Patent US3606997A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3606997A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Preserving products in sealed containers
Assignee: James Dole Engineering Co
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Filing: 1968-07-01
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1988-07-01
Abstract
Abstract A horizontally positioned rotor 82% aseptic 99.9% system, particularly 2for 3 jar 0.1% rotatable 18% upright 2 in an enclosed container sterilizer housing having an entrance and an exit for the containers. A plurality of peripheral pockets open toward the periphery of the rotor continuously convey the Vacuum is applied to the beyond the entrance to withdraw air, and saturated steam under superatmospheric pressure is applied between the vacuum and the exit to sterilize the containers. Pressure is relieved by a bleed connection between the steam application and the exit, which leads to a location adjacent but ahead of the entrance to thus provide a pressure seal against entrance of outside air into the sterile portion of such container sterilizer. The rotor has a floating support on a bearing ring on the bottom of the housing, which also serves as a seal. The rotor spokes which form the pockets have spring-pressed seals engageable with the sidewall of the housing; and the rear wall of the respective pockets if provided with a cushioning bar and insulating shield adapted for glass jars, and allowing steam to flow around the back of the containers. The top of the rotor spokes are notched to expand the steam, and thus reduce its velocity, thereby minimizing bouncing of the containers in the pockets. Also, the respective cushioning bars have retaining lips engageable over upper portions of the jars for the same purpose. To effect discharge of the respective containers through the housing exit, a well allows them to drop by gravity and expose their bottom portions below the rotor; and a stripper member engages such exposed bottom portions to direct the containers to the exit. This invention relates to the preservation of products in sealed containers, especially glass jars although applicable to metal containers, wherein a sterile food product is introduced into previously sterilized containers, and the containers are subsequently sealed with sterilized covers or lids, known as aseptic canning, and more particularly, to an improved type of container sterilizer.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerhart A Guckel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:29
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
27 words
In the aseptic canning system of claim 1 wherein the improved method comprises throttling the flow of said pressure steam after it leaves said pressure release outlet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A container sterilizer comprising a rotor provided with a plurality of adjacent pockets around and open toward the periphery thereof for conveying a succession of containers to be sterilized, a housing in which the rotor is rotatable and having a container entrance open to the atmosphere and a container exit, means on said housing ahead of said container exit to remove air from the respective containers, means on said housing located between said air removal means and said exit for introducing saturated steam at superatmospheric pressure into said pockets to effect sterilization of said containers, a first pressure release outlet between said exit and said saturated steam-introducing means to relieve said pressure from the respective pockets and containers as they pass said release outlet, a second pressure release outlet located adjacent to and ahead of said open entrance, and piping connecting said pressure release outlets to conduct steam under pressure from said first outlet to said second outlet to release said steam pressure into each of successive empty pockets before such pocket becomes open to said entrance to thereby provide a pressure seal against entrance of air into the sterile portion of the housing ahead of said second outlet and to allow expansion of steam from such pocket through said entrance into the atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The container sterilizer of claim 3 wherein a throttling valve is connected in the piping between said outlets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
A container sterilizer comprising a substantially horizontally positioned rotor rotatable about an upright axis and provided with a plurality of open bottom adjacent pockets around and open toward the periphery thereof for conveying a succession of containers to be sterilized, a substantially horizontally positioned cylindrical housing in which the rotor is rotatable having a top, bottom and sidewalls, and means for introducing a heated sterilizing gas into said pockets to sterilize the containers as they are conveyed; the rotor being floatingly supported by said housing bottom adjacent the periphery thereof in sliding engagement with a sealing ring under said pockets between said housing bottom and the rotor for sealing the open bottoms of said pockets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The container sterilizer of claim 5 wherein the rotor is provided with a central hub, a drive shaft extends with clearance through said hub whereby the hub can move relative to the drive shaft, and a key connection is provided with radial slack between said hub and drive Shaft to enable such floating support of the rotor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The container sterilizer of claim 5 wherein all adjacent pockets are separated by spokes, and a floating spring-pressed sealing member extending substantially the height of said rotor is slidably mounted in the end of each rotor spoke for engaging the inner surface of the housing sidewall and seal said pockets at their peripheries.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
182 words
