EP3670434B1 - Method and device for filling a container to be filled with a filler - Google Patents

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a device and a method for filling a container to be filled with a filling product, for example in a beverage bottling plant.

State of the art

Filling methods and devices for carrying out a filling method are known, in which a container to be filled is sealed with a treatment chamber, a filling valve is connected to the mouth of the container to be filled and the interior of the container to be filled is flushed with a flushing gas to reduce the oxygen content. After the interior of the container has been flushed with the flushing gas, the interior of the container is then filled with the filling product. Depending on the selected filling method and depending on the filling product to be filled, the container to be filled can also be prestressed or evacuated before filling.

Simultaneously with the filling of the container interior with the filling product, also before or also afterwards, the treatment chamber is pressurized and then the filling valve is removed from the mouth of the container already filled with the filling product. Due to the overpressure present in the treatment chamber, when the filling valve is removed from the mouth of the container filled with the filling product, there is no overflowing, splashing out or foaming over, in particular of a carbonized filling product. The treatment chamber, which is under the overpressure, communicates accordingly with the interior of the container.

In a next treatment step, a container closure is then applied to the container in the treatment chamber, which is still under overpressure, and the container is closed accordingly. The following is the one present in the treatment chamber Overpressure reduced to essentially ambient pressure and then the filled and sealed container removed from the treatment chamber. Such a device and such a method are, for example, from EP 2 937 310 A2 known. Other generic devices and methods are in the documents WO2017/135902A1 , DE102014105974A1 and DE102014102953A1 described.

The pressure level in the treatment chamber enclosing the container is recorded with a pressure sensor, since the pressure, in particular the level of the overpressure present in the treatment chamber, is decisive for successful filling and sealing. The pressure sensor in the treatment chamber means an additional built-in part that has to be supplied with electricity, read out and placed. It must also be hygienically designed so that no contamination of the filling product can emanate from it.

Presentation of the invention

Proceeding from the known state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for filling a container to be filled with a filling product, as well as a corresponding method.

The object is achieved by a device for filling a container to be filled with a filling product having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments result from the dependent claims, the description and the attached figures.

Accordingly, a device for filling a container to be filled with a filling product is proposed, comprising a treatment chamber for receiving the container to be filled in a sealed manner, a component that seals the treatment chamber and can be moved relative to the treatment chamber via a drive, and a pressure determination unit for determining the pressure in the treatment chamber. According to the invention, the pressure determination unit is set up and designed to determine a pressure present in the treatment chamber by determining a manipulated variable of the drive.

Because the pressure determination unit is set up and configured to determine a pressure present in the treatment chamber by determining a manipulated variable of a drive, the pressure present in the treatment chamber can be determined without a pressure sensor also having to be provided in the treatment chamber for this purpose. which would otherwise mean an additional built-in part that would have to be electrically supplied, read out and placed. The pressure sensor would also have to be hygienically designed so that it cannot contaminate the filling product. So she can proposed device have a simplified structure compared to conventional devices and be less cleaning-intensive.

The fact that the manipulated variable is preferably proportional to a holding force of the drive for holding the component in a predetermined position is also used here. This is the case in particular when the component and its drive can in principle be moved freely by the pressure introduced into or present in the treatment chamber and the drive must accordingly apply a holding force to hold the position of the components. This holding force is correspondingly expressed by the manipulated variable to be applied. The holding force to be applied increases with the pressure present in the treatment chamber. In particular, if the manipulated variable of the drive is already determined for drive-related reasons, for example for the purpose of controlling the drive, it may be the case that essentially no additional parts need to be provided on the device in order to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber can. In other words, a separate pressure sensor can then be dispensed with.

In the present case, the terms “control” and “control” and “control” include both controlling and regulating in the sense of automation technology.

The pressure that is present in the treatment chamber and can be determined by means of the pressure determination unit is determined in accordance with the ambient pressure that acts on the movable component outside of the treatment chamber. In other words, the pressure determination unit determines a differential pressure between the ambient pressure and the pressure present in the treatment chamber.

The pressure in the treatment chamber can correspondingly be an overpressure compared to the ambient pressure if the treatment chamber is subjected to a pressurized gas under overpressure, for example. The pressure can be present, for example, at an absolute pressure of 2 bar to 11 bar, ie a relative overpressure of 1 bar to 10 bar compared to the ambient pressure.

The pressure in the treatment chamber can also be a negative pressure compared to the ambient pressure if the treatment chamber is connected to a vacuum line, for example, by means of which the gas present in the treatment chamber is drawn off. The pressure in the treatment chamber can be, for example, at an absolute pressure of 0.1 bar to 0.9 bar are present, i.e. a relative negative pressure of 0.1 bar to 0.9 bar compared to the ambient pressure.

