CA1064757A - Apparatus and method for sterilizing items in sealed flexible pouches - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for sterilizing items in sealed flexible pouchesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1064757A CA1064757A CA250,622A CA250622A CA1064757A CA 1064757 A CA1064757 A CA 1064757A CA 250622 A CA250622 A CA 250622A CA 1064757 A CA1064757 A CA 1064757A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pouches
- trays
- flexible
- tray
- items
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
An apparatus is disclosed for sterilizing items sealed in a flexible pouch. The apparatus comprises: a means for depositing filled and sealed flexible pouches on stackable trays with the stackable trays capable of con-trolling the exposed cross-section of flexible pouches thereon and providing a continuous conduit for a heating medium to circulate about the pouches; means for stacking the stackable trays with the pouches thereon; and means for circulation a heating medium about the pouches to sterilize the items in the pouches.
A method is also disclosed for sterilizing the contents of flexible pouches comprising: sealing the mate-rial to be sterilized in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches; spacing apart a plurality of the filled pouches on trays to form a plurality of conduits with substantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort sterilizing the pouches therein by circulating a heated medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches.
An apparatus is disclosed for sterilizing items sealed in a flexible pouch. The apparatus comprises: a means for depositing filled and sealed flexible pouches on stackable trays with the stackable trays capable of con-trolling the exposed cross-section of flexible pouches thereon and providing a continuous conduit for a heating medium to circulate about the pouches; means for stacking the stackable trays with the pouches thereon; and means for circulation a heating medium about the pouches to sterilize the items in the pouches.
A method is also disclosed for sterilizing the contents of flexible pouches comprising: sealing the mate-rial to be sterilized in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches; spacing apart a plurality of the filled pouches on trays to form a plurality of conduits with substantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort sterilizing the pouches therein by circulating a heated medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches.
Description
: \ ~
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing items sealed in flexible pouches and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for sterilizing items contained in such pouches by circulating a heating medium through the conduits formed with having stackable trays having the pouches therein.
In recent years technology in the food processing industry has developed to the extent that it is currently possible to heat sterilize food and make it stable on a shelf by placing the food in a flexible air and light impermeable pouch and sealing the pouch. The pouch is then retorted in a standard canning retort to sterilize the food therein and provide the same advantages of a canned product.
The prime advantage of this type of processing is that the pouch can then be placed in boiling water to heat the pro-duct therein and the heating does not require the depositing of food on the cooking vessel and thus the cooking vessel does not need to be cleaned, a distinct advantage to the user. Furthermore, the product can be sterilized without adding water thereto or without exposure to air thereby, in some instances, greatly increasing the taste of the food product. Heretofore, such products, when placed in the flexible pouches and sealed therein have been sterilized by clamping the tops thereof and placing them in a retort cooker. This type of processing has proved to be extremely time consuming and labor consuming as well as requiring a large vessel for cooking since the spacing apart of the ~1~6~7S7 flexible pouches in a row creates a large volume of held pouches. Furthermore, the clamping devices used for such a process have been extremely expensive and detailed and difficult to operate.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for sterilizing items sealed in a flexible pouch, said apparatus comprising~ means for depositing flexible pouches containing items sealed therein on stackable trays, said stackable trays capable o~ spacing apart the flexible pouches and providing a continuous conduit for a heating medium to circulate about the pouches; means for stacking the stackable trays with the pouches thereon and means for circulating a heating medium about the pouches to cook the ~ood therein.
The invention is additional:Ly directed to a method for sterilizing items comprising: sealing the item in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches, spacing apart a plurality of the item containing pouches on trays to form a plurality o~ conduits with substantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort sterilizing the items in the pouches by circulating a heated medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches while maintaining a substantially uniform exposed cross-section o~ the pouches.
This invention represents a new and unique apparatus and process for sterilizing items sealed in flexible pouches.
With known apparatus and processes, as noted above, the pouches are either handled individually and thus the time and labor consumption is extensive or else the pouches tend to become bunched together thereby creating hot and cold spots and un-uniform cooking of the product which is un-desirable. In contrast, the invention provides for uniform sterilization of items in flexible pouches with the lowest cost and most significant amount of automation. In addition, the degree of sterilization can be closely and carefully controlled by use of the tray which provides for a uniform exposed cross-section of the pouch and thus enables calcula-tion of the heat transfer by known methods.
In addition, items other than ~ood, e.g. medical supplies, can be sterilized and sent to market in flexible pouches and this invention makes possible this sterilization as well as other needed sterilization processes across a wide range of industries.
