Filling device with level sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filling device comprising at least one filling valve (1) for filling a container (3) with a valve cone (5) and a valve seat (7), wherein the valve cone (5) is axially traversed by a gas channel (51) and a radar level measuring device (100) arranged on the filling valve (1), wherein the at least one component (9) of the radar level measuring device (100) is formed integrally with the valve cone (5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a filling device with an at least partially integrated level sensor.

[0002] Various types of filling devices are used in the filling of fluids in the food industry. A distinction is made between the basic product types: non-carbonated (still) and carbonated (CSD) liquids. In the case of non-carbonated products, such as still water, juice, etc., the liquid is typically filled into the container in a free stream. In contrast, when filling carbonated products, such as beer, sparkling water, soft drinks, etc., the liquid is usually guided along the inner wall of the container to minimize outgassing and foaming.

[0003] The flow of fluid, and thus the filling of a container, is controlled by a filling valve. Typical filling valves have a sealing cone and a valve seat, whereby fluid flow is enabled by lifting the sealing cone from the valve seat and can be prevented by pressing the sealing cone against the valve seat.

[0004] When filling carbonated products in particular, the container to be filled can be sealed against the filling valve. To further reduce outgassing and foaming, the container can be pressurized using the so-called counter-pressure method, ensuring that the CO2 remains bound in the liquid phase. For this purpose, the container is pressed gas-tight against the filling valve and pre-pressurized with a pressurizing gas, such as CO2, before filling begins. Filling commences after pre-pressurization.

[0005] The valve cone can be combined with a swirl element that sets the incoming liquid into rotation. The liquid then flows, rotating, through the annular gap between the valve cone and the valve seat into the pressed-in container. The centrifugal forces of the rotation drive the liquid outwards, and it then flows along the inner wall of the container, which is why this type of filling is also known as "wall filling." Simultaneously, the gas in the container can escape through a bore in the valve cone and an associated vent valve. Once filling is complete, the excess pressure of the pressurizing gas is released, and the container is disconnected from the filling valve.

[0006] The filling process is typically monitored using various sensors. For example, the volume of liquid being filled can be monitored using a flow meter in the product inlet. In the prior art, a conductive level sensor immersed in the container opening detects the level within the container.

[0007] In free-jet filling, the volume of the filled product can be determined by weighing the container. This is not possible in wall filling because the container is pressed against the filling valve.

[0008] Ultrasonic barriers are typically used to determine whether a container is present under the filling device. For cost reasons, these barriers are not installed on the rotating carousel, but are stationary at the inlet and, if necessary, at some additional locations.

[0009] A filling valve according to the state of the art is shown in DE 10 2020 131 817 A1, which also addresses the disadvantages of monitoring the filling process with the aforementioned sensor technology.

[0010] Using state-of-the-art sensors, the volume of the supplied medium can be monitored by measuring the flow rate. However, the actual fill level in the container is not solely determined by the volume of the product. Particularly with products bottled in glass, the actual fill level can vary due to manufacturing variations, which is often unacceptable to customers. Therefore, it is desirable to precisely determine the fill level within the container, in addition to measuring the minimum volume.

[0011] This is not possible with either the conductive level sensor described above, which can only determine a level well before the end of the filling process, or with a simple flow measurement. Furthermore, contact measurement methods are considered a disadvantage, particularly in the food industry, as they can transfer contaminants or aromas between different containers and thus negatively affect the quality of the filled product.

[0012] Other sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors for level measurement, cannot be used reliably under changing pressure conditions, as real-time pressure compensation is not reliably possible.

[0013] In current technology, monitoring a filling process therefore either involves the use of a large number of sensors, which leads to high costs and high maintenance requirements, or a compromise is sought in which only the most necessary steps are monitored, which in turn comes at the expense of reliability and quality.

[0014] DE 10 2020 131 817 A1 therefore proposes to arrange a sensor in a gas channel penetrating the valve cone in an axial direction, which essentially serves to supply and remove a tensioning gas, to monitor the filling process.

[0015] According to the idea described in the aforementioned patent application, a sensor head of a sensor for level measurement is to be arranged in the gas channel and configured in such a way that not only one but preferably several measured variables can be monitored during the treatment of the container.

[0016] A design with an ultrasonic sensor is preferably described, however the sensor device should also be able to use a different measuring principle or measuring method, such as an optical measurement or a measuring method based on radar waves or microwaves.