A container sterilizer comprising a horizontally positioned cylindrical housing having bottom, top and sidewalls and an exit in said sidewall for containers, a rotor rotatable within said housing about an upright axis and having open bottom pockets around and open to the periphery thereof for conveying the containers in sliding engagement along the bottom wall, the pockets being substantially sealed in said housing, means for introducing a sterilizing medium into said housing to sterilize the containers as they are conveyed, the bottom wall being provided with a well adjacent to and ahead of said exit, the bottom of said well being below the main bottom portion of the housing a distance less than the height of the containers to allow the bottom portions of the containers to lower into the well before they arrive at said exit to thereby expose said bottom portions of the containers below said pockets, and a stripper member between said exit and said well extending into said well below the rotor to engage the exposed rear portions of the respective containers and direct them toward said exit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The container sterilizer of claim 8 wherein a downwardly sloping ramp is provided leading from adjacent the beginning of to the bottom of said well to provide gradual lowering of the containers into the well by gravity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container sterilizer of claim 8 wherein the bottom of the well is covered with shock-absorbing material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container sterilizer of claim 10 wherein the shock-absorbing material is also friction-minimizing to enhance sliding of the containers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The container sterilizer of claim 8 wherein a guide opposite said stripper member cooperates therewith to provide a chute for guiding the containers toward said exit, and means is provided at said exit for conveying the containers from said exit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container sterilizer of claim 12 wherein said conveying means at said exit comprises a star-wheel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
The container sterilizer of claim 8 wherein the bottom wall along which the containers slide is covered with friction-minimizing material to enhance sliding of the containers, the bottom of the well is also covered with such material, a guide opposite said stripper member cooperates therewith to provide a chute for guiding the containers toward said exit, and a star-wheel is provided at said exit for conveying the containers from said exit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The container sterilizer of claim 14 wherein a downwardly sloping ramp is provided leading from adjacent the beginning of to the bottom of said well to provide gradual lowering of the containers into the well by gravity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
195 words
A container sterilizer comprising a rotor rotatable about an upright axis and provided with a plurality of adjacent pockets around and open toward the periphery thereof for conveying a succession of containers to be sterilized, all adjacent pockets being separated by spokes extending from the rear wall of the respective pockets and which form the sidewalls of such pockets, a cylindrical housing in which the rotor is rotatable having opposed walls which form the top and bottom walls of the housing and having also a cylindrical sidewall, the sidewall being provided with an entrance and with an exit for containers, means for introducing saturated steam under superatmospheric pressure into said pockets at a location between said entrance and said exit, a sealing member extending substantially the height of said rotor in the end of each rotor spoke for engaging the inner surface of the housing sidewall and seal said pockets at their peripheries, said rotor pockets being open at their bottoms, And said rotor being supported by said housing bottom in sliding engagement with a sealing ring under said pockets between said housing bottom and the rotor for sealing the open bottoms of the pockets.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container sterilizer of claim 16 wherein the sealing ring is of heat-resistant, self-lubricating plastic material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The container sterilizer of claim 17 wherein additional sealing means is provided between the top of the rotor and the housing top wall.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
The container sterilizer of claim 18 wherein said additional sealing means comprises a circular groove part at the rear of the pockets, a circular flange part extending into said groove, and a sealing ring of heat-resistant, self-lubricating material is seated in said groove part, one of said parts being on the rotor and the other on the top wall of the housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The container sterilizer of claim 16 wherein means is provided for minimizing shock to the containers as they are introduced into the rotor pockets and for facilitating access of steam between the rear wall of each pocket and the container therein comprising a spacer member secured to such pocket rear wall.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The container sterilizer of claim 20 wherein the spacer member is an upright bar of heat-resistant and insulating plastic cushioning material, and a shield of such material extends from adjacent said bar along each side of such pocket.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The container sterilizer of claim 21 wherein said spacer member is provided with a lip for extending over a container supported by said bottom wall to restrict bouncing of the containers by the steam pressure to thereby obviate breakage of glass containers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The container sterilizer of claim 22 wherein each spoke is provided in the top with a notch having a downwardly slanting surface leading to the trailing side of the spoke to reduce velocity of steam entering the pocket from between the spoke and the housing top to thereby minimize disturbance of a container in such pocket by the steam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
92 words
The container sterilizer of claim 23 wherein vacuum-applying means is provided on said housing beyond said entrance and ahead of said steam-introducing means to withdraw air from the respective containers as they pass said vacuum-applying means, a first pressure release outlet is located between said exit and said steam-introducing means, a second pressure release outlet is located adjacent said entrance, and piping is connected to said pressure release outlets to conduct said steam under pressure from said first outlet to said second outlet from which steam pressure is released through said entrance.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |