RU2575002C2 - Capping under pressure for modification of space above product - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to fitting of the seal or cap at open end of filled vessel with the first internal pressure and to capping machine to this end. Vessel cap (80) arranged in sealing chamber (84) has to hole to be opened for pressure increase in space (231) above the product to repeated tight closure of the hole. Alternatively, said vessel (1) can comprises panels (801-804) to compensate for pressure drop in its sidewall and/or base.

EFFECT: prevention of deformation and development of shape defect at vacuum gage pressure.

20 cl, 104 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This invention relates generally to a method of facilitating containers by changing the pressure in the space above the product and to a container that involves the use of this method. The pressure change can be carried out either during the sealing of the tank, or after sealing the tank. This change in the space above the product can be achieved by filling the container with liquid, isolating the contents of the container from contamination caused by outside air, and adjusting the pressure in the space above the product either during the capping process or after capping or sealing the container. The process of changing the space above the product leads to an increase in the volume of contents in the container, as a result of which the internal pressure in the container increases. This action, in turn, can ensure the displacement of the liquid located under the space above the product in the upper zone of the neck, down before capping or after capping the container, providing an increased capacity of the tank to withstand the load acting from above. In addition, the invention may relate to hot bottled and pasteurized products packaged in heat cured polyester containers.

BACKGROUND

Most manufacturing enterprises are looking for ways to reduce costs, since a slight reduction in the cost of each individual container for a food or beverage packer quickly gives huge savings due to the large number of containers being processed. Using lightweight capacities or reducing the cost of energy and other resources supplied by centralized networks are good ways to save.

However, lightweight containers for non-carbonated products can flatten when stacked, unless the specific handling and transport requirements are met. One typical method used to increase the ability to withstand weight when stacking, or to resist the load acting from above, for containers filled by cold filling, is the metered supply of liquid nitrogen to the container before capping. When dosed feed into the tank, liquid nitrogen creates some internal pressure, which allows you to lay the tank in a stack of several pallets high. Nitrogen gas is one product used in the food and beverage industry to displace oxygen from foods and increase shelf life.

However, since nitrogen dissipates immediately after injection under pressure, the process of controlling the exact dosage is limited. Some of the nitrogen will disappear before capping, which makes the process inaccurate from the point of view of complete sealing control. In addition, nitrogen transport and delivery systems can be costly and dangerous.

Nitrogen consumption can be reduced by as much as 80% by using a liquid nitrogen dosing system instead of nitrogen gas tunnels, but because the container is corked at ambient pressure for the exact time of capping, the resulting pressure decreases in both systems. Immediately at the time of capping, the pressure value can only be equal to the pressure of the environment. After capping, there is a subsequent increase in internal pressure, as nitrogen continues to expand, but cannot exit the sealed container. Nevertheless, since nitrogen is dosed before capping, before capping there is a loss of a certain part of the dose of nitrogen, the value of which varies depending on many factors. This makes the process inaccurate in terms of accurately determining the dose in the container after capping. Usually it will always be a value that will be less than the dose introduced into the open container before capping.

Since air volume consists of 78% nitrogen, there is an excess of nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of -320 ° F (-196 ° C) at atmospheric pressure. Transporting and supplying liquid nitrogen with increasing pressure in food and beverage containers or creating an inert atmosphere in food and beverage containers on the production line creates problems. To use liquid nitrogen injection, the manufacturing facility must have a storage tank, liquid nitrogen pipelines, and a discharge device capable of accurately and consistently dispensing small amounts of liquid nitrogen. For storage, transportation or injection of liquid nitrogen, it is necessary to have isolated equipment, since liquid nitrogen will boil away quickly when it is exposed to indoor temperatures.

However, the use of nitrogen provides an increase in internal pressure in the container after capping. This is more practical from a practical point of view in the case of drinks poured in containers in a cold state than in case of use for drinks subjected to hot bottling. In both cases, there is a possibility that all the dosed nitrogen supplied will dissipate before the container is corked, for example, if there will be a stop on the line after dosing and before capping. However, when used in cold bottling, a container will be obtained as a result, which will at least be corked at ambient pressure and remain under ambient pressure. Despite the fact that the advantage of increased resistance to the load acting on top and increased strength of the side walls will be lost, there will be no particular harm as a result of the fact that the container will still look attractive to the consumer upon purchase. However, in the case of a hot bottled beverage, an insufficient dose causes the container to be corked at ambient pressure and will have little ability to increase the pressure in the container after corking. As the subsequent cooling and compression of the liquid contents of the tank will increase the reduced pressure, and as a result, the tank will be deformed. This is not attractive to the consumer. In addition, the regulation of the dispensing process will be even more difficult in an environment in which hot bottling is carried out, especially with high line productivity. When nitrogen is introduced into the tank under conditions characterized by ambient pressure and above the heated liquid, nitrogen will be much more volatile than in the case of cold liquid. It will dissipate much more quickly before capping or sealing, which makes the dose constancy much more uncertain. Therefore, a shutdown in the line has a more harmful effect on the constancy of the dose. For this reason, an overdose is very often used as a precautionary measure in a container, and this, however, is not ideal.

The pressure in plastic bottles must be increased for all line capacity values, and if the control of the exact pressure reached inside the tank is degraded, then the system performance will also be reduced to properly increase the pressure in each tank.

When choosing a system for liquid nitrogen, the personnel of food and beverage enterprises must take into account and take into account a number of goals and criteria, including:

* Constant pressure in the tank or a constant decrease in the amount of oxygen.

* Safety of production personnel.

* Reliability of the system.

* Rational costs for the acquisition and operation.

Each manufacturer has different priorities for each goal, but usually safety takes one of the first places. It is important to remember that liquid nitrogen becomes a gas at room temperature and increases in volume by 700 times compared with its volume in the liquid state. Appropriate protection of the piping system and discharge equipment, including pressure relief valves, should be used to prevent excessive pressure build-up or destruction of equipment. A safety valve must be located between any two shutoff valves in the system. In systems with a feed from the tank, the safety device with the lowest rated load is usually located outdoors. If the safety valve does not provide pressure relief, it is safer if this happens outdoors, and not indoors where anyone could be injured.

Reliability is essential on a production line where losses are calculated in minutes of downtime. A device for dispensing liquid nitrogen will take some time to start from a state at an indoor temperature, since all internal surfaces must be cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures. As with any liquid nitrogen equipment, the operating instructions must be strictly followed, as there is a risk of moisture contamination of the equipment. Moisture is the biggest enemy of the cold surfaces of liquid nitrogen equipment. The formation of ice crusts inside the equipment takes only a small amount of time. It must be possible to fully adjust the equipment, such as changing nozzles for different tank sizes, and maintaining the equipment without moisture contamination or long downtime. Each production equipment has different technical parameters for supplying liquid nitrogen.

In some applications, it is required that the supply of liquid nitrogen be carried out under aseptic conditions. In such a case, the metering device must also be configured to be sterilized.

The constancy of the results, which is the creation of increased pressure or inert environment, is important for the work as a whole. A bottle of water with too little pressure can flatten when stacked or if the label is not properly glued. A bottle with too much pressure may possibly burst when stored in the trunk of a car due to temperature effects. Inert products may oxidize or deteriorate if the dose of liquid nitrogen is too small; Too large a dose over an inert product can cause the container with excessively high pressure to clog the production line. The introduction of nitrogen can be accomplished by dosing in separate containers or by means of a steady stream of liquid nitrogen. Any of the two methods can ensure consistent results.

Liquid nitrogen will boil away quickly as soon as it is introduced into the tank. Therefore, it is important to ensure effective regulation of liquid nitrogen before dosing. For a typical polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle of 18 fluid ounces (600 ml) with a space above the product of 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) and a standard gauge pressure of 17 psi. An inch (117.21 kPa) will require approximately 0.001411 ounces (0.04 g) of liquid nitrogen. The dose of liquid nitrogen will boil and expand to 1.163 fl oz (34.4 ml) of gaseous nitrogen, which is at room temperature, after capping the container. If 1.163 fl oz (34.4 ml) of gas is added to an isolated volume of 1 fl oz (30 ml), a gauge pressure of 17 psi will be provided. inch (117.21 kPa).

