EP3105169B1 - Method and filling system for filling containers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a filling system according to the preamble of claim 8, and as shown in DE 203 19 619 U known. The object of the invention is to provide a method and a filling system, with which in particular a bottling of spirits and / or wine with exact filling level is possible, and in particular also in compliance with the requirements of spirits bottling plants claims and hygienic conditions.

To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. A filling system is the subject of patent claim 8.

• Das erfindungsgemäße Füllsystem ist rechnergesteuert, d.h. es erfolgt kein mechanisches Öffnen der Flüssigkeitsventile der Füllpositionen. Das Füllsystem garantiert eine hygienische Ausführung, insbesondere sind keine Schiebedichtungen zwischen einem Hygienebereich und der Umgebung erforderlich. Beim Füllen der Behälter erfolgt keine Benetzung der Behältermündung mit dem Füllgut. Vielmehr erfolgt die Füllgutanstrahlung, d.h. das Austreten des Füllgutes aus dem Füllelement der jeweiligen Füllposition innerhalb des Behälters unterhalb der Behältermündung, d.h. etwa auf dem Niveau der angestrebten Füllhöhe. Das Füllsystem ermöglicht eine präzise Einstellung der Füllhöhe durch das sogenannte Trinox-Verfahren.

The filling system according to the invention is particularly suitable for filling spirits and / or wine and thereby optimally fulfills the demands and claims made on such filling systems:

• The filling system according to the invention is computer-controlled, ie there is no mechanical opening of the liquid valves of the filling positions. The filling system guarantees a hygienic design, in particular no sliding seals between a hygiene area and the environment are required. When filling the container no wetting of the container mouth with the contents. Rather, the Füllgutanstrahlung, ie the leakage of the filling material from the filling element of the respective filling position within the container below the container mouth, ie, approximately at the level of the desired level. The filling system allows precise filling height adjustment through the so-called Trinox process.

In the invention, the head space of the respective container from a common for all filling positions and provided on the machine element Trinoxkanal via a Trinox gas path, which is preferably provided separately for each filling position, with a Trinox gas for filling height correction applied. The Trinox gas path is formed on at least a partial length within a bellows, which extends between the contact element and a Füllelementgehäuse the respective filling element and / or the transport element or the rotor. This results in a reliable and structurally simplified design of the Trinox gas path also with the possibility of a height adjustment of the contact element in relation to the filling elements, for example for an adjustment of the level. In a preferred embodiment, the filling elements each have a filling tube and the Trinox gas path is then formed as an annular channel between the bellows enclosing the filling tube and the filling tube.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the filling material, which is entrained in the filling of the return gas and / or displaced in the filling height correction by the Trinox gas used in this case from the respective container, enters a separate collection and separation chamber and no return of this filling takes place in the filling vessel, whereby the risk of contamination of the filling material in the filling tank is reliably avoided. The recirculated into the collecting and separating chamber and there also separated from gaseous component contents is either discarded or preferably fed to the filling system again after a corresponding treatment.

"In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container" means in the context of the invention that each container to be filled in the manner known to those skilled with its container mouth is sealed at the filling position or pressed tightly against a local there, the filling tube of the filling element surrounding seal is.

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

in vereinfachter Darstellung und im Schnitt eine Füllposition eines Füllsystems zum Füllen von Behältern mit einem flüssigen Füllgut;

Fig. 2

im Schnitt und in vergrößerter Teildarstellung ein Detail des Füllsystems der Figur 1;

Fig. 3

in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung die Füllposition eines Vakuum-Füllsystems zum Füllen von Behältern mit einem flüssigen Füllgut;

Fig. 4

in vereinfachter Schnittdarstellung das obere Ende eines Rückgasrohres des Füllsystems der Figur 3 zusammen mit einem Sammel- und Trennkanal und einem pneumatisch betätigten Ventil;

Fig. 5

eine Darstellung ähnlich Figur 4 bei einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

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

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation and in section a filling position of a filling system for filling containers with a liquid product;

Fig. 2

in section and in enlarged partial view a detail of the filling system of FIG. 1 ;

Fig. 3

in a simplified schematic representation of the filling position of a vacuum filling system for filling containers with a liquid product;

Fig. 4

in a simplified sectional view of the upper end of a return gas pipe of the filling system of FIG. 3 together with a collection and separation channel and a pneumatically actuated valve;

Fig. 5

a representation similar FIG. 4 in a further embodiment of the invention.

