Packaging method

• US 5,560,182 A
• Filed: 03/27/1995
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seawell North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Seawell North America Incorporated
• Inventors: Garwood, Anthony J. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culver, Horace M.
• Application Number:
  US08/411,143
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 53/432, 53/433, 53/510, 53/511, 53/449, 53/173, 53/453, 53/559, 426/118, 426/129
• US Class Current: 53/432
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/02 Filling, closing, or filling and closing, containers or wrappers in chambers maintained under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure or containing a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/028 closed by a lid sealed to the upper rim of the container, e.g. tray-like container
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/168 by applying and securing double closures

Abstract

A method of packaging goods such as red meats is disclosed. The goods (5) are packaged on a base (1) with an inner skin lid (11) which at least partially skin packs the goods (5) to the base (1) to hold the goods (5) to the base (1). An outer lid (7) is placed over the inner skin lid (11)and gas pressure is reduced therebetween causing the inner skin lid (11) to be urged relatively towards the undersurface of the outer lid (7). The outer lid (7) is then sealed to the inner lid (11) and the base (1). The inner skin lid (11) is of a material which will allow a required gas such as O₂ to penetrate the inner skin lid (11) when the outer lid (7) is opened, removed or ruptured to, in turn, allow the red meat, if discolored, to bloom to a red color. The method enables unwanted gases such as O₂ to be substantially excluded from the packaging until the outer lid (7) is opened, removed or ruptured.

Claims

1. A method of packaging goods comprising providing a base,

placing goods over said base,

placing an inner skin lid over said goods,

placing an outer lid over said inner skin lid, said outer lid having an undersurface,

sealing said inner skin lid to said base to hold said goods relative to said base,

causing said inner skin lid to be urged relatively towards the undersurface of said outer lid to displace unwanted gas by reducing gas pressure between said inner skin lid and said outer lid, and thereafter

sealing said outer lid relative to said inner skin lid and said base while in the urged condition, said inner skin lid being of a material to allow a required gas to permeate said inner skin lid when said outer lid is removed, ruptured or opened,

said base and said outer lid being of material which will substantially inhibit undesired gas external of the package from contacting said goods.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of introducing a desired gas between said inner skin lid and said outer lid prior to sealing said outer lid relative to said inner skin lid so there is a space therebetween which contains said desired gas, and

sealing said outer lid relative to said inner skin lid and said base.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of sealing said outer lid relative to said inner skin lid and said base with a seal which can allow said outer lid to be peeled from said packaging leaving said base and said inner skin lid intact and unruptured.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of sealing said outer lid relative to said inner skin lid and said base with a portion of said outer lid overhanging the periphery of said inner skin lid and said base to permit easy gripping for subsequent peeling off of said outer lid.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base has a generally cup-shaped depression therein in which said goods are received, and further including the steps of:

choosing the size of said goods relative to the depression so the top of said goods will extend above the top of the depression when said goods are placed in said depression,

placing said goods in said depression, and

causing said inner skin lid to stretch over said goods when said inner skin lid is sealed to said base in at least partial skin packing relation to said goods.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said outer lid is shaped and sized to neatly fit over said inner skin lid and said goods, and further including the steps of:

positioning said outer lid over said inner skin lid and said goods in such relationship, and

supporting said outer lid in that relationship while said inner skin lid is caused to be urged relatively towards the undersurface of said outer lid whereby said goods will still be held to said base during such urging.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of introducing said desired gas at a pressure greater than a gas pressure between said inner skin lid and said base.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said desired gas is at a pressure slightly less than atmospheric pressure.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of heating said inner skin lid to a forming temperature to assist in enabling said inner skin lid to be urged towards said outer lid.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of applying a platen to the outer lid to limit movement of said outer lid and said inner skin if said inner skin lid should engage said outer lid as it is urged relatively towards the undersurface of said outer lid.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further step of sealing said other gas barrier web relative to said gas permeable web and said gas barrier web with a seal which allows said other gas barrier web to be peeled from said packaging, thereby leaving said one gas barrier web and said gas permeable web intact and unruptured.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising the further steps of sealing said other gas barrier web relative to said gas permeable web and said one gas barrier web with a portion of said other gas barrier web overhanging the periphery of said gas permeable web and said one gas barrier web to permit easy gripping for subsequent peeling off of said other gas barrier web.

11. A method of packaging goods, said method having the following steps:

(a) providing three overlapping webs, the two outer webs being gas barrier webs and the inner web being a gas permeable web;

(b) providing goods between one of said gas barrier webs and said gas permeable web;

(c) sealing said goods between said one gas barrier web and said gas permeable web so that said goods are therebetween, said sealing being effected by sealing means which defines a seal path near what will be the perimeter of the packaging and which extends completely around said seal path;

(d) sealing closed a chamber about the three webs and the goods, evacuating air from said chamber to lower air pressure in said chamber to permit said gas permeable web to be urged relatively towards the undersurface of the other gas barrier web to displace gas therebetween, and thereafter

sealing said other gas barrier web relative to said gas permeable web and said one barrier web while the gas permeable web is in the urged condition,

said gas permeable web permitting a required gas to permeate therethrough when said other gas barrier web is removed, ruptured or opened.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising the further steps of:

introducing a desired gas between said gas permeable web and the other of said gas barrier webs prior to sealing said other gas barrier web relative to said gas permeable web so that there is a space therebetween which contains said desired gas; and

sealing said other gas barrier web relative to said gas permeable web and said one gas barrier web.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said one gas barrier web has a generally cup-shaped depression therein in which said goods are received, and comprising the further steps of:

choosing the size of said goods relative to the depression so the top of said goods will extend above the top of the depression when said goods are place in said depression;

placing said goods in said depression; and

causing said gas permeable web to stretch over said goods when said gas permeable web is sealed to said one gas barrier web in at least partial skin packing relation to said goods.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said other gas barrier web is shaped and sized to neatly fit over said gas permeable web and said goods, and comprising the further steps of:

positioning said other gas barrier web over said gas permeable web and said goods in such relationship; and

supporting said other gas barrier web in that relationship while said permeable web lid is caused to be urged relatively towards the undersurface of said other gas barrier web whereby said goods will still be held to said one gas barrier web during such urging.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising the further steps of introducing said desired gas at a pressure greater than a gas pressure between said other gas permeable web and said other gas barrier web.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said desired gas is at a pressure slightly less than atmospheric pressure.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising the further steps of heating said gas permeable web to a forming temperature to assist in enabling said gas permeable web to be urged towards said other gas barrier web.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11, further including the step of applying a platen to said other gas barrier web towards which the inner skin lid is urged, thereby limiting movement of said other gas barrier web and said inner skin lid if said inner skin lid should engage said other gas barrier web as it is urged relatively towards the undersurface of said other gas barrier web.