EP2996980B1 - Filling system and filling machine for filling containers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling system according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a filling machine comprising such a filling system. Specifically, the invention relates to a filling system in which the at least one filling element is preferably arranged directly on the underside of a filling material providing Füllgutkessels and the controlled opening and closing of the arranged in a liquid channel of the filling liquid valve by a above the Füllgutkessels and outside of the boiler interior , ie, for example, arranged at the top of the product vessel actuator. Filling systems of this type are known ( DE 10 2006 014 103 A1 . EP 1 586 533 A1 ).

In many cases, it is also necessary for filling systems of this type to provide controlled gas paths, via which, for example, when filling from the container interior through the filling displaced back gas is discharged and / or the container interior evacuated before filling and / or with a purge gas or inert gas (eg CO ₂ gas and / or nitrogen) is purged and / or biased with a biasing gas or inert gas.

A filling system according to the preamble of claim 1 and a filling machine comprising the filling system are of the first embodiment ( Fig. 1 to 3 ) of the German utility model DE 75 36 390 U known. The object of the invention is to provide a filling system which at high reliability and which a reduced design and control effort at least one controlled gas path for evacuation and / or rinsing and / or for acting on the container interior with a pressure corresponding to the Füllgutkessel filling pressure. To solve this problem, a filling system according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A filling machine is the subject of claim 17. "Container" are in the context of the invention in particular cans, bottles, each made of metal, glass and / or plastic.
In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container means in the context of the invention that the respective container in the manner known to those skilled with its container mouth tight against the filling element and / or pressed against a local seal.
The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5%, and / or deviations in the form of changes insignificant for the function. Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

• Fig. 1 und 2 jeweils in vereinfachter Darstellung und im Schnitt eine Füllposition eines Füllsystems oder einer Füllmaschine gemäß der Erfindung, zusammen mit einem, an der Füllposition vorgesehenen Behälter in Form einer Flasche, bei unterschiedlicher Ausbildung des Füllelementes;
• Fig. 4 - 9 Darstellungen ähnlich Figur 1 weitere Ausführungsformen der Füllposition des erfindungsgemäßen Füllsystems.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• Fig. 1 and 2 each in a simplified representation and in section a filling position of a filling system or a filling machine according to the invention, together with a, provided at the filling position container in the form of a bottle, with different design of the filling element;
• Fig. 4-9 Representations similar FIG. 1 further embodiments of the filling position of the filling system according to the invention.

That in the FIG. 1 Generally denoted by 1 filling system consists of a plurality of similar filling elements 2, of which only one is shown and which is respectively provided directly on the bottom of a common for all filling elements 2 ring boiler 3. The ring bowl 3 is part of a vertical machine axis MA circumferentially driven rotor 4. The ring bowl 3 is further divided by a horizontal or substantially horizontal partition 5 in an upper annular chamber 3.1 and a lower annular chamber 3.2, the latter during the filling operation with the liquid Filled part is partially filled.

In a housing 6 of the filling element 2, a liquid channel 7 is formed, which communicates with its upper end with the annular chamber 3.2 in conjunction, that opens at the bottom of this annular chamber in the liquid space occupied by the contents. On the underside of the filling element 2, the liquid channel 7 forms a Füllgutabgabeöffnung 8 in the region of a tubular housing portion designed as a filling 6.1, via which the liquid product flows to the container 9 during filling, which is exemplified in the figures as a bottle. In the liquid channel 7, a liquid valve 10 with a valve body 11 is provided in the flow direction of the filling material in front of the Füllgutabgabeöffnung 8. The latter is formed on a return gas tube 12 serving as a valve tappet and arranged coaxially with a filling element axis FA. The FIG. 1 shows the liquid valve 10 in the closed state. By axial lowering of the return gas pipe 12, the liquid valve 10 is opened.

At its lower end, according to the invention, the return gas pipe 12 is widened like a umbrella 12.1, so that when the liquid valve 10 is closed, this end 12.1 rests against the opening edge of the housing section 6.1 and thereby additionally seals the liquid channel 7 annularly surrounding the return gas pipe 12 in the region of the product discharge opening 8.

