WO2004092019A1 - Method and apparatus for packaging products - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for packaging products Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004092019A1
WO2004092019A1 PCT/IB2004/001163 IB2004001163W WO2004092019A1 WO 2004092019 A1 WO2004092019 A1 WO 2004092019A1 IB 2004001163 W IB2004001163 W IB 2004001163W WO 2004092019 A1 WO2004092019 A1 WO 2004092019A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sterilising
chamber
filling
sealing
container
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2004/001163
Other languages
French (fr)
Italian (it)
Inventor
Romolo Barbieri
Original Assignee
Menu' S.R.L.
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 Menu' S.R.L. filed Critical Menu' S.R.L.
Priority to EP04728212A priority Critical patent/EP1620318A1/en
Publication of WO2004092019A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004092019A1/en

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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
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
    • B65B55/04—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging
    • B65B55/10—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging by liquids or gases
    • 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
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
    • B65B55/027—Packaging in aseptic chambers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and corresponding apparatus for packaging, particularly in an aseptic manner, food products in general, with particular reference to pumpable food products, i.e. food products that are flowable and may comprise solid parts.
  • contaminations may produce harmful effects, consisting of deterioration of the product, with consequent substantial financial loss and/or possible food poisoning for the consumer if the contamination itself is due to pathogenic microorganisms .
  • Known methods for packaging basic food products provide for processing conducted at ambient temperature in association with sanifying procedures of the production areas such as to make the latter substantially aseptic. This may, for example, be achieved by resorting to hoods with a laminar flow or to other known systems for filtering and therefore purifying ambient air and by scrupulously cleaning the processing premises.
  • a clear drawback of the above-mentioned procedures is that possible accidental interruptions may occur, even if brief, during the processes of purification of the ambient air. These interruptions are translated into a substantial loss of asepsis of the processing line, the latter being placed in direct contact with the external environment, and that there may be a significant risk of contamination of the products.
  • a further drawback is the need to use presterilised containers for packaging the products. In fact, already sterile containers can be kept sterile if they are for example subjected to a laminar flow of purified air coming from a filtering hood. However, the latter is absolutely not suitable for sterilising containers before packaging, eliminating, for example, contaminations that occurred during transportation.
  • One object of the invention is to improve the methods and apparatuses for packaging products.
  • Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products reducing the expenditure of time and money that is connected with the use of known environmental sanifying procedures.
  • a further object is to provide a method and apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products that enables the risk of contaminations produced by the external environment to be reduced in the event of accidental interruption for short intervals of time of known ambient ' sanifying procedures.
  • a yet further object is to provide a method and . an apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products that enables the expenditure of time and money required by the necessity of using presterilised containers for packaging to be reduced.
  • a packaging method comprising: sterilising container means, filling said container means with a food product and sealing said filled container means characterised in that said sterilising and/or said filling and/or said sealing occur in the presence of fluid sterilising means at relatively high temperature and pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure and temperature.
  • a packaging apparatus comprising: chamber means arranged to receive container means and sterilising means of said container means; filling means of said container means with a flowable product and sealing means of said filled container means.
  • a method and a corresponding apparatus are available that provide for packaging a food product, in particular a basic product, by keeping the latter separate from the potentially contaminating external ambient air and exploiting the sterilisation efficacy connected with the high temperatures.
  • This enables the drawbacks to be overcome that are connected with the prior art using purifying means of the ambient air.
  • Providing packaging in chambers that are separated from the outside environment substantially prevents the latter from contaminating the product in the event of a temporary accidental interruption to the process of heat sterilisation.
  • sterilising the containers inside the same apparatus used for packaging enables the expenditure of money and time to be avoided that is connected with the use of presterilised containers.
  • a packaging apparatus 1 comprises a filling and sealing chamber 4 interposed between a sterilising chamber 2 and a further sterilising chamber 3.
  • the sterilising chamber 2 and the further sterilising chamber 3 are arranged to respectively sterilise containers 5, for example aluminium cans, arranged to house a food product that is not shown and lids 7 arranged to hermetically close the containers 5 after the latter have been filled with the aforementioned food product.
  • the containers 5 and the lids 7 are physically sterilised by high-temperature steam, preferably steam at 133 °C acting for 90 seconds.
