U.S. patent application number 13/168209 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-27 for method of application of closure liner in hot fill packages.
This patent application is currently assigned to Phoenix Closures, Inc.. Invention is credited to Len Ekkert, Albert R. MILLER.
Application Number | 20120324836 13/168209 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47360494 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20120324836 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MILLER; Albert R. ; et
al. |
December 27, 2012 |
METHOD OF APPLICATION OF CLOSURE LINER IN HOT FILL PACKAGES
Abstract
A method of applying a liner to a container mouth in a hot-fill
operation, said method comprising the steps of: placing the liner
over a mouth sealing surface of the container; heating the liner by
induction or conduction; and cooling the liner immediately
thereafter while biasing the liner against the mouth sealing
surface for a sufficient length of time to permit curing and
sealing of the liner to the mouth sealing surface.
Inventors: |
MILLER; Albert R.;
(Naperville, IL) ; Ekkert; Len; (Naperville,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Phoenix Closures, Inc.
Naperville
IL
|
Family ID: |
47360494 |
Appl. No.: |
13/168209 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/478 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 7/2878 20130101;
B65B 51/32 20130101; B65B 51/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/478 |
International
Class: |
B65B 51/10 20060101
B65B051/10; B65B 51/32 20060101 B65B051/32 |
Claims
1. A method of applying a liner to a container mouth in a hot-fill
operation, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing the
liner over a mouth sealing surface of the container; b) heating the
liner by induction or conduction; and c) cooling the liner
immediately thereafter while biasing the liner against the mouth
sealing surface for a sufficient length of time to permit curing
and sealing of the liner to the mouth sealing surface.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cooling of the liner is
accomplished by directing a refrigerated media against the
liner.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cooling of the liner is
accomplished by the application of a refrigerated surface to the
liner.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of biasing the liner
against the mouth sealing surface is accomplished by biasing a
first conveyor belt against the liner while supporting the
container with a second conveyor belt.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the refrigerated media is
water.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein the refrigerated media is air.
7. A method of applying a liner to a container mouth in a hot-fill
operation, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing the
liner over a mouth sealing surface of the hot-filled container; b)
heating the liner by induction or conduction; and cooling the liner
immediately thereafter while biasing the liner against the mouth
sealing surface for a sufficient length of time to permit curing
and sealing of the liner to the mouth sealing surface. c) cooling
the liner and the container immediately by applying a refrigerated
surface against the liner and directing a refrigerated media
against the container thereafter while biasing the liner against
the mouth sealing surface for a sufficient length of time to permit
curing and sealing of the liner to the mouth sealing surface.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of biasing the liner
against the mouth sealing surface is accomplished by biasing a
first conveyor belt against the liner on the mouth sealing surface
while supporting the container with a second conveyor belt.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an inner seal for a container and
more particularly to a pull-tab for the inner seal to permit a
proper seal while allowing for easy removal of the inner seal to
the container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A heat sealable inner seal is often used in sealing a
container for products such as anti-freeze, peanut butter,
mayonnaise, liquid detergent, etc. Such an inner seal prevents
leakage and is also popular for providing an indication of whether
there has been tampering with the contents of a container.
[0003] Presently, a heat sealable inner seal generally includes a
multi layer composite structure with an upper layer of metallic
foil which is attached to a lower layer of adhesive material which
bonds the heat seal material. The inner seal also can include an
upper backing layer. Generally, the inner seals are inserted into
caps and shipped to a packager of containers. The packager places
the caps onto filled containers, with the coating of heat sealable
material being in contact with the land area of the neck of the
containers. The containers then pass through a conduction heating
system which conducts heat into the foil, under an induction heater
which generates heat within the metallic foil causing the
temperature of the foil to increase. The high temperature of the
foil melts the attached heat sealable adhesive layer, causing the
inner seal to bond to the container.
[0004] In a hot fill process and after the product is filled in the
container, the liner, when placed on the container, may have an
edge curl up, thus will not seal properly. The bonding between the
heat sealable layer and container may be weak or may not occur and
prevent the inner seal from performing its sealing function. As a
result, the predominant closures for hot-fill have been metal or
closures with imbedded liners. Therefore, it is desirable to
maintain the liner in contact with the mouth of the container and
to heat the foil to a temperature within a desired temperature
range to ensure proper bonding of the inner seal to the
container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In hot-fill food packaging, with bottles, the use of liners
is increasing. The process generally involves filling product into
the bottle or other container, placing the liner on the mouth of
the bottle or other containers, and heat sealing through induction
or conduction. The subject invention involves immediately cooling
the liner while holding it against the bottle mouth sealing the
surface. The cooling may be accomplished by sprayed water or other
application of water, a refrigerated plate or simply blowing
refrigerated air at the liner. The liner may be secured against the
mouth of the bottle by the refrigerated plate. A conveyor may also
be used to apply pressure to the liner while it is on the mouth of
the bottle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0006] The present invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the invention and the appended
claims, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a closure package
and an associated container, the closure package including a liner
having a pull-tab embodying the principles of the present
invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary
laminate structure of the liner material;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a liner with pull-tab;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view of an apparatus for utilizing the
subject inventive method; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternate apparatus for
utilizing the subject inventive method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in
various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter
be described a presently preferred embodiment with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an
exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the
invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
[0013] Referring now to the figures and particularly to FIG. 1,
there is shown a closure package 10 including a closure cap 12 and
a liner 14 showing a typical container cap and liner. The package
10 is for use with an associated container 16. The exemplary
container 16 has a threaded neck portion 18 having a finish 20. The
finish 20 is that portion of the container 16 including the upper
region which engages the cap 12, e.g., the threaded area 18 and an
uppermost sealing surface 22 of the container 16. The container
threads 18 engage complementary threads (not shown) formed on an
inner surface of the cap 12. It will be recognized by those skilled
in the art that the closure package 10 described herein can be used
with containers having a snap-like or beaded engagement
configuration.
