Counter-pressure filler

1. A counter-pressure filler system, comprising:

a chamber having an entrance aperture, said chamber surrounding a seaming chuck and at least one seaming roller;

a vertically-translatable enclosure comprising an open upper rim configured to engage a portion of said chamber around said entrance aperture, thereby creating a shared, sealed environment within said vertically-translatable enclosure and said chamber; and

a vertically-translatable platform configured to support a container thereupon that is disposed within said vertically-translatable enclosure; and

a dispenser configured to dispense one or more ingredients into said container.

2. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , wherein said dispenser is configured to pass said one or more ingredients through said seaming chuck.

3. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum source configured to evacuate said sealed environment.

4. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , wherein said sealed environment is configured to receive a gas or a gas mixture.

5. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , wherein said sealed environment is configured to be subjected to a negative atmospheric pressure followed by being subjected to a positive atmospheric pressure that introduces a gas or gas mixture to said sealed environment.

6. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , further comprising a swing arm configured to engage and controllably shift a lid, wherein said lid is configured to be seam-rolled onto said beverage container.

7. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 6 , wherein said swing arm is configured to:

a) engage said lid;

b) shift said lid away from said beverage container prior to dispensing said ingredient; and

c) shift said lid into a position to engage a top rim portion of said beverage container after said ingredient has been dispensed.

8. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , wherein said vertically-translatable platform is configured to rotate in a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to vertical translation.

9. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 1 , wherein said seaming chuck and said seaming roller are configured to cooperatively seal a lid to said container.

10. The counter-pressure filler system of claim 9 , wherein said container is an aluminum can and said lid is configured to be mated to a top portion of said aluminum can.

11. A method of counter-filling a beverage container, comprising:

placing an empty container atop a vertically-translatable platform, said empty container having an un-sealed lid resting thereupon;

translating said vertically-translatable platform such that said empty container is at least partially translated into an aperture of a chamber comprising a seaming chuck and a seaming roller; and

translating a vertically-translatable enclosure such that a top portion of said enclosure sealingly engages said aperture so as to create a shared, sealed environment comprising an interior of said chamber and an interior of said enclosure;

wherein said enclosure encloses said vertically-translatable platform and said empty container.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising evacuating said sealed environment by applying a vacuum.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adding a gas or a gas mixture to said sealed environment.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, after said gas or said gas mixture has been added to said sealed environment:

vertically translating said platform such that said lid is brought into proximity to a swing arm configured to engage said lid;

engaging said lid with said swing arm, followed by pivotally rotating said swing arm such that said lid is translated away from said container;

dispensing a quantity of liquid through said seaming chuck into said container;

after said dispensing step, pivotally rotating said swing arm such that said lid is brought into position to be seam rolled to said container.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

vertically translating said platform such that said lid confronts said seaming chuck;

activating said seaming chuck to cause rotation of said container and said lid; and

applying said seaming roller to said lid to cause a seam to be formed between said lid and said container.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein said liquid is carbonated.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein said container is an aluminum can.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein said vertically-translatable platform is configured to rotate in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to a vertical translation direction.

19. A counter-pressure filler, comprising:

a vertically-translatable platform configured to support a container;

a vertically-translatable enclosure configured to surround said platform, said enclosure comprising an open top portion;

a chamber comprising an entrance aperture, a seaming chuck and a seaming roller therewithin;

wherein said enclosure is configured to vertically translate to engage said chamber such that said open top surrounds said entrance aperture of said chamber, thereby creating a sealed filling environment comprising the interior of said chamber and said enclosure;

wherein the atmosphere of said filling environment can be evacuated and subsequently pressurized with a gas or a gas mixture; and

wherein said seaming chuck comprises a through-aperture for dispensing liquid into said container.

20. The counter-filler of claim 19 , wherein said vertically-translatable platform is rotatable about a horizontal axis.