  • the aforementioned high-pressure steam is produced and delivered to the sterilising chamber 2 and the further sterilising chamber 3 by known means that is not shown.
  • the same steam is also delivered, again by known means that is not shown, to the filling and sealing chamber 4 communicating with the sterilising chamber 2 and with the further sterilising chamber 3.
  • the operations of filling the containers 5 and of the subsequent application of the lids 7 are conducted by ⁇ means of a filling unit 6 and a known seaming unit 8.
  • An embodiment of the apparatus 1 is furthermore provided that is not shown, in which there is sealingly interconnecting means, disclosed below, near transition areas from the sterilising chamber 2 and from the further sterilising chamber 3 to the filling and sealing chamber 4.
  • this embodiment enables the phases of filling and closing of the containers to be conducted at a temperature and a pressure below the temperature and pressure applied during sterilisation of the containers and lids. This may for example be required during packaging of food products that are particularly sensitive to he.at, the organoleptic properties of which could be significantly altered by high sterilisation temperatures.
  • the sterilising chamber 2 is equipped with wall means 9 defining a cylindrical cavity with a longitudinal extension, having a longitudinal axis forming an angle of 45° in relation to the plane on which the filling and sealing chamber 4 and the further sterilising chamber 3 lie.
  • moving means 10 of the containers 5 comprising a plurality of known conveying wheels 11 that are preferably 4 in number, the rotation axes of which are horizontal and arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the chamber 2.
  • the sterilising chamber 2 comprises an inlet end 12, that is raised in relation to the filling and sealing chamber 4 and the further sterilising chamber 3.
  • the latter comprises a first star valve 14, having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the conveying wheels 11.
  • the first star valve 14 rotates inside an inlet drum 15, with an incomplete wall, communicating with an end portion of the screw conveyor 13.
  • Each container 5, conveyed by the screw conveyor 13 arrives near the inlet drum 15 and takes up a horizontal position, i.e. it is arranged at right angles to the rotation axis of the screw conveyor 13, through the action of the inlet guides 16. By rolling along the inlet guides 16 it is then received in one of the seats 17 of the first star valve 14.
  • the container 5 enters the sterilising chamber 2 • and is transferred to the conveying wheels 11 rotating in opposite directions that convey the container 5 to an outlet end 18 of the sterilising chamber 2, opposite the inlet end 12 and situated at the level of the filling and sealing chamber 4.
  • the number of the conveying wheels 11 and the speed of rotation of the latter are selected in such a way as to enable the containers 5 to remain in the chamber 2 for a preset time, preferably 90 seconds.
  • the presence of sealing bars of the known type that are not shown ensures the seal between the inlet star 14 and the inlet drum 15. In this way a certain volume of air X stays trapped between the internal wall of the inlet drum 15, each seat 17 and the surface of the container 5 that may .be received in the latter.
  • the volume X due to the effect of the high temperature existing in the sterilising chamber 2, thermally expands to occupy all the available space.
  • each seat 17 When, through the effect of the rotation of the inlet star 14, each seat 17 enters into contact at the inlet end 12 with the non-sterile ambient air, the latter is expelled outside through the effect of the sudden dilatation of the volume X of overheated air received in the seat 17. In this way, the non- sterile ambient air cannot enter the sterilising chamber 2 and contaminate the atmosphere inside the latter.
  • the outlet end 18 is provided .with a second star valve 19 rotating inside an outlet drum 20 with an incomplete wall, communicating with an outlet screw conveyor 22. Rotation of the second star valve 19 conveys the containers 5 outside the sterilising chamber 2, inserting them thereby into an outlet screw conveyor 22 by means of outlet guides 21.
  • the second star . valve 19 acts as sealingly interconnecting means, separating the internal environment of the filling and sealing chamber 4 from that of the sterilising chamber 2. In this latter zone high sterilisation temperatures, e.g. 133°C for 90 seconds, can be applied without the above-mentioned high temperatures interfering with the subsequent filling and sealing phases of the containers 5.
  • the outlet guides 21 and the outlet screw conveyor 22 cooperate in conveying the containers 5, making the latter rotate by 90° degrees in relation to the rotation axis of the screw conveyor 22.
