DE102020133044A1 - Filling element, device and method for filling a container with a filling product - Google Patents

Abstract

Filling element, device (1) and method for filling containers with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant, the device (1) having: a filling carousel (10) which can be rotated relative to a stationary plant part (12) and which has a plurality of filling elements ( 141, 142) arranged on the periphery of the filling carousel (10) and adapted to introduce the filling product into a respective container, the filling members (141, 142) forming at least two groups; a product supply (30) which is set up to supply the filling elements (141, 142) with the filling product; a CIP device (40) which is set up to provide and circulate a CIP medium for a CIP treatment, so that product-carrying surfaces of the filler carousel (10), including those of the filling elements (141, 142), with come into contact with the CIP medium; and a controller (50) that is set up to control the filler carousel (10), the product supply (30) and the CIP device (40) in such a way that the filling elements (141) of a first group introduce the filling product into corresponding containers, while the filling members (142) of a second group, different from the filling members (141) of the first group, are subjected to the CIP treatment.

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a filling element, a device and a method for filling a container with a filling product, in particular in a beverage bottling plant.

State of the art

When filling liquid foods, it is necessary for hygienic and health reasons to regularly clean and, if necessary, sterilize the product-carrying components of the filling device. This applies not only, but particularly to the filling of aseptic filling products. In the field of aseptic filling, it is currently common, among other things, to sterilize the filling product using flash pasteurization before the filling process. All filling elements of the filler fill the same product. At the end of production, depending on the filling product, there is a rinsing process or cleaning, for example, which can take between 10 and 40 minutes. The filling product is then advanced and production can continue.

Various methods are known for cleaning and sterilizing such devices. For example, the so-called CIP process (“Cleaning-In-Place”) and SIP process (“Sterilization-In-Place”) have become established, in which the filling elements and other product-carrying components do not have to be removed for cleaning or sterilization , but flushed and/or steamed with a cleaning medium or sterilization medium when installed.

For example, describes the DE 10 2010 031 873 A1 a device and a method for filling containers with a cleaning device.

For the cleaning and/or sterilization of the filling device, it is advisable to use production breaks, for example during a product change. In the case of small batches in particular, which are becoming more and more likely in times of rising "stock keeping units" (SKU) and to avoid food waste, there are limits to increasing the efficiency of the system with such a technology. Because in order to ensure thorough and reliable cleaning and/or sterilization of the system, the process times cannot be shortened without further ado.

Presentation of the invention

One object of the invention is to improve the flexibility and/or efficiency of a device and a method for filling a container with a filling product, in particular in a beverage bottling plant.

The object is achieved by a filling element with the features of claim 1, a device with the features of claim 4, and a method with the features of the independent method claim. Advantageous developments follow from the dependent claims, the following description of the invention and the description of preferred exemplary embodiments.

The filling element, the device and the method according to the invention serve to fill containers with a filling product. They are particularly preferably used in a beverage bottling plant, for example for bottling water (carbonated or still), beer, wine, juice, soft drinks, mixed drinks, smoothies, dairy products and the like.

The filling element comprises a product outlet which is set up for introducing the filling product into the container, a product line which is in fluid communication with the product outlet and is set up to feed the filling product to the product outlet. The filling element also has a cooling device which is arranged in the area of the product line and set up to cool the filling product in the product line.

Active cooling of the filling product directly in the filling element allows the filling element to be used in difficult production environments, since any heat input from the outside into the filling product in the filling element is prevented. Such heat input could otherwise affect product quality, particularly in the case of perishable fill products such as dairy products. In particular, the temperature surrounding the filling element can be tempered by the integrated cooling, for example as a result of cleaning and/or sterilization of adjacent filling elements, without there being any loss of quality during production. The filling element can therefore be used particularly flexibly, in particular in devices which, as described below, are optimized for high efficiency.

The filling element preferably has a product connection for connection to a media line outside of the filling element, the product connection being in fluid communication with the product line and the cooling device being arranged between the product connection and the product outlet is. The product transport path within the filling element, i.e. the section between the product connection for connecting to a media line and the product outlet, is protected in this way from external thermal influences, which means that the filling product can be brought to the desired, quality-assuring temperature immediately before it is introduced into the container .