In other words, when there is a negative pressure in the treatment chamber, a force directed into the treatment chamber acts on the movable component, and when there is an overpressure, a force directed out of the treatment chamber acts on the movable component. The pressure can be determined accordingly via the manipulated variable to be used to apply a respectively oppositely directed holding force.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a filling member for sealing application to a container sealed with the treatment chamber and for introducing a filling product into the container.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device comprises a closing element for applying a container closure to the then filled container while still inside the treatment chamber.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device comprises a centering bell, which comprises a container receiving opening of the treatment chamber for sealingly receiving the container and in particular a mouth area of the container.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device comprises a lifting device for lifting and/or pressing the container against a container receiving opening of the treatment chamber.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the component of the pressure determination unit includes a filling element for sealing application to the container sealed with the treatment chamber and for introducing a filling product into the container, and/or a closing element for applying a container closure to a filled container inside the treatment chamber, and/or a centering bell comprising a container receiving opening of the treatment chamber for sealingly receiving the container, and/or a lifting device for lifting and/or pressing the container against a container receiving opening of the treatment chamber.

In other words, one or more components can be assigned to the pressure determination unit, which correspond to one or more of the aforementioned components. So can the pressure is determined by a component that is already provided in the device for positioning, sealing, filling and/or closing the container, so that essentially no additional components have to be provided on the device.

A controller is preferably provided, which is set up to control the drive in such a way that the component is held in the predetermined position at least during prestressing of the sealed treatment chamber with a stressing gas, with a component receiving opening of the treatment chamber through the component in the predetermined position is sealed gas-tight. In this way it can be ensured that the pressure determination and the pressure generation and/or pressure maintenance in the treatment chamber is not impaired or falsified by movements of the component or a leaky connection between the component and the component receiving opening.

The pressure determination unit is preferably set up and designed to compare the determined manipulated variable with values in a look-up table in order to determine the pressure and/or to determine the pressure using a predefined function as a function of the determined manipulated variable. This allows the pressure to be reliably determined in a simple manner.

Additionally or alternatively, the determination on the basis of the manipulated variable can also be made using another algorithm or using artificial intelligence.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the drive comprises an electric linear motor, the manipulated variable evaluated to determine the pressure corresponding to a current intensity and/or a voltage supplied to the drive.

Linear motors are characterized by a particularly high setting accuracy with regard to the holding force and positional accuracy, and also by very high maximum travel speeds and accelerations. In this case, the adjustment accuracy can be achieved, for example, by a fine adjustment of the current intensity supplied to the linear motor. Consequently, the pressure can also be determined with corresponding accuracy by determining the manipulated variable of the linear motor.

The linear motor can be formed by a linear stator drive, for example.

The linear motor can be formed, for example, by a spindle drive, with a spindle motor acting on a spindle. The pitch of the spindle thread can be 2-10mm, for example exhibit. The spindle and the spindle nut of the spindle drive are preferably designed in such a way that a force exerted on the spindle nut in the direction of the axis causes the spindle to rotate.

Alternatively, the drive can comprise a pressure cylinder, preferably a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, with the manipulated variable evaluated to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber corresponding to a control pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device also comprises a flushing gas channel for introducing a flushing gas into the container to be filled, and/or a tensioning gas channel for introducing a tensioning gas into the treatment chamber, with the flushing gas channel and/or the tensioning gas channel preferably being arranged in the filling element.

The object set above is also achieved by a method for filling a container to be filled with a filling product having the features of claim 7. Advantageous developments of the method result from the subclaims and the present description and the attached figures.

Accordingly, a method for filling a container to be filled with a filling product is proposed, comprising the steps of sealingly receiving the container to be filled in a treatment chamber, pressurizing the treatment chamber with a pressurizing gas, and determining the pressure in the treatment chamber. The method is characterized in that the pressure present in the treatment chamber is determined by determining a manipulated variable of a drive of a component that is movable relative to the treatment chamber.

By determining the pressure present in the treatment chamber by determining a manipulated variable of a drive for a component that can be moved relative to the treatment chamber, with the manipulated variable being proportional to a holding force of the drive for holding the component in a predetermined position, the advantages and effects mentioned above for the device can be achieved be achieved analogously.

The treatment chamber can also preferably be evacuated prior to prestressing, in order in this way to remove the gas present in the treatment chamber, usually air, to a certain extent, so that the introduction of the stressing gas for prestressing the Treatment chamber a defined atmosphere, such as a low-oxygen atmosphere, can be provided in the treatment chamber.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the drive is controlled in such a way that the components are held in the specified position at least during evacuation and/or pretensioning of the sealed treatment chamber with a tensioning gas, with a component receiving opening of the treatment chamber being sealed gas-tight by the component in the specified position .

