Apparatus and method for removing oxygen from food containers
OwnerJohn E. Sanfilippo, James J. Sanfilippoinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for exposing the interior of containers to controlled environments is provided. In particular, one or more controlled force biased probes are provided for penetrating the contents of a container to inject alternate environments, such as inert gas, to desired locations within the container. The controlled force bias allows the probe to yield should an obstruction be encountered without damaging the obstruction or the apparatus itself. In a particular embodiment, two or more biased probes are provided spaced apart by a distance at least equal to the maximum linear dimension of any anticipated obstruction, so that at least one probe will avoid the obstruction and reach its desired location within the container for processing.
Claims34
A method for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container, comprising the steps of:
- providing a probe with both an interior plenum for conveying a selected environment and an outlet for the environment;
- moving the probe through an opening in the container and into the contents of the container so that the outlet is moved toward a desired location within the interior of the container;
- and
- causing the probe to stop its movement toward its desired location if the probe comes into contact with an obstruction;
- wherein the step of causing the probe to stop comprises the steps of providing a controlled force to move the probe through the contents of the container, and selecting the controlled force to be less than the force required to damage the obstruction.
An apparatus for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container, comprising:
- a probe having both an interior plenum for conducting the selected environment and an outlet for the environment;
- means for reciprocating at least a portion of the probe relative to the interior of the container so that the probe penetrates at least a portion of the contents of the container to position the outlet at a selected location within the container;
- means for controlling reciprocation of at least a portion of the probe so that the probe may stop reciprocating before reaching its selected location upon contacting an obstruction;
- and
- a head assembly for engaging an opening in the container;
- wherein said means for controlling reciprocation further permits said probe to stop reciprocating before reaching its selected location without preventing said head assembly from engaging the opening in the container.
An apparatus for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container, comprising:
- two or more probes having both interior plenums for conducting the selected environment and outlets for the environment;
- motive means for reciprocating the probes and the interior of the container relative to each other so that at least a portion of the probe penetrate at least a portion of the contents of the container to position at least one outlet in a selected location within the container;
- and
- at least a first portion of one of said probes being movable relative to at least a portion of a second of said probes in a direction parallel to the direction of reciprocation.
An apparatus for providing a selected environment inside a container, comprising:
- a flushing head which is large enough to cover an open end of the container;
- means for moving the flushing head and the container relatively toward and away from each other so that the flushing head selectively engages and covers the open end of the container;
- first and second openings passing through the flushing head;
- first and second probes passing through the flushing head via the first and second openings in the flushing head, each probe including both a plenum for conveying a selected environment and an outlet for said environment;
- and
- motive means for moving at least a portion of said probes through the first and second openings in the flushing head such that at least a portion of said probes penetrates selectively into the interior of the container.
An apparatus for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container, comprising:
- a probe having both an interior plenum for conducting the selected environment and an outlet for the environment;
- means for reciprocating at least a portion of the probe relative to the interior of the container so that at least a portion of the probe penetrates at least a portion of the contents of the container to position the outlet in a desired location within the container;
- means for biasing at least a portion of the probe so that it may exert only a selected maximum force;
- and
- a head assembly for engaging an opening in the container;
- wherein said biasing means further permits said probe to stop reciprocating before reaching its selected location without preventing said head assembly from engaging the opening in the container.
An apparatus for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container, comprising:
- two or more probes having both interior plenums for conducting the selected environment and outlets for the environment;
- motive means for reciprocating the probes and the interior of the container relative to each other so that at least a portion of the probes penetrate at least a portion of the contents of the container to position at least one outlet in a selected location within the container;
- and
- means for biasing at least a portion of at least one probe so that said probe may exert only a controlled maximum force to the contents of the container.
A method for providing a selected environment to the interior of a container which may include a solid object with an obstructive surface positioned therein, comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second probes with both an interior plenum for conveying a selected environment and an outlet for the environment;
- spacing the probes apart from each other by a distance at least equal to the maximum linear dimension of the obstructive surface;
- moving the probes into the contents of the container so that the outlets are moved toward desired locations within the container;
- stopping the movement of a probe into the container if it comes into contact with the obstructive surface, while permitting the other probe to continue moving into the container to its desired location;
- and
- supplying the selected environment through the interior plenum and outlet of at least one of the probes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.