Patent ID: 7574846
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: B65D,B65G

Abstract:
1. A process for conveying plastic containers along a table-top conveying system, comprising the steps of: temporarily securing a transfer stabilizing support to a bottom portion of a formed, plastic container so that the plastic container can move along a production line using the table-top conveying system, said transfer stabilizing support having a bottom surface with an opening, a sidewall extending substantially perpendicular from said bottom surface to form an open enclosure, rib projections formed in one piece with said sidewall and extending into said open enclosure from said sidewall, substantially toward a center longitudinal axis of said open enclosure, and a ridge area concentrically spaced from said sidewall of said transfer stabilizing support, wherein said ridge area is arranged to set a presentation height of the temporarily secured container at one or more of a filling station and a capping station of the production line; filling, at the filling station, the plastic container temporarily secured to said transfer stabilizing support with a hot product; capping, at the capping station, the hot-filled plastic container temporarily secured to said transfer stabilizing support; creating a vacuum in the hot-filled and capped plastic container temporarily secured to said transfer stabilizing support, said creating a vacuum including cooling the hot-filled and capped plastic container using a cooling system; manipulating, after the vacuum has been created in the plastic container, a bottom end portion of the plastic container to counter the vacuum created in the plastic container temporarily secured to said transfer stabilizing support; and after the plastic container has gone through said filling, capping, creating, and manipulating, removing said transfer stabilizing support from said bottom portion of the plastic container.