System and method for leak testing a sealed package
AssigneePackaging Technologies and Inspection, LLC
InventorsQuentin Talon, Anton Stauffer, Heinz Wolf, Oliver Stauffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided for leak testing a package having a body with an opening, a gas permeable material reaching over the opening, and an adhesive bond attaching the gas permeable material to the body beside the opening. The system includes a coupling element configured to connect with the package to enable potential leakage air flow paths into the coupling element, including a) from inside the package through the opening and further through the gas permeable material, and b) from an ambient atmosphere into the package and further through the gas permeable material.
Claims20
A system for leak testing a package having a body with an opening, a gas permeable material reaching over the opening, and an adhesive bond attaching the gas permeable material to the body beside the opening, the system comprising:
- a coupling element configured to connect with the package to enable potential leakage air flow paths into the coupling element, including:
- a) from inside the package through the opening and further through the gas permeable material;
- and
- b) from an ambient atmosphere into the package and further through the gas permeable material;
- a vacuum system operatively connected to the coupling element via a conduit to apply test evacuation pressure to the potential leakage air flow paths;
- a pressure sensor operative to sense test evacuation pressure in the coupling element;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- monitor a test evacuation pressure profile in the coupling element;
- compare the test evacuation pressure profile to a reference evacuation pressure profile of a reference package that does not have a leak;
- and
- determine whether there is a leak in the package based on the comparison.
A method of leak testing a package having a body with an opening, a gas permeable material reaching over the opening, and an adhesive bond attaching the gas permeable material to the body beside the opening, the method comprising:
- coupling a vacuum system to the package to enable potential leakage air flow paths into the vacuum system, including:
- a) from inside the package through the opening and further through the gas permeable material;
- and
- b) from an ambient atmosphere into the package and further through the gas permeable material;
- actuating the vacuum system to apply test evacuation pressure to the potential leakage air flow paths;
- monitoring a profile of the test evacuation pressure;
- and
- determining whether there is a leak in the package based on a comparison between the test evacuation pressure profile and a reference evacuation pressure profile of a reference package that does not have a leak.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.