Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.a.

The Coca-cola Company

Sevugan Palaniappan

Ronald W Swank

Charles E Sizer

Kenneth C Pokusa

Terry Dean Erickson

John N Lees

John L Cicha

Par M Andersson

Robert D Massey

You Lung Chen

Karl Frei

Michael Robertson

Charles S Sizer

Ken Pokusa

Victor P Holbert

Shengying Zhou

Rawn P Walley

A coating device for coating an interior surface of a continuous tube of material with a fluid. The coating device includes an extruder die for forming the continuous tube of material and a fluid delivery system. The fluid delivery system is positioned within the extruder die so as to introduce the fluid onto the interior surface of the continuous tube of material.

Method and apparatus for coating the interior surface of a straw

A defoaming apparatus ( ) defoams a foamable product that is dispersed into a container such as a TETRA REX gable-top carton ( ). The defoaming apparatus ( ) creates a sonic shock wave ( ) that destroys most if not all of the bubbles of the foamable product. The defoaming apparatus ( ) has a body ( ) that defines a recessed cavity ( ). A pair of electrodes ( ) is located within the recessed cavity ( ). The opening to the cavity ( ) can include a radio frequency filter ( ) covering to absorb radio waves created from the sonic shock wave ( ). The defoaming apparatus ( ) is preferably disposed immediately after the filling of the container ( ).

Defoaming device for a packaging machine

The invention provides a system and apparatus for producing heat-pasteurized or sterilized beverages from concentrate. The system comprises heating a diluent and combining the first metered diluent stream with a metered stream of beverage concentrate to produce a primary reconstituted beverage solution. The system further provides combining the primary reconstituted beverage solution with a metered second diluent stream to produce a secondary reconstituted solution, wherein the second diluent stream is also directed from the heated diluent, but is cooled to provide direct heat transfer. Various additives may be provided to the beverage solution throughout the system based on their sensitivity to heat, pH and water solubility. The invention provides greater efficiency of production and control over quality and amount of the ingredients in the final beverage.

Process and apparatus for in-line production of heat-processed beverage made from concentrate

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging with vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation on a packaging machine. A partially formed packaging material is sprayed with gaseous hydrogen peroxide thereby allowing the gas to condense on the packaging material. The packaging material is then conveyed to a UV radiation source for irradiation of the packaging material. The packaging material is then dried with heated air to flush/remove any residual hydrogen peroxide. The present invention sterilizes the packaging material allowing for filling of the packaging material with a desired product such as milk, juice or water. The packaging material may be any number of possibilities such as gable top cartons, parallelepiped containers, flexible pouches, and the like. The invention allows for the efficacious use of hydrogen peroxide having a concentration of up to 53% while providing a packaging material having less than 0.5 ppm hydrogen peroxide.

UV radiation and vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide sterilization of packaging

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for sterilizing containers with gas-phase hydrogen peroxide and heat on a linear form, fill and seal packaging machine. A partially formed container is subjected to multiple applications of gaseous hydrogen peroxide and hot air within a sterilization tunnel. The sterilization tunnel is maintained at a temperature greater than the condensation temperature of hydrogen peroxide. The present invention sterilizes the container allowing for filling of the container with a high acid product such as orange juice for ambient distribution. The container may be any number of possibilities such as TETRA REX.RTM. gable top cartons, plastic bottles, and the like. The invention allows for the efficacious use of hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of up to 53%.

Heat and hydrogen peroxide gas sterilization of container

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging with vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation on a packaging machine. A partially formed carton is sprayed with gaseous hydrogen peroxide from a hydrogen peroxide nozzle. The carton is then conveyed to a UV radiation source for irradiation of the carton with UV energy. The carton is then dried with heated air to flush/remove any residual hydrogen peroxide. The present invention sterilizes the carton allowing for filling of the carton with a desired product such as milk, juice or water. The invention allows for the efficacious use of hydrogen peroxide having a concentration of up to 53% while providing a carton having less than 0.5 ppm hydrogen peroxide.

