CA1206895A - Biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin - Google Patents
Biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resinInfo
- Publication number
- CA1206895A CA1206895A CA000439160A CA439160A CA1206895A CA 1206895 A CA1206895 A CA 1206895A CA 000439160 A CA000439160 A CA 000439160A CA 439160 A CA439160 A CA 439160A CA 1206895 A CA1206895 A CA 1206895A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- bottle
- neck
- liquid
- cooling
- flange
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 229920001225 polyester resin Polymers 0.000 title claims abstract description 9
- 239000004645 polyester resin Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 9
- 229920006395 saturated elastomer Polymers 0.000 title claims abstract description 9
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- -1 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 10
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 61
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 34
- 239000012809 cooling fluid Substances 0.000 description 32
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 21
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 13
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 13
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 12
- 239000000498 cooling water Substances 0.000 description 9
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000001954 sterilising effect Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 244000052616 bacterial pathogen Species 0.000 description 5
- 238000004659 sterilization and disinfection Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000009998 heat setting Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000008595 infiltration Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000001764 infiltration Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- IKHGUXGNUITLKF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetaldehyde Chemical group CC=O IKHGUXGNUITLKF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000000354 decomposition reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000704 physical effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000002265 prevention Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920003002 synthetic resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000000057 synthetic resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000009286 beneficial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000112 cooling gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005429 filling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000011389 fruit/vegetable juice Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004941 influx Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002452 interceptive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013336 milk Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000008267 milk Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000004080 milk Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- XNGIFLGASWRNHJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L phthalate(2-) Chemical compound [O-]C(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1C([O-])=O XNGIFLGASWRNHJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 229920005672 polyolefin resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- KKEYFWRCBNTPAC-UHFFFAOYSA-L terephthalate(2-) Chemical compound [O-]C(=O)C1=CC=C(C([O-])=O)C=C1 KKEYFWRCBNTPAC-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 238000009834 vaporization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002087 whitening effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin provided around the outer peripheral surface of its neck with a flange having a horizontal lower surface.
The present invention provides a biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin provided around the outer peripheral surface of its neck with a flange having a horizontal lower surface.
Description
Z~6891S
Patent Application Serial Noah relates to a method of filling smoothly and properly a bottle formed by biaxially stretching saturated polyester resin, especially polyethylene terephthalate, with hot contents maintained at a high temperature for sterilization of like purposes only at the time of such filling and a cooling device used in carrying out this method.
This application is divided out of Application Serial Noah and relates to a bottle having a bottle neck construction which is beneficial for carrying out the method. Another application has also been divided out from Application Serial Noah and relates to a method of filling a high temperature sterilized liquid into a biaxially stretched, saturated polyester resin molded bottle and closing said bottle in a sealed manner, characterized by filling said bottle with said liquid up to a level close to its neck and while said liquid still remains at a sufficiently high temperature, placing an inner stopper in tight engagement with said neck to entirely or substantially eliminate a vacant space contacting said liquid in said neck to sealingly close said bottle.
Polyethylene ~erephthalate is used in many fields of application owing to its excellent physical properties and durability. Above all, it is most often used to make biaxially stretched, blow molded bottle-shaped containers in which its excellent physical properties and durability are most effectively displayed, Although these biaxially stretched bottles molded from polyethylene terephthalate have a lot of excellent advantages they have been as poor in heat resistance as other synthetic resin bottles.
When these bottles are filled with their contents treated at a high temperature or the purpose of sterilization, such as milk, juice and other drinks, these contents are in most cases at a high temperature, of say 90~.
.
~Z~)68~
Such a high temperature of the liquid to be contained in a bottle has caused its thermal deformation when it is filled with its contents, which deprives the bottle of its commercial value.
- lo -Particularly, as bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate are, all without exception, blow-molded with a considerably large degree of biaxial orientation, they have a body portion of reduced wall thickness which is susceptible to the influence ox heat.
Heat setting has hitherto been considered the most effective method of improving the heat resistance of polyethylene terephthalate molded bottles which are very easily affected by heat.
Although heat setting considerably improves the heat resistance of polyethylene terephthalate molded bottles, the heat setting operation is troublesome, and yet renders the bottle resistant only up to a temperature of about 60C at best. Such a bottle can hardly endure the heat of its contents which are charged into it after sterilization at a higher temperature of 80 to 90C.
The introduction into a bottle of its contents treated at a high temperature for sterilization is stopped with some vacant space left in the neck of the bottle before the neck is completely filled with a liquid, so that vibration of the bottle upon movement may not cause leakage of its contents. This is not only true with. a bottle formed from saturated polyester resin, but with a glass bottle as well The neck of a bottle molded from saturated polyester resin with biaxial orientation is likely to be less resistant to heat than its body portion, because the neck portion its often not biaxially stretched during the ., .~! 2 molding operation Therefore, the bottle is generally filled with its contents only to a level which is very close to but short of, its mouth.
Thus, a vacant space usually called "heat space" is formed in the bottle above its contents, but if the bottle is sealed leaving the head space as it is, the various germs in the air trapped in the head space frequently cause decomposition of change in quality of the sterilized contents with the lapse of a certain length of time.
In an attempt to avoid such a problem, it has heretofore been usual to perform in a germ-free atmosphere the entire process from the filling of the bottle with its contents to its sealed closure, or provide a sterilizing device for the exclusive purpose of sterilizing the neck of the bottle when it is closed.
In spite of the great amount of expense and labor hitherto spent for sterilization of the head space, various germs have entered into the head space and caused decomposition or change in quality of the contents.
The invention of Application Serial Noah has been conceived for the purpose of accomplishing smoothly the filling of a hot liquid into a biaxially stretched saturated polyester resin molded bottle. In view of the tact that the liquid needs to be at a high temperature only when it is poured into the bottle and is allowed to return to room temperature or cooled after the bottle is filled this invention includes forcibly cooling the bottle from its outside when it is filled with its contents to prevent ; the bottle from being heated by the hot contents. The invention further contemplates elimination of the head space by utilizing the vapors generated ; by the hot contents poured into the bottle to thereby prevent entry of air into the bottle.
It is an object of this invention to prevent thermal deformation of the neck of the bottle which is difficult to cool from the outside.
Thus, the present invention provides a biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin provided around the outer peripheral surface of its neck 2 with a flange 3 having a horizontal lower surface.
