WO2014088811A1 - Fermeture stérilisée de façon aseptique - Google Patents

Fermeture stérilisée de façon aseptique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014088811A1
WO2014088811A1 PCT/US2013/071040 US2013071040W WO2014088811A1 WO 2014088811 A1 WO2014088811 A1 WO 2014088811A1 US 2013071040 W US2013071040 W US 2013071040W WO 2014088811 A1 WO2014088811 A1 WO 2014088811A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
closure
container
sealing disk
torque ring
sterilized
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2013/071040
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
David ULSTAD
Original Assignee
Abbott Laboratories
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 Abbott Laboratories filed Critical Abbott Laboratories
Publication of WO2014088811A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014088811A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
    • B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
    • B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
    • B65D41/3404—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element
    • B65D41/3409—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with ratchet-and-pawl mechanism between the container and the closure skirt or the tamper element the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
    • 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
    • B65B55/12—Sterilising contents prior to, or during, packaging
    • B65B55/14—Sterilising contents prior to, or during, packaging by heat
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/14—Rigid discs or spherical members adapted to be held in sealing engagement with mouth of container, e.g. closure plates for preserving jars
    • B65D51/145—Rigid discs or spherical members adapted to be held in sealing engagement with mouth of container, e.g. closure plates for preserving jars by means of an additional element connected directly to the container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
    • B67B3/00—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps
    • B67B3/003—Pretreatment of caps, e.g. cleaning, steaming, heating or sterilizing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
    • B67B3/00—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps
    • B67B3/20—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps by applying and rotating preformed threaded caps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C7/00—Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
    • B67C7/0073—Sterilising, aseptic filling and closing
    • 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
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/003—Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C7/00—Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
    • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
    • B67C2007/0066—Devices particularly adapted for container closing

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to a closure for a product container and sterilization methods.
  • the closure, product container, and methods can be used with, among other things, beverage products, nutritional products, and pharmaceutical products.
  • a hermetic seal is provided between the closure and the container.
  • the sealed container can then be subjected to retort sterilization conditions, during which the hermetic seal must survive sterilization of the product and the container.
  • plastics such as polypropylene, high density polyethylene, and polyester terephthalate.
  • a concern with plastic closures and containers used with retort sterilization processes is that the heat during retort conditions can damage or deform the plastic, causing issues in achieving and maintaining a proper hermetic seal. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a closure for a container and a sterilization process where the structural integrity of the container and closure is maintained, while providing a hermetic seal and allowing the container to opened with relative ease at the time of the product's intended use.
  • FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary container and closure, with the closure having a sealing disk and torque ring.
  • FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a portion of the container of FIG. 1, shown with a top portion of the closure removed and a bottom portion of the closure remaining on the container.
  • FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a portion of the container of FIG. 1, shown with the top and bottom portions of the closure removed.
  • FIG. 4 depicts a top perspective view of the bottom portion of the closure.
  • FIG. 5 depicts a bottom perspective view of the bottom portion of the closure, shown with a ratcheting portion folded outward.
  • FIG. 6 depicts a top view of the top portion of the closure of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 7 depicts a bottom view of the top portion of the closure shown in FIG.
  • FIG. 8 depicts a section view of the torque ring of the top portion of the closure shown in FIG. 7 taken along line 8— 8.
  • FIG. 9 depicts a top perspective view of the sealing disk of the closure of
  • FIG. 10 depicts a bottom view of the sealing disk of the closure of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary method for sterilizing the closure and the container of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 12 depicts another exemplary method for sterilizing the closure and the container of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary device, shown schematically, to sterilize the closure and the container according the method of FIG. 12.
  • FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a closure (100) for a container (200).
  • Container (200) comprises a threaded neck (202), a middle flange (204), a ratcheting portion (206), and a lower flange (208).
  • Ratcheting portion (206) comprises teeth (210) that are configured to engage with a portion of closure (100) as further described below.
  • closure (100) is removable from container (200).
  • closure (100) is a two-piece design, although few or more piece designs can be used.
  • closure (100) comprises torque ring (101) and sealing disk (103).
  • torque ring (101) and sealing disk (103).
  • sealing disk (103) A. Exemplary Torque Ring
  • Torque ring (101) comprises top portion (102) and bottom portion (104).
  • Bottom portion (104) comprises a locking ring (106).
