DE102019102737A1 - Device and method for filling a plastic container with a filling product - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (100) for filling a plastic container (1) to be filled with a filling product (110), comprising a filling valve (3) for introducing the filling product (110) into the plastic container (1) to be filled and a holding device ( 2) for holding the plastic container (1) in its neck area (10) during the filling process, a supporting device (4) being provided for supporting the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) during the filling process.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a device and a method for filling a plastic container with a filling product, for example for filling a PET bottle with a carbonated beverage in a beverage filling system.

State of the art

It is known to produce plastic containers to be filled during beverage filling and then to fill them with the filling product. Plastic containers, for example in the form of PET bottles, are made from so-called preforms (also known as “preforms”) in a blow molding process or a stretch blow molding process. For this purpose, the preforms are first heated to a temperature which enables the material to be plastically deformed, and then shaped into the desired shape in a blowing device or stretch blow molding device.

The blowing device or stretch blowing device typically comprises a blow mold which specifies the outer contours of the plastic container to be molded. By means of the blowing process or the stretch blow molding process, the preform, which has been heated to the specified process temperature, is then shaped by introducing process gas, for example process air under pressure, and, in the stretch blow molding process, additionally by inserting a stretching die into the shape specified by the blow mold.

After the heated preform has been formed into the plastic container, the blow mold is usually opened and the plastic container is removed from the blow mold.

In the case of beverage filling systems and in particular in the area of high-performance beverage filling systems, the fully blown and removed plastic container is then filled with the filling product - for example with a carbonated filling product such as a soft drink.

When filling, the plastic container is usually subjected to an internal pressure. Even the filling of the filling product exerts an internal pressure on the walls of the plastic container due to its weight. When the plastic container is filled with a carbonized filling product, the plastic container is usually pretensioned with a clamping gas under pressure and then filled into the pressurized, pre-stressed plastic container.

Before filling the freshly formed plastic container and in particular before applying an internal pressure to the freshly formed plastic container, however, it should be noted that the plastic container must first cool below a predetermined temperature in order to avoid undesired plastic deformation of the plastic container due to an internal pressure. In other words, before the freshly formed plastic container is pressurized when the plastic container is being filled, it must first achieve stability which enables the internal pressure to be applied in the first place. Deformation could still occur above the specified temperature.

It should also be noted that the bottom of a blow molded or stretch blow molded plastic container produced in this way, for example in the form of a PET bottle, is typically many times thicker than the container walls arranged to the side, due to the process. Accordingly, the relatively thin container walls cool significantly faster than the relatively thick bottom.

This can lead to a situation in which the side container walls have already cooled down to a temperature which would enable the plastic container to be filled with the filling product, but the bottom does not yet.

It is therefore known from the prior art to actively cool the bottom of plastic containers after blow molding or after stretch blow molding by air rinsing or spraying with water and / or the transport path between the blowing device in which the plastic container is removed from the blow mold, and of the actual filling device, in which the plastic container produced in the blowing process or in the blow mold is to be filled, as long as possible in order to ensure that not only the container walls, but also the bottom of the plastic container to be filled, are sufficient prior to filling have cooled down.

The cooling processes mentioned accordingly require the provision of additional system components for applying the respective cooling media to the plastic container to be cooled and / or additional components for extending the transport route. This also results in an increase in the system footprint and an increase in the throughput time of the individual plastic containers through the system in order to achieve the necessary cooling times.

Presentation of the invention

Starting from the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a further improved device and a further improved method for filling a plastic container with a filling product.

This object is achieved by a device for filling a plastic container with a filling product with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments result from the subclaims, the figures and the present description.

Accordingly, a device for filling a plastic container to be filled with a filling product is proposed, comprising a filling valve for introducing the filling product into the plastic container to be filled and a holding device for holding the plastic container to be filled in its neck area during the filling process. According to the invention, a support device is provided for supporting the bottom of the plastic container during the filling process.

