EP0306379A1 - Plant for packaging products in containers - Google Patents

Plant for packaging products in containers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0306379A1
EP0306379A1 EP88402047A EP88402047A EP0306379A1 EP 0306379 A1 EP0306379 A1 EP 0306379A1 EP 88402047 A EP88402047 A EP 88402047A EP 88402047 A EP88402047 A EP 88402047A EP 0306379 A1 EP0306379 A1 EP 0306379A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
containers
installation according
tunnel
conveyor
gas
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP88402047A
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German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Gérard Dubrulle
Alain Roullet
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Air Liquide SA, LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical Air Liquide SA
Publication of EP0306379A1 publication Critical patent/EP0306379A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • B65B31/006—Adding fluids for preventing deformation of filled and closed containers or wrappers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/222—Head-space air removing devices, e.g. by inducing foam

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an installation for packaging products in containers, of the type comprising a conveyor above which are arranged a device for injecting liquefied gas into the containers and, downstream thereof relative to the direction movement of the conveyor, a container closure device.
  • Protection against oxygen may be necessary for various reasons, including the risk of degradation of the product by oxygen in the air, the possible attack of the product by a product of this reaction, depressurization (or the rise in pressure ) of the container (more or less flexible) of the container following reactions of the product with oxygen (for example in the case of products containing terpenes). This change in pressure distorts the packaging and leads to storage problems (curved bottles for example), aesthetics or adhesion of labels subsequently deposited.
  • the pressurization of the containers makes it possible to compensate for a depressurization of the containers during the cooling of hot packaged products, and / or to compensate for the permeation of gases through the wall of the containers, and it improves the mechanical strength of the containers during handling, reducing the wall thickness necessary for their realization.
  • - inerting by gas the containers pass through a tunnel, or hooded passage, with or without airlock, under maintained gas pressure, or under devices, (pipes, canes, nozzles ...) injecting the gas under consideration.
  • the gas used is generally nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or a mixture of the two. It is thus possible to obtain fairly low residual oxygen levels (up to approximately 3%, in certain cases), but it is not possible to generate or maintain a significant overpressure;
  • - inerting / pressurization by liquid the containers receive, before fitting the cap, a few drops of liquefied gas, which vaporize by expelling the air and creating the desired overpressure.
  • the present invention aims to provide an installation capable of generating and maintaining on the one hand a constant and adjustable overpressure, on the other hand a very low residual oxygen level, whatever the type of product added.
  • the subject of the invention is an installation of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises a device for protecting the containers against ambient air extending between the injection device and the closure device.
  • the protection device forms a tunnel covering the conveyor, and the installation comprises means for injecting said gas in the gaseous state into the tunnel.
  • the protective device may in particular comprise, at least over part of its length, a flexible upper wall located a short distance from the opening of the containers.
  • the packaging installation shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 essentially comprises a conveyor 1 on which containers 2 run in a single row, a device 3 for injecting liquid nitrogen, a device 4 for closing the containers, and a protection tunnel 5.
  • the devices 3 and 4 are arranged directly above the conveyor, the device 4 being located downstream of the device 3 relative to the direction of travel of this conveyor; the tunnel 5 covers the conveyor between these two devices, from a location located a little downstream of the device 3 to a location located a little upstream of the device 4.
  • the containers 2, which are plastic bottles in this example after having received a determined quantity of a product 6, which can in particular be an organic liquid, pass successively under the device 3, through the tunnel 5 then under the device 4.
  • the liquid nitrogen injection device 3 can be any one of the various types of known devices, for example as described in the aforementioned patent EP 103 506. It is supplied with liquid nitrogen by a thermally insulated pipe 7 connected to the lower part of a tank 8 of liquid nitrogen.
  • the shutter device 4 is also conventional. It is used to fix by crimping a cap 9 on each bottle leaving the tunnel 5.
  • the tunnel 5, open at both ends, comprises a flexible wall 10 made of a material resistant to low temperatures, for example a sheet of "Mylar", held by a series of arches 11 which are themselves fixed on the fixed edges 12 ( Figures 2 and 3) of the conveyor 1.
  • These arches give the wall 10 a roughly constant cross section, for example rectangular as shown in Figure 3, with an upper wall 13 and two side walls 14 they also fixed to the edges 11.
  • two cables 15, threaded in longitudinal rows of holes 16 provided in the upper wall 13, include tensioning means (not shown) and make it possible to prevent the deflection of this wall 13 between the arches 11.
  • the wall 13 descends slightly from upstream to downstream.
  • Each ramp 17 is mounted in the tunnel 5, on either side of the bottles 2, and extend over the entire length of the tunnel.
  • Each ramp has a longitudinal slot 18 located approximately almost two thirds of the height of the bottles 2 and oriented at about 45 ° downwards.
  • Each ramp is supplied by a pipe 19 connected to the top of the liquid nitrogen tank 8 and passing through an orifice 20 in the corresponding side wall 14.
  • each bottle receives, directly on the product 6, a small determined quantity of liquid nitrogen.
  • This liquid gradually vaporizes during the passage in the tunnel 5, generating nitrogen gas which expels the air contained in the upper part of the bottles.
  • the bottles 2 are subjected to shocks or vibrations in the tunnel 5, by known means not shown, in order to break into multiple droplets the single drop of liquid nitrogen which forms on the product 6 under the effect of calefaction.
  • tunnel 5 The purpose of tunnel 5 is to prevent backscattering of the air in the bottles.
  • the upper wall 13 limits the gas passage section around the necks of the bottles and increases the speed of exit of the gases out of these necks, and the ramps 17 permanently inject nitrogen gas into the tunnel, this nitrogen gas licking bottles from top to bottom as shown in Figure 3.
  • the length of the tunnel is chosen so that the end of the vaporization of the liquid nitrogen occurs a little upstream of its exit.
  • the downward shape of the wall 13 makes it possible to generate an almost constant overpressure in the bottles 2 over the entire length of the tunnel, at least in the terminal part of it.
  • the upper part of the bottles thus contains nitrogen gas under a slight overpressure, which maintains an ascending current of nitrogen during the short time, of the order of a second, which separates the exit of a bottle from the tunnel from the moment it is provided with a stopper by the device 4.
  • the invention applies to the packaging of very diverse products, especially liquid or pasty, such as: non-carbonated drinks, pesticides, fungicides, phytosanitary products or liquid detergents, solvents and chemical or petroleum products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, etc. ..
  • the containers can be bottles, boxes etc ..., and be made of glass, metal, plastic, etc ...