The return gas pipe 12 extends through the annular chamber 3.2 and an opening in the partition wall 5 into the annular chamber 3.1 and is there u.a. at its upper, open end. is formed with a valve seat 13 for a valve body 14, which forms a control valve 15 together with the valve seat 13. The valve body 14 is provided at the lower end of a coaxially arranged with the Füllelementachse FA valve stem 16 which extends with its valve body 14 having ends from above into an extension of the return gas pipe 12, through an opening through which in the return gas pipe 12th trained gas channel 17 with open control valve 15 with the annular chamber 3.1 is in communication and whose opening cross-section is greater than the cross section of the valve stem 16. The valve stem 16 is part of an outside of the ring vessel 3 arranged at the top of actuator 18, for axial movement of the Valve tappet 16 is formed in two strokes H1 and H2 of different sizes and this consists of two actuators in the form of pneumatic cylinders 18.1 and 18.2. The passage of the valve stem 16 through the top of the ring vessel 3 is sealed with a bellows seal 19. On the valve stem 16, a driver 20 is further provided above the upper end of the return gas tube 12, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment of at least two radially projecting from the valve stem 16 wing arms. Furthermore, between the upper end of the return gas pipe 12 and the partition wall 5, a compression spring 21 surrounding the return gas pipe, through which the valve body 11 of the liquid valve 10 is biased in the closed position.

22 denotes a carrier or a plate through which the housing section 6.1 extends and which has a seal 23 surrounding the housing section 6.1 on its underside. With the help of an actuating element, eg with the in the FIG. 4 22.1 designated actuating element, the plate 22 can be controlled in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA raised and lowered.

With the filling element 2 or with the filling system 1 formed by these filling elements different filling methods are possible, with all these methods always the lower, the Füllgutabgabeöffnung 8 having end of the housing section 6.1 extends through the container opening into the headspace of the container 9.

The FIG. 1 also shows the control valve 15 in the closed state. By actuating the pneumatic cylinder 18.1 or by the smaller stroke H1 of the valve tappet 16, the control valve 15 can be opened by lowering the valve body 14 or the connection between the return gas channel 17 and the annular chamber 3.1 can be established, with the liquid valve 10 still closed. for example, to pressurize the interior of the container 9 via the gas channel 17, for example with the pressure or negative pressure of the ring vessel 3 or to empty the return gas channel 17 of contents after filling a container in the next, to be filled container.

By activating the pneumatic cylinder 18.2 and by the larger stroke H2 generated thereby, which overlaps the stroke H1, the liquid valve 14 is opened in addition to the control valve 15, namely by the driver 20 coming into abutment against the upper end of the return gas pipe 12 and this moves together with the valve body 11 against the action of the compression spring 21 down to the open position. To complete the filling or the filling phase, the pneumatic cylinder 18.2 is deactivated, so that the liquid valve 10 closes. With the pneumatic cylinder 18.1 still activated, the control valve 15 remains open so that the return gas tube is discharged into the filled container, i. the contents, which has risen during the filling phase in the gas channel 17 can flow into the filled container. If closing of the liquid valve 10 by activating the pneumatic cylinder 18.1 and the control valve 15 is closed, then filling remains in the return gas pipe 12 and is then emptied by opening the control valve 15 in the next, to be filled container. By a return spring 24, the valve stem 16 is biased in its raised starting position.

At least during the pressurization and during filling, the plate 22 is lowered so far on the raised with his bottom on a container carrier, not shown container 9, that the seal 23 rests tightly against the container mouth and this seal at the same time the gap between the plate 22nd and the outer surface of the housing section 6.1 seals, so the container 9 is in sealing position on the filling element 2.

The during the filling (filling phase) from the interior of the container 9 displaced by the inflowing medium return gas is returned via the gas channel 17 and the open control valve 15 in the ring vessel 3. The inflow of the liquid filling material is automatically terminated when the liquid valve 10 is not yet open when the lower end of the return gas pipe 12 immersed in the level of contents in the container 9 and the liquid product has risen to a certain height in the gas channel 17. For example, time-controlled, at least the pneumatic cylinder 18.2 is deactivated to close the liquid valve.

The FIG. 2 shows as a further possible embodiment, a filling element 2a, which differs from the filling element 2 only in that in the filling element 2a, the driver 20 does not act directly on the upper end of the return gas tube 12, but via a further compression spring 24.1, which is dimensioned so the axial movement of the return gas pipe 12 to open the liquid valve 10 takes place only when the control valve 15 has actually been opened. In the FIG. 3 the control valve 15 and the elements surrounding this valve are again shown in detail.

