Patent US3556174A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3556174A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for exchanging atmosphere in the headspace of a container
Assignee: Hunt Wesson Foods Inc
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Filing: 1967-12-21
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Granted: 1971-01-19
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Expires: 1987-12-21
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for removing contaminant or reactive headspace gases from bottles or other containers. The apparatus provides means for directing a downward flow of cryogenic inert gas into the path of container movement. Frosting of the upper portion of the container and of the apparatus is prevented by means of enclosing the cold gas flow with a peripheral blanket of ambient anhydrous inert gas. The various embodiments of the apparatus of this invention provide means for directing the central flow of inert gas in the form of a jet or a direct stream of the gas. In one embodiment of the apparatus of this invention a nozzle is provided for directing a jet of cryogenic gas directly into the path of gas flow and means are provided for forming a puff of cryogenic gas around the jet. In this embodiment a heating mechanism is mounted on the nozzle to prevent frost formation thereon. In another embodiment means are provided for directing a central flow of cryogenic inert gas downwardly and for surrounding this cryogenic inert gas with a peripheral flowing blanket of ambient substantially dry inert gas to prevent frosting. This peripheral flow of ambient inert gas surrounds the central flow of cryogenic inert gas and substantially isolates the central flow from the atmospheric air. The apparatus may also be provided with a sloping rear wall for accommodating a cap chute and with means for purging reactive gases from the cap immediately prior to positioning the cap on the container and sealing thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter P Gibble
- 👤 Frank R Holmes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:14
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B31/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; and means for providing a moving blanket of inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow intimately surrounding said central flow of inert gas and flowing around said central flow to sweep away displaced reactive gas and to prevent reentry thereof.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; and means for providing a moving blanket of inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow intimately surrounding said central flow of inert gas and flowing around said central flow to sweep away displaced reactive gas and to prevent reentry thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of a container as described in claim 1 wherein said means for providing a central flow of inert gas provides said central flow as a continuous stream of gas into said headspace as said container is moved past said apparatus.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas at a cryogenic temperature and denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container, said central flow providing means including a plurality of centrally aligned ports; and means for providing peripheral flow of an inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow about said central flow for sweeping away displaced reactive gas and preventing reentry thereof, said peripheral flow providing means including an elongated downwardly extending skirt surrounding said ports and a bottom horizontally Extending wall portion having an elongated central opening therein through which said skirt extends, the edges of said bottom wall portion surrounding said opening being a spaced distance from said skirt to direct ambient temperature inert gas flow into contact with said depending skirt and downwardly for surrounding said central flow of inert gas with a blanket of inert gas at substantially ambient temperature thereby preventing frost formation on said apparatus and the top portion of said container.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas at a cryogenic temperature and denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container, said central flow providing means including a plurality of centrally aligned ports; and means for providing peripheral flow of an inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow about said central flow for sweeping away displaced reactive gas and preventing reentry thereof, said peripheral flow providing means including an elongated downwardly extending skirt surrounding said ports and a bottom horizontally Extending wall portion having an elongated central opening therein through which said skirt extends, the edges of said bottom wall portion surrounding said opening being a spaced distance from said skirt to direct ambient temperature inert gas flow into contact with said depending skirt and downwardly for surrounding said central flow of inert gas with a blanket of inert gas at substantially ambient temperature thereby preventing frost formation on said apparatus and the top portion of said container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said spaced distance from said skirt is from one thirty-second to three-sixteenths inches.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; means for providing peripheral flow of an inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow about said central flow for sweeping away displaced reactive gas and preventing reentry thereof; and means for maintaining said central flow of inert gas at a lower temperature than said peripheral flow of inert gas.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising: means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; means for providing peripheral flow of an inert gas of a different density than the central inert gas flow about said central flow for sweeping away displaced reactive gas and preventing reentry thereof; and means for maintaining said central flow of inert gas at a lower temperature than said peripheral flow of inert gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 5 including means for supplying said peripheral flow providing means with a flow of substantially dry inert gas at a temperature above the frost point of the ambient air.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; and means for providing peripheral flow of said inert gas in the form of an ambient temperature gas blanket completely surrounding said central flow of inert gas.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for displacing a reactive gas from the headspace of an open, partially filled container comprising means for providing a central flow of inert gas denser than said reactive gas into the headspace of said container; and means for providing peripheral flow of said inert gas in the form of an ambient temperature gas blanket completely surrounding said central flow of inert gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