The present invention, the invention of parent Application Serial Noah and the invention of the other above-mentioned divisional application are illustrated by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a view illustrating the most fundamental embodiment of the method of this invention;
~L206~5 Figures 2 through 5 are fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional views showing the sequence of operation from the pouring of a hot liquid into the bottle to the closing thereof, Figure 2 showing the step of pouring, Figure 3 the step of fitting an inner stopper, Figure 4 the step of closing the bottle completely and Figure 5 being an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal section;
Figures 6 through 9 are fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a cooling device for the bottle, Figure 6 showing an example of the device using water as a cooling fluid, Figure 7 showing an example using water as a cooling fluid and adapted to produce a higher and more uniform cooling effect than the example of Figure 6, Figure 8 showing an example using air as a cooling fluid and Figure 9 showing an example similar to that of Figure 8, but having a different means for preventing the cooling fluid from flowing past the neck of the bottle; and cross-sectional views illustrating the prevention of deformation of the bottle neck which is difficult to cool when the bottle is cooled, Figure 10 showing the step of pouring a hot liquid without using this invention, Figure 11 showing a flange around the neck deformed by heat as the result of the pouring opera-lion shown in Figure 10, Figure 12 showing a means embodying this invention for preventing the thermal deformation of the flange, Figure 13 showing a different form of flange deformed by heat, and Figure 14 showing a means of this invention for preventing the flange ~2~36895i deformation shown in Figure 13.
The basic feature of -this invention lies, as shown in Figure 1, in cooling a biaxially stretched, blow molded polyolefin resin, particularly polyethylene Tory phthalate bottle 1, particularly its body portion when it is filled with a hot liquid 6, by contacting the entire external surface of the bottle l with a cooling fluid lo such as cold water or air in such a manner that the cooling fluid lo may not exert any strong pressure on the bottle l.
Although the cooling of the bottle 1 with the cooling fluid lo is better if conducted progressively on the outer surface of one portion of the bottle to another which is brought into contact with the liquid poured whereinto, such a method of cooling complicates the control of flow of the cooling fluid lo and the construction of a cooling device; therefore, it is easier to cool the whole bottle l to a temperature which is suitable in view of *he temperature of the liquid 6 which is poured into the bottle l.
As the liquid 6 is poured into the bottle 1, that portion ox the bottle 1 which is brought into contact with the liquid 6 is heated by the liquid 6 with a result lent reduction in the cooling effect, therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the cooling fluid 10 be maintained at a substantially constant temperature and caused to flow in contact with the outer surface of the bottle l in order to avoid any reduction of its cooling effect.
:
~2068~5 Such arrangement for avoiding reduction in the cooling effect of the cooling fluid 10 prevents elevation of the temperature of the wall of the bottle 1 to a level causing its thermal deformation despite the high tempera-lure of the liquid 6, because the wall thickness of the bottle 1 is very small.
Since a biaxially stretched, blow molded posy-ethylene terephthalate bottle l of this sort usually has a very small wall thickness, it is likely that application of the cooling fluid 10 at a high pressure against the surface of the bottle 1, especially of its body portion may cause concave deformation of the body of the bottle 1.
It is, therefore, important to conduct application of the cooling fluid 10 against the surface of the bottle 1 in full consideration of its quantity per unit time, tempera-lure and flow rate directly related to the pressure at which the cooling fluid is applied to the surface of the bottle 1) required to produce a full cooling effect.
For example, in case the bottle 1 is cooled with cold water which is considered the most effective cooling fluid for the bottle 1, it is effective to drop a large quantity of water on the shoulder of the bottle 1 to allow it to flow down along the bottle surface by its own weight r rather than directing jets of water against the surface of the bottle 1 through a multiplicity of nozzles provided opposite to it.
After the bottle 1 is filled with its contents 6 and a cap is placed on the bottle 1 to close it, . Jo 7 .
lo 5 the bottle 1 is cooled by an ordinary cooling device until its contents 6 are cooled down to room temperature, in view of the possibility that when the bottle 1 has been filled, its contents 6 may still remain at a tempo-nature which will cause thermal deformation of the bottle 1.
If the bottle 1 is heat set beforehand, it .
requires only a short period of cooling subsequent owe the filling of its contents 6, with a corresponding reduction in the time required for the entire process of filling the bottle 1.
While it is desirable that the cooling of the bottle with the cooling fluid 10 should be effected uniformly over the whole surface of the bottle 1, its neck 2 is difficult to cool. Therefore, it is effective to increase the heat-resisting property of the neck 2 of the bottle 1 beforehand by whitening under heat count-not when the bottle 1 is molded.
When the liquid 6 has been poured into the bottle 1 forcibly goofed by the cooling fluid 10, it still remains at a fairly high temperature, since it is not directly cooled by the cooling fluid 10.
Accordingly, if the hot liquid 6 is poured through an injection tube 7 to fill the bottle 1 up to a level close to its neck 2 as shown in Figure 2, the difference between the temperature of the liquid 6 and the ambient temperature causes vapor to rise from the liquid and fill a vacant space 8 formed above the liquid 6 in the bottle 1.
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:
.:
-The injection tube 7 is moved upward relative to the bottle 1 and removed from its neck 2, while the vacant space 8 still remains pull of such vapor of the liquid 6, i.e., while the liquid 6 still remains at a sufficiently high temperature.
Then, while the liquid 6 remains at a high temperature, i.e., while the vacant space 8 remains full of the vapor of the liquid 6, an inner stopper 4 is tightly fitted into the neck 2 to close it, and has a bottom surface positioned in contact with the level of the liquid 6 or slightly above it to eliminate or virtually eliminate a vacant space contacting the liquid 6 in the bottle lo After the neck 2 is closed by the inner stopper 4, an outer cap 5 is placed over the neck 2, and the contents 6 Of the bottle 1 are cooled to room temperature, followed by transfer of the bottle 1 to an appropriate place.
The method described above prevents entry of air into the vacant space 8 in the neck 2, since the vacant space 8 above the liquid 6 is full of the vapor rising from the liquid 6 when the inner stopper 4 is fitted while the liquid 6 in the bottle 1 remains at a sufficiently high temperature to continue vaporization.
Since no air enters the space 8 in the neck 2, but it is full of the vapor from the liquid 6, no air is retained in a gap 9, if any, formed between the inner ;
.
,}, -- g --16~3~5 stopper 4 and the liquid 6 (see Figure 5), but only the vapor of the liquid 6 is present in such a gap I
Thus, no air is captured in the bottle 1 at all, and therefore, there is no fear of any germs in the air being confined in the bottle 1.
If there is any gap 9 between the inner stopper 4 and the liquid 6 as shown in Figure 5, only the vapor of the liquid 6 fills the gap 9, and when the liquid 6 is cooled to about room temperature, the vapor in the gap 9 returns into the liquid 6 and the gap 9 become vacuum.
This serves to enhance the function of the inner stopper 4 in closing the neck 2 sealingly.
kite the inner stopper 4 tightly fitted in the neck 2 to close it sealingly may be of any appropriate construction, it is often the case that as the bottle 1 which is a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephtahlate molding is less resistant to heat in its neck 2 than in its body portion, the liquid 6 fills the bottle 1 only to a level short of the neck 2 as shown in the drawings.
Accordingly, the vacant space 8 formed above the liquid 6 in the bottle 1 has a relatively large volume.
- Therefore, the inner stopper 4 may conveniently be formed from a soft synthetic resin such as polyethylene, and comprise a bottomed cylindrical body having an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of the neck 2, and a height positioning the bottom surface of the stopper 4 in contact with or slightly above the level of the liquid 6 I, -- 10 --:
.