The filling element preferably has a CIP cap, which is set up to close the product outlet for CIP operation and to release it for regular operation, i.e. for introducing the filling product into the container.

In addition to regular operation, the filling element and the device described below allow so-called CIP treatment. The CIP process (“Cleaning-In-Place”) and SIP process (“Sterilization-In-Place”) carry out a cleaning and/or sterilizing treatment of the filling element or the device without dismantling the filling product or any Intermediate products and auxiliary materials touched components and surfaces is required. In particular, the filling element does not have to be removed for flushing, cleaning and/or sterilization, but is flushed or steamed with a CIP medium, i.e. a cleaning medium or sterilization medium, during a CIP treatment in the installed state.

For the sake of linguistic simplicity, the SIP method is subsumed here under the CIP method, i.e. the CIP method includes rinsing and/or cleaning and/or sterilization.

For example, water and/or lye, such as caustic soda, and/or acid, such as nitric acid and/or peracetic acid, and/or another disinfectant can be considered as the CIP medium. Alcohols, such as ethanol, can also be used alone or in combination as a CIP medium. Furthermore, superheated steam can be used on its own or as a carrier medium for sterilization.

The object mentioned above is also achieved by a device for filling containers with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant. The device has: a filling carousel which can be rotated relative to a stationary part of the plant and which comprises a plurality of filling elements which are arranged on the periphery of the filling carousel and are set up to introduce the filling product into a corresponding container, the filling elements forming at least two groups; a product supply that is set up to supply the filling elements with the filling product; a CIP device that is set up to provide and circulate a CIP medium for a CIP treatment, so that product-carrying surfaces of the filler carousel, including those of the filling elements, come into contact with the CIP medium; and a controller that is set up to control the filler carousel, the product supply and the CIP device in such a way that the filling elements of a first group introduce the filling product into corresponding containers, while the filling elements of a second group separate from the filling elements of the first group differ, to be subjected to the CIP treatment.

In other words, the regular operation, in which the filling product is introduced into corresponding containers via filling elements, and the CIP operation, in which the device is rinsed and/or cleaned and/or sterilized, no longer have to take place sequentially one after the other , but can be carried out with a time overlap or even completely in parallel, thanks to the grouping of the filling elements of the filler carousel and the independent control of the filling elements in groups.

Such operation of the device, in which one or more filling elements are in regular operation while other filling elements are prepared for production at the same time, for example rinsed, cleaned and/or sterilized as part of CIP operation, is referred to herein as “combined operation”. .

Combined operation means that production, i.e. filling as part of regular operation, does not have to be interrupted for rinsing, cleaning and/or sterilization. In this way, the efficiency of the system can be increased, particularly in the case of comparatively small batches and/or frequent product changes. The system is suitable for large and small batches, for continuous operation and frequent product changes and can therefore be adapted particularly flexibly to changing production conditions.

The product provision and the CIP device are preferably part of the stationary plant part in order to keep the provision of the filling product and the CIP medium simple in terms of mechanical engineering. The product preparation includes, for example, a mixer for mixing the filling product to be filled, with a base material and/or syrup usually being mixed into a product water stream. In this case, the device has a rotary distributor that is set up to transport the filling product and the CIP medium to the corresponding filling elements. The rotary distributor comprises a stationary part which is connected to the stationary plant part, and a rotating part connected to and rotating with the filler carousel.

Preferably, the rotary manifold is a multi-lane rotary manifold having at least a first manifold lane and a second manifold lane, the first manifold lane being in fluid communication with the filler members of the first group and the second manifold lane being in fluid communication with the filler members of the second group. The supply of the filling elements with the appropriate media according to their group affiliation can be implemented in a mechanically simple and reliable manner by a multi-lane rotary distributor.

The filling elements of the first group and the filling elements of the second group preferably alternate, viewed in the circumferential direction of the filler carousel. In this way, the filling process can be carried out at regular intervals between the filling elements, which simplifies the control of the inflow of containers to the filler carousel and the structure of the filler carousel.

Within the framework of a more general grouping, for example a subdivision of the filling elements into four groups as described below, adjacent filling elements preferably belong to different groups as viewed in the circumferential direction of the filler carousel.