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)

Abstract

This plant comprises a conveyor (1) above which are arranged a device (3) for injecting liquefied gas into the containers and, downstream of the latter relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor, a device (4) for closing the containers, as well as a tunnel (5) for protecting the containers against the ambient air, extending between the injection device (3) and the closure device (4). <??>Application to the packaging, in boxes or bottles, of still beverages and organic products. <IMAGE>

Description

La présente invention est relative à une installation de conditionnement de produits dans des récipients, du type comprenant un convoyeur au-dessus duquel sont disposés un dispositif d'injection de gaz liquéfié dans les récipients et, en aval de celui-ci par rapport au sens de déplacement du convoyeur, un dispositif d'obturation des récipients.The present invention relates to an installation for packaging products in containers, of the type comprising a conveyor above which are arranged a device for injecting liquefied gas into the containers and, downstream thereof relative to the direction movement of the conveyor, a container closure device.

Lors du conditionnement en récipients, tels que boîtes ou bouteilles, de produits divers, liquides ou pâteux notamment, dans des domaines très variés (produits alimentaires, phyto-sanitaires, chimiques, pesticides et fongicides, etc...), se posent fréquemment l'un et/ou l'autre des deux problèmes suivants :
- protection par inertage du produit conditionné contre l'air ambiant, essentiellement contre l'oxygène ;
- maintien, ou génération avant mise en place du bouchon du récipient, d'une surpression prédéterminée.When packaging in containers, such as boxes or bottles, various products, especially liquids or pastes, in a wide variety of fields (food, plant health, chemicals, pesticides and fungicides, etc.) frequently arise. one or both of the following two problems:
- inerting protection of the packaged product against ambient air, mainly against oxygen;
- maintenance, or generation before fitting of the container cap, of a predetermined overpressure.