The challenge for the manufacturer of liquid nitrogen dosing equipment is to control the boiling liquid and supply a constant amount of 0.001411 ounces (0.04 g), with a capacity of 40 bottles per minute to more than 1000 bottles per minute. Dosing equipment can provide regulation of liquid nitrogen to the place of dosing, but it cannot provide regulation of the behavior of liquid nitrogen after it is dosed into a container. Liquid nitrogen will boil off quickly when the tank moves to the capping machine, so the travel time must be shortened to get accurate results. The transition from dosing to capping should also be smooth to prevent boiling liquid from spilling out of the container.

Another aspect that must be taken into account is the constancy of the filling levels of the containers. If the space above the product changes due to the fact that the filling levels are very different, the final pressures in the bottles will also be very different from each other. For example, suppose the previously mentioned bottle was filled with a product with a volume of 18 fluid ounces (600 ml) with a space above the product with a volume of 1 fluid ounce (30 ml), and the next bottle in the production line was filled with a product with a volume of 18 , 3 fl oz (610 ml), with a volume of space above the product of 0.6 fl oz (20 ml). Both bottles receive a dose of liquid nitrogen of 0.001411 ounces (0.04 g). Provides a constant dose of liquid nitrogen; however, in accordance with the basic equations of state of the gas, the final gauge pressure in the bottle, acting on the contents in it with a volume of 18 fluid ounces (600 ml), is 17 pounds per square meter. inch (117.21 kPa), and a bottle with a volume of 18.3 fl oz (610 ml) has a final gauge pressure of 25.5 psi. inch (175.82 kPa). In addition to the accuracy of the dosing equipment, many factors determine the accuracy of the final pressure in the bottle. These include the constancy of the volume of the container and good closures. All factors must be taken into account for good results.

Costs are a key issue for manufacturers. It is important to remember that the original purchase price, installation costs and ongoing operating costs should be considered together. Volumetric tanks for storage in open areas are more expensive to purchase than small portable Dewar vessels, but liquid nitrogen costs significantly less in larger volumes than in Dewar vessels. The replacement process also increases the "hidden" costs associated with the use of Dewar vessels; A Dewar flask with a capacity of 41.6 gallons (160 L) will typically be consumed in one 8-hour shift on the production line.

Pipelines are another area in which processors try to save money. Most manufacturers can make relatively inexpensive foam insulation pipes. However, consideration should be given to how much liquid nitrogen is lost during one year when using a pipe with foam insulation. In the case of systems with a vacuum jacket, the acquisition and installation costs are higher, but the reduced loss rate due to better insulation makes the running costs lower than in the case of a system with foam insulation. An inexpensive device for introducing liquid nitrogen, which is insulated from foam, is not a profitable purchase if there is a simple one caused by the formation of an ice crust on the metering device.

Some metering devices require a thawing period of up to 24 hours after use. Start-up and shutdown times are also important factors to consider when calculating the costs of operating a liquid nitrogen injection system. When considering the dosing of liquid nitrogen on a production line, you need to pay attention to many factors. Initial cost is only a small part of the problem. For most manufacturing enterprises considering the use of liquid nitrogen, to successfully solve this problem, appropriate information and preparation is required, and these enterprises should consult the manufacturer of the equipment for dispensing liquid nitrogen before making a final decision.

The amount of liquefied gas added to the container and the amount of space above the product that the container is filled with are the decisive factors in determining the resulting internal pressure in the container during expansion of the liquefied gas. In addition, in accordance with the lawful Boyle-Mariotte, the temperature of hot-bottled products affects the internal pressure after cooling.

Typically, the dose of liquefied gas supplied to the tank depends on the average expected degree of filling of the tanks during the continuous filling operation. When using this method, any change in the amount of space above the product due to changes in the degree of filling leads to containers with insufficient and overpressure. U.S. Pat. 4662154 discloses a method for forming a feedback control system between a liquid nitrogen dispenser and a pressure sensor. The average internal pressure of recently sealed containers is monitored to control the dose of liquid nitrogen added to the tanks, the metered supply to which is performed at a given time. Tanks that do not match the specified pressure range can be rejected.

When using this method, the problems of creating constant pressure still remain due to the dependence of the dose on the average pressure of already hermetically sealed containers. Regardless of whether a given container has a volume of space above a product that is increasing or decreasing, it will receive a dose depending on the average volume of space above a product in containers previously sealed. Consequently, the pressure range in the containers can still vary widely.

Additional problems are caused by the fact that the pressure in the container is the only monitored parameter during dosing. The pressure in the container is measured after the dose has already been supplied to the container and the container is sealed. This measurement, even after dosing, can lead to large volumes of rejects in the event of sudden changes in the level of filling of the product. These sudden changes will not be detected until after the closure of the containers. As a result, even more rejects can be obtained, since the measurement and correction of inappropriate doses are slow processes due to the averaging process. Serving in the wrong dose container should continue until a fluctuation in the average values is detected.

The severity of all the aforementioned problems is further enhanced by the use of hot filling of liquids in containers.

The so-called hot-filled containers are well known in the prior art, and manufacturers supply polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers for various liquids that fill containers, and the liquid product has an elevated temperature, typically a component or a component approximately 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit).

The container is made with the ability to withstand heat shock while holding a heated liquid, which leads to a shrink plastic container. This heat stroke is the result of either the introduction of hot liquid during filling, or the heating of the liquid after it is introduced into the container.

However, when the liquid is cooled in a container sealed with a cap, the volume of liquid in the tank decreases, which creates a reduced pressure in the tank. This shrinkage in the liquid state leads to vacuum gauge pressures that cause the side and end walls of the container to be drawn inward. In turn, this leads to deformation of the walls of the plastic bottles, if they are not created rigid enough to counter such an effort.

As a rule, vacuum pressures are compensated by the use of vacuum panels, which are deformed inwardly under the influence of vacuum pressure. A number of vertically oriented vacuum panels have been disclosed in the prior art that allow containers to withstand the harsh conditions of a hot bottling operation. Such vertically oriented vacuum panels, as a rule, are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and bend inward under the influence of vacuum pressure in the direction of this longitudinal axis.

In addition to vertically oriented vacuum panels, many tanks of the prior art also have flexible base zones to provide additional compensation for reduced pressure. Many prior art hot bottling containers have various modifications to their end walls or base zones to ensure that as much as possible inward bending compensates for at least some of the vacuum pressure generated in the container.

However, even with such a significant displacement of the vacuum panels, the capacity requires additional hardening to prevent deformation and distortion of the form under the action of the force of vacuum pressure.

Liquid shrinkage caused by liquid cooling leads to an increase in vacuum pressure. The vacuum panels bend towards the zone of this negative pressure to such an extent that reduces the force of the vacuum pressure, due to the fact that actually creates a container with a smaller size for better placement of a smaller volume of content. However, this form with smaller dimensions is fixed due to the created force of vacuum pressure. The more difficult it will be to bend the structure inward, the greater the force of vacuum pressure will be created. In the proposals of the prior art, a significant amount of vacuum pressure can still operate in containers, and this pressure tends to distort the overall shape unless a large, circular reinforcing ring is provided having a horizontal or transverse orientation and located at a distance from the end of the container typically at least 1/3.

The present invention relates to containers filled by the method of hot filling, and can be used as an example for containers filled by the method of hot filling, described in international applications published under the numbers WO 02/18213 and WO 2004/028910, while these descriptions are also fully incorporated into this application by reference, where appropriate.

The PCT descriptions describe the designs of the previous containers filled by the hot filling method and the problems associated with similar structures that should have been solved or whose severity should have been at least reduced, and, in particular, the use of pressure compensation elements has been disclosed.

There is a problem when placing such laterally oriented panels in the side wall or end wall, or the base zone of the container, even after the complete elimination of the reduced pressure in the container, when the liquid cools and the panel bends in the opposite direction. The container leaves the filling line with a temperature slightly above the typical ambient temperature, and the panel bends in the opposite direction to achieve the ambient pressure inside the container, in contrast to the negative pressure corresponding to the prior art. A label is glued to the container and the container is often artificially cooled at the point of sale.

