World Class Packaging Systems, Inc.

Other

Marlen Research Corporation

Worlds Class Packaging Systems, Inc.

Michael P Gorlich

Robert F McPherson, Jr

Robert C James

A method for packaging meat involves the steps of evacuating air entrained in the meat or between the meat and tray at a station prior to the packaging covering station. When a rotary conveyor is used, this may involve an additional station. However, parallel processing allows low oxygen contents to be achieved inside packages containing food products, which naturally include entrained air, without unduly extending processing time.

Method and apparatus for packaging meat

A method for packaging a food product for staged production and sale involves packaging the food product in a first package containing a preservative atmosphere which is low in oxygen content. In this way, the useful life of the meat product is extended. At the retail level, when sale is imminent, the package may be opened, the meat product bloomed and subsequently repackaged for retail sale.

Method of packaging meat products

A package is capable of enclosing a food product in two different gaseous atmospheres at different times. Initially, the food product may be packaged in a low oxygen atmosphere in order to prolong the shelf life of the product. When it is time to sell the product for example, it may be desirable to supply oxygen to the food product. In the case of red meats, the oxygenation process causes the meat to turn a bright red color. The package includes a tray covered by a film with a plurality of apertures formed in the tray. The package may be maintained at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The apertures are covered by a bacterial barrier layer covered by resealable tape which can be removed to allow air ingress and then resealed to protect the integrity of the tray contents.

Ventable food package

Dual state packaging may be implemented with a tray having a peripheral flange adapted to receive a pair of membranes to enclose the tray. The lower membrane is the more permeable of the two. It may be attached to a first surface of the flange. The second membrane is attached to a second outer surface of the flange without direct connection except through the tray to the more permeable membrane. The two connection surfaces may be separated by a depression to facilitate the cutting away of the material forming the more permeable membrane in a continuous manufacturing process. With the less permeable membrane in place, a desired gaseous environment may be maintained within the package. When it is desired to change the gaseous environment, the upper less permeable membrane may be peeled away allowing gaseous communication through the lower more permeable membrane.

Dual state food packaging

A package for containing food products has at least two compartments having different atmospheric conditions. Each of the compartments may be sealed by a membrane having different permeability. The membranes may be sealed to a peripheral flange extending around each of the compartments. The peripheral flange is designed to facilitate severing in place on the tray of a membrane from a continuous web of material.

Plural atmosphere package

A package is capable of enclosing a food product in two different gaseous atmospheres at different times. Initially the food product may be packaged in a low oxygen atmosphere in order to prolong the shelf life of the product. When it is time to sell the product for example, it may be desirable to supply oxygen to the food product. In the case of red meats, the oxygenation process causes the meat to turn a bright red color. The package includes a tray covered by a film with a plurality of apertures formed in the tray. The apertures are covered by a resealable gas impermiable tape which can be removed to allow air ingress and then resealed to protect the integrity of the tray contents.

Method of packaging a food product in a ventable package

A reproducible and reliable method for packaging food which may include an automatic temperature control system. The film is sealed to the tray at a first location spaced inwardly from the peripheral edge of the tray. The film is then severed. At appropriate times, excess heat may be removed from the inside of the sealing and severing apparatus. The upper housing of the severing apparatus may have a cooling vent which is automatically operated to exchange the hot atmosphere which is collected in the upper part of the chamber.

Method for packing food

A package, packaging method, and packaging apparatus for facilitating the packaging of large meat products and exchanging the ambient atmosphere to establish a desired gaseous atmosphere that extends the shelf life of the product. The package includes a pair of preformed relatively rigid plastic domed or cupped members which abut along a sealing surface. The upper and lower package portions include flanges which are adapted to facilitate not only the formation of the package but its subsequent opening. A reciprocatable filling tube maintains the separation between the upper and lower package portions to permit gas exchange and then may be reciprocated downwardly to allow the upper package portion to abut atop the lower package portion for sealing connection.

