A filling unit (1) comprises: a plate (12) for resting a container to be filled; a housing (2) facing the plate (12) to receive container's mouth; a dispenser (3) which opens onto the housing (2) to dispense liquid substance towards the container. The plate (12) is movable towards or, vice versa, away from the dispenser (3). The housing (2) comprises a bottom wall (24), fitted with a first annular gasket (21), and an annular body (6), movable relative to the bottom wall (24) and fitted with a second annular gasket (22). With a container (90) of a first type positioned on the plate (12), the plate (12) is moved towards the dispenser (3) to bring container's mouth (91) into contact with the first annular gasket (21). With a container (95) of a second type positioned on the plate (12), the annular body (6) is moved towards the plate (12) to bring the second annular gasket (22) into contact with container's mouth (96).

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises a dispenser (3), which in use faces towards a mouth of the container to be filled so as to dispense the liquid substance (99) through a dispensing opening (30) towards an internal volume of the container, and a valve (4) which is controllable for allowing and preventing the liquid substance (99) to be dispensed from the dispenser (3). The filling unit (1) further comprises a level sensor (51) for detecting a filled level of the liquid substance (99) in the container, a volume meter (52) for measuring a volume of the liquid substance (99) fed to the dispenser (3), and a control system for controlling the valve (4). The control system is configured to control the valve (4) based on the filled level detected by the level sensor (51), when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (90) of the first type, and is configured to control the valve (4) based on the fed volume that is measured by the volume meter, when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (95) of the second type.

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises: a resting plate (12) for a container to be filled; a housing (2) which faces towards the plate (12) and is configured to receive a mouth of the container; a dispenser (3) which opens onto the housing (2) and faces the plate (12), so as to dispense the liquid substance (99) towards the container; a valve (4) which is controllable for allowing and preventing the liquid substance (99) to be dispensed from the dispenser (3). The plate (12) is movable towards or, vice versa, away from the dispenser (3), The housing (2) comprises a bottom wall (24), on which the dispenser (3) opens, and a lateral wall (25), formed at least partly by an annular body (6) that is movable relative to the bottom wall (24), moving towards or, vice versa, away from the plate (12), The housing (2) is fitted with a first annular gasket (21) and a second annular gasket (22): the first annular gasket (21) is smaller in size than the second annular gasket (22) and is positioned on the bottom wall (24); the second annular gasket (22) is mounted on the annular body (6). After a container (90) of the first type has been positioned on the plate (12), the plate (12) is moved towards the dispenser (3) to bring the mouth (91) of the container (90) into contact with the first annular gasket (21). After a container (95) of the second type has been positioned on the plate (12), the annular body (6) of the housing (2) is moved towards the plate (12) to bring the second annular gasket (22) into contact with the mouth (96) of the container (95).

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises a dispenser (3), which in use faces towards a mouth of the container to be filled so as to dispense the liquid substance (99) through a dispensing opening (30) towards an internal volume of the container, and a valve (4) which is controllable for allowing and preventing the liquid substance (99) to be dispensed from the dispenser (3). The filling unit (1) further comprises a level sensor (51) for detecting a filled level of the liquid substance (99) in the container, a volume meter (52) for measuring a volume of the liquid substance (99) fed to the dispenser (3), and a control system for controlling the valve (4). The control system is configured to control the valve (4) based on the filled level detected by the level sensor (51), when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (90) of the first type, and is configured to control the valve (4) based on the fed volume that is measured by the volume meter, when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (95) of the second type.

A device for filling a fill product into a container to be filled in a beverage bottling plant. The device includes a fill product reservoir for storing the fill product, a fill product channel, and a filling member in fluid communication with the fill product reservoir via the fill product channel. The filling member is configured to introduce the fill product into the container to be filled and the filling member communicates via media channels to provide media flows for two or more functions: flushing the container with a flushing gas, pre-pressurizing the container before it is filled, returning gas displaced during the filling of the container, relieving a gas overpressure in the container, and circulating a hot fill product through the filling member for controlling a temperature. A single media channel of the media channels is configured to provide the media flows for at least two of the functions.

An apparatus for filling containers with a filling product, for example in a beverage bottling plant, includes a plurality of filling members, which respectively have a filling product line for feeding the filling products into an appropriate container; and at least one distribution line, to which the filling product lines of the plurality of filling members are linked.

A filling machine includes filling elements, each having a seal that seals a container's mouth, a filling valve, a gas valve, a liquid channel that, when the filling valve is opened, is in fluid communication with the container's interior, and a gas channel that, when the gas valve is open, is in fluid communication with the container's interior. The filling machine introduces an inert gas into the container's interior via the gas channel to create a preload pressure in the container such that the inert gas in the container dissolves in the liquid when the liquid is later introduced into the container. The filling machine is further configured to introduce a volume of liquid into the container's interior through the liquid channel at a filling pressure that exceeds the preload pressure.

A method and apparatus of filing beverage combines pressurized beverage delivery (rather than gravity feed) with variable pressure control of the beverage flow into the can. By modulating beverage flow and especially beverage pressure, it is possible to fill a can's widget (gas reservoir) with gas with a shorter set of fill steps. In addition, the speed of beverage filling can be dramatically increased compared to small scale systems normally used. Unlike known large scale pressure systems, the beverage bowl may be located beneath the rest of the apparatus and modulated pressure may be used, making for a smaller and more portable unit.

An apparatus for filling containers with a filling product, for example in a beverage bottling plant, includes a plurality of filling members, which respectively have a filling product line for feeding the filling products into an appropriate container; and at least one distribution line, to which the filling product lines of the plurality of filling members are linked.

A device for filling a fill product into a container to be filled in a beverage bottling plant. The device includes a fill product reservoir for storing the fill product, a fill product channel, and a filling member in fluid communication with the fill product reservoir via the fill product channel. The filling member is configured to introduce the fill product into the container to be filled and the filling member communicates via media channels to provide media flows for two or more functions: flushing the container with a flushing gas, pre-pressurizing the container before it is filled, returning gas displaced during the filling of the container, relieving a gas overpressure in the container, and circulating a hot fill product through the filling member for controlling a temperature. A single media channel of the media channels is configured to provide the media flows for at least two of the functions.