This cooling provides additional compression of the product, and therefore, in containers with a design with a very small side wall, the so-called bottles, which look like glass bottles, some deformation can occur that occurs on the containers and looks ugly. To overcome this, an attempt was made to create a basic transverse panel with a greater pulling potential than required, so that its forced inversion can be ensured with counteracting the force acting from the small space above the product available during filling. This creates a small positive pressure at the time of filling, and this positive pressure provides some mitigation. As further cooling occurs, for example during artificial cooling, positive pressure can drop and can reach ambient pressure at cooling temperatures, and thus, deformation of the container can be avoided.

However, a successful engineering solution to this problem is very difficult, because it depends on the use of more space above the product for compression at the moment the base bends in the opposite direction, and it is less desirable to use the space above the product in the tank that is larger than necessary to maintain the quality of the product.

Although it is desirable to lower the liquid level in the container to avoid splashing when the consumer opens the container, it was found that providing the potential to create too much positive pressure in the base can cause some product to splash when the container is opened, especially if it has an ambient temperature.

In most bottling operations, containers are typically filled to a level just below the highest level of product at the top of the neck rim.

Maintaining the smallest possible space above the product is desirable to ensure that subtle differences in the density of the product or container are permissible, to minimize losses from splashing and overflowing over the edge of liquids in the high-capacity filling and closing line and to reduce container compression caused by cooling of the contents after hot filling.

The space above the product contains gases, which over time can cause damage to some products or cause additional requirements for the structural integrity of the container. Examples include oxygen sensitive products and products bottled and sealed at elevated temperatures.

Filling and sealing of a rigid container at elevated temperatures can lead to the creation of significant forces of vacuum pressure, when there is also an excessive amount of gas in the space above the product.

Accordingly, a smaller amount of gas in the space above the product is desirable for containers filled at elevated temperatures, in order to reduce the vacuum pressure forces acting on the vessel, which can violate the structural integrity, cause stress in the vessel, or significantly distort the shape of the vessel. This is also true for pasteurization and sterilization processes in an autoclave, which involve first filling the container, capping and then exposing the packaging to elevated temperatures for a long period.

Specialists in this field of technology have an idea of a number of heat-setting processes in the manufacture of containers to increase the heat resistance of the package. In the case of polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, the heat-setting process, as a rule, includes the removal of stresses created in the vessel during its manufacture in order to improve the crystal structure.

A container made of polyethylene terephthalate for a carbonated cold bottling drink typically has higher internal stresses and a molecular lattice with less crystallinity than a container for use for hot bottling, pasteurization or sterilization of the product in an autoclave. However, even in the case of containers, such as those described in the above PCT descriptions, in which there is a slight residual vacuum pressure, it is necessary that the rim of the container neck is still very thick in order to withstand the filling temperature.

PCT patent application according to PCT WO 2005/085082 describes the previous sentence regarding a method for changing the space above a product, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, when appropriate.

In the case where reference is made in this description to any document of the prior art, this is not an acknowledgment that the invention is part of the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of one possible embodiment of the present invention to provide a combination of container and contents having increased pressure in an unoccupied container, wherein the volume of contents exceeds the volume of the container in the state immediately after molding, while said container has increased pressure during subsequent sealing or capping cap.

An additional objective of one possible embodiment of the present invention is to provide a combination of container, cap and contents that provides increased pressure in the sealed container, the volume of the combination of contents being larger than the combination of contents during initial filling and sealing in the container when the combination of contents is held at a temperature used during filling and corking containers.

An additional objective of the present invention is to force the supply of additional content into the container under controlled pressure to strengthen the side walls.

In view of the foregoing, the objective of one possible embodiment of the present invention is to develop a method of corking under pressure and a method of changing the space above the product, which can provide such an increased pressure in the capped container that it will have an increased ability to withstand the load acting from above.

An additional objective of one possible variant of the present invention is to develop a method of sealing and a method of changing the space above the product, which can provide such an increased pressure in the sealed container that it will have an increased ability to withstand the load acting from above by using a gas other than nitrogen, such like just clean or filtered air.

An additional objective of one possible embodiment of the present invention is to develop a method of sealing and a method of changing the space above the product, which can ensure the removal of vacuum pressure, so that in a tank that uses gas other than nitrogen, such as simply clean or filtered air, not essentially no residual force will act.

An additional objective of one possible embodiment of the present invention is to develop a method of sealing and a method of changing the space above the product, which can provide a removal of vacuum pressure, so that in a tank that uses just a heated liquid, such as water, there will be essentially no residual force .

An additional objective of one possible variant of the present invention is to develop a method of compressing the space above the product, in which air or any other gas or liquid, or a combination thereof, is fed into the space above the product under pressure during sealing to create increased pressure to eliminate the effects of vacuum pressure created during product cooling.

An additional objective of one possible variant of the present invention is to develop a method of changing the space above the product, in which sterile or heated liquid or sterile or heated air or any other gas or a combination of them is fed into the space above the product under sterile conditions to create increased pressure to eliminate exposure to vacuum pressure created during product cooling.

An additional objective of one possible variant of the present invention is to develop a method of changing the space above the product, in which sterile air or some other gas or sterile liquid, or a combination thereof, is fed into the space above the product under sealing pressure to eliminate the effects of vacuum pressure created during product cooling.

An additional objective of one possible variant of the present invention is to develop a method of changing the space above the product, in which a compressible seal is put on the rim of the neck of the container.

An additional objective of one possible embodiment of the present invention is to develop a method for changing the space in which a compressible seal is put on the neck rim, which can be forcedly displaced into the container before cooling the liquid contents so that positive pressure can be created in the container.

An additional and alternative objective of the present invention in all its variants is to at least create for the public the possibility of a useful choice, while all tasks must be studied separately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The sealing method according to the invention can provide final closure of the closure of the container in an environment with high pressure, and not in an environment with ambient pressure. Thus, the exact pressure can be provided in the container at the time of capping, which ensures a constant pressure in the space above the product in each container. This prevents any inconsistency caused by the inconsistency of the periods of supplying the bottles to the capping machine for installing caps, the inconsistent filling levels of the containers, the inconsistent sizes of the containers and so on.

The present invention can provide an improvement in dispensing technology for expanding gases such as nitrogen by ensuring that the closure is fully formed only when the proper dose is delivered inside the container.

The present invention can also provide the possibility of using non-expandable gases, such as air, filtered air, steam or other inert gas.

The present invention can also provide the possibility of introducing a fluid or liquid under pressure into the space above the product, in contrast to the introduction of an expanding or non-expanding gas. The fluid may be either heated and compressible, or heated and incompressible.

The present invention may be suitable for cold bottling and aseptic bottling lines as a means for controlling the metered supply of nitrogen in the tank to withstand the increased load acting from above and to provide a constant dose.

The present invention may be suitable for cold filling and aseptic filling lines as a means of increasing the capacity of the containers to withstand the load acting from above, while avoiding the use of nitrogen, by increasing - instead - the pressure in the containers by introducing some other medium, for example filtered air or water, which may be sterile and / or heated and / or cold.

The present invention can provide an increase in pressure in the container immediately before capping with caps or during capping with caps.

The present invention can provide re-sealing of the container, which was originally sealed in the usual way at ambient pressure.

The present invention can provide increased pressure in the vessel to compensate for any cooling of the heated contents in the vessel either before or after cooling.

The sealing method according to the invention can provide a calibration of the dose of a gaseous or liquid material in real time on a conventional filling line in a container. The pressure in the space above the product can be precisely controlled during capping and can be easily adjusted to supply a constant dose to each container that corresponds to the individually measured volume of space above the product.

A system may typically include an empty container supply station, a continuous container transportation system, a product filling station, a metering station in the space above the product, a possible metering station for dispensing liquefied gas, a metering station for dispensing gas, a metering station for dispensing liquids, a station for corking containers, a station measuring internal pressure in tanks, discharge conveyor and device for rejection.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention may provide that the container closure station will include possible sources of gas, liquefied gas, liquid, and a station for measuring internal pressure in the vessel.