[0017] A filling valve in accordance with the state of the art is in Fig. 6 shown.

[0018] Fig. Figure 6 shows a filling valve 1 which is essentially designed as a cone seat valve and is arranged between a liquid inlet 41 and a liquid outlet 42.

[0019] The filling valve 1 accordingly has a valve seat 7 and a valve cone 5 that interacts with the valve seat 7. The filling valve 1 opens and closes through translational movement of the valve cone 5 relative to the valve seat 7 along a valve axis A, from a closed position, in which the valve cone 5 rests on the valve seat 7, to an open position, in which the valve cone 5 lifts off the valve seat 7 and thereby releases an annular gap 8 between the valve seat 7 and the valve cone 5 for the liquid inside.

[0020] By controlled lifting of the valve cone 5 from the valve seat 7, a cross-sectional area released through the annular gap 8 can be controlled, thus achieving control of the volume flow.

[0021] For filling carbonated liquids, the filling valve 1 further has a swirl chamber 15 on the inlet side, which is designed such that the liquid is set into a swirl during introduction into the container 3 and is thus introduced into the container 3 along a wall of the container by the centrifugal forces acting upon it. A gas channel 51 penetrates the valve cone 5 in the direction of the valve axis A.

[0022] During filling, a container opening is normally located directly below the liquid outlet 42, allowing the swirling liquid to flow along the wall of the container 3 and into it. The container opening can also be pressed tightly against the filling valve, enabling the container 3 to be pressurized before and during filling to assist the process.

[0023] According to the state of the art, a sensor head of an ultrasonic sensor is arranged in the gas channel, by means of which a fill level in the container 3 is to be detected.

[0024] As already described above, ultrasonic sensors are only of limited use for level measurement under the environmental conditions prevailing during the filling of containers, especially bottles. Due to constant pressure changes during filling with a pressurizing gas, ultrasonic sensors cannot be used in back-pressure filling processes. Furthermore, even in free-jet filling, significant interference with the ultrasonic measurement is to be expected due to the noise generated by the incoming product and the noise produced during the feeding and discharge of the containers.

[0025] The aforementioned publication does not provide a concrete solution for the other measurement methods either, but merely expresses the wish that they should be arranged in the gas duct.

[0026] This is where the present invention comes in.

[0027] According to the present disclosure, the filling device comprises at least one filling valve for filling a container. The filling valve is formed from at least one valve cone and a valve seat, wherein the valve cone is axially traversed by a gas channel. A radar level measuring device is arranged on the filling valve, wherein the valve cone has structures for guiding and emitting electromagnetic radiation.

[0028] The structures for guiding and emitting electromagnetic radiation are designed such that the electromagnetic radiation coupled in by the radar level measurement device is guided through the structures in the axial direction of the gas channel. Furthermore, structures for the directed emission of the electromagnetic radiation can be arranged within the gas channel. In this way, improved focusing of the electromagnetic radiation can be achieved. For example, a radar lens can be arranged at the end of or within the gas channel. A radar lens improves the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation.

[0029] In one embodiment, at least one component of the radar level gauge can be formed integrally with the valve cone.

[0030] Integrating the radar level measurement system is therefore particularly simple and technically straightforward. Furthermore, integrating the radar level measurement system with the filling valve allows for a particularly compact design.

[0031] In an advantageous further development, the at least one component comprises at least one radar beam guiding element, in particular at least one radar lens.

[0032] The integration of radar beam-guiding elements ensures particularly good integration and alignment of the radar level sensor relative to the filling valve. This also allows for optimized sealing of the filling valve against the environment and the radar level sensor. A radar lens, in particular, can be integrated very effectively into the filling valve as a radar beam-guiding element, since it can be manufactured in a single piece, for example, using an injection molding process together with other parts of the filling valve, such as the valve cone. Manufacturing can also be carried out using a two-component injection molding process, in which a lens made of a first material is injection-molded with another part of the filling valve made of a second material. In this way, the radar-related properties of one material can be combined with, for example, the mechanical properties of a second material, thus creating an optimized component.

[0033] Adapting the component to existing filling systems and valves is particularly easy if it is integrated into the gas channel or designed as the gas channel's end cap. The gas channel of valves known from the prior art is oriented and arranged so that the sensor can be aligned with the surface of the filling medium during both wall filling and free-jet filling.