By providing the support device for supporting the bottom of the plastic container during the filling process, it can be achieved that even when there is a temperature of the bottom of the plastic container that would still allow plastic deformation, pressure is applied to the plastic container to be filled and, in particular, rinsing of the plastic container with a purge gas and / or a pretensioning of the plastic container with a clamping gas and / or a filling of the plastic container with the filling product can be carried out without causing an unwanted deformation of the base. An unwanted deformation of the bottom of the plastic container to be filled is prevented or at least reduced, since the bottom is supported on the support device while it could still be plastically deformed.

In other words, the support device is placed against the bottom of the plastic container in order to prevent the bottom of the plastic container from being accidentally deformed due to the pressure applied to the plastic container when a filling process is carried out.

This means that the filling process for a plastic container to be filled and, in particular, the application of an internal pressure to the plastic container to be filled can already be carried out in a phase in which the material of the plastic container to be filled has not yet completely cooled, and thus in principle there is a risk of plastic deformation subject to internal pressure. Particularly in the area of the bottom of the plastic container to be filled, which usually comprises a thicker material thickness, the process of cooling the material below a temperature that prevents plastic deformation takes a relatively long time. Such a still warm and therefore still soft base of the plastic container to be filled can also be pressurized by the supporting device without the base of the plastic container to be filled being deformed undesirably.

The filling process can at least rinse the plastic container to be filled with a purge gas, pretension the plastic container to be filled with a prestressing gas, fill the plastic container to be filled with the filling product, preferably into a plastic container pretensioned with the prestressing gas, and relieve a prestressed and include plastic container filled with the filling product. When filling an oxygen-sensitive, carbonized filling product, all mentioned steps of the filling process can be carried out, for example, wherein the purge gas and the span gas can be CO ₂ or N _2, for example. When filling an oxygen-insensitive, silent (non-carbonized) filling product, on the other hand, only the step of filling the plastic container to be filled with the filling product - for example in the free jet filling process - can be carried out, but the steps of rinsing, pretensioning and relieving cannot.

A filling of a plastic container to be filled is understood to mean that the filling product is filled into the plastic container to be filled. This is usually achieved in that the filling product is introduced into the plastic container to be filled by means of a filling valve, the filling valve being used to control or regulate both the beginning of the introduction and the end of the introduction. A filling end is usually reached when a predetermined filling volume has been introduced into the plastic container or a predetermined filling height has been reached in the plastic container or a predetermined filling weight of the filling product has been reached in the plastic container.

The purging of the container interior with a purge gas before the actual filling and before the plastic container is possibly pre-stressed serves to provide a defined atmosphere in the container interior. In this case, it can be a goal, for example, to reduce the oxygen content within the container interior in such a way that the filling product is not influenced by oxygen present in the container interior. With in other words, improved shelf life and quality of certain filling products can be achieved if they are packaged in an atmosphere with reduced oxygen content. CO ₂ or N ₂ can be used as the purge gas.

Pretensioning the plastic container with a clamping gas before actually filling it with a filling product serves to prevent the CO ₂ during filling and / or, in particular, when filling the plastic container with a carbonized filling product, i.e. a filling product provided with CO ₂ releases after filling and there is a corresponding foaming of the filling product during the filling process and / or afterwards. The introduction of a carbonized filling product into a plastic container biased with CO ₂ is known in principle. Alternatively, N ₂ can also be used as the span gas.

The support device is located opposite the respective filling valve or the outlet of the filling valve or a centering bell of the filling valve and is arranged in such a way that a plastic container arranged below the filling valve or a plastic container sealingly pressed with its mouth on the filling valve by a simple lifting movement of the supporting device in the region of its Soil can be supported or underpinned.

By providing the support device, it is correspondingly not necessary to provide additional cooling devices or cooling components within a container filling system. The cooling of the base takes place accordingly in the filling process, for example by means of a flushing gas or a biasing gas or during the filling with the filling product, in such a way that additional cooling by applying media to the plastic container and in particular to the base is not necessary. This means that there is no need to apply cooling water or other cooling media to the plastic container, so that the floor is stabilized “dry”.