The FIG. 1 shows a filling position 1 of a filling system 2 of a filling machine of the rotary type for filling, for example, for pressureless filling of containers 3 in the form of bottles with a liquid product.

The filling system 2 includes, inter alia, a Füllgutkessel 4, which is designed as a ring bowl and the circumference of a rotating around a vertical machine axis rotatably driven rotor 5 a vertical machine axis is concentrically enclosing. The interior of the Füllgutkessels 4 is characterized by a partition 6 in an upper chamber 4.1 and separated into a lower Füllgutkammer 4.2. The latter is partially filled during the filling operation with the liquid medium, which is supplied via a supply connection 7. Each filling position 1 has a in the FIG. 1 in general denoted by 8 filling element with a Füllelementgehäuse 9, which is provided on the rotor 5 below the Füllgutkessels 4 and in which a liquid channel 10 is formed, which opens at its upper end in the Füllgutkammer 4.2 and at the bottom of the Füllgutgehäuses 9 in an annular channel of Filling tube 11 passes. This forms at its lower, open end a discharge opening, via which the liquid filling material flows into the container interior of the respective container 3 during filling. Inside the liquid channel 10, a liquid valve 12 is provided, whose valve body 12.1 cooperates with a valve surface in the liquid channel 10. The valve body 12.1 is provided on a return gas pipe 13 which is arranged coaxially with a vertical Füllelementachse FA arranged as a valve tappet for opening and closing the liquid valve 12 and this is moved by a predetermined opening and closing stroke in the direction of Füllelementachse FA. In the illustrated embodiment, the return gas pipe 13 and thus the valve body 12.1 are biased by a arranged in the return gas chamber 4.1 compression spring 18.1 for upward movement, ie biased into the closed position of the liquid valve 12. To open the liquid valve 12 is a pneumatic actuator 14, which is provided at the top of the Füllgutkessels 4 and substantially a cylinder 15, a piston 16 with plunger or piston rod 17 and a compression spring 18.2, the spring force is smaller than the spring force of the compression spring 18.1 is. Above the piston 16, a control chamber 19 is formed in the cylinder 15. The piston 16 upwardly biasing compression spring 18.2 is located below the piston 16. The piston rod 17 is formed as a coaxially arranged with the Füllelementachse pipe section with a double-open channel and is in the operating state shown in the figure with its lower, widened end of a Ring seal in the chamber 4.1 against the local, upper open end of the return gas pipe 13, so that the channel formed in the piston rod 17 with the channel of the return gas pipe 13 is in communication or the channel of the return gas pipe 13 in the channel of the piston rod 17 continues. At the top, sealed from the control chamber 19th led out end of the channel of the piston rod 17 is connected via a flexible connecting line 20 with a provided at the top of the Füllgutkessels 4, common to all filling positions 1 of the filling system and designed as an annular channel collecting and separating chamber 21, in such a way that the flexible connecting line 20th at the top of this chamber opens into the interior. The interior of the collection and separation chamber 21 is further connected to a lower port 23 for discharging contents and with an upper port 22 for discharging return gas and other gaseous components.

For controlling the actuating element 14, an electrically actuable control valve 24 is provided, which has at least three switching positions, namely
a first switching position for acting on the control chamber 19 with an increased control pressure P1 for opening the liquid valve 12, wherein the force generated by the control pressure P1 is greater than the sum of the spring forces of the springs 18.1 and 18.2,
a second switching position for acting on the control chamber 19 with a reduced control pressure P2 for closing the liquid valve 12, ie for generating a force which is greater than the spring force of the compression spring 18.2 but smaller than the spring force of the spring 18.1 and
a third switching position for venting the control chamber 19 or for acting on the control chamber 19 with the ambient pressure Pu to disconnect the connection between the return gas pipe 13 and the piston rod 17, in particular for a CIP cleaning and / or CIP disinfection of the filling system 2. Mit 25 is a common for all filling positions 1 of the filling system contact element, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment as the vertical machine axis concentrically enclosing ring and through which the filling tubes 11 all filling element 8 are sealed at the top by seals 25.1 passed so that they each with one lower length project beyond the underside of the contact element 25. The contact element 25 is further surrounded by the filling tubes 11 ring seals 26, against which the container 3 abut when projecting into its container interior filling tubes 11 with the container mouth in sealing position.