Preferably, the rotary distributor is a four-lane rotary distributor with a first distributor lane, a second distributor lane, a third distributor lane and a fourth distributor lane, the first distributor lane being in fluid communication with the filling elements of the first group, the second distributor lane being in fluid communication with the filling elements of the second group , the third manifold lane is in fluid communication with the filler members of a third group, and the fourth manifold lane is in fluid communication with the filler members of a fourth group. According to this exemplary embodiment, the entirety of the filling elements is subdivided into four groups, which further increases the flexibility of the device. In this way, for example, several different filling products can be filled at the same time on the system, even in combined operation.

In addition, multi-color fillers that already have a corresponding rotary distributor and are set up for filling several filling products can be easily and inexpensively upgraded for combined operation in terms of mechanical engineering.

One, several or all filling elements of the filler carousel are preferably filling elements with integrated cooling according to one of the embodiment variants described above. The features, technical effects, advantages and exemplary embodiments that have been described in relation to the cooled filling element apply analogously to the device equipped with such filling elements.

The device preferably has a device for short-term heating, in particular as part of the product supply, which is set up to sterilize the filling product by heating before it is filled. In this way, aseptic filling can be carried out with the device. The technical contributions made by the combined operation are particularly evident in the case of complex systems such as aseptic systems, since their economic efficiency was previously closely linked to the filling of large batches. The solution presented here allows particularly flexible filling, right up to just-in-time production.

The object mentioned above is also achieved by a method for filling containers with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant. The method comprises: rotating a filler carousel which is rotatable relative to a stationary part of the plant and comprises a plurality of filling elements which are arranged on the periphery of the filler carousel and are set up to introduce the filling product into a corresponding container, the filling elements forming at least two groups; Providing the filling product and a CIP medium for a CIP treatment; Feeding the filling product to the filling elements of a first group so that they introduce the filling product into corresponding containers; and circulating the CIP medium so that product-carrying surfaces of the filler carousel, comprising those of the filling elements of a second group, which differ from the filling elements of the first group, come into contact with the CIP medium or are acted upon.

The features, technical effects, advantages and exemplary embodiments that have been described in relation to the device apply analogously to the method.

The filling product is introduced into the corresponding container by the filling elements of the first group and the CIP treatment of the filling elements of the second group preferably at least overlaps in time, in particular essentially simultaneously, which minimizes production interruptions and optimizes the efficiency of the system.

For the reasons mentioned above, the filling product is preferably sterilized by heating before it is introduced into the appropriate containers. Alternatively or additionally, the filling product before being introduced into the appropriate container, esp special directly in the corresponding filling elements.

In addition to the increase in efficiency, the combined operation allows a minimization of the changeover time of the system for a product change due to a parallel execution of the production and CIP treatment. After the end of the CIP treatment of the filling elements of the second group, the same or a different filling product is preferably fed to the filling elements of the second group, so that they introduce the filling product into corresponding containers. After the product change, the filling elements of the first group are preferably subjected to a CIP treatment, which can also be carried out parallel to production.

It should be noted that the designations "first group", "first distribution lane", "second group", "second distribution lane", etc. do not imply any order, order or prioritization. The use of the numerical designations only serves to differentiate between the various groups of filling elements, media lines, distributor tracks and the like.

Further advantages and features of the present invention can be seen from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments. The features described therein can be implemented on their own or in combination with one or more of the features set out above, insofar as the features do not contradict one another. The following description of preferred exemplary embodiments is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

character list

• 1 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung durch ein Füllerkarussell einer Vorrichtung zum Befüllen eines Behälters mit einem Füllprodukt;
• 2 eine schematische Draufsicht auf das Füllerkarussell gemäß dem Ausführungsbeispiel der 1; und
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung eines Füllorgans mit Kühleinrichtung.

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

• 1 a schematic sectional view through a filler carousel of a device for filling a container with a filling product;
• 2 a schematic plan view of the filler carousel according to the embodiment of FIG 1 ; and
• 3 a schematic representation of a filling element with cooling device.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Elements that are the same, similar or have the same effect are provided with identical reference symbols in the figures, and a repeated description of these elements is sometimes dispensed with in order to avoid redundancy.

the 1 and 2 show a device 1 for filling a container, not shown in the figures, with a filling product. The device 1 is preferably a filler in a beverage bottling plant, for example for bottling water (carbonated or still), beer, wine, juice, soft drinks, mixed drinks, smoothies, dairy products and the like.