To determine the pressure, the determined manipulated variable is preferably compared with values in a look-up table and/or the pressure is determined from the result of a predetermined function as a function of the determined manipulated variable. Alternatively or additionally, another algorithm or artificial intelligence can also be used.

According to a development, the drive comprises an electric linear motor, the manipulated variable evaluated to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber corresponding to a current and/or voltage supplied to the drive.

Alternatively, the drive can comprise a pressure cylinder, preferably a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, with the manipulated variable evaluated to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber corresponding to a control pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder.

A filling element is preferably applied in a sealing manner to the container before the evacuation and/or prestressing of the treatment chamber, with the container preferably being flushed with a flushing gas introduced into the container through a flushing gas channel after the sealing attachment of the filling element to the container, preferably after the flushing of the container with the flushing gas, the container is preferably filled with the filling product.

Furthermore, according to a development, it can be provided that preferably after the treatment chamber has been preloaded and preferably after the container has been filled and the treatment chamber has been preloaded, the filling element is removed from the container, with preferably, after the filling element has been removed from the container, a The container accommodated in the treatment chamber is closed with a container closure by moving a closure member, preferably after the container has been closed The preload pressure present in the treatment chamber is relieved and the container is removed from the treatment chamber.

Brief description of the figures

• Figur 1 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Vorrichtung zum Befüllen eines Behälters mit einem Füllprodukt und einem nachfolgenden Verschließen des Behälters mit einem Behälterverschluss, wobei eine Behandlungskammer zur Aufnahme des Behälters, ein auf den in der Behandlungskammer aufgenommenen Behälter wirkendes Füllorgan und ein auf den in der Behandlungskammer aufgenommenen Behälter wirkendes Verschließelement vorgesehen sind;
• Figur 2 eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung aus der Figur 1, wobei das Verschließelement über den Mündungsbereich des befüllten Behälters geführt ist, um einen Behälterverschluss auf den befüllten Behälter aufzubringen;
• Figur 3 eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung aus den vorhergehenden Figuren, wobei das Verschließelement wieder in die Ausgangsposition zurückgezogen ist und der befüllte und verschlossene Behälter nach unten hin aus der Behandlungskammer herausgeführt wurde;
• Figur 4 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Vorrichtung zum Befüllen eines Behälters mit einem Füllprodukt gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform; und
• Figur 5 eine schematische Detailansicht der Schnittdarstellung der Vorrichtung aus Figur 4.

Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. show:

• figure 1 a schematic sectional view of a device for filling a container with a filling product and subsequently closing the container with a container closure, with a treatment chamber for accommodating the container, a filling element acting on the container accommodated in the treatment chamber and a filling element acting on the container accommodated in the treatment chamber closure element are provided;
• figure 2 a schematic representation of the device from FIG figure 1 , wherein the closure element is guided over the mouth area of the filled container in order to apply a container closure to the filled container;
• figure 3 a schematic representation of the device from the preceding figures, with the closing element being pulled back into the starting position and the filled and closed container being guided downwards out of the treatment chamber;
• figure 4 a schematic sectional view of a device for filling a container with a filling product according to a further embodiment; and
• figure 5 a schematic detailed view of the sectional representation of the device figure 4 .

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Elements that are the same, similar or have the same effect are provided with identical reference symbols in the different figures, and a repeated description of these elements is sometimes dispensed with in order to avoid redundancies.

The figures show different sections, detailed illustrations and states of a device 1 for filling a container 120 with a filling product and for subsequently closing the container 120 filled with the filling product with a container closure.

The device 1 comprises a treatment chamber 2, a filling element 3 and a closing element 4, which are described in detail below.

The treatment chamber 2 serves to provide predetermined pressure conditions and/or a predetermined atmosphere for the container 120 to be filled or its interior when the mouth 122 of the container 120 to be filled is in communication with the treatment chamber 2 .

The filling element 3 serves to fill the interior of the container 120 to be filled with a predetermined quantity of filling product in a manner known per se via a filling product channel 34 .

The closing element 4 serves to close the container 120 filled with the filling product with a container closure.

The device 1 can be provided, for example, in a beverage bottling plant, in which case a beverage is filled into a beverage bottle to be filled and the beverage bottle is closed with a container closure after it has been filled with the beverage. However, systems for filling other filling products, for example from the food sector, the pharmaceutical sector, the hygiene sector or the mineral oil sector, are also being considered.