Furthermore, it is also not necessary to provide an extended cooling section or to provide devices for additional cooling. Accordingly, there is accordingly no further cooling medium consumption, so that the device as a whole can be made more compact and can have lower media consumption and thus lower operating costs.

Since the process of cooling the floor in the filling process, for example when pretensioning or rinsing the plastic container to be filled and by filling itself, takes place in the case of larger-volume plastic containers, which typically also have a larger base, the cooling effect is greater and has an effect over a longer period of time a, since the filling process itself, during which the support device supports the bottom of the plastic container, takes longer. This can ensure that even with larger-sized container bottoms, a sufficient length of support of the bottom region is achieved by the support device in such a way that the material of the bottom is cooled to such an extent that, after the support device has been removed, there is no longer any fear of reshaping due to the internal container pressure.

Due to the absence of an additional cooling medium and in particular the absence of spraying water onto the outside of the still warm plastic container to cool it, there is accordingly no impairment of the other components of a filling system by the media and cleaning of media paths in combination with the risk of Carryover of media and any germs or other contaminants that may arise in this connection can also be reduced or dispensed with due to the absence of the application of the cooling medium.

The supporting device is preferably a lifting device for lifting the supporting device to the bottom of the plastic container to be filled before the filling process and for lowering the supporting device after filling the filled plastic container, the lifting device preferably being a mechanical lifting curve and / or an electrical actuator and / or one comprises hydraulic and / or pneumatic working cylinders.

A support of the bottom of the plastic container to be filled can then be achieved when the purging and / or pretensioning and / or filling of the plastic container is pending and accordingly there is a risk that the plastic container and in particular that will usually remain on one for a longer period of time higher temperature of the bottom of the plastic container is deformed by the filling process, in particular the application of an internal pressure.

The lifting device is preferably designed and set up to apply the supporting device to the bottom of the plastic container to be filled with a predetermined contact pressure.

The contact pressure can particularly preferably be proportional to the degree of filling of the plastic container and / or be proportional to the internal pressure in the plastic container. In other words, by providing a support force that increases with the degree of filling and / or the internal pressure of the plastic container, it is achieved that compression of the material of the plastic container is avoided, but a slight preload is nevertheless exerted against the weight of the plastic container.

In an alternative embodiment, the lifting device is designed and set up to place the support device at a predetermined distance from the holding device on the bottom of the plastic container to be filled. In other words, a container height can be specified in this way, which is then also maintained by the support device during the filling process, since the still deformable plastic container is forced into the geometry specified by the geometric relationships between the filling valve, holding devices and support device.

The support device preferably has a support plate which is designed and set up for contacting the bottom of the plastic container and preferably has a support contour which corresponds to a base contour in the base of the plastic container which is complementary to the support contour. In this way, the still warm and deformable bottom of the plastic container can be reliably supported by the support device.

A desired bottom shape can be achieved by the supporting contour, so that by applying the supporting device in combination with the preparation of the filling process or the carrying out of the filling process and a corresponding expansion of the plastic container supported by the supporting device, the bottom is at least partially deformed.

The support device is preferably only provided in system areas in which the actual filling process and its preparation is carried out by rinsing and prestressing the plastic container. This encloses in particular the area of the filler carousel, since an internal pressure is only applied to the still warm plastic container in the area of the filler carousel.

The holding device preferably has a holding clip for holding the plastic container in its neck region, preferably for holding the plastic container below a neck ring of the neck region.

The holding device can be, for example, a neck clip or neck clip, by means of which the plastic container is held under the filling valve and is held and transported, for example, on a carousel of a rotary filler.

Such a retaining clip is usually used for the transport of both a preform and the formed, blown or stretch-blown plastic container within a container treatment system. Different transfer mechanisms are known, by means of which a plastic container held in a neck clamp can be transferred, for example, from a transport star to a treatment carousel, such as a filler carousel, a capper carousel or a labeler.

