Packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages

A packaging apparatus for forming a plurality of sealed packages filled with a pourable product comprising:

• a conveying device adapted to advance a web of packaging material along an advancement path;
• an isolation chamber separating an inner environment containing a sterile gas from an outer environment;
• a tube forming and sealing device at least partially arranged within the isolation chamber and configured to form and longitudinally seal a tube from the, in use, advancing web of packaging material;
• wherein the conveying device is also configured to advance the tube along a tube advancement path;
• a delimiting element, in use, positioned entirely within the tube and configured to divide the tube in a first space in fluidic connection with the inner environment and a second space arranged downstream of the first space along the tube advancement path, the delimiting element positioned entirely within the isolation chamber;
• a filling device configured to direct, in use, a pourable product into the second space, the second space positioned at least partially outside the isolation chamber and configured to receive the pourable product, wherein the filling device comprises a filling outlet configured to release the pourable product into the second space;
• a pressurizing device configured to direct, in use, a flow of sterile gas into the second space of the tube for obtaining a gas pressure within the second space that is higher than the gas pressure within the first space;
• a package forming unit adapted to at least form and transversally seal the packages from the, in use, advancing tube;
• wherein the isolation chamber comprises an outlet-opening for allowing the tube to exit the isolation chamber during advancement of the tube along the tube advancement path;
• wherein the delimiting element is arranged upstream of the outlet-opening along the tube advancement path;
• and
• wherein the filling outlet of the filling device is positioned downstream of the outlet-opening of the isolation chamber along the tube advancement path.