The system can provide regulation of the volume of space above the product in each tank in real time after it is filled with the product and after the medium is added in the form of a liquid or gas. The measurement of the volume of space above the product can be precisely controlled during capping, so that the dose of the medium in the form of liquid or gas supplied to each container can correspond directly to the separately measured volume of space above the product in this container and, as a rule, does not change immediately after capping with the exception of changes caused by changes in the temperature of the liquid contained in the tank.

At doses that exactly meet the requirements specified by measurements carried out separately for each tank, pressure ranges characterized by high constancy can be obtained, in contrast to doses depending on the expected fill levels or average measurement data taken after dosing. Therefore, tanks can be made with reduced dimensions, since they are not required to adapt to a wide range of pressures. In addition, the system can provide lower reject rates due to containers in which improper pressure has been created, since the system provides immediate self-regulation when filling level fluctuates when a dose of medium in the form of a liquid or gas enters the container.

A particular advantage of the method and system according to the invention may be that it allows more and more precise control for dosing at significantly lower pressure for containers filled by hot filling. In the methods of the prior art, the minimum pressure value can be guaranteed only by creating an excess pressure on average so that the lowest achieved dose meets the technical conditions. This usually led to high pressures during the early stages of hot bottling, when the container is hot and plastic. As a result, in most cases significant stresses arise in the container, which necessitates, for example, petal-shaped bases and container designs that are more suitable for carbonated beverage tanks or high pressure tanks. This significantly reduces the possibilities of design solutions available for tanks, and requires additional mass in the tank around the base to achieve acceptable results.

Other advantages and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, claims, and drawings.

The invention provides a container suitable for hot or cold filling operations and having a closure configured to form a temporary window or hole in said container, wherein said window or hole allows one or more medium to be injected under pressure in the form of a liquid and / or gas wherein said closure or said cap, when used, together with the neck of said container forms a space above the product having a pressure substantially at the time of bite porosity exceeding that which existed before the introduction of the specified one or more media in the form of a liquid and / or gas.

The invention also provides a container having a closure mounted on the container in a pressurized environment such that the space above the product will have a positive pressure substantially exactly at the time of closure to provide increased pressure within the container.

The invention also provides a container having a closure mounted on the container in a pressurized environment so that the space above the product will have a positive pressure substantially exactly at the time of closure to provide increased pressure inside the container to eliminate the effects of subsequent cooling of the liquid that is heated or before or after filling the container.

The invention also provides a container having a closure that is finally installed on the container in a controlled environment so that the space above the product is characterized by a controlled pressure substantially exactly at the time of sealing to provide increased pressure inside the container to eliminate the effects of cooling the liquid that is heated or or after bottling in a container.

The invention also provides a cap-sealing device that insulates the open end of the container from the external environment and applies pressure to the inside of the container before attaching or during installation of the cap or other closure, so that the space above the product will have a positive pressure substantially exactly capping moment to provide increased pressure inside the container.

The invention also provides a cap sealing device that insulates the open end of the container from the external environment and applies pressure to the inside of the container before or during the connection of the cap or closure, so that the space above the product will have a positive pressure substantially exactly at the moment capping to provide increased pressure inside the tank to eliminate the effects of subsequent cooling of the liquid that is heated added either before or after the filling into the container.

The invention also provides a container having a closure having a temporary window or hole in said container, said hole providing the possibility of introducing gas or liquid, or both gas and liquid, under pressure, while said opening is also capable of hermetically closing under compression conditions to provide a controlled increase in internal pressure in the vessel before cooling the heated contents.

The invention also provides a container having a closure temporarily attached so that a window or opening in said container will be formed by forming an incompletely tight closure between the cap and the rim of the container neck, said opening allowing gas or liquid to be introduced under pressure, or both gas and liquid, while the specified hole is also made with the possibility of hermetic closure under compression under the action of torque for providing a controlled increase in internal pressure in the vessel before cooling the heated contents.

The invention also provides a container having a closure forming a temporary closure immediately after filling, and access to the opening or window is possible under sterile conditions to allow the entry of a heated or sterile gas or a heated or sterile liquid, or as a heated and sterile gas, as well as heated and sterile liquid, while the specified hole or window is also made with the possibility of its subsequent hermetic closure in sterile conditions to ensure controlled increase in internal pressure in the tank before cooling the heated contents.

The invention also provides a method of filling a container with liquid, including introducing liquid through the open end of the container, supplying a closure having a window or opening or configured to have a window or opening, supplying at least one gas and / or one liquid through the window or opening and pressurizing closing a window or hole to increase the pressure in the space above the product.

The invention also provides a method for filling a container with a fluid, comprising introducing a fluid through the open end of the container so that it at least substantially fills the container, heating the fluid before or after introducing it into the container, supplying a closure having a window or hole, wherein said window or hole is initially hermetically sealed, providing cooling of the heated contents, performing a method of subsequent access to the window or hole under controlled conditions, and is pumped gas and / or liquid through a window or aperture and hermetically closing a window or aperture under controlled conditions to compensate for the decrease in pressure in the space above the product after cooling of the heated contents.

The invention also provides a container having an upper part with a window / hole in said container, wherein said upper part has a neck rim configured to include, after the heated or heatable liquid has been introduced into the container, a movable closure, said closure the tool is configured to compress or mechanically move inward when the liquid is in a heated state or before heating, to increase the pressure in the space d product.

The invention also provides a method for filling a container with a fluid, comprising introducing a fluid through the open end of the container so that it at least substantially fills the container, heating the fluid before or after introducing it into the container, supplying a movable closure for open end for closing and holding the fluid, while the specified closure allows mechanical compression of the space above the product to compensate for the subsequent reduction in pressure in the space product area under the closure as the heated contents cool.

The invention also provides a method of capping a container with gas or liquid, comprising capping the container with a cap, while the entire capping station is under pressure.

Other aspects of the invention, which should be considered in all its new aspects, will be apparent from the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a-b: show a prior art container with a mechanically compressible cap worn to seal a beverage;

FIG. 2a-b: show a different prior art container with a mechanically compressible cap worn on the closure of the beverage;

FIG. 3a-b: show a partial cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the compressed cap of FIG. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4a-b: show a container in accordance with one embodiment of the invention with an enlarged image of a cap having a hermetically sealed opening;

FIG. 5a-c: show enlarged views of one possible embodiment of the cap of FIG. 4a-b;

FIG. 6a-c: show one embodiment of the cap guard of FIG. 5 by means of a device for applying pressure;

FIG. 7a-c: show one embodiment of a cap sealing device that is suitable for use in the pressure application device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8a-c: show a variant of the device for sealing the cap of FIG. 7, which closes the cap under compression;

FIG. 9a-c: show the retraction of the device for sealing the cap of FIG. 8 after sealing the compression chamber and the subsequent reduction of the compressive load acting on it;

FIG. 10a-f: show the cap of the container of FIG. 9 after extraction from the compression chamber (capacity is not fully shown);

FIG. 11a-c: show enlarged views of a variant of the cap of FIG. 4a-b;

FIG. 12a-c: show a variant of the device for sealing caps, suitable for use in a sterilizing device for installing caps;

FIG. 13a-c: show one embodiment of the cap sealing device of FIG. 12 piercing the cap when it is in the process of sterilization;

FIG. 14a-c: show the removal of the piercing and feeding device of FIG. 13 after sterilization and subsequent pressure equalization in space above the product;

FIG. 15a-c: show the re-sealing of the container cap of FIG. 14 before removing the container from the sterilization chamber (the container is not shown fully);

FIG. 16a-c: show additional views of the cap of FIG. 12, 13, 14, 15 in accordance with one possible way of changing the space above the product;

FIG. 17a-c: show an additional possible embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18: shows a further possible embodiment in which a sealing chamber is used;

FIG. 19a-b: show a possible embodiment in the form of a capping machine;

FIG. 20a-f and FIG. 21a-f: show a further possible embodiment in which a pressure chamber is used;

FIG. 22a-c and FIG. 23a-c: schematically show a possible method according to the invention;

FIG. 24-27: schematically show an additional possible embodiment in the form of a capping machine;

FIG. 28a-d, 29a-d, and FIG. 30a-b: show additional embodiments in which a sealing chamber is used;

FIG. 31: schematically shows a possible system for capping; and

FIG. 32a-c, 33a-c, 34a-c, 35a-c, 36a-c and 37a-c: show various possible options with alternative options for compensating for reduced pressure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred options is by nature a description of only examples and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its use or applications.

