Process and apparatus for gas extraction in packaging

Abstract

A packaging process includes providing a semi-sealed package containing a product to be packaged, providing a vacuum chamber, adjusting a spacing between members of the vacuum chamber to open the vacuum chamber, relatively positioning the package and the vacuum chamber such that a terminal portion of an end of the package is positioned within the vacuum chamber and a non-terminal portion of the end is positioned outside the vacuum chamber, an intermediate portion of the end passing through the opening, adjusting the spacing to bring the members substantially sealingly in contact with one another, the intermediate portion being received in the opening, creating, within the vacuum chamber, an internal vacuum pressure to determine a gas flow through the opening causing opposing layers of the film at the second end to maintain a substantially spaced-apart configuration, and to aspirate both gas from inside the package and gas through the opening.

1 . A packaging process comprising:
 providing a semi-sealed package containing a product to be packaged, the semi-sealed package being made from a film and having a first sealed end and a second open end,   providing a vacuum chamber including a first member and a second member arranged opposite the first member, the first member and the second member being relatively movable between a first configuration, in which the first and second members are spaced apart from one another, and a second configuration, in which the first and second members are in contact with one another along a perimeter thereof except for at least one opening being formed between the first and second members,   adjusting a spacing between the first and second members to bring the first and second members into the first configuration, thereby opening the vacuum chamber,   relatively positioning the semi-sealed package and the vacuum chamber such that a terminal portion of the second end is positioned within the vacuum chamber and a non-terminal portion of the second end is positioned outside the vacuum chamber, an intermediate portion of the second end passing through the opening, the intermediate portion extending between the terminal and non-terminal portions of the second end,   adjusting the spacing between the first and second members to bring the first and second members into the second configuration, wherein in the second configuration, the first and second members are, except for the opening, substantially sealingly in contact with one another, and the intermediate portion of the second end is received in the opening,   creating, within the vacuum chamber, an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber, the internal vacuum pressure being selected such as to:
 determine a gas flow through the opening causing opposing layers of the film at the second end to maintain a substantially spaced-apart configuration, and 
 aspirate both gas from inside the semi-sealed package and gas from an ambient atmosphere through the opening, and 
   creating a second seal on the semi-sealed package at the second end, thereby forming a sealed package containing the product and having first and second sealed ends.   
     
     
         2 . A packaging process comprising:
 providing a sealed package containing a product to be packaged, the sealed package being made from a film and having a first sealed end and a second sealed end,   providing a vacuum chamber including a first member and a second member arranged opposite the first member, the first member and the second member being relatively movable between a first configuration, in which the first and second members are spaced apart from one another, and a second configuration, in which the first and second members are in contact with one another along a perimeter thereof except for at least one opening being formed between the first and second members,   adjusting a spacing between the first and second members to bring the first and second members into the first configuration, thereby opening the vacuum chamber,   relatively positioning the sealed package and the vacuum chamber such that a terminal portion of the second end is positioned within the vacuum chamber and a non-terminal portion of the second end is positioned outside the vacuum chamber, an intermediate portion of the second end passing through the opening, the intermediate portion extending between the terminal and nonterminal portions of the second end,   adjusting the spacing between the first and second members to bring the first and second members into the second configuration, wherein in the second configuration, the first and second members are, except for the opening, substantially sealingly in contact with one another, and the intermediate portion of the second end is received in the opening,   creating an aperture in the film at the terminal portion of the second end, and creating, within the vacuum chamber, an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber, the internal vacuum pressure and the size of the aperture being selected such as to:
 determine an expansion of the terminal portion causing opposing layers of the film at the second end to maintain a substantially spaced-apart configuration, and 
 aspirate gas into the vacuum chamber from inside the semi-sealed package through the opening and through the aperture. 
   
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the semi-sealed package comprises:
 positioning a tubular film around the product to be packaged, and   creating, at a sealing station, a first seal on the tubular film, thereby forming the semi-sealed package containing the product to be packaged.   
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing the sealed package comprises:
 positioning a tubular film around the product to be packaged creating, at a sealing station, a first seal on the tubular film, thereby forming a semi-sealed package containing the product, and   creating, at the sealing station, a second seal on the tubular film, thereby forming the sealed package containing the product.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein relatively positioning the package and the vacuum chamber comprises:
 moving at least one of the first member of the vacuum chamber or moving the second member of the vacuum chamber relative to the other, and   moving at least one of the package or moving the vacuum chamber relative to the other.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the spacing comprises:
 moving at least one of the first member of the vacuum chamber or the second member of the vacuum chamber relative to the other.   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the spacing comprises at least one of:
 providing the opening with a height of 8 to 20 times a thickness of the film, or   providing the opening with a height of 1.0 mm or less, or   providing the opening with a height of between 0.3 mm and 1.0 mm.   
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein creating the internal vacuum pressure within the vacuum chamber comprises creating an internal vacuum pressure of between 800 mbar and 500 mbar. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the inside of at least one of the film or the package with a protective gas. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a second vacuum chamber and operating the second vacuum chamber substantially in parallel to the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the following steps are performed at substantially the same time:
 adjusting the spacing between the first and second members of the vacuum chamber to bring the first and second members into the first configuration, thereby opening the vacuum chamber, and   adjusting a spacing between first and second members of the second vacuum chamber to bring the first and second members of the second vacuum chamber into a second configuration, in which the first and second members of the second vacuum chamber are, except for an opening of the second vacuum chamber, substantially sealingly in contact with one another.   
     
