EP1021337A1 - Method and device for filling and closing a container, and container obtained with this method - Google Patents

Method and device for filling and closing a container, and container obtained with this method

Info

Publication number
EP1021337A1
EP1021337A1 EP97940477A EP97940477A EP1021337A1 EP 1021337 A1 EP1021337 A1 EP 1021337A1 EP 97940477 A EP97940477 A EP 97940477A EP 97940477 A EP97940477 A EP 97940477A EP 1021337 A1 EP1021337 A1 EP 1021337A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
mouth
cover
placing
filling
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP97940477A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1021337B1 (en
Inventor
Fred Willem Savrij Droste
Maria Cornelia Hendrika Kamp-Stroeken
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ardagh Metal Packaging Germany GmbH
Original Assignee
Schmalbach Lubeca Nederland BV
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schmalbach Lubeca Nederland BV filed Critical Schmalbach Lubeca Nederland BV
Publication of EP1021337A1 publication Critical patent/EP1021337A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1021337B1 publication Critical patent/EP1021337B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • B65B31/006—Adding fluids for preventing deformation of filled and closed containers or wrappers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for filling and closing a container. It is an object of the invention to cause the filling and closing of a container, in particular for food or a drink, to take place such that the danger of bacterial contamination of the content of the can is limited to a minimum during filling and closing.
  • the invention provides a method for filling and closing a container, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening of the container is situated at the top;
  • the liquid nitrogen introduced into the can ensures during its boiling evaporation that a gas flow takes place which is directed outward and moves through the gap partly caused by this gas flow between the mouth rim of the can and the cover laid loosely thereon. This effectively prevents bacterial contamination by germs in the environment. These are blown away from the access to the can by said gas flow.
  • the air initially present in the container can be effectively expelled by the evaporation of the nitrogen.
  • the oxygen content in the can is hereby effectively reduced. Particularly in respect of the wish to prevent oxidation of foodstuffs by oxygen, this is a very desirable effect of the invention.
  • the method can have the particular feature that the can according to (a) is a metal container.
  • This latter method is preferably embodied such that the coupling according to step (e) takes place by seam-folding.
  • the method can be embodied such that the chosen quantity according to step (c) lies in the order of 1-10 droplets.
  • a very practical embodiment of the method according to the invention which lends itself particularly well to implementation in an automatically operating device, has the special feature that the chosen time interval corresponds with the time in which the container is transported from a station in which step (d) is performed to a station in which step (e) is performed.
  • the method according to the invention as specified above can be performed with a for instance automatically operating device for filling and closing a container, which device comprises: means for providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening is situated at the top; means for filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth; means for introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen; means for placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval ; and means for sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.
  • the invention further relates to a container filled with product, for instance food or a drink, and a certain quantity of nitrogen gas, obtained by applying the method in accordance with any of the methods as specified above.
  • figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a known method for filling and closing a container
  • figure 2 shows a representation corresponding with figure 1 of a method according to the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows in a first stage a metal container 1 consisting of a bottom (not shown) and a standing body. This has at its top a mouth opening 2 with a mouth rim 3. After transport as according to an arrow 4, filling of the can 1 with food product 6 takes place as according to arrow 5. As will be apparent, a certain space 7 remains free between the surface of the product and the mouth 3. After further transport a quantity (for instance several drops) of liquid nitrogen 8 are applied to surface 6 via a dispensing device 7. This nitrogen has a temperature of almost -200 ⁇ C and in these free conditions is in a state in which the liquid boils and thereby evaporates rapidly while releasing gaseous nitrogen.
  • a cover is then placed onto mouth rim 3 and sealingly connected to mouth rim 3 by rotation 11 through a schematically designated seam-folding device 12. It will be apparent that while in this manner a certain pressure is created in the filled container which can contribute for instance to the total rigidity of the filled container, penetration into the container of germs from outside is in no way prevented and oxygen is not expelled. It is noted that the transport between dispensing device 7 and seam-folding device 12 will take some time and that the dangers referred to occur during this period.
  • figure 2 shows that a cover 10 is temporarily placed loosely on mouth rim 3 , whereby gaseous nitrogen can escape as according to arrows 13 via the gap 14 which is created partly by the nitrogen pressure in space 7 after cover 10 has been loosely placed. Bacterial contamination is effectively prevented hereby and air, and therewith oxygen, present in space 7 is expelled. Only after expiry of a chosen time interval does a seam-folding operation in accordance with the last illustration of figure 2 take place. It is noted that the invention is of course not limited to a metal embodiment of the container and/or the can. Glass containers for instance with screw covers or the like also fall within the scope of the invention.
  • the distance between the station where the covers are laid on loosely and the station where the covers are seam-folded into place in combination with the transporting speed according to arrow 4 corresponds with a desired chosen time for which the liquid nitrogen is able to perform its described action, for instance such that after the seam- folding a certain amount of liquid nitrogen still remains which can subsequently evaporate in order to effect a certain overpressure in the filled container.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)