27 with a Trinoxkanal 27 is designated, which is designed as an annular channel for all filling positions 1 of the filling system 2 is provided together. Each filling position 1 is associated with a Trinox valve 28, in a connected to the Trinox channel 27 Trinox gas path 29, which is formed at least over a partial length within a flexible connection, according to the FIG. 2 in a bellows 31.1 which extends between the rotor 5 and the abutment element 25 and continues in this abutment element. The Trinox gas path 29 opens via an annular gap 30 which is sealed at the top by the respective seal 25.1 and encloses the respective filling tube 11, into the container interior of the container 3 provided in the sealing position on the filling element 8 or on the contact element 25.

The filling system 2 is used, for example, for pressureless filling of the container 3. For filling the respective container 3 is raised in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA so that it rests with the edge of its container mouth in sealing position against the respective annular seal 26. By pressurizing the control chamber 19 with the pressure P1, the liquid valve 12 is opened. The filling material passes under the container mouth without pressure and on the container inner surface in the container 3. The filling speed is determined by the geodetic gradient between the top of the Füllgutspiegels in Füllgutkessel 4 and the discharge opening at the bottom of the filling tube 11. The displaced from the inflowing medium from the container interior return gas flows through the return gas pipe 13, the channel of the piston rod 17 and the connecting line 20 in the collecting and separating chamber 21 and thus comes at least initially not in contact with the contents in the Füllgutkammer 4.2. The inflow of the filling material into the container 3 is automatically ended as soon as the lower end of the return gas pipe protruding beyond the underside of the filling pipe 11 is immersed in the filling material level in the container 3. Subsequently, for example, the liquid valve 12 is timed closed by pressurizing the control chamber 19 with the pressure P2. For setting an exact filling level or for Trinox valve 27 is then opened to the filling height correction, so that from the Trinox channel 27 a under a slight overpressure, for example under an overpressure of 0.5 to 1.0 bar existing Trinox gas, ie inert gas (eg CO2 Gas and / or nitrogen) in the not occupied by the contents headspace of the sealing layer on the contact element 25 provided container 3 flow and thereby filling material on the return gas pipe 13, the channel of the piston rod 17 and the connecting line 20 can push the collecting and separating chamber, namely until the lower end of the return gas pipe 13 is above the Füllgutspiegels in the container 3. The height of the filling material level in the container 3 is thus determined by the length at which the return gas tube 13 extends into the container 3. To adjust the filling height, the contact element 25 is adjustable in the direction of the filling element axis FA, as indicated by the double arrow A. With the closing of the Trinox valve 28, the filling process is completed. The respectively filled container 3 can be lowered.

The FIG. 2 shows as a further embodiment, a Trinox gas path 29a, which is formed over a partial length, that between the underside of the Füllelementgehäuses 9 and the top of the contact element 25, a respective filling tube 11 enclosing bellows 31 is provided and between this and the filling tube 11 a is formed on the outside sealed annular space 32, which is part of the Trinox gas path 29a and via the annular channel 30 with the container interior of the provided in sealing position on the filling element 8 and on the contact element 25 and container 3 via the Trinox valve 28 with the Trinox channel 27 in connection stands. In this embodiment, the seals 25.1 can be omitted.

The Figures 3 and 4 show a filling position 1a of a filling system 2a of a filling machine of a rotating type with a product vessel 4a, which is part of a rotating around a vertical machine axis rotor 5a. The Füllgutkessel 4a is formed with a single chamber 4a.1, which is partially filled during the filling operation with the liquid product. Each filling position 1a is in turn associated with a filling element 8a, which is provided on the underside of the filling material vessel 4a and is formed with a filling tube 11a, which during filling of the respective container 3 extends with a lower, a discharge opening for the filling end forming in turn through the container mouth into the container interior.

