Patent Application
20080006636
The invention relates to a container for food products and to a method for transporting food products by using a tank.
Conventionally, food products, especially liquid or flowable food products, are transported in tanks for transporting them from the manufacturer or distributor, respectively, to the user. As high hygienic standards are frequently set with respect to the transport of food products, sterilized tanks have to be used for certain product families. Conventionally, this is effected by steaming the interior of the tank. The sterilization method thereby takes 20 to 30 minutes per tank, and enormous amounts of energy, especially in the form of vapor, are required therefor.
Apart from this laborious sterilization method the conventional tanks have additional drawbacks. The tank emptied by the user must be cleaned after it has been returned to the manufacturer. This may involve a large amount of labor, especially due to the product built-ups at the inner walls of the tank. Moreover, the tanks must be checked regularly for their functionality, e.g. the leak proofness of the tank must be checked, since not only product can escape through a leaky tank, but a germination in the product may occur when the tank is penetrated by germs-containing air.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a container for food products comprising a tank, which requires a less laborious sterilization method and can be reused faster after its evacuation. Another object of the invention is to provide a corresponding transport method.
These objects are achieved with the container according to claim 1, the inliner according to claim 25 and the tank according to claim 34, and with the method for transporting food products according to claim 36 and the methods for preparing a filling and evacuation, respectively, and for filling and evacuating a container according to claims 37, 39 and 40.
According to the invention a container therefore comprises a tank and an inliner interchangeably arranged in the tank for receiving the product. Above all, containers are concerned which are used for the transport from the manufacturer of a food product to the finishing plant or distributor, respectively. Such containers are especially used for the transport of basic food substances, e.g. fruit or fruit piece preparations. In this connection it should be noted that with sterile products not only the production, but also the transport has to be accomplished under sterile conditions.
Moreover, such containers are preferably reusable containers, i.e. no disposable containers, such as bag-in-box packagings, which are used for the final consumer sale of wine or fruit juices and which are not intended for reuse.
Due to the fact that the food product is no longer filled directly into the tank, but is placed inside an inliner located in the tank, the sterilization of the interior of the tank, which requires time and energy, is omitted. After the inliner has been used, i.e. evacuated, the used inliner is replaced by a new inliner so that a laborious cleaning thereof is also omitted. Also, the standards with respect to the tank, such as the leak proofness or the food-grade of the material used, are no longer as high as those for conventional tanks.
The tank is preferably dimensionally stable, while the inliner is flexible and needs a substantially smaller volume in an empty state as compared to the tank. When filling the inliner the volume thereof is then increased, and the inliner adapts to the inner wall of the tank.
The tank can advantageously be configured such that the inliner can be inserted into and taken out of the tank. After having used the inliner, i.e. after the evacuation, the inliner can thus be removed from the container in a fast and easy manner and a new inliner can be inserted into the tank just as easily.
According to a preferred embodiment the tank may have a tapering, especially funneled outlet disposed in the lower portion of the tank, the outlet opening of which is arranged eccentrically. Eccentric in this respect means that the outlet opening is not arranged in the center of the lower portion of the tank, but is arranged toward the edge in the direction of the side wall of the tank. This facilitates the insertion and removal of the inliner, which is commonly done manually, as the access to the inliner is made easier. Moreover, the funneled configuration of the outlet allows to ensure that as much product as possible can flow out of the inliner or can be pumped out, respectively, during the evacuation. Also, a smooth shape, in the form of a funnel, allows the inliner to adapt to the inner wall of the tank as crease-free as possible when filled with the food product.
With an upright tank, the outlet opening can preferably be oriented substantially vertically. This makes the handling by the user additionally easier and allows an easier docking of a filling or evacuation device, respectively, from the side.
The outlet opening can advantageously be formed with a sufficiently large diameter, so that a human hand may grip therethrough, preferably with a diameter of at least 10 cm, more preferably with a diameter of 12 to 16 cm. A large outlet opening allows the user to grip into the tank, to position an inliner placed inside the tank such that it can be filled safely. The size of the outlet opening can thereby be chosen such that the inliner can be inserted into the tank through the same.