Z~36~3~S
when the stopper 4 is fitted in the neck 2, an integral flange being formed about the upper end of the Solon-Dracula body to rest on the upper end of the neck 2, so that the stopper 4 can fill a relatively large vacant space in the neck 2 to ensure its closure in a sealed manner and can be molded easily and economically.
The outer cap 5 may be threadedly fastened to the neck 2 as shown in the drawings, or may alternatively be caulked thereto.
If the outer cap 5 is of the type threadedly connected to the neck 2, it is desirable from the stand-point of appearance that the lower end of the outer cap 5 be positioned below the lower end of the inner stopper 4 in the neck 2 to make the inner stopper 4 invisible from the outside of the bottle l.
Attention is now directed to a device for cooling the bottle 1 when it is being filled with its contents 6.
Figure 6 shows the probably simplest form of a cooling device using cold water as the cooling fluid 10, which is coccal mounted about the injection tube 7 for introducing the hot liquid 6 into the bottle 1 and adapted to supply a continuous flow of cooling water down the outer surface of the bottle 1.
The injection tube 7 is vertically movable to position its lower end into the neck 2 of each of a series of bottles 1 arriving at a filling station one after another to fill the bottle 1 with its contents 6 which Jo ~76~95 have been received from a source of liquid supply not shown.
A cylindrical seal cover 11 is positioned coccal about the injection tube 7 to prevent entry into the neck 2 of any cooling water flowing down the outer surface of the bottle 1, and is molded in a cylindrical shape having an inside diameter somewhat larger than the outside of the neck 2.
According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the cylindrical seal cover 11 has its inside diameter selected to position its lower end in sealing contact with a flange 3 formed around the outer surface of the lower end of the neck 2, so that no cooling water flowing down the outer surface ox the bottle 1 may happen to flow toward the neck 2.
The cylindrical seal cover if is vertically movable like the injection tube 7, and may be movable either in unison with the injection tube 7 or in depend-entry thereof.
An outer cylindrical housing 13 is secured to the outer surface of the cylindrical seal cover if at the lower end thereof in coaxial relationship therewith, and defines with the cylindrical seal cover if a water chamber 12 which is open at its lower end forming a water outlet 14 and closed at its upper end.
The water chamber 12 defined between the Solon-Dracula seal cover if and the outer cylindrical housing 13 does not need to be of any large volume, since it is not 06~3~5 intended to serve as a sort of "pool" as in any other ordinary fluid passage.
In tact, the water chamber 12 is provided to receive a supply of cooling water from a substantially restricted source and distribute it almost uniformly around the bottle 1 when it flows down its outer surface.
Therefore, the water chamber 12 is preferably provided between its inlet 15 and outlet 14 with an appropriate deflector to cause the water to flow substantially uniformly through the entire area of the outlet 14 which is annular in shape.
The inlet lo opens into the upper end of the water chamber 12 and receives cooling water from a source of water supply not shown through a supply pipe 16.
According to the cooling device of Figure 6 constructed as described above, the injection tube 7 and the cylindrical seal cover 11 are moved downwardly rota-live to the bottle 1 and the injection tube 7 is inserted into the neck 2, while the lower end of the cylindrical seal cover 11 is brought into sealing contact with the flange 3, when the bottle 1 has been received in the liquid filling station.
The source of water supply is, then, actuated to supply cooling water through the outlet 14 of the water chamber 12 down along the outer surface of the bottle 1 to cool it before the injection tube 7 starts introduction of a liquid into the bottle 1.
12~ 395 Thus, the hot liquid 6 is introduced into the bottle l being cooled by the water which continually flows down the outer surface of the bottle l in contact with it to keep it cooled.
Accordingly the wall so of the bottle 1 is never heated by its contents 6 to a temperature so high as to cause its deformation, but is entirely free from any influence of the high temperature of the liquid 6.
Although it may appear sufficient to continue the supply of cooling water to the outer surface of the bottle until the bottle l has been filled with its contents 6, discontinuation of the supply of cooling water lo immediately upon completion of the filling of the liquid 6 may possibly cause the bottle l to be gaffe-clod by the heat of its contents 6 despite its prior cooling, since the liquid 6 still remains at a high temperature.
Therefore, the bottle l is continuously cooled by this cooling device until its contents are cooled in the cooling process i~nediately following the present bottle filling process.
Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the cool-in device, which uses water as the cooling fluid lo like the device of Figure 6, but which is designed to provide a more uniform supply of cooling water around the outer periphery of the bottle l than the device shown in Figure 6.
~06~39~
The cooling device shown in Figure 7 prince-patty comprises a housing 13 which is movable relative to the bottle 1 no later than the injection tube 7 is moved downwardly relative to the bottle 1 and inserted into its neck 2, and which has a wall 18 positioned opposite to the outer surface of the bottle 1 at least in an area extending from its shoulder to its body portion upon such movement of the housing 13.
The housing 13 has a hollow interior, and its wall 18 is pierced with a multiplicity of outlet openings 14. The hollow interior of the housing 13 is fluidly communicated with A source of supply of a cooling fluid 17 by a supply pipe 16 connected to an inlet opening 15.
The cooling fluid supplied from its source ox supply 17 into the housing 13 is spouted through the outlet openings 14 against the outer surface of the bottle 1 to cool the bottle 1.
In the embodiment shown, the hollow interior of the housing 13 is divided into two chambers, one on the side of the inlet opening 15 and the other on the side of the outlet openings 14, by a partition having a multiplicity of apertures 21, so that the cooling fluid introduced into the housing 13 through its inlet opening 15 may reach all the outlet openings 14 as uniformly as possible.
While a variety of arrangements may be possible for mounting the housing 13, it is, according to the pro-sent embodiment, secured to the lower end of a cylindrical ,", -- 1 5 ~Z~8~3?5 seal cover 11 positioned coccal with the injection tube 7, and having an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the neck 2 and a lower end adapted to be brought into abutment with the flange 3.
The housing 13 is connected at its lower end to the cylindrical seal cover 11, with its lower end resting on the flange 3, for the purpose of preventing any cooling fluid from entering the neck 2 during the cooling operation for the bottle I
The housing 13 has a part-spherical shape, and is directly connected to the cylindrical seal cover 11 According to the embodiment of Figure 7, cool-in water is poured out through the outlet openings 14 of the wall 18 against the outer surface of the bottle 1 in a region from its shoulder to its body portion, so that the water directed against the bottle 1 in the vicinity of its shoulder may adhere to the outer surface of the bottle 1 and flow down to cool its lower portion not faced by the wall 18 of the housing 13.
Figures 8 and 9 show cooling devices adapted to use a gas as the cooling fluid 10.
The device shown in Figure 8 includes a Solon-Dracula housing 13 having a greater height than the body portion of the bottle 1 and a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the body portion of the bottle 1, and connected to the lower end of a cylindrical seal cover 11 by a seal plate 22.
