초록 ▼

A butter-like product is recirculated from a mixing bowl (10) by a recirculating pump (14) until its viscosity is adjusted to the equivalent of 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise at 75° F. The viscosity adjusted butter is pumped through an aerator (22) to a closed holding tank (40). A positive displacement

A butter-like product is recirculated from a mixing bowl (10) by a recirculating pump (14) until its viscosity is adjusted to the equivalent of 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise at 75° F. The viscosity adjusted butter is pumped through an aerator (22) to a closed holding tank (40). A positive displacement pump (42) recirculates the viscosity adjusted butter from the holding tank, through a recirculating feed line (44) at a preselected pressure, and back to the holding tank. A plurality of packaging machines (C) each include a metering pump (60) which pumps metered amounts of the butter from the recirculating feed line through at least one filling nozzle (62). Sheets of heat-sealable plastic material from rolls (64, 66) are heat sealed (70, 72, 74, 76) into squeeze packets surrounding the metered volumes of butter. A conveyor (100) conveys the filled squeeze packets to a fluid cooling hood (104) in which the squeeze packets are bathed in a cooling fluid, e.g., nitrogen, before the packaged butter can be adversely affected by residual heat from the heat seals.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for packaging products which are damagable by heat in heat-sealed squeeze packets, the apparatus comprising: a viscosity adjusting means for adjusting the viscosity of the product to the equivalent of about 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise; a metering means for selectively metering pr

1. An apparatus for packaging products which are damagable by heat in heat-sealed squeeze packets, the apparatus comprising: a viscosity adjusting means for adjusting the viscosity of the product to the equivalent of about 16,000 to 18,000 centipoise; a metering means for selectively metering preselected volumes of the product to at least one filling nozzle; sheet feeding means for feeding sheets of a heat-sealable material adjacent opposite sides of the filling nozzle; heat sealing means for heat sealing the sheets into closed packets surrounding the preselected product volumes from the metering means to form filled squeeze packets; and, cooling means disposed contiguous to the filling nozzle for cooling the squeeze packets before the product is damaged by residual heat in the heat seals. 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooling means bathes the squeeze packets in a cooling fluid, such that the cooling fluid withdraws heat from the heat seals. 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the fluid cooling means includes a plurality of compressed gas nozzles which allow a compressed gas to undergo a reduction in pressure such that gas expansion causes cooling. 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the fluid cooling means further includes a hood surrounding the gas nozzles for confining the expanded gas to the area of the sealed packets. 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the fluid cooling means further includes a conveying means for conveying the heat-sealed squeeze packets from the heat sealing means to the gas nozzles. 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including cutting means disposed between the heat sealing means and the fluid cooling means for separating the filled squeeze packets. 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the viscosity adjusting means includes a recirculating pump for pumping the product from a reservoir therethrough and back to the reservoir. 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further including heating means disposed surrounding the reservoir for selectively adjusting the temperature of the product therein. 9. The apparatus as forth in claim 7 further including an aerating means for injecting a gas into the product to whip it and adjust its viscosity. 10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the metering means pumps the preselected product volume to a plurality of filling nozzles and wherein the heat sealing means seals a pocket partially surrounding each of the filling nozzles and heat seals each partially surrounding pocket into the filled squeeze packet. 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a product feed system for feeding the product from the viscosity adjusting means to the metering means, the feed system including: a closed holding tank for receiving the product from the viscosity adjusting means; a pump for recirculating the product from the holding tank, through a recirculating feed line, and back to the holding tank; and, wherein the metering means is operatively connected with the recirculating feed line to meter product therefrom. 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the product feed system includes a pressure regulating means for maintaining a preselected pressure within the recirculating feed line. 13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further including an aerating means disposed upstream from the holding tank for whipping the product fed thereto. 14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including back pressure controlling means disposed between the aerator means and the holding tank for controlling pressure of the whipped product.