  • Locking ring (106) is attached to top portion (102), but upon removal of closure (100) from container (200), locking ring (106) is held down by middle flange (204) so that it separates from top portion (102) and remains with container (200) as seen in FIG. 2.
  • This separating locking ring (106) provides evidence of tampering by indicating whether closure (100) has previously been opened. This separation of locking ring (106) is facilitated by the initial attachment of locking ring (106) to top portion (102) being perforated.
  • Locking ring (106) is further configured to engage with ratcheting portion (206) of container (200) as described further below.
  • torque ring (101) does not include locking ring (106), e.g., in situations where security of closure (100) is less important or the security is provided by other means such as a label securing the position of closure (100) to container (200) or by additional torquing of closure (100) onto container (200).
  • locking ring (106) comprises ratcheting portion (108).
  • Ratcheting portion (108) comprises teeth (110).
  • Teeth (110) are configured to engage with corresponding teeth (210) of container (200). This engagement of teeth (110) with teeth (210) provide for engagement of ratcheting portion (108) with ratcheting portion (206).
  • engagement of ratcheting portions (108, 206) enables separation of locking ring (106) from top portion (102) of closure (100) during removal of closure (100) from container (200).
  • ratcheting portion (108) of locking ring (106) is configured such that it is folded inward within the inner diameter of locking ring (106) such that ratcheting portion (108) is positionable adjacent to an inner surface (112) of locking ring (106).
  • Folding of ratcheting portion (108) is achieved in the present example by a living hinge (114) that connects ratcheting portion (108) with the remainder of locking ring (106).
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a view with ratcheting portion (108) in the inwardly folded position
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a view with ratcheting portion (108) unfolded and outwardly extended from inner surface (112) of locking ring (106).
  • torque ring (101) is manufactured by injection molding, with ratcheting portion (108) being injection molded in its unfolded position along with the remainder of torque ring (101). After molding ratcheting portion (108) is folded to assume its position adjacent to inner surface (112) of locking ring (106). Referring back to FIG. 1, in the assembled configuration, living hinge (114) is positioned closest to lower flange (208) of container (200).
  • locking ring (106) is molded with ratcheting portion (108) in the proper finished orientation such that ratcheting portion (108) does not need to be folded inward. In other words, teeth (110) of ratcheting portion (108) are molded in the inward orientation.
  • Top portion (102) of torque ring (101) comprises gripping surface (116) and rounded lip (118).
  • gripping surface (116) comprises a plurality of protrusions (120) that are vertically oriented and generally equally spaced around the circumference of top portion (102).
  • gripping surface (116) comprises a plurality of protrusions (120) that are unequally spaced, and/or the protrusions (120) can be arranged in a variety of geometric patterns such as diamonds, dots, or random patterns.
  • Gripping surface (116) increases friction between a person's fingers and closure (100) when the person is attempting to remove closure (100) from container (200).
  • Rounded lip (118) of torque ring (101) in the illustrated version and defines the top of torque ring (101).
  • rounded lip (118) takes the form of a generally half cylinder that curves around the top perimeter of torque ring (101).
  • FIGS 6 and 7 illustrate top and bottom views of closure (100), but shown without bottom portion (104) of torque ring (101) attached.
  • rounded lip (118) defines an opening in torque ring (101) and within that opening sealing disk (103) is positioned as described further below.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a section of torque ring (101) revealing an interior surface (122) of torque ring (101).
  • Interior surface (122) comprises threads (124) and flange (126).
  • Threads (124) are configured to engage with threaded neck (202) of container (200) so that closure (100) can be screwed onto and off of container (200).
  • closure (100) is pulled downward toward lower flange (208) due to the threaded arrangement between closure (100) and container (200).
  • Flange (126) is configured as a retaining member for holding sealing disk (103) in place once sealing disk (103) has been connected with torque ring (101).
  • sealing disk (103) is connected with torque ring (101) to form closure (100) by press fitting sealing disk (103) within torque ring (101) from the underside of torque ring (101).
  • sealing disk (103) comprises rounded lip (130) that is configured to seat within the space between flange (126) and curved groove (128) of torque ring (101). Sealing disk (103) is held in position after connecting with torque ring (101) by an interference between underside edge (132) of sealing disk (103) and flange (126).
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate sealing disk (103) showing the top of sealing disk in FIG. 9 and the underside or bottom of sealing disk (103) in FIG. 10.
  • the present exemplary sealing disk (103) comprises gasket (134), raised annular ring (136), and center surface (138).