, r 16 us The housing 13 has a wall 18 facing the bottle 1 in the whole area of its shoulder and body portion, and pierced with a multiplicity of outlet openings 14.
As has been the case with the device of Figure 7, the interior of the housing 13 is divided by a part-lion 20 into two chambers, one on the side of its outlet openings lo and the other on the side of its supply pipe 16, which are communicated with each other through a multiplicity of apertures 21 in the partition 20.
Each of the devices shown in Figures 8 and 9 can cool the bottle l by blowing a cooling gas against its outer surface through the outlet openings 14, and hold in a predetermined cooling atmosphere the bottle l filled with its hot contents 6.
Accordingly, each device can fulfill an extremely good cooling function to cool the bottle l uniformly over its entire surface.
While entry of any cooling fluid lo into the neck 2 is prevented by the cylindrical seal cover if having its lower end resting on the flange 3 in all of the cooling devices shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, Figure 9 shows a different arrangement. The cooling device shown in Figure 9 has a housing 13 divided into two horizontally movable portions along a vertical plane, and the two portions are horizontally moved toward each other with the bottle 1 in between to be united to form the housing 13 enclosing the bottle l therein.
~L2C~61~95 Accordingly, infiltration of any cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2 is prevented by a pair of flat seal cover plates 22 secured to the two portions, respectively, of the housing 13.
The prevention of infiltration of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2 is accomplished by the edges of the two seal cover plates 22 facing the neck 2 and resting against its flange 2.
If the cylindrical seal cover 11 or the flat planar seal covers 22 forming a part of the cooling device exert an excessive pressure on the flange 3 when resting against it to prevent entry of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2, the flange 3 nay likely be deformed by the heat of the liquid 6 filling the bottle 1, because it is molded integrally with the neck 2 which is difficult to coo 1 .
With particular reference to the use of the planar seal covers in an attempt to prevent infiltration of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2, a very serious disadvantage may occur in case the edges of the planar seal covers 22 are brought into contact with the inclined lower surface ox the flange 3.
More specifically stated, it will be seen from Figure 10 that the lower surface of the flange 3 defines an upwardly inclined surface rising toward its outer periphery, and that, if the planar seal covers I are moved toward each other as in a mold closing operation to bring their opposing edges into contact with the lower - 1~3 -US
.
surface of the flange 3, the seal covers 22 will exert an upwardly directed thrust on the flange 3 by virtue of the inclination of its lower surface.
No particular problem occurs when the planar seal covers 22 have been applied to the bottle 1, but as the liquid 6 begins to be introduced into the bottle 1, the hot liquid 6 heats the flange 3 and makes it liable to deformation, and due to the weight of the liquid 6 poured into the bottle 1, the flange 3 receives a stronger thrust from the seal covers 22.
Accordingly, the flange 3 is deformed or upwardly bent by the thrust of the seal covers 22 as shown in Figure 11, with a resultant undesirable change in the tightening depth of the threaded cap to be placed over the neck 2 according to the construction shown in Figures 10 and 11~
A similar problem is likely to occur to the : neck 2 of a bottle 1 provided about its upper end with an annular flange 3 for receiving a caulked cap, if the flange 3 has an upwardly inclined lower surface as shown in Figure 13. The flange 3 is deformed under the influx once of the heat ox the liquid 6 and the thrust imposed by the planar seal covers 22 as shown by broken lines in Figure 13, and the cap cannot be properly placed over the flange 3.
; The lower surface of the flange 3 should be made completely flat as shown in Figures 12 and 14 in order to prevent any such thermal deformation of the flange 3.
I
In other words, the lower surface should extend perpendicularly to the outer peripheral surface of the neck 2, and not at an angle thereto.
When the flange 3 has a horizontal lower sun-face as shown in Figures 12 and 14, the opposing edges of the planar seal covers 22 are merely brought into light contact with the lower surface of the flange 3 when applied to the neck 2 in order to prevent any cooling fluid 10 for the bottle 1 from flowing over its body portion toward its neck 2, and the seal covers 22 do not exert any thrust on the bottle 1 through its flange.
Therefore, even if the neck 2, including the flange 3, is slightly softened under the heat of the hot liquid 6 being poured through the injection tube 7 into the bottle 1, the flange 3 does not undergo any thermal deformation, but retains its initial shape, since no thrust or other external force whatsoever acts on the flange 3.
As the Lange 3 is not deformed by the heat of the hot liquid 6, there is no fear any more of occur-fence of a number of disadvantages which might otherwise occur, e.g., change in the tightening depth of a threaded cap, difficulty in proper positioning of a caulked cap, or incompletely sealed closure of the neck 2 by such a cap.
According to this invention, the effective cooling of the bottle 1 prior to the introduction of its ~Z~6~95 contents 6 or simultaneously therewith advantageously prevents deformation of the bottle 1 by the heat of its contents 6 to thereby ensure the proper filling of the bottle 1 with its contents 6 and prevent degradation of the commercial value of its contents 6, and as the bottle 1 per so is not substantially heated, there is no fear of elusion of any acetoaldehyde group from the polyethy-tone terephthalate material of the bottle 1, hence of the change in taste of its content 6.
Moreover, as the method of this invention is simply intended to cool the bottle 1, it can easily be carries out only if a device or contacting a series of bottle 1 alternately with a cooling fluid 10 is mounted in the liquid filling station of a device for filling such a series of bottles 1 alternately with their contents 6.
It is, of course, necessary that the bottle cooling device be so constructed as not to interfere with the transfer of the bottles 1 into and out of the liquid filling device, and the cooling device is conveniently controlled for continuous operation irrespective of the ; presence of any bottle 1 to be cooled at any particular moment .
As the cooling devices are of the simple con-struction merely intended for causing a cooling fluid 10 to flow under gravity or directing it in jet form, they can easily be mounted in the liquid filling stations of the apparatus for pouring the liquid 6 continuously into a multiplicity of continuously arriving bottles 1, 12~16895 without interfering with the liquid filling devices or necessitating any structural modification thereof.
As is obvious from the foregoing description, this invention provides a great many excellent features and advantages, including the complete freedom of the bottle 1 from thermal deformation by its hot contents hence maintenance of its high commercial value and its sealed closure by a cap placed over its neck; sub Stan-tidally complete freedom of the bottle 1 from any effect of heating by its hot contents 6, hence elimination of any possibility of elusion of acetoaldehyde groups into the contents 6 resulting in a change in their taste;
elimination of any confinement of germs from the air into the bottle 1 by utilizing the vapor rising from its contents 6, hence requiring no special facilities at all for shutting out such germs, but merely fitting an inner stopper 4 tightly into the neck 2, so that a very great hygienic effect can be obtained with simple operation and acilLties to preserve the contents 6 of the bottle safely for a long period of time; and a very simple construction of the cooling devices and yet their highly reliable tooling efficiency.
Patent Application Serial Noah relates to a method of filling smoothly and properly a bottle formed by biaxially stretching saturated polyester resin, especially polyethylene terephthalate, with hot contents maintained at a high temperature for sterilization of like purposes only at the time of such filling and a cooling device used in carrying out this method.
