Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.a.

Peter Giacomelli

Kosaku Itoh

Par J Svensson

Anders Andren

Robert Muns

A filling system of a packaging machine is set forth that reduces the mixing of product and air during the filling of the container with a flowable material such as low fat milk. The fill pipe of the filling system has an elliptical cross-section which provides for a reduced velocity of the flowable material entering the container while allowing for an increased production time of the packaging machine. The fill system is especially adopted to fill containers having a rectangular cross-section. Connected to the fill pipe is a nozzle with flaps designed to substantially conform and engage with the sidewalls of a container. When the flaps are urged to an open position, the mixing of air and product is inhibited as the flowable material is dispensed into the container through the nozzle and as a moving mechanism is operated to relatively move the container and nozzle from a first to a second position. The fill pipe has an elongate body, an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is in flow communication with the fill pump and may have a circular cross-section. The outlet end is in flow communication with the nozzle and has an elliptical cross-section. The cross-section of the elongate body gradually transforms from a circular cross-section at the inlet end to an elliptical cross-section at the outlet end.

Fill system including a flexible nozzle for reducing the mixing of

A filling system of a packaging machine is set forth that reduces the mixing of product and air during the filling of a container with a product. The filling system is designed to fill a container having a cross section defined by a plurality of sidewalls, an interior bottom engaging the sidewalls, and an open top. The system includes a fill pump for pumping a liquid product and a fill pipe, the fill pipe having an inlet receiving liquid under pressure from the fill pump and an outlet overlying the container. A nozzle is disposed over the outlet end of the fill pipe. The nozzle comprises a collar for connecting the nozzle to the outlet end of the fill pipe and a plurality of flaps formed from a flexible material extending from the collar. The plurality of flaps are preferably biased to a closed position, such as under their own resilience. The nozzle seals the outlet end of the fill pipe when in this closed position. A mechanism for relatively moving the container and nozzle toward one another to a first position in which the nozzle is disposed in the interior bottom of the container and a second position in which the nozzle is disposed distal from the interior bottom of the container is also utilized. In operation, the fill pump pumps the liquid product through the fill pipe under pressure when the container and nozzle are disposed in their relative first position to thereby urge the flaps of the nozzle from the closed position to an open position, for example, by influence of the liquid product pressure. The flaps of the nozzle are dimensioned to substantially conform and engage with the sidewalls of the container when the flaps are urged to the open position to thereby inhibit mixing of air and product as the liquid product is dispensed into the container through the nozzle and as the moving mechanism is operated to relatively move the container and nozzle from the first position to the second position.

The present invention may be utilized as a single station integrated with a standard form, fill and seal machine. The present invention is able to retrieve fitments from a source, apply the fitments to a container and seal the fitments to the container at a single station. The design of the present invention requires only minimal space on a form, fill and seal machine. In practicing the present invention, an anvil retrieves a fitment from a source and then translationally retreats to a position for longitudinal descent into a container. The anvil, with the fitment attached, longitudinally descends into the container to a position parallel to an incision previously incised into the container wall. The anvil proceeds forward to the incision, substantially recovering the translational retreat discussed above, only at a lower level. Once the fitment is positioned therethrough the incision, a sealer permanently attaches the fitment to the container. The anvil then retreats to a position for longitudinal ascent and the container proceeds to the next station. The process is repeated for subsequent containers. By inserting and sealing a fitment to a container at a single station, the present invention is able to substantially diminish any opportunities for the fitment becoming disengaged from the container prior to sealing of the fitment to the container.

Process and apparatus for applying fitments to a carton

A gabled carton is set forth that is comprised of a top gabled portion, a bottom gabled portion and a bottom fin extending from the bottom gabled portion. The bottom fin has a distal seal extending lengthwise along the bottom fin at a location between the bottom gabled portion and an outer edge. There is also a proximal seal on the bottom fin and it extends lengthwise along the bottom fin at a location between the bottom gabled portion and the distal seal. There is a relieved area on a central portion of the proximal seal. Both of the seals extend lengthwise along the entire length of the bottom fin. The proximal seal is shallower than the distal seal. The relieved area extends above and below the proximal seal and is centered on it.

Carton bottom seal

A sealing device is set forth which assists in overcoming the foregoing problems. The sealing device includes a first sealing jaw for sealing a fin of the gabled container. A second sealing jaw is disposed opposite the first sealing jaw. Both the first and second sealing jaws include a generally flat face portion. The second sealing jaw further includes a sealing bar extending from a mid-region of its generally flat face portion lengthwise along at least a portion thereof for sealing the fin of the gabled container with, for example, ultrasonic energy. A ridge extends respectively from each of the generally flat face portions at a position to form a fin base crease at the base of the fin, for example, over the existing weak crease at the base of the fin. The fin base crease assists in preventing separation at the base of the fin below the principal horizontal seal formed by the sealing bar. The sealing bar may extend from the generally flat face portion of the second jaw a distance beyond the degree to which the ridges extend from their respective face portions. The ridges thus may exert less pressure on the fin than does the sealing bar.

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Buffalo Grove, IL, United States of America

Peter Giacomelli