     
         12 . A device for extracting gas from a semi-sealed package in a packaging apparatus, the semi-sealed package containing a product and having a first sealed end and a second open end, the second end having a terminal portion, a non-terminal portion, and an intermediate portion located between the terminal and nonterminal portions of the second end, the device comprising:
 a vacuum chamber having a first member and a second member arranged opposite the first member, the first member of the vacuum chamber and/or the second member of the vacuum chamber being movable relative to the other between a first configuration, in which the first and second members are spaced apart from one another, and a second configuration, in which the first and second members are in contact with one another along a perimeter thereof except for at least one opening being formed between the first and second members, and   an evacuation means for providing the vacuum chamber with an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber, and   a control unit programmed to:
 adjust a spacing between the first and second members and bringing the first and second members in the second configuration such that the intermediate portion of the second end is received in the opening without creating an air-tight seal between the intermediate portion and the first and second members along the opening, wherein, in the second configuration, the first and second members are, except for the opening, sealingly in contact with one another, 
 activate the evacuation means to provide the vacuum chamber with the internal vacuum pressure, and 
 control the internal vacuum pressure to:
 allow a gas flow through the opening causing opposing layers of film at the second end to maintain a substantially spaced-apart configuration, and 
 allow aspiration of both gas from inside the semi-sealed package and gas from an ambient atmosphere through the opening. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . A device for extracting gas from a sealed package in a packaging apparatus, the sealed package containing a product and having a first sealed end and a second sealed end, the second end having a terminal portion, a non-terminal portion, and an intermediate portion located between the terminal and nonterminal portions of the second end, the device comprising:
 a vacuum chamber having a first member and a second member arranged opposite the first member, at least one of the first member of the vacuum chamber or the second member of the vacuum chamber being movable relative to the other between a first configuration, in which the first and second members are spaced apart from one another, and a second configuration, in which the first and second members are in contact with one another along a perimeter thereof except for at least one opening being formed between the first and second members,   a puncturing means, an evacuation means for providing the vacuum chamber with an internal vacuum pressure that is lower than an ambient pressure outside the vacuum chamber, and   a control unit programmed to:
 adjust a spacing between the first and second members and bringing the first and second members in the second configuration such that the intermediate portion of the second end is received in the opening without creating an air-tight seal between the intermediate portion and the first and second members along the opening, wherein, in the second configuration, the first and second members are, except for the opening, sealingly in contact with one another, 
 control the puncturing means to create an aperture in the terminal portion of the second end, and 
 activate the evacuation means to provide the vacuum chamber with the internal vacuum pressure, and 
 control the internal vacuum pressure to:
 allow an expansion of the terminal portion causing opposing layers of film at the second end to maintain a substantially spaced-apart configuration, and 
 allow aspiration of gas into the vacuum chamber from inside the sealed package through the opening and through the aperture. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising sealing and cutting means, wherein the control unit is further programmed for controlling the sealing and cutting means to provide the package with a seal at the second end between the first end and the aperture. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising sealing and cutting means, wherein the control unit is further programmed to control the sealing and cutting means to provide the package with a seal at the second end. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the puncturing means comprises at least one of a punch and a heat wire. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to control the sealing and cutting means to cut excess film material outside the seal from the second end. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the opening ( 354 ) has a width of 1000 mm or less, or   the control unit is programmed to:
 adjust the spacing such that the opening has at least one of a height of 8 to 20 times a thickness of the film a height of between 0.3 mm and 1.0 mm. 
   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein
 the opening has a depth of 50 mm or less; or   the control unit is programmed to control the evacuation means to create an internal vacuum pressure of between 800 mbar and 500 mbar.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a second vacuum chamber having a respective first member and a respective second member arranged opposite the first member, at least one of the first member of the second vacuum chamber or the second member of the second vacuum chamber being movable relative to the other between a first configuration, in which the first and second members of the second vacuum chamber are spaced apart from one another, and a second configuration, in which the first and second members of the second vacuum chamber are substantially in contact with one another along a perimeter thereof except for at least one opening of the second vacuum chamber being formed between the first and second members of the second vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         21 .- 23 . (canceled)