Systems, methods, and apparatuses for cooling hot-filled containers

摘要

The disclosed subject matter relates to container holders configured to provide a stable support for containers held therein in order to efficiently cool the containers after a hot-fill or elevated temperature operation. The container holders can allow a fluid to pass from an inner volume of the container holder to outside the container holder through side apertures and/or an open bottom end of the container holder. Groups of containers and container holders also may be cooled. Groups of containers in container holders can be processed through the cooling operation at a speed different from a speed for holderless containers.

主权项

1. A container holder, comprising:
a cylindrical sidewall forming an inner volume, a first open end, and a second open end; a base portion at the second open end, said base portion extending from said cylindrical sidewall into the inner volume and including a hollow cylindrical portion concentric with said cylindrical sidewall and a plurality of connecting portions coupling said hollow cylindrical portion to said cylindrical sidewall; and a plurality of slanted protrusions formed in one piece with said cylindrical sidewall, said protrusions extending into the inner volume at acute angles from said cylindrical sidewall and being configured to space-apart from the cylindrical sidewall a container placed in the inner volume, said protrusions each including an upper portion, a bottom portion, and a horizontally-extending engagement surface formed between and spaced from the upper portion and the bottom portion with an upper vertically-configured portion defined between the horizontally-extending engagement surface and the upper portion, and a lower vertically-configured portion defined between the horizontally-extending engagement surface and the lower portion, wherein the horizontally extending engagement surface is facing the base portion and configured to prevent a container placed in the inner volume from being removed from the inner volume, and further wherein the cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of apertures defined therein, each said aperture being configured to allow fluid to flow from the inner volume to the outside of the cylindrical sidewall to cool the container placed in the inner volume.