La protection contre l'oxygène peut être nécessaire pour diverses raisons, dont le risque de dégradation du produit par l'oxygène de l'air, l'attaque possible du produit par un produit de cette réaction, la dépressurisation (ou la montée en pression) de l'enveloppe (plus ou moins souple) du récipient à la suite de réactions du produit avec l'oxygène (par exemple dans le cas de produits contenant des terpènes). Cette modification de pression déforme l'emballage et conduit à des problèmes de stockage (bouteilles bombées par exemple), d'esthétique ou d'adhérence d'étiquettes déposées ensuite.Protection against oxygen may be necessary for various reasons, including the risk of degradation of the product by oxygen in the air, the possible attack of the product by a product of this reaction, depressurization (or the rise in pressure ) of the container (more or less flexible) of the container following reactions of the product with oxygen (for example in the case of products containing terpenes). This change in pressure distorts the packaging and leads to storage problems (curved bottles for example), aesthetics or adhesion of labels subsequently deposited.

La pressurisation des récipients, quant à elle, permet de compenser une dépressurisation des récipients lors du refroidissement de produits conditionnés à chaud, et/ou de compenser la perméation des gaz à travers la paroi des récipients, et elle améliore la tenue mécanique des récipients lors de leur manutention, en réduisant l'épaisseur de paroi nécessaire pour leur réalisation.The pressurization of the containers, meanwhile, makes it possible to compensate for a depressurization of the containers during the cooling of hot packaged products, and / or to compensate for the permeation of gases through the wall of the containers, and it improves the mechanical strength of the containers during handling, reducing the wall thickness necessary for their realization.

On utilise actuellement deux procédés pour atteindre ces buts :
- l'inertage par voie gazeuse : les récipients passent dans un tunnel, ou passage capoté, avec ou sens sas, sous pression gazeuse entretenue, ou bien sous des dispositifs, (pipes, cannes, buses...) injectant le gaz considéré. Le gaz utilisé est en général de l'azote, de l'anhydride carbonique, voire un mélange des deux. On peut obtenir ainsi des taux résiduels d'oxygène assez bas (jusque 3% environ, dans certains cas), mais on ne peut pas générer ou maintenir une surpression importante ;
- l'inertage/pressurisation par voie liquide : les récipients reçoivent, avant la pose du bouchon, quelques gouttes de gaz liquéfié, qui se vaporisent en chassant l'air et en créant la surpression désirée. Les installations correspondantes, qui sont du type indiqué plus haut (voir par example le brevet EP 103 506), génèrent souvent des pressions finales instables, qui sont fonction de la qualité du phénomène de caléfaction et du type de produit traité, notamment de sa proportion de phase aqueuse ; en outre, le taux d'oxygène remonte rapidement après évaporation partielle du gaz liquéfié ; enfin, comme la consommation de gaz liquéfié est faible, le dégazage et la perte d'azote gazeux au stockage sont relativement importants.Two methods are currently used to achieve these goals:
- inerting by gas: the containers pass through a tunnel, or hooded passage, with or without airlock, under maintained gas pressure, or under devices, (pipes, canes, nozzles ...) injecting the gas under consideration. The gas used is generally nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or a mixture of the two. It is thus possible to obtain fairly low residual oxygen levels (up to approximately 3%, in certain cases), but it is not possible to generate or maintain a significant overpressure;
- inerting / pressurization by liquid: the containers receive, before fitting the cap, a few drops of liquefied gas, which vaporize by expelling the air and creating the desired overpressure. The corresponding installations, which are of the type indicated above (see for example patent EP 103 506), often generate unstable final pressures, which are a function of the quality of the phenomenon of caléfaction and of the type of product treated, in particular of its proportion. aqueous phase; in addition, the oxygen rate rises rapidly after partial evaporation of the liquefied gas; Finally, as the consumption of liquefied gas is low, degassing and loss of nitrogen gas during storage are relatively high.

La présente invention a pour but de fournir une installation capable de générer et de maintenir d'une part une surpression constante et réglable, d'autre part un taux d'oxygène résiduel très faible, quel que soit le type du produit additionné.The present invention aims to provide an installation capable of generating and maintaining on the one hand a constant and adjustable overpressure, on the other hand a very low residual oxygen level, whatever the type of product added.

A cet effet, l'invention a pour objet une installation du type précité, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend un dispositif de protection des récipients contre l'air ambiant s'étendant entre le dispositif d'injection et le dispositif d'obturation.To this end, the subject of the invention is an installation of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises a device for protecting the containers against ambient air extending between the injection device and the closure device.