[0014] The cap 12 has a top wall portion 30 and a depending skirt
portion 32 depending from the top wall portion 30. The inner
surface 34 of the top wall portion 30 is adapted to coact with the
sealing surface 22 of the container 16 to form a seal therebetween.
When the package 10 is assembled, the liner 14 comprises a circular
disc and resides between the top wall portion 30 of the cap 12 and
the sealing surface 22 of the container 16, spanning the opening or
mouth 36 of the container 16.
[0015] The liner 14 has a central portion 40 that is positioned
over and in use, sealed to the sealing surface 22 of the container
16. As shown in FIG. 3, a tab 42 may be integral with the central
portion 40, and extends from a periphery 44 thereof. The tab 42
defines a grasping portion 46, that, when folded, is adapted to
facilitate removing the liner 14 from the container 16.
[0016] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the liner 14 is
formed from a laminate material M having a resilient substrate
layer 50, a foil or like gas-impermeable layer 52, and a heat
activated bonding layer 54, such as a heat activated adhesive. In a
current embodiment, the resilient substrate layer 50 is a closed
cell foam material, but can be chip board or paper backed and/or
coated and is relatively impervious to the environs and establishes
an air-tight seal between the container 16 contents and the
environs. The resilient material layer 50 permits the cap 12 to be
closely fitted to, and tightened onto, the container 16.
[0017] Attention is now directed to FIG. 4. where a linear-conveyor
embodiment of a sealing apparatus, generally designated 70, is
illustrated for sealing a heat-sealable liner 14 to a container 20
having an open end 36 (FIG. 1) upon which liner 40 is to be fused.
Sealing apparatus 70 includes an elongated frame 73, and a first
surface 76 for support and moving the container/liner combination
along a pathway. A second conveyor assembly, generally designated
77, is coupled to frame 73 and extends along and is adjacent and
directly above first surface 76. Second conveyor assembly 77
includes a relatively rigid second surface 90 in opposed moving
relation to the first surface 76 for further transport of the
container/liner combination between the first and second conveyor
assemblies along the pathway. A cooling element 92 may be
positioned longitudinally and parallel to a portion of one of first
surface 76 and second surface 90. The cooler directs refrigerated
air against conductive plates 94 on second conveyor assembly 77.
The conductive plates 94 are cooled by the cooling element 92 and
travel along the conveyor belt path for contact with the container
closure so that the heat of the hot-fill process is absorbed by
refrigerated surfaces of the conductive plates 94. The conductive
plates 94 then travel further along the pathway to be cooled by the
cooler 92 again.
[0018] The containers may be cooled by spraying the bottles with a
refrigerant or other fluid, such as water, to cool the containers
while pressure is being applied to the liner. This is shown in FIG.
5 with water spray line 95. If desired, the liner may be cooled by
the sprayed media also. Further, a blower 93, as shown in FIG. 5,
may be used to blow refrigerated air against the containers to cool
down the containers and their contents after a hot fill. The
cooling media may also be directed against the liner.
[0019] Thus, the liner is cooled after the hot-fill process.
Further, the second conveyor assembly 77 biases the second surface
90 thereof toward the first surface 76 against the containers 15 on
the first conveyor to provide a substantially constant pressure
between sealing surface 22 and liner 40 as the two travel on the
conveyor as a unit.
[0020] As each container/liner combination 15 passes between the
opposing first and second conveyor assemblies 76 and 77,
respectively, they cooperate to squeeze liner 40 against container
mouth or sealing surface 22 at a constant pressure during passage
through the pathway. A constant pressure is thus applied between
the container mouth sealing surface 22 and the liner 40 which
squeezes and maintains pressure during the cooling process of the
liner 40, to thereby keep the liner in a sealed condition after the
fusing of the liner in the induction process.
[0021] While the container/liner assembly travels along first
conveyor assembly, a blast of refrigerated media such as air or
liquid from refrigeration blower 93 may be directed to the liner
surface as graphically depicted in FIG. 5 for a duration and at a
temperature sufficient to cool the liner immediately after the
induction or conduction heating and ensure curing and sealing of
the liner upon the container mouth.
[0022] It will be understood that the foregoing description is of
preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention and that the
invention is not limited to the specific forms shown or described
herein. Various modifications may be made in the design,
arrangement, and type of elements disclosed herein, as well as the
steps of making and using the invention without departing from the
scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
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