US3783581A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aseptic packaging method and machine
Assignee: Rexcel Inc
•
Filing: 1972-04-18
•
Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1992-04-18
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for aseptically packaging food and other products includes a housing which defines an enclosed sterile chamber and contains an endless conveyor having an upper flight adapted to transport individual containers through a plurality of operating stations. The housing is formed with a container sterilization section located adjacent one end of the conveyor and has a container dispenser mechanism mounted therein which holds individual containers in this section for a predetermined period of time and thereafter dispenses the containers on the upper flight of the conveyor; the latter transports the containers to a filling station where a sterile product is placed in the container. Downstream of the filling station, a continuous strip of interconnected covers is sequentially advanced, through a cover sterilization section formed in the housing, into position in registry with the containers on the conveyor. Thereafter, the covers are heat sealed to the containers and discharged from the housing. The entire sterile chamber is supplied with a sterile atmosphere at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain the containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover sealing operation.
Inventors
- 👤 J Pierce
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:34
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B55/00; B65B55/02; B65B55/027; B65B55/04; B65B55/10; B29; B29C; B29C2793/00; B29C2793/0036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
397 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterilization chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having upper and lower flights and means thereon for receiving containers to be filled; a plurality of operating stations located along one of said flights and drive means for sequentially moving said conveyor along said flights between sid operating stations, said housing including a container sterilization section located at a first station therein and container dispenser means mounted in said container sterilization section at said first station for holding containers in said container sterilization section comprising a vertically extending endless conveyor having a downwardly moving flight located above the first mentioned endless conveyor at said first station and a plurality of container support platforms secured thereto and extending horizontally therefrom along said downwardly moving flight, including container supply means mounted on said housing adjacent the upper end of said downwardly moving flight for supplying individual containers to said platforms, and said vertically extending conveyor holding said individual containers in said container sterilization section for said predetermined time as said containers are moved from said container supply means to said first station whereby said containers are steriLized prior to being deposited on said first mentioned conveyor; filling means mounted on said housing at a second station, downstream of said first station in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for filling each container on said conveyor with a sterilized product; said housing also including a cover sterilization section of predetermined length located at a third station therein downstream of said second station; means for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected die cut covers through said cover sterilization chamber to said third station in timed relation with the arrival of containers at said third station to sequentially position said covers over said containers in registry therewith, means at a fourth station, downwstream of said third station, for securing said covers to said containers as the containers are sequentially moved to said fourth station by said conveyor, means at a fifth station, downstream of said fourth station for moving the covered containers from said conveyor and discharging them from said housing, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said housing at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during movement through said operating stations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
397 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterilization chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having upper and lower flights and means thereon for receiving containers to be filled; a plurality of operating stations located along one of said flights and drive means for sequentially moving said conveyor along said flights between sid operating stations, said housing including a container sterilization section located at a first station therein and container dispenser means mounted in said container sterilization section at said first station for holding containers in said container sterilization section comprising a vertically extending endless conveyor having a downwardly moving flight located above the first mentioned endless conveyor at said first station and a plurality of container support platforms secured thereto and extending horizontally therefrom along said downwardly moving flight, including container supply means mounted on said housing adjacent the upper end of said downwardly moving flight for supplying individual containers to said platforms, and said vertically extending conveyor holding said individual containers in said container sterilization section for said predetermined time as said containers are moved from said container supply means to said first station whereby said containers are steriLized prior to being deposited on said first mentioned conveyor; filling means mounted on said housing at a second station, downstream of said first station in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for filling each container on said conveyor with a sterilized product; said housing also including a cover sterilization section of predetermined length located at a third station therein downstream of said second station; means for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected die cut covers through said cover sterilization chamber to said third station in timed relation with the arrival of containers at said third station to sequentially position said covers over said containers in registry therewith, means at a fourth station, downwstream of said third station, for securing said covers to said containers as the containers are sequentially moved to said fourth station by said conveyor, means at a fifth station, downstream of said fourth station for moving the covered containers from said conveyor and discharging them from said housing, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said housing at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during movement through said operating stations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for