US3930041A — Hermetic sealing process utilizing multiple heat-…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 184 words

In the hermetic sealing process for deaerating and heat-sealing a packaged article comprising a container having a heat-sealable resin coating on the inner surface of an area to be heat-sealed, and contents composed of cooked and semi-cooked foods containing a liquid filled in said container under such an atmosphere that an easily-condensable vapor or a condensate thereof resulting from the presence of the liquid is presenT on innerfaces to be heat-sealed, which process comprises applying at least once to the area to be heat-sealed of the packaged article heat-sealing temperature and pressure necessary for melting and press-bonding the heat-sealable resin and cooling the formed heat-sealed area under elevated pressure; an improvement wherein the pressure applied during the overpressure cooling step or during a second heat-sealing step is made higher than the saturated vapor pressure of the easily-condensable vapor at the temperature of the resin coating in the molten or softened state to effect condensation of vapor disposed within the area being sealed, and said pressure is applied to the heat-sealed area at a temperature lower than the temperature applied during the preceding heat-sealing step.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 184 words

In the hermetic sealing process for deaerating and heat-sealing a packaged article comprising a container having a heat-sealable resin coating on the inner surface of an area to be heat-sealed, and contents composed of cooked and semi-cooked foods containing a liquid filled in said container under such an atmosphere that an easily-condensable vapor or a condensate thereof resulting from the presence of the liquid is presenT on innerfaces to be heat-sealed, which process comprises applying at least once to the area to be heat-sealed of the packaged article heat-sealing temperature and pressure necessary for melting and press-bonding the heat-sealable resin and cooling the formed heat-sealed area under elevated pressure; an improvement wherein the pressure applied during the overpressure cooling step or during a second heat-sealing step is made higher than the saturated vapor pressure of the easily-condensable vapor at the temperature of the resin coating in the molten or softened state to effect condensation of vapor disposed within the area being sealed, and said pressure is applied to the heat-sealed area at a temperature lower than the temperature applied during the preceding heat-sealing step.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat-sealable resin coating is composed of a resin melting at a temperature not exceeding 250*C.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

A process set forth in claim 2, wherein the heat-sealable resin coating is composed of a polyolefin.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

A process set forth in claim 2, wherein the heat-sealable resin coating is composed of a polyamide.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

A process set forth in claim 2, wherein the heat-sealable resin coating is composed of a polyester.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein said container is a flexible pouch formed by overlapping laminates composed of a heat-sealable resin layer, a metallic foil and a heat-resistant resin layer so that the heat-sealable resin layer constitutes the inner surface of the pouch and heat-sealing the periphery of the pouch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein said container comprises a semi-rigid formed container body having a space for filling contents therein and a flange, and a cover, the heat-sealing being effected between said flange of the container body and cover with the heat-sealable resin.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat-sealable resin coating has a thickness of 0.005 to 0.5 mm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 13 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein the easily-condensable vapor is steam.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 21 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein residual air in the head space is replaced by steam to effect deaeration.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

A process set forth in claim 6, wherein prior to the sealing operation, the flexible pouch is deformed by application of a pressure to thereby exclude residual air in the head space.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 122 words

A process set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat-sealing operation is conducted at least twice and at the first heat-sealing step such temperature and pressure as meet the following requirement Ts + 130 > or = T1 > or = Ts + 30 Ps - 1 > or = P1 > or = 0.5 wherein T1 stands for the temperature (*C.) of a heat-seal bar at the first heat-sealing procedure, Ts is a temperature (*C.) at which the said resin coating begins softening or melting, P1 is a pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) applied to the area to be sealed, and Ps stands for the saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to the temperature T1, are applied to the area to be sealed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 210 words