In such a plant, a plurality of the devices 1 shown are usually arranged around the circumference of a treatment carousel. The devices 1 revolve accordingly around the axis of rotation of the treatment carousel in order to provide corresponding continuous processing and in particular continuous filling and continuous sealing of continuously supplied containers 120 to be filled, for example in a beverage bottling plant. A flow of filled and closed containers 120 is thereby produced.

The treatment chamber 2 of the respective device 1 is intended to accommodate at least part of the container 120 to be filled. For this purpose, the treatment chamber 2 at its lower end to a container receiving opening 20 through which the respective to The container 120 to be filled can be inserted with its container mouth 122 first into the treatment chamber 2 in a container movement direction indicated by the arrow D.

By inserting the container 120 to be filled with its container mouth 122 into the treatment chamber 2, the container receiving opening 20 is sealed gas-tight with respect to the environment, for example by means of a switchable seal 60, so that the container receiving opening 20 of the treatment chamber 2 is gas-tight with respect to the environment when the container 120 is pushed in is completed.

The container 120 is thus received in the treatment chamber 2 in a sealing manner. In an alternative embodiment, not only part of the container 120--as in the embodiment shown, the mouth area--but the entire container 120 can be accommodated in the treatment chamber 2.

The treatment chamber 2 also has a at its upper end

Capper receiving opening 22 on. The closure element 4 or a closure element 40 of the closure element 4 can act through the closure receiving opening 22 on the container mouth 122 of a then filled container 120 in order to apply a container closure. By lowering the closure element 4 and a closure flange 42 of the closure element 4, the closure receiving opening 22 can be closed gas-tight with respect to the environment.

A drive 44 is provided for moving the closing element 4 , which represents a component of the device 1 that can be moved relative to the treatment chamber 2 , in a predetermined direction of movement B indicated by the arrow B .

In the present preferred embodiment of the device 1, the drive 44 is set up and designed to raise or lower the closing element 4 in the direction of movement B. The position of the closing element 4 is specified by means of a controller 9 in that a manipulated variable is supplied to the drive 44 via the controller 9, which accordingly causes the drive 44 to move the closing element 4 to the specified position or the closing element 4 to the specified position to keep.

In the present case, the terms “control” and “control” and “control” include both controlling and regulating in the sense of automation technology.

The drive 44 can be a linear drive. For example, the drive 44 can be a linear stator drive. The drive 44 may also be a spindle drive, with the spindle and spindle nut being configured such that the spindle rotates when a force is applied to the spindle nut in the axial direction. Thus, by inserting the container 120 into the container receiving opening 20 and by lowering the closing element 4 onto the closing device receiving opening 22, the interior of the treatment chamber 2 is closed off gas-tight from the environment. A pressure that differs from the environment can be applied accordingly within the treatment chamber 2, in particular an overpressure or a negative pressure, and/or an atmosphere or gas mixture or a gas that differs from the ambient atmosphere can be provided in the treatment chamber 2.

In the treatment chamber 2, for example, by introducing an overpressure, a pressure that differs from the environment can be provided, which is achieved in the treatment chamber 2 and thus also in the interior of the container 120 to be filled, which is sealed gas-tight with respect to the environment with the treatment chamber 2, if the container mouth 122 protrudes unsealed into the treatment chamber 2 and accordingly the container interior communicates with the treatment chamber 2 .

By subjecting the treatment chamber 2 to a gas or a gas mixture, for example by introducing CO2 or another inert gas via a pressurized gas channel 84 communicating with the treatment chamber 2, an atmosphere that differs from the environment can be provided in the treatment chamber 2.

Before the treatment chamber 2 is charged with a gas or gas mixture, the treatment chamber 2 is preferably evacuated in order to provide an atmosphere in the treatment chamber 2 that is as defined as possible, for example an atmosphere that is as low in oxygen as possible.

The device 1 also has a pressure determination unit 7 which is set up and designed to determine a pressure present in the treatment chamber 2, in particular an overpressure or a negative pressure. The pressure determination unit 7 is set up and designed to determine the pressure present in the treatment chamber 2 by determining the manipulated variable of the drive 42 of the closing element 4 .

The closing element 4 is regarded as a kind of piston on which the pressure present in the treatment chamber 2 acts. The manipulated variable is therefore proportional to a holding force of the drive for holding the closing element 4 in a predetermined position.

For this purpose, the drive 44 is actuated in such a way that the closing element 4 is held in a predetermined position while the sealed treatment chamber 2 is being preloaded with the clamping gas, with the closing element 4 sealing the closing element receiving opening 22 of the treatment chamber 2 in a gas-tight manner in relation to the environment in the predetermined position.

