System For Aseptic Packaging and Method of Using the Same

A system for bulk filling of a package with a product, comprising:

• components for transporting the product through the system, the components comprising:
• a hopper through which the product can be loaded into the system,
• one or both of a feeder and weigh hopper through which the product can flow from the hopper to a filling station,
• the filling station having a package receiving area for positioning of an empty package to be filled with the product, and
• a sealing station for sealing the filled package;
• an enclosure surrounding one or more of the components;
• a gassing assembly comprising at least one gassing element disposed within one or more of the components to flow inert gas over the product within the one or more components;
• and
• a recirculation system comprising at least one recirculation element and at least one recirculation exhaust disposed downstream of the recirculation element, and a recirculation filter interposed between and in fluid communication with the at least one recirculation element and the at least one recirculation exhaust, wherein the recirculation system is configured to flow a filtered gas into the enclosure through the at least one recirculation element such that the filtered gas flows over the one or more components within the enclosure and is collected by the at least one recirculation exhaust, wherein the recirculation exhaust directs the collected gas to the recirculation filter, which filters the collected gas and directs the filtered gas to the at least one recirculation element for reintroduction into the enclosure.

A system for bulk filling a package with a product, comprising:

• a hopper comprising:
• product inlet and an oppositely disposed product outlet,
• a door movable between an open position in which the product inlet is exposed for receiving product and a close position in which the door seals over the product inlet, and
• a gassing element disposed at the product inlet and configured to flow an inert gas across the product inlet;
• a feeder positioned to receive the product from the hopper and transfer the product to a weigh hopper, the feeder comprising a gassing element extending through the feed to maintain a substantially constant flow of inert gas within the feeder;
• the weigh hopper positioned to receive the product from the feeder and transfer a measured quantity of the product to a filling station, a gassing element disposed within the weight hopper to maintain a laminar flow of gas within the weigh hopper;
• the filling station in fluid communication with the weigh hopper arranged to receive the measured quantity of the product from the weigh hopper and transfer the product to a package;
• a sealing station downstream of the filling station for sealing the package after being filled with the product, the sealing station comprising a gassing element to inject an inert gas into the package prior to sealing;
• an enclosure surrounding at least a portion of the hopper, the feeder, the weigh hopper, the filling station, and a sealing station, wherein the enclosure comprises an access panel arranged for allowing access to the filling and sealing stations to allow a user to position a package at the filling station for filling with the product and transition the filled package to the sealing station for sealing prior to withdraw from the enclosure;
• and
• gassing assembly for flowing inert gas to each of the gassing elements from one or more gas inlets disposed in the hopper and/or the enclosure.

A method for bulk aseptic filling a package with a product, comprising:

• loading product into a hopper through a product inlet wherein a flow of inert gas is maintain across the product inlet during loading;
• flowing the product through the hopper to a feeder, wherein a flow of inert gas is maintained over and/or through the product in the hopper and wherein a flow of inert gas is maintain over, through, and/or beneath the product in the feeder,
• transferring the product from the feeder to a funnel, wherein a flow of inert gas is maintained over the product within the funnel, the funnel being arranged to flow the product to a scale;
• maintaining a flow of inert gas of the product in the scale during weighing of the product into a bulk packaging amount;
• transferring the bulk packaging amount of product to a filling station for filling the product into a package;
• filling the bulk packaging amount of product into the package, wherein a flow of inert gas is maintained over the product during filling;
• and
• sealing the package.