The device 1 has a filler carousel 10 which can be rotated about an axis of rotation R in relation to a stationary system part 12 . By using such a filler carousel 10, it is possible to supply the filler with a constant stream of containers to be filled, to fill them with a filling product and then to transfer them to a subsequent treatment step or a subsequent transport device.

The device 1 has a large number of filling elements 14 which are arranged on the circumference of the filler carousel 10 and set up in order to fill the containers with the filling product in a continuous process.

During the filling process, the container mouth is at a small distance below a product outlet 14b (cf. 3 ) of a corresponding filling element 14 is arranged or is in pressure-tight contact with it, as a result of which the filling process can in principle be carried out as a free-jet process, counter-pressure process or vacuum process. For this purpose, the container to be filled is held during filling on or under the filling element 14 via a container holder, not shown in the figures, which has, for example, a retaining clip for holding the container to be filled in the neck area, for example below a neck ring. This is also referred to as so-called “neck handling” of the container to be filled. "Neck handling" is used in particular when filling plastic containers in the form of PET bottles. Alternatively, the container can also be held or supported in its bottom area, for example by a guide plate on which the container stands. This is also referred to as “base handling” of the container to be filled. The "base handling" is used in particular in the case of filling glass bottles. Alternatively, the container to be filled can also be held and/or supported and transported in the area of the container or bottle belly or in another suitable way.

A rotary distributor 2 is provided for transferring media--for example for transferring the filling product to be filled into the containers--from the stationary system part 12 to the filler carousel 10, which rotates relative to the stationary system part 12 during regular operation. The rotary distributor 2 comprises a stationary part 22, which is connected to the stationary plant part 12, and a rotating part 20, which is connected to the filler carousel 10 and rotates with it.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the rotary distributor 2 has a sleeve that rotates together with the filler carousel 10 during regular operation and is connected via a stationary distributor shaft that is connected to the stationary system part 12 .

In the peripheral sleeve of the rotary distributor 2, which forms the rotating part 20 of the rotary distributor 2, a plurality of distributor tracks 200 are provided, which are each connected to a media tubing 210. The media piping 210 is used to transport the medium removed from the respective distributor track 200 within the filler carousel 10 to the respective desired location. For example, the media piping 210 can be used to transfer the filling product, control media, gas, cleaning agent and/or sterilization agent from the respective distributor track 200 to the filling elements 14 .

The respective media are fed into the distributor tracks 200, for example, via corresponding axial bores and/or radial bores in the distributor shaft. The axial bores and/or radial bores open accordingly into the distributor tracks 200.

The distributor tracks 200 are sealed off from the environment and also from each other by means of seals, so that the media in the distributor tracks 200 can be routed clean of the media, and the respective media can be transferred from the distributor shaft 22 to the distributor track 200 in the sleeve and then into the media piping 210 is reached.

It should be noted that the rotary distributor 2 can also be constructed in the reverse order, i.e. with a stationary sleeve and a rotating distributor shaft. The rotary distributor 2 can be installed in the upper area of the filler carousel 10, as in the present exemplary embodiment, or also in the lower area. The respective design and connection of the rotary distributor 2 depends on the design of the entire system.

Furthermore, a rotary distributor 2 can optionally be dispensed with if the filler carousel 10 has corresponding rotating reservoirs, such as one or more central tanks and/or ring tanks for buffering the filling products, cleaning media and the like.

The device 1 also has a product supply 30 which is set up to provide one or more filling products to the rotary distributor 2 or the filling elements 14 . The product supply 30 comprises, for example, a mixer for mixing the product to be filled, with a base substance and/or syrup usually being mixed into a product water flow.

In addition to regular operation, the device 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment allows CIP treatment. The CIP process (“Cleaning-In-Place”) and SIP process (“Sterilization-In-Place”) are used to clean or sterilize the product supply 30 and the filler carousel 10, with dismantling of the filling product or any intermediate products and Components and surfaces that come into contact with auxiliary materials can essentially be dispensed with. For example, the filling elements 14 do not have to be removed for cleaning or sterilization, but are flushed or steamed with a cleaning medium or sterilization medium when installed.