The holding device, for example in the form of a neck clip, can be provided in such a way that it essentially does not perform any lifting movement with respect to the filling valve and accordingly guides the plastic container to be filled before and during the preparation and filling process on a uniform level.

The supporting device can be arranged coaxially with a filling product outlet of the filling valve, so that centering or alignment of the plastic container to be filled is supported by the supporting device.

The filling valve can be designed in such a way that it has a centering bell or a filling product outlet in such a way that the filling valve can be raised and lowered relative to a plastic container or a container mouth held in the holding device, in order in this way to apply a pressure and in particular a sealing pressure Mouth of the plastic container to be filled can be reached at the filling valve. This relative movement between the filling valve and the holding devices is independent of the lifting movement of the support device. In other words, the support device in principle does not achieve any contact pressure of the plastic container or the container mouth with the filling valve.

In this way, it can be ensured that a deformation of the plastic container to be filled, which is still in a temperature range in the filling process, at least at the beginning of the application of an internal pressure to the plastic container, which causes a fear of deformation of the container material, no additional forces on the deformable material upset. Rather, the support device merely takes place the plastic container and in particular the base are supported in such a way that a deformation of the plastic container is counteracted.

After the actual filling of a plastic container pretensioned with a prestressing gas, this is usually relieved to ambient pressure. At this point the floor has already cooled down enough that there is no fear of further deformation of the floor. Accordingly, the support device can also be removed from the floor at the time of relieving the internal pressure.

The above object is further achieved by a method for filling a plastic container to be filled with a filling product with the features of claim 8. Advantageous further developments of the method result from the subclaims and the present description and the figures.

Accordingly, a method for filling a plastic container to be filled with a filling product is proposed, comprising holding the plastic container to be filled in its neck region, supporting the bottom of the plastic container to be filled and then filling the held and supported plastic container to be filled with the filling product.

The proposed method and in particular the holding of the plastic container while at the same time supporting the bottom of the plastic container to be filled during filling means that the plastic container can be filled even when the bottom is still warm and still deformable, so that the throughput time of a plastic container can be shortened.

Before the plastic container to be filled is filled with the filling product, the plastic container to be filled is preferably pre-stressed with a biasing gas and the base of the plastic container to be filled is supported before the pre-stressing. This enables the filling process to be started as early as possible.

Before the plastic container to be filled is filled with the filling product, the plastic container to be filled is preferably flushed with a purge gas, preferably before the plastic container to be filled is preloaded with a biasing gas.

Before the plastic container to be filled is filled with the filling product, the plastic container to be filled is preferably flushed with a purge gas, preferably before the plastic container to be filled is pretensioned with a biasing gas.

Preferably, during and / or after the plastic container to be filled is filled with the filling product, the bottom of the plastic container is stopped and the plastic container is only held in its neck area.

Before holding the plastic container to be filled, it is preferably removed from a blowing device or stretch blow device and only then is the at least partially still plastically deformable plastic container held in its neck region. The filling can thus be carried out at an early point in time at which the plastic container is still at least partially deformable.

The plastic container is preferably cooled to a temperature by filling with the filling product and / or by purging with a purge gas and / or by prestressing with a prestressing gas, which prevents plastic deformation of the plastic container.

The further advantages described above for the device are achieved analogously by means of the method.