This application is divided out of Application Serial Noah and relates to a bottle having a bottle neck construction which is beneficial for carrying out the method. Another application has also been divided out from Application Serial Noah and relates to a method of filling a high temperature sterilized liquid into a biaxially stretched, saturated polyester resin molded bottle and closing said bottle in a sealed manner, characterized by filling said bottle with said liquid up to a level close to its neck and while said liquid still remains at a sufficiently high temperature, placing an inner stopper in tight engagement with said neck to entirely or substantially eliminate a vacant space contacting said liquid in said neck to sealingly close said bottle.
Polyethylene ~erephthalate is used in many fields of application owing to its excellent physical properties and durability. Above all, it is most often used to make biaxially stretched, blow molded bottle-shaped containers in which its excellent physical properties and durability are most effectively displayed, Although these biaxially stretched bottles molded from polyethylene terephthalate have a lot of excellent advantages they have been as poor in heat resistance as other synthetic resin bottles.
When these bottles are filled with their contents treated at a high temperature or the purpose of sterilization, such as milk, juice and other drinks, these contents are in most cases at a high temperature, of say 90~.
.
~Z~)68~
Such a high temperature of the liquid to be contained in a bottle has caused its thermal deformation when it is filled with its contents, which deprives the bottle of its commercial value.
- lo -Particularly, as bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate are, all without exception, blow-molded with a considerably large degree of biaxial orientation, they have a body portion of reduced wall thickness which is susceptible to the influence ox heat.
Heat setting has hitherto been considered the most effective method of improving the heat resistance of polyethylene terephthalate molded bottles which are very easily affected by heat.
Although heat setting considerably improves the heat resistance of polyethylene terephthalate molded bottles, the heat setting operation is troublesome, and yet renders the bottle resistant only up to a temperature of about 60C at best. Such a bottle can hardly endure the heat of its contents which are charged into it after sterilization at a higher temperature of 80 to 90C.
The introduction into a bottle of its contents treated at a high temperature for sterilization is stopped with some vacant space left in the neck of the bottle before the neck is completely filled with a liquid, so that vibration of the bottle upon movement may not cause leakage of its contents. This is not only true with. a bottle formed from saturated polyester resin, but with a glass bottle as well The neck of a bottle molded from saturated polyester resin with biaxial orientation is likely to be less resistant to heat than its body portion, because the neck portion its often not biaxially stretched during the ., .~! 2 molding operation Therefore, the bottle is generally filled with its contents only to a level which is very close to but short of, its mouth.
Thus, a vacant space usually called "heat space" is formed in the bottle above its contents, but if the bottle is sealed leaving the head space as it is, the various germs in the air trapped in the head space frequently cause decomposition of change in quality of the sterilized contents with the lapse of a certain length of time.
In an attempt to avoid such a problem, it has heretofore been usual to perform in a germ-free atmosphere the entire process from the filling of the bottle with its contents to its sealed closure, or provide a sterilizing device for the exclusive purpose of sterilizing the neck of the bottle when it is closed.
In spite of the great amount of expense and labor hitherto spent for sterilization of the head space, various germs have entered into the head space and caused decomposition or change in quality of the contents.
The invention of Application Serial Noah has been conceived for the purpose of accomplishing smoothly the filling of a hot liquid into a biaxially stretched saturated polyester resin molded bottle. In view of the tact that the liquid needs to be at a high temperature only when it is poured into the bottle and is allowed to return to room temperature or cooled after the bottle is filled this invention includes forcibly cooling the bottle from its outside when it is filled with its contents to prevent ; the bottle from being heated by the hot contents. The invention further contemplates elimination of the head space by utilizing the vapors generated ; by the hot contents poured into the bottle to thereby prevent entry of air into the bottle.
It is an object of this invention to prevent thermal deformation of the neck of the bottle which is difficult to cool from the outside.
Thus, the present invention provides a biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin provided around the outer peripheral surface of its neck 2 with a flange 3 having a horizontal lower surface.
The present invention, the invention of parent Application Serial Noah and the invention of the other above-mentioned divisional application are illustrated by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a view illustrating the most fundamental embodiment of the method of this invention;
~L206~5 Figures 2 through 5 are fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional views showing the sequence of operation from the pouring of a hot liquid into the bottle to the closing thereof, Figure 2 showing the step of pouring, Figure 3 the step of fitting an inner stopper, Figure 4 the step of closing the bottle completely and Figure 5 being an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal section;
Figures 6 through 9 are fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a cooling device for the bottle, Figure 6 showing an example of the device using water as a cooling fluid, Figure 7 showing an example using water as a cooling fluid and adapted to produce a higher and more uniform cooling effect than the example of Figure 6, Figure 8 showing an example using air as a cooling fluid and Figure 9 showing an example similar to that of Figure 8, but having a different means for preventing the cooling fluid from flowing past the neck of the bottle; and cross-sectional views illustrating the prevention of deformation of the bottle neck which is difficult to cool when the bottle is cooled, Figure 10 showing the step of pouring a hot liquid without using this invention, Figure 11 showing a flange around the neck deformed by heat as the result of the pouring opera-lion shown in Figure 10, Figure 12 showing a means embodying this invention for preventing the thermal deformation of the flange, Figure 13 showing a different form of flange deformed by heat, and Figure 14 showing a means of this invention for preventing the flange ~2~36895i deformation shown in Figure 13.
The basic feature of -this invention lies, as shown in Figure 1, in cooling a biaxially stretched, blow molded polyolefin resin, particularly polyethylene Tory phthalate bottle 1, particularly its body portion when it is filled with a hot liquid 6, by contacting the entire external surface of the bottle l with a cooling fluid lo such as cold water or air in such a manner that the cooling fluid lo may not exert any strong pressure on the bottle l.
Although the cooling of the bottle 1 with the cooling fluid lo is better if conducted progressively on the outer surface of one portion of the bottle to another which is brought into contact with the liquid poured whereinto, such a method of cooling complicates the control of flow of the cooling fluid lo and the construction of a cooling device; therefore, it is easier to cool the whole bottle l to a temperature which is suitable in view of *he temperature of the liquid 6 which is poured into the bottle l.
As the liquid 6 is poured into the bottle 1, that portion ox the bottle 1 which is brought into contact with the liquid 6 is heated by the liquid 6 with a result lent reduction in the cooling effect, therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the cooling fluid 10 be maintained at a substantially constant temperature and caused to flow in contact with the outer surface of the bottle l in order to avoid any reduction of its cooling effect.
:
~2068~5 Such arrangement for avoiding reduction in the cooling effect of the cooling fluid 10 prevents elevation of the temperature of the wall of the bottle 1 to a level causing its thermal deformation despite the high tempera-lure of the liquid 6, because the wall thickness of the bottle 1 is very small.
Since a biaxially stretched, blow molded posy-ethylene terephthalate bottle l of this sort usually has a very small wall thickness, it is likely that application of the cooling fluid 10 at a high pressure against the surface of the bottle 1, especially of its body portion may cause concave deformation of the body of the bottle 1.