  • the containers 5 thus take on a vertical position and are released by the screw conveyor 22 inside the filling and sealing chamber 4.
  • the further sterilising chamber 3 is provided with further wall means 26, defining an approximately cylindrical cavity with longitudinal extension inside which moving means 24 of the lids 7 is received.
  • the latter comprises a plurality of further conveying wheels 25, of the known type and preferably 3 in number, the rotation axes of which are vertical and are arranged at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the further sterilising chamber 3.
  • the latter has a further inlet end 27, at which a supply element 23 is provided, owing to which the lids 7 are lifted individually from a stack 1 ' and are delivered to the further sterilising chamber 3.
  • the supply device 23 comprises a supply wheel 35 and gate valve means, which are not shown. Owing to sealing bars, which are not shown, which are provided in the gate valve means, the supply device 23 conveys the lids 7 to the further sterilising chamber 3 thus preventing external potentially contaminating ambient air from entering the latter. Similarly to what occurs in the sterilising chamber 2, also in the further sterilising chamber 3 the number and rotation speed of the further conveying wheels 25 are set in such a way as to obtain exposure of the lids 7 to the high temperature for the required time and preferably for 90 seconds.
  • the further conveying wheels 25 rotating in opposite directions convey the lids 7 to a further outlet end 28 of the chamber 3, opposite the further inlet end 27.
  • a transfer device 29 is provided, comprising a transfer wheel 36, by means of which the heat-treated lids 7 are delivered into the filling and sealing chamber 4.
  • the transfer device 29 also the area inside the further sterilising chamber 3 must be separated from that of the filling and sealing chamber 4 if there is provision for delivering steam in the latter the pressure and temperature of which are lower than the pressure and temperature of the heat delivered into the sterilising chambers.
  • This is obtained by equipping the transfer device 29 with gate valve means, which is not shown, which is provided with sealing bars, which are not shown. In this way, even in the further sterilising chamber 3 high sterilising temperatures can be applied, for example 133 °C for 90 seconds, without interfering with the subsequent filling and sealing phases of the containers 5.
  • the filling and sealing chamber 4 comprises yet further wall means 30 that defines a cylindrical cavity having a longitudinal axis arranged horizontally and positioned at right angles to the sterilising chamber 2 and to the further sterilising chamber 3.
  • a containers positioning device 31, comprising a positioning wheel 37, having a vertical rotation axis positioned at right angles to the longitudinal axis of chamber 4, transfers each of the containers 5 coming from the sterilising chamber 2 to two subsequent positions, indicated as A and B in Figure 1.
  • a first position A the container 5 is near an overhead nozzle 32 comprised in the filling unit 6.
  • the nozzle 32 is arranged at right angles to the container underneath 5 and, when the filling unit 6 is actuated, it fills the container 5 with a preset quantity of food product.
  • the positioning wheel 37 shifts the filled container 5 towards a second position B, near a seaming head 32 of the seaming unit 8.
  • positioning means of the lids that is not shown acts by interposing a lid 7 coming from the further sterilising chamber 3 between a top opening of the filled container 5 and the seaming head 33 above.
  • the head 33 when the seaming unit 8 is actuated, connects the lid 7 to the container 5 using to the prior art.
  • the positioning wheel 37. is actuated in such a way that when an empty container 5 occupies position A at the same time a full container 5 is in position B.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)

Abstract

Packaging method, comprising: sterilizing container means, filling said container means with a food product and sealing said filled container means, characterized in that said sterilizing and/or said filling and/or said sealing occur in the presence of fluid sterilizing means at relatively high temperatures and pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure and temperature; packaging apparatus comprising: chamber means arranged to receive container means and sterilizing means of said container means; filling means of said container means with a flowable product and sealing means of said filled container means.

Description

Method and apparatus for packaging products
The invention relates to a method and corresponding apparatus for packaging, particularly in an aseptic manner, food products in general, with particular reference to pumpable food products, i.e. food products that are flowable and may comprise solid parts.
In the context of the invention particular reference will be made to food products that have low acidity, i.e. which are substantially basic, inasmuch as the latter are significantly vulnerable to possible microbial contaminations that may occur during different production, phases, for example during packaging.