For the sake of linguistic simplicity, the SIP process is subsumed here under the CIP process, i.e. the CIP process includes rinsing and/or cleaning and/or sterilization.

To carry out a CIP method, the device 1 has a CIP device 40 that provides a CIP medium and can circulate it to carry out the treatment, so that the surfaces to be cleaned or sterilized come into contact with the CIP medium . The CIP medium preferably comprises water and/or lye, such as caustic soda, and/or acid, such as nitric acid and/or peracetic acid, and/or another disinfectant. Alcohols, such as ethanol, can also be used alone or in combination as a CIP medium. Furthermore, superheated steam can be used on its own or as a carrier medium for sterilization.

The CIP device 40 has one or more CIP lines 41 which introduce the CIP medium into the line system of the device 1 . Furthermore, one or more pumps for circulating the CIP medium can be provided, or Pum pen of the device 1 can be used synergistically for this purpose.

The filling elements 14 are preferably equipped with CIP caps 14a, cf. 3 , which are set up on the container side and, if necessary, for closing the product outlets 14b of the filling elements 14. For example, the CIP caps 14a can be moved in a rotary or linear manner under the respective product outlets 14b and removed again after the CIP treatment has ended. The CIP caps 14a can preferably be controlled individually, but at least in groups.

The device 1 also has a controller 50 which is provided for process control of the device 1 . For this purpose, the controller 50 is in communication with the corresponding components (filling elements 14, pumps, sensors such as flow meters, valves, CIP device 40, product supply 30, etc.) in order to carry out the processes that can be carried out with the device 1, including regular operation and the CIP treatment, to control or regulate.

The controller 50 can be implemented centrally or decentrally, as part of internet-based and/or cloud-based applications, or in some other way, and can also access databases if necessary. The controller 50 can communicate with the corresponding components in a wireless or wired manner.

The product provision 30, CIP device 40 and controller 50 are in the 1 schematic, in plan view of 2 not shown for the sake of clarity.

Media piping 210 includes at least a first group of media lines 211, which supplies a first group of filling elements 141, and a second group of media lines 212, which supplies a second group of filling elements 142. In the present embodiment, four groups are provided for further flexibility of the device 1, i.e. the filling elements 14 are divided into a first, second, third and fourth group of filling elements 141, 142, 143, 144 and the media lines 210 are divided accordingly into four associated groups of media lines 211, 212, 213, 214.

The filling elements 141, 142, 143, 144 grouped in this way can be arranged in any permutation in the circumferential direction of the filler carousel 10, regular alternation being preferred. In the case of two groups, the filling elements 141 of the first group and the filling elements 142 of the second group thus preferably alternate. As part of a more general grouping, adjacent filling elements 14 preferably belong to different groups, viewed in the circumferential direction. The number of filling elements 141, 142, 143, 144 in the different groups does not necessarily have to be the same, although this is preferred for reasons of control and mechanical engineering simplicity.

The number of distributor tracks 200 of the media distributor 2 is at least as large as the number of filling element groups. In the present exemplary embodiment, the media distributor 2 thus includes at least four distributor tracks 201, 202, 203, 204, which supply the corresponding groups of media lines 211, 212, 213, 214.

The various groups can be operated independently of one another, so that, for example, only every second or every fourth filling element introduces filling product into a corresponding container during regular operation. For this purpose, fluidic components such as check valves etc. are provided, not identified in the figures, in order to be able to switch individual groups of filling elements on and off for production. The control or regulation is carried out by the controller 50 .

The controller 50 is particularly preferably set up to carry out a CIP treatment of a group of filling elements 141, 142, 143, 144 and associated media lines 211, 212, 213, 214, while another group carries out a product filling. In other words, the regular operation, in which the filling product is introduced into the corresponding container via the filling elements 14, and the CIP operation, in which the device 1 is rinsed and/or cleaned and/or sterilized, now do not have to be sequential carried out, but can be carried out at the same time, thanks to the grouping of the filling elements in several independently controllable groups.

Operation of the device 1 in which one or more filling elements 14 are in regular operation while other filling elements 14 are being prepared for production at the same time, for example being rinsed, cleaned and/or sterilized as part of a CIP operation, is also referred to herein as " combined operation”.

