IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0087472
(2011-04-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-8171701
(2012-05-08)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Kelley, Paul V.
- Bysick, Scott B.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
22 인용 특허 :
133 |
초록
▼
Method and system for handling a plurality of hot-filled and capped containers having temporary deformations or distortions caused by vacuums induced in the containers. For each container, temporary deformations are confined or directed to a particular portion of the container. Annular hoop rings ca
Method and system for handling a plurality of hot-filled and capped containers having temporary deformations or distortions caused by vacuums induced in the containers. For each container, temporary deformations are confined or directed to a particular portion of the container. Annular hoop rings can be provided to confine the temporary deformations to a smooth sidewall portion of the container between the annular hoop rings. Alternatively, one or more supplemental vacuum panels can be provided to confine or direct the temporary deformation thereto. The annular hoop rings and the one or more supplemental vacuum panels can provide for substantially stable touch points for the container. The containers are conveyed with temporary deformations such that substantially stable contact points of each container are in contact with corresponding substantially stable contact points of other containers. After the conveying, a moveable element in a bottom end of each container is activated substantially permanently to remove the vacuum in the container.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system comprising: a plurality of hot-filled and sealed plastic containers, each said plastic container including a body portion and a base portion, the base portion forming a support surface for supporting the container on a substantially flat surface and the base portion having a moveable ele
1. A system comprising: a plurality of hot-filled and sealed plastic containers, each said plastic container including a body portion and a base portion, the base portion forming a support surface for supporting the container on a substantially flat surface and the base portion having a moveable element arranged at a bottom end thereof, the moveable element being moveable substantially permanently to remove a vacuum in the container;a cooler to cool the plurality of hot-filled and sealed containers, said cooling creating a vacuum in each of the hot-filled and sealed containers, each said vacuum causing temporary deformation of the corresponding container, the temporary deformation being directed to a predetermined specified portion of the container;a conveyor to convey the containers while temporarily compensating for the vacuums created therein and maintaining stable touch points; andan activator to activate, after the containers or conveyed, the moveable element of each said container, said activating including moving the moveable element from a first position to a second position substantially permanently to remove a portion of the vacuum,wherein the body portion of each said container includes a first hoop ring, a second hoop ring, and a smooth sidewall between the first and second hoop rings, andwherein the conveyance of the containers is such that each said container is in contact with a plurality of other of said containers of said plurality, the first and the second hoop rings for each said container providing for substantially stable touch points for conveyance of the containers. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined specified portion of the container at which the temporary deformation is to be directed is the smooth sidewall, with substantially no deformation of the first hoop ring and the second hoop ring. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined specified portion of the container at which the temporary deformation is to be directed is one or more supplemental vacuum panels, the one or more supplemental vacuum panels temporarily compensating for the vacuum during said conveying. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second hoop rings is concave and runs horizontally, when the container is upright, entirely around an entire circumference of the body portion of the container. 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the vacuum is less than the entire vacuum, and one or more supplemental vacuum panels removes a portion of the vacuum not removed by activation of the moveable element. 6. A system for handling filled containers, the system comprising: a plurality of containers, each said container including a body and a base defining an inner volume, the body having a first annular portion, a second annular portion, and a sidewall portion, and the base forming a standing surface for the container and having a bottom end thereof with a moveable element configured to be movable from a first, outwardly inclined position to a second, inwardly inclined position,filling means for filling each of said containers with a product, the product being at an elevated temperature;capping means for capping and sealing each said filled container with a cap;cooling means for cooling each said filled and capped container, the cooling creating a vacuum in the container, the vacuum causing temporary distortion of the container, the temporary distortion occurring substantially at the sidewall portion, with the first annular portion and the second annular portion substantially resisting distortion;handling means for handling each said cooled container temporarily distorted such that one or more substantially stable touch points of the container are in contact with corresponding one or more substantially stable touch points of at least one other container, the one or more substantially stable touch points being facilitated by an associated one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion; andinverting means for inverting the moveable element from the first, outwardly inclined position to the second, inwardly inclined position, the inverting removing a portion of the vacuum,wherein, in response to hot-filling by said filling means and capping by said capping means, each said container is caused temporarily to deform, the temporary deformation being substantially confined to the sidewall portion, with substantially no deformation of any other portion of the container, the first annular portion and the second annular portion providing for substantially stable touch points such that no portion of the deformed sidewall portion of any of said containers contacts any other of said containers. 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the substantially stable touch points are for conveyance of the containers and are comprised of at least one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion of each container. 8. The system according to claim 6, wherein during said filling, said capping, said cooling, said handling, and said inverting, the moveable element is above the standing surface at all times. 9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the portion of the vacuum is the entire vacuum. 10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said inverting means removes the entire vacuum and creates a positive pressure in the container. 11. The system according of claim 6, wherein said handling means handles in single file a plurality of said containers being temporarily distorted. 12. The system according to claim 6, wherein said handling means handles a plurality of said containers being temporarily distorted, said temporarily distorted containers being arranged in a matrix, with at least one internal container and a plurality of external containers. 13. A system for handling filled containers comprising: a plurality of containers, each said container including a body and a base defining an inner volume, the body having a first annular portion, a second annular portion, and a sidewall portion, and the base forming a standing surface for the container and having a bottom end thereof with a moveable element configured to be movable from a first, outwardly inclined position to a second, inwardly inclined position;filling means for filling each of said containers with a product, the product being at an elevated temperature;capping means for capping and sealing each said filled container with a cap;cooling means for cooling each said filled and capped container, the cooling creating a vacuum in the container, the vacuum causing temporary distortion of the container, the temporary distortion occurring substantially at the sidewall portion, with the first annular portion and the second annular portion substantially resisting distortion;handling means for handling each said cooled container temporarily distorted such that one or more substantially stable touch points of the container are in contact with corresponding one or more substantially stable touch points of at least one other container, the one or more substantially stable touch points being facilitated by an associated one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion; andinverting means for inverting the moveable element from the first, outwardly inclined position to the second, inwardly inclined position, the inverting removing a portion of the vacuum,wherein the containers having temporary distortion are handled by said handling means while arranged in a matrix with at least one inner container and a plurality of outer containers,wherein the first and second annular portions for each said inner container provide for substantially stable touch points to at least three other containers, and with the first and second annular portions for each said outer container providing for substantially stable touch points to at least two other containers,wherein, during said cooling, inner containers cool slower than external containers, andwherein the temporary distortion for inner containers is different from the temporary distortion for external containers due to the uneven cooling rates. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the substantially stable touch points are for conveyance of the containers are comprised of at least one of the first annular portion and the second annular portion of each container. 15. The system according to claim 13, wherein during said filling, said capping, said cooling, said handling, and said inverting, the moveable element is at or above the standing surface at all times. 16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the portion of the vacuum is the entire vacuum. 17. The system according to claim 13, wherein said inverting means removes the entire vacuum and creates a positive pressure in the container. 18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the portion of the vacuum is less than the entire vacuum, and the container further comprises one or more supplemental vacuum panels to remove a second portion of the vacuum. 19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the portion of the vacuum and the second portion of the vacuum constitute all of the vacuum. 20. The system according to claim 13, wherein each of the first and second annular portions runs entirely around an entire circumference of the body of the container.
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