US-20260125259-A1 - ADJUSTABLE NECK ALIGNMENT ASSEMBLY

US20260125259A1US 20260125259 A1US20260125259 A1US 20260125259A1US-20260125259-A1

Abstract

An adjustable neck alignment assembly for aligning a fill structure to control a fill level of flowable material being dispensed within a container is provided. The adjustable neck alignment assembly includes an alignment structure, and a height adjustment knob configured to be rotated around the alignment structure to move a position of a component that controls a depth position, of a flowable material fill tube of a fill valve, within the container during filling to control an amount of flowable material being dispensed within the container

Inventors

Randall Johnson
Todd Kemme

Assignees

FOGG FILLER COMPANY, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251028

Claims (11)

1 . An adjustable neck alignment assembly for aligning a fill structure to control a fill level of flowable material being dispensed within a container, the adjustable neck alignment assembly comprising: an alignment structure; a height adjustment knob configured to be rotated around the alignment structure to move a position of a component that controls a depth position, of a flowable material fill tube of a fill valve, within the container during filling to control an amount of flowable material being dispensed within the container.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a spring plunger ball structure configured to be released from and engaged with openings of the alignment structure during rotation of the height adjustment knob to engage different fixed positions of the height adjust knob thereby setting differing releasably fixed depth positions for the flowable material fill tube within the container.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a spacer seal configured to be slidably placed over an outer diameter of an upper portion the flowable material fill tube to maintain an airtight seal during movement of the flowable material fill tube.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one pin structure placed within an opening of a valve opening ring structure that forms the component, wherein a portion of the at least one pin structure is configured to linearly move within helical grooves of the height adjustment knob during rotation via rotation of the height adjustment knob to control a distance that the flowable material fill tube will move into the container during filling.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a retainer structure configured to attach a specific type of container to the assembly for allowing the flowable material to be dispensed within the container, wherein the retainer structure is removably attached to the assembly for quick removal and replacement by a differing retainer structure specific to differing type of container.
6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a valve opening ring structure disposed within the alignment structure.
7 . A filling apparatus for a container, comprising: a fill tube for delivering liquid into the container; an adjustable neck alignment assembly associated with the fill tube and including: an alignment structure; a height adjustment knob disposed about at least part of the alignment structure and configured to be rotated around the alignment structure; wherein an axial position of the height adjustment knob relative to the alignment structure remains fixed during rotation of the height adjustment knob; wherein the height adjustment knob is operatively linked such that rotation of the height adjustment knob causes axial movement of a position of a fill tube depth setting structure relative to both the alignment structure and the height adjustment knob; wherein the position of the fill tube depth setting structure sets an axial depth that the fill tube will achieve within a container during a filling operation.
8 . The filling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the fill tube depth setting structure comprises a valve opening ring structure disposed within the alignment structure, wherein a projection extends from the ring structure and is engaged in a helical groove of the height adjustment knob, wherein rotation of the height adjustment knob causes axial movement of the ring structure.
9 . The filling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the projection extends through an opening in the alignment structure in order to engage within the helical groove.
10 . The filling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein, during a filling operation of the filling apparatus, a relative axial movement between the fill tube and the neck alignment structure occurs.
11 . The filling apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the fill tube is associated with a sleeve assembly, wherein the neck alignment structure is disposed about the sleeve assembly, wherein a bottle contacting component is carried by the neck alignment structure, wherein an axial force between the container and the bottle contacting component causes relative axial movement between the neck alignment structure and the sleeve assembly until a part of the sleeve assembly makes the contact with the ring structure.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to filling machines used to fill containers such as bottles and, more specifically, to an attachment and adjustment assembly usable in such filling machine. BACKGROUND Liquid dispensing equipment for filling containers with liquid typically requires placement and attachment with respect to multiple different positions for different containers being filled. However, existing liquid dispensing equipment may not be easily attached to containers and placed in different filling positions resulting in inaccurate and complex processes requiring multiple steps. SUMMARY In one aspect, an adjustable neck alignment assembly for aligning a fill structure to control a fill level of flowable material being dispensed within a container is provided. The adjustable neck alignment assembly includes an alignment structure, and a height adjustment knob configured to be rotated around the alignment structure to move a position of a component that controls a depth position, of a flowable material fill tube of a fill valve, within the container during filling to control an amount of flowable material being dispensed within the container. In another aspect, a filling apparatus for a container includes a fill tube for delivering liquid into the container, and an adjustable neck alignment assembly associated with the fill tube and including: an alignment structure; a height adjustment knob disposed about at least part of the alignment structure and configured to be rotated around the alignment structure; wherein an axial position of the height adjustment knob relative to the alignment structure remains fixed during rotation of the height adjustment knob; wherein the height adjustment knob is operatively linked such that rotation of the height adjustment knob causes axial movement of a position of a fill tube depth setting structure relative to both the alignment structure and the height adjustment knob; wherein the position of the fill tube depth setting structure sets an axial depth that the fill tube will achieve within a container during a filling operation Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that implement an adjustable neck alignment assembly for aligning a fill structure to control a fill level of flowable material being dispensed within a container. The adjustable neck alignment assembly may include a height adjustment knob configured to be rotated around an alignment structure and create vertical movement of a flowable material fill tube to control a depth position and a fill valve of the flowable material fill tube within the container to control an amount of flowable material being dispensed within the container. In some implementations, the adjustable neck alignment assembly includes a spring plunger ball structure configured to be released from and engaged with openings of the alignment structure during rotation of height adjustment knob to engage different fixed positions of the height adjust knob thereby setting differing fixed depth positions for the flowable material fill tube within the container. In some implementations, the adjustable neck alignment assembly includes a spacer seal configured to be slidably placed over an outer diameter of an upper portion the flowable material fill tube to maintain an airtight seal during movement of the flowable material fill tube. In some implementations, the adjustable neck alignment assembly includes at least one pin structure placed within an opening of a valve opening ring structure such that a portion of the at least one pin structure is configured to linearly move within helical grooves of the height adjustment knob during rotation thereby providing variable length liquid fill level adjustment capabilities that cause movement of the flowable material fill tube. In some implementations, the adjustable neck alignment assembly includes a retainer structure configured to attach a specific type of container to the assembly for allowing the flowable material to dispensed within the container. In some implementations, the retainer structure is removably attached to the assembly for quick removal and replacement by a differing retainer structure specific to differing type of container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS So that the present disclosure can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, a more detailed description may be had by reference to aspects of some illustrative implementations, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate positional cross-sectional views of a fill structure that includes an adjustable neck alignment assembly and a fill valve assembly, in contact with the upper end of a bottle for purpose of filling, in accordance with some implementations. FIG. 2A illustrates a cutaway perspective view of the adjustable neck alignment assembly of FIGS. 1A and 1B, in accordance with some implementations. FIG. 2B illustrat