A filler head apparatus 20 for hygienically filling and emptying containers 22 through a fitment 24 incorporated with the container 22 includes a cylindrical outer housing 30 for receiving a hollow bore inner cylinder 32 which is actuated to simultaneously reciprocate and rotate about a central axis 33 within the outer housing. A transfer tube assembly 34 is mounted to the inner cylinder 32 to travel with the inner cylinder between an extended position engaged with the fitment 24 and a retracted position disengage from the fitment. When the transfer tube assembly is engaged with the fitment, flowable content or product may be transferred to or from the container 22. A fitment cap assembly 36 is also mounted to the inner cylinder 22 to travel with the inner cylinder to remove the cap 38 of the fitment 24 prior to either filling or emptying the container 22, and then to retract to a standby position while the container is filled/emptied, and thereafter replacing the fitment cap after filling/emptying has been completed.

A filler head apparatus 20 for hygienically filling and emptying containers 22 through a fitment 24 incorporated with the container 22 includes a cylindrical outer housing 30 for receiving a hollow bore inner cylinder 32 which is actuated to simultaneously reciprocate and rotate about a central axis 33 within the outer housing. A transfer tube assembly 34 is mounted to the inner cylinder 32 to travel with the inner cylinder between an extended position engaged with the fitment 24 and a retracted position disengage from the fitment. When the transfer tube assembly is engaged with the fitment, flowable content or product may be transferred to or from the container 22. A fitment cap assembly 36 is also mounted to the inner cylinder 22 to travel with the inner cylinder to remove the cap 38 of the fitment 24 prior to either filling or emptying the container 22, and then to retract to a standby position while the container is filled/emptied, and thereafter replacing the fitment cap after filling/emptying has been completed.

The present invention relates to a method for filling a fluid into a container without using measuring means and to a filling apparatus therefor which comprises an attachment having a predetermined volume V.sub.A, said attachment comprising a valve attachment which has a gas valve and a liquid valve with a valve seat in a housing. Said valve seat surrounds a displacement element that can be moved along the longitudinal axis relative to the housing, and forms an annular gap. According to said method, the attachment is tightly placed onto a container (1) while the displacement element is inserted into the container (1). When the liquid valve (5) is opened, the filling fluid flows into the nominal volume V.sub.N of the container (1), and said nominal volume is flooded with the filling fluid; the liquid valve is then closed. The displacement element is withdrawn from the container (1) and the flooded remaining volumes top up the contents in the container (1), the volumina V.sub.VA and V.sub.FV equaling the volume V.sub.Rohr of a portion of the displacement element in the flooded portion so that identical containers (1) are filled with identical fill levels.

The present invention relates to a method for filling a fluid into a container without using measuring means and to a filling apparatus therefor which comprises an attachment having a predetermined volume V.sub.A, said attachment comprising a valve attachment which has a gas valve and a liquid valve with a valve seat in a housing. Said valve seat surrounds a displacement element that can be moved along the longitudinal axis relative to the housing, and forms an annular gap. According to said method, the attachment is tightly placed onto a container (1) while the displacement element is inserted into the container (1). When the liquid valve (5) is opened, the filling fluid flows into the nominal volume V.sub.N of the container (1), and said nominal volume is flooded with the filling fluid; the liquid valve is then closed. The displacement element is withdrawn from the container (1) and the flooded remaining volumes top up the contents in the container (1), the volumina V.sub.VA and V.sub.FV equaling the volume V.sub.Rohr of a portion of the displacement element in the flooded portion so that identical containers (1) are filled with identical fill levels.

The present invention relates to a valve attachment (2) for filling at least one container (1, 1′) with a liquid and draining the at least one container of said liquid, which valve attachment can be tightly attached to the container (1, 1′) by means of a bottom side. The valve attachment (2) has a first and a second valve (5, 6), which each have an annular valve seat (7, 8) and each have an annular closing part (9, 10) corresponding thereto, wherein the closing parts (9, 10) are aligned with each other and are designed to surround a specified tubular element (3) in such a way that an annular gap (7′, 8′) is formed. The first valve seat (7) is stationary and the second valve seat (8) can be moved in a valve longitudinal direction. The closing parts (9, 10) are arranged on a common carrier (11) that can be moved along the valve longitudinal axis. The valve attachment (2) has at least three construction units that are separate from each other, wherein a first construction unit (21′), which is arranged at an end of the valve attachment (2) facing the container (1, 1′) to be filled, comprises a first housing part (21) and the valve seat (7) for the valve (5), which valve seat is comprised by the first housing part. The second construction unit (22′), which is arranged at an end of the valve attachment (2) facing away from the container (1, 1′) to be filled, comprises a second housing part (22) and the valve seat (8) for the valve (6). The third construction unit (23′) comprises the closing parts (9, 10) and the carrier (11). The construction units (21′, 22′, 23′) can be moved in relation to each other in the direction of the valve longitudinal axis. The invention further relates to a filling device that uses the valve attachment (2) according to the invention, a filling assembly, and a filling method and a draining method in which the device according to the invention is used.

