Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Process disinfecting – preserving – deodorizing – or sterilizing – Using disinfecting or sterilizing substance
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2001-12-11
Thornton, Krisanne (Department: 1744)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Process disinfecting, preserving, deodorizing, or sterilizing
Using disinfecting or sterilizing substance
C134S018000, C134S061000, C134S072000, C422S001000, C422S026000, C422S292000, C422S297000, C422S300000, C422S302000, C422S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328928
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and to a machine for preparing containers for being filled and for filling containers, especially polyester containers, with a material forming a beverage.
In order to ensure their keeping qualities, numerous beverages have to be filled under special conditions, which are described by the concepts of “clean”, “ultraclean” or “aseptic” and contain certain germ count limits (10
−4
, 10
−6
). To ensure the respective conditions, it is customary, for example, to fill the material at an elevated temperature, such as 92° C. The sterilization of bottles and the filling of sterilized bottles in a sterile environment is also known (DE 37 01 915 A1), the bottles initially being heated to a relatively high temperature by infrared radiators and subsequently cooled before the filling process. Such methods can be used for glass bottles and thick-walled plastic bottles, but not for thin-walled polyester bottles, which offer only a slight dimensional stability and may not be heated to a temperature above 45° C., if they are not to experience loss of dimensional stability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is concerned with the problem of providing a method and a machine, which enable thin-walled polyester bottles to be filled at a high efficiency under aseptic conditions.
The inventive method and the inventive machine group the bottles in transverse rows. A larger number of bottles, such as nine bottles, can be subjected simultaneously in a transverse row to the treatment processes. The turning of the bottles into a position, in which the opening points downward, makes possible the simple, effective and rapid cleaning and drying, sterilization with a sterilizing agent suitable for the purpose, as well as a subsequent expulsion of the residues of the sterilizing agent and finally, if necessary, also a wetting of the bottles with sterile water in the event that the bottles are to be filled with a beverage containing carbon dioxide or nitrogen. After the bottles are turned once more, they can then be filled with the intended material. During their sterilization and until they are sealed after being filled, the bottles are in an aseptic environment so that, despite the fact that the temperature in the bottle material has dropped below the load limit temperature of 45° C., it is assured that, in all processing stations, the beverages, filled into the bottles, have the required keeping qualities of, usually, about six months.
Further details and advantages arise out of the following description and the drawing, in which an example of the object of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in greater detail.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3531299 (1970-09-01), Benjamins
patent: 3575713 (1971-04-01), Duff et al.
patent: 4296068 (1981-10-01), Hoshino
patent: 4680163 (1987-07-01), Blindschun et al.
patent: 4707334 (1987-11-01), Gerhard
patent: 4742667 (1988-05-01), Muller et al.
patent: 4900527 (1990-02-01), Lierke
patent: 4934392 (1990-06-01), Henfrey
patent: 5792435 (1998-08-01), Mueller et al.
patent: 3701915 (1988-08-01), None
Schroeder Klaus
Steinhauser Ulrich
GEA Finnah GmbH
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Thornton Krisanne
LandOfFree
Method and for preparing container for filling, and method... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and for preparing container for filling, and method..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and for preparing container for filling, and method... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2589877