124 words
For use in combination with an apparatus for continuously filling and sealing partially filled conveyed containers, means for exchanging the headspace atmosphere in each of said moving containers preliminary to sealing comprising, a plurality of gas nozzle means disposed along the line of movement of said containers and above their openings for sequentially directing a plurality of downwardly moving patterns of inert gas toward each container, each said nozzle means including both a central nozzle for supplying a jet of inert gas denser than the headspace gas directed into the headspace and a peripheral nozzle means for supplying a moving blanket of inert gas of a different density than the central jet directed past the opening of the container to surround the periphery thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
124 words
For use in combination with an apparatus for continuously filling and sealing partially filled conveyed containers, means for exchanging the headspace atmosphere in each of said moving containers preliminary to sealing comprising, a plurality of gas nozzle means disposed along the line of movement of said containers and above their openings for sequentially directing a plurality of downwardly moving patterns of inert gas toward each container, each said nozzle means including both a central nozzle for supplying a jet of inert gas denser than the headspace gas directed into the headspace and a peripheral nozzle means for supplying a moving blanket of inert gas of a different density than the central jet directed past the opening of the container to surround the periphery thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
112 words
Nozzle means for use in association with a continuous machine for filling and sealing partially filled containers, said nozzle means being adapted to exchange the headspace gas therein and comprising: at least one combination central jet and peripheral fogging gas nozzle disposed coaxially with one another above the line of movement of the partially filled containers between the filling and sealing thereof; and a closure purging nozzle disposed downstream from said combination nozzle along said line of movement so that as the partially filled containers move past said nozzle means they are each subjected to at least one jetting and fogging gas purge and then to a closure purging before sealing thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
112 words
Nozzle means for use in association with a continuous machine for filling and sealing partially filled containers, said nozzle means being adapted to exchange the headspace gas therein and comprising: at least one combination central jet and peripheral fogging gas nozzle disposed coaxially with one another above the line of movement of the partially filled containers between the filling and sealing thereof; and a closure purging nozzle disposed downstream from said combination nozzle along said line of movement so that as the partially filled containers move past said nozzle means they are each subjected to at least one jetting and fogging gas purge and then to a closure purging before sealing thereof.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of an open, partially filled container during transport of the container between the filling and sealing stations of the operation comprising nozzle means mounted above the line of travel of the container for providing a downwardly directed flow of inert gas at a temperature substantially below the frost point of the ambient air into each container and means for maintaining the exterior surface of the nozzle means substantially free of frost.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of an open, partially filled container during transport of the container between the filling and sealing stations of the operation comprising nozzle means mounted above the line of travel of the container for providing a downwardly directed flow of inert gas at a temperature substantially below the frost point of the ambient air into each container and means for maintaining the exterior surface of the nozzle means substantially free of frost.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for maintaining the surface free of frost includes thermal insulating material between the inert gas in the nozzle means aNd said exterior surface and means for heating the exterior surface of the nozzle means to a temperature above the frost point.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said heating means comprises an externally heated casing including metal screen means mounted in heat conducting relation to said casing and covering the outlet from said nozzle means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for maintaining said surface free of frost comprises means for supplying a blanket of dry inert gas at a temperature substantially above the frost point of the ambient air, and completely surrounding said inert gas which is at a temperature substantially below the frost point of the ambient air.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers during transport of the containers between the filling and sealing stations comprising: a shell member; means dividing the interior of said shell into a plurality of communicating chambers; gas introduction means communicating with one of said chambers; at least one gas jetting nozzle providing an outlet from one of said chambers for directing a gas stream into the headspace of each container as it passes thereunder; and at least one gas fogging nozzle surrounding the jetting nozzle providing an outlet from another of said chambers for directing a lower pressure blanket of gas around said stream.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers during transport of the containers between the filling and sealing stations comprising: a shell member; means dividing the interior of said shell into a plurality of communicating chambers; gas introduction means communicating with one of said chambers; at least one gas jetting nozzle providing an outlet from one of said chambers for directing a gas stream into the headspace of each container as it passes thereunder; and at least one gas fogging nozzle surrounding the jetting nozzle providing an outlet from another of said chambers for directing a lower pressure blanket of gas around said stream.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers in accordance with claim 14 wherein the fogging nozzle is a slotted cylindrical disc mounted coaxially about the jetting nozzle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers in accordance with claim 15 wherein the slots in the disc are spiral.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers in accordance with claim 14, and further comprising a closure purging nozzle providing an outlet from a third one of said chambers for directing gas under each container closure immediately prior to sealing.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