supplying a sterile atmosphere comprises means for supplying dry high-temperature steam to said sterile chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for supplying a sterile atmosphere includes means for maintaining higher temperatures in said container and cover sterilization sections than in the remainder of said housing whereby said containers and covers are sterilized in said sterilization sections prior to placement on said conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means cooperating with the covers in said strip of covers for individually registering each of said covers with its associated container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means mounted in said housing between said fourth and fifth stations for severing the interconnection between individual covers in said strip of covers, after said covers are secured to the containers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including means for sequentially supplying individual containers to said container holding and depositing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for sequentially advancing said strip of die cut covers includes a reel supporting a roll of said strip of covers, means for guiding said strip along a predetermined path in said cover sterilization chamber from said reel to said third station whereby said covers are maintained in said sterilization chamber for a period of time sufficient to sterilize the covers, and means at said third station for unwinding said strip from the reel, drawing the strip along said predetermined path and sequentially directing each cover as it is advanced to said third station over a container which is sequentially advanced to said third station by said conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said covers have a heat sealing coating on the side thereof positioned in contact with said containers and said means for securing said covers to said containers comprises heat sealing means for heating and pressing the heat sealing coating on said cover against the adjacent portions of said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including means at said fourth station, immediately downstream of said heat sealing means, for cooling the heat sealed cover and pressing the cover against the container, thereby to maintain the bond formed by said heat sealing means and cool it to its solidification temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said container receiving means on said conveyor has a plurality of apertures therein for receiving and supporting said containers, said conveyor having a discharge end located at said fifth station and said means for removing tHe covered containers from said conveyor comprising an auxiliary endless conveyor located between the flights of the first mentioned conveyor and having one end located on a common axis of rotation with the discharge end thereof, said auxiliary conveyor having an inclined upper flight portion approaching said first mentioned conveyor at the discharge end thereof and having a plurality of projections thereon for engaging the bottoms of said containers supported in said openings and lifting them therefrom at said discharge end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 including a pair of fixed support rods mounted in closely spaced relation to each other and having one end thereof located adjacent said discharge end of said first mentioned conveyor for receiving said lifted containers therebetween and guiding them from said discharge end.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said housing has an opening therein through which said rods extend to permit removal of said containers from said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said strip of covers includes an interconnecting portion between each pair of adjacent covers and formed integrally therewith, said interconnecting portion including a flat section and a corrugated section selectively adapted to expand or contract, said flat section having an aperture therein and said means for individually registering said covers with their associated container comprising individual upstanding pins on said endless conveyor respectively adjacent said container receiving means for engagement in said apertures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
218 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products, comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterile chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having an upper flight for transporting containers through said housing; said housing having a container sterilizing section located adjacent one end of said conveyor and a container dispenser means mounted in said section including a vertically extending endless conveyor having a plurality of container support platforms secured thereto for holding containers therein for a predetermined period of time and thereafter depositing the containers on said upper conveyor flight, means in said housing, downstream of said container sterilization section in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for sequentially filling containers on the conveyor with a sterilized product; said housing also including a cover sterilization section having a predetermined length and means mounted in said cover sterilization section for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected covers through said cover sterilization chamber and for sequentially positioning said covers over said containers in registry therewith downstream of said filling means; means for thereafter securing said covers to said containers, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said enclosed sterile chamber at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
218 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products, comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterile chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having an upper flight for transporting containers through said housing; said housing having a container sterilizing section located adjacent one end of said conveyor and a container dispenser means mounted in said section including a vertically extending endless conveyor having a plurality of container support platforms secured thereto for holding containers therein for a predetermined period of time and thereafter depositing the containers on said upper conveyor flight, means in said housing, downstream of said container sterilization section in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for sequentially filling containers on the conveyor with a sterilized product; said housing also including a cover sterilization section having a predetermined length and means mounted in said cover sterilization section for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected covers through said cover sterilization chamber and for sequentially positioning said covers over said containers in registry therewith