As discussed above, in order to absorb the forces of vacuum pressure during cooling of the contents in the thermoset container, the containers were usually made with a series of vacuum panels around their side walls and an optimized base part. The vacuum panels are deformed in the inward direction, and the base is deformed in the upward direction under the action of vacuum pressure forces. This prevents unwanted shape distortion anywhere else in the tank. However, the vessel is still exposed to the internal force of the vacuum pressure. The panels and base simply provide a structure with adequate resistance to a given force. The more stable the structure, the greater the force of vacuum pressure will take place. In addition, end users can sense vacuum panels while holding containers.

Typically, in a bottling plant for bottles, containers are filled with hot liquid and then corked with caps before exposing them to a jet of cold water, which leads to the formation of reduced pressure in the container, while the design of the container must be able to withstand the effect of reduced pressure. In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention relates to containers filled by the hot filling method, and to a method that substantially relieves vacuum pressure or substantially eliminates the effects of vacuum pressure. This creates the possibility of greater freedom in the design and provides the possibility of using a small mass, since it is no longer required that the design be resistant to the forces of vacuum pressure, which otherwise would cause mechanical distortion of the shape of the container.

As can be seen in the prior art solution of FIG. 1a-b, when hot liquid 21 is introduced into the container 1, the liquid occupies a volume that is limited by the first upper level 3a. If the compression cap 8 is put on immediately after filling the container neck 2, the reduced pressure will increase in the space 23b that is above the liquid and under the sealing surface 10 of the compression cap, while the sealing surface is the lower boundary of the compressible inner chamber 9, which is introduced in contact with the outer part of the cap 8. This reduced pressure in the space above the liquid is usually removed only when the cap is removed. As long as the cap 8 remains in place, the force of the vacuum pressure remains largely unchanged. If the walls of the tank will bend or bend inward, then the level of vacuum pressure may decrease to a small extent.

In FIG. 3a-b show an additional embodiment of the prior art.

However, as disclosed in the prior art illustrated in FIG. 2a-b, mechanical compression of the movable closure in the cap structure to achieve positive pressure occurs only when the container cools. A clear disadvantage of this is the movement of unsterilized surfaces of the walls of the components of the cap with their contact with the liquid contents of the container. This contamination cannot be tolerated, and thus, a variant of the present invention provides the occurrence of this mechanical compression of the space above the product only immediately after putting on the cap.

Thus, mechanical compression can provide positive pressure when the contents of the container are in a heated state, and subsequently allow the container to cool without deformation. Consequently, the components of the cap that enter the space above the product under the action of a compressive load will be sterilized by the heated contents before cooling. It should be understood that many different designs are possible to obtain a primary sealing structure that can be forced downward to mix the liquid contents to a large extent. For example, containers with a size of 600 ml, for example, require displacement of approximately 20-30 cm ³ fluid. Capacities with a size range of about 2000 ml will require displacement of approximately 70 cm ^{3 of} liquid.

It is envisaged that the cap 8 may be made of metal or plastic and, in alternative embodiments, may be pushed into the neck of the container 1 rather than screwed on, and may be made with the possibility of fixing it in a predetermined position.

The cap may be adjustable downwardly displaced by any suitable mechanical or electrical or other means, or manually.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to take into account many variables during mechanical compression, but for larger containers, which require significant mixing down, it is provided that only some part of the compressive force will be obtained from the compression cap and, more importantly, the rest will be obtained through the methods discussed in the description below.

In FIG. 4a and b show an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with a cap 80 in contact with the neck 2 of the container. The figures starting from 4a relate all to the upper parts of the containers, similar to those shown in a similar manner in FIG. 4a.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention and as shown in FIG. 4a and b and FIG. 5c, after the introduction of a liquid that may already be heated or suitable for subsequent heating, a cap may be worn having a small window or opening 81. Thus, the space 23a above the product will remain under the main part 80 of the cap and above the fluid level 40 medium in the tank. The space 23a above the product at this stage communicates with the outside air and, therefore, is under ambient pressure and provides the required level 40 of fluid.

As seen in FIG. 6a-c, in one embodiment, a sealing chamber 84 is formed over a combination of a neck rim and a cap for isolating the liquid from the outside air (the upper, closed end of the structural member 84 is not shown). After creating a compressive force 50, for example, by injecting air or some other gas, the increased pressure in the sealing chamber provides a subsequent increase in pressure in the space 23b above the product, and also forces the fluid level 40 to be forced to a lower position due to subsequent expansion plastic container.

As an alternative to gas injection, a heated liquid, for example, heated water, can be injected. This provides an additional advantage that the pumped liquid will not undergo the expansion that would normally occur when the gas was pumped into a heated medium. Thus, less force will ultimately be applied to the side walls of the container during the early stages of hot bottling.

In addition, the liquid subjected to injection will be compressed to a lesser extent than gas, with subsequent cooling. For this reason, the amount of liquid that must necessarily be injected under pressure into the space above the product is reduced to provide compensation for the expected vacuum pressure forces that would otherwise have arisen.

Next, FIGS. 7a-c (a compressive force is not shown), while maintaining the pressure in the sealing chamber 84, the plug mechanism 82 moves downward from the feeding device 83 towards the opening 81.

As can be seen in FIG. 8a-c, while maintaining the pressure in the sealing chamber 84, the hole is permanently closed by placing the plug 82 in the hole 81.

At this moment and as can be seen in FIG. 9a-c, the space 23b above the product is filled under controlled pressure depending on the amount of gas supplied, and the sealing chamber can provide the ability to remove the feeding device 83 after depressurizing the chamber when the container is pushed out and returning it to the filling line.

As shown in FIG. 10a-f, when the bottle subsequently moves further into the filling line and cools, the space 23b above the product expands as the volume of liquid decreases. The fluid level 40 drops to a new position 41, and the space 23b above the product in which the increased pressure is created expands and loses some or all of the pressure in it when a new space 23c is created above the product.

However, it is important that after cooling the contents there is no residual reduced pressure in the vessel.

Alternatively and as shown in FIG. 10d-f, plug 92 may be temporarily attached to the cap, for example by means of member 91, during manufacture of the cap. A liquid, as in the illustrated example, or gas can be introduced in the same way under pressure to move around the cork around the cork and enter the space above the product under pressure, and the rod mechanism 93 is then forced to move down to move the cork 92 into the hole for constant placement in him. In this alternative embodiment, there is no need for loading the rod with several cork mechanisms.

A further example of such an alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 18. In this embodiment, the cap 80 has a plug 92 temporarily connected by means of a (not shown) element. A sealing chamber 84 surrounds the cap and forms an inner sealed chamber space 87 by pressing the sealing rings 89 against the upper surface of the cap. Gas or liquid, or a combination of gas and liquid, is injected into chamber space 87 through inlet channel 86 and through the spaces around the plug into the space above the product. As soon as a predetermined pressure in the container is reached, the plunger 88 is moved down to force the plug 92 to a predetermined position in the cap and, therefore, to seal the space above the product under a predetermined pressure. This ensures that a predetermined internal pressure is reached during capping of the container when the plug moves to its final position. This provides proactive compensation for the effects of reduced pressure, which subsequently forms due to the cooling of any heated contents in the tank.