It is, therefore, important to conduct application of the cooling fluid 10 against the surface of the bottle 1 in full consideration of its quantity per unit time, tempera-lure and flow rate directly related to the pressure at which the cooling fluid is applied to the surface of the bottle 1) required to produce a full cooling effect.
For example, in case the bottle 1 is cooled with cold water which is considered the most effective cooling fluid for the bottle 1, it is effective to drop a large quantity of water on the shoulder of the bottle 1 to allow it to flow down along the bottle surface by its own weight r rather than directing jets of water against the surface of the bottle 1 through a multiplicity of nozzles provided opposite to it.
After the bottle 1 is filled with its contents 6 and a cap is placed on the bottle 1 to close it, . Jo 7 .
lo 5 the bottle 1 is cooled by an ordinary cooling device until its contents 6 are cooled down to room temperature, in view of the possibility that when the bottle 1 has been filled, its contents 6 may still remain at a tempo-nature which will cause thermal deformation of the bottle 1.
If the bottle 1 is heat set beforehand, it .
requires only a short period of cooling subsequent owe the filling of its contents 6, with a corresponding reduction in the time required for the entire process of filling the bottle 1.
While it is desirable that the cooling of the bottle with the cooling fluid 10 should be effected uniformly over the whole surface of the bottle 1, its neck 2 is difficult to cool. Therefore, it is effective to increase the heat-resisting property of the neck 2 of the bottle 1 beforehand by whitening under heat count-not when the bottle 1 is molded.
When the liquid 6 has been poured into the bottle 1 forcibly goofed by the cooling fluid 10, it still remains at a fairly high temperature, since it is not directly cooled by the cooling fluid 10.
Accordingly, if the hot liquid 6 is poured through an injection tube 7 to fill the bottle 1 up to a level close to its neck 2 as shown in Figure 2, the difference between the temperature of the liquid 6 and the ambient temperature causes vapor to rise from the liquid and fill a vacant space 8 formed above the liquid 6 in the bottle 1.
.. ..
:
.:
-The injection tube 7 is moved upward relative to the bottle 1 and removed from its neck 2, while the vacant space 8 still remains pull of such vapor of the liquid 6, i.e., while the liquid 6 still remains at a sufficiently high temperature.
Then, while the liquid 6 remains at a high temperature, i.e., while the vacant space 8 remains full of the vapor of the liquid 6, an inner stopper 4 is tightly fitted into the neck 2 to close it, and has a bottom surface positioned in contact with the level of the liquid 6 or slightly above it to eliminate or virtually eliminate a vacant space contacting the liquid 6 in the bottle lo After the neck 2 is closed by the inner stopper 4, an outer cap 5 is placed over the neck 2, and the contents 6 Of the bottle 1 are cooled to room temperature, followed by transfer of the bottle 1 to an appropriate place.
The method described above prevents entry of air into the vacant space 8 in the neck 2, since the vacant space 8 above the liquid 6 is full of the vapor rising from the liquid 6 when the inner stopper 4 is fitted while the liquid 6 in the bottle 1 remains at a sufficiently high temperature to continue vaporization.
Since no air enters the space 8 in the neck 2, but it is full of the vapor from the liquid 6, no air is retained in a gap 9, if any, formed between the inner ;
.
,}, -- g --16~3~5 stopper 4 and the liquid 6 (see Figure 5), but only the vapor of the liquid 6 is present in such a gap I
Thus, no air is captured in the bottle 1 at all, and therefore, there is no fear of any germs in the air being confined in the bottle 1.
If there is any gap 9 between the inner stopper 4 and the liquid 6 as shown in Figure 5, only the vapor of the liquid 6 fills the gap 9, and when the liquid 6 is cooled to about room temperature, the vapor in the gap 9 returns into the liquid 6 and the gap 9 become vacuum.
This serves to enhance the function of the inner stopper 4 in closing the neck 2 sealingly.
kite the inner stopper 4 tightly fitted in the neck 2 to close it sealingly may be of any appropriate construction, it is often the case that as the bottle 1 which is a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephtahlate molding is less resistant to heat in its neck 2 than in its body portion, the liquid 6 fills the bottle 1 only to a level short of the neck 2 as shown in the drawings.
Accordingly, the vacant space 8 formed above the liquid 6 in the bottle 1 has a relatively large volume.
- Therefore, the inner stopper 4 may conveniently be formed from a soft synthetic resin such as polyethylene, and comprise a bottomed cylindrical body having an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of the neck 2, and a height positioning the bottom surface of the stopper 4 in contact with or slightly above the level of the liquid 6 I, -- 10 --:
.
Z~36~3~S
when the stopper 4 is fitted in the neck 2, an integral flange being formed about the upper end of the Solon-Dracula body to rest on the upper end of the neck 2, so that the stopper 4 can fill a relatively large vacant space in the neck 2 to ensure its closure in a sealed manner and can be molded easily and economically.
The outer cap 5 may be threadedly fastened to the neck 2 as shown in the drawings, or may alternatively be caulked thereto.
If the outer cap 5 is of the type threadedly connected to the neck 2, it is desirable from the stand-point of appearance that the lower end of the outer cap 5 be positioned below the lower end of the inner stopper 4 in the neck 2 to make the inner stopper 4 invisible from the outside of the bottle l.
Attention is now directed to a device for cooling the bottle 1 when it is being filled with its contents 6.
Figure 6 shows the probably simplest form of a cooling device using cold water as the cooling fluid 10, which is coccal mounted about the injection tube 7 for introducing the hot liquid 6 into the bottle 1 and adapted to supply a continuous flow of cooling water down the outer surface of the bottle 1.
The injection tube 7 is vertically movable to position its lower end into the neck 2 of each of a series of bottles 1 arriving at a filling station one after another to fill the bottle 1 with its contents 6 which Jo ~76~95 have been received from a source of liquid supply not shown.
A cylindrical seal cover 11 is positioned coccal about the injection tube 7 to prevent entry into the neck 2 of any cooling water flowing down the outer surface of the bottle 1, and is molded in a cylindrical shape having an inside diameter somewhat larger than the outside of the neck 2.
According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the cylindrical seal cover 11 has its inside diameter selected to position its lower end in sealing contact with a flange 3 formed around the outer surface of the lower end of the neck 2, so that no cooling water flowing down the outer surface ox the bottle 1 may happen to flow toward the neck 2.
The cylindrical seal cover if is vertically movable like the injection tube 7, and may be movable either in unison with the injection tube 7 or in depend-entry thereof.
An outer cylindrical housing 13 is secured to the outer surface of the cylindrical seal cover if at the lower end thereof in coaxial relationship therewith, and defines with the cylindrical seal cover if a water chamber 12 which is open at its lower end forming a water outlet 14 and closed at its upper end.