Dans un mode de réalisation préférée, le dispositif de protection forme un tunnel recouvrant le convoyeur, et l'installation comprend des moyens d'injection dans le tunnel dudit gaz à l'état gazeux. Le dispositif de protection peut notamment comporter, au moins sur une partie de sa longueur, une paroi supérieure souple située à faible distance de l'ouverture des récipients.In a preferred embodiment, the protection device forms a tunnel covering the conveyor, and the installation comprises means for injecting said gas in the gaseous state into the tunnel. The protective device may in particular comprise, at least over part of its length, a flexible upper wall located a short distance from the opening of the containers.

Un exemple de réalisation de l'invention va maintenant être décrit en regard des dessins annexés, sur lesquels :

  • - la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation, partiellement en coupe, d'une installation de conditionnement conforme à l'invention ;
  • - la figure 2 est une vue schématique de dessus de l'intérieur du tunnel de protection, la paroi de celui-ci étant supposée enlevée ;
  • - la figure 3 est une vue prise en coupe suivant la ligne III-III de la figure 2 ; et
  • - la figure 4 est une vue schématique en perspective du tunnel de protection ;
An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
  • - Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view, partially in section, of a packaging installation according to the invention;
  • - Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the interior of the protection tunnel, the wall thereof being assumed removed;
  • - Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2; and
  • - Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the protection tunnel;

L'installation de conditionnement représentée aux figures 1 à 3 comprend essentiellement un convoyeur 1 sur lequel défilent des récipients 2 disposés sur une seule file, un dispositif 3 d'injection d'azote liquide, un dispositif 4 d'obturation des récipients, et un tunnel de protection 5. Les dispositifs 3 et 4 sont disposés à l'aplomb du convoyeur, le dispositif 4 étant situé en aval du dispositif 3 par rapport au sens de défilement de ce convoyeur ; le tunnel 5 coiffe le convoyeur entre ces deux dispositifs, depuis un emplacement situé un peu en aval du dispositif 3 jusqu'à un emplacement situé un peu en amont du dispositif 4.The packaging installation shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 essentially comprises a conveyor 1 on which containers 2 run in a single row, a device 3 for injecting liquid nitrogen, a device 4 for closing the containers, and a protection tunnel 5. The devices 3 and 4 are arranged directly above the conveyor, the device 4 being located downstream of the device 3 relative to the direction of travel of this conveyor; the tunnel 5 covers the conveyor between these two devices, from a location located a little downstream of the device 3 to a location located a little upstream of the device 4.

Ainsi, les récipients 2, qui sont des bouteilles en matière plastique dans cet exemple, après avoir reçu une quantité déterminée d'un produit 6, qui peut notamment être un liquide organique, passent successivement sous le dispositif 3, à travers le tunnel 5 puis sous le dispositif 4. Le dispositif d'injection d'azote liquide 3 peut être l'un quelconque des divers types de dispositifs connus, par exemple tel que décrit dans le brevet EP 103 506 précité. Il est alimenté en azote liquide par une conduite thermiquement isolée 7 reliée à la partie inférieure d'un réservoir 8 d'azote liquide.Thus, the containers 2, which are plastic bottles in this example, after having received a determined quantity of a product 6, which can in particular be an organic liquid, pass successively under the device 3, through the tunnel 5 then under the device 4. The liquid nitrogen injection device 3 can be any one of the various types of known devices, for example as described in the aforementioned patent EP 103 506. It is supplied with liquid nitrogen by a thermally insulated pipe 7 connected to the lower part of a tank 8 of liquid nitrogen.

Le dispositif d'obturation 4 est également classique. Il sert à fixer par sertissage un bouchon 9 sur chaque bouteille sortant du tunnel 5.The shutter device 4 is also conventional. It is used to fix by crimping a cap 9 on each bottle leaving the tunnel 5.

