An apparatus for filling differently sized containers with fluid includes a filling head having a fluid holding area. At least one multi-container filling nozzle connected to the filling head, wherein at least two containers with differently-sized openings are fillable with a quantity of fluid from the fluid holding area without changing the multi-container filling nozzle. Related methods and devices for filing containers with differently-sized openings with fluid without changing a fluid nozzle are also disclosed.

A method (200) for controlling the dosing of a fluid product to containers (105) using an apparatus (100) including a plurality of filling valves (104), the method (200) comprising performing a cycle having the following steps for each filling valve (104): ending an opening command to the filling valve (104); detecting values of volume of the fluid product dispensed by the filling valve (104) and values of flowrate, occurring at a predefined sampling interval; calculating a compensated volume (CV) as the difference between a target volume (TV) to be dispensed to the container (105) and a volumetric filling error (E) detected at the immediately previous filling step; determining a compensated closing time (CCT) as the time at which sending a closing command to the filling valve (104); sending the closing command to the filling valve (104) at the compensated closing time (CCT); after having closed the filling valve (104), receiving a detected value of volumetric filling error (E2, E3, E4, E5).

A valve assembly for a machine for filling containers with a liquid has an adduction conduit extending along a valve axis and connectable to a tank of the filling machine to allow inflow of the liquid through a discharge mouth. A shutter arranged inside the adduction conduit and moving along the valve axis between a closing position and one or more opening positions has an annular gasket that with the shutter in the closing position sealingly engages an abutment seat. The annular gasket has a first annular portion for sealingly engaging a first portion of the abutment seat, and a second annular portion for sealingly engaging a second portion of the abutment seat. At least one flow window interrupts an annular continuity of the second annular portion and allows a partialized flow of liquid through the adduction conduit when the first annular portion is spaced apart from the abutment seat.

The invention relates, inter alia, to a method for setting a cleaning operation of an apparatus for filling containers with a filling material. The apparatus has several filling stations, each having a filling material path, a filling material path valve arranged in the corresponding filling material path, and a flow meter arranged to measure a flow rate through the corresponding filling material path. A cleaning medium is passed through at least some of the filling material paths by releasing at least some of the filling material paths by opening the corresponding filling material path valves. Cleaning medium flow rates through the released filling material paths are measured by the corresponding flow meters. At least one valve actuation parameter of the cleaning operation of the apparatus is set depending on the measured cleaning medium flow rates.