The filling elements 141, 142 particularly preferably form exactly two groups, ie the rotary distributor 2 comprises at least two tracks 201, 202, the controller 50 controlling the device 1 in such a way that only every second filling element 141 is used for filling. This filling elements 141 of the first group are in regular operation, while the others Filling elements 142 are not in regular operation and can thus be prepared for a product change, for example. The filling elements 142 of the second group can, for example, be rinsed clear, cleaned and/or disinfected, while the filling elements 141 of the first group introduce filling product into corresponding containers as part of regular operation.

In combined operation, there can be an undesired introduction of heat from filling elements 14, which are in CIP operation, into filling elements 14, which are in regular operation, particularly if these are arranged adjacent to one another, viewed in the circumferential direction. Such heat input can affect product quality, particularly in the case of perishable fill products such as dairy products. For this reason, the filling elements 14 are preferably each equipped with a cooling device 14c for actively cooling the filling product, cf. 3 . Since the filling elements 14 and also the pivotable or retractable CIP caps 14a can be controlled individually or in groups, the filler can be prepared for the next production while production is running without this having a qualitatively disadvantageous effect on production.

The cooling device 14c or its heat exchanger is arranged in the region of a product line 14d of the filling element 14, which puts a product connection 14e and the product outlet 14b in fluid communication. The product connection 14e of the filling element 14 is used to connect the product line 14d to a corresponding media line 211, 212, 213, 214.

The filling element 14 also usually has a filling valve, not shown in the figures, for manipulating the flow of filling product into the container, which can be designed as a control valve, check valve or proportional valve. The filling valve is located in the product line 14d, preferably in the area of the product outlet 14b.

The product supply 30 preferably includes a device 31 for short-time heating of the filling product, so that the filling product can be sterilized before filling. In this way, the device 1 can be used to carry out aseptic filling. The product provision 30 preferably comprises at least two buffer tanks, as a result of which a batch of a filling product can be buffered while the device 31 for short-term heating is being cleaned and/or sterilized. Alternatively, two or more devices 31 for flash pasteurization can be installed in the product supply 30 .

The combined operation described above means that production, i.e. filling as part of regular operation, does not have to be interrupted for rinsing, cleaning and/or sterilization. In this way, the efficiency of the system can be increased, particularly in the case of comparatively small batches and/or frequent product changes. This technical contribution is particularly evident in the case of complex systems such as aseptic systems, since their economic efficiency was previously closely linked to the filling of large batches. The solution presented here allows particularly flexible filling, right up to just-in-time production.

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

Reference List

1

Device for filling a container with a filling product

10

filler carousel

12

Stationary plant part

14

filling element

14a

CIP cap

14b

product phase-out

14c

cooling device

14d

product line

14e

product connection

141

Filling organ of the first group

142

Filling organ of the second group

143

Filling organ of the third group

144

Filling organ of the fourth group

2

rotary distributor

20

rotating part

22

stationary part

200

distributor track

201

First distribution track

202

Second distribution track

203

Third distribution lane

204

Fourth distribution track

210

media piping

211

Media management of the first group

212

Media management of the second group

213

Media management of the third group

214

Media management of the fourth group

30

product delivery

31

Device for short-term heating

40

CIP facility

41

CIP line

50

steering

R

axis of rotation

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102010031873 A1 [0004]

Claims (15)