These contaminations may produce harmful effects, consisting of deterioration of the product, with consequent substantial financial loss and/or possible food poisoning for the consumer if the contamination itself is due to pathogenic microorganisms .
Known methods for packaging basic food products provide for processing conducted at ambient temperature in association with sanifying procedures of the production areas such as to make the latter substantially aseptic. This may, for example, be achieved by resorting to hoods with a laminar flow or to other known systems for filtering and therefore purifying ambient air and by scrupulously cleaning the processing premises.
A clear drawback of the above-mentioned procedures is that possible accidental interruptions may occur, even if brief, during the processes of purification of the ambient air. These interruptions are translated into a substantial loss of asepsis of the processing line, the latter being placed in direct contact with the external environment, and that there may be a significant risk of contamination of the products. A further drawback is the need to use presterilised containers for packaging the products. In fact, already sterile containers can be kept sterile if they are for example subjected to a laminar flow of purified air coming from a filtering hood. However, the latter is absolutely not suitable for sterilising containers before packaging, eliminating, for example, contaminations that occurred during transportation. Furthermore, the containers are often sterilised in a place that is different from the packaging site, and to reach the latter they must be handled aseptically. All this leads to an undesired increase in processing time and costs. One object of the invention is to improve the methods and apparatuses for packaging products.
In particular, we wish to provide a method for packaging basic food products in an aseptic manner. Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products reducing the expenditure of time and money that is connected with the use of known environmental sanifying procedures.
A further object is to provide a method and apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products that enables the risk of contaminations produced by the external environment to be reduced in the event of accidental interruption for short intervals of time of known ambient ' sanifying procedures. A yet further object is to provide a method and . an apparatus for aseptically packaging basic food products that enables the expenditure of time and money required by the necessity of using presterilised containers for packaging to be reduced. In - a first aspect of the invention a packaging method is provided comprising: sterilising container means, filling said container means with a food product and sealing said filled container means characterised in that said sterilising and/or said filling and/or said sealing occur in the presence of fluid sterilising means at relatively high temperature and pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure and temperature. In a second aspect of the invention, a packaging apparatus is provided comprising: chamber means arranged to receive container means and sterilising means of said container means; filling means of said container means with a flowable product and sealing means of said filled container means.
Owing to these aspects of the invention, a method and a corresponding apparatus are available that provide for packaging a food product, in particular a basic product, by keeping the latter separate from the potentially contaminating external ambient air and exploiting the sterilisation efficacy connected with the high temperatures. This enables the drawbacks to be overcome that are connected with the prior art using purifying means of the ambient air. Providing packaging in chambers that are separated from the outside environment substantially prevents the latter from contaminating the product in the event of a temporary accidental interruption to the process of heat sterilisation. Furthermore, sterilising the containers inside the same apparatus used for packaging enables the expenditure of money and time to be avoided that is connected with the use of presterilised containers.
The invention may be better understood with reference to Figure 1, illustrating a longitudinal section of an apparatus made according to the invention. As shown in Figure 1, a packaging apparatus 1 comprises a filling and sealing chamber 4 interposed between a sterilising chamber 2 and a further sterilising chamber 3. The sterilising chamber 2 and the further sterilising chamber 3 are arranged to respectively sterilise containers 5, for example aluminium cans, arranged to house a food product that is not shown and lids 7 arranged to hermetically close the containers 5 after the latter have been filled with the aforementioned food product. The containers 5 and the lids 7 are physically sterilised by high-temperature steam, preferably steam at 133 °C acting for 90 seconds. The aforementioned high-pressure steam is produced and delivered to the sterilising chamber 2 and the further sterilising chamber 3 by known means that is not shown. The same steam is also delivered, again by known means that is not shown, to the filling and sealing chamber 4 communicating with the sterilising chamber 2 and with the further sterilising chamber 3. In the filling and sealing chamber 4 the operations of filling the containers 5 and of the subsequent application of the lids 7 are conducted by ■ means of a filling unit 6 and a known seaming unit 8.