As shown in FIG. 19a and 19b, the present invention can be implemented to function in a very similar way to a typical capping station on a filling line. A typical power head 101 of a capping machine provides a barrier to the sealing device 84 like enclosing it in a capsule and provides the function of capping the container and increasing the pressure therein by means of a cap for capping the container. A typical device for capping with caps, if required, may already “screw” the cap into a predetermined position, but the container will remain unsealed due to the presence of a plug in the “removed” position in the cap and allowing liquid or gas to pass between the container’s internal space and the space, external to him. The exact moment of sealing the container occurs when the cork is stuck in a predetermined position and the space in the cap above the product will not be exposed to environmental pressure, which would be a standard situation for prior art capping procedures within the filling and capping zone, but instead, when using the present invention, the device 102 for changing the space above the product can get closed by caps of the tank 1 and then create increased pressure in the container immediately before sealing the container by means of sealing plugs of the cap.

Alternatively, the device 102 for changing the space above the product can also perform the usual function of a typical capping machine. The device can receive empty containers, put on caps containing caps, and subsequently apply caps to a predetermined position due to the application of torque, as well as create increased pressure in the container before the container is finally capped by moving the cork forward or using some other capping method.

Further examples of alternative embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in FIG. 20a-f. The cap 80 may include a plug 182 of rubber or other suitable material located inside the cap. This provides the advantage that the container will initially have a tight seal before creating increased pressure in the space above the product. Thus, either the pressure acting on the liquid or gas side can be created in the container before cooling the contents, for example, immediately after filling and capping with a cap using excess pressure, or the procedure can occur when the contents have already been cooled and a reduced pressure. By way of example, the cap and sealing plug 182 may be sterilized with highly heated water 66 after cooling the liquid contents. This will ensure sterilization of the top surface of the cap, and then the heated liquid can be introduced under pressure to compensate for the vacuum pressure. After withdrawing the injection needle 102, the sterilized heated fluid may be removed by expelling the container from the pressure chamber. A rubber closure 182 will close the container and seal it to prevent any communication between the space above the product and the outside air present when the chamber is opened.

A further alternative suitable cork mechanism in cap 80 is illustrated in FIG. 21a-f. A ball valve type closure 882 can be used to form an opening through which a change in the space above the product inside a pressure chamber device similar to that described above can be made. As soon as increased pressure is created in the space above the product, the rotary pusher 883 can close the ball valve when the exact pressure is maintained in the space above the product, as illustrated in FIG. 21d-f.

FIG. 22a-c show a typical exemplary method of changing the space above a product by using the method of the invention. An empty container (not shown under the neck rim) is filled or even “overfilled” to the edge of the neck rim, and a cap is put on that has an opening through which a change in the space above the product, for example, a ball closure, can be made. The neck rim closed by a cap is at least held in a pressure chamber (not shown), and the container will be under the calculated pressure. This pressure increase can be achieved by injecting gas, as in the illustrated example, or by pumping an excess amount of additional fluid. During this process, the dimensions of the container will increase to such an extent that this will make it possible to lower the fluid level (in the case of gas injection), and then the closure in the form of a ball valve can be closed to maintain increased pressure inside the container.

A procedure in accordance with the same method can be performed by using a more typical bottleneck closure for athletes, as illustrated similarly in FIG. 23a-s.

As an additional alternative to the present invention and to eliminate the need for an opening or plug mechanism in the cap itself and as shown in FIG. 17a, a conventional cap may be worn with a cap closure device, but not forced to move to a predetermined position due to the application of torque. In this case, the neck rim can be enclosed within the chamber 84, and liquid or gas can be pressurized into the container through the gap between the cap and the threads of the neck rim, as shown by the passage of liquid 86. Once the set pressure is reached, the cap, as shown in FIG. 17b can then be moved under the influence of torque to a predetermined position by moving the rod 85 for applying torque in the chamber 84 while maintaining pressure in the space above the product. In this embodiment, the method can be implemented using standard caps rather than modified caps. FIG. 17c illustrates the separation of the rod 85 for applying torque from the cap 80, properly screwed, just before pushing the upper part of the tank from the chamber 84.

It should be understood that the present invention creates many alternatives when performing the procedure for changing the space above the product by modifying a typical capping machine. A similar piece of equipment can be easily implemented to perform the function of sealing the container with a cap in addition to changing the space above the product during this procedure.

FIG. 24 shows how a container can be held in a typical sealing chamber 84, starting from the area immediately below the support ring of the container neck 33.

FIG. 25 illustrates how the entire container can be held in the sealing chamber 84. In this embodiment, the increased pressure will not create stresses in the container until the container is pushed out of the sealing chamber.

FIG. 26 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. It is envisaged that the sealing chamber 84, if required, may include a sealing skirt 884 at the lower end. In this example, the o-ring made of soft material can be pumped under pressure of water or gas through the inlet channel 883 to form a tight contact with the shoulder of the container. Then, gas or liquid can be supplied to the space 87 of the pressure chamber through the inlet channel 86 to change the space above the product before the final capping.

FIG. 27 shows how the sealing chamber of FIG. 26 may be included in a typical station of the closure device with caps with rotary devices for feeding from above. This will make it possible for the modified cap sealing device to put on the cap in the usual way, but to provide a change in the space above the product before applying torque to seal the cap on the container.

The implementation of the present invention contributes to the fact that the complete or significant elimination of vacuum pressure by changing the space above the product before compressing the liquid in this case leads to the possibility of significantly reducing the weight of the side walls due to the elimination of forces that cause mechanical distortion.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention and as shown in FIG. 11a-c, after the introduction of a liquid that may already be heated or suitable for subsequent heating, a cap may be put on having a small window or hole 81 that is temporarily closed by connecting closure 91. Thus, a space 23d above the product will be formed under the main part 80 of the cap and above the level of 40 fluid in the tank. The space 23d above the product at this stage does not communicate with the outside air and, therefore, is under typical pressure in the vessel during the cooling steps on the filling line.

As seen in FIG. 12a-c, as soon as the container is cooled in the usual manner to a level that enables labeling and distribution, the space 23e above the product will be in an expanded state with a reduced level of fluid, and reduced pressure will be created due to the compression of the heated liquid inside the container.

As can be seen in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, to eliminate the vacuum pressure, the sealing chamber 84 is placed above the combination of the neck rim and the cap to isolate the connecting closure 91 from the outside air (the upper, closed end of the structural member 84 is not shown).

After the introduction of the sterilizing agent 66, for example, by injecting heated water with a temperature that is preferably above 95 degrees Celsius, or a mixture of heated water and steam, the sterilizing agent sterilizes the inner surfaces of the sealing chamber (84) and the connecting closure 91.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13a-c, when the sterilizing agent is held in the sealing chamber 84, the cork mechanism 82 is fed downward by the feeding device 83 towards the hole 81. The cork mechanism punctures the connecting closure 91 and again temporarily retracts, as shown in FIG. 14a-c, which makes it possible to communicate between the sterilized volume inside the sealing chamber above the cap (80) and the space (23e) above the product under the cap.

As can be seen in FIG. 14a-c, a sterilizing agent, for example, heated water with a temperature of 95 ° C, is immediately drawn into the container through the open hole 81 due to the fact that the connecting closure was punctured. This causes pressure equalization or the removal of vacuum pressure in the container, so that the level of the space 23f above the product rises above. In another preferred embodiment, the liquid will actually be introduced into the container under slight pressure when supplied from the sealing chamber 84, so that the pressure inside the container will actually be a positive pressure, and the space above the product will actually be very small.

The integrity of the volume of the product in the container is not violated, since the medium above the cap was sterilized before it communicates with the space above the product, and the additional liquid supplied to the container replaces the volume "lost" due to the shrinkage of the heated liquid in the container before the described change in the level of space over the product.

After pressure equalization, and as shown in FIG. 15a-c, the feeding device 83 is again moved forward so that the plug 82 is inserted into the opening to permanently close it. At this point, the space 23f above the product is subject to a controlled pressure, depending on the volume of liquid supplied to compensate for the previous compression of the liquid, as described above.

The sealing chamber can now provide the possibility of withdrawing the feeding device 83, which can now be done after releasing the sterilizing agent and / or depressurizing the chamber when the container is ejected and returned to the filling line.