According to a modification the tank may moreover comprise at least one observation window, especially at the outlet. The observation window allows the user to check whether the inliner unfolds correspondingly and adapts to the inner wall of the tank as crease-free as possible during the filling. During the evacuation it may be checked just as easily as to whether the inliner was evacuated entirely.
The tank may favorably comprise a holding device, preferably in the upper half, more preferably on the lid, which serves to hold the inliner in the tank. By the attachment of the inliner in an upper portion of the tank it is prevented that the inliner is filled in an unbalanced manner, so that a smooth placement against the inner wall is further promoted. Also, the inliner is prevented from twisting or knotting up which, in the most unfavorable case, could cause the inliner to burst open.
According to a modification the tank may comprise a lid with a closable opening for passing an inliner therethrough. In this embodiment the inliner is inserted from above through the opening into the tank, and the area through which the product is fed into the inliner is, owing to the large outlet opening through with the user may grip into the tank, aligned with the outlet opening.
According to another modification the tank may comprise a bottom with a closable opening for passing an inliner therethrough, wherein at least one part of the outlet may be provided at the closure of the opening. Similar to the preceding modification the inliner is inserted into the tank by removing the lid or by opening the lid, and the inliner can then be aligned with the outlet opening of the outlet.
According to a preferred embodiment the inliner may comprise an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle being provided with a closing device, especially a membrane or a bursting disk, for keeping the inner surface of the inliner sterile. A membrane or bursting disk has thereby proved to be particularly advantageous, because they may be pushed or broken through by the food product itself during the filling, so that the interior of the inliner is protected against environmental effects up to the last moment. Especially with sterile basic food substances a sufficient hygiene can thus be guaranteed.
Preferably, the outlet nozzle may have a smaller outer diameter than the outlet opening of the tank. This is particularly useful if the inliner is inserted through the opening in the lid or in the bottom, as the outlet nozzle then has to be brought to the outlet opening of the outlet from inside. The user can grip into the tank through the large outlet opening, take the outlet nozzle into his hand and then pass it to the outlet opening.
Preferably, a centering disk may be used to center the outlet nozzle in the outlet opening of the tank. As the outlet nozzle has a smaller outer diameter it is ensured by means of the centering disk that the outlet nozzle sits at its intended position and that no tensions caused by displacements of the outlet nozzle will occur on the inliner during the filling or the evacuation, respectively, which may result in the bursting of the inliner in the worst case. The centering is preferably accomplished by a positive connection between the centering disk and the outlet nozzle.
According to a modification the centering disk may be formed integrally with the outlet nozzle. In this modification, an inliner is fully inserted through the outlet opening, i.e. a closable opening in the bottom or the lid is not necessary. At the same time, the outlet nozzle can be positioned correctly with the centering disk.
An opening in the centering disk for receiving the outlet nozzle can advantageously have an eccentric arrangement. As the outlet opening has a larger outer diameter than the outlet nozzle, it is an advantage if the opening is arranged eccentrically in the centering disk so as to allow the arrangement of the outlet nozzle of the inliner at the outlet opening as far down as possible, which supports a complete evacuation of the inliner.
Preferably a portion of the outlet nozzle of the tank may project outwardly from the centering disk. A filling or evacuation device can then directly or indirectly be attached to this portion of the outlet nozzle.
According to a modification a valve device may be mounted on the projecting portion of the outlet nozzle. If a conventional valve device is used, like one provided on conventional tanks, standard filling and evacuation devices may be used without having to provide additional adapters.
In the mounted-on state at least one seal may favorably be disposed between the outlet nozzle and the valve device. Thus, an escape of the food product is prevented.
According to a preferred embodiment a fixing device for fixing the outlet nozzle to the outlet opening may be provided. The fixing device can favorably fix the outlet nozzle to the outlet opening in a torsion-resistant manner. By this measure it is prevented that tensions can occur during the filling or evacuation of the inliner which, in the worst case, may result in tears in the inliner.