Figure list

• 1 eine schematische perspektivische Seitenansicht eines streckgeblasenen, aus einem Vorformling umgeformten Kunststoffbehälters aus Kunststoff in einer Ausgangslage, in welcher der Kunststoffbehälter an einer Haltevorrichtung gehalten von einer Streckblasvorrichtung einem Füller zugeführt wird;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung eines Kunststoffbehälters in einer Vorrichtung zum Befüllen eines Kunststoffbehälters, wobei die Vorrichtung ein Füllventil, eine Haltevorrichtung sowie eine Abstützvorrichtung aufweist und wobei die Vorrichtung in einer Phase des Befüllvorgangs gezeigt ist, in welcher der zumindest teilweise noch plastisch verformbare, warme Kunststoffbehälter und das Füllventil aufeinander zugeführt werden und die Abstützvorrichtung dem Boden des Kunststoffbehälters zugeführt wird;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung aus 2 in einer Phase des Befüllvorgangs, in der das Füllventil an einen Mündungsbereich des Kunststoffbehälters abdichtend angepresst ist, eine Abstützvorrichtung den Boden des Kunststoffbehälters abstützt und ein Vorspannen des Kunststoffbehälters mit einem Vorspanngas vorgenommen wird;
• 4 die Vorrichtung aus der 3 in einer Phase des Befüllvorgangs, in der ein Einfüllen eines Füllprodukts in den an das Füllventil angepressten und mit dem Vorspanngas vorgespannten Kunststoffbehälter stattfindet und der Kunststoffbehälter dadurch abgekühlt wird; und
• 5 eine schematische Darstellung des Entfernens des Kunststoffbehälters nach dem Abschluss des eigentlichen Füllvorganges, wobei sowohl das Füllventil von der Mündung des Kunststoffbehälters abgehoben ist, als auch die Abstützvorrichtung entfernt wurde und der befüllte Kunststoffbehälter nur noch von der Haltevorrichtung gehalten ist.

Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Show:

• 1 a schematic perspective side view of a stretch-blown plastic container formed from a preform made of plastic in a starting position, in which the plastic container is held on a holding device and fed by a stretch blowing device to a filler;
• 2nd a schematic representation of a plastic container in a device for filling a plastic container, the device having a filling valve, a holding device and a support device and wherein the device is shown in a phase of the filling process in which the at least partially plastically deformable, warm plastic container and the Filling valve are fed to each other and the support device is fed to the bottom of the plastic container;
• 3rd a schematic representation of the device 2nd In a phase of the filling process, in which the filling valve is pressed against a mouth region of the plastic container, a support device supports and supports the bottom of the plastic container Prestressing the plastic container is carried out with a biasing gas;
• 4th the device from the 3rd in a phase of the filling process in which a filling product is filled into the plastic container which is pressed against the filling valve and pre-stressed with the biasing gas, and the plastic container is thereby cooled; and
• 5 is a schematic representation of the removal of the plastic container after completion of the actual filling process, both the filling valve is lifted from the mouth of the plastic container, and the support device has been removed and the filled plastic container is only held by the holding device.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Identical, similar or equivalent elements in the different figures are provided with identical reference numerals, and a repeated description of these elements is partially omitted in order to avoid redundancies.

1 shows a plastic container 1 , as it is taken from a blowing device or a stretch blowing device, for example, after the shaping of a preform heated beforehand.

The plastic container 1 has a neck area 10th with a mouth 12th on, sidewalls 14 and a floor 16 . In the ground 16 are ground contours 18th introduced which one the floor 16 can have a reinforcing function and / or a function which improves the stability and / or an injection area and / or an ornamental character.

The plastic container 1 is usually in its neck area during transport and during the actual treatment of the plastic container and in particular during the filling process 10th by means of a holding device 2nd held. The holding device 2nd can be designed, for example, in the form of a retaining clip known per se, which for example passively opens and closes and the plastic container 1 in his neck area 10th sums up.

The holding device 2nd serves, for example, the plastic container 1 to be transported from a blowing device or stretch blowing device not shown here to a filling device or a closing device or a labeling device. The provision and use of a holding device in the form of a holding clip, which is also referred to as a neck clip, for holding and transporting plastic containers 1 is known in principle.

The holding device 2nd can the plastic container 1 preferably below one in the neck area 10th provided neck ring 11 to grab.