It should be understood that many variants of the sealing chamber can be used, for example, the sealing chamber can provide insulation only directly to the top surface of the cap, and not surround the entire cap.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various modifications of the closure can be used to provide a temporary closure as well as a cork mechanism to be used.

Thus, a method for compensating a vacuum pressure in a tank is described. As shown in FIG. 16a-c, the initial product space level 40, available after cooling the heated contents in a closed container, provides a reduced pressure in the first space 23d above the product. After compensation in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the level of the space above the product changes and possibly rises to level 41 depending on the pressure available in the space above the product, and the pressure in the space 23f above the product will now preferably be actually at the level of the ambient pressure or preferably it will be slightly positive, so that a small internal pressure will provide "support" for the side walls of the tank.

As shown in FIG. 28a-d, an alternative embodiment of the present invention also includes a compressible cap in which compression occurs after filling and before cooling the contents. Thus, by compression occurring when the liquid is hot, the chamber 9 can be sterilized by the contents when it is supplied to the container. The compressible cap may be held in the compression chamber as previously described, in particular for large containers. Tanks with a size of 600 ml require, for example, a movement of the order of 20-30 cm ^{3 of} liquid, but containers with a size range of about 2000 ml require a movement of about 70 cm ^{3 of} liquid. Such a large movement is difficult to achieve without the presence of an extremely large movable chamber inserted into the container. Therefore, in order to maintain the minimum size of the chamber, it is envisaged that the compression chamber allows the injection of a certain amount of gas or liquid and that the compressible cap can provide the rest of the required compression. Thus, a minimum amount of gas is also introduced into the container under pressure. It goes without saying that for small container sizes only a compressible cap can be used.

In contrast to what is described in the prior art, the present invention creates the possibility that the hot liquid inside the container will sterilize the lower side of the inside of the surface of the inner chamber 9 because it has been pressed into the hot liquid contents.

Typically, as the product cools, a reduced pressure will build up in the container in the original space 23b above the product under the cap. This reduced pressure can cause the shape of the container 1 to be distorted to some extent if the walls are not rigid enough to withstand the force.

However, since the internal pressure has been adjusted from above before cooling of the product, the resulting effect can be a temporary increase in the pressure level during cooling of the product and essentially no pressure as soon as the cooling of the product is completed, or, possibly, even preferably a small amount of positive pressure.

As shown in FIG. 29a-d, another similar embodiment of the present invention provides a mechanical cap that has a mechanically adjustable “out” and “in” position. A compression cap 8 is put on the container 1 immediately after filling it with a hot drink. In this embodiment, the sealing surface 10 of the compressible inner chamber 9 is offset higher than in the previous example shown in FIG. 24a-d.

In FIG. 30a-b show an additional embodiment of the present invention. The cap design can be either a 2-piece structure or a solid element, as a result of which the compressible inner chamber 9 interacts with the internal thread on the neck rim 99 and causes compression of the space above the product when putting on the cap and attaching it to the container 1. Larger containers also provide the ability to maintain minimal injection of gas or liquid while using the movement of hot liquid contents to provide increased pressure in the tank STI when sealing / capping capacity.

With reference to FIG. 31, an additional embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The disclosed system typically includes an empty container supply station in front of a bottling station. These containers may be containers obtained by blowing with a purge and supplied to the area of the filling enclosure, or may be obtained by blow molding on an in-line installation, as illustrated. In the case of blow molding, on-line workpieces are fed into the built-in blow molding machine, which also has its own body, which can have a continuous fence located next to the barriers of the filling and capping stations with caps and connected to these barriers.

The system may also include a system for continuous transportation of containers, a station for filling the product into containers, a metering station for dispensing into the space above the product, a metering station for dispensing liquefied gas, a metering station for dispensing gas, a metering station for dispensing liquids, a station for sealing containers, and a station for measuring internal pressure in containers, discharge conveyor and reject device.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 31, the transportation system, the filling station and the container closure station, or the caps closure station, may all be contained as a single system inside the enclosure or the enclosures so that an increased pressure can be created in the internal environment. This leads to the fact that in the space above the product in each container pressure will be created, increased to a predetermined level, when the device for capping with caps performs capping of the container. In fact, the ambient pressure within the enclosure increases artificially when the container is capped, and the internal pressure in the container rises immediately when the filled and capped containers are ejected when they are fed into the area outside the enclosures of the system in which there is a lower ambient pressure .

The system provides operational control of the amount of space above the product in each container when it is filled with the product due to the increased environmental pressure around the opening of the container. Accurate control of measurements of the volume of space above the product at the time of capping is carried out so that each container will directly correspond to the space above the product in it, measured separately, and the indicated volume, as a rule, does not change immediately after capping, except for changes caused by changes in the temperature of the retained liquid and ambient temperature or pressure changes.

At doses accurately correlated with the measured capacitance parameters, substantially constant pressure ranges are obtained, in contrast to doses depending on the expected filling levels or average postoperative measurement data. Therefore, tanks can be made with smaller sizes, since they will not be required to adapt to a wide range of pressures. In addition, the system allows for lower reject rates caused by containers in which the pressure is improperly increased, since the system immediately performs self-regulation depending on changes during filling.

A particular advantage of the method and system according to the invention is that a larger and more accurate control enables dosing at significantly lower pressure for containers filled by hot filling. In the methods of the prior art, the minimum pressure value can be guaranteed on average only by creating excess pressure so that the lowest dose achieved meets the technical requirements. This led to the usually high pressures achieved during the early stages of hot bottling, when the tank is hot and supple. As a result, in most cases, significant stress is created in the container, which necessarily requires the use, for example, of petal-shaped bases and container designs that are more suitable for carbonated beverage tanks or high pressure tanks. This greatly reduces the possible number of design solutions available for tanks, and requires additional mass in the tank in the area around the base to achieve acceptable results.

As shown in FIG. 32a-c, an alternative embodiment of the present invention also includes at least one portion of the side wall 801 configured to provide a response to a vacuum pressure. In this embodiment, the amount of gas or liquid that is required to be forcedly injected under pressure into the container 1 in the sealing chamber 84 before closing the container with a cap 800 is reduced.

When a polyethylene terephthalate container is filled with a liquid with a temperature in excess of 70 degrees Celsius, the plastic walls become very soft and flexible when the material passes the limit of its elastic modulus. With the subsequent application of force to the container due to the supply of force to increase internal pressure, the side walls expand and the total volume of the tank increases. Some of this increase in volume is irreversible and leads to the fact that the capacity becomes larger than the original manufactured. A specific objective of the present invention is to reduce the voltage acting on the side walls to the smallest possible value to prevent unnecessary increase in the volume of the tank.

This is especially preferred when using very thin side walls, such as those found in light containers. Thus, it should be understood that in the case of a container with a certain amount of volume to be filled with a liquid heated, for example, to temperatures in the range from 75 to 95 degrees Celsius, the amount of gas or liquid that must be introduced to compensate for the subsequent compression of the contents can be reduced if the capacity has a residual capacity, due to part of the expected compression. For example, in the case of a container with a volume of 600 cm ³ , it can be expected that a compression of the fluid by approximately 25-30 cm ³ may occur, and therefore it will be necessary to introduce an amount of gas or fluid equivalent to this into the space above the product during the final capping of the container for compensation. With this compensation, it may be possible to make the container lighter or change the shape of the container, since there is a significantly reduced need for the container to be resistant to the forces of vacuum pressure that would otherwise occur.

It should be understood that the introduction of this additional material causes the creation of first additional stresses acting on the capacitance. By performing at least a portion of the side wall so that it provides a response to the effects of vacuum pressure, it is possible to reduce the amount of input material, for example, to 50% of the required amount, if the side walls are also able to provide 50% of the required value.

It should be understood that a tank that should only compensate for 50% of the expected vacuum pressure by means of compensation with the side walls can be made lighter than a tank that must compensate for all 100% by means of compensation with the side walls.

