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(11) | EP 0 701 966 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A beverage packaging apparatus and a beverage packaging method |
| (57) There is provided a bottle beverage packaging apparatus and method in which an open
topped bottle 20 having a primary chamber charged with beverage 21 containing gas
in solution is enclosed together with a closure 8 in a pressure chamber 25 which may
be formed against a shoulder of the bottle. The chamber 25 is pressurised with nitrogen
gas to pressurise the primary chamber and a secondary chamber 14 in the closure 8
through an aperture 15 of the chamber 14 prior to the closure 8 being displaced by
a closure locator 5 to seal the open top of the bottle in the pressurised chamber
25. A projection 11A from the secondary chamber 14 extends into the beverage 20 to
locate the aperture 15 beneath the surface thereof. Following sealing of the bottle
the chamber 25 is de-pressurised and opened for removal of the sealed package. The
chamber 25 may be formed by a tubular shroud 2 carried by a rotating carousel. The
secondary chamber 14 may be formed in a hollow insert separate from the closure 8.
There is also provided a beverage package in which the closure which may be fitted
by the apparatus and system includes a manually openable vent that reduces a headspace
pressure in the sealed package to atmospheric pressure for gas to be injected into
the beverage through the aperture 15 for froth development prior to removal of the
closure from the bottle. |