Food Container Lid Fixing for Gas Escape and Contamination Control

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for filling food containers, such as beverage cans, often result in spillage and subsequent microbiological contamination, necessitating frequent cleaning and heat treatment to prevent recontamination.

Innovation Solution

A method where the lid is initially fixed to the container in a way that allows gas escape, preventing germ entry and spillage, with permanent gas-tight sealing occurring later in a separate station, using a lid feeder and inert gas atmosphere to minimize contamination risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the lid is immediately placed on the filled container to prevent spillage and contamination, then the risk of microbiological contamination is reduced, but gas (including CO2 and oxygen) cannot escape from the container

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of microbiological contaminationVSAvoidgas buildup and pressure inside container

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lid is placed on the container immediately after filling to preliminarily prevent contamination before it occurs. The lid serves as a preliminary barrier that protects the container during transport to the closing station, preventing both spillage and microbiological contamination while allowing gas to escape through the designed gap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The closing process is segmented into two distinct stages: first, the lid is placed on the container to provide preliminary protection while allowing gas escape; second, the container is transported to a closing station where permanent gas-tight sealing is applied. This segmentation allows each stage to optimize for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the lid is firmly and tightly connected to the container immediately after filling, then gas-tight sealing is achieved, but spillage occurs and contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas-tight sealingVSAvoidspillage and microbiological contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lid is placed on the container immediately after filling to preliminarily prevent contamination before it occurs. The lid serves as a preliminary barrier that protects the container during transport to the closing station, preventing both spillage and microbiological contamination while allowing gas to escape through the designed gap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the lid is pressed onto the container to fix it in place, then the lid remains secure during transport, but gas-tight sealing is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure lid placement during transportVSAvoidgas-tight sealing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lid is placed on the container immediately after filling to preliminarily prevent contamination before it occurs. The lid serves as a preliminary barrier that protects the container during transport to the closing station, preventing both spillage and microbiological contamination while allowing gas to escape through the designed gap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The closing process is segmented into two distinct stages: first, the lid is placed on the container to provide preliminary protection while allowing gas escape; second, the container is transported to a closing station where permanent gas-tight sealing is applied. This segmentation allows each stage to optimize for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach significantly reduces contamination of the system and the risk of recontaminating the filled containers by preventing germ entry and allowing gas to escape, while simplifying the lid-fixing process and avoiding the need for immediate gas-tight sealing.

Implementation Method 1

the fixing of the lid to the food container takes place in such a way that gas can escape from the covered food container to the outside

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas escape through non-gas-tight seal:

Implementation Method 2

The lid can be fixed in place by slightly deforming the lid during or after it is placed on the food container that has just been filled

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical deformation for fixing: Deformation

Implementation Method 3

The lids are fed to the cans filled in the filling station in an inert gas atmosphere, ie in a CO2 atmosphere, to ensure that germs are not trapped when the lids are placed on the food containers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInert gas atmosphere protection:

Data Source

PatentEP2429735B1Method for filling food containers

Publication Date: 2016.10.12 ARDAGH METAL PACKAGING EUROPE GMBH

Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for filling thin-walled food containers (14), in particular beverage cans, which as a result are sealed gas-tight and have a internal pressure lying above the ambient pressure to stabilize the food container. The method comprises the following method steps: providing a food container having an open filling opening in a filling station (10), filling the food container in the filling station, covering the filling opening of the food container using a lid immediately after the filling has been concluded, fixing the lid on the food container without sealing the food container gas-tight, transporting away the food container having the covered filling opening.