The water chamber 12 defined between the Solon-Dracula seal cover if and the outer cylindrical housing 13 does not need to be of any large volume, since it is not 06~3~5 intended to serve as a sort of "pool" as in any other ordinary fluid passage.
In tact, the water chamber 12 is provided to receive a supply of cooling water from a substantially restricted source and distribute it almost uniformly around the bottle 1 when it flows down its outer surface.
Therefore, the water chamber 12 is preferably provided between its inlet 15 and outlet 14 with an appropriate deflector to cause the water to flow substantially uniformly through the entire area of the outlet 14 which is annular in shape.
The inlet lo opens into the upper end of the water chamber 12 and receives cooling water from a source of water supply not shown through a supply pipe 16.
According to the cooling device of Figure 6 constructed as described above, the injection tube 7 and the cylindrical seal cover 11 are moved downwardly rota-live to the bottle 1 and the injection tube 7 is inserted into the neck 2, while the lower end of the cylindrical seal cover 11 is brought into sealing contact with the flange 3, when the bottle 1 has been received in the liquid filling station.
The source of water supply is, then, actuated to supply cooling water through the outlet 14 of the water chamber 12 down along the outer surface of the bottle 1 to cool it before the injection tube 7 starts introduction of a liquid into the bottle 1.
12~ 395 Thus, the hot liquid 6 is introduced into the bottle l being cooled by the water which continually flows down the outer surface of the bottle l in contact with it to keep it cooled.
Accordingly the wall so of the bottle 1 is never heated by its contents 6 to a temperature so high as to cause its deformation, but is entirely free from any influence of the high temperature of the liquid 6.
Although it may appear sufficient to continue the supply of cooling water to the outer surface of the bottle until the bottle l has been filled with its contents 6, discontinuation of the supply of cooling water lo immediately upon completion of the filling of the liquid 6 may possibly cause the bottle l to be gaffe-clod by the heat of its contents 6 despite its prior cooling, since the liquid 6 still remains at a high temperature.
Therefore, the bottle l is continuously cooled by this cooling device until its contents are cooled in the cooling process i~nediately following the present bottle filling process.
Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the cool-in device, which uses water as the cooling fluid lo like the device of Figure 6, but which is designed to provide a more uniform supply of cooling water around the outer periphery of the bottle l than the device shown in Figure 6.
~06~39~
The cooling device shown in Figure 7 prince-patty comprises a housing 13 which is movable relative to the bottle 1 no later than the injection tube 7 is moved downwardly relative to the bottle 1 and inserted into its neck 2, and which has a wall 18 positioned opposite to the outer surface of the bottle 1 at least in an area extending from its shoulder to its body portion upon such movement of the housing 13.
The housing 13 has a hollow interior, and its wall 18 is pierced with a multiplicity of outlet openings 14. The hollow interior of the housing 13 is fluidly communicated with A source of supply of a cooling fluid 17 by a supply pipe 16 connected to an inlet opening 15.
The cooling fluid supplied from its source ox supply 17 into the housing 13 is spouted through the outlet openings 14 against the outer surface of the bottle 1 to cool the bottle 1.
In the embodiment shown, the hollow interior of the housing 13 is divided into two chambers, one on the side of the inlet opening 15 and the other on the side of the outlet openings 14, by a partition having a multiplicity of apertures 21, so that the cooling fluid introduced into the housing 13 through its inlet opening 15 may reach all the outlet openings 14 as uniformly as possible.
While a variety of arrangements may be possible for mounting the housing 13, it is, according to the pro-sent embodiment, secured to the lower end of a cylindrical ,", -- 1 5 ~Z~8~3?5 seal cover 11 positioned coccal with the injection tube 7, and having an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the neck 2 and a lower end adapted to be brought into abutment with the flange 3.
The housing 13 is connected at its lower end to the cylindrical seal cover 11, with its lower end resting on the flange 3, for the purpose of preventing any cooling fluid from entering the neck 2 during the cooling operation for the bottle I
The housing 13 has a part-spherical shape, and is directly connected to the cylindrical seal cover 11 According to the embodiment of Figure 7, cool-in water is poured out through the outlet openings 14 of the wall 18 against the outer surface of the bottle 1 in a region from its shoulder to its body portion, so that the water directed against the bottle 1 in the vicinity of its shoulder may adhere to the outer surface of the bottle 1 and flow down to cool its lower portion not faced by the wall 18 of the housing 13.
Figures 8 and 9 show cooling devices adapted to use a gas as the cooling fluid 10.
The device shown in Figure 8 includes a Solon-Dracula housing 13 having a greater height than the body portion of the bottle 1 and a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the body portion of the bottle 1, and connected to the lower end of a cylindrical seal cover 11 by a seal plate 22.
, r 16 us The housing 13 has a wall 18 facing the bottle 1 in the whole area of its shoulder and body portion, and pierced with a multiplicity of outlet openings 14.
As has been the case with the device of Figure 7, the interior of the housing 13 is divided by a part-lion 20 into two chambers, one on the side of its outlet openings lo and the other on the side of its supply pipe 16, which are communicated with each other through a multiplicity of apertures 21 in the partition 20.
Each of the devices shown in Figures 8 and 9 can cool the bottle l by blowing a cooling gas against its outer surface through the outlet openings 14, and hold in a predetermined cooling atmosphere the bottle l filled with its hot contents 6.
Accordingly, each device can fulfill an extremely good cooling function to cool the bottle l uniformly over its entire surface.
While entry of any cooling fluid lo into the neck 2 is prevented by the cylindrical seal cover if having its lower end resting on the flange 3 in all of the cooling devices shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, Figure 9 shows a different arrangement. The cooling device shown in Figure 9 has a housing 13 divided into two horizontally movable portions along a vertical plane, and the two portions are horizontally moved toward each other with the bottle 1 in between to be united to form the housing 13 enclosing the bottle l therein.
~L2C~61~95 Accordingly, infiltration of any cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2 is prevented by a pair of flat seal cover plates 22 secured to the two portions, respectively, of the housing 13.
The prevention of infiltration of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2 is accomplished by the edges of the two seal cover plates 22 facing the neck 2 and resting against its flange 2.
If the cylindrical seal cover 11 or the flat planar seal covers 22 forming a part of the cooling device exert an excessive pressure on the flange 3 when resting against it to prevent entry of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2, the flange 3 nay likely be deformed by the heat of the liquid 6 filling the bottle 1, because it is molded integrally with the neck 2 which is difficult to coo 1 .
With particular reference to the use of the planar seal covers in an attempt to prevent infiltration of the cooling fluid 10 into the neck 2, a very serious disadvantage may occur in case the edges of the planar seal covers 22 are brought into contact with the inclined lower surface ox the flange 3.
More specifically stated, it will be seen from Figure 10 that the lower surface of the flange 3 defines an upwardly inclined surface rising toward its outer periphery, and that, if the planar seal covers I are moved toward each other as in a mold closing operation to bring their opposing edges into contact with the lower - 1~3 -US
.
surface of the flange 3, the seal covers 22 will exert an upwardly directed thrust on the flange 3 by virtue of the inclination of its lower surface.