A pressure change in the treatment chamber 2 acts directly on an end face 46 of the closing element 4. Therefore, based on the pressure change inside the treatment chamber 2, there is a resultant force on the closing element 4. In order to prevent a change in the position of the closing element 4, a corresponding holding force must be applied are provided by the drive 44.

In this embodiment, the drive 44 comprises a linear electric motor. The manipulated variable consequently corresponds to a current strength and/or voltage supplied to the drive 44 .

In an alternative embodiment, the drive 44 can, for example, also include a pressure cylinder, for example a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, in which case the manipulated variable corresponds to a control pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder.

In the present example, in which the drive 44 comprises the linear motor, a change or adaptation of the holding force is achieved by changing the current intensity supplied to the linear motor. The change in current required to maintain the predetermined position is therefore proportional to a pressure change in the sealed treatment chamber 2.

In order to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 , the manipulated variable determined can be compared with values in a look-up table provided for the pressure determination unit 7 .

As an alternative and/or in addition, the pressure determination unit 7 can be set up and designed to determine the pressure from the result of a specified function as a function of the determined manipulated variable.

Alternatively and/or additionally, another algorithm or artificial intelligence can also be used to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 .

In other words, a function is then provided in the pressure determination unit 7 which allows the manipulated variable, here the current intensity, to be converted into a pressure present in the treatment chamber 2 or a pressure change which has occurred there, or the result of which allows the pressure present in the treatment chamber 2 to be determined or the change in pressure made possible therein.

At the in figure 1 Based on the relationship or the connection between the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 acting on the end face 46 of the closing element 4 and the necessary current consumption/change in current to maintain the specified position of the closing element 4, a statement about the Treatment chamber 2 existing pressure are taken.

As an alternative or in addition, the pressure determination unit 7 can also include the filling element 3, a centering bell (not shown) that can be lowered relative to the treatment chamber 2 in the direction of the container 120, in a manner analogous to the manner described above, which then comprises the container receiving opening 20 for receiving the container 120 in a sealed manner, or a lifting device (not shown) for lifting and/or pressing the container 120 against the container receiving opening 20, wherein the determination of the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 is analogous to the method described above, in each case based on a drive assigned to the respective component or on the determination of it manipulated variable takes place.

A filling product outlet 30 of the filling element 3 is preferably provided in the treatment chamber 2, by means of which the filling product to be filled can be filled into the interior of the container 120 to be filled. The filling element 3 has a filling product outlet seal 300 surrounding the filling product outlet 30, against which the mouth 122 of the container 120 can be pressed and by means of which a sealing connection between the container interior and the filling element 3 can be established.

In the interior of the container 120 to be filled, which is sealed gas-tight with respect to the environment with the treatment chamber 2, the pressure is preferably essentially the same and substantially the same atmosphere as provided in the treatment chamber 2 when the container mouth 122 opens into the treatment chamber 2 .

If, on the other hand, the container mouth 122 of the container 120 to be filled is sealed gas-tight with respect to the treatment chamber 2, for example by the container mouth 122 being sealed with the filling element 3, the pressure present in the treatment chamber 2 and the atmosphere present in the treatment chamber 2 have no influence the pressure present in the interior of the container 120 or the gas composition present in this.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the filling element 3 and thus also the filling product outlet 30 can be moved in the direction of the arrow F shown, which indicates the direction of movement of the filling element, in such a way that the filling product outlet 30 is either arranged in a treatment position above the container receiving opening 20 such that a The filling product flowing out through the filling product outlet 30 can be applied to the container 120 to be filled through its container mouth 122, or the filling element 3 and the filling product outlet 30 are moved into a retracted parking position in such a way that the closing element 4 has a container closure in a manner described below can then apply the filled container 120.

The closing element 4 has a closing element 40, by means of which the actual container closure can be applied to the filled but not yet closed container 120, which is still accommodated in the treatment chamber 2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the closing element 40 is designed to apply a crown cork closure to the container 120 to be closed. However, the closure element 40 can be designed as required and depending on the required container closure and, in addition to being designed as a crown cap closure, it can also, in particular, be a screw closure for applying a screw closure provided as a molded part, as a roll-on or roll-on closure for rolling up or rolling a container closure sleeve onto an external thread of a filled container, as a closing element for applying stoppers, corks or in any other way for closing the filled container 120 .

As soon as the gas-tight seal between the filling product outlet 30 and the container 120 has been established, the container 120 can be flushed with a flushing gas channel 80 supplied flushing gas, for example CO2, take place. A vacuum channel 88 can preferably also be provided, by means of which the container 120 is subjected to a negative pressure. In this way, a flow of purge gas can sweep through the container 120 and thereby displace the remaining oxygen in the container 120 . Alternatively, efficient flushing of the container 120 can be achieved by alternately applying negative pressure and flushing gas.