[0034] The gas channel itself can be used as part of the radar level gauge and, for example, at least partially configured as the antenna horn of a horn antenna. For such integration, it is sufficient to design the shape of the gas channel (partially) as a conically widening antenna horn. The gas inlet and outlet can be integrated into a rear section of the antenna horn, thus preserving the functionality of the gas channel.

[0035] An internal metallization of the gas channel enables optimal use as a horn antenna, while the valve cone can still be made of a plastic material.

[0036] Additionally or alternatively, the gas channel can be closed off at least at one end with a lens. This means that a radar lens can be arranged on or in the front or rear of the gas channel, essentially forming the lens surface of a cross-sectional area of ​​the gas channel at that point. "Closed off" in this context means that the lens forms the end of the gas channel. In particular, openings for use as gas channels are provided and preferably designed and arranged in such a way that the lens function is not impaired or only minimally affected.

[0037] In one embodiment, the gas duct can have an absorber on its inside, in particular a radar-absorbing material. Such a design can be useful, for example, if the gas duct is simply irradiated. A radar-absorbing material can reduce reflections of the emitted radar radiation from the gas duct. This can, for example, reduce reflections caused by side lobes from the radar transmitter or if the main lobe of the transmitting antenna hits the gas duct, thus improving the detection of the fill level in the main direction of radiation.

[0038] In an advantageous embodiment, at least the parts of the filling device that come into contact with the medium, in particular the valve cone and / or the valve seat, are made of a fluorine-free plastic. Possible alternatives are polypropylene (PP), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethylene (PE), and polyetherimide (PEI), which can be used as fluorine-free plastics.

[0039] In a further development, the valve cone incorporates thermal decoupling and / or heat dissipation means, at least on the rear side of the gas channel. This protects the often temperature-sensitive radar electronics from excessively high process temperatures. Process temperatures here refer not only to the temperatures during filling containers, but also, and especially, to temperatures during cleaning processes, such as CIP (Clean In Place) or SIP (Sterilization In Place), where temperatures of 130°C to 150°C act on the components being cleaned for a period of 30 to 120 minutes.

[0040] Particularly in the food and pharmaceutical industries, it is essential that all components in contact with the medium can be cleaned and / or sterilized. Through thermal decoupling and / or heat dissipation, radar electronics can be protected from high process temperatures, thus enabling, for example, the aforementioned cleaning and sterilization processes.

[0041] Additionally or alternatively, means for thermal decoupling and / or heat dissipation can be at least partially integrated into the valve cone. Integration into the valve cone allows for even earlier thermal decoupling and / or dissipation of high process temperatures.

[0042] Materials with high thermal conductivity can be used to dissipate thermal energy. Structures made of metallic materials with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, are tried and tested and frequently used. These thermal energy dissipation structures can be combined with structures with an increased surface area (heat sinks), through which the thermal energy can be effectively transferred to the environment. Heat pipes represent another option, also enabling the removal of thermal energy.

[0043] Thermal decoupling of the radar electronics can be achieved, for example, by using a dielectric waveguide. If a dielectric material with low thermal conductivity is used to create the dielectric waveguide, the propagation of the process temperature can be effectively reduced, so that the electronics are not damaged even at high process temperatures.

[0044] Furthermore, at least one gas supply and / or gas outlet can be integrated into the component. Particularly in configurations where the radar level gauge is arranged on or in the gas channel and partially integrated into it, it can be advantageous to integrate the gas supply and / or gas outlet into the component for supplying or removing a pressurizing gas and / or venting gas displaced by the filling medium.

[0045] For example, a horn antenna can be designed with side openings on the back for the supply and removal of gas.

[0046] A lens can also be designed in combination with a gas supply, such that the supply of clamping gas simultaneously causes the lens to be rinsed.

[0047] The filling valve is arranged between a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet and, according to the examples of the present application, is designed as a cone seat valve. Accordingly, it has a valve seat and a valve cone that interacts with the valve seat. The filling valve opens and closes through translational movement of the valve cone relative to the valve seat along a valve axis, from a closed position, in which the valve cone rests on the valve seat, to an open position, in which the valve cone lifts off the valve seat, thereby creating an annular gap between the valve seat and the valve cone for the liquid.

[0048] By controlled lifting of the valve cone from the valve seat, the cross-sectional area released through the annular gap can be regulated, thus achieving control of the volume flow.

