CA1238026A - Sterilizing and cleaning system for filler nozzles - Google Patents
Sterilizing and cleaning system for filler nozzlesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1238026A CA1238026A CA000453847A CA453847A CA1238026A CA 1238026 A CA1238026 A CA 1238026A CA 000453847 A CA000453847 A CA 000453847A CA 453847 A CA453847 A CA 453847A CA 1238026 A CA1238026 A CA 1238026A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cap
- filler nozzle
- filler
- nozzle
- steam
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
- B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
- B67C3/001—Cleaning of filling devices
- B67C3/002—Cleaning of filling devices using cups or dummies to be placed under the filling heads
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
- A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
- A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
- A61L2/04—Heat
- A61L2/06—Hot gas
- A61L2/07—Steam
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
- Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
- Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
Abstract
Title of the Invention:
BACK PRESSURE APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure A back pressure apparatus comprises a cap having a flow restricting means and adapted to be removably connected to a filler nozzle of a filler in an aseptic processing and filling system for foods or medicines.
Heating medium such as hot water or steam is passed through the system and the cap on the filler nozzle makes it possible to pressurize the heating medium in the system to the extent that enough high temperature is established to heat sterilize the inside of the system while permitting the flow of the heating medium through the system.
BACK PRESSURE APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure A back pressure apparatus comprises a cap having a flow restricting means and adapted to be removably connected to a filler nozzle of a filler in an aseptic processing and filling system for foods or medicines.
Heating medium such as hot water or steam is passed through the system and the cap on the filler nozzle makes it possible to pressurize the heating medium in the system to the extent that enough high temperature is established to heat sterilize the inside of the system while permitting the flow of the heating medium through the system.
Description
~3~
BAC~ P~SSU~ .~D~ALUS
This invention relates to a back pressure apparatus for high temperature sterili~ing the inside of an aseptic processing and filling system for foods or medicines 5 ~hereinafter merely called as ~system~), which is adapted to be connected to a filler nozzle of the system to maintain sterilizing steam inside the system at a predetermined pressure during the sterilization of the system.
In general, when aseptic processing the products such as foods or medicines, it is necessary to make an àseptic condition an aseptic processing and filling system including various apparatus covering from a sterilizing apparatus to a filling apparatus, a delivery pump, pipes 15 valves and the like to which the products tend to directly contact, prior to the production and filling operation of the system. To this end, there are several conventional methods, for example, of passing sterilizing agents through tbe system; of heating water to a high temperature by a ~Oheat-sterilizing apparatus and introducing the hot water into the system: and of introducing steam through a steam supply piping into the system to heat sterilize it.
However, the method of using the sterilizing agents has been hardly used, since the agents sometimes would be ~5remained in the system and be mixtured into the products, which would cause undesirable sanitary problems.
B
~3~
Accordingly, the heat-sterilizing methods using hot water or steam have been acutally adopted for the system.
The heat-s~erilizing method above mentioned has been usually carried out under the conditions; sterilizing timeo 20~45 minutes, and sterilizing temper~ature. 120-140Co In this case, the hot water or steam in the inside of the system should be held at a pressure above the atmospheric pressure ~i.e. pressure for suppressing the boiling of water; this pressure is called as Wback pressureR in the present specification.) in order to maintain the hot water or steam at a temperature above 100C. Fur~hermore, it is required that the hot water or steam continues to flow through the system without being stayed therein, since if they would be stayed in the system, their temperature is lowered, due to the heat radiation from the inside o~ the system to the atmosphere, to the extent that the steriliza~ion of the inside of the system would become insufficient.
Meanwhile, filler nozzles have been designed to have 20 different shapes depending on the properties of the products to be filled, in general, that in the fi1ling process, any of the nozzle is arranged that it is opened to fill one of sontain2rs with the product and tben the nozzle is fully closed to interrupt the filling until the next conteiner is conveyed in placeO Because of the unction of the conventional filler nozzles as described above, therefore, it is impossible to maintain the hot water or steam in the system at a pressure above the atmospheric ~3~
pressure enough to provide a temperature required for sterilization while permitting a continuous flow of heated water and vapour through the system when the heat sterilization of tbe system is carried out prior to the filling production.
An attempt has been heretofore made to mount device sterilizing the interior on the filler nozzle an attachment device which is connected to back pressure device, such as a pressure control valve or a steam trap, by means of a pipe to establish enough pressure of ~he hot water or s~eam in the system to sterilize it while permitting the flow of hot water or steam through the system. However, there has been a complicatedness and difficulty in manually mounting the above attachment device on the ~iller nozzle in view of the fact that a number of parts are commonly mounted in the vicinity of the filler nozzle.
In addition, since the filler nozzle and the attachment device become hotter, it is impossible to manually remove the attachment device immediately after the interior of the ~ystem has been heat sterilized, they must be left for about thirty minutes to cool them to the ambient temperature.