An absolute pressure of 0.5 bar to 4 bar is preferably present in the flushing gas channel 80 . The pressure present in the container 120 must accordingly be kept at a pressure by switching the vacuum channel 88 which is below the pressure present in the flushing gas channel 80 if the flushing gas is to be allowed to flow into the container 120 .

The controller 9 is also preferably used to switch a flushing gas valve 82 and a vacuum valve 89 in such a way that the container 120 is flushed with the flushing gas in the manner described above and a predetermined flushing gas concentration in the container 120 is accordingly achieved. A low-oxygen atmosphere in the container 120 can thus be achieved, for example.

The filling product can then be introduced into the container 120 which has then been rinsed. Before the filling product is introduced, in preferred embodiments, either a negative pressure can be provided in the container 120, into which the filling product, which is then under overpressure relative thereto, is introduced, or the container 120 is prestressed to a pressure above the saturation pressure of the filling product with a pressurizing gas and the filling product is introduced into the prestressed container 120 .

Furthermore, when the treatment chamber 2 is sealed in a pressure-tight manner in relation to the container 120 by pressing on the filling element 3 , the treatment chamber 2 is prestressed with a prestressing gas via a prestressing gas line 84 . The controller 9 controls this loading of the treatment chamber 2 with the pressurized gas by switching a pressurized gas valve 86. Before the treatment chamber 2 is loaded with the pressurized gas, it can also be evacuated in a preferred embodiment in order to reduce the air present in the treatment chamber 2 , in order to achieve a more defined atmosphere by introducing the clamping gas.

In order to efficiently achieve both the scavenging effect of the scavenging gas and the pretensioning effect of the tensioning gas, the scavenging gas channel 80 is preferably under an absolute pressure of 0.5 bar to 4 bar. preferably an absolute pressure of 1.4 bar to 1.9 bar, and the tensioning gas channel 84 under an absolute pressure of 2 bar to 11 bar, preferably an absolute pressure of 5 bar to 9 bar.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method, the flushing gas channel 80 is under an absolute pressure of approximately 1.7 bar and the tensioning gas channel 84 is under an absolute pressure of approximately 7 bar.

In order to efficiently achieve both the scavenging effect of the scavenging gas and the preloading effect of the clamping gas, the clamping gas channel 84 is also at a higher pressure than the scavenging gas channel 80.

If the desired preload pressure is reached in the treatment chamber 2 and the container 120 is filled with the product to be filled, the filling element 3 can be lifted from the mouth 122 of the container 120 . The interior of the container 120 and the filling product present therein are then subjected to the preload pressure of the treatment chamber 2 because the treatment chamber 2 is then in communication with the container 120 . In this way, foaming over of the filling product can be reduced or avoided by the release of the gas bound in the filling product—for example CO2—when the filling element 3 is lifted.

It is therefore crucial for the quality of the filling process that after the separation of the gas-tight connection between the filling element 3 and the container 120, essentially no filling product is left due to a pressure that was incorrectly set too low in the treatment chamber 2 and a resulting pressure difference between the interior of the container 120 and the treatment chamber 2 out of the container 120 or via its container mouth 122.

The filling element 3 is then pulled back in the direction of movement of the filling element F and the closing device 4 - as in FIG figure 2 shown schematically - lowered to apply a closure to the mouth 122 of the then filled container 120. The container 120 or the interior of the container is in constant communication with the container treatment chamber 2, which in turn is under the preload pressure.

After the container 120 has been closed, the treatment chamber 2 is then preferably relieved of pressure to a lower pressure in that the scavenging gas channel 80 is opened by means of the scavenging gas valve 82 . Since the flushing gas channel 80 is at a low pressure, for example in a preferred embodiment at an absolute pressure of 1.7 bar, the flows in the Treatment chamber 2 under a high pressure, for example in this exemplary embodiment at an absolute pressure of 7 bar, gas present back into the scavenging gas channel 80 when the scavenging gas valve 82 is opened. Correspondingly—depending on the pressure conditions—at least part of the clamping gas present in the treatment chamber 2 will flow back into the flushing gas channel 80 .

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the treatment chamber 2 is optionally also in communication with the filling element 3 when it is retracted and, in particular, also with the flushing gas channel 80 and the vacuum channel 88 via the filling product outlet 30.

Since, under certain pressure conditions, the treatment chamber 2 cannot be completely relieved to ambient pressure into the flushing gas channel 80, the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 can be completely relieved to ambient pressure, for example, by connecting the treatment chamber 2 to the vacuum channel 88.

In an alternative or in addition, the treatment chamber 2 can also or additionally be relieved to ambient pressure via a relief channel 800 which is in communication with the environment.