downstream of said filling means; means for thereafter securing said covers to said containers, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said enclosed sterile chamber at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14 including means downstream of said sealing means for severing the interconnection between individual covers in said strip after said covers are secured to the containers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 15 including means downstream of said severing means for removing covered containers from said conveyor and discharging them from said housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for supplying a sterile atmosphere includes means for maintaining a higher temperature in said container and cover sterilization sections than in the remainder of said sterile chamber whereby said containers and covers are sterilized in said sterilization sections prior to placement on the conveyor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said covers have a heat sealing coating on the side thereof positioned in contact with said containers and said meanS for securing said covers to said containers comprises heat sealing means for heating and pressing the heat sealing coating on said cover against the adjacent portions of said container.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18 including means immediately downstream of said heat sealing means for cooling the heat sealed cover and pressing the cover against the container thereby to maintain the bond formed by said heat sealing means and cool the bond to its solidification temperature.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said means for supplying a sterile atmosphere comprises means for supplying dry high temperature steam to said sterile chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products, comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterile chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having an upper flight for transporting containers through said housing; means in said housing for depositing individual sterilized containers on said upper conveyor flight, means, downstream of said depositing means in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for sequentially filling containers on the conveyor with a sterile product; transport conveyor means including an endless feed belt for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected sterile covers into position over the filled containers in registry therewith downstream of said filling means, pin means on said endless conveyor cooperating with the covers in said strip for individually registering each of said covers with its associated container; means for thereafter securing said covers to said containers, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said enclosed sterile chamber at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products, comprising, a housing defining an enclosed sterile chamber, an endless conveyor mounted completely within said housing and having an upper flight for transporting containers through said housing; means in said housing for depositing individual sterilized containers on said upper conveyor flight, means, downstream of said depositing means in the direction of travel of said conveyor, for sequentially filling containers on the conveyor with a sterile product; transport conveyor means including an endless feed belt for sequentially advancing a continuous strip of interconnected sterile covers into position over the filled containers in registry therewith downstream of said filling means, pin means on said endless conveyor cooperating with the covers in said strip for individually registering each of said covers with its associated container; means for thereafter securing said covers to said containers, and means for supplying a sterile atmosphere to said enclosed sterile chamber at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said strip of covers includes an interconnecting portion formed between each pair of adjacent covers and formed integrally therewith, said interconnecting portion including a flat section and a corrugated section selectively adapted to expand or contract, said flat section having an aperture therein for engagement with said pin means.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products comprising: supplying individual containers to an enclosed container sterilization section; holding said containers within said section for a time sufficient to effect sterilization thereof; and thereafter transporting said containers through a plurality of operating stations within a sterilization housing including; filling said containers at a first station in said housing with a sterile product, supplying a continuous strip of interconnected covers to an enclosed cover sterilization section, sterilizing said covers in said sterilization section and, at a second station, positioning said covers over said containers and in registry therewith, securing said covers to said containers at a fourth station and supplying a sterile atmosphere to said housing at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for aseptically packaging food, drugs and other products comprising: supplying individual containers to an enclosed container sterilization section; holding said containers within said section for a time sufficient to effect sterilization thereof; and thereafter transporting said containers through a plurality of operating stations within a sterilization housing including; filling said containers at a first station in said housing with a sterile product, supplying a continuous strip of interconnected covers to an enclosed cover sterilization section, sterilizing said covers in said sterilization section and, at a second station, positioning said covers over said containers and in registry therewith, securing said covers to said containers at a fourth station and supplying a sterile atmosphere to said housing at a pressure above atmospheric pressure to maintain said containers and covers in a sterile condition during the filling and cover securing operations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defimed in claim 23 including the step of severing the interconnection between individual covers in said strip after said covers are secured to said containers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 24 including the step of removing the covered containers from said housing after said severing step.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as defined in claim 25 wherein said covers have a heat sealing coating on the side thereof positioned in contact with said containers and said securing step comprises the step of heat sealing said covers to said containers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as defined in claim 23 wherein said container and cover sterilization sections are maintained at a higher temperature than said housing.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |