Package making – Methods – Sterilizing cover only
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-02
2001-12-18
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Sterilizing cover only
C053S268000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330780
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for filling, and particularly to the filling of a container such as a plastic bag, with contents and in a sterile manner.
It is often necessary that a container such as a plastic bag is filled with a product which can be a food or drink product. In such circumstances, it is usually necessary or desirable that the bag is filled and closed with a closure such as a cap under sterile conditions.
Fill valves as part of a filling apparatus are used, and these have a facility for maintaining the product flow path therethrough sterile, during filling and before and after, but often such valves cannot apply a closure to the filled bag. This therefore requires expensive additional apparatus and steps otherwise the initially sterilised bag and the product may become contaminated.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for sterilising a container for product during filling therof, characterised by means having a part for dispensing product in a sterile manner and a part adapted for sterilising a container and closure thereof during filling.
The part may comprise a fill valve for filling product into the container.
The fill valve may comprise means to sterilise flow paths therethrough and may be characterised by an inlet for product.
There may be means to control flow through the means which may comprise respectively flow paths for sterilising medium.
There may be reciprocable plungers each operable in a respective flow path to obturate the flow path.
Further, there may be a reciprocable plunger operable to open and close a flow path of product and which is in a flow path for sterilising medium.
The flow paths and plungers may be connectible with a source of sterilising medium whereby product can flow the fill valve through and in contact with sterile surfaces of the flow paths and plungers.
The part may comprise a chamber for receiving the container.
There may be means for holding the container during a filling operation.
The chamber may comprise a box-like container which has an end open in a direction away from a filling orifice thereof.
The means may comprise gripping devices which are adapted to grip a part of the container and to close off the open end of the chamber to provide a sterile interior when sterilising medium is admitted thereto, and the chamber may be characterised by at least one sterilising inlet.
The gripping devices may comprise oppositely facing jaws having profiled parts which are complementary in shape to a gland of the container.
The apparatus may include a capper mechanism in the chamber.
The capper mechanism may comprise means to remove a cap from the container for filling, and to replace the cap after filling.
The capper mechanism may be characterised by opposed reciprocable piston and cylinder arrangements.
There may be means to press a wall of a container against the underside of the gland.
There may be a source of sterilising medium comprising steam.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of sterilising a container for containing product when a closure is applied to a filling opening thereof, characterised by providing means to apply a closure to an orifice of the container, and means to sterilise the closure and adjacent container parts during filling of the container and application of the closure to the container.
The method may suitably comprise the steps of presenting a container with a cap to a filling valve, sterilising the container and cap, removing the cap, filling the container with product through the filling valve, replacing the cap, and removing the filled container from the filling valve with the cap in place.
The container may be a plastic bag, and the closure may be a cap applied to the orifice, which may be an opening through which product is filled into the bag.
The sterilising means may comprise a steam chamber.
Apparatus and method for sterilising a container and cap during an operating cycle to fill the container with product in a sterile manner are hereinafter described with reference to the following nine figures, which respectively show each of nine sequential steps in a filling and sterilising cycle.
Referring to the drawings there is shown apparatus
1
and method for filling a container such as a plastic bag
2
with product
3
such as food powder or a liquid such as wine and for applying a cap
4
to an orifice, which is an orifice, opening or aperture through which product is filled or charged into the bag, and through which it may be dispensed subsequently. The opening comprises a gland or boss
5
, which is closed with the cap
4
, which is also sterilised during the filling operational cycle.
The apparatus
1
includes a pressing device such as a bag pad
6
for holding the bag
2
to the gland
5
when necessary, and retractable gripping devices or jaws
7
for holding the gland, which is ribbed as shown. The gripping devices or jaws
7
are oppositely facing and have free ends complementary in shape to grip the gland
5
. The devices or jaws
7
are mounted on a mechanism for securing and lowering them, and for moving them into and out of contact with the gland. There is also a chamber
8
in which the bag
2
with the gland
5
can be received when raised thereinto by the jaws
7
during the filling cycle, the chamber
8
having a retractable capper mechanism
9
.
Above, as viewed, the chamber
8
there is a fill valve
10
which has means
11
,
12
to sterilise various path or flow ways therethrough, the sterilising medium in the embodiment being steam. There is a path
13
providing a steam barrier round a reciprocable plunger
14
, an inlet
15
′ for the product
3
, the steam inlet
11
and exhaust
12
being controlled by means in the form of plungers
15
,
16
to control flow of steam to the chamber
8
and bag
2
. The fill valve
10
is a single unit which serves both to sterilise the flow paths therethrough for product, and the bag into which the product is to be charged.
An operational cycle to fill a bag with product and to close it with a cap is hereinafter described.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2930170 (1960-03-01), Holsman et al.
patent: 3393491 (1968-07-01), Burton et al.
patent: 4283901 (1981-08-01), Schieser
patent: 4494363 (1985-01-01), Rica et al.
patent: 4510737 (1985-04-01), Ellert
patent: 4519184 (1985-05-01), Brunswick
patent: 4597245 (1986-07-01), Parker
patent: 4916885 (1990-04-01), Loliger
patent: 4972652 (1990-11-01), Critchley et al.
patent: 5653091 (1997-08-01), Stark
patent: 088735 (1983-09-01), None
patent: 280871 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 395933 (1990-11-01), None
patent: 911260 (1999-04-01), None
patent: WO 8900952 (1989-02-01), None
Blakely & Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
David S. Smith (Packaging) Limited
Nathaniel Chukwurah
Vo Peter
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for filling does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for filling, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for filling will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2591935