Filling and Sealing of Beverage Containers

Abstract

The present invention provides, inter alia, a method of filling and sealing a beverage container, the method comprising the steps of: a) dispensing a predetermined amount of beverage, preferably wine, into an open-topped container having a circular rim, preferably a plastics wine glass, to leave a headspace above the beverage in the container; b) temporarily tacking a generally flat flexible film lid sized to fit over the open top to the rim of the container at at least one position around the rim while leaving the remainder of the rim free; c) engaging the tacked lid to cause flexure thereof to create a gap between the lid and the rim on one side; d) dispensing an inert gas, preferably nitrogen, through the gap so created and into the headspace to displace air therefrom; and e) bringing a heat sealer into engagement with the lid to heat seal the lid to the rim about its entire circumference, thereby trapping the inert gas within the headspace.

1 . A method of filling and sealing a beverage container, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) dispensing a predetermined amount of beverage into an open-topped container having a circular rim to leave a headspace above the beverage in the container;   b) temporarily tacking a generally flat flexible film lid sized to fit over the open top to the rim of the container at at least one position around the rim while leaving the remainder of the rim free;   c) engaging the tacked lid to cause flexure thereof to create a gap between the lid and the rim on one side;   d) dispensing an inert gas or substantially oxygen free gas or gases through the gap so created and into the headspace to displace air therefrom; and   e) bringing a heat sealer into engagement with the lid to heat seal the lid to the rim about its entire circumference, thereby trapping the inert gas or substantially oxygen free gas or gases within the headspace.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tacked lid is engaged by: a sucker arm that lifts an edge of the lid vertically; a horizontally acting pusher arm that pushes an edge portion of the lid; or a device that engages a tab extending beyond the rim of the lid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the lid is generally circular with an area corresponding to the area of the container at its rim and having a tab extending beyond the said rim to one side of the container for subsequent manual removal of the lid by a consumer to open the sealed container in order to drink the beverage, and the tab is pushed to cause flexure of the lid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the gap is created by using relative movement between the container and a ring of radius slightly larger than the radius of the container at its rim to cause the ring to engage the tab. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ring takes the form of a skirt and the inert gas is supplied via the skirt, which serves to partially contain the inert or substantially oxygen free gas or gases. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a flush of inert gas or substantially oxygen free gas or gases is timed to coincide with the skirt brushing the tab. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  or  6 , wherein the heat sealer is generally annular and mounted coaxially with the skirt for relative movement between heat sealer and container to bring the heat sealer into engagement with the lid while the container is within the ring. 
     
     
         8 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the glass comprises a goblet formed of Polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the lid is dispensed from a stack of lids in a hopper or cassette by a suction arm and the suction arm includes a spot heat sealer that provides the temporary tacking. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the method is performed on an indexed turntable, with successive index positions for (i) filling, (ii) initial application of a lid, (iii) flexure and inert gas flush and final seal and (iv) presenting the filled and sealed container to a packaging conveyor. 
     
     
         11 . A system for filling and sealing a beverage container, the system comprising:
 a) a dispenser for dispensing a predetermined amount of beverage into an open-topped container having a circular rim to leave a headspace above the beverage in the container;   b) a device for temporarily tacking a generally flat flexible film lid sized to fit over the open top to the rim of the container at at least one position around the rim while leaving the remainder of the rim free;   c) a device for engaging the tacked lid to cause flexure thereof to create a gap between the lid and the rim on one side;   d) a dispenser for dispensing an inert gas or substantially oxygen free gas or gases through the gap so created and into the headspace to displace air therefrom; and   e) a heat sealer configured to be brought into engagement with the lid to heat seal the lid to the rim about its entire circumference, thereby trapping the inert gas or substantially oxygen free gas or gases within the headspace.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the tacked lid is engaged by: a sucker arm that lifts an edge of the lid vertically; a horizontally acting pusher arm that pushes an edge portion of the lid; or a device that engages a tab on the lid extending beyond the rim of the lid. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lid is generally circular with an area corresponding to the area of the container at its rim and having a tab extending beyond the said rim to one side of the container for subsequent manual removal of the lid by a consumer to open the sealed container in order to drink the beverage, and the said device for engaging the tacked lid is configured to push the tab to cause flexure of the lid and comprises a ring having a radius slightly larger than the radius of the container at its rim to cause the ring to engage the tab and flex the tacked lid to create the gap. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the ring takes the form of a skirt and the inert gas is supplied via the skirt, which serves to partially contain the inert or substantially oxygen free gas or gases. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the heat sealer is generally annular and mounted coaxially with the skirt for relative movement between heat sealer and container to bring the heat sealer into engagement with the lid while the container is within the ring.