EP0229420A1 - Heissfüllung eines Plastikbehälters - Google Patents

Heissfüllung eines Plastikbehälters Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0229420A1
EP0229420A1 EP86202244A EP86202244A EP0229420A1 EP 0229420 A1 EP0229420 A1 EP 0229420A1 EP 86202244 A EP86202244 A EP 86202244A EP 86202244 A EP86202244 A EP 86202244A EP 0229420 A1 EP0229420 A1 EP 0229420A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
base
vacuum
vacuum means
original base
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP86202244A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0229420B1 (de
Inventor
Paul Mahoney Coffman
Charles Ralph Miller
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Original Assignee
Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV filed Critical Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Publication of EP0229420A1 publication Critical patent/EP0229420A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0229420B1 publication Critical patent/EP0229420B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of hot filling a thermo­plastic container. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of hot filling a thermoplastic container so as to avoid deformation and collapse of the container under internal vacuum caused by subsequent cooling of the container and contents.
  • hot filling When foods are packaged in rigid containers, they are fre­quently filled with liquid food stuffs at an elevated temperature of about 190 or 200 °F to destroy bacteria. This is referred to as "hot filling". After the filling, the head space is often purged with inert gas to reduce the oxygen content and the lid or closure is sealed while the contents are still hot and the sealed container is then cooled to room temperature. At the hot fill temperature, the vapour pressure of water is about 10 psi or 500 mm of Hg. Sealing takes place at atmospheric pressure of 15 psi so that the head space in the can may very well be occupied more by water vapour (by volume) than by air or inert gas.
  • the water vapour pressure is reduced to a level of only about .5 psi and the water vapour in the head space condenses, thus creating a vacuum.
  • This vacuum could be as much as 9 psi if the air space has been saturated with water vapour, but usually the air space does not approach the saturation point so that the vacuum created is typically in the region of one to three psi. However, this is still enough to cause vacuum collapse of many plastic containers.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,255,457 and U.S. Patent No. 4,219,578 are both concerned with an anti-buckling device for beer cans. They disclose the use of an anti-buckle ring which braces the can's interbase wall and first and second radius portions from substan­tially interradial displacement.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,125,632 discloses a method for the produc­tion of a container body which is originally manufactured with a convex base.
  • the material in the convex base is thinner than that in the side wall.
  • U.S. Patent No. 3,409,167 discloses a flexible bottom which accommodates an internal vacuum.
  • Reissue U.S. Patent No. 31,762 discloses a container which, as originally manufactured, contains a side wall convex "bulge".
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,459,793 involves the use of an interplastic liner within a metal can to absorb the vacuum shrink, but without any controlled volume change of the primary metal can.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,125,632 provides a weak bottom for collapse in preference to the side walls but without any controlled volume change or use of vacuum draw down.
  • Applicant's invention comprises a method of hot filling a thermoplastic container so as to avoid deformation and collapse of the container, resulting in a container with a concave base which comprises the steps of continuously applying a vacuum means to the base of a thermoplastic container so as to draw down the base of the container into a convex shape, filling the container with desired contents during continuous application of the vacuum means, sealing the container by an appropriate sealing means during continuous application of the vacuum means, discontinuing the vacuum means, and cooling the container, whose base, in the absence of the external vacuum, inverts to a concave shape, which was its original formed shape.
  • Containers are typically hot filled and packaged with enough air space so that after cooling 10% or more (sometimes much more) of the volume of the container will remain filled with air of some inert gas used to reduce the oxygen content. This is to prevent spillage upon opening the container by the consumer.
  • the air space at equilibrium before cooling contains about two thirds by volume water vapour, and after cooling only about 3% water vapour. If the container remains rigid, as in the case of a metal can, a vacuum of about 10 psi can result. Plastic containers do not possess the rigidity of metal cans and thus collapse under very slight vacuum often as little as 1 psi. This means that a volume change equal to more than half of the initial air volume is required to eliminate the vacuum.
  • the container 8 of the present invention is constructed with a base 10 which may be bowed upward into a concave shape as illustra­ted in Figure 1.
  • This is a normal configuration of the container so the container will sit flat on a table and be easily stacked for transportation and storage.
  • vacuum is applied continuously to the under­side of base 10 of thermoplastic container 8 so as to draw down base 10 of container 8 into a convex shape. This increases the volume of container 8.
  • Container 8 is now filled with desired contents 12 during continuous application of the vacuum means 11.
  • the cover seal 13 of the container 8 is attached by an appropriate sealing means still during continuous application of vacuum.
  • Figure 5 illustrates an optional use of a positive stop device 14 which is adjustable to allow regulation of the amount of draw down desired for container 8.
  • Positive stop device 14 allows a uniformity of draw down of the containers to be achieved.
  • the container may be placed upon a structure 16 with an aperture 18 therewithin corresponding to the area of base 10 of container 8. Vacuum is pulled under structure 16 to suck or draw down base 10 from an upward concave shape to a downward convex shape.
  • the use of the positive stop device 14 is only one of many methods which may be used to achieve the desired draw down of base 10.
  • the original base 10 of the originally manufactured container may be of a concave shape or may be flat.
  • the original base 10 is preferably in a shape other than a concave shape. Concave is defined as "a rounding or curving inward”. Convex is defined as "a rounding or curving outward”.
  • a 500 mil margarine tub which normally holds 500 mils of product with 50 mils of head space may be used as an example.
  • the full overflow volume would be 550 mils.
  • This container may be sucked down or drawn down until the volume becomes 600 mils.
  • the container is filled with 500 mils of liquid at 200 °F and sealed. (This results in 100 mils of head space which contains 100 mils of air and water vapour at 15 psia.
  • the water vapour can be anything from a negligible amount to 65 mol% of the vapour.
  • the water vapour can represents 7.5 psi of the total 15 psi and air can represent the other 7.5 psi).
  • the base Upon releasing the vacuum, the base snaps up and reduces the head space to 50 mil, thus compressing the air by a factor of two and raising its partial pressure to 15 pounds.
  • the water vapour condenses out and drops to a partial pressure of about .5 pounds. It is possible to vary the volume change by varying the draw down vacuum of course.
  • One means of achieving this of course, is by use of a positive stop device which may be adjusted for varying draw down ratios.
  • the container which results is significantly free of deformation and collapse of the side walls.
  • the base is drawn down into a convex shape by vacuum so that the volume becomes 700 mils.
  • 500 mils of product at 200 °F and sealing with vacuum on, it results in 200 mils of head space consisting of air and water vapour at 15 psi. If we assume the pressure of water vapour in the head space is 7.5 psi, then the air or nitrogen pressure is also 7.5 psi.
  • the base snaps up and reduces the head space to 100 mils, thus compressing the vapour volume by a factor of two and raising the total pressure to about 30 psi.
  • the sealing of the containers may be by use of any standard sealing mechanism which may include paper, foil or other types of covers which may be attached by adhesives, heat welding, sonic welding, or double seaming or any other method.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Closing Of Containers (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
EP19860202244 1986-01-09 1986-12-11 Heissfüllung eines Plastikbehälters Expired EP0229420B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US81731886A 1986-01-09 1986-01-09
US817318 1986-01-09