Furthermore, during removal of the attachment device after cooling down as described above, the attachment device must be carefully handled so as to avoid any contamination of the tip and the inner surface of the sterilized filler nozzle with a microorganism such as a germ. In general, there is a need for disinfection of the B
handst and it is practical to spray on sterilizing agent to the nozzle portion of the filler after removal of the atachment device.
~owever, in spite of such procedures, there has been the problem that a filling chamber may be contaminated by contacting with the environment since the shield door provided to keep the filling chamber in a sterile condition is opened to permit removing of the attachment device.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of conveniently heat sterilizing an entire aseptic processing and filling system including the iller which is to be in contact with the product, without causing the above-mentioned problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a back pressure apparatus which is adapted to be connected to the filler nozzle of the system and enables to maintain the inside of the system under a predetermined pr,essurization at a temperature above lOO~C while avoiding any stagnation of the heating medium in the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a back pressure apparatus which is detachably connected to the filler nozzle of the syste~ without any troublesome handling and preparatory time for the operation thereof and without destroying the sterile condition of the filler nozzle and the inside of the filler having been sterilized.
According to the present inven~ion, it is possible to completely sterilize the inside of the system with heating B
medium at high temperature by connecting to the filker nozzle a cap having a flow restricting means for discharging the heating medium to maintain the pressure of the heating medium upstream of the filler nozzle of the system at a prede~ermined level and hy passing the heating medium through the system after the connection of the cap. Furthermore, it is possible, according to the present invention, to pass the heating medium through the system with any stay thereof in the system.
According to the present invention, the cap of the back pressure apparatus is designed to be compact in construction and therefore this makes it possi~le to convey the cap to a position directly below the filler nozzle by a conventional conveyor or the like and to connect the cap to the filler nozzle with any suitable means by which the mount and demount of the cap to the filler ~ozzle are easily carried out without destroying the sterile condition of the filLer nozzle and the inside of the system.
According to the present invention, there is provided a back pressure apparatus for maintaining a predetermined pxessure within an aseptic filling system to sterilize the inside of the aseptic filling system, comprising:
`2~ a filler nozzle for filling a previously sterilized food into containers under an aseptic condition;
a cap adapted to be cbnnected in a liquid-tight manner to said filler nozzle and including a steam trap for continuously discharging steam condensate while maintaining the inside of the aseptic filling system upstream of the filler nozzle at the predetermined pressure for sterilization;
lift means for moving vertically the cap to connect or disconnect the cap to or from said filler nozzle;
~3~
seal means for achieving a liquid-tight connection between said filler nozzle and said cap; and transfer means for transferring said cap to or from a position just below said filler nozzle.
The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an io embodiment of a back pressure apparatus attached to a filler nozzle and constructed in accordance with the - present invention; and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modification of the invention.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a back pressure apparatus according to the present invention comprisiny a cap 2 adapted to be connected to a nozzle 1 of a filter in an aseptic processing and filling system.
The filler nozzle 1 extends through a fixed plate 8 below which a filling chamber is definedO A lifting device is provided for lifting the cap 2 toward the filler nozzle 1 for connection therewith and includes bolts 4 inserted in apertures in the fixed plate 8 and adapted to be threadedly received in tapped holes 12 in a flange 7 formed on the side wall of the cap 2.
Rotation of the bolts 4 causes the cap 2 to lift upwardly the filler nozzle 1 into engagement with its tip. An O-ring S is fitted in an annular groove in the flange 7 to form a seal between the cap 2 and the tip of the filler nozzle 1. The cap 2 is provided with a partition 2a for defining a compartment 2b therewithin and a conduit 2c extending from the partition through the side wall of the cap 2 and terminating at an outlet 6. A steam trap 3 is provided in the conduit 2c within the compartment 2b of the cap 2 to selectively ~2~
discharge steam condensate through the outlet 6 without - any escape of steam from the aseptic processing system so that the heating medium in a portion of the system upstream of -the cap 2 can be maintained at a predetermined pressure Prior to carrying out a heat sterilization of the aseptic processing and filling system, the cap 2 is first located on a chain conveyor 9 adapted to run through the filling chamber and to convey containers which are filled with a product during a su~sequent filling operation. The chain conveyor 9 is operated to convey the cap 2 to a position where it is located directly below the filler nozzle 1. Thenl the bolts 4 are inserted into the apertures in the fixed plate 8 to threadedly engage the tapped holes 12 in the flange 7 of the cap 2. The cap 2 is lifted upwardly toward the filler nozzle 1 by turning the bolts ~ in the tapped holes 12 so that it is moved away from the chain conveyor 9 until the cap 2 sealingly engages the tip of the filler nozzle 1 with the O-ring 5 interposed therebetween.
