Measuring and testing – Testing sealed receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-19
2004-11-02
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Testing sealed receptacle
C073S023200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06810716
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to an apparatus and method for the analysis of headspace gases obtained from a pouch. Particularly, the invention relates to a sealed test container containing a pouch-opening device for releasing the headspace gases of a pouch to the container. Prior to opening the pouch to release headspace gases, background gases within the sealed container are sampled for analysis. Upon release of the pouch headspace gases into the sealed container, a sample of the equilibrated background and headspace gases is drawn from the test container for analysis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercially prepared and packaged consumable products decompose over time. During this decomposition, gases may be released from the products and accumulate within the package. Sampling and characterization of the gases that accumulate within such packages is useful in determining decomposition modes for such products and may eventually lead to increased shelf life of the products.
Sampling gases that accumulate within the headspace of pouches used as packages is particularly difficult if pressure has built up within the pouch. For example, the puncture of a pouch under pressure for the purposes of obtaining a headspace gas sample may cause popping of the pouch or release of the headspace gases prior to obtaining a sample of sufficient size and integrity for analysis. Gas sampling methods generally require “spiking” meaning the addition of an amount of gas having a known composition and concentration into the sample of gas to be tested. Spiking steps serve to create additional pressure within the pouch causing increased instances of rupture of the pouch prior to obtaining a sample.
There is a need for instrumentation and methods for containing headspace gases in a manner sufficient to allow sampling of the gases obtained from a pouch container. There is further a need for instrumentation and methods for sampling the headspace gases once the gases are contained.
The present invention is directed to a test container and method for containing and allowing the sampling of headspace gases accumulated within a pouch container. The present invention also provides a method for sampling and analyzing the headspace gases contained within the test container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment a pouch headspace gas test container is provided. The test container has a housing having a closed end and an open end; a lid having a rim sized to cover the open end; at least one valve transverse to a wall of the housing, one of said at least one valves having a septum; and a pouch opening device; wherein the pouch opening device comprises an upper block, a weighted lower block, at least one guide slidably connecting the weighted lower block to the upper block, and a puncturing device secured to the weighted lower block.
In a further embodiment, the test container has a gas tight seal formed between the lid and the housing.
In a further embodiment, the upper block is positioned above the weighted lower block and a pouch is oriented between the upper block and weighted lower block.
In still a further embodiment, the housing is oriented with the weighted lower block positioned above the upper block; and the puncturing device is secured to the weighted lower block and breaches a pouch positioned between the upper block and weighted lower block.
In yet a further embodiment, the puncturing device is a knife, and in yet a further embodiment, the puncturing device is at least one nail.
In a further embodiment, the upper block and the weighted lower block are separated by a distance equal to the thickness of the pouch and any residual solid or liquid.
In another embodiment, the test container further comprises a receptacle formed within the upper block to receive the puncturing device.
In another embodiment, a method for analyzing a headspace gas of a pouch is provided. The method comprises the steps of placing said pouch between an upper plate and weighted lower plate within a gas test container; creating a gas tight seal between the test container and a lid; obtaining a background sample of gas contained within the sealed test container; puncturing the pouch within the sealed test container and forcing said headspace gas from the pouch and into the test container; allowing time for the background gas and the headspace gas to equilibrate; obtaining a sample of the equilibrated gases; and comparing the background sample to the equilibrated gas sample.
In a further embodiment, the method further comprises the step of flushing the test container with an inert gas prior to obtaining the background sample.
In a further embodiment, the method further comprises the step of calculating the number of moles of gas per gram of a pouch powder; wherein the headspace gas of the pouch is derived from a powder within the pouch.
In a further embodiment, the method further comprising the step of determining a mass balance of at least one product element and at least one decomposition element within the pouch.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3572096 (1971-03-01), Meyer
patent: 4096734 (1978-06-01), Khayat
patent: 4282744 (1981-08-01), Dick
patent: 5363707 (1994-11-01), Augenblick et al.
patent: 6119534 (2000-09-01), Dinsmore
patent: 6286375 (2001-09-01), Ward
patent: 6324923 (2001-12-01), Dinsmore
Abbott Laboratories
Brainard Thomas D.
Frank Rodney
Williams Hezron
Winter William J.
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