US 6,536,188 C2 (12,742nd)
Method and apparatus for aseptic packaging
Thomas D. Taggart, South Wales, NY (US)
Filed by Thomas D. Taggart, South Wales, NY (US)
Assigned to Steuben Foods, Inc.
Reexamination Request No. 90/013,601, Oct. 2, 2015.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 6,536,188, issued Mar. 25, 2003, Appl. No. 09/306,552, May 6, 1999.
Reexamination Certificate C1 6,536,188, issued Sep. 12, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/118,404, filed on Feb. 2, 1999.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on Oct. 18, 2024.
Int. Cl. B67C 7/00 (2006.01); B65B 55/10 (2006.01)
CPC B67C 7/0033 (2013.01) [B65B 55/10 (2013.01); B67C 7/0073 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
Claims 1-8, 10-15, 17, 18 and 20 were previously cancelled.
Claim 40 is cancelled.
Claims 9, 16, 19 and 21-39 were not reexamined.
40. A method for aseptically bottling aseptically sterilized foodstuffs comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of bottles;
aseptically disinfecting the plurality of bottles to a level producing at least a 6 log reduction in spore organisms;
filling the aseptically disinfected plurality of bottles with the aseptically sterilized foodstuffs; and
filling the aseptically disinfected plurality of bottles at a rate greater than 100 bottles per minute;
wherein the step of aseptically disinfecting of the plurality of bottles further includes a measuring device for measuring a quantity of sterilant, and wherein the sterilant is peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide; and wherein the peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide uses a concentration sensor to ensure that the concentration of the peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide is maintained at a predetermined level.