The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 03, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2000
Fabio Bassissi, Modena, IT;
Giorgio Galavotti, Concordia s/S (Modena), IT;
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully, CH;
Abstract
A packaging machine ( ) for continuously producing sealed packages ( ) of a pourable food product from a tube ( ) of heat-seal sheet packaging material fed along a vertical path (A) and filled continuously with the food product by means of a fill conduit ( ) extending inside the tube ( ). The packaging machine ( ) has a capacitive level sensor ( ) located outside the tube ( ) and in turn having a plate element ( ) made of conducting material, positioned facing the fill conduit ( ), and defining, together with the fill conduit ( ), a capacitive element ( ) whose capacitance depends, among other things, on the amount of food product between its plates. The level sensor ( ) also has a detecting circuit ( ) connected to and for detecting the capacitance of the capacitive element ( ), and generating a level signal (SL) indicating the level of the food product inside the tube ( ).