104 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers during transport of the container between filling and sealing stations, comprising: an external casing member; an internal shell mounted therein with its major portion spaced and thermally insulated from the casing; gas introduction means communicating with the interior of said shell for delivering cold gas thereto; gas nozzle means communicating with the interior of said shell for directing the cold gas downward into the headspace of each container; and means positioned externally of said casing member for heating the casing exterior of said member without appreciably heating said cold gas.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
104 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers during transport of the container between filling and sealing stations, comprising: an external casing member; an internal shell mounted therein with its major portion spaced and thermally insulated from the casing; gas introduction means communicating with the interior of said shell for delivering cold gas thereto; gas nozzle means communicating with the interior of said shell for directing the cold gas downward into the headspace of each container; and means positioned externally of said casing member for heating the casing exterior of said member without appreciably heating said cold gas.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus for exchanging the atmosphere in the headspace of open, partially filled containers in accordance with claim 18 wherein said means for heating the casing includes a thermoelectric temperature sensing element mounted in heat sensing relationship with said casing and at least one heating element disposed in heat exchange relationship with said casing and controlled in response to a signal from said thermoelectric element.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
393 words
An apparatus for exchanging the headspace gas in a plurality of moving containers conveyed beneath the apparatus comprising: a shell including a first partition dividing its interior into a forward chamber and a rearward chamber; the portion of the shell defining said forward chamber having a downwardly and forwardly inclined upper wall, a horizontal bottom wall and a forward outlet disposed at their forward intersection over the path of the containers; the portion of said shell defining the rearward portion having a horizontal bottom wall including two nozzle apertures therethrough over the path of the container; second and third partition walls dividing the Rearward chamber into upper, lower, and middle chambers; an inlet to said upper chamber for supplying cold nitrogen thereto; a tubular member interconnecting the upper and lower chambers for delivering cold nitrogen to the lower chamber; an opening through the first partition for delivering cold nitrogen from the lower chamber to the forward chamber; a pair of nozzle housings interconnecting the middle chamber and the nozzle apertures; an opening through the second partition for delivering cold nitrogen from the upper chamber to the middle chamber; a fogging nozzle disposed interior of each housing and having a plurality of openings therethrough to form a relatively low pressure fog of the cold nitrogen directed from the middle tiered chamber downward toward the conveyed containers; a jetting nozzle mounted coaxially with each fogging nozzle for directing a high pressure stream of cold nitrogen from the upper tiered chamber toward the conveyed containers; a baffle plate mounted interior of the forward chamber in the path of incoming nitrogen to divert the direct flow of nitrogen through the forward chamber; a casing enclosing the shell in spaced-apart relationship therefrom, said casing including a lower plate having a pair of nozzle apertures aligned with the nozzle housings, an inclined front plate for guiding container closures downwardly onto the containers passing below, and a semicircular closure purging aperture at the lower end of the inclined plate aligned with the forward outlet of the shell; a metal screen covering each nozzle aperture in heat exchange relationship with the casing; a plurality of elongated members spacing the casing from the shell and having a sharp edge in contact with the casing; thermoinsulating material between the casing and shell; and electrical means for heating the casing to prevent frost buildup.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
393 words
An apparatus for exchanging the headspace gas in a plurality of moving containers conveyed beneath the apparatus comprising: a shell including a first partition dividing its interior into a forward chamber and a rearward chamber; the portion of the shell defining said forward chamber having a downwardly and forwardly inclined upper wall, a horizontal bottom wall and a forward outlet disposed at their forward intersection over the path of the containers; the portion of said shell defining the rearward portion having a horizontal bottom wall including two nozzle apertures therethrough over the path of the container; second and third partition walls dividing the Rearward chamber into upper, lower, and middle chambers; an inlet to said upper chamber for supplying cold nitrogen thereto; a tubular member interconnecting the upper and lower chambers for delivering cold nitrogen to the lower chamber; an opening through the first partition for delivering cold nitrogen from the lower chamber to the forward chamber; a pair of nozzle housings interconnecting the middle chamber and the nozzle apertures; an opening through the second partition for delivering cold nitrogen from the upper chamber to the middle chamber; a fogging nozzle disposed interior of each housing and having a plurality of openings therethrough to form a relatively low pressure fog of the cold nitrogen directed from the middle tiered chamber downward toward the conveyed containers; a jetting nozzle mounted coaxially with each fogging nozzle for directing a high pressure stream of cold nitrogen from the upper tiered chamber toward the conveyed containers; a baffle plate mounted interior of the forward chamber in the path of incoming nitrogen to divert the direct flow of nitrogen through the forward chamber; a casing enclosing the shell in spaced-apart relationship therefrom, said casing including a lower plate having a pair of nozzle apertures aligned with the nozzle housings, an inclined front plate for guiding container closures downwardly onto the containers passing below, and a semicircular closure purging aperture at the lower end of the inclined plate aligned with the forward outlet of the shell; a metal screen covering each nozzle aperture in heat exchange relationship with the casing; a plurality of elongated members spacing the casing from the shell and having a sharp edge in contact with the casing; thermoinsulating material between the casing and shell; and electrical means for heating the casing to prevent frost buildup.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