According to a modification the fixing device may also fix the valve device to the outlet nozzle in a sealing manner. Thus, only one fixing device is required to fix the centering disk, the outlet nozzle and the valve device to the tank.
According to a preferred embodiment the inliner may comprise an overpressure safety means, especially a bursting disk or safety valve, preferably a pressure relief valve. Thus, an overfilling of the inliner, which could result in an overpressure and, in the worst case, in the burst of the inliner, can be prevented.
The overpressure safety means can advantageously communicate with the outside of the tank. This ensures that, in the case of an overfilling, escaping food product does not contaminate the inside of the tank. A cleaning of the inside thereby involves substantially more work than a cleaning of the outside of the tank. Moreover, when food product escapes, it is easily recognized by means of the overpressure safety means that the filling of the inliner has to be stopped.
The inliner can favorably comprise a holding means for fixing the inliner to the tank, especially in the upper half of the tank. By means of this holding means, if appropriate together with the holding device of the tank, the inliner can be mounted in the tank in a suspended manner so that an adaptation to the inner wall of the tank as crease-free as possible is allowed.
The overpressure safety means can favorably be provided on the holding means. Thus, apart from the outlet nozzle, another device must be mounted at the inliner only at a second location, in this case the overpressure safety means together with the holding means. This optimizes the production of the inliner.
The invention likewise relates to an inliner for use in a container as described above. The inliner according to the invention is made of a food-grade plastic foil, especially of polypropylene or polyethylene, respectively, with a sterilized outlet nozzle. As the container according to the invention obtains its stability from the tank, no dimensionally stable material is required for receiving the food product, but conventional plastics suited for the transport of foodstuffs, can be used. As the food product is moreover transported inside the tank, no additional light protection, such as an aluminum foil, is required on the inliner. Hence, the inliner can be preferably made of plastic only.
The outlet nozzle can favorably comprise a closing device, especially a membrane or bursting disk, for keeping the inner surface of the inliner sterile. A membrane or bursting disk has thereby proved to be particularly advantageous, because they may be pushed or broken through by the food product itself during the filling, so that the interior of the inliner is protected against environmental effects up to the last moment. Especially with sterile basic food substances a sufficient hygiene can thus be guaranteed.
If a membrane or bursting disk is used, the membrane or bursting disk, respectively, may be configured to break free of shreds under a predetermined pressure load. Thus, it is prevented that fragments of the membrane or the bursting disk, respectively, can get into the inliner thereby contaminating the food product. Preferably, the membrane or bursting disk, respectively, may additionally be designed such that the parts of the membrane or bursting disk, respectively, cannot overlap when the inliner is evacuated. Thus, an impediment of the evacuation can be prevented.
According to a preferred embodiment the inliner may comprise an overpressure safety means, especially a bursting disk or safety valve, preferably a pressure relief valve. Thus, an overfilling of the inliner, which could result in an overpressure and, in the worst case, in the burst of the inliner, can be prevented.
The inliner can favorably comprise a holding means for fixing the inliner inside a tank. By means of this holding means, if appropriate together with a holding device of the tank, the inliner can be mounted in the tank in a suspended manner so that an adaptation to the inner wall of the tank as crease-free as possible is allowed.
According to a preferred embodiment a marking may be provided on the holding means and/or the overpressure safety means, which indicates the orientation under which the inliner is to be inserted into the tank of the container with respect to the orientation of the outlet opening so that, after the inliner has been inserted, the outlet nozzle is adjacent to the outlet opening. If the inliner is inserted into the tank from above, the user is able to recognize by means of the marking for which orientation of the inliner the outlet nozzle is placed opposite the outlet opening in the lower portion of the tank. Thus, it is prevented that the inliner is twisted or knotted up inside the tank, so that a filling as crease-free as possible is allowed.
The empty inliner can favorably be folded such that the inliner adapts to the inner wall of the tank in a crease-free manner during the filling with the food product. Especially a Z-shaped folding has shown that the inliner can adapt to the inner wall of the tank as crease-free as possible.