The FIG. 4 shows as a further embodiment, a filling element 2b, which differs from the filling element 2 essentially in that the valve stem 16 extends into the region of the underside of the housing portion 6.1 and is provided at the local end of the valve stem 16 of the valve body 14, which with the lower Opening edge of the return gas pipe 12 cooperates as a valve seat, the control valve 15 is thus designed as a foot valve.

The FIG. 5 shows as a further embodiment, a filling element 2c, which differs from the filling element 2 essentially in that the valve stem 16 is formed by a coaxially arranged with the Füllelementachse FA pipe 16c, which is open to the valve body 14 of the control valve 15. The upper end of the tube 16b opens into a space 25 which is formed between an acting as a piston diaphragm of the pneumatic cylinder 18.2 and an additional sealing membrane and another control valve 26 with a common for all filling elements 2c of the filling system 1 and provided on the ring bowl 3 annular channel 27 communicates. Shown in the FIG. 5 schematically also a for each filling element 2b independently provided control valve assembly 28 with a plurality of electrically controlled pneumatic valves for controlling the two pneumatic cylinders 18.1 and 18.2 and the likewise pneumatically controllable control valve 26th

With the filling element 2c or with the filling systems having a plurality of filling elements, in turn, for example, a vacuum filling of the container 9 or filling at atmospheric or ambient pressure is possible, in which case the ring bowl 3 is acted upon in accordance with negative pressure or with ambient pressure. In addition to this, rinsing of the interior of the containers 9 before the actual filling with a purge gas, for example with an inert gas, for example CO2 gas or nitrogen, is also possible. For this purpose, the annular channel 27, the purge gas under slight overpressure. During the lifting movement of the container 8 towards the filling valve, a short horizontal course of the curve responsible for the bottle stroke ensures that the container lingers for a short time, ie without sealing, against the seal 23. Plate 22 with seal 23 is used in their altitude only the default of the level and is fixed during the filling process in position.
By opening the control valve 26, the purge gas is injected centrally via the tube 16b and the gas channel 17 into the container 9, ie in the region of the Füllelementachse FA and occurs together with displaced from the container interior air in the region of the container mouth at the between the container inner surface and the housing portion 6.1 formed annular gap to the outside (open rinsing). This is followed by the complete stroke of the container 8 and the sealing to seal 23rd

In principle, the filling element 2c can also be designed such that the tube 16c extends to the underside of the housing section 6.1. In this embodiment, with the filling element 2c is also a rinsing of the container 9 in such a way possible that with lowered plate 22 and against the seal 23 adjacent container mouth the flushing out of the container interior purge gas on the pipe 16c then annularly enclosing gas channel 17th and the open control valve 15 is passed into the annular chamber 3.1 (closed rinsing). Preference is given to the passage of the return gas tube 12 through the partition 5 by a suitable Seal 28.1, for example, sealed by a membrane seal so that the purge gas guided back when flushing does not come into contact with the contents received in the annular chamber 3.2. Basically, but can be dispensed with the seal 28.1. The recirculated into the ring vessel 3 purge gas or return gas is then indeed in contact with the contents. The advantage of this procedure, however, lies in the fact that the gas space not occupied by the filling material in the ring vessel 3 accumulates with inert gas, which leads to a reduction in the absorption of oxygen.

In general, in particular the closed rinsing has the advantage that after rinsing the introduction of the filling material in a 100% inert gas atmosphere, eg CO ₂ atmosphere takes place, resulting in many products, such as white wine to a frequently desired slight Aufkarbonisierung, but in particular also prevents CO ₂ naturally contained in a product from being lost.

Furthermore, with the filling element 2c after filling, i. after completion of the filling phase the not occupied by the contents of the headspace of the container via the pipe 16b and controlled by the control valve 26 to vent with inert gas.

The FIG. 6 shows as a further embodiment, a filling system 1.1 with filling elements 2d for filling containers 9 in the form of bottles. This filling system differs from the filling system 1 of Figures 1 - 5 First, the fact that the ring bowl 3 on the rotor 4 only has the ring chamber 3.2 corresponding annular chamber, which in turn is partially filled with the liquid contents during the filling operation. The filling element 2d differs from the filling element 2 essentially in that the upper open end of the return gas pipe 12 extends into a gas space 29 and cooperates there to form a control valve 30 with an annular valve seat 30.1 enclosing the filling element axis FA concentrically, for example by a ring seal is formed. The passage of the return gas tube 12 into the gas space 29 is sealed by a membrane seal 31 or other suitable seal. Furthermore, the gas space 29 is formed in a housing 32, which is provided on the upper side of the annular vessel 3 and in which also the actuator 18 d for opening and closing the Liquid valve 10 is housed. The filling system 1.1 also has the annular channel 27 common to all filling elements 2d as well as the control valve 26 ', which is part of a controlled gas path which opens via a throttle 33 in the center of the annular valve seat 30.1.

