Filling level-independent gassing

A method for operating a sealing station of a packaging machine for producing packages with packaging appearances being at least essentially similar to one another even if the packages have varying filling degrees, the method comprising the following steps:

• filling a packaging volume of at least one package positioned inside a sealing station by introducing an amount of gas to a preset gassing target pressure for a finished package to create a desired atmosphere, wherein the packaging volume is enclosed between a lower packaging material and an upper packaging material;
• discharging a partial amount of the amount of gas introduced into the packaging volume from the packaging volume into a collection volume in fluid communication with the packaging volume while maintaining the packaging volume generated by the preceding filling step so that completion of the discharging step creates an intermediate pressure inside the packaging volume, wherein the intermediate pressure is less than the gassing target pressure, and wherein a channel puts the packaging volume into fluid communication with the collection volume;
• wherein the discharged partial amount of gas substantially equals an amount of the gas received within a theoretical partial volume of the packaging volume, wherein the theoretical partial volume is defined at least partially by a theoretical plane, which crosses the packaging volume and occupies an edge of the lower packaging material, and by the upper packaging material;
• and
• reducing the packaging volume by the theoretical partial volume by moving the upper packaging material to an end position that substantially overlies the theoretical plane so that a final pressure inside the at least one package is substantially the gassing target pressure.