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0229420A1 true EP0229420A1 (de) 1987-07-22
EP0229420B1 EP0229420B1 (de) 1989-10-11

Family

ID=25222806

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19860202244 Expired EP0229420B1 (de) 1986-01-09 1986-12-11 Heissfüllung eines Plastikbehälters

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0229420B1 (de)
JP (1) JPS62208302A (de)
AU (1) AU581796B2 (de)
CA (1) CA1287605C (de)
DE (1) DE3666207D1 (de)
ES (1) ES2011617B3 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6296903B1 (en) 1997-07-01 2001-10-02 Basf Coatings Ag Aqueous coating powder dispersion, method for the production and use of said dispersion
EP1526091A1 (de) * 2003-10-21 2005-04-27 John Keeler &Co., Inc. Verpackungsverfahren für Krabbenfleisch
WO2006068511A1 (en) * 2004-12-20 2006-06-29 Co2Pac Limited A method of processing a container and base cup structure for removal of vacuum pressure
JP2017132037A (ja) * 2016-01-25 2017-08-03 有限会社東山鉄工 プラスチックコンテナの矯正装置及び矯正方法

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007132767A1 (ja) * 2006-05-15 2007-11-22 Hokkai Can Co., Ltd. 内容物充填ボトルの製造方法及びその装置
JP2011006073A (ja) * 2009-06-23 2011-01-13 Toppan Printing Co Ltd 液体飲料用容器
JP6523519B2 (ja) * 2018-04-24 2019-06-05 信越ポリマー株式会社 包装方法

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2102047A5 (de) * 1970-09-01 1972-03-31 Tetra Pak Ab
CH524504A (de) * 1971-03-19 1972-06-30 Fischer Ag Georg Verfahren und Einrichtung zum Abfüllen und Sterilisieren von Flüssigkeiten in Kunststoff-Flaschen
EP0068718A1 (de) * 1981-06-19 1983-01-05 American Can Company Hermetisch versiegelbare Behälter und Verfahren zum Versiegeln

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4685273A (en) * 1981-06-19 1987-08-11 American Can Company Method of forming a long shelf-life food package
AU577481B2 (en) * 1985-11-25 1988-09-22 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Hot fill thermoplastic container

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2102047A5 (de) * 1970-09-01 1972-03-31 Tetra Pak Ab
CH524504A (de) * 1971-03-19 1972-06-30 Fischer Ag Georg Verfahren und Einrichtung zum Abfüllen und Sterilisieren von Flüssigkeiten in Kunststoff-Flaschen
EP0068718A1 (de) * 1981-06-19 1983-01-05 American Can Company Hermetisch versiegelbare Behälter und Verfahren zum Versiegeln

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6296903B1 (en) 1997-07-01 2001-10-02 Basf Coatings Ag Aqueous coating powder dispersion, method for the production and use of said dispersion
EP1526091A1 (de) * 2003-10-21 2005-04-27 John Keeler &Co., Inc. Verpackungsverfahren für Krabbenfleisch
US8337922B2 (en) 2003-10-21 2012-12-25 John Keeler & Co., Inc. Method for packaging crabmeat
WO2006068511A1 (en) * 2004-12-20 2006-06-29 Co2Pac Limited A method of processing a container and base cup structure for removal of vacuum pressure
US8028498B2 (en) 2004-12-20 2011-10-04 Co2Pac Limited Method of processing a container and base cup structure for removal of vacuum pressure
CN101084149B (zh) * 2004-12-20 2011-11-16 Co2包装有限公司 加工容器和底杯结构以去除真空压力的方法
CN102514785A (zh) * 2004-12-20 2012-06-27 Co2包装有限公司 加工容器和底杯结构以去除真空压力的方法
US9193496B2 (en) 2004-12-20 2015-11-24 Co2Pac Limited Method of processing a container and base cup structure for removal of vacuum pressure
JP2017132037A (ja) * 2016-01-25 2017-08-03 有限会社東山鉄工 プラスチックコンテナの矯正装置及び矯正方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU581796B2 (en) 1989-03-02
CA1287605C (en) 1991-08-13
JPS62208302A (ja) 1987-09-12
AU6719087A (en) 1987-07-16
DE3666207D1 (en) 1989-11-16
ES2011617B3 (es) 1990-02-01
EP0229420B1 (de) 1989-10-11

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