[0049] For filling carbonated liquids, the filling valve also features a swirl chamber on the inlet side, designed to impart a swirl to the liquid as it enters the container. A gas channel penetrates the valve cone in the direction of its movement.

[0050] During filling, the container opening is normally located directly below the outlet. For this purpose, the container opening can be positioned against a section of the valve body. Alternatively, the filling device can also be used as a free-jet valve.

[0051] Advantageous embodiments and variants of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the following description. The features listed individually in the dependent claims can be combined with each other and with the features explained in more detail in the following description in any technically sensible manner, thus representing other advantageous embodiments of the invention. The description further characterizes and specifies the invention, particularly in conjunction with the figures.

[0052] The present invention is explained in detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. 1 a first embodiment of a filling valve according to the present application with a radar lens integrated into the valve cone, Fig. 2 a further development of the exemplary embodiment from Fig. 1 with a second integrated radar lens, Fig. 3 a second embodiment of a filling valve with a horn antenna integrated into the valve cone, Fig. 4. Further development of the exemplary embodiment from Fig. 3 with a lens integrated in the main direction of radiation, Fig. Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment to the design in Fig. 4, Fig. Figure 6 shows an alternative setup of the embodiment from Fig. 5, Fig. 7 the exemplary embodiment from Fig. 3 with additional means for heat dissipation and Fig. 8 a filling valve in accordance with the state of the art (already discussed).

[0053] In the figures, unless otherwise indicated, identical reference symbols denote identical or corresponding components with the same function.

[0054] It should also be noted that the conjunction “and / or” used herein, which stands between two features and links them together, is always to be interpreted in such a way that in a first embodiment of the object according to the invention only the first feature may be present, in a second embodiment only the second feature may be present, and in a third embodiment both the first and the second feature may be present.

[0055] Fig. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a filling valve according to the present application.

[0056] In the present embodiment, the filling valve 1 is designed as a so-called cone-tip valve with a valve seat 7 and a valve cone 5 that is movable relative to the valve seat 7. The filling valve 1 is arranged between a liquid inlet 41 and a liquid outlet 42, so that a liquid flow can be interrupted and released by means of the filling valve 1.

[0057] In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the filling valve 1 is connected on its outlet side to a container 3, which in this embodiment is designed as a bottle. A transient movement of the valve cone 5 relative to the valve seat 7 opens an annular gap 8 between the valve cone 5 and the valve seat 7, through which the liquid present on the inlet side can flow through the valve into the container 3. In this embodiment, a swirl chamber 15 is integrated into the filling valve 1, by means of which the incoming liquid can be set into rotation. The swirl chamber 15 is designed in the form of a torus, into which the liquid inlet 41 opens tangentially, so that the incoming liquid is introduced into the torus and guided onto an annular track within it.The resulting centrifugal forces enable a so-called wall filling process when the filling valve 1 is opened, in which the incoming liquid flows along a wall of the container 3 docked to the filling valve 1 and into the container. This prevents outgassing and foaming of the liquid being filled, particularly with carbonated liquids.

[0058] To form the swirl chamber 15, the valve cone 5 is connected to a valve body, which also forms the valve seat 7, by means of a flexible diaphragm 17. The valve cone 5 is traversed by a gas channel 51 along a valve axis A, which runs in the direction of movement of the valve cone 5 when the filling valve 1 opens and closes. On its rear side, the gas channel 51 has a radially extending gas inlet 11 and a gas outlet 12. Through the gas inlet and outlet 11, 12, the container 3 connected to the filling valve 1 can be pressurized with a so-called pressurizing gas, for example, carbon dioxide or nitrogen, or evacuated via the gas channel 51. Since the gas space above the liquid level in the container 3 is continuously reduced during filling, gas can also escape through the gas outlet 12, preventing excessive overpressure from building up in the container 3.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the gas channel 51 is closed off at the rear by a component 9 of a level gauge 100, which is also located at the rear of the filling valve 1. The component 9 is located in the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the first radar lens 91 is formed integrally with the valve cone 5.