Filling element (14) for filling a container with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant, the filling element (14) having: a product outlet (14b) configured to introduce the fill product into the container, a product line (14d) in fluid communication with the product outlet (14b) and configured to direct the fill product to the product outlet (14b), and a cooling device (14c) which is arranged in the area of the product line (14d) and set up to cool the filling product in the product line (14d). Filling element (14) after claim 1 , characterized in that the filling element (14) has a product connection (14e) for connection to a media line (211, 212, 213, 214) outside the filling element (14), the product connection (14e) being connected to the product line (14d) in Fluid communication is and the cooling device (14c) between the product connection (14e) and the product outlet (14b) is arranged. Filling element (14) after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the filling element (14) has a CIP cap (14a) which is set up to close the product outlet (14a) for a CIP operation and to release it for a regular operation. Device (1) for filling containers with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant, the device (1) having: a filler carousel (10) which can be rotated relative to a stationary plant part (12) and comprises a plurality of filling elements (141, 142) which are arranged on the circumference of the filler carousel (10) and set up to introduce the filling product into a corresponding container in each case, the filling members (141, 142) forming at least two groups; a product supply (30) which is set up to supply the filling elements (141, 142) with the filling product; a CIP device (40) which is set up to provide and circulate a CIP medium for a CIP treatment, so that product-carrying surfaces of the filler carousel (10), including those of the filling elements (141, 142), with come into contact with the CIP medium; and a controller (50) that is set up to control the filler carousel (10), the product supply (30) and the CIP device (40) in such a way that the filling elements (141) of a first group introduce the filling product into corresponding containers while the filling elements (142) of a second group, different from the filling elements (141) of the first group, are subjected to the CIP treatment. Device (1) after claim 4 , characterized in that the product supply (30) and the CIP device (40) belong to the stationary plant part and the device (1) also has a rotary distributor (20) which is set up to supply the filling product and the CIP medium to the corresponding filling elements (14) to conduct. Device (1) after claim 5 , characterized in that the rotary distributor (20) is a multi-track rotary distributor (20) with at least a first distributor track (201) and a second distributor track (202), the first distributor track (201) having the filling elements (141) of the first group is in fluid communication and the second manifold track (202) is in fluid communication with the filling members (142) of the second group. Device (1) after claim 6 , characterized in that the filling elements (141) of the first group and the filling elements (142) of the second group alternate as seen in the circumferential direction of the filler carousel (10). Device (1) after claim 6 , characterized in that the rotary distributor (20) is a four-lane rotary distributor (20), with a first distributor lane (201), a second distributor lane (202), a third distributor lane (203) and a fourth distributor lane (204), the first Manifold lane (201) is in fluid communication with the filling members (141) of the first group, the second manifold lane (202) is in fluid communication with the filling members (142) of the second group, the third manifold lane (203) is in fluid communication with the filling members (143) of a third group is in fluid communication and the fourth manifold track (204) is in fluid communication with the filler members (144) of a fourth group. Device (1) according to one of Claims 4 until 8th , characterized in that adjacent filling members (141, 142, 143, 144) seen in the circumferential direction of the filler carousel (10) belong to different groups. Device (1) according to one of Claims 4 until 9 , characterized in that one, several or all filling elements (141, 142, 143, 144) of the filler carousel (10) filling elements (14) according to one of Claims 1 until 3 are. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that it further comprises a device (31) for short-time heating (31), preferably as part of the product supply (30), which is set up to the filling pro to sterilize the product by heating before filling. Method for filling containers with a filling product, preferably in a beverage bottling plant, the method having: Rotating a filler carousel (10) which can be rotated relative to a stationary plant part (12) and which comprises a plurality of filling elements (141, 142) which are arranged on the circumference of the filler carousel (10) and set up in order to introduce the filling product into a corresponding container in each case , wherein the filling elements (141, 142) form at least two groups; Providing the filling product and a CIP medium for a CIP treatment; Feeding the filling product to the filling elements (141) of a first group, so that they introduce the filling product into corresponding containers; and circulating the CIP medium so that product-carrying surfaces of the filler carousel (10), comprising those of the filling elements (142) of a second group, which differ from the filling elements (141) of the first group, come into contact with the CIP medium . procedure after claim 12 , characterized in that the introduction of the filling product into the corresponding container through the filling elements (141) of the first group and the CIP treatment of the filling elements (142) of the second group at least overlap in time, preferably take place simultaneously. procedure after claim 12 or 13 , characterized in that the filling product is sterilized by heating before being introduced into the corresponding containers and/or the filling product is cooled before being introduced into the corresponding containers, preferably in the filling elements (141) of the first group. Procedure according to one of Claims 12 until 14 further comprising: upon completion of the CIP treatment of the filling members (142) of the second group, supplying a filling product to the filling members (142) of the second group so that they each introduce the filling product into a respective container; and preferably circulating the CIP medium so that product-conveying surfaces of the filler carousel (10), including those of the filling members (142) of the first group, come into contact with the CIP medium.

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