No particular problem occurs when the planar seal covers 22 have been applied to the bottle 1, but as the liquid 6 begins to be introduced into the bottle 1, the hot liquid 6 heats the flange 3 and makes it liable to deformation, and due to the weight of the liquid 6 poured into the bottle 1, the flange 3 receives a stronger thrust from the seal covers 22.
Accordingly, the flange 3 is deformed or upwardly bent by the thrust of the seal covers 22 as shown in Figure 11, with a resultant undesirable change in the tightening depth of the threaded cap to be placed over the neck 2 according to the construction shown in Figures 10 and 11~
A similar problem is likely to occur to the : neck 2 of a bottle 1 provided about its upper end with an annular flange 3 for receiving a caulked cap, if the flange 3 has an upwardly inclined lower surface as shown in Figure 13. The flange 3 is deformed under the influx once of the heat ox the liquid 6 and the thrust imposed by the planar seal covers 22 as shown by broken lines in Figure 13, and the cap cannot be properly placed over the flange 3.
; The lower surface of the flange 3 should be made completely flat as shown in Figures 12 and 14 in order to prevent any such thermal deformation of the flange 3.
I
In other words, the lower surface should extend perpendicularly to the outer peripheral surface of the neck 2, and not at an angle thereto.
When the flange 3 has a horizontal lower sun-face as shown in Figures 12 and 14, the opposing edges of the planar seal covers 22 are merely brought into light contact with the lower surface of the flange 3 when applied to the neck 2 in order to prevent any cooling fluid 10 for the bottle 1 from flowing over its body portion toward its neck 2, and the seal covers 22 do not exert any thrust on the bottle 1 through its flange.
Therefore, even if the neck 2, including the flange 3, is slightly softened under the heat of the hot liquid 6 being poured through the injection tube 7 into the bottle 1, the flange 3 does not undergo any thermal deformation, but retains its initial shape, since no thrust or other external force whatsoever acts on the flange 3.
As the Lange 3 is not deformed by the heat of the hot liquid 6, there is no fear any more of occur-fence of a number of disadvantages which might otherwise occur, e.g., change in the tightening depth of a threaded cap, difficulty in proper positioning of a caulked cap, or incompletely sealed closure of the neck 2 by such a cap.
According to this invention, the effective cooling of the bottle 1 prior to the introduction of its ~Z~6~95 contents 6 or simultaneously therewith advantageously prevents deformation of the bottle 1 by the heat of its contents 6 to thereby ensure the proper filling of the bottle 1 with its contents 6 and prevent degradation of the commercial value of its contents 6, and as the bottle 1 per so is not substantially heated, there is no fear of elusion of any acetoaldehyde group from the polyethy-tone terephthalate material of the bottle 1, hence of the change in taste of its content 6.
Moreover, as the method of this invention is simply intended to cool the bottle 1, it can easily be carries out only if a device or contacting a series of bottle 1 alternately with a cooling fluid 10 is mounted in the liquid filling station of a device for filling such a series of bottles 1 alternately with their contents 6.
It is, of course, necessary that the bottle cooling device be so constructed as not to interfere with the transfer of the bottles 1 into and out of the liquid filling device, and the cooling device is conveniently controlled for continuous operation irrespective of the ; presence of any bottle 1 to be cooled at any particular moment .
As the cooling devices are of the simple con-struction merely intended for causing a cooling fluid 10 to flow under gravity or directing it in jet form, they can easily be mounted in the liquid filling stations of the apparatus for pouring the liquid 6 continuously into a multiplicity of continuously arriving bottles 1, 12~16895 without interfering with the liquid filling devices or necessitating any structural modification thereof.
As is obvious from the foregoing description, this invention provides a great many excellent features and advantages, including the complete freedom of the bottle 1 from thermal deformation by its hot contents hence maintenance of its high commercial value and its sealed closure by a cap placed over its neck; sub Stan-tidally complete freedom of the bottle 1 from any effect of heating by its hot contents 6, hence elimination of any possibility of elusion of acetoaldehyde groups into the contents 6 resulting in a change in their taste;
elimination of any confinement of germs from the air into the bottle 1 by utilizing the vapor rising from its contents 6, hence requiring no special facilities at all for shutting out such germs, but merely fitting an inner stopper 4 tightly into the neck 2, so that a very great hygienic effect can be obtained with simple operation and acilLties to preserve the contents 6 of the bottle safely for a long period of time; and a very simple construction of the cooling devices and yet their highly reliable tooling efficiency.
Claims (2)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin provided around the outer peripheral surface of its neck with a flange having a horizontal lower surface.
2. A biaxially stretched bottle according to claim 1 molded from polyethylene terephthalate.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439160A CA1206895A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1983-10-17 | Biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin |
Applications Claiming Priority (12)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP9832178A JPS5529438A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1978-08-12 | Method of filling polyethylenee terephthalateeresin made bottle with hot content liquid |
| JP53-98321 | 1978-08-12 | ||
| JP53-122323 | 1978-09-06 | ||
| JP53-122324 | 1978-09-06 | ||
| JP12232378U JPS5837839Y2 (en) | 1978-09-06 | 1978-09-06 | Equipment for filling high-temperature liquid contents into polyethylene terephthalate resin bottles |
| JP12232478U JPS5837840Y2 (en) | 1978-09-06 | 1978-09-06 | Equipment for filling high-temperature liquid contents into polyethylene terephthalate resin bottles |
| JP53-113077 | 1978-09-14 | ||
| JP11307778A JPS5548092A (en) | 1978-09-14 | 1978-09-14 | Sealing housing method of inside liquid with high temperature |
| JP13253378U JPS5550906U (en) | 1978-09-27 | 1978-09-27 | |
| JP53-132533 | 1978-09-27 | ||
| CA000333632A CA1155429A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1979-08-13 | Method of filling a high temperature liquid into a biaxially oriented saturated polyester bottle, a device for cooling said bottle, and a structure of the neck of said bottle |
| CA000439160A CA1206895A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1983-10-17 | Biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000333632A Division CA1155429A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1979-08-13 | Method of filling a high temperature liquid into a biaxially oriented saturated polyester bottle, a device for cooling said bottle, and a structure of the neck of said bottle |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1206895A true CA1206895A (en) | 1986-07-02 |
Family
ID=27543306
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439159A Expired CA1203212A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1983-10-17 | Spill-over cap for biaxially oriented saturated polyester bottles |
| CA000439160A Expired CA1206895A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1983-10-17 | Biaxially stretched bottle molded from a saturated polyester resin |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439159A Expired CA1203212A (en) | 1978-08-12 | 1983-10-17 | Spill-over cap for biaxially oriented saturated polyester bottles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (2) | CA1203212A (en) |
-
1983
- 1983-10-17 CA CA000439159A patent/CA1203212A/en not_active Expired
- 1983-10-17 CA CA000439160A patent/CA1206895A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA1203212A (en) | 1986-04-15 |
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