2nd schematically shows a device 100 for filling a plastic container 1 with a filling product. The device 100 has a filling valve 3rd on, which is only indicated schematically in the figure. The filling valve 3rd has a filling product opening 30th on, from which the filling product can exit in a controlled or regulated manner, and then through the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 to be able to enter inside.

The plastic container 1 is over the holding device during the filling process 2nd in his neck area 10th held.

A support device 4th is provided which is a support plate 40 has a support contour 42 has, which at least partially with the ground contours 18th of the floor 16 of the plastic container 1 corresponds.

The support device 4th is by means of a lifting device 5 raised or lowered such that the support plate 40 the support device 4th with the floor 16 of the plastic container 1 can get in touch. To do this, the lifting device 5 raising or lowering the support device 4th or the support plate 40 in the stroke direction X make.

The lifting device 5 can be provided, for example, in the form of a mechanical stroke curve and / or an electrical actuator and / or a hydraulic and / or pneumatic working cylinder.

Accordingly, the plastic container 1 in the in 2nd shown state of the device 100 for filling the plastic container 1 supplied with the filling product so that the plastic container 1 on holding device 2nd kept in the device 100 is present. The plastic container 1 is at least partially so warm that plastic deformation can take place. This is particularly the case with the floor 16 of the plastic container 1 the case since the bottom 16 is usually thicker than the side walls.

The device 100 can be provided, for example, in the form of a rotary filler, usually around the circumference of the Rotary carousels around a plurality of filling valves 3rd with the respective holding devices 2nd are provided. Each filling valve is also in the form proposed here 3rd associated and arranged opposite this 4th around the circumference of the rotary carousel.

Each of the supports 4th is preferably coaxial with the filling product opening 30th of the respectively assigned filling valve 3rd arranged.

In other words, each support device lies 4th with their assigned filling product opening 30th on a common axis 500 , which is also in the stroke direction X extends. This can be done by means of the support device 4th also centering or aligning the plastic container 1 or its mouth 12th with the filling product opening 30th can be achieved.

The originating from the blowing device or stretch blowing device and the device 100 supplied plastic container 1 can thereby from a transport star from the blowing device or stretch blowing device to the holding device 2nd the device 100 be handed over.

The holding devices 2nd the device 100 for filling the plastic container can be provided, for example, in the form of neck clips arranged around the circumference of a rotary carousel.

The holding devices 2nd can do so in the device 100 be held at a constant height such that a plastic container 1 during the handover, during the preparation of the filling, during the filling process and when leading out of the device 100 is always carried out essentially at the same level.

In an alternative embodiment, a plastic container 1 while passing the device 100 through the holding device 2nd can also be held at different heights and, for example, for pressing the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 to the filling valve 3rd be raised and after the completion of the filling with respect to the filling valve 3rd be lowered again.

In 3rd is the device 100 shown in a state in which the fill valve 3rd opposite the holding device 2nd is lowered so far that the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 to the filling product opening 30th of the filling valve 3rd is pressed. In this way, a sealed pressing of the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 to the filling valve 3rd can be achieved.

The one to press the mouth 12th to the filling valve 3rd necessary pressing force is between the holding device 2nd and the filling valve 3rd upset. It is irrelevant whether the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 to the filling valve 3rd is raised, or the fill valve 3rd on the estuary 12th of the plastic container 1 is lowered or whether both are moved against each other. So it can either be the plastic container 1 through the holding device 2nd be raised or the fill valve 3rd can be lowered or a corresponding counter movement can also be carried out. However, the force for pressing is only ever between the filling valve 3rd and the holding device 2nd upset.

Usually the plastic container 1 in his neck area 10th and especially at its mouth 12th relatively rigid, for example by the formation of the material thicknesses used there and / or by the targeted formation of crystalline areas in the neck area 10th and / or at the mouth 12th . This training of the neck area 10th of the plastic container 1 may be present in the preform prior to being formed by blow molding or stretch blow molding. Correspondingly takes place through the between the holding device 2nd and the filling valve 3rd applied contact pressure no significant deformation of the plastic container 1 instead of.

