Package Passage for Air Removal and Hermetic Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging processes for liquid or semi-liquid food products, such as processed cheese, often result in unwanted air inside the package, leading to accelerated deterioration and an undesirable product configuration, while also being inefficient, complex, and costly.
Innovation Solution
A process and apparatus that introduces a passage for discharging excess air from the package, utilizing a protruding portion of the container to separate air and product flow, allowing for efficient air removal through a two-stretch passage mechanism and subsequent hermetic sealing, reducing component count and operational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filling passage is completely closed after product introduction, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but excess air remains inside the package causing deterioration and undesirable configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The filling passage is segmented into two distinct stretches: a first stretch (19a) that remains open to allow excess air to escape, and a second stretch (19b) that is hermetically sealed to prevent product leakage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both air removal and hermetic sealing through different portions of the same passage structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion (131) of the container acts as an intermediary element that creates the passage opening (17) and defines the two-stretch configuration. It mediates between the need for complete sealing and the need for air venting by providing a structural feature that allows selective opening and sealing of different passage segments.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the filling passage is left fully open to discharge air, then excess air is removed efficiently, but hermetic sealing cannot be achieved leading to product leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The passage is divided into two functional segments: the first stretch (19a) remains open during filling to discharge excess air, while the second stretch (19b) is subsequently hermetically sealed. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both air removal and hermetic sealing that would be contradictory in a single-uniform passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed with a protruding portion that pre-defines the passage geometry before filling. This preliminary structural configuration ensures that when sealing occurs, the air escape path is already differentiated from the product containment path, enabling sequential air removal followed by hermetic sealing.
3Productivity
If complex apparatus with multiple components is used to remove excess air, then air discharge efficiency is improved, but device complexity and construction cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container's own protruding portion (131) is utilized to create the passage opening and define the two-stretch configuration. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external air removal devices or complex apparatus, as the container structure itself provides the mechanism for efficient air discharge while maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion of the container serves multiple functions: it creates the passage opening, defines the two-stretch passage geometry, enables air discharge, and facilitates hermetic sealing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for air removal, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
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 solution effectively eliminates excess air, enhancing product stability, efficiency, reliability, and quality, while reducing construction costs and operational complexity.
Implementation Method 1
applying a pressure on the housing chamber 15 for discharging the excess air present in the housing chamber 15 through the passage 19 for discharging the excess air
Data Source
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AI summary
Described is a process and an apparatus for making a package for containing a liquid or semi-liquid product (11) in the form of a food product, defined by processed cheese, yoghurt or the like; the process comprises discharging to the outside of a housing chamber (15) the excess air contained therein, through a corresponding passage (19) which is defined in the container (13) and which emerges in the housing chamber (15), the passage (19) is shaped in such a way as to slow down the flow of product through the passage (19), and the passage (19) for discharging the excess air to the outside is closed, before the discharging of the product (11) to the outside of the container, or the respective housing chamber, through the same passage (19).