Each filling position 1a or each filling element 8a furthermore has a return gas pipe 13a, which is arranged coaxially with a filling element axis FA and also serves as a valve tappet for the valve body of the liquid valve 12a, passes through the chamber 4a.1 and seals it at the top of the filling material vessel 4a led out. The return gas pipe 13a cooperates there with an actuating element 14a for controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve 12a. Not only the actuating element 14a, which is pneumatically controlled, but also a spring corresponding to the spring 18.1, the liquid valve 12a closing spring are located outside of the filling material vessel 4a. Above the actuating element 14a, the return gas channel opens into an individually provided for each filling position 1a chamber 33 (FIG. FIG. 4 ), which is connected via a pneumatically actuated valve 34 with the common for all filling positions 1a collecting and separating chamber 21.

The filling system 2a in turn has the height-adjustable system element 25a, which in the illustrated embodiment for each filling position 1a is associated with a centering tulip 35 with seal which is part of the contact element 25a and against which the respective container 3 during filling with its container opening in sealing position. Furthermore, each filling position 1a is provided with a bellows 31a corresponding to the bellows 31, which forms between the bellows 31a and the filling element 11a an annular channel 30 which is part of the Trinox gas path 29a and into the interior of the filling in sealing position at the filling position 1a provided container 3 opens. Via the Trinox gas path 29a, the respective container 3, in turn controlled by the Trinox valve 28, can be acted upon by the Trinox gas from the Trinox channel 27.

The filling system 2a is particularly suitable for vacuum filling the container 3. In this method, the interior of the respective, in sealing position at a filling position 1a arranged container 3 in a known manner before opening the Liquid valve 12 a subjected to negative pressure, in the illustrated embodiment of the collection and separation chamber 21 via the open valve 34 and the channel of the return gas pipe 13 a. The collection and separation chamber 21 is connected via a port to a vacuum source. A second connection is again used for discharging liquid product from the collection and separation chamber 21. After opening the liquid valve 12a, the liquid product flows below the container mouth via the filling tube 11a extending into the container 3 into the container interior. The valve 34 is closed in this case. The inflow of the filling material is terminated as soon as the lower end of the return gas pipe 13a is sufficiently immersed in the level of the contents. Subsequently, the liquid valve 12a is closed. In order to set an exact filling level or to correct the filling height, Trinox gas, ie inert gas under pressure, is introduced into the head space of the container arranged in the sealing position at the filling position 1a, so that when the valve 34 is opened again, excess contents are introduced via the return gas pipe 13a into the collecting chamber. and separation chamber 21 is displaced until the lower end of the return gas pipe 13a is above the Füllgutspiegels in the container interior. By height adjustment of the system element 25a, the filling level can be adjusted in the containers 3.

The FIG. 5 shows a representation similar FIG. 4 a filling position 1b of a filling system 2b, which differs from the filling system 2a only in that the filling positions 1b do not have the valve 34, but the respective chamber 33 is constantly connected to the collecting and separating chamber 21. All described embodiments have in common that the Trinox gas path 29, 29a is formed on at least a partial length within a bellows 31, 31.1, 31a, which extends between the contact element 25, 25a and the Füllelementgehäuse 9, 9a or the rotor 5, that the return gas and possibly with the return gas, but in particular with the Trinox gas from the respective container 3 entrained filling material is not returned to the interior of the Füllgutkessels, so that the risk of infection of the contents in Füllgutkessel is avoided by the entrained contents. That in the collection and separation chamber 21 separate or separated and discharged via the terminal 23 contents is then discarded or returned to the filling system or to the Füllgutkessel 4, 4a only after a treatment. The separate from the filling material in the collecting and separating chamber 21 return gas is returned, for example via the terminal 22 to the not taken from the contents and above the Füllgutspiegel gas space of the Füllgutkessels 4, 4a. For this purpose, the connection 22 is connected to this gas space, for example.