Advantageously, at least one adhesive strip or at least one rubber band may be arranged on the folded inliner to unfold the inliner only partially, depending on the filling level. If the product flows into the inliner, the portion not held together by adhesive strips or rubber bands unfolds first. Thus, it is achieved that the inliner adapts at the bottom of the tank first before the liquid rises upwardly, which, again, limits the formation of creases.
According to a preferred embodiment the outlet nozzle, the overpressure safety system and/or the holding means may be made of a weldable plastic. Thus, they are inexpensive to manufacture and can be disinfected by irradiation.
The invention also relates to a tank for use in a container as described above. The tank according to the invention comprises a tapering, especially funneled outlet arranged in the lower portion of the tank, the outlet opening of which is arranged eccentrically. Because of the eccentric outlet opening, as described above already, the access to the inliner is made easier. By this, the inliner in the container can easily be aligned with the outlet opening. Moreover, the funneled outlet allows a completely as possible evacuation of the inliner.
The tank can favorably comprise at least one aerating and/or deaerating device. As the inliner takes up food product during the filling, the corresponding volume must be able to escape from the tank. This is achieved with a deaerating device. Also, an aerating device is provided for the evacuation to avoid a formation of negative pressure.
The invention also relates to a method for transporting food products in a container, which is characterized in that the food product is transported in an inliner interchangeably arranged in the interior of a tank. Due to the fact that the food product is no longer filled directly into the tank, but is placed inside an inliner located in the tank, the sterilization of the interior of the tank, which requires time and energy, is omitted. After the inliner has been used, i.e. evacuated, the used inliner is replaced by a new inliner so that a laborious cleaning thereof is also omitted.
The invention further relates to a method for preparing a filling or evacuation, respectively, of a container as described above, wherein a connecting piece is connected to the outlet nozzle of the inliner serving to connect a filling or evacuation device, respectively, characterized in that the region from the connecting piece to the closing device of the outlet nozzle is disinfected prior to connecting a filling or evacuation device, respectively. This is necessary to disinfect the entire container, as the inliner is sterile only on its insides, which is ensured by the closing device. However, the space therebetween also has to comply with hygienic standards and must be disinfected correspondingly. To this end, a cold disinfection is advantageously performed by spraying on a disinfecting solution.
The connecting piece can advantageously be the valve device, wherein a disinfectant is introduced through the opened valve device into a space between the valve device and the closing device and the valve device is closed afterwards, so that the disinfectant remains in the space until the filling or evacuation, respectively. Thus, the intermediate area is not only disinfected shortly before the filling or evacuation, respectively, but it is kept sterile over a longer period of time.
The invention moreover relates to a method for filling a container as described above, comprising the steps: docking a filling device, deaerating the space between the inliner and the tank and filling the inliner through the outlet nozzle of the inliner.
The invention also relates to a method for evacuating a container as described above, comprising the steps: docking an evacuation device, aerating the space between the inliner and the tank and evacuating the inliner through the outlet nozzle of the inliner.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be explained below. In the drawings:
a shows a front view of a container for food products according to the invention;
b shows a side view of a container for food products according to the invention;
a shows a top view of an unfolded inliner according to the invention;
b shows a lateral cross-sectional view of the inliner according to the invention;
a shows a cross-section of an inventive configuration of a tank of the container shown in
b is an exploded cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the container of
c is an exploded cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the container of
a shows a front view of a container 1 according to the invention for the transport of food products.
In the container 1 according to the invention, the product is no longer filled into a tank 3 directly, but is filled into an inliner (will be described later) interchangeably arranged in the tank 3.
The container 1 according to the invention is based on a conventional standard container, to which, in the embodiment illustrated in
The container 1 comprises a tank 3, a pedestal 5, an outlet 7 in the lower portion of the tank 3 which, in this embodiment, is funneled, and a lid portion 9 having an opening closable by a closure 11.
For the transport of food products the tank 3 has a volume of approximately 1000 l. Depending on the product, however, also smaller and larger tanks may be provided. The tank 3 is designed for an operating overpressure of approximately 1 bar and has a permissible operating temperature range of approximately −20° C. to +130° C. The tank 3 is preferably made of metal, especially of aluminum or special steel.
