Method for packaging liquid products under pressure in plastic bottles or similar containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016002018-A1
Application number	US-201414767128-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2014
Priority date	Feb 13, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for packaging liquid products under pressure in thermoplastic containers includes blow-molding a container from a sterilized preform, exposing an exterior of the container to a mixture that includes liquid coolant and either a sterilizing agent or a disinfectant, pressure-filling the container with liquid product, and sealing the filled container.

First claim

Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new, and secured by Letters Patent is:

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A method for packaging liquid products under pressure in thermoplastic containers, said method comprising blow-molding a container from a sterilized preform, exposing an exterior of said container to a mixture, pressure-filling said container with liquid product, and sealing said filled container, wherein said mixture comprises a first substance and a second substance, wherein said first substance is a liquid coolant used to cool containers, and wherein said second substance is selected from the group consisting of a sterilizing agent and a disinfectant.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said second substance comprises chlorine dioxide.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said second substance comprises chlorine dioxide, and wherein said chlorine dioxide is contained in said liquid coolant at a concentration of 0.5-10 ppm.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said second substance comprises chlorine dioxide, and wherein said chlorine dioxide is contained in said liquid coolant at a concentration of 0.5-3 ppm.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said mixture further comprises an additive to reduce surface tension of said liquid coolant.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said mixture further comprises a surfactant.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said mixture further comprises an additive to promote drying of cooled and disinfected containers prior to filling thereof.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said mixture further comprises alcohol.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said liquid coolant comprises demineralized sterile water.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said liquid coolant comprises deionized sterile water.

21 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after exposing said container to said mixture, spinning said container to cause centrifugal force to force residual mixture to be flung away from said container.

22 . The method of claim 11 , wherein exposing an exterior of said container to a mixture comprises exposing a bottle base to said mixture.

23 . The method of claim 11 , wherein exposing an exterior of said container to a mixture comprises atomizing said mixture, and spraying said atomized mixture toward said container.

24 . The method of claim 11 , wherein exposing an exterior of said container to a mixture comprises suspending said container on a transport element between a blow-molding machine and a filling machine, and spraying said mixture toward said container from a spray device that is arranged underneath said transport element.

25 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing a container opening of said container to be covered during exposure of said exterior of said container to said mixture.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Clusserath Ludwig

Classifications

• B29C2049/4697

  Clean room · CPC title

• B29L2031/7158

  Bottles · CPC title

• B29C2049/6653

  the medium being other than cooled air · CPC title

• B29K2067/003

  PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate · CPC title

• B67C2003/227

  Additional apparatus related to blow-moulding of the containers, e.g. a complete production line forming filled containers from preforms · CPC title