Gassing rail and gas port for food packaging

A gassing rail apparatus to be used in a food packaging conveyor system, comprising:

• a rail top, the rail top having an upper portion with a laminar flow port opening and an accelerated flow port opening, and a lower portion having a laminar flow channel and an accelerated flow channel, the accelerated flow channel extending generally centered along the longitudinal axis of the rail top, the laminar flow channel generally extending around the accelerated flow channel, the laminar flow port opening coupled to the laminar flow channel and the accelerated flow port opening coupled to the accelerated flow channel;
• a gas port coupled to the laminar flow port opening and the accelerated flow port opening, the gas port is adapted for coupling to a gas source;
• an insert assembly located below the rail top and having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion includes a laminar flow input aligned with the laminar flow channel, and a slit extending and being centered along the longitudinal axis of the insert assembly, the slit being generally aligned with the accelerated flow channel, the slit having an inlet in the upper surface of the insert assembly and an outlet in the lower portion, and longitudinally extending laminar chambers are provided in the lower portion located on opposite sides of the slit and is in fluid communication with the laminar flow input;
• a gassing element located below the insert assembly and having a layer of gas resistant media of stainless-steel mesh, the gassing element includes one or more slots for laminar flow which are at least partially aligned with the laminar chambers located above, and one or more slots for accelerated flow, the one or more slots aligned with the slit located above;
• a rail bottom located below the gassing element, the rail bottom having at least one gas distribution slot, the at least one gas distribution slot extending along the longitudinal axis of the rail bottom, and is aligned with the accelerated flow slots of the gassing element, the at least one gas distribution slot at least partially blocks the laminar flow slots of the gassing element;
• wherein the gas flowing through the slit produces a high speed accelerated flow, and the flow of laminar gas blocked by the rail bottom forces the laminar gas flow laterally within the layer of gas resistant media of the gassing element with the effect of surrounding the accelerated gas exiting the gas distribution slot, wherein the accelerated gas is configured to draw in laminar gas and not undesirable air.

A method of displacing undesirable gases from an empty container, the method comprising:

• providing a gassing rail apparatus having a source of flushing gas, a rail top, an insert assembly having a slit, a gassing element having a gas resistant media, and a rail bottom having a gas distribution outlet which defines a perimeter which surrounds a center, wherein the slit is aligned with the center of the gas distribution outlet, and the rail top, insert assembly, gassing element and rail bottom form flow channels;
• directing a portion of the flushing gas through the slit to produce an accelerated flow of flushing gas;
• directing another portion of the flushing gas through the gas resistant media to produce a laminar flow of flushing gas;
• directing the accelerated flow of flushing gas to exit generally at the center of the gas distribution outlet;
• directing the laminar flow of flushing gas to exit the gas distribution outlet along a perimeter of the gas distribution outlet and concurrently surrounding the accelerated flow of flushing gas exiting the gas distribution outlet;
• wherein the accelerated gas tends to draw in laminar gas and not undesirable air.