The gas cushion located in the product vessel 4, 4a above the contents is static and has no or substantially no flow and is not exchanged during the filling operation, so that alcohol and / or aroma vapors are not lost. Furthermore, the filling systems allow an inert gas superposition with very low gas consumption. The feeding of inert gas takes place in the part occupied by the contents of the product container 4, 4a. Excess inert gas is taken up by the collection and separation channel 21.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a, 1b

filling position

2, 2a, 2b

filling system

3

container

4,4a

Füllgutkessel

4.1, 4.2

chamber

4a.1

chamber

5, 5a

rotor

6

partition wall

7

supply line

8, 8a

filler

9, 9a

filling element

10

liquid channel

11, 11a

filling pipe

12, 12a

liquid valve

12.1

valve body

13, 13a

Return gas pipe

14, 14a

jig

15

cylinder

16

piston

17

tubular piston rod

18.1, 18.2

compression spring

19

control chamber

20

connecting line

21

Collection and separation chamber

22, 23

connection

24

control valve

25, 25a

conditioning elements

25.1

poetry

26

ring seal

27

Trinox channel

28

Trinox valve

29, 29a

connection

30

annular channel

31, 31.1, 31a

bellow

32

annulus

33

chamber

34

Valve

35

centering bell

A

Adjustment stroke of the system element 25, 25a

FA

filling element

Claims (19)

