE, Gerhard KLÖPPER, Niels MEYER
  • Patent number: 9802803
    Abstract: A filler element includes a valve arrangement that switches it between filling mode and CIP mode by controlling a connection between a chamber formed in a housing and a CIP channel formed from a valve body provided at a filling-height-controlling element. Axial movement of a filling-height-controlling element through an extension connected to the chamber controls mode-switching. In both modes, a continuous fluid connection exists between the extension's CIP connection and the CIP channel. Axial movement of the filling-height-controlling element also controls filling height in the container. In CIP mode, a CIP flow formed in the housing conducts liquid CIP medium out of the boiler, through the filling element, and out into a CIP channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch
  • Patent number: 9790072
    Abstract: A filler element for filling containers with liquid includes a housing, a housing opening area, a protective space, a channel formed therein, a liquid valve in the channel, a dispensing opening downstream from the valve, and a fill-level-determining element comprising first and second ends. The fill-level-determining element is routed through the housing and extends by the first end into the dispensing opening during filling and is routed out of the housing by the second end at a housing opening area in a sealed manner with a protective space directly adjacent to it. The protective space holds a length of the fill-level-determining element that corresponds to an axial adjustment lift. The protective space opens by an axial opening lift of the fill-level-determining element that differs from its axial adjustment lift. The protective space opens by the axial opening lift of the fill-level-determining element into a space formed in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clusserath, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch
  • Patent number: 9790074
    Abstract: A filling system for filling bottles with liquid filling-material includes filling point pairs, each having filling points. Each filling point has a filling element and a container holder. Each filling element comprises a filling element housing, a liquid channel, a delivery opening that delivers liquid filling material to a bottle, a liquid valve that controls delivery through said delivery opening, a gas path control valve, and a lifter device for lifting and lowering said container holder. The lifter device includes a pneumatically operated actuating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Dieter Rudolf Krulitsch
  • Publication number: 20170283233
    Abstract: A filling valve includes a valve seat, an axially-movable valve tappet extending through the valve seat and having an axial portion that defines a product-delivery space through which filling product flows, and axially-displaced first and second seal-seats disposed so that liquid product flows from the first seal-set, through the product-delivery space, to the second seal-seat and out through an outlet. The first seal-seat and the second seal-seat are arranged on the valve tappet in such a way that, in response to a closing movement of the valve tappet, the first seal-seat closes before the second seal-seat, and wherein the first seal-seat, after having been closed as a result of the closing movement, permits further axial movement of the valve tappet to permit closing of the second seal-seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Max Stolz, Manfred Härtel, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsh
  • Patent number: 9751746
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling a container with a free-flowing material includes a probe, a probe end, a return gas pipe, a gas channel, an opening, and a first electrical probe contact. During filling, the probe extends into the container along an axial direction with the probe's end determining the filling height. The probe includes a return gas pipe with an opening disposed at its end. The first electrical probe contact is formed at the probe end so that it is offset along the axial direction from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Patent number: 9718567
    Abstract: Method for producing tilled containers from parisons made from a thermoplastic material, wherein the respective parison is at least conditioned thermally and is subsequently shaped during a shaping and filling phase in a mold by the action of the pressure of the supplied filling substance into the respective container at a shaping and filling pressure, wherein, during the shaping and filling phase, the parison is guided at least temporarily through a stretching rod and/or is stretched in the axial direction, and wherein, at least at the end of the shaping and tilling phase, the respective container has an internal pressure which corresponds to the shaping and filling pressure (p2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GMBH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Wilfried Ehmer
  • Publication number: 20170197814
    Abstract: A filling device includes a product space that ends in a filling valve with first and second valve elements disposed in a region thereof and moved by an actuator, a sealing face, a valve stem, a valve housing having a reduced-diameter edge, and a profiled plastic sleeve that runs over the reduced-diameter edge. One of the valve elements has a plastic lining. A valve stem forms one of the valve elements and the valve housing forms the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch, Max Stolz, Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Patent number: 9694988
    Abstract: A conveyor system includes a rotating conveyor element with container holders arranged around a circumference thereof for moving containers between container positions, and a securing installation that suspends the conveyor element. The securing installation includes a structural element that forms an axis of rotation. A projecting portion of the structural element projects beyond the conveyor element's underside. A functional element, which is either a transfer installation or a guiding element is held at this projecting portion so that it can interact with the conveyor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clússerath