The funneled outlet 7 is either integrally formed with the tank 3 or is a separate component which may be attached to the tank 3 in the lower portion thereof in a sealing manner. An observation window 13 is provided at the outlet 7, which serves to check the filling of the container 1. Additional observation windows 13 could also be arranged on the side wall of the tank 3.
In a lower portion of the outlet 7 an outlet opening 15 is arranged eccentrically, i.e. off-center toward the side edge of the tank 3. At this outlet opening 15 a connecting flange serves to fix an inliner (will be described later) placed in the tank 3 by means of a centering disk (will be described later). A valve device 17 may be connected to the inliner in a sealing manner, which serves to fill and evacuate the inliner by means of a filling or evacuation device (not illustrated). This filling or evacuation device is attached to a connecting piece 19. For example, a flap valve serves as the valve device 17.
In this embodiment, the lid portion 9 is provided with two valves 21, 23, with one valve serving as safety valve and the other valve as filling and evacuating valve, respectively. The opening provided in the lid portion 9 is closed with the closure 11. A bayonet catch may serve the fast opening and closing, which moreover allows a predetermined alignment of the closure 11 with respect to the tank 3. The closure 11 has, in turn, an opening as well, through which a holding means 25 on the inliner placed in the interior of the tank may be passed. The holding means 25 is fixed to the closure 11 by means of a union nut 27. The closure 11 and the union nut 27 are preferably designed such that the tank 3 is sealed in the closed state.
According to a modification, at least one of the valves 21, 23 may also be arranged on the closure 11. Moreover, the lid portion 9 may be provided with a stacker allowing a stacking of the container 1. Also, a holding device for fixing the inliner may be provided on the tank 3.
a and 2b schematically show a top view and a cross-sectional view of an inliner 31 according to the invention, which can interchangeably be arranged in the tank 3 of the container 1 shown in
On one end portion the inliner 31 is provided with an outlet nozzle 33 through which a product can be filled into the inliner 31 or discharged therefrom, respectively. The inliner 31 is welded to the outlet nozzle 33. The outlet nozzle 33, which is positioned between the valve device 17 and the rest of the inliner 31 after its installation in the container shown in
To prevent the inside 32 of the inliner 31 from communicating with air prior to the use, the opening of the outlet nozzle 33 is closed with a closing device 35. For example, a membrane or bursting disk may serve as closing device 35. These have the advantage that they can be broken or torn open, respectively, by the incoming food product stream, so that the interior of the inliner 31 remains sterile up to the last moment. To prevent any membrane or bursting disk material from getting into the interior of the inliner 31 the membrane or bursting disk, respectively, is constructed to bulge in a uniform manner and burst open free of shreds. If the product is pumped out again of the inliner 31, the closing device 35 is further configured to prevent the fragments from clogging the outlet nozzle 33.
Moreover, a sealing device 37, e.g. an O-ring or double O-ring, is formed on the outlet nozzle 33, which serves to connect the outlet nozzle 33 with the valve device 17 shown in
On the opposite end portion the inliner 31 is provided with the holding means 25, which had already been described in connection with
Suited as overpressure safety means 39 is a safety valve or, in a simple embodiment, likewise a bursting disk. The set pressure for the overpressure safety means 39 commonly is in the range of approximately 1.5 bar overpressure.
As is shown in
The volume V and the shape of the inliner 31 are adapted to the volume and the shape of the tank 3. Thus, an unnecessary occurrence of creases at the inner wall of the tank 3 can be suppressed when the inliner 31 is filled.
The occurrence of creases can additionally be prevented if the inliner 31 is specially folded in its longitudinal direction L, especially in a Z-shaped manner, and/or is constricted in a predetermined manner in the lower portion by a rubber band or the like, e.g. adhesive strips, to allow the inliner 31 to adopt the shape of the lower portion of the tank 3 first when being filled, before material of the inliner 31 is undone further up.