Abstract

A method for filling and closing a container comprises the steps of: (a) providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening of the container is situated at the top; (b) filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth; (c) introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen; (d) placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval; and (e) sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FILLING AND CLOSING A CONTAINER, AND CONTAINER OBTAINED WITH THIS METHOD
The invention relates to a method for filling and closing a container. It is an object of the invention to cause the filling and closing of a container, in particular for food or a drink, to take place such that the danger of bacterial contamination of the content of the can is limited to a minimum during filling and closing.
It is a further object of the invention to cause the filling and closing of a can to take place such that the oxygen content of gas present in the can is considerably reduced.
In respect of the above objectives, the invention provides a method for filling and closing a container, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening of the container is situated at the top;
(b) filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth;
(c) introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen;
(d) placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval ; and
(e) sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.
Otherwise than in known methods, the liquid nitrogen introduced into the can ensures during its boiling evaporation that a gas flow takes place which is directed outward and moves through the gap partly caused by this gas flow between the mouth rim of the can and the cover laid loosely thereon. This effectively prevents bacterial contamination by germs in the environment. These are blown away from the access to the can by said gas flow. By making use of a sufficient quantity of liquid nitrogen the air initially present in the container can be effectively expelled by the evaporation of the nitrogen. The oxygen content in the can is hereby effectively reduced. Particularly in respect of the wish to prevent oxidation of foodstuffs by oxygen, this is a very desirable effect of the invention.
The method can have the particular feature that the can according to (a) is a metal container.
This latter method is preferably embodied such that the coupling according to step (e) takes place by seam-folding.
In the most usual cans the method can be embodied such that the chosen quantity according to step (c) lies in the order of 1-10 droplets. A very practical embodiment of the method according to the invention, which lends itself particularly well to implementation in an automatically operating device, has the special feature that the chosen time interval corresponds with the time in which the container is transported from a station in which step (d) is performed to a station in which step (e) is performed.
The method according to the invention as specified above can be performed with a for instance automatically operating device for filling and closing a container, which device comprises: means for providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening is situated at the top; means for filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth; means for introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen; means for placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval ; and means for sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.
The invention further relates to a container filled with product, for instance food or a drink, and a certain quantity of nitrogen gas, obtained by applying the method in accordance with any of the methods as specified above.
The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexed drawings. Herein: figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a known method for filling and closing a container; and figure 2 shows a representation corresponding with figure 1 of a method according to the invention. Figure 1 shows in a first stage a metal container 1 consisting of a bottom (not shown) and a standing body. This has at its top a mouth opening 2 with a mouth rim 3. After transport as according to an arrow 4, filling of the can 1 with food product 6 takes place as according to arrow 5. As will be apparent, a certain space 7 remains free between the surface of the product and the mouth 3. After further transport a quantity (for instance several drops) of liquid nitrogen 8 are applied to surface 6 via a dispensing device 7. This nitrogen has a temperature of almost -200βC and in these free conditions is in a state in which the liquid boils and thereby evaporates rapidly while releasing gaseous nitrogen.
From a stack 9 of covers 10 a cover is then placed onto mouth rim 3 and sealingly connected to mouth rim 3 by rotation 11 through a schematically designated seam-folding device 12. It will be apparent that while in this manner a certain pressure is created in the filled container which can contribute for instance to the total rigidity of the filled container, penetration into the container of germs from outside is in no way prevented and oxygen is not expelled. It is noted that the transport between dispensing device 7 and seam-folding device 12 will take some time and that the dangers referred to occur during this period.
In contrast to figure 1, figure 2 shows that a cover 10 is temporarily placed loosely on mouth rim 3 , whereby gaseous nitrogen can escape as according to arrows 13 via the gap 14 which is created partly by the nitrogen pressure in space 7 after cover 10 has been loosely placed. Bacterial contamination is effectively prevented hereby and air, and therewith oxygen, present in space 7 is expelled. Only after expiry of a chosen time interval does a seam-folding operation in accordance with the last illustration of figure 2 take place. It is noted that the invention is of course not limited to a metal embodiment of the container and/or the can. Glass containers for instance with screw covers or the like also fall within the scope of the invention.
It is also noted generally that the quantity of liquid nitrogen used according to the prior art of figure 1 will in general be smaller than in the configuration of figure 2 in which the teaching of the invention is applied. According to the invention a part of the nitrogen must in any case evaporate and serve to generate an effective gas flow which prevents bacterial contamination and expels oxygen.
It is finally noted that, in a device in which the method of figure 2 is implemented, the distance between the station where the covers are laid on loosely and the station where the covers are seam-folded into place in combination with the transporting speed according to arrow 4 corresponds with a desired chosen time for which the liquid nitrogen is able to perform its described action, for instance such that after the seam- folding a certain amount of liquid nitrogen still remains which can subsequently evaporate in order to effect a certain overpressure in the filled container.
*****

