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US 3,939,624 AGranted
Packaging apparatus
AssigneeC. V. P. Systems Inc.
InventorsKenneth L. Gidewall, Larry W. Heavner
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AssigneeC. V. P. Systems Inc.
InventorsKenneth L. Gidewall, Larry W. Heavner
Estimating the term…
A process and apparatus for packaging articles, particularly fresh meat pieces, in a substantially gas impermeable flexible container. In the packaging of fresh meat, the process enables the meat to be held for extended periods of time, and yet the natural color of fresh meat is maintained and the bacteria growth does not exceed limits which would cause the meat to be considered inedible. The fresh meat is first placed in an open, substantially gas impermeable flexible container. Hollow passage defining means are inserted through the open portion of the flexible container, and while the top is being temporarily sealed, the container is vacuumized for removing substantially all the air and oxygen therefrom. After the air is removed, carbon dioxide is added to the container, the concentration of the carbon dioxide being such as to avoid significant bacterial growth on or in the meat over extended periods of time, while avoiding discoloration of the meat. Thereafter, the passage defining means are removed from the container, and the container is sealed, preferably by heat sealing, to prevent the egress of carbon dioxide therefrom and the ingress of air thereinto.
Apparatus for packaging articles in a substantially gas impermeable flexible container having an open end, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for supporting said flexible container with said articles therein in a substantially fixed position relative to said apparatus, means for releasably gripping said container on opposite sides thereof along said open end, means for moving said gripping means between open and closed positions while carrying said container sides, passage defining means, means for moving said passage defining means into and out of said container, means for temporarily sealing said flexible container along said gripping means whether said passage means is in or out of said container, said temporary sealing means being carried by said gripping means, means for selectively vacuumizing and adding a gas into said container through said passage defining means while said container is temporarily sealed, said temporary sealing means maintaining said container in said temporarily sealed condition as said passage defining means is being moved out of said container, and means for effecting a self-sustaining seal of the sides of said container after said passage defining means is out of said container for maintaining said gas in said container and while said temporary sealing means continues to maintain said container in a sealed condition.
Apparatus for packaging articles in a substantially gas impermeable flexible container having an open end, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for supporting said flexible container with said articles therein, means for releasably gripping said container on opposite sides thereof along said open end, passage defining means, means for inserting said passage defining means into and out of said container, means for temporarily sealing said flexible container along said gripping means whether said passage means is in or out of said container, means for first vacuumizing said container and thereafter adding a gas thereto through said passage means while said container is temporarily sealed, means for effecting a self-sustaining seal for said container after said passage means is moved from said container, and control means, said control means including manually operated means and automatic sequencing means, said manual means commencing the operation of said sequencing means, and said sequencing means thereafter operates said gripping means, said inserting means, said vacuumizing and gas adding means, and said sealing means without further manual operation.
Apparatus for bulk packaging a plurality of articles in a flexible container having an open end, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for supporting said flexible container with said articles therein in a substantially fixed position relative to said apparatus, laterally spaced means for releasably gripping said container on opposite sides thereof along said open end, passages defining means, means for positioning said passage defining means in an aligned position relative to the open end of said container, means for moving said passage defining means into and out of said container, means carried by said gripping means for temporarily sealing said flexible container along its open end whether said passage means is in or out of said container, means for creating a controlled interior for said container through said passage means while said container is temporarily sealed by said sealing means, and means carried by said gripping means for self-sustainingly sealing said container along its open end after said passage defining means is out of said container.
A mechanism for positioning a snorkel member in a flexible container, said mechanism comprising, in combination, first and second manifolds, vacuum means in said manifolds for gripping the opposite sides of said flexible container, means for moving said manifolds and thereby said sides of said container between open and closed positions, snorkel means, means for moving said snorkel means in the same direction as said manifold, and means for aligning said snorkel means with the opening between said manifolds thereby with the opened container for insertion of said snorkel means into said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.