One feature pertains to a device that includes a main body having a bottle-receiving end that receives a bottle and forms a substantially airtight seal between the main body and an exterior surface of the bottle surrounding a mouth of the bottle. The bottle-receiving end has a bottom opening to allow for fluid-flow communication between an interior air cavity of the main body and a headspace of the bottle. The device further includes a stopper securement device, and a vacuum pump that evacuates air out of the interior air cavity and the headspace to create a vacuum or partial vacuum within the headspace. The device also includes a means for inserting the stopper into the mouth of the bottle using the stopper securement device after the vacuum pump evacuates air out of the interior cavity and the headspace.

A process for producing a blister strip is provided. The blister strip contains two or more different formulations of powdered medicament for inhalation. The blister strip has a base in which blister cavities are formed. A first set of cavities each contain a first medicament formulation and are covered by a first lid material. A second set of cavities each contain a second medicament formulation and are covered by a second, separate lid material.

The present invention has been made in an effort to more assuredly substitute oxygen in a vial. A gas substitution apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a first gas substitution unit which seals a periphery of an opening of a vial disposed in a gas substitution section, and guides a flow of a first substitution gas to be supplied into the vial; and a second gas substitution unit which is coupled to an upper side of the first gas substitution unit, and guides a flow of a second substitution gas to be supplied directly into the vial.

A shielding bag gripping apparatus includes a first suction part extending in a first direction, a second suction part extending in the first direction and spaced apart from the first suction part in a second direction crossing the first direction, a first compression part below the first suction part, and a second compression part below the second suction part. The first suction part may include a first suction surface having a normal line parallel to the second direction, a first suction hole exposed by the first suction surface and a first placement hole vertically penetrating the first suction part, and the second suction part may include a second suction surface facing the first suction surface and a second suction hole exposed by the second suction surface.

A tray for receiving sausages is provided. The tray includes cells which are adapted to substantially match the shape of sausages or other soft materials. The tray may be vacuum sealed to cause a relatively uniform top surface suitable for stacking. The tray may be sealed without pre-freezing the sausages and without causing significant deformation to said sausages upon thawing. The tray may be loaded in an automated manner without the use of robotic arms placing individual sausages into the tray.

The invention is directed to a system and method for sealing a closure to a container comprising a die assembly, a mandrel assembly, and a gas evacuation assembly. The mandrel assembly comprises an outer mandrel and an inner mandrel. The outer mandrel is configured to vertically translate and constrain a closure in position. The gas evacuation assembly, which comprises at least one hollow channel within the die and one or more channel openings into the interior of the die, suctions gas from the interior of an aligned container when the closure is constrained in position. The inner mandrel translates vertically to insert the closure into the container and a sealing member seals the closure in place.

The invention is directed to a system and method for sealing a closure to a container comprising a die assembly, a mandrel assembly, and a gas evacuation assembly. The mandrel assembly comprises an outer mandrel and an inner mandrel. The outer mandrel is configured to vertically translate and constrain a closure in position. The gas evacuation assembly, which comprises at least one interior channel within the die and one or more channel openings into the interior of the die, suctions gas from the interior of an aligned container when the closure is constrained in position. The inner mandrel translates vertically to insert the closure into the container and a sealing member seals the closure in place.

In a method for filling a bottle, a balloon body extends through an axial through bore of a cap and is connected seal-tightly with an upper circumferential rim to the cap above a radial opening of the cap. An elongate support associated with the balloon body is connected to the cap. Balloon and elongate support are inserted into the bottle. The cap is positioned at a spacing above the bottle neck to form a ring-shaped intermediate gap. Air contained in the bottle interior is forced out through the intermediate gap by inflating the balloon body with an expansion medium. Subsequently, the cap is fluid-tightly fitted on the bottle neck. The expansion medium is allowed to escape from the balloon body and liquid is supplied through radial and axial openings of the cap into the space between outer surface of the balloon body and inner bottle wall.

A vacuum sealing appliance is provided including a vacuum motor assembly generating suction, a vacuum trough fluidly connected to the vacuum motor assembly configured to receive suction and evacuate a food container through an open end, and at least one heat sealing element adjacent the vacuum trough configured to heat seal the open end of the food container after evacuation. The vacuum sealing appliance further includes a control unit configured to control the vacuum motor assembly and the at least one heat sealing element. The vacuum sealing appliance further includes a sensor electrically connected to the control unit configured to detect moisture in exhaust air of the vacuum motor assembly and send electrical signals to the control unit. Based upon the electrical signals, the control unit controls one or both of the vacuum motor assembly and the at least one heat sealing element.

A method and system of transferring matter through a sealed container during a bottling process are provided. The method includes accessing a headspace of the filled and sealed container by creating at least one opening. An inert gas is provided within the headspace while allowing O.sub.2 to exit from the headspace until substantially all of the O.sub.2 has been flushed out of the headspace. The headspace is then pressurized by continuing to direct the inert gas into the headspace after it has been flushed of O.sub.2. The at least one opening of the container is then sealed while the headspace is under pressure. The filled and sealed container can be a hot-filled container.