  • gasket (134) raised annular ring (136)
  • center surface (138) the relative terms describing portions of sealing disk (103) as raised, depend on the view from which one examines sealing disk (103). For example, in FIG. 9 annular ring (136) appears raised relative to center surface (138), while from the underside view of FIG. 10, annular ring (136) appears recessed relative to center surface (138) which appears raised.
  • Gasket (134) of sealing disk (103) is made of an elastomeric material in the present example. Suitable materials for gasket (134) include, among others, rubber, plastic, vinyl, and silicone. In view of the teachings herein other suitable materials for gasket (134) will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Gasket (134) is positioned within the space defined by the underside of rounded lip (130) of sealing disk (103). When closure (100) is used with container (200), gasket (134) contacts an edge (212) of container (200) that defines the opening of container (200). When torque ring (101) is tightened down, sealing disk (103) is drawn toward edge (212) of container (200) and gasket (134) is compressed against edge (212) forming a hermetic seal.
  • sealing disk (103) is configured such that annular ring (136) and center surface (138) are configured to behave as a vacuum button to provide assurance that the hermetic seal has not been broken.
  • sealing disk (103) is comprised of metal or plastic.
  • the metal can be steel, stainless steel, or aluminum, although other metals can be used.
  • the thickness of sealing disk (103) can be between 0.10 and 0.30 millimeters, of course other thicknesses can be used.
  • sealing disk (103) comprises a multi-layer plastic such that sealing disk (103) provides an adequate oxygen barrier.
  • sealing disk (103) comprises a coating (140) on the underside of sealing disk (103).
  • Coating (140) can be approximately 0.015 millimeters thick, although other thicknesses can be used. Coating (140) can be applied by solvent coating systems or in other ways that will be apparent to those or ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. In some versions, coating (140) can be a fusible coating, e.g.
  • coating (140) melts when sufficiently heated and then re-solidifies when cooled. With fusible coatings, coating (140) fuses the edge (212) of container (200) with sealing disk (103) to forms a hermetic seal. In versions having fusible coatings, coating (140) can extend to cover gasket (134) or gasket (134) can be positioned over coating, or gasket (134) can be omitted altogether.
  • the energy required to fuse coating (140) can be from exposing metal sealing disk (103) to a source of electromagnetic energy induced by an induction coil, such as an electromagnetic current, such that metal sealing disk (103) has its molecules excited so as to cause fusible coating (140) to melt and fuse sealing disk (103) with edge (212) of container (200) thereby forming a hermetic seal.
  • the energy required to fuse coating (140) can be from exposing plastic sealing disk (103) to a heat source such as an oven, ultrasonic vibration, radiation of some kind such microwave radiation, optical energy of some kind such as a laser.
  • coating (140) is not fusible and instead is compressible or flexible to provide an adequate seal when torque ring (101) is sufficiently tightened. Again, in versions where coating (140) is not fusible but is compressible or flexible, coating (140) can extend to cover gasket (134), or gasket (134) can be positioned over coating (140), or gasket (134) can be omitted altogether. Of course in some versions coating (140), whether fusible or not fusible, is omitted altogether.
  • torque ring (101) and sealing disk (103) are connected in a way that sealing disk (103) is not immovably fixed to torque ring (101). For instance, when closure (100) is removed from container (200), sealing disk (103) can be held in place while torque ring (101) rotated. In the present example, this configuration is achieved because the space where sealing disk (103) is positioned within torque ring (101) (this space being defined between curved groove (128) and flange (126)) is slightly larger than the thickness of sealing disk (103) at rounded lip (130).
  • sealing disk (103) may not rotate in unison with torque ring (101) at all times as described above, when there is sufficient contact between either sealing disk (103) and curved groove (128), or between sealing disk (103) and flange (126), sealing disk (103) can rotate in unison with torque ring (101).
  • sealing disk (103) comprises a downwardly inclined portion and an upwardly inclined portion to form a center portion.
  • the center portion then behaves as a vacuum button to further provide assurance that the hermetic seal has not been broken.
  • closure (100) and container (200) permits opening a sealed container (200) in a single action. That is, removal of closure (100) provides immediate access to the contents of container (200) without the need to remove or puncture any additional seals.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates that container (200) and closure (100), as disclosed herein, may be sterilized in a retort process (300).
  • sealing disk (103) and torque ring (101) are assembled as described above.
  • Container (200) is filled with a nutritional, pharmaceutical, or other product, as shown in step (312).
  • the head space in the container may be flushed with an inert gas to displace oxygen from the head space.
  • closure (100) may be cooperatively engaged with container (200) by screwing on closure (100), which provides an application of downward movement and pressure to sealing disk (103).
  • closure (100) may be subjected to a source of energy such that fusible coating (140) fuses sealing disk (103) to container (200) as described above. This fusing forms a hermetic seal between container (200) and closure (100).
  • the filled and sealed container is sterilized in a retort process, as shown in step (316).
  • the filled and sealed container may be heated to retort conditions up to 275 °F. In some versions the retort conditions used involving heating the filled and sealed container to about 262 °F and holding at that temperature for 9-18 minutes. In view of the teachings herein, other retort conditions for sterilization will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
  • container (200) and closure (100) may be desirable to sterilize container (200) and closure (100) in an aseptic process.
  • aseptic sterilization processes may be gentler on container (200), closure (100), and/or the product contained or to be contained within the container.
  • an aseptic sterilization process may be desirable where all or parts of container (200) and closure (100) are comprised of plastic components that may be subject to damage or deformation if held at high heat for extended times.
  • FIGS. 12 illustrates an exemplary process (400) for sterilizing container (200) and closure (100) in an aseptic process.
  • Step (410) comprises preparing torque ring (101) for aseptic sterilization. More specifically, in versions where closure (100) comprises torque ring (101) having locking ring (106) and ratcheting portion (108), prior to and during aseptic sterilization ratcheting portion (108) is either not yet folded to be adjacent to inner surface (112) of locking ring (106), or unfolded from inner surface (112) of locking ring (106). In such versions, having ratcheting portion (108) in the unfolded position helps ensure that all surfaces of closure (100) are subjected to whatever aseptic processing conditions are used. Step (410) is optional in some versions.
  • step (410) can be omitted in versions where torque ring (101) does not include ratcheting portion (108), or where after injection molding torque ring (101) ratcheting portion (108) is left in its unfolded state. Also, step (410) can be omitted where it has been demonstrated that the aseptic process used for sterilization is adequate to ensure sterilization of all surfaces of torque ring (101), even when ratcheting portion (108) remains in its folded position. Still yet, step (410) can be omitted in versions where ratcheting portion (108) is molded in the proper finished orientation with teeth (110) of ratcheting portion (108) in the inward orientation.
  • step (412) comprises sterilizing unassembled sealing disk (103), torque ring (101), and container (200) in one or more aseptic processes.
  • the aseptic process includes subjecting one or more of the components to a hydrogen peroxide fog, a hydrogen peroxide bath, steam, ultraviolet light, or radiation such as electron beams, X-rays, gamma rays, etc.
  • a hydrogen peroxide fog a hydrogen peroxide bath
  • steam ultraviolet light
  • radiation such as electron beams, X-rays, gamma rays, etc.
  • one or more components are subjected to temperatures of approximately 310 °F for 5-10 seconds.
  • torque ring (101), sealing disk (103), and container (200) all undergo the same aseptic sterilization process.
  • torque ring (101), sealing disk (103), and container (200) all undergo different aseptic sterilization processes. Still in some versions one or more of the torque ring (101), sealing disk (103), and container (200) can undergo one aseptic process while the other components undergo another aseptic process for sterilization.
  • sealing disk (103) and torque ring (101) are assembled in an aseptic, or sterile, environment to form closure (100). Assembly of sealing disk (103) and torque ring (101) occurs as described above— by press fitting sealing disk (103) within torque ring (101) until sealing disk (103) is located into position between curved groove (128) and flange (126). In some versions, assembling sealing disk (103) to torque ring (101) involves snap-fitting sealing disk (103) within torque ring (101).
  • step (416) also after being sterilized, torque ring (101) is prepared for container filling. More specifically, in versions of torque ring (101) having locking ring (106) and ratcheting portion (108), torque ring (101) is prepared by ratcheting portion (108) being folded such that ratcheting portion (108) is adjacent inner surface (112) of locking ring (106) as described above. In some versions step (416) occurs before assembling sealing disk (103) with torque ring (101). In some other versions step (416) occurs after assembling sealing disk (103) with torque ring (101).
  • container (200) is filled with the desired product in an aseptic environment.
  • the fluid is first treated in a pasteurization process or sterilized in a heat treatment, for example by passing the fluid through a heat exchanger.