Le tunnel 5, ouvert à ses deux extrémités, comprend une paroi souple 10 constituée d'un matériau résistant aux basses températures, par exemple d'une feuille de "Mylar", maintenue par une série d'arceaux 11 qui sont eux-mêmes fixés sur les rives fixes 12 (figures 2 et 3) du convoyeur 1. Ces arceaux confèrent à la paroi 10 une section transversale à peu près constante, par exemple rectangulaire comme représenté à la figure 3, avec une paroi supérieure 13 et deux parois latérales 14 elles aussi fixées aux rives 11. De plus, deux câbles 15, enfilés dans des rangées longitudinales de trous 16 prévus dans la paroi supérieure 13, comportent des moyens (non représentés) de mise en tension et permettent d'éviter la flèche de cette paroi 13 entre les arceaux 11. En vue de profil (figure 1), la paroi 13 descend légèrement d'amont vers l'aval.The tunnel 5, open at both ends, comprises a flexible wall 10 made of a material resistant to low temperatures, for example a sheet of "Mylar", held by a series of arches 11 which are themselves fixed on the fixed edges 12 (Figures 2 and 3) of the conveyor 1. These arches give the wall 10 a roughly constant cross section, for example rectangular as shown in Figure 3, with an upper wall 13 and two side walls 14 they also fixed to the edges 11. In addition, two cables 15, threaded in longitudinal rows of holes 16 provided in the upper wall 13, include tensioning means (not shown) and make it possible to prevent the deflection of this wall 13 between the arches 11. In profile view (Figure 1), the wall 13 descends slightly from upstream to downstream.

Deux rampes longitudinales 17 sont montées dans le tunnel 5, de part et d'autre des bouteilles 2, et s'étendent sur toute la longueur du tunnel. Chaque rampe comporte une fente longitudinale 18 située à peu près aux deux tiers de la hauteur des bouteilles 2 et orientée à environ 45° vers le bas. Chaque rampe est alimentée par une conduite 19 reliée au sommet du réservoir d'azote liquide 8 et traversant un orifice 20 de la paroi latérale 14 correspondante.Two longitudinal ramps 17 are mounted in the tunnel 5, on either side of the bottles 2, and extend over the entire length of the tunnel. Each ramp has a longitudinal slot 18 located approximately almost two thirds of the height of the bottles 2 and oriented at about 45 ° downwards. Each ramp is supplied by a pipe 19 connected to the top of the liquid nitrogen tank 8 and passing through an orifice 20 in the corresponding side wall 14.

Le fonctionnement de l'installation ainsi décrite est le suivant.The operation of the installation thus described is as follows.

En passant sous le dispositif 3, chaque bouteille reçoit, directement sur le produit 6, une petite quantité déterminée d'azote liquide. Ce liquide se vaporise progressivement au cours du passage dans le tunnel 5, en générant de l'azote gazeux qui chasse l'air contenu dans la partie supérieure des bouteilles. Pour accélérer cette vaporisation, notamment lorsque le produit 6 est un liquide organique qui ne se congèle pas sous l'effet de cette petite quantité d'azote liquide, les bouteilles 2 sont soumises à des chocs ou à des vibrations dans le tunnel 5, par des moyens connus non représentés, afin de briser en de multiples gouttelettes la goutte unique d'azote liquide qui se forme sur le produit 6 sous l'effet de la caléfaction.By passing under the device 3, each bottle receives, directly on the product 6, a small determined quantity of liquid nitrogen. This liquid gradually vaporizes during the passage in the tunnel 5, generating nitrogen gas which expels the air contained in the upper part of the bottles. To accelerate this vaporization, in particular when the product 6 is an organic liquid which does not freeze under the effect of this small quantity of liquid nitrogen, the bottles 2 are subjected to shocks or vibrations in the tunnel 5, by known means not shown, in order to break into multiple droplets the single drop of liquid nitrogen which forms on the product 6 under the effect of calefaction.

Le tunnel 5 a pour but d'empêcher la rétrodiffusion de l'air dans les bouteilles. Pour cela, la paroi supérieure 13 limite la section de passage des gaz autour des goulots des bouteilles et augmente la vitesse de sortie des gaz hors de ces goulots, et les rampes 17 injectent en permanence de l'azote gazeux dans le tunnel, cet azote gazeux léchant les bouteilles de haut en bas comme indiqué sur le figure 3.The purpose of tunnel 5 is to prevent backscattering of the air in the bottles. For this, the upper wall 13 limits the gas passage section around the necks of the bottles and increases the speed of exit of the gases out of these necks, and the ramps 17 permanently inject nitrogen gas into the tunnel, this nitrogen gas licking bottles from top to bottom as shown in Figure 3.