Claims

1. Method for filling and closing a container, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening of the container is situated at the top;
(b) filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth; (c) introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen;
(d) placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval ; and (e) sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the can according to (a) is a metal container.
3. Method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling according to step (e) takes place by seam- folding.
4. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chosen quantity according to step (c) lies in the order of 1-10 droplets.
5. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chosen time interval corresponds with the time in which the container is transported from a station in which step (d) is performed to a station in which step (e) is performed.
6. Device for filling and closing a container, which device comprises: means for providing an open container and placing thereof such that the mouth opening is situated at the top; means for filling the open container with product for packaging, for instance food or a drink, such that a space remains between the surface of the product and the mouth; means for introducing into said space a chosen quantity of sterile liquid nitrogen; means for placing a cover loosely on the mouth rim and maintaining the loose placing of the cover on the mouth rim for a chosen time interval ; and means for sealingly coupling the peripheral zone of the cover to the mouth rim zone of the container.
7. Container filled with product, for instance food or a drink, and a certain quantity of nitrogen gas obtained by applying the method as claimed in any of the claims 1-5.
*****
EP97940477A 1996-09-11 1997-09-11 Method and device for filling and closing a container, and container obtained with this method Expired - Lifetime EP1021337B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1004001 1996-09-11
NL1004001A NL1004001C2 (en) 1996-09-11 1996-09-11 Method and device for filling and closing a container, as well as container obtained with the method.
PCT/NL1997/000518 WO1998010988A1 (en) 1996-09-11 1997-09-11 Method and device for filling and closing a container, and container obtained with this method

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1021337A1 true EP1021337A1 (en) 2000-07-26
EP1021337B1 EP1021337B1 (en) 2002-12-04

Family

ID=19763490

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97940477A Expired - Lifetime EP1021337B1 (en) 1996-09-11 1997-09-11 Method and device for filling and closing a container, and container obtained with this method

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1021337B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2001505513A (en)
AU (1) AU720563B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9711756A (en)
CA (1) CA2265602A1 (en)
DE (1) DE69717684T2 (en)
NL (1) NL1004001C2 (en)
WO (1) WO1998010988A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2802177B1 (en) * 1999-12-09 2002-03-01 Pascal Carvin WINE CONDITIONING PROCESS OR THE LIKE, PRODUCTS OBTAINED BY THIS PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROCESS
JP2008155942A (en) * 2006-12-22 2008-07-10 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd Method and device for filling fluid body
JP2008155943A (en) * 2006-12-22 2008-07-10 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd Method and device for filling fluid body
DE102009003025A1 (en) * 2009-05-12 2010-11-18 Ball Packaging Europe Gmbh Method for filling food containers
DE102011106760A1 (en) * 2011-07-05 2013-01-10 Khs Gmbh Method and linear system for filling containers with a product
JP2016159906A (en) * 2015-02-26 2016-09-05 ザ コカ・コーラ カンパニーThe Coca‐Cola Company Glass container product
CN104843226A (en) * 2015-04-10 2015-08-19 刘佳 Grain packaging method and device for grain production line
SE543005C2 (en) * 2016-07-06 2020-09-22 A & R Carton Lund Ab Method of producing and filling a packaging container.
DE102022211879A1 (en) 2022-11-09 2024-05-16 Optima consumer GmbH Degassing, gassing and sealing of containers

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3848396A (en) * 1973-11-09 1974-11-19 Procter Paint And Varnish Co I Means for depositing lids on filled containers and then seating said lids in sealing condition on such containers
GB2235759A (en) * 1989-09-04 1991-03-13 Guinness Son & Co Ltd A Liquid dispensing system and packaging apparatus

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9810988A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4224397A (en) 1998-04-02
CA2265602A1 (en) 1998-03-19
EP1021337B1 (en) 2002-12-04
NL1004001C2 (en) 1998-03-12
BR9711756A (en) 2000-01-18
JP2001505513A (en) 2001-04-24
DE69717684D1 (en) 2003-01-16
WO1998010988A1 (en) 1998-03-19
DE69717684T2 (en) 2003-09-18
AU720563B2 (en) 2000-06-01

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