Patent US3824762A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3824762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for filling and hermetically sealing thermoplastic containers under vacuum
Assignee: Dow Chemical Co
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Filing: 1973-03-30
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Granted: 1974-07-23
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Expires: 1993-03-30
Abstract
Abstract Thermoplastic containers are filled with materials such as particulate solids or liquids under vacuum and hermetically sealed in rapid succession by an apparatus having means for evacuating the container, means for filling and hermetically sealing the evacuated containers while retaining the vacuum.
Inventors
- 👤 W Walles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:38
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B31/00; B65B31/04; B65B31/044
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
315 words
An apparatus for filling a thermoplastic container with a material under vacuum and then sealing the container comprising: 1. a body defining a chamber and having an outlet and an inlet in communication with said chamber and an aperture at one end of body for receiving at least the portion of the container having an open end through which the container is to be filled with material, said open end being in communication through said aperture with said chamber; 2. a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein communicating between the end of the piston nearest said aperture and the inside sidewall of said body and (b) a shaft connecting said piston to a drive means; 3. an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber; 4. a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and 5. a sealing means located in the chamber proximate to said aperture; whereby in operation, while maintaining said material under vacuum at all times, the open end of said container is placed in said aperture, communication between said passageway and the evacuating means is established, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until communication between said passageway and said evacuating means is terminated and communication between said second conduit and the open end of said container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the second conduit and the container, and the sealing means is activated to hermetically seal the open end of said container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
315 words
An apparatus for filling a thermoplastic container with a material under vacuum and then sealing the container comprising: 1. a body defining a chamber and having an outlet and an inlet in communication with said chamber and an aperture at one end of body for receiving at least the portion of the container having an open end through which the container is to be filled with material, said open end being in communication through said aperture with said chamber; 2. a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein communicating between the end of the piston nearest said aperture and the inside sidewall of said body and (b) a shaft connecting said piston to a drive means; 3. an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber; 4. a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and 5. a sealing means located in the chamber proximate to said aperture; whereby in operation, while maintaining said material under vacuum at all times, the open end of said container is placed in said aperture, communication between said passageway and the evacuating means is established, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until communication between said passageway and said evacuating means is terminated and communication between said second conduit and the open end of said container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the second conduit and the container, and the sealing means is activated to hermetically seal the open end of said container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein communicating between the end of the piston nearest said aperture and the inside sidewall of said body and (b) a shaft connecting said piston to a drive means;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein communicating between the end of the piston nearest said aperture and the inside sidewall of said body and (b) a shaft connecting said piston to a drive means;
Claim 5
Independent Claim
18 words
An apparatus for filling a thermoplastic container with a material under vacuum and then sealing the container comprising:
Claim 6
Independent Claim
18 words
An apparatus for filling a thermoplastic container with a material under vacuum and then sealing the container comprising:
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein which traverses from one end of the piston to the other end and a branch passageway communicating between said passageway and the inside sidewall of the chamber and (b) a sHaft connecting said piston to a drive means;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
a reciprocating valve assembly for opening and closing said inlet and outlet in sequence, said valve assembly being slidably disposed lengthwise within said chamber and comprising (a) a piston having a passageway disposed therein which traverses from one end of the piston to the other end and a branch passageway communicating between said passageway and the inside sidewall of the chamber and (b) a sHaft connecting said piston to a drive means;
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber;
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber;
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
an evacuating means in communication through a first conduit with the outlet in the chamber;
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the body defines a cylindrical chamber and a rotatable piston wherein after the piston is moved so that the stopper is inserted into the open end of the container, the piston is rotated until the stopper is spin welded to the container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the material is conveyed from the receptacle to the container through a metering means that releases only the desired amount of material when communication between the container and the second conduit is opened.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
a receptacle holding the material under vacuum in communication through a second conduit with said inlet into the chamber; and
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the material is conveyed into the open end of the container by a funnel member slidably mounted in the second conduit and capable of being moved to a position directly above the open end of the container as the material is released from the metering means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
135 words
a sealing means located in the chamber proximate to said aperture; whereby in operation, while maintaining said material under vacuum at all times, the open end of said container is placed in said aperture, communication between said passageway and the evacuating means is established, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until communication between said passageway and said evacuating means is terminated and communication between said second conduit and the open end of said container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the second conduit and the container, and the sealing means is activated to hermetically seal the open end of said container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
135 words
a sealing means located in the chamber proximate to said aperture; whereby in operation, while maintaining said material under vacuum at all times, the open end of said container is placed in said aperture, communication between said passageway and the evacuating means is established, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until communication between said passageway and said evacuating means is terminated and communication between said second conduit and the open end of said container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the second conduit and the container, and the sealing means is activated to hermetically seal the open end of said container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
145 words
a holder for a thermoplastic stopper rigidly mounted on the piston on the end nearest said aperture; whereby in operation the thermoplastic stopper is placed in the holder and the open end of the container is placed in the aperture, communication is established between the branch passageway and the evacuating means, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until the communication between the branch passageway and the evacuating means is terminated and communication between the receptacle and the open end of the container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed from the receptacle into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the receptacle and the container and to insert and hermetically seal the stopper in the open end of the container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
145 words
a holder for a thermoplastic stopper rigidly mounted on the piston on the end nearest said aperture; whereby in operation the thermoplastic stopper is placed in the holder and the open end of the container is placed in the aperture, communication is established between the branch passageway and the evacuating means, the chamber and container are evacuated by activating the evacuating means, the piston is moved until the communication between the branch passageway and the evacuating means is terminated and communication between the receptacle and the open end of the container is opened, a desired amount of the material is conveyed from the receptacle into the evacuated container, the piston is moved to terminate communication between the receptacle and the container and to insert and hermetically seal the stopper in the open end of the container, and the finished container is removed from the chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2958170A
Cited
US3516224A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-22 | 1978-01-21 | 1978-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-22 | 1982-01-21 | 1982-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-22 | 1986-01-21 | 1986-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |