Food packaging system and method

Claim 3

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, and wherein the means for preventing comprises a means for forming a curtain of said inert gas, said curtain being positioned so that the packaged food product passes through it.

Claim 4

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, and wherein the means for preventing comprises a means for forming a curtain of said inert gas, said curtain being positioned so that the packaged food product passes through it.

Claim 5

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, further including means for substantially preventing ultraviolet radiation from escaping from within the chamber while allowing packaged food products to pass through the means for preventing ultraviolet radiation from escaping, which preventing means includes an isolation chamber having first and second ultraviolet absorbing gates through which the packaged food product passes, said gates being displaced from each other by a distance to enable a normal packaged food product to be located between them, and further including means for detecting when ultraviolet radiation is passing through both said gates simultaneously.

Claim 6

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, further including means for substantially preventing ultraviolet radiation from escaping from within the chamber while allowing packaged food products to pass through the means for preventing ultraviolet radiation from escaping, which preventing means includes an isolation chamber having first and second ultraviolet absorbing gates through which the packaged food product passes, said gates being displaced from each other by a distance to enable a normal packaged food product to be located between them, and further including means for detecting when ultraviolet radiation is passing through both said gates simultaneously.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 further including means responsive to said detecting means for controlling movement of the conveyor.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3 further including means responsive to said detecting means for controlling activation of the ultraviolet radiation source.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the detecting means includes means for detecting simultaneous mechanical movement of both said gates beyond predetermined points.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the detecting means includes means positioned downstream of both said gates for detecting ultraviolet radiation.

Claim 11

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the container is sufficiently flexible as to be deformed by a current of gas, the product being located in the container prior to entry into the chamber, and wherein the means for preventing comprises means for forming a curtain of said inert gas, said means for forming the curtain being positioned so that the container carrying a product passes through it while entering the chamber, said means for forming a curtain supplying a sufficient current of gas to the exterior of the container to compress the container to force atmospheric air in the container from the interior of the container through an opening in the container.

Claim 12

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the container is sufficiently flexible as to be deformed by a current of gas, the product being located in the container prior to entry into the chamber, and wherein the means for preventing comprises means for forming a curtain of said inert gas, said means for forming the curtain being positioned so that the container carrying a product passes through it while entering the chamber, said means for forming a curtain supplying a sufficient current of gas to the exterior of the container to compress the container to force atmospheric air in the container from the interior of the container through an opening in the container.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the inert gas supply means includes means for supplying the inert gas to the interior of the chamber and to the interior of the container through said opening.

Claim 14

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the inert gas supply means includes means for supplying the inert gas to the interior of the chamber through an opening in the container, and further including a plurality of spring fingers moving with the conveyor for urging each of said containers within the chamber to be open at said openings.

Claim 15

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the inert gas supply means includes means for supplying the inert gas to the interior of the chamber through an opening in the container, and further including a plurality of spring fingers moving with the conveyor for urging each of said containers within the chamber to be open at said openings.

Claim 16

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp source having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the source includes a surface transparent to said ultraviolet radiation, said surface forming a wall of said chamber and being susceptible to having condensation opaque to ultraviolet radiation forming thereon, and means for preventing condensation from forming on said surface.

Claim 17

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp source having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, wherein the source includes a surface transparent to said ultraviolet radiation, said surface forming a wall of said chamber and being susceptible to having condensation opaque to ultraviolet radiation forming thereon, and means for preventing condensation from forming on said surface.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for preventing condensation includes means for controlling the temperature of the surface.

Claim 19

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, further including a recirculating path for the inert gas in said chamber wherein the recirculating path includes a first surface of the conveyor opposite from a second surface of the conveyor in juxtaposition with the product, whereby said first surface is cooled in response to passage of the inert gas across it.

Claim 20

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient dosage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber, further including a recirculating path for the inert gas in said chamber wherein the recirculating path includes a first surface of the conveyor opposite from a second surface of the conveyor in juxtaposition with the product, whereby said first surface is cooled in response to passage of the inert gas across it.

Claim 21

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient disage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber and further including means for controlling the supply of inert gas in response to the water content of gas in the chamber.

Claim 22

Apparatus for packaging food products comprising a chamber for receiving said products and enabling said products to be treated therein, means for supplying a dry, inert gas to said chamber, whereby any atmospheric air on the surface of the product is substantially displaced by the inert gas, said chamber including means for substantially preventing atmospheric air from entering the chamber and for enabling the chamber to be substantially filled with only said inert gas, a conveyor for transporting the food products while inside said chamber, a sterilizing ultraviolet radiation lamp having a field of radiation positioned to irradiate the food products while inside said chamber with sufficient disage to kill or render inert substantially all bacteria on the surface of the product, and means located in the chamber positioned to be responsive to products on the conveyor for sealing a substantially sterile container in which the product is located while the product is inside the chamber and further including means for controlling the supply of inert gas in response to the water content of gas in the chamber.