131 words
A headspace gas exchanger apparatus comprising: means defining a central longitudinally extending chamber; means connected to said central chamber defining an inlet for directing flow of cold, inert gas into the said central chamber; means in said central chamber for providing flow of said cold gas downwardly out of a plurality of longitudinally spaced outlets from said central chamber at substantially equal pressures; means providing an outer chamber substantially surrounding said central chamber; means providing flow of an inert gas at a temperature above the frost point of the ambient air into said outer chamber; and means for providing flow of said inert gas having a temperature higher than the frost point of the ambient air downwardly from said outer chamber to substantially surround said downward flow of said cold gas.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
131 words
A headspace gas exchanger apparatus comprising: means defining a central longitudinally extending chamber; means connected to said central chamber defining an inlet for directing flow of cold, inert gas into the said central chamber; means in said central chamber for providing flow of said cold gas downwardly out of a plurality of longitudinally spaced outlets from said central chamber at substantially equal pressures; means providing an outer chamber substantially surrounding said central chamber; means providing flow of an inert gas at a temperature above the frost point of the ambient air into said outer chamber; and means for providing flow of said inert gas having a temperature higher than the frost point of the ambient air downwardly from said outer chamber to substantially surround said downward flow of said cold gas.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said means for providing flow of gas having a temperature above the frost point of the ambient air comprises a plurality of spaced gas inlets communicating with said outer chamber and with a source of dry, ambient temperature inert gas.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
52 words
A headspace gas exchanger as defined in claim 21 wherein said central chamber comprises an upper horizontal chamber and a lower horizontal chamber, said upper chamber communicating with said lower chamber through a plurality of spaced through-apertures having a total area less than the area of said inlet to said central chamber.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
246 words
Apparatus for exchanging the headspace gas in a partially filled container comprising: a housing having first end walls, first sidewalls, an upper wall, a central wall and a lower wall defining a longitudinally extending upper chamber and lower chamber bounded by said sidewalls and end walls, said lower wall having a plurality of spaced ports therein and forming a cover section for a container conveyor path; a plurality of apertures in said central wall for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said lower chamber; a second pair of sidewalls spaced from said firSt sidewalls and connected to said upper wall and said lower wall for defining side chambers intermediate said first sidewalls and said second sidewalls; a second pair of end walls spaced from said first end walls and connected to said second pair of sidewalls to connect said side chambers and define a continuous outer chamber about said upper and lower chambers; means for thermally insulating said outer chamber from said upper and lower chambers; means for supplying a cold inert gas to said upper chamber; means for supplying a warmer, dry inert gas to said outer chamber; means in said lower chamber defining a plurality of gas outlets for directing cold inert gas downwardly from said lower chamber into the path of container flow; and means connected to said outer chamber for providing peripheral flow of a blanket of said warmer, dry inert gas about said downward flow of cold inert gas.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
246 words
Apparatus for exchanging the headspace gas in a partially filled container comprising: a housing having first end walls, first sidewalls, an upper wall, a central wall and a lower wall defining a longitudinally extending upper chamber and lower chamber bounded by said sidewalls and end walls, said lower wall having a plurality of spaced ports therein and forming a cover section for a container conveyor path; a plurality of apertures in said central wall for providing fluid communication between said upper chamber and said lower chamber; a second pair of sidewalls spaced from said firSt sidewalls and connected to said upper wall and said lower wall for defining side chambers intermediate said first sidewalls and said second sidewalls; a second pair of end walls spaced from said first end walls and connected to said second pair of sidewalls to connect said side chambers and define a continuous outer chamber about said upper and lower chambers; means for thermally insulating said outer chamber from said upper and lower chambers; means for supplying a cold inert gas to said upper chamber; means for supplying a warmer, dry inert gas to said outer chamber; means in said lower chamber defining a plurality of gas outlets for directing cold inert gas downwardly from said lower chamber into the path of container flow; and means connected to said outer chamber for providing peripheral flow of a blanket of said warmer, dry inert gas about said downward flow of cold inert gas.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein one of said end walls is slanted in the direction of container movement along said path and defines the rearward edge of said cover, said slanted end wall having means thereon for directing inert gas into a container cap before it is positioned on a container for removing contaminant gases from said cap.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-18 | 1974-07-20 | 1975-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-18 | 1978-07-20 | 1979-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-18 | 1982-07-20 | 1983-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |