Method and apparatus for sterile packaging

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PACKAGING A LIQUID-CONTAINING FOOD IN A CONTAINER WHICH COMPRISES: (1) STERILIZING SAID FOOD AT A TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE ATMOSPHERIC BOILING POINT OF THE LIQUID AND UNDER A PRESSURE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID IN THE FOOD AT THE STERILIZING TEMPERATURE; (2) PROVIDING WITHIN A CHAMBER AT LEAST PART OF A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END SO THAT GAS IN SAID CHAMBER WHEN CLOSED COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY WITH AT LEAST SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER UNTIL SAID END IS CLOSED; (3) PROVIDING IN SAID CHAMBER AND THEREBY IN SAID CONTAINER A PREDETERMINED ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE BY INTRODUCING THROUGH A GAS INLET OF SAID CHAMBER PRESSURIZED GAS DIRECTLY FROM AND ONLY FROM A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (4) TRANSFERRING SAID STERILE FOOD AT A STERILIZING TEMPERATURE AND UNDER A PRESSURE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID IN THE FOOD THROUGH AN INLET OF SAID CHAMBER OTHER THAN SAIDGAS INLET INTO SAID CHAMBER AND THEN INTO SAID CONTAINER IN SAID CHAMBER MAINTAINED AT AN ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PREVENT SUBSTANTIAL BOILING OF SAID FOOD TO DISPLACE GAS BY SAID FOOD FROM SAID CONTAINER INTO THE GAS-CONTAINING SPACE OF SAID CHAMBER; (5) HERMETICALLY SEALING SAID CONTAINER; (6) CLOSING SAID GAS INLET TO CEASE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (7) RELEASING THE GASEOUS PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER TO PROVIDE SAID SPACE OF SAID CHAMBER AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; AND (8) REMOVING THE HERMETICALLY-SEALED CONTAINER FROM THE CHAMBER.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PACKAGING A LIQUID-CONTAINING FOOD IN A CONTAINER WHICH COMPRISES: (1) STERILIZING SAID FOOD AT A TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE ATMOSPHERIC BOILING POINT OF THE LIQUID AND UNDER A PRESSURE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID IN THE FOOD AT THE STERILIZING TEMPERATURE; (2) PROVIDING WITHIN A CHAMBER AT LEAST PART OF A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN END SO THAT GAS IN SAID CHAMBER WHEN CLOSED COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY WITH AT LEAST SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER UNTIL SAID END IS CLOSED; (3) PROVIDING IN SAID CHAMBER AND THEREBY IN SAID CONTAINER A PREDETERMINED ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE BY INTRODUCING THROUGH A GAS INLET OF SAID CHAMBER PRESSURIZED GAS DIRECTLY FROM AND ONLY FROM A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (4) TRANSFERRING SAID STERILE FOOD AT A STERILIZING TEMPERATURE AND UNDER A PRESSURE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID IN THE FOOD THROUGH AN INLET OF SAID CHAMBER OTHER THAN SAIDGAS INLET INTO SAID CHAMBER AND THEN INTO SAID CONTAINER IN SAID CHAMBER MAINTAINED AT AN ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PREVENT SUBSTANTIAL BOILING OF SAID FOOD TO DISPLACE GAS BY SAID FOOD FROM SAID CONTAINER INTO THE GAS-CONTAINING SPACE OF SAID CHAMBER; (5) HERMETICALLY SEALING SAID CONTAINER; (6) CLOSING SAID GAS INLET TO CEASE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (7) RELEASING THE GASEOUS PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER TO PROVIDE SAID SPACE OF SAID CHAMBER AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; AND (8) REMOVING THE HERMETICALLY-SEALED CONTAINER FROM THE CHAMBER.