Cleaning a sealing element includes pausing a rotor that bears the sealing elements at an angle from a set of discrete angles such that a sealing element is brought to a cleaning station. The station's coupling piece connects to the sealing element and allows cleaning medium to flow into it.

A system and method for simultaneously filling containers with different fluent products are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of vehicles that are independently routable along a track system to deliver containers to at least one unit operation station for dispensing fluent materials into the containers. The containers receive one or more fluent materials that differ from another in ingredients and/or weight percentage of at least one ingredient.

A system and method for simultaneously filling containers with different fluent products are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of vehicles that are independently routable along a track system to deliver containers to at least one unit operation station for dispensing fluent materials into the containers. The containers receive one or more fluent materials that differ from another in ingredients and/or weight percentage of at least one ingredient.

A sterilization apparatus for sterilizing receptacle closures, comprising: a treatment chamber having an inlet station and an outlet station; a feeding device configured to feed a succession of receptacle closures to the inlet station; a conveyor configured to convey the receptacle closures through the treatment chamber from the inlet station to the outlet station; a sterilization agent injection device configured to inject a sterilization agent into the treatment chamber, wherein: the conveyor includes a plurality of adjacent guide rails; the feeding device is configured to feed the receptacle closures to at least one active guide rail of the plurality of guide rails; and the sterilization agent injection device includes a plurality of injection devices, each injection device being associated with one of the guide rails; and a controller configured to selectively actuate the injection devices according to a first and second operative mode.

A system and method for filling, processing, and sealing glass jars containing food including food for animals. The system includes a filler mechanism having inlet and outlet ports. The filler mechanism drives malleable food from the inlet port to the outlet port. The food exits the outlet port into a mouth opening of a glass jar and enters the jar. The system includes a cover for the glass jar where the cover is sealed to the mouth opening. The method includes providing the glass jar and malleable food. A filler mechanism having inlet and outlet ports is also provided. The food is inserted through the inlet port into the filler mechanism and travels to the outlet port. The filler mechanism pushes the food through the outlet port such that the food passes through a mouth opening of and into the jar. The glass jar is sealed with a cover.

A system and method for filling, processing, and sealing glass jars containing food including food for animals. The system includes a filler mechanism having inlet and outlet ports. The filler mechanism drives malleable food from the inlet port to the outlet port. The food exits the outlet port into a mouth opening of a glass jar and enters the jar. The system includes a cover for the glass jar where the cover is sealed to the mouth opening. The method includes providing the glass jar and malleable food. A filler mechanism having inlet and outlet ports is also provided. The food is inserted through the inlet port into the filler mechanism and travels to the outlet port. The filler mechanism pushes the food through the outlet port such that the food passes through a mouth opening of and into the jar. The glass jar is sealed with a cover.

A method for a dispensing machine is provided. The method may include receiving a container at a return port of a dispensing device having a housing, inspecting incoming dirty containers for defects using at least one sensor and logic, cleaning the container within the housing, adding fluid to the container after cleaning the container, capping the container after adding fluid to produce a capped container, receiving an input request to dispense the capped container, and dispensing the capped container in response to receipt of the input request.

A method for a dispensing machine is provided. The method may include receiving a container at a return port of a dispensing device having a housing, inspecting incoming dirty containers for defects using at least one sensor and logic, cleaning the container within the housing, adding fluid to the container after cleaning the container, capping the container after adding fluid to produce a capped container, receiving an input request to dispense the capped container, and dispensing the capped container in response to receipt of the input request.

A cap sterilization device (50) includes a sterilant spraying chamber (52) in which a sterilant is sprayed onto a cap (33) and an air-rinsing chamber (53) in which the cap (33) onto which the sterilant has been sprayed in the sterilant spraying chamber (52) is subjected to air-rinsing. A sterilant spraying wheel (74) that conveys the cap (33) while rotating the cap (33) is disposed in the sterilant spraying chamber (52). An air-rinsing wheel (75) that conveys the cap (33) onto which the sterilant has been sprayed while rotating the cap (33) is disposed in the air-rinsing chamber (53). The air-rinsing chamber (53) is disposed vertically above the sterilant spraying chamber (52).

A device for treating container closures, including sterilizing container closures for closing containers in a beverage filling plant. The device may include a treatment chamber for treating container closures, and a transport device for transporting container closures through the treatment chamber. The transport device may include a linear drive.