Abstract:
A laminating station comprises a chill roll (8), a press roll (4) parallel to the chill roll (8), a back-up roll (10) for biasing the press roll (4) towards the chill roll (8), an extrusion arrangement which serves to deposit a layer entering a nip between the rolls (4) and (8), a belt-guiding arrangement (14,16) extending parallelly to the roll (4), leftmost and rightmost endless belts (12) extending over the roll (4) and the belt guiding arrangement (14,16) and through the nip, and, between the leftmost and rightmost endless belts (12), intermediate endless belts (24) extending over the roll (4) and the belt guiding arrangement (14,16) and through the nip. The belts (12) serve to deter contact, with the press roll (4), of the layer being deposited. The belts (14) and (16) have that function and/or the function of pressing an outer tie layer of the laminate being produced into holes through a core layer of the laminate and so into contact with an outermost layer of the laminate.
Abstract:
A segregated nitrogen flush system (10) segregates a nitrogen flow arrangement (12) for providing a nitrogen flush, a chemical flow arrangement (16) and a steam flow arrangement (14) for sterilization of the segregated nitrogen flush system. Electronics are segregated from a flow of sanitizing steam or chemical that would harm electronics and other controls. A filter (18) upstream from a nitrogen delivery path (28) provides a resilient transition from nitrogen flow to higher pressure flow of sanitizing steam. Nitrogen flow is commanded through the nitrogen delivery path (28) to a nitrogen flush assembly (22) having a forward nozzle and plenum member for providing nitrogen flush to partially closed cartons. Guide rails are configured to converge to close the cartons increasingly as they index forward. During a second operating mode, sanitizing steam flows through at least the filter. During a third operating mode, sanitizing chemical flows through the chemical flow arrangement (16) to the nitrogen flush assembly (22).
Abstract:
An annular cutter (2) for a pour spout fitment comprises an annular body (6), a single, cutting and/or rupturing tooth (4) protruding from an axial end of the body (6), the tooth (4), at its tip (10), being of a knife-edge shape circumferentialIy of the body. As viewed radially of the body (6), the knife-edge shape, which is substantially part of a sinusoidal wave form, is curved. The tooth (4) also has a leading knife-edge (12) extending obliquely away from the tip (10) towards the body (6), and the leading knife-edge (12) is another part of the sinusoidal wave form.
Abstract:
A package comprises a container (28) and a pour spout fitment (2) attached thereto, the fitment (2) comprising a pour spout (6), a closure (4) covering an outer end of the spout (6), and a tamper-evident arrangement attached to the spout (6) or the container (28), on the one hand, and, more weakly, by at least one frangible bridge (14) to the closure (4), on the other hand, the arrangement being such that, through opening of the closure (4), the or each bridge (14) is broken, but at least one significant portion (15) of the tamper-evident arrangement remaining attached to the spout (6) or the container (28) can project laterally outwards noticeably. In one embodiment, the or each significant portion (15) is pre-stressed laterally outwardly and is a leg portion (15) extending longitudinally of the spout. In other embodiments, the or each significant portion (42) is arcuate and extends about the spout (6).
Abstract:
A package comprises a carton and a pour spout fitment (2) comprising a pour spout (4) attached to a wall (14) of the carton and bounding a pouring mouth (10), a screw cap (6) closing the pouring mouth (10), and a turnable cutting device (8) in the spout (4) whereby a hole can be formed through a zone (26) of the wall (14) to permit pouring of a content of the carton from the pour spout (4), the cap (6) being sufficiently transparent that a consumer can conclude, without opening the cap (6), but by inspection through the cap (6) from outside the carton, whether or not the hole has been formed.
Abstract:
A spigot (24) of a pour spout fitment applicator includes a ridge (26) extending therearound. The pour spout (4) of a fitment (2) includes a series of ribs (12) extending longitudinally of the spout (4) and protruding from an internal peripheral surface of the spout (4) and distributed about that surface, the ridge (26) being of a maximum radius from a longitudinal axis of the spigot greater than the radii from that axis of the radially innermost portions of the respective ribs (12), and the spigot (24) being insertable into the pour spout (4) sufficiently far that radially outermost portions of the ridge (26) become located beyond the radially innermost portions of the ribs (12).
Abstract:
A packaging machine has a sterile chamber, a first, lip seal (46) arranged to prevent debris build-up at an access panel (24, 26) used by an operator for accessing the chamber, a second seal (58) arranged to prevent debris build-up between two face-to-face surfaces in the chamber, and a third seal (82) arranged to prevent debris build-up between a shaft and a through hole located inside the chamber.
Abstract:
Apparatus for orientating a cap (19) in a capping machine (10) includes two side-by-side loading chutes (12), orientation areas (14) and rotation mechanisms (16), at least one sensing and comparing system (18), and a spigot assembly (20). Each loading chute (12) has an escapement mechanism for delivering one-by-one the caps (19) therein. Each rotation mechanism (16) includes a motor (34), an output shaft (36), and a drive roller. The orientation areas (14) have a slide lock (28), and respective rear openings (40), and are associated with the respective drive rollers. The system (18) comprises a camera (32), a light source, and a processor. The spigot assembly (20) comprises a spigot (44) disposed at the end of each of a plurality of arms (46) and operable to receive a cap (19) thereon.
Abstract:
A steam sterilization system for a conveyor wash using a submicron filter (24) that can cope with transition from lower pressure flow of water to higher pressure flow of steam. Water flows through the submicron filter when the system is in a first operating mode, and steam flows through the submicron filter when the system is in a second operating mode. The submicron filter is such that predetermined values of steam pressure and temperature can be applied for a sustained period of time without damaging the filter, thereby avoiding reducing the efficiency of the filter.
Abstract:
An energy transferring system comprises a sealed circuit (20) for a transfer medium and containing a condenser/absorber (22), a liquid pump (24), an evaporator (26), a superheater (28), and an energy-consuming device (30). The circuit has a low pressure side (32) and a high pressure side (34), with the medium being converted from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase in the side (34) and back in the side (32). The condenser/absorber (22) includes an absorbent of solid material, for example coal powder or nanotubes, and may be combined with the evaporator (26) to form a modular unit.