Funnels and lances for package filling

A method for blowing gas into product package filled with bulk products on a manufacturing line comprising the steps:

• providing a funnel having an exit end where bulk products enter the package;
• providing a gas lance for blowing a gas into the package, the lance having an exit end where the gas enters the package, wherein the funnel and the lance share a common wall thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of both the funnel and the lance;
• and
• due to the increased cross-sectional area of the lance, substantially reducing the velocity of the gas entering the package and enabling laminar flow of the gas.

A method for blowing gas into a product package being filled with bulk products on a manufacturing line comprising the steps:

• providing a funnel having an exit end where bulk products enter the package;
• providing a gas lance for blowing a gas into the package, the lance having an exit end where the gas enters the package;
• and
• blowing gas into the package in a laminar flow thereby reducing the bulk product being blown out of the package.

A method for filling a food product package with bulk food products, said method comprising the steps:

• providing a funnel with an exit end;
• providing a gas lance with an exit end;
• moving the funnel and the lance into the product package so that the exit end of the funnel and lance are inside the food product package;
• transferring a bulk food product into the funnel so that the bulk food product travels through the funnel, out the exit end of the funnel and into the food product package;
• and
• blowing a gas through the lance, out the exit end and into the food product package to displace oxygen in the food package to under 2%.

A method for blowing gas into product package filled with bulk products on a manufacturing line comprising the steps:

• providing a funnel having an exit end where bulk products enter the package;
• providing a gas lance for blowing a gas into the package, the lance having an exit end where the gas enters the package;
• and
• blowing gas into the package such that the gas flows out of the exit end in a direction that is not substantially parallel to the flow of bulk products entering the package.