The present invention relates to a valve attachment (2) for filling at least one container (1, 1′) with a liquid and draining the at least one container of said liquid, which valve attachment can be tightly attached to the container (1, 1′) by means of a bottom side. The valve attachment (2) has a first and a second valve (5, 6), which each have an annular valve seat (7, 8) and each have an annular closing part (9, 10) corresponding thereto, wherein the closing parts (9, 10) are aligned with each other and are designed to surround a specified tubular element (3) in such a way that an annular gap (7′, 8′) is formed. The first valve seat (7) is stationary and the second valve seat (8) can be moved in a valve longitudinal direction. The closing parts (9, 10) are arranged on a common carrier (11) that can be moved along the valve longitudinal axis. The valve attachment (2) has at least three construction units that are separate from each other, wherein a first construction unit (21′), which is arranged at an end of the valve attachment (2) facing the container (1, 1′) to be filled, comprises a first housing part (21) and the valve seat (7) for the valve (5), which valve seat is comprised by the first housing part. The second construction unit (22′), which is arranged at an end of the valve attachment (2) facing away from the container (1, 1′) to be filled, comprises a second housing part (22) and the valve seat (8) for the valve (6). The third construction unit (23′) comprises the closing parts (9, 10) and the carrier (11). The construction units (21′, 22′, 23′) can be moved in relation to each other in the direction of the valve longitudinal axis. The invention further relates to a filling device that uses the valve attachment (2) according to the invention, a filling assembly, and a filling method and a draining method in which the device according to the invention is used.

A cylinder-and-piston assembly for a bottle attachment apparatus for handling liquids in which the stroke length of the piston of the cylinder-and-piston assembly is delimited by a stroke length stop when suctioning from the cylinder and is delimited by a readjustment stop when exhausting into the cylinder. The readjustment stop is disposed on the piston or on the cylinder housing and interacts with a fixed stop. The readjustment stop is accessible and adjustable by way of a removable seal. The seal is connected by way of ribs to a piston bearing. The readjustment stop is disposed below this removable seal. The seal has a molding and the piston bearing has a counter molding. Displacement of the seal in relation to the piston bearing moves the seal in the longitudinal direction, and by this movement, the seal is removed in a manner that preferably is not capable of re-assembly.

A cylinder-and-piston assembly for a bottle attachment apparatus for handling liquids in which the stroke length of the piston of the cylinder-and-piston assembly is delimited by a stroke length stop when suctioning from the cylinder and is delimited by a readjustment stop when exhausting into the cylinder. The readjustment stop is disposed on the piston or on the cylinder housing and interacts with a fixed stop. The readjustment stop is accessible and adjustable by way of a removable seal. The seal is connected by way of ribs to a piston bearing. The readjustment stop is disposed below this removable seal. The seal has a molding and the piston bearing has a counter molding. Displacement of the seal in relation to the piston bearing moves the seal in the longitudinal direction, and by this movement, the seal is removed in a manner that preferably is not capable of re-assembly.

A device for evacuating a container that contains a pasty liquid to avoid air inclusions or bubbles in the liquid while the container is being filled and/or to eliminate air between the liquid surface and a follower plate until the plate contacts the liquid surface during insertion of the plate into the container before removal of the liquid. The device comprises a cover assembly to close an opening of a container in a vacuum-tight manner and which has a connection device for connecting an evacuation pump. A collapse avoidance apparatus is provided to surround at least one region of the outer faces of the container walls with a seal to connect to the wall outer face in a vacuum-tight manner and form a vacuum-tight collapse avoidance chamber. A connection device is provided for connecting an evacuation pump to evacuate the chamber and apply a vacuum on the wall outer face.

A device for evacuating a container that contains a pasty liquid to avoid air inclusions or bubbles in the liquid while the container is being filled and/or to eliminate air between the liquid surface and a follower plate until the plate contacts the liquid surface during insertion of the plate into the container before removal of the liquid. The device comprises a cover assembly to close an opening of a container in a vacuum-tight manner and which has a connection device for connecting an evacuation pump. A collapse avoidance apparatus is provided to surround at least one region of the outer faces of the container walls with a seal to connect to the wall outer face in a vacuum-tight manner and form a vacuum-tight collapse avoidance chamber. A connection device is provided for connecting an evacuation pump to evacuate the chamber and apply a vacuum on the wall outer face.