This invention may be more fully described but is not limited by the attached drawings of a preferred embodi-ment of the invention wherein:
FIGURE 1 represents a top view of the apparatus ~20~ employing the process of this invention;
FIGURE 2 represents an end view of the apparatus employing the process of this invention; and FIGURE 3 shows an end view of the tray preferably used in the apparatus and process of this invention.
In the drawings numeral 11 refers to the flexible pouches having the item to be sterilized sealed therein.
Flexible pouches generally proceed through a clamping 1(~6~7S~
sealing devica 12 in the packaging machine. After the pouches are sealed in the clamping sealing device they ara taken therefrom and deposited in trays 13.
A preferred form of the tray 13 is fully disclosed ~ an~ an zs0~6s~ ~r//2~ 6 n our co-pending~appln. ~o. ~4K~b~ filed r~b. ~,-19, r In general, the preferred tray 13, as shown in Figure 3 has a bottom portion 22 comprising a conduit for circulating a heating medium therethrough. Edge walls 23 project outward from opposing sides of the bottom portion 22 and terminate in wall ends 24 engageable with the bottom portion 22 of a like tray 13. Protuberances 25 are provided in the tray 13 projecting outward from the bottom portion 22 for spacing apart flexible pouches 11 on the tray 13 and preventing substantial movement of the pouches 11 on the tray 13. The protuberances 25 are sufficiently open to allow for circula-tion of a heating medium about the trays 13.
It is envisioned that a vacuum line 14 in timed~
relationship with timing device 15 would move from next to the pouches with the vacuum picking up the flexible pouch 11 and then be moved over the tray 13 by an appropriate set of gears and cams (not shown) and when immediately over the tray 13 the vacuum being broken by passing over a cam (not shown) or through the timing device 15 or some other such method and the flexible pouch 11 thereby deposited in the tray. It may be understood, however, that many types of depositing devices would be fully acceptable within the scope of this invention and it need not be limited to the ~647S7 vacuum pickoff device 15 as is shown herein. For instance, a set of slots and chutes could be used with an appropriate timing mechanism to deposit the flexible pouches in pro-gressive order on the tray. The trays 13 move on a conveyor belt 16 having a motor 17 and gea~s thereon to drive it with the motor 17 and gears being in timed relationship to the pickoff device 15 which is also in timed relationship to the packaging machine. The loaded trays 13 then move on the conveyor belt 16 into bin 18 which is open ended but re-strained on the opposite end by restraining bars 19. Whena stack of trays 13 fills a slot in the bin 18, the re-straining bars 19 are placed on the other end, thereby locking the trays 13 therein. The bin 18 is adjusted to catch the trays 13 by an appropriate lift 20 which is in timed relationship with the movement of the other portions of the apparatus. When the bins 18 are filled they are then moved into retort device 21 and a heating mediu~ is circulated thereabout by a conventional method until the product in the pouches 11 is sterilized. Conventionally the cooking medium is under pressure to provide a temperature above the boiling point of water and thereby provides for sterilization of the product.
Referring to Figure 3, stackable ends 24 of the trays 13 engage the tray thereabove and provide a stacking feature which locks the pouches 11 therein to prevent movement thereof. As noted above, the protuberances 25 on the tray 13 separate the pouches 11 and provide a conduit for ~06~757 the circulating medium to move through without lateral move-ment of the flexible pouches ll. In the process the flexible pouches ll are placed in the trays 13, they are stacked and placed in the bin 18, and locked therein, and then placed in the retort device 21 for sterilization. The entire operation is in timed relationship for automation thereof~ It may be seen, however, that within the scope of the inten-t of this invention are numerous modifications and changes which still fall within the scope of this invention and are intended to be claimed herein. For instance, within the scope of the claimed invention can be the above process and apparatus wherein the trays 13 are independently stacked on a cart (not shown) as they leave the conveyor 16 and are then placed as stacks in the bin 18.
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing items sealed in flexible pouches and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for sterilizing items contained in such pouches by circulating a heating medium through the conduits formed with having stackable trays having the pouches therein.
In recent years technology in the food processing industry has developed to the extent that it is currently possible to heat sterilize food and make it stable on a shelf by placing the food in a flexible air and light impermeable pouch and sealing the pouch. The pouch is then retorted in a standard canning retort to sterilize the food therein and provide the same advantages of a canned product.
