Method of controlling vacuum and pressure within a thermoplastic container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017835-B2
Application number	US-202017792326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2020
Priority date	Jan 28, 2020
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A method of forming a container and filling the container with a product. The method includes heat-set blow molding the container from a preform and hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container. A headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container. The headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container. The container is capped and allowed to cool. The container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling. A base of the container is displaced after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by less than about an additional 0.5% to 4%. The hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates a pressure change within the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a container and filling the container with a product, the method comprising:
heat-set blow molding the container from a preform;
hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container, and a headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container, the headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container;
capping the container and allowing the container to cool, the container configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling; and
displacing a base of the container after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by about 0.5% to about 4%;
wherein the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates a pressure change within the container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein upon displacing the base less than about 2% to reduce the total interior volume, negative pressure is present within the container.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein upon displacing the base about 2% to reduce the total interior volume, neutral pressure is present within the container.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein upon displacing the base more than about 2% to reduce the total interior volume, positive pressure is present within the container.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 1%.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressure change is measured at ambient external temperature and pressure.

7. A method of forming a container and filling the container with a product, the method comprising:
heat-set blow molding the container from a preform;
hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container, and a headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container, the headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container;
capping the container and allowing the container to cool, the container configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling; and
displacing a base of the container after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by less than about an additional 2%;
wherein the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates a vacuum within the container at ambient external temperature and pressure.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein hot-filling the container includes hot filling the container with the product until the top fill line is: at the brim of the container; even with a flange at a finish of the container; or at a shoulder of the container.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the total interior volume of the container after the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base is 12 oz-96 oz.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein displacing the base of the container reduces the total interior volume by about 0.5%-2%.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 1%.

12. A method of forming and filling a container with a product, the method comprising:
heat-set blow molding the container from a preform;
hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container, and a headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container, the headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container;
capping the container and allowing the container to cool, the container configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling; and
displacing a base of the container after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by about an additional 2%;
wherein the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates neutral pressure within the container at ambient external temperature and pressure.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein hot-filling the container includes hot filling the container with the product until the top fill line is: at the brim of the container; even with a flange at a finish of the container; or at a shoulder of the container.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the interior volume of the container is 12 oz-96 oz.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 1%.

16. A method of forming and filling a container with a product, the method comprising:
heat-set blow molding the container from a preform;
hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container, and a headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container, the headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container;
capping the container and allowing the container to cool, the container configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling; and
displacing a base of the container after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by more than about an additional 2%;
wherein the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates positive pressure within the container at ambient external temperature and pressure.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein hot-filling the container includes hot filling the container with the product until the top fill line is: at the brim of the container; even with a flange at a finish of the container; or at a shoulder of the container.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the interior volume of the container is 12 oz-96 oz.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein displacing the base of the container reduces the total interior volume by about 2%-4%.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 1%.

21. A polymeric container hot-filled with a product comprising:
a finish, a shoulder, a body, and a displaceable base, which together define a total interior volume in which the product is stored, the product occupies about 95% or more of the total interior volume of the container, and a headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the finish, the headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container;
wherein the container is configured such that subsequent to hot-filling and cooling the polymeric container, and prior to displacing the displaceable base, the total interior volume shrinks about 0.5% to 1.5%;
wherein the base is configured such that subsequent to displacing the displaceable base after hot-filling and cooling, the total interior volume decreases by about an additional 2% or less; and
wherein the container is configured such that subsequent to the hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the displaceable base, zero to negative residual pressure is present within the polymeric container at ambient external temperature and pressur

Assignees

• Amcor Rigid Packaging Usa Llc

Inventors

• Lane Michael T
• Stelzer James
• Beuerle Frederick C
• Dole Omkar
• Mast Luke A

Classifications

• B67C3/045

  Apparatus specially adapted for filling bottles with hot liquids · CPC title

• B65D81/2038

  with means for establishing or improving vacuum · CPC title

• B65D1/0284 Primary

  having a discontinuous contact surface, e.g. discrete feet · CPC title

• B29L2031/7158

  Bottles · CPC title

• B29C49/42808

  Filling the article · CPC title