A HERMETIC SEALING PROCESS FOR FORMING A HEAT-STERILIZABLE PACKAGE ARTICLE BY DEAERATING AND HEAT-SEALING A PACKAGED ARTICLE COMPRISING A CONTAINER HAVING A HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING ON THE INNER SURFACE OF AN AREA TO BE HEAT-SEALED, AND CONTENTS COMPOSED OF COOKED OR SEMICOOKED FOODS CONTAINING A LIQUID FILLED IN SAID CONTAINER UNDER SUCH AN ATMOSPHERE THAT AN EASILY-CONDENSABLE VAPOR OR A CONDENSATE THEREOF RESULTING FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LIQUID IS PRESENT ON INNERFACES TO BE HEAT-SEALED, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING APPLYING TO THE AREA TO BE HEAT-SEALED, OF THE PACKKAGED ARTICLE HEAT-SEAL ING TEMPERATURE T1 (*C.) AND PRESSURE P1 (KG/CM2) NECESSARY FOR MELTING AND PRESS-BONDING THE HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING, THEN APPLYING TO THE FORMED HEAT-SEALED AREA A HEAT SEAL BAR TEMPERATURE T2 (*C.) WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE TEMPERATURE T1 APPLIED AT THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP BUT HIGHER THAN THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING BEGINS MELTING OR SOFTENING AND A PRESSURE P2 (KG/CM2 GAUGE) WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE PRESSURE P1 APPLIED DURING THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP AND ALSO HIGHER THAN THE SATURATED VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE EASILY-CONDENSABLE VAPOR CORRESPONDING TO SAID TEMPERATURE T2 TO EFFECT CONDENSATION OF VAPOR DISPOSED WITHIN THE AREA SEALED BY THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP, AND COOLING THE HEAT-SEALED AREA UNDER AN ELEVATED PRESSURE.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 210 words

A HERMETIC SEALING PROCESS FOR FORMING A HEAT-STERILIZABLE PACKAGE ARTICLE BY DEAERATING AND HEAT-SEALING A PACKAGED ARTICLE COMPRISING A CONTAINER HAVING A HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING ON THE INNER SURFACE OF AN AREA TO BE HEAT-SEALED, AND CONTENTS COMPOSED OF COOKED OR SEMICOOKED FOODS CONTAINING A LIQUID FILLED IN SAID CONTAINER UNDER SUCH AN ATMOSPHERE THAT AN EASILY-CONDENSABLE VAPOR OR A CONDENSATE THEREOF RESULTING FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LIQUID IS PRESENT ON INNERFACES TO BE HEAT-SEALED, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING APPLYING TO THE AREA TO BE HEAT-SEALED, OF THE PACKKAGED ARTICLE HEAT-SEAL ING TEMPERATURE T1 (*C.) AND PRESSURE P1 (KG/CM2) NECESSARY FOR MELTING AND PRESS-BONDING THE HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING, THEN APPLYING TO THE FORMED HEAT-SEALED AREA A HEAT SEAL BAR TEMPERATURE T2 (*C.) WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE TEMPERATURE T1 APPLIED AT THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP BUT HIGHER THAN THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE HEAT-SEALABLE RESIN COATING BEGINS MELTING OR SOFTENING AND A PRESSURE P2 (KG/CM2 GAUGE) WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE PRESSURE P1 APPLIED DURING THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP AND ALSO HIGHER THAN THE SATURATED VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE EASILY-CONDENSABLE VAPOR CORRESPONDING TO SAID TEMPERATURE T2 TO EFFECT CONDENSATION OF VAPOR DISPOSED WITHIN THE AREA SEALED BY THE FIRST HEAT-SEALING STEP, AND COOLING THE HEAT-SEALED AREA UNDER AN ELEVATED PRESSURE.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 124 words

A process set forth in claim 13, wherein the first and second heat-sealing steps are conducted so that the following requirements are satisfied Ts + 130 > or = T1 > or = Ts + 30 Ps - 1 > or = P1 > or = 0.5 Ps'' + 5 > or = P2 > or = Ps''Ts + 50 > or = T2 > or = Ts T1 > T2 wherein T1, T2, P1 and P2 are as defined above, Ts stands for a temperature (*C.) at which the heat-sealable resin coating begins melting or softening, Ps is a saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to the temperature T1, and PS'' is a saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to the temperature T2.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 88 words

A process set forth in claim 13, wherein the heat-sealable resin is a high density polyethylene, and the first heat-sealing operation is carried out at a heat-seal bar tempereature of 160* to 260*C. under a pressure of 0.5 to 5 Kg/cm2 gauge being applied to the area to be sealed and the second heat-sealing operation is carried out at a heat-seal bar temperature T2 of 118* to 128*C. under an applied pressure (kg/cm2 gauge) higher than the saturated steam pressure Ps'' (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to said temperature T2.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 84 words

A process set forth in claim 13, wherein the heat-sealable resin is a polypropylene, and the first heat-sealing is carried out at a heat-seal bar temperature of 180* to 280*C. under a pressure of 0.5 to 5 Kg/cm2 gauge being applied to the area to be sealed and the second heat-sealing operation is carried out at a heat-seal bar temperature T2 of 165* to 175*C. under an applied pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) higher than the saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to said temperature T2.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 195 words

A hermetic sealing process for forming a heat-sterilizable packaged article by deaerating and heat-sealing a packaged article comprising a container having a heat-sealable resin coating on the inner surface of an area to be heat-sealed, and contents composed of cooked and semicooked foods containing a liquid filled in said container under such an atmosphere that an easily-condensable vapor or a condensate thereof resulting from the presence of the liquid is present on innerfaces to be heat-sealed, said process comprising applying to the area to be heat-sealed on the packaged article heat-sealing temperature and pressure necessary for melting and press-bonding the heat-sealable resin coating, and immediately thereafter, applying under cooling to the heat-sealed area of the packaged article a pressure higher than the heat-sealing pressure to effect condensation of vapor disposed within the area being sealed, said pressure being within a range expressed by the following formula Ps + 5 > or = P > or = Ps - 1 wherein P is a pressure (kg/cm2 gauge) applied at the overpressure cooling step, and Ps designates a saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to the temperature T1 (*C.) of the heat-seal bar during the heat-sealing procedure.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 195 words

A hermetic sealing process for forming a heat-sterilizable packaged article by deaerating and heat-sealing a packaged article comprising a container having a heat-sealable resin coating on the inner surface of an area to be heat-sealed, and contents composed of cooked and semicooked foods containing a liquid filled in said container under such an atmosphere that an easily-condensable vapor or a condensate thereof resulting from the presence of the liquid is present on innerfaces to be heat-sealed, said process comprising applying to the area to be heat-sealed on the packaged article heat-sealing temperature and pressure necessary for melting and press-bonding the heat-sealable resin coating, and immediately thereafter, applying under cooling to the heat-sealed area of the packaged article a pressure higher than the heat-sealing pressure to effect condensation of vapor disposed within the area being sealed, said pressure being within a range expressed by the following formula Ps + 5 > or = P > or = Ps - 1 wherein P is a pressure (kg/cm2 gauge) applied at the overpressure cooling step, and Ps designates a saturated steam pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) corresponding to the temperature T1 (*C.) of the heat-seal bar during the heat-sealing procedure.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 111 words

A process set forth in claim 17, wherein the heat-sealing operation is carried out under such conditions as meet the following requirements Ts + 130 > or = T1 > or = Ts + 30 Ps -1 > or = P1 > or = 0.5 wherein T1 is a temperature (*C.) of a heat-seal bar temperature, Ts is a temperature (*C.) at which the heat-sealable resin coating begins softening or melting, P1 designates a pressure (Kg/cm2 gauge) applied to the area to be sealed, and Ps is as defined above, and the heat-sealed area is cooled under an elevated pressure within at most 3 seconds from termination of the heat-sealing operation.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-12-29	1979-06-30	1979-12-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-12-29	1983-06-30	1983-12-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-12-29	1987-06-30	1987-12-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Hermetic sealing process utilizing multiple heat-sealing steps

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