An embodiment of the apparatus 1 is furthermore provided that is not shown, in which there is sealingly interconnecting means, disclosed below, near transition areas from the sterilising chamber 2 and from the further sterilising chamber 3 to the filling and sealing chamber 4. In the latter an environment is created that is not penetratable by the steam at 133°C, and in which it is possible to create and maintain desired temperature and pressure conditions, for example 105°- 106°C at 0.4-0.5 bar. Advantageously, this embodiment enables the phases of filling and closing of the containers to be conducted at a temperature and a pressure below the temperature and pressure applied during sterilisation of the containers and lids. This may for example be required during packaging of food products that are particularly sensitive to he.at, the organoleptic properties of which could be significantly altered by high sterilisation temperatures.
Furthermore, by using high-temperature steam during filling and closing, common containers in aluminium or tinplate may collapse. This may occur after filling, due to the vacuum produced by the condensation of the volume of steam that remains confined in the space defined between the volume of the product and the greater volume of each container after seaming of the lid. It may thus be necessary to replace the standard containers with expensive reinforced containers. The result is that carrying out filling and closing operations in the presence of steam having a temperature significantly lower than the temperature of the steam used for sterilising enables the use of the aforementioned reinforced containers to be avoided.
The sterilising chamber 2 is equipped with wall means 9 defining a cylindrical cavity with a longitudinal extension, having a longitudinal axis forming an angle of 45° in relation to the plane on which the filling and sealing chamber 4 and the further sterilising chamber 3 lie. .In the sterilising chamber 2 moving means 10 of the containers 5 is received, comprising a plurality of known conveying wheels 11 that are preferably 4 in number, the rotation axes of which are horizontal and arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the chamber 2. The sterilising chamber 2 comprises an inlet end 12, that is raised in relation to the filling and sealing chamber 4 and the further sterilising chamber 3. A screw conveyor 13, the rotation axis of which forms a 45° angle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the sterilising chamber 2, conveys the containers 5 near the inlet end 12. The latter comprises a first star valve 14, having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the conveying wheels 11. The first star valve 14 rotates inside an inlet drum 15, with an incomplete wall, communicating with an end portion of the screw conveyor 13. Each container 5, conveyed by the screw conveyor 13, arrives near the inlet drum 15 and takes up a horizontal position, i.e. it is arranged at right angles to the rotation axis of the screw conveyor 13, through the action of the inlet guides 16. By rolling along the inlet guides 16 it is then received in one of the seats 17 of the first star valve 14. Owing to the rotation of the latter, the container 5 enters the sterilising chamber 2 • and is transferred to the conveying wheels 11 rotating in opposite directions that convey the container 5 to an outlet end 18 of the sterilising chamber 2, opposite the inlet end 12 and situated at the level of the filling and sealing chamber 4.
The number of the conveying wheels 11 and the speed of rotation of the latter are selected in such a way as to enable the containers 5 to remain in the chamber 2 for a preset time, preferably 90 seconds. The presence of sealing bars of the known type that are not shown ensures the seal between the inlet star 14 and the inlet drum 15. In this way a certain volume of air X stays trapped between the internal wall of the inlet drum 15, each seat 17 and the surface of the container 5 that may .be received in the latter. The volume X, due to the effect of the high temperature existing in the sterilising chamber 2, thermally expands to occupy all the available space.
When, through the effect of the rotation of the inlet star 14, each seat 17 enters into contact at the inlet end 12 with the non-sterile ambient air, the latter is expelled outside through the effect of the sudden dilatation of the volume X of overheated air received in the seat 17. In this way, the non- sterile ambient air cannot enter the sterilising chamber 2 and contaminate the atmosphere inside the latter.
The outlet end 18 is provided .with a second star valve 19 rotating inside an outlet drum 20 with an incomplete wall, communicating with an outlet screw conveyor 22. Rotation of the second star valve 19 conveys the containers 5 outside the sterilising chamber 2, inserting them thereby into an outlet screw conveyor 22 by means of outlet guides 21. If in the filling and sealing chamber 4 there is provision for delivering, by means of known means that is not shown, steam the temperature and pressure of which are below the temperature and pressure of the steam delivered into the sterilising chambers, the second star . valve 19 acts as sealingly interconnecting means, separating the internal environment of the filling and sealing chamber 4 from that of the sterilising chamber 2. In this latter zone high sterilisation temperatures, e.g. 133°C for 90 seconds, can be applied without the above-mentioned high temperatures interfering with the subsequent filling and sealing phases of the containers 5.