  • Patent number: 9695029
    Abstract: A container-processing machine includes a transfer star having container-engagement elements disposed along a periphery thereof. The transfer star moves containers past first or second sets of processing stations that are disposed along corresponding diametrically opposed arcuate processing paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Publication number: 20170166431
    Abstract: A container-treatment machine includes a rotatable transport element having container holders and arranged to be pivotable by a pivoting device about a horizontal axis to pivot the container holders between feeding and treatment positions. In the feeding position, container openings of containers held by the container holders point upward. In the treatment position, they point downward. A pivot drive pivots the pivot arm, which holds the transport element so that it is rotatable by a rotary drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Bernd Bruch, Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Publication number: 20170158481
    Abstract: A filling element for filling containers includes a tulip that moves, under the influence of a controller, between two positions, one of which seals the container. A first seal seals a junction between the tulip and a filling-element housing. First and second filling-element regions are respectively outside and inside a clean space of a filling machine. The tulip and a dispensing opening are in the second region. The second seal connects by its first free to the tulip. This second seal seals a junction between the tulip and the two filling-element regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Dieter-Rudolf KRULITSCH
  • Patent number: 9670046
    Abstract: A filling machine includes a multiple filling-element arranged for installation on a circulating rotor. The multiple-filling element includes individual filling-elements, each of which comprises a filling channel. Each filling channel has a dispensing opening, and an independently controllable liquid valve. The filling-element is formed for installation on an underside of a ring bowl provided on a rotor for holding liquid filling-charge. Other function elements are common to all the individual filling-elements. These function elements include controlled fluid paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch
  • Patent number: 9637254
    Abstract: A method for filling containers with filling goods that comprise liquid that has a solids content includes using a magnetically inductive flow meter for controlling at least one of volume and quantity of said filling goods in a particular container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Fahldieck, Jonathan Lorenz, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch, Ludwig Clusserath
  • Patent number: 9624039
    Abstract: A method for processing containers includes periodically causing a reversible transporter to periodically transition between rotating in a first direction and rotating in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. When rotating in the first direction, the transporter feeds containers to a first processing region. When rotating in the second direction, the transporter feeds containers to a second processing region. Each processing region has as at least one processing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Publication number: 20170088409
    Abstract: A container-treatment machine having plural treatment stations for treating containers includes a transport element that rotates about a vertical machine axis, thereby moving the treatment stations circumferentially. A first transfer star supplies untreated containers simultaneously to corresponding treatment stations that are next to each other in the circumferential direction. A second transfer star removes treated containers simultaneously from corresponding treatment stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventor: Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Patent number: 9604834
    Abstract: A filler element includes a housing, a channel formed therein, a valve in the channel, an opening downstream from the valve that dispenses content into a container when the valve is open, a tube for fill-level adjustment, a controlled gas channel, and a collection space. The tube, which adjusts a fill level of content in the container, projects past the dispensing opening and extends into an interior of the container during filling thereof. This tube connects to a collection space separated from a content vat from which the content comes through the channel. To adjust the desired fill level, a gas pressure is applied to the interior through the tube, thereby displacing excess content from the container. The controlled gas channel permits the gas to enter the container interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clusserath, Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch, Manfred Hartel
  • Publication number: 20170073208
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling containers with a product, includes a product supply, a pre-filling chamber having a controlled outlet, a movable sealing arrangement having a closed position for isolating the product supply from the pre-filling chamber, and a displacer arrangement that extends into the pre-filling chamber and that has an elastically deformable wall. The displacer arrangement is interactively connected to a control medium in such a way that an elastic volume change in the displacer arrangement changes a volume of the pre-filling chamber, thereby permitting control over an amount of product delivered through the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Andreas Fahldieck, Ludwig Clüsserath