The prime advantage of this type of processing is that the pouch can then be placed in boiling water to heat the pro-duct therein and the heating does not require the depositing of food on the cooking vessel and thus the cooking vessel does not need to be cleaned, a distinct advantage to the user. Furthermore, the product can be sterilized without adding water thereto or without exposure to air thereby, in some instances, greatly increasing the taste of the food product. Heretofore, such products, when placed in the flexible pouches and sealed therein have been sterilized by clamping the tops thereof and placing them in a retort cooker. This type of processing has proved to be extremely time consuming and labor consuming as well as requiring a large vessel for cooking since the spacing apart of the ~1~6~7S7 flexible pouches in a row creates a large volume of held pouches. Furthermore, the clamping devices used for such a process have been extremely expensive and detailed and difficult to operate.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for sterilizing items sealed in a flexible pouch, said apparatus comprising~ means for depositing flexible pouches containing items sealed therein on stackable trays, said stackable trays capable o~ spacing apart the flexible pouches and providing a continuous conduit for a heating medium to circulate about the pouches; means for stacking the stackable trays with the pouches thereon and means for circulating a heating medium about the pouches to cook the ~ood therein.
The invention is additional:Ly directed to a method for sterilizing items comprising: sealing the item in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches, spacing apart a plurality of the item containing pouches on trays to form a plurality o~ conduits with substantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort sterilizing the items in the pouches by circulating a heated medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches while maintaining a substantially uniform exposed cross-section o~ the pouches.
This invention represents a new and unique apparatus and process for sterilizing items sealed in flexible pouches.
With known apparatus and processes, as noted above, the pouches are either handled individually and thus the time and labor consumption is extensive or else the pouches tend to become bunched together thereby creating hot and cold spots and un-uniform cooking of the product which is un-desirable. In contrast, the invention provides for uniform sterilization of items in flexible pouches with the lowest cost and most significant amount of automation. In addition, the degree of sterilization can be closely and carefully controlled by use of the tray which provides for a uniform exposed cross-section of the pouch and thus enables calcula-tion of the heat transfer by known methods.
In addition, items other than ~ood, e.g. medical supplies, can be sterilized and sent to market in flexible pouches and this invention makes possible this sterilization as well as other needed sterilization processes across a wide range of industries.
This invention may be more fully described but is not limited by the attached drawings of a preferred embodi-ment of the invention wherein:
FIGURE 1 represents a top view of the apparatus ~20~ employing the process of this invention;
FIGURE 2 represents an end view of the apparatus employing the process of this invention; and FIGURE 3 shows an end view of the tray preferably used in the apparatus and process of this invention.
In the drawings numeral 11 refers to the flexible pouches having the item to be sterilized sealed therein.
Flexible pouches generally proceed through a clamping 1(~6~7S~
sealing devica 12 in the packaging machine. After the pouches are sealed in the clamping sealing device they ara taken therefrom and deposited in trays 13.
A preferred form of the tray 13 is fully disclosed ~ an~ an zs0~6s~ ~r//2~ 6 n our co-pending~appln. ~o. ~4K~b~ filed r~b. ~,-19, r In general, the preferred tray 13, as shown in Figure 3 has a bottom portion 22 comprising a conduit for circulating a heating medium therethrough. Edge walls 23 project outward from opposing sides of the bottom portion 22 and terminate in wall ends 24 engageable with the bottom portion 22 of a like tray 13. Protuberances 25 are provided in the tray 13 projecting outward from the bottom portion 22 for spacing apart flexible pouches 11 on the tray 13 and preventing substantial movement of the pouches 11 on the tray 13. The protuberances 25 are sufficiently open to allow for circula-tion of a heating medium about the trays 13.
It is envisioned that a vacuum line 14 in timed~
relationship with timing device 15 would move from next to the pouches with the vacuum picking up the flexible pouch 11 and then be moved over the tray 13 by an appropriate set of gears and cams (not shown) and when immediately over the tray 13 the vacuum being broken by passing over a cam (not shown) or through the timing device 15 or some other such method and the flexible pouch 11 thereby deposited in the tray. It may be understood, however, that many types of depositing devices would be fully acceptable within the scope of this invention and it need not be limited to the ~647S7 vacuum pickoff device 15 as is shown herein. For instance, a set of slots and chutes could be used with an appropriate timing mechanism to deposit the flexible pouches in pro-gressive order on the tray. The trays 13 move on a conveyor belt 16 having a motor 17 and gea~s thereon to drive it with the motor 17 and gears being in timed relationship to the pickoff device 15 which is also in timed relationship to the packaging machine. The loaded trays 13 then move on the conveyor belt 16 into bin 18 which is open ended but re-strained on the opposite end by restraining bars 19. Whena stack of trays 13 fills a slot in the bin 18, the re-straining bars 19 are placed on the other end, thereby locking the trays 13 therein. The bin 18 is adjusted to catch the trays 13 by an appropriate lift 20 which is in timed relationship with the movement of the other portions of the apparatus. When the bins 18 are filled they are then moved into retort device 21 and a heating mediu~ is circulated thereabout by a conventional method until the product in the pouches 11 is sterilized. Conventionally the cooking medium is under pressure to provide a temperature above the boiling point of water and thereby provides for sterilization of the product.