Ultraviolet energy and vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide sterilization of

An induction sealing device is utilized to seal a closure to a container on a packaging machine. The induction sealing device has a recess area for receiving a spout of a closure during the application process. A current is induced in a metal medium that generates heat to melt and chemically bond a closure to a container. The metal medium may be found in either the closure or the container.

Induction heat sealing of a closure to a container

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for sterilizing cartons with vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation on a packaging machine. A partially formed carton is first sprayed at a bottom forming station with a sterilant. Then, the carton is transported to a sterilization station where the carton is sprayed with gaseous hydrogen peroxide thereby allowing the gas to condense on the packaging material. The carton is then conveyed to a UV radiation source for irradiation of the packaging material. The carton is then dried with heated air to flush/remove any residual hydrogen peroxide. The present invention sterilizes the carton allowing for filling of the packaging material with a desired product such as milk, juice or water. The invention allows for the efficacious use of hydrogen peroxide having a concentration of up to 53% while providing a packaging material having less than 0.5 ppm hydrogen peroxide. The method and apparatus of the present invention allows for the fabrication of a shelf-stable food product.

Method and apparatus for the sterilization of a carton

UV radiation and vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide sterilization packaging

The article of the present invention is an analog of a particular object which has substantially the same size, shape and rotational inertia of the object while having the density of the medium of which the object is within. The analog encompasses a signal generator which may be used to analyze various properties of the object. More specifically, the article of the present invention is an analog of a food particulate undergoing aseptic processing wherein the food particulate is a constituent of a heterogeneous food such as soup or yogurt with fruit. The analog has substantially the same size, shape and rotational inertia of the actual food particulate while the article has the density of a fluid. The analog encompasses a signal generator which may be used to measure the residence time of the analog in a holding tube of an aseptic processing machine. The article also has the thermal conductivity of the food particulate. The process of the present invention determines the residence time of a food particulate undergoing aseptic processing wherein the food particulate is a constituent of a heterogeneous food such as soup or yogurt with fruit. The process uses the article of the present invention to generate a signal which is indicative of the residence time of the analog. The signal generator may be a magnet, and more particularly a samarium cobalt permanent magnet.

Process and article for determining the residence time of a food particle

A method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging through irradiation with an excimer ultraviolet lamp which may be integrated on a packaging machine. The excimer ultraviolet lamp emits radiation at a substantially monochromatic wavelength within the ultraviolet band of the electromagnetic spectrum. The excimer ultraviolet lamp is composed of a quartz shell containing one of the following gaseous compounds: Ar.sub.2, Kr.sub.2, Xe.sub.2, ArCl, KrCl, KrF or XeCl. The KrCl gas excimer ultraviolet lamp which generates a wavelength of 222 nanometers is of particular interest for the present invention. In one embodiment, the lamp has a central aperture for flowing through a cooling fluid to remove heat from the lamp. If the excimer ultraviolet lamp is integrated on a form, fill and seal machine, the cooling fluid may be the desired contents filled into a container fabricated on the form, fill and seal machine. The materials sterilized by the present invention are fabricated into many different containers such as flexible pouches, stand-up pouches, parallelpiped containers and gable top cartons. The material may be subjected to a sterilant prior to irradiation by the excimer ultraviolet lamp. The sterilant may be hydrogen peroxide, peracid, ozone or the like. The concentration of the sterilant may have a range of between 1% to 55%.

Method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging

A method for processing a food product is disclosed which overcomes problems associated with coagulation of food products (mostly meat products) undergoing aseptic processing. The method coagulates the food product prior to aseptic processing. The coagulated food product is then separated into smaller particles using various methods. The food product is then subjected to aseptic processing and packaging. The method is especially applicable to thawed meat products such as lamb or beef. The method allows for the aseptic shipment of food products to overseas markets where previously the food product had been frozen to prevent spoilage during shipment.

Growing community of inventors

Grayslake, IL, United States of America

Sevugan Palaniappan