La longueur du tunnel est choisie de façon que la fin de la vaporisation de l'azote liquide se produise un peu en amont de sa sortie. Compte tenu de la décroissance du volume d'azote gazeux produit au fur et à mesure de cette vaporisation, la forme descendante de la paroi 13 permet d'engendrer une surpression à peu près constante dans les bouteilles 2 sur toute la longueur du tunnel, au moins dans la partie terminale de celui-ci.The length of the tunnel is chosen so that the end of the vaporization of the liquid nitrogen occurs a little upstream of its exit. In view of the decrease in the volume of nitrogen gas produced as this vaporization proceeds, the downward shape of the wall 13 makes it possible to generate an almost constant overpressure in the bottles 2 over the entire length of the tunnel, at least in the terminal part of it.

A leur sortie du tunnel 5, la partie supérieure des bouteilles contient ainsi de l'azote gazeux sous une légère surpression, ce qui maintient un courant ascendant d'azote pendant le bref laps de temps, de l'ordre de la seconde, qui sépare la sortie d'une bouteille du tunnel de l'instant où elle est munie d'un bouchon par le dispositif 4.On leaving the tunnel 5, the upper part of the bottles thus contains nitrogen gas under a slight overpressure, which maintains an ascending current of nitrogen during the short time, of the order of a second, which separates the exit of a bottle from the tunnel from the moment it is provided with a stopper by the device 4.

On a pu ainsi obtenir des bouteilles contenant un produit organique avec un ciel gazeux constitué d'azote contenant un taux résiduel d'oxygène sensiblement constant de 3 à 4%, avec une surpression à peu près uniforme d'une bouteille à l'autre, de l'ordre de 50 à 100 mb. L'inertage du tunnel par les rampes 17 permet par ailleurs d'utiliser les vapeurs d'azote formées dans le réservoir 8 sous l'effet des entrées de chaleur naturelles, et, par conséquent, n'induit aucune, ou presque aucune, consommation supplémentaire d'azote.It was thus possible to obtain bottles containing an organic product with a gaseous sky consisting of nitrogen containing a rate substantially constant residual oxygen of 3 to 4%, with an almost uniform overpressure from one bottle to another, of the order of 50 to 100 mb. The inerting of the tunnel by the ramps 17 also makes it possible to use the nitrogen vapors formed in the tank 8 under the effect of natural heat inputs, and, consequently, induces no, or almost no, consumption. additional nitrogen.

L'invention s'applique au conditionnement de produits très divers, liquides ou pâteux notamment, tels que : boissons non gazeuses, pesticides, fongicides, produits phyto-sanitaires ou détergents liquides, solvants et produits chimiques ou pétroliers, cosmétiques et pharmaceutiques, etc... Les récipients peuvent être des bouteilles, des boîtes etc..., et être réalisés en verre, en métal, en matière plastique, etc...The invention applies to the packaging of very diverse products, especially liquid or pasty, such as: non-carbonated drinks, pesticides, fungicides, phytosanitary products or liquid detergents, solvents and chemical or petroleum products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, etc. .. The containers can be bottles, boxes etc ..., and be made of glass, metal, plastic, etc ...

Claims (10)