As shown in FIG. 33a-c, an alternative embodiment of the present invention also includes at least one transversely oriented, pressure receiving panel 802 in the container 1. In this embodiment, the transverse panel is located in the part of the container, which is the base, but can equally be included in the side wall. In this embodiment, the amount of gas or liquid that must be forcedly injected under pressure into the container 1 inside the sealing chamber 84 before closing the cap (800) on the container also decreases. As explained above with reference to FIG. 32a-c, the transverse panel may provide part of the required compensation for reduced pressure, for example 40%, when moving to an inverted position similar to that shown in FIG. 33c, from a starting position similar to that shown in FIG. 33a. Inversion of element 902 may occur, for example, under the action of mechanical force. Since the container can easily provide some of the required compensation for reduced pressure, there is a need to provide only about 60% of the required compression of the liquid by increasing the pressure before sealing the cap. Thus, there is a reduced voltage acting on the capacitance during processing.

As shown in FIG. 34a-c, an alternative embodiment of the present invention provides both reduced pressure compensation by side walls and transverse panel compensation combined with compensation by space above the product for even less load to be applied to the container during processing. It should be understood that in the example case where the compensating side wall elements 801 provide approximately 30% of the reduced pressure compensation and the transverse panel 802 is capable of providing approximately 40% of the reduced pressure compensation, the amount of gas or liquid supplied to the space above the product during capping, it should only be approximately 30% of the amount required for a container without elements to compensate for the reduced pressure, are equivalent elements 801 and 802. It should be understood that different degrees of compensation can be attributed to each element.

In FIG. 35a-c show a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. In the same way, as already described, at least one part of the side wall may include an element 803 to compensate for the reduced pressure. In this embodiment, the element 803 is also configured to expand radially outward by internal pressure, as illustrated in FIG. 35s It should be understood that under the action of the internal pressure created during the sealing of the space above the product, the element 803 for compensating for the reduced pressure provides a decrease in the voltage in the tank due to the fact that, first, there is an expansion in the radial direction outward. In the case of filling with a heated liquid, the contents will subsequently be cooled inside the container, and a pressure reduction will take place. When this happens, the element 803 will return to the state immediately after molding, shown in FIG. 35a, and subsequently will be able to provide additional compensation for reduced pressure. By way of example only, it should be noted that if an element 803 similar to that shown in FIG. 35a, capable of providing approximately 30% of the required reduced pressure, it will be required that 70% of the compensation be provided during capping of the space above the product. By turning on the element 803 to compensate for the reduced pressure, which is able to expand outward, the generated voltage decreases during the initial phases by a significant amount.

In FIG. 36a-c also provide a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. From the preceding descriptions given above, it will be understood that the container according to the invention may be provided with elements for compensating for the reduced pressure provided in the side walls, or may be equipped with elements for compensating for the reduced pressure provided in the side walls that are capable of expanding radially outwardly under pressure to reduce stress during procedures for changing the space above the product and capping. These containers can also be equipped with compensation elements, which are transverse panels that receive pressure, also to further reduce the amount of load that must be applied to the container during processing. In this embodiment, the transverse panel 802 is located at the base of the container. By way of example and with reference to FIG. 35a-c and FIG. 36a-c, it is noted that element 803 may be capable of providing approximately 30% of the required reduced pressure compensation and element 802 at the base may provide approximately 30% of the required reduced pressure compensation. Therefore, 40% of the required compensation will be “introduced” into the space above the product during processing, as described previously. Since the side wall element 803 is able to expand radially outward, the stress created during processing and changing the space above the product is further reduced.

As shown in FIG. 37a-c, an even greater voltage reduction is expected in a further embodiment of the present invention. Also, as described above, the base element 804 is configured to expand longitudinally outward to relieve pressure created during the change of space above the product and the introduction of gas or liquid during capping. This reduces stresses acting on the side wall of the container. In this embodiment, the side wall element 803 is also configured to allow it to expand radially outward under the influence of internal pressure. Therefore, the tank will have significant ability to reduce the stresses created by injecting gas or liquid into the tank. During subsequent cooling of any heated contents inside the container, both the side wall element 803 and the transverse element 804 can be inverted inward, which helps to compensate for the vacuum pressure.

In the case where reference has been made in the above description to certain components or parts of the invention having known equivalents, such equivalents are included in the present invention as if they were listed separately.

Although the invention has been described as an example and with reference to possible embodiments, it should be understood that modifications or improvements are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A capping machine for installing a closure or cap (80, 82, 91, 92) on the open end (20, 81, 86) of a filled container (1), while increasing the pressure in the container in the space above the product, containing:
a device for receiving a plurality of filled containers (101, 102), the filled containers having a first internal pressure above the liquid contents;
a pressure chamber (84) containing a sealing surface (32, 89, 884);
a feeding device (83, 85, 88, 93) for controlling the capping of said container with a closure or cap; moreover, the pressure chamber surrounds the feed device, as well as a closure or cap;
means (844) for moving the pressure chamber into engagement with the surface on the container or on a closure or cap for this container to provide a tight connection (11, 12, 13, 89, 884) between the inside of the pressure chamber and the inside of the container;
a pressure source (888) or a metering system connected to said pressure chamber to increase the pressure inside said pressure chamber and inside said containers using a volume of gas, or steam, or liquid, or a combination thereof; and
means for moving the supply device inside the pressure chamber for mounting the closure or cap on the container at a time when the pressure chamber is subjected to increased internal pressure to create increased pressure inside the sealed container, wherein said increased pressure is greater than said first pressure. 2. The machine according to claim 1, which is a capping machine for installing closures such as caps (80) or caps. 3. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said containers are filled with a heated liquid. 4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said capping machine is a rotary device driven by a rotatable driven turret. 5. The machine of claim 4, wherein said containers are moved by said turret substantially along a circular path. 6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said pressure chamber (84) provides temporary sealing of said containers adjacent to the neck rim of said containers. 7. Machine according to claim 6, wherein said pressure chamber (84) provides temporary sealing of said containers on or adjacent to the throat support ring. 8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said feed device (85) is configured to hold the cap in its position to interact with the rim of the container. 9. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said feed device (85) is configured to provide torque to the closure for closing the container. 10. A method of installing a closure or cap (80, 82, 91, 92) on the open end (20, 81, 86) of a filled container (1) having a first internal pressure, including:
placing the pressure chamber (84) containing and surrounding the closure or cap, as well as the feeding device (83, 85, 88, 93) above the open end of the container so that the inside of the chamber (84) has a tight connection (11, 12, 13, 89, 884) with the inside of the container (1);
increasing the pressure in the specified pressure chamber (84) and in the specified container (1) using a volume of gas, or steam, or liquid, or a combination thereof;
moving the feeding device (83, 85, 88, 93) inside the pressure chamber (84) relative to the open end (20) of the container (1) to place the closure or cap on the open end so as to close the open end and seal the gas or steam, or liquid, or a combination thereof inside the container at the moment when the second internal pressure inside the vessel is maintained, said second internal pressure being higher than said first internal pressure, and
removing the closed container (1) from the chamber (84). 11. The method according to p. 10, in which the closure is a cap (80) engaged with a whisk of the neck (2, 99) provided on the open end (20) of the container (1). 12. The method according to p. 11, in which the stage of moving the feeding device includes turning the cap (80) on the rim of the neck of the container. 13. The method according to p. 10, further comprising the stage of filling and sealing the container, the stage of moving the container to the pressure chamber, and the stage of creating or securing the hole (81) through the closure or cap into the inside of the container. 14. The method according to p. 13, in which the chamber (84) is sealed to the closure or cap (8) before creating pressure in the chamber (84). 15. The method according to p. 13, in which the hole (81) is created in the closure or cap (80) when the closure or cap is in the pressure chamber (84). 16. The method according to p. 13, in which the container is placed in a sterilizing agent (66) for sterilizing the cap (80) and / or temporary sealing (91). 17. The method according to p. 16, in which a sterilizing agent (66) is provided inside the pressure chamber (84). 18. The method according to p. 10, in which the container (1) is filled with heated fluid. 19. The method according to p. 10, in which the volume of gas, or steam, or liquid, or combinations thereof, contains heated liquid or heated steam. 20. The method according to p. 13, in which, after filling and corking a container filled with hot liquid, this container is allowed to cool before the stage of creating an opening in the container.

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