Referring to Figure 3, stackable ends 24 of the trays 13 engage the tray thereabove and provide a stacking feature which locks the pouches 11 therein to prevent movement thereof. As noted above, the protuberances 25 on the tray 13 separate the pouches 11 and provide a conduit for ~06~757 the circulating medium to move through without lateral move-ment of the flexible pouches ll. In the process the flexible pouches ll are placed in the trays 13, they are stacked and placed in the bin 18, and locked therein, and then placed in the retort device 21 for sterilization. The entire operation is in timed relationship for automation thereof~ It may be seen, however, that within the scope of the inten-t of this invention are numerous modifications and changes which still fall within the scope of this invention and are intended to be claimed herein. For instance, within the scope of the claimed invention can be the above process and apparatus wherein the trays 13 are independently stacked on a cart (not shown) as they leave the conveyor 16 and are then placed as stacks in the bin 18.
Claims (4)
1. An apparatus for sterilizing items sealed in a flexible pouch, said apparatus including means for depositing sealed flexible pouches containing the items on stackable trays capable of spacing apart the flexible pouches and providing a continuous conduit for a heating medium to cir-culate about the pouches; means for stacking the stackable trays with the pouches thereon; and means for circulating a heating medium about the pouches to sterilize the items therein.
2. An apparatus as in Claim 1, wherein the tray has a bottom portion including a conduit for circulating a heating medium therethrough, edge walls projecting outward from opposing sides of the bottom portion and terminating in wall ends engageable with the bottom portion of a like tray, and protuberances projecting outward from the bottom portion to space apart flexible pouches on the trays and prevent substantial movement of the pouches on the tray, said-protuberances being sufficiently open to allow for circulation of a heating medium about the trays and said pouches being held with a substantially uniform exposed cross-section.
3. A method for sterilizing items comprising:
sealing the items in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches; spacing apart a plurality of the item containing pouches on trays to form a plurality of conduits with sub-stantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort heating the items in the pouches by circulating a heated sterilizing medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches.
sealing the items in air and light impermeable, flexible pouches; spacing apart a plurality of the item containing pouches on trays to form a plurality of conduits with sub-stantially unmovable pouches therein; and retort heating the items in the pouches by circulating a heated sterilizing medium through the formed conduits and about the pouches.
4. A method as in Claim 3, wherein the spacing apart of the flexible pouches is accomplished by placing them in a stackable tray and stacking the stackable trays, said stackable trays having a bottom portion comprising a con-duit for circulating a heating medium therethrough, edge walls projecting outward from opposing sides of the bottom portion and terminating in wall ends engageable with the bottom portion of a like tray, and protuberances projecting outward from the bottom portion to space apart flexible pouches on the tray and prevent substantial movement of the pouches on the tray, said protuberances being sufficiently open to allow for circulation of a heating medium about the trays.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA250,622A CA1064757A (en) | 1976-04-21 | 1976-04-21 | Apparatus and method for sterilizing items in sealed flexible pouches |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA250,622A CA1064757A (en) | 1976-04-21 | 1976-04-21 | Apparatus and method for sterilizing items in sealed flexible pouches |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1064757A true CA1064757A (en) | 1979-10-23 |
Family
ID=4105742
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA250,622A Expired CA1064757A (en) | 1976-04-21 | 1976-04-21 | Apparatus and method for sterilizing items in sealed flexible pouches |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1064757A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE1027291B1 (en) * | 2019-12-03 | 2020-12-09 | Culinor Nv | PROCESS FOR INDUSTRIAL PREPARATION OF FOOD |
-
1976
- 1976-04-21 CA CA250,622A patent/CA1064757A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE1027291B1 (en) * | 2019-12-03 | 2020-12-09 | Culinor Nv | PROCESS FOR INDUSTRIAL PREPARATION OF FOOD |
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