1. Installation de conditionnement de produits dans des récipients (2), du type comprenant un convoyeur (1) au-dessus duquel sont disposés un dispositif (3) d'injection de gaz liquéfié dans les récipients et, en aval de celui-ci par rapport au sens de déplacement du convoyeur, un dispositif (4) d'obturation des récipients, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend un dispositif (5) de protection des récipients contre l'air ambiant s'étendant entre le dispositif d'injection (3) et le dispositif d'obturation (4).1. Installation for packaging products in containers (2), of the type comprising a conveyor (1) above which are arranged a device (3) for injecting liquefied gas into the containers and, downstream thereof relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor, a device (4) for closing the containers, characterized in that it comprises a device (5) for protecting the containers against ambient air extending between the injection device (3) and the shutter device (4). 2. Installation suivant la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de protection (5) forme un tunnel recouvrant le convoyeur (1).2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the protection device (5) forms a tunnel covering the conveyor (1). 3. Installation suivant l'une des revendications 1 et 2, caractérisée en ce que le dispositif de protection (5) comporte, au moins sur une partie de sa longueur, une paroi supérieure (13) située à faible distance de l'ouverture des récipients (2).3. Installation according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the protection device (5) comprises, at least over part of its length, an upper wall (13) located a short distance from the opening of the containers (2). 4. Installation suivant la revendication 3, caractérisée en ce que ladite paroi supérieure (13) descend d'amont vers l'aval.4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said upper wall (13) descends from upstream to downstream. 5. Installation suivant l'une des revendications 3 et 4, caractérisée en ce que ladite paroi supérieure (13) est souple.5. Installation according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said upper wall (13) is flexible. 6. Installation suivant la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que ladite paroi supérieure (13) est prolongée par deux voiles latéraux (14) fixés de chaque côté du convoyeur (1) et est munie de moyens (15) de réglage de sa tension.6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that said upper wall (13) is extended by two lateral webs (14) fixed on each side of the conveyor (1) and is provided with means (15) for adjusting its tension. 7. Installation suivant la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend des moyens (17) d'injection dans le tunnel (5) dudit gaz à l'état gazeux.7. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises means (17) for injecting into the tunnel (5) said gas in the gaseous state. 8. Installation suivant la revendication 7, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend un réservoir (8) de stockage de gaz liquéfié muni d'une conduite (7) d'alimentation en gaz liquéfié du dispositif d'injection (3) et d'une conduite (19) d'alimentation du tunnel (5) en gaz vaporisé partant de la partie supérieure du réservoir.8. Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a tank (8) for liquefied gas storage provided with a pipe (7) for supplying liquefied gas to the injection device (3) and a pipe (19) for supplying the tunnel (5) with vaporized gas starting from the upper part of the tank. 9. Installation suivant la revendication 8, caractérisée en ce que la conduite (19) d'alimentation en gaz vaporisé débouche dans deux rampes d'injection (17) s'étendant le long des bords du tunnel (5).9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the pipe (19) for supplying vaporized gas opens into two injection ramps (17) extending along the edges of the tunnel (5). 10. Installation suivant la revendication 9, caractérisée en ce que les rampes d'injection (17) sont situées au niveau de la partie supérieure des récipients (2) et comportent des ouvertures (18) d'injection de gaz orientées en oblique vers le bas, en direction des récipients.10. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the injection ramps (17) are located at the level of the part upper containers (2) and have gas injection openings (18) oriented obliquely downward towards the containers.
EP88402047A 1987-08-17 1988-08-05 Plant for packaging products in containers Withdrawn EP0306379A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8711636A FR2619550B1 (en) 1987-08-17 1987-08-17 INSTALLATION OF PACKAGING OF PRODUCTS IN CONTAINERS
FR8711636 1987-08-17

Publications (1)

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EP0306379A1 true EP0306379A1 (en) 1989-03-08

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EP88402047A Withdrawn EP0306379A1 (en) 1987-08-17 1988-08-05 Plant for packaging products in containers

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US (1) US4977723A (en)
EP (1) EP0306379A1 (en)
JP (1) JPS6470325A (en)
AU (1) AU602602B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1294931C (en)
DK (1) DK458088A (en)
FR (1) FR2619550B1 (en)
NZ (1) NZ225830A (en)
PT (1) PT88278A (en)

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US10479536B2 (en) * 2012-09-17 2019-11-19 Portland Outdoors, Llc System, methods and apparatus for urine collection and storage
CN104925728A (en) * 2014-03-21 2015-09-23 东莞市金辣子食品有限公司 Automatic rice wine filling equipment and processing method thereof
KR102397430B1 (en) * 2015-03-10 2022-05-12 동아에스티 주식회사 Gas substitution apparatus
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US4977723A (en) 1990-12-18
JPS6470325A (en) 1989-03-15
CA1294931C (en) 1992-01-28
FR2619550B1 (en) 1990-02-16
FR2619550A1 (en) 1989-02-24
DK458088A (en) 1989-02-18
DK458088D0 (en) 1988-08-16
NZ225830A (en) 1991-01-29
AU602602B2 (en) 1990-10-18
PT88278A (en) 1989-06-30
AU2091088A (en) 1989-02-23

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