The outlet guides 21 and the outlet screw conveyor 22 cooperate in conveying the containers 5, making the latter rotate by 90° degrees in relation to the rotation axis of the screw conveyor 22. The containers 5 thus take on a vertical position and are released by the screw conveyor 22 inside the filling and sealing chamber 4.
At the same time as sterilisation of the containers 5 in the sterilising chamber 2, the lids 7 are subjected to similar heat treatment in the further sterilising chamber 3. The further sterilising chamber 3 is provided with further wall means 26, defining an approximately cylindrical cavity with longitudinal extension inside which moving means 24 of the lids 7 is received. The latter comprises a plurality of further conveying wheels 25, of the known type and preferably 3 in number, the rotation axes of which are vertical and are arranged at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the further sterilising chamber 3. The latter has a further inlet end 27, at which a supply element 23 is provided, owing to which the lids 7 are lifted individually from a stack 1 ' and are delivered to the further sterilising chamber 3. The supply device 23 comprises a supply wheel 35 and gate valve means, which are not shown. Owing to sealing bars, which are not shown, which are provided in the gate valve means, the supply device 23 conveys the lids 7 to the further sterilising chamber 3 thus preventing external potentially contaminating ambient air from entering the latter. Similarly to what occurs in the sterilising chamber 2, also in the further sterilising chamber 3 the number and rotation speed of the further conveying wheels 25 are set in such a way as to obtain exposure of the lids 7 to the high temperature for the required time and preferably for 90 seconds.
The further conveying wheels 25 rotating in opposite directions convey the lids 7 to a further outlet end 28 of the chamber 3, opposite the further inlet end 27. At the further outlet end 28 a transfer device 29 is provided, comprising a transfer wheel 36, by means of which the heat-treated lids 7 are delivered into the filling and sealing chamber 4. Similarly to what has been disclosed regarding the sterilising chamber 2, also the area inside the further sterilising chamber 3 must be separated from that of the filling and sealing chamber 4 if there is provision for delivering steam in the latter the pressure and temperature of which are lower than the pressure and temperature of the heat delivered into the sterilising chambers. This is obtained by equipping the transfer device 29 with gate valve means, which is not shown, which is provided with sealing bars, which are not shown. In this way, even in the further sterilising chamber 3 high sterilising temperatures can be applied, for example 133 °C for 90 seconds, without interfering with the subsequent filling and sealing phases of the containers 5.
The filling and sealing chamber 4 comprises yet further wall means 30 that defines a cylindrical cavity having a longitudinal axis arranged horizontally and positioned at right angles to the sterilising chamber 2 and to the further sterilising chamber 3. A containers positioning device 31, comprising a positioning wheel 37, having a vertical rotation axis positioned at right angles to the longitudinal axis of chamber 4, transfers each of the containers 5 coming from the sterilising chamber 2 to two subsequent positions, indicated as A and B in Figure 1. In a first position A, the container 5 is near an overhead nozzle 32 comprised in the filling unit 6. The nozzle 32 is arranged at right angles to the container underneath 5 and, when the filling unit 6 is actuated, it fills the container 5 with a preset quantity of food product. When filling has been completed, the positioning wheel 37 shifts the filled container 5 towards a second position B, near a seaming head 32 of the seaming unit 8. Synchronised with the above-mentioned shifts of the container 5, positioning means of the lids that is not shown acts by interposing a lid 7 coming from the further sterilising chamber 3 between a top opening of the filled container 5 and the seaming head 33 above. The head 33, when the seaming unit 8 is actuated, connects the lid 7 to the container 5 using to the prior art. The positioning wheel 37. is actuated in such a way that when an empty container 5 occupies position A at the same time a full container 5 is in position B. In this way, filling of the containers 5 and seaming of the lids 7 occur at a constant rhythm in the chamber 4. The actuating organs of the filling units 6 and of the seaming units 8, as well as the actuating organs of the containers positioning device 31 and of the positioning means of the lids are located outside the filling and sealing chamber 4. The containers 5, which are filled and sealed by the lids 7, leave the packaging apparatus 1 by means, of a decompression unit 34 equipped with a third star valve 38. By means of the unit 34, the containers 5 are ejected from the packaging apparatus 1 without any mixing between the external non-sterile ambient air and the sterilised air inside the filling and sealing chamber 4, according to a mechanism similar to the one disclosed above for the first star valve 14.