[0060] In this context, "one-piece" means that the valve cone 5 and component 9 are manufactured from a single piece, in particular from a continuous material. For example, the valve cone 5 and the first radar lens 91 can be manufactured from a single material using an injection molding process, thus eliminating material transitions and additional seals.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the level gauge 100 is designed as a radar level gauge and is screwed onto the back of the valve cone 5. For this purpose, the valve cone 5 has an external thread 19 onto which the radar level gauge can be screwed with a corresponding internal thread. Because the first radar lens 91 is formed integrally with the valve cone 5, it is optimally aligned and sealed relative to the valve cone 5 and the gas channel 51 running within the valve cone 5.

[0062] The gas supply and discharge channels 11, 12 can be contacted, for example, by annular channels 21 formed in the housing of the radar level gauge 100, which contact the channels arranged at different distances from the first radar lens 91 in the axial direction A. Preferably, the gas supply channel 11 is arranged closer to the first radar lens 91 and is designed and oriented such that the surface of the radar lens 91 is flushed by the flowing gas and preferably cleaned of particles, deposits, or accumulations.

[0063] By integrating the first radar lens 91 into the gas channel 51 arranged in the valve cone 5, a particularly compact design can be achieved, thus ensuring better focusing and alignment of the emitted radar radiation.

[0064] Fig. Figure 1 further shows that the inflowing liquid 4 in the container 3 forms a so-called liquid flow surface, i.e., a concave liquid surface. Due to this effect, the radar level gauge 100, which is centrally aligned with the liquid surface via the gas channel 51, detects the lowest point of the liquid flow surface, so that a correct level measurement should be achieved through a learning phase before regular operation.

[0065] Fig. Figure 2 shows a further development of the embodiment from Fig. 1.

[0066] To avoid repetition, only the differences of the in Fig. 2 shown embodiment compared to the one in Fig. 1. Example shown.

[0067] The filling valve 1 according to Fig. In addition to the first radar lens 91, which is located at the rear of the gas channel 51, the device 2 has a second radar lens 92 that closes off the front of the gas channel 51. This means that the gas channel 51 has the second radar lens 92 at its container-side end. To ensure the continued basic function of the gas channel 51, the second radar lens 92 has radially extending gas passages 95 on its outer surface in the axial direction A, which can be distributed around the circumference of the second radar lens 92. Through these gas passages 95, the pressurizing gas flowing in and out of the container 3 via the gas supply 11 and gas discharge 12, respectively, can still enter the container 3, thus reliably pressurizing or evacuating it.The radially arranged gas passages 95 only minimally interfere with the function of the second radar lens 92, so that the combination of the first radar lens 91 and the second radar lens 92 can form an effective radar optic that enables frequency-adapted focusing of the emitted radar radiation of the radar level gauge 100.

[0068] Since it is not expected that the first radar lens 91 will become heavily soiled by deposits in this design, the gas supply 11 and the gas discharge 12 are no longer arranged directly adjacent to the first radar lens 91, but are located in front of the housing of the radar level gauge 100, which overlaps with the gas channel 51.

[0069] To avoid or minimize reflections of the radar radiation emitted by the first radar lens 91 towards the second radar lens 92 within the gas channel 51, the gas channel 51 can be lined internally with an absorber 98. This results in an improved signal-to-noise ratio and thus enhances the achievable accuracy of the level measurement.

[0070] Fig. Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a filling valve 1.

[0071] At the in Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a horn antenna is integrated into the valve cone 5. For this purpose, the gas channel 51 is designed as a conically expanding antenna horn 93 to form the horn antenna. In order to guide the electromagnetic radiation coupled into the horn antenna from the rear via a dielectric waveguide 97 and radiate it at the end of the antenna horn 93, the antenna horn 93 is provided with a metallization 94 on its inner surface. The metallization 94 can be created, for example, by electroplating, vapor deposition, or sputtering a metallization layer onto the valve cone 5, which is otherwise made of a plastic material. By designing the gas channel 51 as the antenna horn 93 of a horn antenna, the electromagnetic radiation from the radar level gauge 100 is radiated at the container-side end of the gas channel 51.A radar emission surface is thus located directly at an opening of the container, which means that significantly lower requirements must be placed on focusing the radar emission, since the entire gas channel 51 does not need to be additionally irradiated.

[0072] Further focusing of the radar radiation emitted by the horn antenna is possible, as shown in Fig. 4 shown, this can be achieved by terminating the horn antenna at the front with a third radar lens 96, which in turn has gas passages 95 around its circumference.

[0073] Fig. 5 shows an alternative design to the one in Fig. 4 illustrated embodiment.