In the following, the attachment of an inliner 31 in the tank 3 to the outlet opening 15 and closure 11 will be explained in more detail by means of
a shows a cross-section of the container 1 at the height of the outlet opening 15. Elements having reference numerals identical with those in
As is shown in
In the embodiment of the tank 3 of the container 1 shown in
Below, the alignment and the attachment of the outlet nozzle 33 in the outlet opening 15 will be described in connection with
b shows an exploded cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the tank 3 of
As can be seen in
In order to prevent an unnecessary load on the welding seams of the inliner 31, the outlet nozzle 33 is centered by a centering disk 47, preferably in a positive manner, in the outlet opening 15. The through-opening 49 of the centering disk 47 is thereby eccentric so that the outlet nozzle 33 is placed as closely as possible at the lower edge 51 of the outlet opening 15. This facilitates the evacuation of the inliner 31 since the outlet nozzle 33 of an upright container 1 is thus arranged as far down as possible.
In the modification, according to which the inliner 31 is introduced through the outlet opening 15, the outlet nozzle 33 and the centering disk 47 may also be formed integrally.
In an attached state, seen from the interior of the tank, a portion of the outlet nozzle 33 projects outwardly from the centering disk 47. Onto this projecting portion, on which also the seal 37 is located, the valve device 17 is then fixed in a sealing manner. Here, for instance, a flap valve having a flap 53 is used as valve device 17. Via a connection thread 55 a filling or evacuation device, respectively, can be connected to the valve device 17.
The attachment of the outlet nozzle 33 to the outlet 7 should be as torsion-resistant as possible. Therefore, e.g. a bayonet catch between the connecting flange 57 and the centering disk 47 is suited. The valve device 17 can be attached either to the centering disk 47 or to the connecting flange 57 by means of a clip seal.
Prior to a filling with a food product it must be ensured that, in the assembled state, the space between the flap 53 and the closing device 35 of the inliner 31 is likewise cleaned or sterilized, respectively, in compliance with the product requirements. To this end, for instance, a disinfectant may be sprayed into this space which, after closing the valve device 17, then remains in the space and is removed from the space only during the filling or evacuation, respectively.
c shows an exploded cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the tank 3 of
The holding means 25 is inserted through the opening in the closure 11 and is attached to the closure 11 by a union nut 27 in a torsion-resistant manner. The attachment is accomplished in a sealing manner so as to prevent the food product from escaping if the inliner 31 bursts. Next, the closure 11 is fixed to the lid 9 in a sealing manner. In this case, too, a bayonet catch is advantageous as to prevent undesired torsions of the inliner 31.
As an alternative to the embodiment shown in
The inventive use of the described container 1 for the transport of food products, especially of sterile basic food substances, will be described below.
The flow chart illustrated in
In the following steps the inliner 31 now hanging in the tank 3 will be fixed to the outlet opening 15 of the tank 3. To this end, the outlet nozzle 33 is pulled out through the outlet opening 15 of the tank 3 in step S5. As the outlet opening 15 is large enough, one can grip into the tank 3 with one's hand, grab the outlet nozzle 33 and move it to the outlet opening. Then, in step S6, the outlet nozzle 33 is centered in the outlet opening 15 by means of the centering disk 47. By means of the bayonet catch the outlet nozzle 33, which is positively arranged in the centering disk, can then be fixed to the connecting flange 57 in a torsion-resistant manner (step S7).
A cap possibly provided on the outlet nozzle 33 is stripped off, and the valve device 17 is placed upon the outlet nozzle 33 (step S8). The valve device 17, e.g. a flap valve, is then fixed to the outlet nozzle 33, the centering disk 47 or the connecting flange 57 by means of a clip seal (step S9).
As the outlet nozzle 33 and the valve device 17 should be sterile, the interior space between the valve device 17 and the closing device 35 is disinfected with a suitable disinfecting solution through the opened valve 17 in step S10. This can, for instance, be done by spraying the solution thereon. To prevent the disinfecting solution from flowing out the valve device 17 is closed afterwards. Up to the further use, moreover, a blind-off cap may be screwed onto the connection thread 55 of the valve device 17.