Claims

1. Packaging apparatus (1) comprising: chamber means (2, 3, 4) arranged to receive container means (5, 7) and sterilising means of said container means (5, 7) ; filling means (6, 32) of said container means (5, 7) with a flowable product and sealing means (8, 33) of said filled container means (5, 7).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chamber means comprises sterilising chamber means (2), arranged to sterilise container body means (5) comprised in said container means (5, 7).
3. Apparatus according ,to claim 1, or 2, wherein said chamber means comprises further sterilising chamber means (3), arranged to sterilise lid means (7) comprised in said container means (5, 7).
4. Apparatus according to claim 2, or 3, wherein said sterilising chamber means (2) is delimited by wall means
(9) that defines respective chamber means.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in said sterilising chamber means (2) there is arranged moving means (10) of container body means (5).
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said moving means
(10) comprises a plurality of conveying wheels (11) , arranged in sequence.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said conveying wheels (11) are preferably 4 in number.
8. Apparatus according to claim 6, or 7, wherein said conveying wheels (11) rotate in opposite directions to one another.
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein said sterilising chamber means (2) comprises an inlet end
(12) .
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said inlet end (12) comprises inlet sealingly supply means (14).
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said inlet sealingly supply means (14) comprises a first star valve (14) .
12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein near said inlet end (12) there is provided screw conveyor means (13) .
13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein said sterilising chamber means (2) comprises an outlet end (18) .
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said outlet end (18) comprises sealingly outlet means (19).
15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said sealingly outlet means (19) comprises a second star valve
(19) .
16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein outlet screw conveyor means (22) is provided near said outlet end (18).
17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 16, wherein said further sterilising chamber means (3) is delimited by further wall means (26) that defines respective further chamber means.
18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein in said further sterilising chamber means (3) there is arranged supply means (24) of the lids (7).
19. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said supply means (24) of the lids (7) comprises a plurality of further conveying wheels (25), arranged in sequence.
20. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said further conveying wheels (25) are preferably 4 in number.
21. Apparatus according to claim 18, or 19, wherein said further conveying wheels (25) rotate in opposite directions to one another.
22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein said further sterilising chamber means (3) comprises a further inlet end (27) .
23. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said further inlet end (27) is equipped with supply device means (23) .
24. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said supply device means (23) comprises supply wheel means (35) .
25. Apparatus according to claim 22, or 23, wherein said supply device means (23) furthermore comprises gate valve means .
26. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said gate valve means is provided with sealing bars.
27. Apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 25, wherein said further chamber sterilising means (3) comprises a further outlet end (28).
28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said further outlet end (28) is provided with transfer device means (29) .
29. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said transfer device means (29) comprises transfer wheel means
(36) .
30. Apparatus according to claim 28, or 29, wherein said transfer device means (29) comprises gate valve means.
31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said gate valve means are equipped with sealing bars.
32. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said filling means (6, 32) and said sealing means (8, 33) are comprised in filling and sealing chamber means (4), delimited by yet further wall means' (30) that defines yet further chamber means .
33. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said filling means comprises a filling unit (6) and nozzle means (32 ) .
34. Apparatus according to claim 31, or 32, wherein said sealing means comprises a seaming unit (8) and seaming head means (33) .
35. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein said filling and sealing chamber means (4) furthermore comprises positioning means (31) of container body means (5) .
36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said positioning means (31) of container body means (5) comprises positioning wheel means (37).
37. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said filling and sealing chamber means (4) is interposed between said sterilising chamber means (2) and said further sterilising chamber means (3) .
38. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, furthermore comprising decompression means (34), arranged to expel said filled and sealed container means (5,7) from said filling and sealing chamber means (4).
39. Apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said decompression means (34) comprises a third star valve
(38) .
40. Packaging method comprising: sterilising container means (5, 7), filling said container means (5, 7) with a food product and sealing said filled container means (5, 7), characterised in that said sterilising and/or said filling and/or said sealing occur in the presence of fluid sterilising means at relatively high temperatures and pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure and temperature.