[0074] In the Fig. In the variant shown in Figure 5, the gas passages 95 are arranged on the outside of the circumference of the radar lens 96, with the connection to the gas supply 11 and to the gas discharge 12 being guided outside the gas channel 51 in the material of the valve cone 5.

[0075] In an alternative design of the in Fig. 5 of the illustrated structure, which is in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, a sleeve 99 can be inserted into the gas channel 51, which has structures for guiding and emitting the radar radiation. The gas passages are not shown here, but can be, as in the example of the Fig. The gas passages 95 are arranged radially outwards at the container-side end of the antenna horn 93, offset from its circumference. The sleeve 99 provides channels connecting the gas passages 95 to the gas supply 11 and the gas outlet 12.

[0076] The third radar lens 96, located at the end of the sleeve 99, is optional and can therefore be omitted. The antenna horn 93 is designed as described above.

[0077] Fig. Figure 7 shows the embodiment from Fig.3, wherein this is further extended with means 30 for thermal decoupling and means 31 for heat dissipation. For thermal decoupling of the radar level gauge 100 from process temperatures occurring, for example, during a cleaning or sterilization process in the area of ​​the filling valve 1, an annular decoupling element 30 is arranged between the radar level gauge and the filling valve 1. This can, for example, reduce the transmission of high temperatures towards the radar level gauge 100 by means of a high thermal resistance.Furthermore, the radar level gauge 100 has cooling fins 31 arranged on the outside of its housing, which dissipate high process temperatures occurring in the area of ​​the filling valve 1 to the outside and release them to the environment, thus also reducing the temperature input into the radar level gauge, especially in the direction of temperature-sensitive electronics of the radar level gauge 100.

[0078] The valve cone 5 and / or the valve seat 7 are preferably made of a plastic. The valve cone 5 can preferably be manufactured using an injection molding process, whereby a two-component injection molding process is also possible. A two-component injection molding process or subsequent material-bonding of different injection-molded components makes it possible to produce, in one piece and thus optimally integrated, designs that are difficult or impossible to manufacture using normal injection molding processes, for example, those that are difficult to demold. Reference symbol list 1 filling valve 3 containers 4 Liquid 5 valve cones 7 valve seat 8 annular gap 9 component 11 Gas supply 12 Gas discharge 15 Swirl chamber 17 Membran 19 external threads 21 Ring channel 30 methods for thermal decoupling 31 means for heat / cooling fin dissipation 41 Liquid inlet 42 Liquid outlet 51 Gas channel 91 first radar lens 92 second radar lens 93 Antenna horn 94 Metallization 95 Gas flow 96 third radar lens 97 dielectric waveguide 98 absorbers 99 Sleeve 100 Radar level gauge / Radar level measuring device A Valve axis QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2020 131 817 A1 [0009, 0014]

Claims

[1] Filling device comprising at least one filling valve (1) for filling a container (3) with a valve cone (5) and a valve seat (7), wherein the valve cone (5) is axially traversed by a gas channel (51) and a radar level measuring device (100) arranged on the filling valve (1), characterized by , that the valve cone (5) has structures for guiding and emitting electromagnetic radiation. [2] Filling device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the structures comprise at least one component (9) of the radar level measuring device (100), which is preferably formed integrally with the valve cone (5). [3] Filling device according to claim 2, characterized by , that the at least one component (9) comprises at least one radar beam guiding element, in particular at least one radar lens (91, 92, 96). [4] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims 2 or 3, characterized by, that the component (9) is integrated into the valve cone (5), in particular into the gas channel (51). [5] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gas channel (51) is at least partially designed as an antenna horn (93) of a horn antenna. [6] Filling device according to any one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, characterized by , that the gas channel (51) is metallized on the inside. [7] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gas channel (51) is closed at least at one end with a lens. [8] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the gas channel (51) has an absorber (98) on the inside. [9] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that at least the media-contacting parts of the filling device, in particular the valve cone (5) and / or the valve seat (7), are made of a PTFE-free plastic. [10] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the valve cone (5) has at least on the rear side of the gas channel (51) means for thermal decoupling (30) and / or means for heat dissipation (31). [11] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that means for thermal decoupling (30) and / or heat dissipation (31) are at least partially integrated into the valve cone (5). [12] Filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one gas supply and / or gas discharge (11,12) is integrated into the component (9).

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