In a next step, the container prepared in such a way can now be filled. The filling method according to the invention is explained by means of the flow chart of
If the valve device 17 is closed the assembly is then steamed. The disinfecting solution in the space between the valve device and the closing device 35 should thereby evaporate simultaneously so as to additionally sterilize the air space in the space (step S23). After this step a sterilized environment in the container 1 is ensured.
Then, in step S24, the flap 53 of the valve device 17 is opened and the food product flows into the interior of the inliner 31 upon breaking through the closing device 35. Thereupon, the inliner 31 is filled in step S25. The filling can thereby be observed and controlled through the observation window 13. Due to the incoming product volume the inliner 31 opens and adapts to the inner wall of the tank 3 in a uniform manner, whereby the bottom portion is filled first, since the rubber band 46 initially prevents the inliner 31 from opening further up.
When the desired product volume has flown in, the valve device 17 is closed again and the filling device is removed (step S26).
An overfilling of the inliner 31 is avoided by means of the overpressure safety means 39, which prevents too much incoming product from escaping. In addition, or instead thereof, a pressure monitoring of the pump, which serves to pump the product into the inliner 31, could be checked and the filling could be stopped with an increasing pressure.
Should it be found that the inliner does not properly unfold in the tank 3 during the filling, a small amount of gas can be injected into the inliner by means of a gas pressure surge, e.g. with nitrogen, so that it already adapts to the inner wall prior to the filling. The gas amount should thereby be adjusted such that the safety valve 39 remains closed after the filling.
The filled container 1 can now be loaded, and the food product now located in the inliner inside the tank can be transported to the consumer in a safe manner and under sterilized conditions.
At the consumer the container 1 is then evacuated again in accordance with the flow chart illustrated in
In step S30, a blind-off cap mounted on the connection thread 55 is removed. Next, in step S31, the evacuation device is docked with the same. When doing so, care must be taken that the portion between the evacuation device and the valve device 17 is disinfected. For this purpose, the same method can be used as for the filling of the tank 3.
Then, in step S32, the tank 3 is aerated via valve 21, 23. This may also take place with the addition of gas, especially nitrogen. For the evacuation, the flap 53 of the valve device 17 is opened and the food product is pumped out through the evacuation device by means of a pump (step S34).
After the inliner 31 in the tank 3 is evacuated, the evacuation device is removed in step S35 and the blind-off cap is again screwed onto the thread 55. Now, the container 1, together with the used inliner 31, can be returned to the manufacturer of the food product.
There, the used inliner 31 is again removed from the tank 3. Prior to the removal it can be found out, possibly by weighing, whether a residual amount is left in the inliner 31. If this amount is too large, it has to be pumped out before taking out the inliner 31. This is accomplished according to the method illustrated in
With the inventive container 1, tank 3 and inliner 31 as described, and with the methods as described, it is now no longer necessary to clean the interior of the transport tank upon its return. Particularly the energy-consuming disinfection of containers can be omitted, which have to be sterilized to be able to ensure the observance of hygiene for sterile products. By the use of the inliner, which is removed after use, also the residual evacuation of the container is substantially facilitated, and any built-up of the product on the interior of the tank 3 no longer occurs. Moreover, it is no longer necessary either to sterilize, e.g. by a nitrogen superimposition, the residual volume if the tank 3 is filled only partially.
With food products having a viscosity which is not too high, the filled inliner can possibly be evacuated by means of a compressed air cushion alone, which may be fed via the lid. In this case, the use of a pump would not be necessary. As the product in the inliner 31 is separated from the compressed air, no special demands are made on this compressed air cushion with respect to hygiene.
Due to the unnecessary cleaning less energy, on the one hand, and also less water, on the other hand, is needed, so that the waste water load is strongly reduced.
Moreover, damages to the tank have no effect on the product, since this is protected in the inliner 31. Thus, tanks 3 can be used longer and have to be maintained less frequently. Due to the unnecessary laborious cleansing method the tank is also faster reusable.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05009977.9 | May 2005 | EP | regional |