With the filling element 2d, for example, rinsing of the interior of the container to be filled with a purge gas or inert gas, for example CO ₂ gas or nitrogen from the annular channel 27 is possible, namely with the liquid valve 10 and control valve 30 closed or against the valve seat The purge gas then flows via the throttle 33 throttled into the return gas channel 17 and from this centrally into the interior of the container 9. When not sealed container mouth, the backgas displaced from the container interior of the purge gas can flow into the environment. By the throttle 33 is avoided that even at a higher pressure of the purge gas in the annular channel 27 contents, which remains in the return gas pipe 12 from a previous filling a container 9, sprayed sprayed into the new container to be rinsed and thereby exiting through the out of the container Rear gas areas outside of the container 9 are polluted by sprayed filling. The need for a throttle 33 could be avoided at a correspondingly low flushing pressure in the annular channel 27.

To fill the then in sealing position on the filling element 2d arranged container 9, the liquid valve is opened by lowering the return gas pipe 12 when the control valve 26 'is closed. As a result, the return gas displaced from the interior of the container by the filling material can flow away via the return gas pipe 12, via the open control valve 30 and via the gas space 29 into the space of the ring bowl 3 not occupied by the product.

The FIG. 7 shows as a further embodiment, a filling element 2e, which differs from the filling element 2d only in that in addition to the annular channel 27, a further annular channel 34 is provided, which is acted upon during filling, for example with a vacuum or vacuum. This embodiment allows, among other things, in addition to an open flush, in which the resulting during flushing return gas is discharged into the environment, also a closed flush. Both ring channels 27 and 34 are each controlled by a separate control valve 26 'and 35, respectively
the closed at the liquid valve tight against the valve seat 30.1 applied return gas pipe 12 connectable. When flushing the interior of the arranged in sealing position on the filling element 2d container 9 is first evacuated via the return gas pipe 12 and the open control valve 35, for example, to a pressure of 100 mbar. Following this, the interior of the container 9 is filled with closed control valve 35 by opening the control valve 26 'with the purge gas, for example, to atmospheric pressure. The proportion of inert gas, for example CO ₂ gas or nitrogen is then after this first flushing in the container interior already at least 95%. With a double repetition of this rinsing process, an inert gas concentration in the container 9 of up to 99% can be achieved without problems, wherein the purge gas consumption is about 150 g inert gas / HI.

The FIG. 8 shows as a further embodiment a filling element 2f, which differs from the filling element 2d substantially only in that an additional control valve 36 is provided in the connection between the not occupied by the filling part space of the ring vessel 3 and the opening of the valve seat 30.1. The filling system 1. 1 having the filling elements 1. 1 can also be operated, inter alia, as a vacuum filling system and permits an open rinsing of the containers 9 with inert gas.

FIG. 9 shows as a further embodiment, a filling element 2g, which initially differs from the filling element 2e in that in the connection between the gas space 29 and the subspace of the annular bowl 3 not occupied by the filling material, a further control valve 37 is provided. In addition, the filling element 2g has a gas pipe 38, which is enclosed by the return gas pipe 12 to form the gas channel 17 at a distance and is arranged coaxially with the Füllelementachse FA. The gas pipe 38 is open at the upper end and there connected via the control valve 35 connected to the annular channel 34. Only the annular channel 27 is connected via the control valve 26 'with the opening surrounded by the valve seat 30.1.

With the filling element 2g, inter alia, a filling of the container 9 with differential pressure is possible, which is expedient for higher viscous products, such as liqueurs, syrups, etc., to higher Füllleistungen (amount of bottled product per unit time) reach, but this also requires that the remaining after filling in the return gas pipe 12 and the gas pipe 38 product is emptied into the next container to be filled. Furthermore, the filling element 2g also allows a single or multiple rinsing of the container 9, which is arranged in a sealing position on the filling element 2g, in each case after previous evacuation. The evacuation takes place from the annular channel 34 by opening the control valve 35 via the gas pipe 38. The rinsing takes place from the annular channel 27 by opening the control valve 26 'via the return gas pipe 12.