In the in 3rd shown condition is still the support device 4th through the lifting device 5 has been lifted upwards so that the support plate 40 underneath the ground 16 of the plastic container 1 comes to rest and preferably with its support contours 42 in complementary areas of the soil 16 of the plastic container 1 intervenes and thus the floor 16 and its bottom contour 18th supports downwards.

Support system installation 4th to the floor 16 and especially the ground support 16 through the support plate 40 is either manufactured using the support device 4th through the lifting device 5 with a given contact pressure to the ground 16 of the plastic container 1 is created.

In an alternative, a predetermined position for the support plate can also be used 40 by means of the lifting device 4th be approached so that a predetermined distance between the holding device 2nd and the support plate 40 is set. This predetermined distance corresponds to the predetermined height of the container body.

In the in 3rd shown embodiment in which the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 and thus the container interior in a sealed connection to the filling product opening 30th of the filling valve 3rd stands, a flushing gas can first be flushed through the interior of the container in order in this way to provide a largely defined atmosphere within the interior of the container. For example, the interior of the container can be flushed using CO ₂ or N ₂ or an inert gas in order to provide a low-oxygen atmosphere in the interior of the container, which can be particularly gentle on the filling product.

After rinsing the interior of the plastic container 1 with the purge gas, a biasing pressure can be applied to the interior of the container by means of a biasing gas such that the interior of the container is under an overpressure relative to the surroundings. It can thus be achieved that a tension gas is applied to the interior of the container and, on the one hand, a predetermined atmosphere, for example a low-oxygen atmosphere, is set within the interior of the container and, on the other hand, an overpressure of CO ₂ or N _{2 is} achieved. The overpressure of the biasing gas is preferably at least as high as the saturation pressure of a gas bound in the filling product to be introduced, for example CO ₂ . It can thus be avoided that the gas bound in the filling product, in the case of a carbonized filling product corresponding to CO ₂ , releases during filling and therefore leads to increased foaming of the filling product filled in the plastic container during filling.

Due to the overpressure of the prestressing gas introduced into the container interior, an outward force also acts 160 on the ground 16 because the environment of the plastic container 1 is under a lower pressure and is in particular at ambient pressure.

That of the internal pressure inside the plastic container 1 on the ground 16 exerted force 160 is by means of the support device 4th caught and supported.

In other words, in the plastic container 1 built-up internal pressure or prestressing pressure of the floor 16 of the plastic container 1 on the support plate 40 pressed on.

The floor 16 can vary accordingly by the applied force 160 not deform arbitrarily, but the deformation is caused by the support device 4th set a limit.

The support contour 42 on the support plate 40 can serve in the ground 16 of the plastic container 1 ground contours introduced during forming 18th also when loading the plastic container 1 to maintain with the preload pressure. But it can also be done by the force exerted 160 additional contours or markings in the floor 16 be molded.

In other words, by applying the force 160 through the internal pressure on the still warm floor 16 of the plastic container 1 reached that bottom 16 on the support plate 40 is pressed in such a way that it supports the soil 16 and possibly also a partial reshaping of the floor 16 of the plastic container 1 is achieved.

After preloading the interior of the plastic container 1 with the bias gas in the 4th shown state is the plastic container with the filling product 110 filled. The fill product flows 110 such from the filling valve 3rd in the plastic container 1 one that the fill product 110 in the pressurized plastic container that is prestressed with the prestressing gas 1 flows in. Again, due to the pressure conditions inside the plastic container 1 the floor 16 with an outward force 160 acts, which is on the support device 4th and in particular the support plate 40 or the support contour 42 supports.

By filling the filling product into the plastic container 1 can cool the material of the plastic container 1 can be achieved.

The power 160 can be used when preloading and filling the plastic container 1 stay essentially the same when in the plastic container 1 The intended overpressure remains essentially the same in both phases.