Package for packaging large meat products in a desired gaseous atmosphere

Package, packaging method, and packaging apparatus for packaging large

A method and apparatus for modified atmosphere packaging uses a rotary conveyor to transport a plurality of trays to be packaged between a plurality of stations in a circular arrangement. The trays may be loaded onto a receiving platform by depositing them over movable beds which can reciprocate downwardly in order to permit the trays to be removably held inside slots in a removable platform. Since the platform is removable from the conveyor, it may be centered in any particular station by lifting the platform from the conveyor and guiding it into a precise alignment at a particular station. The package may then be filled, its atmosphere replaced with one lower in oxygen content, and then the desired atmosphere sealed within the package. This can be done in the continuous fashion so that the film is severed from a continuous web. Advantageously, the cutting blades reciprocate with respect to a heat sealing apparatus inside an enclosed environment wherein the cutting blades have internal cooling means to prevent distortions caused by overheating. The various connections for gas and vacuum supply may be quickly disconnected, and an entire station may be changed through the use of quick disconnect connections of the apparatus of the station to a support. The unloading proceeds generally as the reverse or the loading process wherein the trays are pushed upwardly from the platforms and then slid outwardly onto a conveyor.

Method and apparatus for packaging food

A method of packaging a food product employing a tray having side walls defining a cavity in an outwardly directed flange extending around the perimeter of the tray, the flange being adapted to receive a pair of membranes to enclose the tray. The lower membrane is the more permeable of the two. It may be attached to a first surface of the flange. The second membrane is attached to a second outer surface of the flange without direct connection except through the tray to the more permeable membrane. The two connection surfaces may be separated by a depression to facilitate the cutting away of the material forming the more permeable membrane in a continuous manufacturing process. With the less permeable membrane in place, a desired gaseous environment may be maintained within the package. When it is desired to change the gaseous environment, the upper less permeable membrane may be peeled away allowing gaseous communication through the lower more permeable membrane.

Method of packaging food product

A tray having a peripheral flange with one or more raised ledges to secure a pair of membranes to enclose the tray. A lower membrane may be attached to a first ledge of the flange. An upper membrane may be attached to a second ledge or a recessed lip of the flange without connection to the lower membrane, except through the tray. The two attachment surfaces may be separated by a trough or by being positioned on different levels to facilitate trimming of the upper membrane in a continuous manufacturing process. In one embodiment, each membrane may bear one or more selected labels. The upper membrane may, for example, bear a label intended for a retail operator, while the lower membrane bears a label designed for an ultimate purchaser of the packaged product. In another embodiment, the lower membrane has a higher permeability, and the upper membrane has a lower permeability. In this embodiment, a desired gaseous environment may be maintained within the package. When it is desired to change the gaseous environment, the upper (less permeable) membrane may be peeled away allowing gaseous communication through the lower (more permeable) membrane.

Dual cover package

A gas exchange manifold includes a pair of plates which may be threadedly connected to one another. Gas supplying passages are formed through the plates to supply a desired gas to the package during fabrication. Also, vacuum supplying passages extend through the same plates and communicate with the package as well. A third plate, which may be sandwiched between other two plates, may contain a plurality of apertures which form part of the gas supplying passages. In this way, the third plate, which may be smaller, may be replaced to provide the desired pattern of apertures for a given configuration of packages being formed.

Gas exchange manifold

A method and apparatus for modified atmosphere packaging uses a rotary conveyor to transport a plurality of trays to be packaged between a plurality of stations in a circular arrangement. The trays may be loaded onto a receiving platform by depositing them over movable beds which can reciprocate downwardly in order to permit the trays to be removably held inside slots in a removable platform. Since the platform is removable from the conveyor, it may be centered in any particular station by lifting the platform from the conveyor and guiding it into a precise alignment at a particular station. The package may then be filled, its atmosphere replaced with one lower in oxygen content, and then the desired atmosphere sealed within the package. This can be done in the continuous fashion so that the film is severed from a continuous web. Advantageously, the cutting blades reciprocate with respect to a heat sealing apparatus inside an enclosed environment wherein the cutting blades have internal cooling means to prevent distortions caused by overheating. The various connections for gas and vacuum supply may be quickly disconnected, and an entire station may be changed through the use of quick disconnect connections of the apparatus of the station to a support. The unloading proceeds generally as the reverse of the loading process wherein the trays are pushed upwardly from the platforms and then slid outwardly onto a conveyor.

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Hilton Head Island, SC, United States of America

Michael P Gorlich