In a further alternative or in addition to one or both of the above-mentioned options for relieving the treatment chamber 2, the pre-tensioning pressure remaining in the treatment chamber 2 can be released after the pre-tensioning pressure of the treatment chamber 2 has been relieved in the flushing gas channel 80 by retracting the filling element 3 and/or the Closing member 4 are further relieved from the treatment chamber 2, preferably to ambient pressure.

After the treatment chamber 2 has been relieved into the scavenging gas channel 80 , the scavenging gas valve 82 is closed again and the closing element 40 is then moved out of the treatment chamber 2 . The resulting increase in volume of the free volume in the treatment chamber 2 also causes the preload pressure still present in the treatment chamber 2 to be relieved. This retraction can be carried out until the pressure is relieved to ambient pressure. The filled and closed container can then be removed from the treatment chamber 2 .

The respective processes are preferably controlled via the controller 9, which in turn switches the respective valves, for example the clamping gas valve 86 and/or the purge gas valve 82 and/or the vacuum valve 89 and/or the relief valve 802.

After the treatment chamber 2 has been brought to ambient pressure, the then filled and sealed container 120, as in figure 3 schematically indicated, are removed from the treatment chamber 2.

When flushing a container 120 to be filled, which is subsequently accommodated in the treatment chamber 2 , the tensioning gas that has flowed back into the flushing gas channel 80 and now acts as flushing gas is correspondingly reused. The clamping gas that has flowed back is temporarily stored in the flushing gas channel 80 . The volume of the flushing gas channel 80 is designed accordingly and can be expanded, for example, by an interposed pressure accumulator.

Since the volume of the span gas that has flowed back into the scavenging gas channel 80 may not be sufficient for the next scavenging process of another container 120 to be filled, fresh scavenging gas can be supplied from a scavenging gas source 820—for example a scavenging gas tank. However, by using the span gas that has flowed back into the scavenging gas channel 80 as the scavenging gas, the consumption of fresh scavenging gas can be reduced.

The scavenging gas channel 80 is preferably designed in such a way that the entire backflowing span gas volume can be accommodated in the scavenging gas duct 80 without the backflowing span gas entering the scavenging gas source 820 in order to rule out possible contamination here.

figure 4 shows schematically a sectional view of a device 1 according to a further preferred embodiment. A detail of the device 1 is figure 5 refer to. The device 1 corresponds essentially to that in FIGS Figures 1 to 3 shown, wherein the biasing channel 84 is integrated into the filling element 3. As a result, it is no longer necessary to provide openings for a separate prestressing channel in the treatment chamber 2 itself.

The prestressing channel 84 is formed in the filling element 3 in such a way that its outlet opening 85 can always communicate with the interior of the treatment chamber 2, in particular also in the in the figures 4 and 5 shown position of the filling element 3 relative to the treatment chamber 2.

The device 1 in turn has a pressure determination unit 7, which comprises as components here the closing element 4 together with its drive 44, and also the filling element 3 together with its pneumatically acting pressure cylinder 32, which is provided as a drive for moving the filling element 3 in its longitudinal direction. The pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder 32 for holding the filling element 3 in the predetermined position is used as the actuator for the pressure cylinder 32 to determine the holding force for holding the filling element 3 in a predetermined position.

With this configuration, it is possible to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 via the closure member 4, for example, if this is held in its predetermined position, which the Figures 1 to 3 can be seen, and for example the filling element 3 is moved and/or used for filling, and alternatively to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber 2 via the filling element 3 when this is held in its predetermined position, as in FIGS figures 4 and 5 shown, and for example the closing element 3 is moved and/or used to close the container 120 with a container closure 124 .

Furthermore, the pressure can also be determined at the same time by determining the manipulated variable of the drive 44 and by determining the manipulated variable of the pressure cylinder 32 . Optionally, a comparison, an averaging and/or a check of the values relative to one another can take place here.

As far as applicable, all individual features that are presented in the exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another and/or exchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Reference List

1

contraption

120

container

122

container mouth

124

container closure

2

treatment chamber

20

container receiving opening

22

capper receiving opening

3

filling element

30

filling product outlet

300

fill product outlet seal

32

pressure cylinder

34

filling product channel

4

closing element

40

closing element

42

capper flange

44

drive

46

face

60

switchable seal

7

pressure determination unit

80

purge gas channel

82

purge gas valve

84

span gas channel

85

exit port

86

span gas valve

88

vacuum channel

89

vacuum valve

800

relief channel

802

relief valve

820

purge gas source

9

steering

B

direction of movement

D

container movement direction

f

filling element movement direction

Claims (12)