In 5 is a condition of the plastic container 1 can be seen after the filling process, the level of the filling product 110 here up to the neck area 10th has risen.

In the meantime, the inside pressure was already inside the plastic container 1 relieved and the filling valve 3rd or its filling product opening 30th from the mouth 12th of the plastic container 1 lifted. The interior of the plastic container is corresponding 1 now relieved to ambient pressure.

The support device becomes simultaneous or subsequent to the relief of the container interior to ambient pressure 4th move back down so that the plastic container 1 now completely from the holding device 2nd is held.

As far as applicable, all individual features that are shown in the exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another and / or exchanged without leaving the scope of the invention.

Reference list

1

Plastic container

10th

Neck area

11

Neck ring

12th

muzzle

14

side walls

16

ground

18th

Bottom contour

100

Device for filling a plastic container with a filling product

110

Filling product

160

outward force

2nd

Holding device

3rd

Filling valve

30th

Filling product opening

4th

Support device

40

Support plate

42

Support contour

5

Lifting device

500

axis

X

Stroke direction

Claims (14)

Device (100) for filling a plastic container (1) to be filled with a filling product (110), comprising a filling valve (3) for introducing the filling product (110) into the plastic container (1) to be filled and a holding device (2) for holding the Plastic container (1) in its neck area (10) during the filling process, characterized in that a support device (4) is provided for supporting the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) during the filling process. Device (100) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the support device (4) with a lifting device (5) for lifting the support device (4) to the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) to be filled before the filling process and for lowering the support device (4) after filling of the filled plastic container (1), the lifting device (5) preferably comprising a mechanical lifting curve and / or an electrical actuator and / or a hydraulic and / or pneumatic working cylinder. Device (100) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the lifting device (5) is designed and set up to apply the supporting device (4) to the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) to be filled with a predetermined contact pressure. Device (100) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the lifting device (5) is designed and set up to place the supporting device (4) at a predetermined distance from the holding device (2) on the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) to be filled. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support device (4) has a support plate (40) which is designed and set up for contacting the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) and preferably a support contour (42 ), which corresponds to a base contour (18) complementary to the support contour (42) in the base (16) of the plastic container (1). Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding device (2) has a holding clip for holding the plastic container (1) in its neck region (10), preferably for holding the plastic container (1) below a neck ring (11) of the Neck area (10). Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support device (4) is arranged coaxially to a filling product outlet (30) of the filling valve (3). Method for filling a plastic container (1) to be filled with a filling product (110), comprising holding the plastic container (1) to be filled in its neck region (10), supporting the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) to be filled and then that Filling the held and supported plastic container (1) to be filled with the filling product. Procedure according to Claim 8 , characterized in that before the plastic container (1) to be filled is filled with the filling product (110) the plastic container (1) to be filled is prestressed with a prestressing gas and the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) to be filled is supported before the prestressing. Procedure according to Claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that before the plastic container (1) to be filled is filled with the filling product (110), the plastic container (1) to be filled is flushed with a purge gas, preferably before the plastic container (1) to be filled is preloaded with a biasing gas. Method according to one of the Claims 8 to 10th , characterized in that before the plastic container (1) to be filled is filled with the filling product (110), the plastic container (1) to be filled is flushed with a purge gas, preferably before the plastic container (1) to be filled is preloaded with a biasing gas. Method according to one of the Claims 8 to 11 , characterized in that during and / or after filling the plastic container (1) to be filled with the filling product (110) the support of the bottom (16) of the plastic container (1) is ended and the plastic container (1) only in its neck area (10) is held. Method according to one of the Claims 8 to 12th , characterized in that before holding the plastic container (1) to be filled, it is removed from a blowing device or stretch blow molding device and only then is the at least partially still plastically deformable plastic container (1) held in its neck region (10). Method according to one of the Claims 8 to 13 , characterized in that the plastic container (1) is cooled by filling with the filling product (110) to a temperature which prevents plastic deformation of the plastic container (1).

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