1. Method for filling containers (3) with a liquid filling material, preferably in the form of spirits or wine, by using a filling system (2, 2a, 2b), with a plurality of filling positions (1, 1a, 1b) which each have a filling element (8, 8a) having a liquid valve (12, 12a), on a circulating driven transport element or rotor (5), and with a filling-material tank (4, 4a), which is provided in common on the transport element or rotor (5) for the filling positions (1, 1a, 1b) and forms at least one filling-material chamber (4.2, 4a.1) for accommodating the filling material, wherein the filling material is fed from the filling-material tank (4, 4a) to the particular container (3), located with a container opening in a sealed position at a contact element (25, 25a, 35) of a filling position (1, 1a, 1b), in a controlled manner via the liquid valve (12, 12a), and, after the ending of the filling process and after the closing of the liquid valve (12, 12a), pressurised Trinox gas or inert gas, for example in the form of a CO₂ gas and/or in the form of nitrogen, is admitted into the head space not occupied by filling material of the container (3), located in the sealing position at the contact element (25, 25a, 35), for the purpose of correcting the filling height, from a Trinox channel (27) provided at the transport element or rotor (5) and via a Trinox gas path (29, 29a) opening into the head space and preferably individually controlled, and, in the process, excess filling material is displaced from the container (3) together with the Trinox gas via a return-gas path (13, 13a, 17), characterised in that the head space of the respective container (3) is subjected to the Trinox gas via the Trinox gas path (29, 29a), which is formed on at least one part length inside a folding bellows element (31, 31.1, 31a) which extends between the contact element (25, 25a, 35) and a filling element housing (9, 9a) of the respective filling element (8, 8a) and/or extends to the transport element or the rotor (5).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that, with the use of filling elements (8, 8a) with a filling tube (11, 11a), the Trinox gas path (29a) is configured as a ring channel (32) between the folding bellows element (31, 31a) surrounding the filling tube (11, 11a) and the filling tube (11, 11a).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, in order to adjust the filling height, the contact element (25, 25a, 35) is adjusted in its height.
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a return gas and/or filling material which, during the filling or the filling height correction, is displaced from the container interior via the return-gas path (13, 13a, 17), is accommodated in a collection and separation chamber (21), which is common to all the filling positions (1, 1a, 1b) and separated from the filling-material chamber (4.2, 4a.1) of the filling-material tank (4, 4a), and that in the collection and separation chamber (21) a separation takes place of gaseous and liquid constituent parts.
5. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the gaseous constituents are conducted back into a gas chamber which is formed above the filling material level in the filling-material chamber (4.2, 4a.1) of the filling-material tank (4, 4a).
6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the filling-material separated from the gaseous constituents are ejected from the collection and separation chamber (21) or, after processing, are conveyed back again to the filling system (2, 2a, 2b) or its filling-material chamber (4, 4a).
7. Method according to any one of claims 4-6, characterised in that the return-gas path is formed at least on a part length of the channel of a return-gas tube (13, 13a), and that the return-gas tube (13, 13a) forms an element which determines the filling height of the filling-material in the container (3), in that, when the return-gas tube (13, 13a) is immersed into the filling-material level, which rises during the filling in the container (3), the further inflow of the filling material into the container is ended.
8. Filling system for filling containers (3) with a liquid filling material, preferably in the form of spirits or wine, with a plurality of filling positions (1, 1a, 1b), comprising in each case a filling element (8, 8a), on a circulating driven transport element or rotor (5), wherein the filling elements (8, 8a) comprise in each case a liquid channel (10), formed in a filling element housing (9, 9a), with a dispensing opening for the filling material and with a liquid valve (12, 12a) for the controlled opening and closing of the liquid channel (10), which is in connection with a filling-material chamber (4.2, 4a.1) of a filling-material tank (4, 4a), common to all the filling positions (1, 1a, 1b), and with a Trinox channel (27) provided at the transport element or rotor (5), from which, after the ending of the filling process and after the closing of the liquid valve (12, 12a), the head space not occupied by filling material of the container (3) which is in a sealed position at a contact element (25, 25a, 35) of the filling position (1, 1a, 1b), can be subjected, for the purpose of correcting the filling height, to a pressurised Trinox gas or inert gas, for example in the form of a CO₂ gas and/or in the form of nitrogen, via a Trinox gas path (29, 29a) opening into the head space and preferably individually controlled, in order that, in the process, excess filling material is displaced out of the container (3) with the Trinox gas via a return-gas path (13, 13a, 17), characterised in that the Trinox gas path (29, 29a) is formed on at least a part length inside a folding bellows element (31, 31.1, 31a), which extends between the contact element (25, 25a, 35) and the filling element housing (9, 9a) and/or between the transport element or the rotor (5).
9. Filling element according to claim 8, characterised in that the filling elements (8, 8a) comprise in each case a filling tube (11, 11a), and that the Trinox gas path (29a) is configured as a ring channel between the folding bellows element (31, 31a) surrounding the filling tube (11, 11a) and the filling tube (11, 11a)
10. Filling element according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the contact element (25, 25a, 35) is height adjustable in order to adjust the filling height.
11. Filling element according to any one of claims 8-10, characterised in that return-gas paths of the filling elements (8, 8a) are in connection with a collection and separation chamber (21), which is common to all the filling positions (1, 1a, 1b) and separated from the filling-material chamber (4.2, 4a.1) of the filling-material tank (4, 4a).
12. Filling element according to any one of claims 8-11, characterised in that the Trinox gas path (29, 29a) opens into a ring channel (30) surrounding the filling tube (12, 12a), closed to the outside and in connection with the container interior.
13. Filling element according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that each filling element (8, 8a) comprises a return-gas tube (13, 13a), which is in connection with the collection and separation chamber (21).
14. Filling element according to claim 13, characterised in that return-gas tube (13) forms a valve tappet for a valve body (12.1) of the liquid valve (12, 12a), and can be moved axially by an actuation element (14, 14a), preferably by a pneumatically-actuatable actuation element (14, 14a), in order to open or close the liquid valve (12, 12a) against the effect of at least one resetting spring (18.1).
15. Filling element according to claim 14, characterised in that return-gas tube (13) is pre-tensioned by the at least one resetting spring (18.1) into a closed position of the liquid valve (12), and that the actuation element comprises a piston (16) with piston rod (17), delimiting a control chamber (19), which, configured as a tube piece, forms a part of the return-gas path, and, when the control chamber (19) is subjected to a control pressure (P1, P2), comes in contact with one end against an end of the return-gas tube (13) located remotely from the dispensing opening, such that the channel of the return-gas (13) opens into the channel of the piston rod (17).
16. Filling element according to claim 15, characterised by at least one further spring (18.2), by means of which the piston (16) and the piston rod (17) are subjected to pre-tension for a separation of the connection between the channels of the return-gas tube (13) and the piston rod (17).
17. Filling element according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the control chamber (19) can be subjected to a first control pressure (P1) via a control valve (24) in order to open the liquid valve (12), to a second control pressure (P2), reduced in comparison with the first pressure, in order to close the liquid valve (12), and to a third control pressure (Pu), reduced in comparison with the second pressure, in order to separate the connection between the channels of the return-gas tube (13) and the piston rod (17), for example with atmospheric pressure.
18. Filling element according to any one of claims 13-17, characterised in that the channel of the return-gas tube (13a) opens into a chamber (33), provided individually at each filling position (1a, 1b), which is in connection with the collection and separation chamber (21), either directly or by means of a preferably pneumatically controllable valve (34).
19. Filling element according to any one of claims 11-18, characterised in that the collection and separation chamber (21) comprises at least one upper connection (22) for conveying away gaseous constituents, and a lower connection (23) for conveying away filling material.

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