41. Method according to claim 40, wherein said filling comprises introducing a basic food product into said container means (5, 7) .
42. Method according to claim 40, or 41, wherein said sterilising said container means (5, 7) comprises separately sterilising container body means (5) and lid means (7) .
43. Method according to claim 42, wherein said sterilising said container body means (5) occurs in sterilising chamber means (2) .
44. Method according to claim 42, or 43, wherein said sterilising said lid means (7) occurs in further sterilising chamber means (3) .
45. Method according to any one of claims 40 to 44, wherein said filling and said sealing occur in filling and sealing chamber means (4) .
46. Method according ' to any one of claims 40 to 45,- wherein said fluid sterilising means is at a temperature of about 133 °C.
47. Method according to any one of claims 43 to 46, wherein the temperature of said fluid sterilising means in said filling and sealing chamber means (4) is lower than the temperature of said fluid sterilising means in said sterilising chamber means (2) and said ..further sterilising chamber means (3) .
48. Method according to claim 47, wherein said lower temperature is comprised between about 105°C and 106°C.
49. Method according to any one of claims 43 to 48, furthermore comprising thermally separating said filling and sealing chamber means (4) from said sterilising chamber means (2) and from said further sterilising chamber means (3) .
50. Method according to claim 49, wherein said thermally separating is obtained by interposing sealingly interconnecting means between said filling and sealing chamber means (4) and said sterilising chamber means (2) and further sterilising chamber means (3) .
1. Method according to any one of claims 40 to 50, wherein said fluid sterilising means comprises water steam.
PCT/IB2004/001163 2003-04-18 2004-04-19 Method and apparatus for packaging products WO2004092019A1 (en)

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ITMO2003A000113 2003-04-18
IT000113A ITMO20030113A1 (en) 2003-04-18 2003-04-18 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS

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Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2029303A (en) * 1930-08-27 1936-02-04 American Can Co Apparatus for and method of canning
US2514027A (en) * 1947-08-13 1950-07-04 Continental Can Co Method of canning food products under aseptic conditions
US2549216A (en) * 1947-08-09 1951-04-17 Dole Eng Co James Apparatus and method for preserving products in sealed containers
GB655851A (en) * 1947-08-13 1951-08-01 Continental Can Co Method of canning food products under aseptic conditions
US2660513A (en) * 1949-06-30 1953-11-24 Ball Charles Olin Method of sterilizing glass containers
GB700188A (en) * 1951-01-18 1953-11-25 Aplin & Barrett Improvements relating to the sterilization of parts of metal containers used in canning foodstuffs
US2776213A (en) * 1951-02-23 1957-01-01 Edward M Borg Method for canning evaporated and fresh milk
CH405903A (en) * 1962-01-20 1966-01-15 Martin William Mckinley Method for the aseptic canning of sterilized foodstuffs and installation for its implementation
US3707823A (en) * 1971-04-02 1973-01-02 Dole James Corp Preserving products in sealed containers

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2029303A (en) * 1930-08-27 1936-02-04 American Can Co Apparatus for and method of canning
US2549216A (en) * 1947-08-09 1951-04-17 Dole Eng Co James Apparatus and method for preserving products in sealed containers
US2514027A (en) * 1947-08-13 1950-07-04 Continental Can Co Method of canning food products under aseptic conditions
GB655851A (en) * 1947-08-13 1951-08-01 Continental Can Co Method of canning food products under aseptic conditions
US2660513A (en) * 1949-06-30 1953-11-24 Ball Charles Olin Method of sterilizing glass containers
GB700188A (en) * 1951-01-18 1953-11-25 Aplin & Barrett Improvements relating to the sterilization of parts of metal containers used in canning foodstuffs
US2776213A (en) * 1951-02-23 1957-01-01 Edward M Borg Method for canning evaporated and fresh milk
CH405903A (en) * 1962-01-20 1966-01-15 Martin William Mckinley Method for the aseptic canning of sterilized foodstuffs and installation for its implementation
US3707823A (en) * 1971-04-02 1973-01-02 Dole James Corp Preserving products in sealed containers

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EP1620318A1 (en) 2006-02-01
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