US Patent 11608257 Method for filling containers with a liquid filling material

A filling method includes sealing a container against a filling element of a filling system, after the container has been sealed against the filling element and before beginning a filling phase, connecting the container to an annular vacuum duct, while the container is connected to the vacuum duct, carrying out an evacuation-and-flushing step in which the container is evacuated and flushed with flushing gas that comprises steam from an annular steam duct that carries pressurized steam, connecting the container to an annular pre-tensioning duct, pre-loading the container with inert gas from the pre-tensioning duct, filling the container with the liquid, and relieving pressure into the vacuum duct.