1. Device (1) for filling a container (120) to be filled with a filling product, comprising

   a treatment chamber (2) for sealingly receiving the container (120) to be filled,

   a component that seals the treatment chamber (2) and is movable relative to the treatment chamber (2) by means of a drive (44), and

   a pressure determination unit (7) for determining the pressure in the treatment chamber (2),

   characterised in that

   the pressure determination unit (7) is adapted and configured to determine a pressure present in the treatment chamber (2) by determining a control parameter of the drive (44).
2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the movable component comprises a filling member (3) for sealing application to the container (120) sealed with the treatment chamber (2) and for introducing a filling product into the container (120), and/or in that the movable component comprises a closure member (4) for applying a container closure (124) to a filled container (120) within the treatment chamber (2), and/or in that the movable component comprises a centring bell comprising a container-receiving opening (20) of the treatment chamber (2) for sealingly receiving the container (120), and/or in that the movable component comprises a lifting device for lifting and/or pressing the container (120) against a container-receiving opening (20) of the treatment chamber (2).
3. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that a controller (9) is provided that is adapted to control the drive (44) in such a way that the component is held in a predetermined position at least during an evacuation of the sealed treatment chamber (2) to a reduced pressure and/or during a pre-pressurisation of the sealed treatment chamber (2) with a pressurising gas.
4. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the pressure determination unit (7) is adapted and configured to compare the determined control parameter with values of a look-up table in order to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber (2) and/or in that the pressure determination unit (7) is adapted and configured to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber (2) from the result of a predetermined function as a function of the determined control parameter and/or in that the pressure determination unit (7) is adapted and configured to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber (2) by means of an algorithm or artificial intelligence.
5. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive (44) comprises an electric linear motor, wherein the control parameter corresponds to a current strength and/or voltage supplied to the drive (44), or in that the drive (44) comprises a pressure cylinder (32), preferably a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, wherein the control parameter corresponds to a control pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder (32).
6. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device (1) further comprises a purge gas channel (80), preferably arranged in the filling member (3), for introducing a purge gas into the container (120) to be filled and/or a vacuum channel, preferably arranged in the filling member (3), for generating a reduced pressure in the treatment chamber and/or a pressurising gas channel (84), preferably arranged in the filling member (3), for introducing a pressurising gas into the treatment chamber (2).
7. Method for filling a container (120) to be filled with a filling product, comprising the steps:

   - sealingly receiving the container (120) to be filled in a treatment chamber (2),

   - evacuating the treatment chamber (2) to a reduced pressure and/or a pre-pressurisation of the treatment chamber (2) with a pressurising gas, and

   - determining the pressure in the treatment chamber (2),

   characterised in that
   the pressure present in the treatment chamber (2) is determined by determining a control parameter of a drive (44) of a component that is movable relative to the treatment chamber (2) and seals it.
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the drive (44) is controlled in such a way as to hold the component in the predetermined position at least during an evacuation and/or a pre-pressurisation of the sealed treatment chamber (2) with a pressurising gas, wherein in the predetermined position a component-receiving opening of the treatment chamber (2) is sealingly closed by the component.
9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that, in order to determine the pressure in the treatment chamber (2), the determined control parameter is compared with values of a look-up table and/or in that the pressure in the treatment chamber (2) is determined from the result of a predetermined function as a function of the determined control parameter and/or in that the pressure in the treatment chamber (2) is determined by an algorithm or artificial intelligence.
10. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the drive (44) comprises an electric linear motor, wherein the control parameter corresponds to a current strength and/or voltage supplied to the drive (44), or in that the drive comprises a pressure cylinder (32), preferably a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, wherein the control parameter corresponds to a manipulated pressure supplied to the pressure cylinder (32).
11. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that, before the evacuation of the treatment chamber (2) and/or before the pre-pressurisation of the treatment chamber (2), a sealing application of a filling member (3) to the container (120) takes place, wherein preferably, after the sealing application of the filling element (3) to the container (120), a purge of the container (120) with a purge gas introduced into the container through a purge gas channel (80) takes place, wherein, preferably after the container (120) has been flushed with the purge gas, the container (120) is preferably filled with the filling product.
12. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterised in that, preferably after the pre-pressurisation of the treatment chamber (2) and preferably after the filling of the container (120) and the pre-pressurisation of the treatment chamber (2), a removal of the filling member (3) from the container (120) takes place, wherein, preferably after removal of the filling member (3) from the container (120), a closing of the container (120) received in the treatment chamber (2) with a container closure takes place by displacement of a closure member (4), wherein, preferably after the closing of the container (120), the pre-pressurising pressure present in the treatment chamber (2) is released and removal of the container (120) from the treatment chamber (2) takes place.

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