During filling, the interior of the container 9 is acted upon by the open control valve 35 with the vacuum of the annular channel 34. Before the desired filling level is reached, the control valve 35 is closed and the return of the return gas displaced from the contents from the container 9 then takes place only via the return gas channel 17 and the opened control valve 37, for example with a formal or reduced filling speed.

Alternatively, the filling element 2g can also be used in a differential pressure method in which the ring bowl 3 is also subjected to vacuum, the vacuum in the annular channel 34 being greater than the vacuum in the ring bowl 3, e.g. - 600 mbar in the vacuum channel 34 and - 400 mbar in the ring vessel 3, in each case based on normal or atmospheric pressure.

3.1, 3.2

Ringkammer

4

Rotor

5

Trennwand

6

Gehäuse

6.1

Gehäuseabschnitt

7

Flüssigkeitskanal

8

Füllgutabgabeöffnung

9

Behälter

10

Flüssigkeitsventil

11

Ventilkörper

12

Rückgasrohr

13

Ventilsitz

14

Ventilkörper

15

Steuerventil

16

Ventilstößel

16b

Rohrstück

17

Gaskanal

18

Betätigungselement

18.1, 18.2

Pneumatikzylinder

19

Dichtung

20

Mitnehmer

21

Druckfeder

22

Träger oder Platte

22.1

Betätigungselement

23

Dichtung

24

Rückstellfeder

24.1

Druckfeder

25

Gasraum

26, 26'

Steuerventil

27

Ringkanal

28

Steuerventilanordnung

28.1

Dichtung

29

Gasraum

30

Steuerventil

30.1

Ventilsitz

31

Dichtung

32

Gehäuse

33

Drossel

34

Ringkanal

35

Steuerventil

36

Steuerventil

37

Steuerventil

38

Gasrohr

FA

Füllelementachse

MA

Maschinenachse

H1, H2

Hub

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of the following claims. Thus, it is possible to form the upper annular chamber 3.1 in comparison to the annular chamber 3.2 with a reduced cross-section and thus with reduced volume, which is advantageous for rinsing in the return of the purge gas displaced from the return gas into the annular chamber 3.1.

3.1, 3.2

annular chamber

4

rotor

5

partition wall

6

casing

6.1

housing section

7

liquid channel

8th

Füllgutabgabeöffnung

9

container

10

liquid valve

11

valve body

12

Return gas pipe

13

valve seat

14

valve body

15

control valve

16

tappet

16b

pipe section

17

gas channel

18

actuator

18.1, 18.2

pneumatic cylinder

19

poetry

20

takeaway

21

compression spring

22

Carrier or plate

22.1

actuator

23

poetry

24

Return spring

24.1

compression spring

25

headspace

26, 26 '

control valve

27

annular channel

28

Control valve assembly

28.1

poetry

29

headspace

30

control valve

30.1

valve seat

31

poetry

32

casing

33

throttle

34

annular channel

35

control valve

36

control valve

37

control valve

38

gas pipe

FA

filling element

MA

machine axis

H1, H2

stroke

Claims (17)