  • a heat treatment for example by passing the fluid through a heat exchanger.
  • closure (100) is engaged with container (200) via a threaded engagement as described above.
  • sealing disk (103) is positioned in contact with edge (212) of container (200).
  • sealing disk (103) comprises coating (140)
  • closure (100) may be subjected to a source of energy such that sealing disk (103) is fused with edge (212) of container (200) to form a hermetic seal.
  • sealing disk (103) comprises compressible gasket (134) or compressible coating (140) instead of, or in addition to fusible coating (140)
  • screwing down torque ring (101) sufficiently drives sealing disk (103) against edge (212) of container (200) such that gasket (134) and/or compressible coating (140) press against edge (212) forming a hermetic seal.
  • An optional step in either filling step (418) or capping step (420) is flushing the head space of container (200) with an inert gas to displace any oxygen from the head space prior to sealing container (200).
  • FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary device, shown schematically, to sterilize closure (100) and the container (200) according the aseptic sterilization method of FIG. 12.
  • disk feeder (510) feeds unassembled sealing disks (103) into sterilization cabinet (502).
  • Ring feeder (512) feeds unassembled torque rings (101) into sterilization cabinet (502).
  • torque rings (101) are prepared if necessary before being directed to the sterilization process.
  • ring preparer (511) prepares torque rings (101) prior to sending torque rings (101) to ring feeder (512).
  • Container feeder (514) feeds unassembled containers (200) into sterilization cabinet (502).
  • the unassembled components sealing disk (103), torque ring (101), and container (200)— are directed to an aseptic sterilization station (520) for aseptic sterilization according to step (412) of FIG. 12 as described above.
  • the unassembled components may be sterilized in the same sterilization cabinet (502) as shown in the illustrated version of FIG. 13, or the unassembled components may be sterilized in separate sterilization cabinets, or combinations thereof. Suitable sterilization equipment configurations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein.
  • Cap assembly station (530) performs step (414) as described above, and container filling station (532) performs step (418) as described above.
  • ratcheting portion (108) is folded upward to be adjacent inner surface (112) of locking ring (106) as described above in step (416) of FIG. 12.
  • the head space of a filled container (200) can be flushed with an inert gas to displace any oxygen in the head space after filling.
  • Container capping station (540) performs step (420) as described above. After being capped and sealed by closure (100), container (200) may be removed from sterile cabinet (502) to provide a finished sealed container (550).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une fermeture pour un récipient qui comprend une couronne de couple et un disque d'étanchéité. La couronne de couple et le disque d'étanchéité sont stérilisés dans un procédé aseptique avant de coupler le disque d'étanchéité avec la couronne de couple. Une fois stérilisé, le disque d'étanchéité est ensuite couplé avec la couronne de couple dans un environnement aseptique pour former la fermeture.
PCT/US2013/071040 2012-12-04 2013-11-20 Fermeture stérilisée de façon aseptique WO2014088811A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US201261733152P 2012-12-04 2012-12-04
US61/733,152 2012-12-04

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WO2014088811A1 true WO2014088811A1 (fr) 2014-06-12

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PCT/US2013/071040 WO2014088811A1 (fr) 2012-12-04 2013-11-20 Fermeture stérilisée de façon aseptique

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
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WO2012154813A1 (fr) * 2011-05-09 2012-11-15 Abbott Laboratories Récipient et fermeture

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GB1207005A (en) * 1967-08-17 1970-09-30 Bosch Gmbh Robert Improvements in the sealing of bottles of a plastics material.
US4122964A (en) * 1976-07-02 1978-10-31 Morris Neal R Reusable closures for hermetically sealing containers
US4813561A (en) * 1988-02-29 1989-03-21 Anchor Hocking Corporation Composite retortable closure
US4991731A (en) 1989-08-03 1991-02-12 Abbott Laboratories/Ross Laboratories Retortable composite closure for plastic containers
EP1749747A1 (fr) * 2005-08-03 2007-02-07 Aseptis, S.L. Dispositif de traitement de fermetures
WO2012154813A1 (fr) * 2011-05-09 2012-11-15 Abbott Laboratories Récipient et fermeture

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015093096A1 (fr) * 2013-12-19 2015-06-25 日立造船株式会社 Procédé de stérilisation et de mise en place de capsule de bouteille, et équipement de stérilisation et de mise en place de capsule de bouteille

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