# US 11,077,972 B1 · Funnels and lances for package filling

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- Number: US 11,077,972 B1
- Document ID: US11077972B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/106,623
- Filed: 2020-11-30
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2020-11-30
- Assignees: Sargento Foods Inc.
- Applicants: Sargento Foods Inc.
- Inventors: James Abston; Tim Veldman; Jon Sommer; Aaron Strand
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077972B1

## CPC

- B65B 31/044: {the nozzles being combined with a filling device (B65B31/043 takes precedence)}
- B65B 39/007: {Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers}
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)

## Abstract

Funnels and gas lances are disclosed for use with filling packages with bulk product.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An assembly for transferring bulk food products to a package in a manufacturing line comprising:
a funnel having an exit end where bulk products enter the package; and
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-section area of both the funnel and the lance.

### Claim 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, 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.

### Claim 3

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.

### Claim 4

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%.

### Claim 5

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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein gas flows out of the exit end in a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow of bulk products entering the package.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein gas flows out of the exit end in a direction approximately at a 45 degree angle to the flow of bulk products entering the package.