1. Filling system for filling containers (9) with a liquid product, comprising at least one filling element (2, 2a-2g), with a filling element housing (6) which, in relation to a vertical filling element axis (FA), is arranged below a filling product reservoir (3), with a liquid-carrying duct (7) formed in the filling element housing (6), said duct being in connection with the filling product reservoir (3) and forming on a lower side of the filling element housing (6) at least one product discharge opening (8), with at least one liquid valve (10) arranged in the liquid-carrying duct (7), with a return gas pipe (12) forming a first gas channel (17), which during the filling is in connection with a container interior of the container (9) which is to be filled, with an actuation device (18, 18d), producing at least one stroke (H1, H2) axially in relation to the filling element axis (FA), for the opening and closing of the liquid valve (10), as well as with at least one gas chamber (3.1, 29) for discharging the return gas which is dispelled by the filling product from the container interior during the filling of the container (9) and/or for imposing a filling pressure on the container interior, and/or for flushing the container interior with a flushing gas, and/or for evacuating the container interior, wherein the return gas pipe (12) serves as a valve tappet of the liquid valve and is moved axially by the actuation device (18, 18d) for the opening and closing of the liquid valve (10), wherein the filling element housing (6) is configured with a tubular housing section (6.1) extending into the container (9) during the filling, at which the product discharge opening (8) is provided, wherein the actuation device (18) controls with its axial stroke at least one first control valve (15, 30) arranged in the connection between the gas channel (17) of the return gas pipe (12) and the gas chamber (3.1, 29) at the same time, characterised in that the return gas pipe (12) is broadened at its lower end (12.1) in the form of a small screen, such that, when the liquid valve (10) is closed, this end (12.1) is in contact against the opening edge of the housing section (6.1), and, as a result of this, the liquid-carrying duct (7) surrounding the return gas pipe (12) in ring fashion can additionally be closed in the region of the filling product discharge opening (8).
2. Filling system according to claim 1, characterised in that the actuation device (18) is configured to produce a first axial stroke (H1), for opening or closing the first control valve (15), and a second stroke (H2), for opening or closing the liquid valve (10), wherein the second stroke (H2) is preferably superimposed on the first stroke (H1), and thereby causes the opening or closing of both the first control valve (15) as well as the liquid valve (10).
3. Filling system according to claim 2, characterised in that the actuation device (18) comprises two actuation elements (18.1, 18.2), preferably configured or taking effect as pneumatic cylinders, which are operatively arranged in series, and of which one actuation element (18.1) produces the first stroke and one actuation element (18.2) produces the second stroke (H2).
4. Filling system according to claim 3, characterised in that the second or first actuation element (18.2, 18.1) comprises a valve tappet (16, 16c), which can be moved axially with this actuation element and which acts on a valve body (14) of the control valve (15) or is provided at this valve body (14), and that the first or second actuation element (18.1, 18.2) acts axially on the valve tappet (14).
5. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve body (14) of the first control valve (15) interacts with a valve seat (13) formed at an upper end of the return gas pipe (12).
6. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, with claim 2, characterised by spring means (21), which exert preliminary tension on the return gas pipe (12) functioning as a valve tappet and, with this, on a valve body (11) of the liquid valve (10), into a preferably raised closure position, and that, with the first stroke (H1), the first control valve (15) is opened, and with the second stroke (H2) of the actuation device (18), with the first control valve (15) open, the liquid valve (10) is also opened due to over-pressure being exerted on the spring means (21).
7. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas chamber is a subspace (3.1) of the filling product reservoir (3) which is not occupied by the filling product, and that the return gas pipe (12) extends with its upper end into this subspace (3.1).
8. Filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the gas chamber (29) is in connection with a subspace (3.1) of the filling product reservoir (3) which is not occupied by the filling product.
9. Filling system according to claim 8, characterised in that a second control valve (37) is provided in the connection between the gas chamber (29) and the subspace of the filling product reservoir (3) which is not occupied by the filling product.
10. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first control valve (30) is formed from a valve seat (30.1), preferably a ring-shaped valve seat (30.1) surrounding the filling element axis (FA), with which the return gas pipe (12) interacts with an edge of its opening at the upper end, facing away from the filling product discharge opening (8).
11. Filling system according to claim 10, characterised in that at least one flow path opens in a region surrounding the ring-shaped valve seat (30.1), which comprises a third control valve (26', 35, 36) and is in connection with a further gas chamber (27, 34).
12. Filling system according to claim 11, characterised in that a choke (33) which lowers or reduces the gas flow is provided in the flow path of the third control valve (26'),.
13. Filling system according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the further gas chamber (27, 34) serves to provide a flushing gas, a vacuum, or a pretensioning gas.
14. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas chamber formed by a subspace (3.1) of the filling product reservoir (3) is sealed against a further subspace (3.2) of the filling product reservoir (3), which provides the filling product.
15. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filling product reservoir is a ring reservoir (3) which is common to all the filling elements (2, 2a-2g) of the filling system (1, 1.1), and the at least one further gas chamber is a ring-shaped channel (27, 34) which is common to all the filling elements (2, 2a-2g) of the filling system (1, 1.1).
16. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by a further gas pipe (16c, 38) enclosing the return gas pipe (12) or the gas channel (17) respectively, which forms a further gas channel which is open at the lower end of the gas pipe (16c, 38) in the region of the filling product discharge opening (8), and which is connected to the further gas chamber (27, 34) by way of a fourth control valve (26) or, if the filling system is configured in accordance with one of claims 11-13, by way of the third control valve (35).
17. Filling machine for filling containers (9), with a filling system (1, 1.1) formed at a circulating transport element, for example a rotor (4) driven such as to rotate about a vertical machine axis (MA),
    characterised in that
    the filling system (1, 1.1) is configured in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

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