Package making – Methods – Sterilizing cover only
Patent
1997-08-22
1999-04-27
Johnson, Linda
Package making
Methods
Sterilizing cover only
53432, 53434, 53510, 53167, B65B 5502, B65B 3104
Patent
active
058967273
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to process and apparatus for aseptically filling a package with a product under an atomosphere of sterile air containing oxygen and for removing and displacing the sterile air from the headspace of the filled package with nitrogen and for sealing the package so that the sealed, filled package headspace contains the nitrogen.
In the field of aseptic filling using certain types of machines, it is not possible to fill a package and seal it without leaving in it a small volume of gas, called headspace gas. As systems are normally used with sterile air, this headspace contains about 20% of oxygen. The presence of oxygen has a negative effect in the sense that, during preservation of the product contained in the package, it frequently happens that the product is sensitive to oxygen, which thus leads to degradation of its taste and/or of certain ingredients, such as vitamins and mineral salts. This phenomenon is unacceptable for the consumer, or for food legislation reasons.
One solution for reducing headspace air involves replacing the air with steam just before sealing. However, the drawback of this system is that the steam condenses on cold surfaces, the consequence being unacceptable risk of infection for neutral or slightly acidic products. A second solution consists in reducing the headspace by means of mechanical elements pressing the package, but it is not possible to remove the headspace air completely. German Patent Application Publication No. 31 08 817 also relates to a device enabling oxygen to be removed from the headspace of a package. In this device, the nozzle enabling the nitrogen to be injected is fastened to one of the sealing elements, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the nitrogen supplied since the nozzle moves and the stream of nitrogen changes direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,127 and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 479 037 also relate to devices for removing the oxygen from the headspace of a package. The drawback of these devices is that the sealing of the package takes place downstream of the nitrogen injection station, this having the effect of allowing the quantity of nitrogen introduced beforehand to be distributed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to develop a method which makes it possible to remove, in an efficient manner, the sterile air containing oxygen from the headspace of an aseptically filled package. "Remove" is meant to mean the fact of achieving a very low oxygen content in the headspace, namely about 2%, or even less.
According to the method of the invention, sterile nitrogen is ejected from a nozzle, which is fixed and placed between two movable package sealing elements which are moved together for sealing, and injected into the headspace for removing and displacing the sterile air with the nitrogen.
The method comprises aseptically filling a package having two movable sealing elements about a package opening with a product under an atmosphere of sterile air, wherein sterile air is present within a package headspace, and at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, injecting sterile nitrogen from a fixed nozzle, wherein the nozzle is positioned above the package opening between the movable sealing elements, into the package opening and headspace and moving the package sealing elements to seal the elements and the package.
The invention further provides apparatus for implementing the method wherein the apparatus comprises compartments wherein a package having two movable sealing elements us filled with a product wherein the sealing elements are sealed to seal the package and comprises a transporter device for conveying the package into and through the compartments and wherein the compartment in which the package is sealed includes a fixed nozzle positioned for injecting sterile nitrogen between the movable sealing elements into the package headspace.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the context of the present invention, the method is carried out and the apparat
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Egli Josef
Hugelshofer Willy
Messerli Alfred
Johnson Linda
Nestec S.A.
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