The heat sterilization of the sterile processing and filling system is carried out by introducing saturated stream from its source through a piping into the system and passing the steam through the filler nozzle 1 to the cap 2 through the stream trap 3 of which the steam condensate is intermittently discharged to the exterior~ The steam trap 3 in the cap 2 serves to maintain the saturated steam in the portion of the aseptic processing and filling system of the steam trap 3 at a predetermined pressure required to obtain a temperature sufficient to sterilize the system. The intermittent discharge of the steam condensate from the steam trap 3 through the outlet 6 permits the steam to constantly flow from the steam supply piping through the system to the filler nozzle l. Thus, the system B
~ ~3~
can be sterilized with the steam at the desired temperature for a required time of sterilization.
Upon completion of the sterilization within the - system as mentioned abov~, the bolts 4 are loosened so that the cap 2 can be lowered from the filler nozzle to the chain conveyor 9 which is then operated to convey the cap 2 outside of the filling chamber. In this case, -there are no possibilities of bacteria contaminating the tip of the filler nozzle 1 and its interior, and of ruining the sterilized condition within the filler because the removal and conveyance of the cap 2 can be perfor~ed without manual handling.
In addition, a sealing device which is disposed downstream of the filler is not in operation during the conveyance of the cap 2, so that it is possible to convey the cap 2 out of the filling chamber without any damage to the cap 2 and conversely, the filler is not damaged by the cap 2.
After the cap 2 has been removed from the filler nozzle 1, it is necessary to remove the fastening bolts 4 from the apertures in the fixed plate 8 because these bolts 4 interfere with the incoming containers during the subsequent filling operation. In this case, it is possible to prevent bacteria or the like from entering the filling chamber through the apertures by introducing sterilized air, an inert gas or superheated steam thereinto to maintain the filling chamber at a positive pressure somewhat higher than the atmosphere whereby the sterilized condition therewithin can be maintained. It is preferable to close the apertures in the top plate 8 by any suitable means after removal of the bolts 4.
The steam drain is discharged out of the ~illing chamber by connecting a pipe or the like to the outlet port 6, especially in the case where it is undesirable to discharge the steam condensate into the ~illing ,r cham~er.
- The conveyance of the receiver forming part of the back pressure apparatus according to the invention may be performed by any suitable conveyor ~eans other than the chain conveyor as described in the above embodiment. In the case where it is d:ifficult to convey the cap along a path of conveyance of the product containers, -the ~hain conveyor may be reversely driven to convey the cap through the exit side of the filling chamber to the position direct:Ly below the filler nozzle in a direction opposite to the direction of the conveyance of the product containers.
Instead of the bolts threadedly received in the tapped holes in the flange of the cap as shown in the drawings, any suitable lifter means may be employed to lift the cap from the chain conveyor toward the filling nozzle 'or connection therewith.
Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the back pressure apparatus in which a cap 2 similar to that of the first embodiment as described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings is used except that the cap 2 is bought into contact with the fixed plate 8 to surround the filler nozzle 1`. There is provided a lifte~ 14 for lifting the cap 2 from the chain conveyor 9 toward the fixed plate 8. Gaskets of synthetic resin, rubber or the like are interposed between the periphery of the filler noz~le I and fixed plate 8 and between the upper end of the cap 2 and the lower surface of the fixed plate 8, respectively to prevent any heating medium from escaping through therebetween.
The cap ~ay be formed from any suitable material, such as stainless steel, ceramics synthetic resin or the like which can resist the heat sterilizing operation of the system.
It will be noted from the foregoing that by connection the cap having the flow restricting means to ~, :~3~2~
--1 o--the fil.ler nozzle, the steam in the system can be maintained under the pressurization to make it possible to heat sterilize the inside of the system at high temperature without any stagnation of the heating medium in the system. It will also be noted that the cap is simple and compact in construction and can ~e removably connected to the filler nozzle without any contamination of the nozzle with microorganisms affecting the sterile condition within the system.
20 .
BAC~ P~SSU~ .~D~ALUS
This invention relates to a back pressure apparatus for high temperature sterili~ing the inside of an aseptic processing and filling system for foods or medicines 5 ~hereinafter merely called as ~system~), which is adapted to be connected to a filler nozzle of the system to maintain sterilizing steam inside the system at a predetermined pressure during the sterilization of the system.
In general, when aseptic processing the products such as foods or medicines, it is necessary to make an àseptic condition an aseptic processing and filling system including various apparatus covering from a sterilizing apparatus to a filling apparatus, a delivery pump, pipes 15 valves and the like to which the products tend to directly contact, prior to the production and filling operation of the system. To this end, there are several conventional methods, for example, of passing sterilizing agents through tbe system; of heating water to a high temperature by a ~Oheat-sterilizing apparatus and introducing the hot water into the system: and of introducing steam through a steam supply piping into the system to heat sterilize it.
However, the method of using the sterilizing agents has been hardly used, since the agents sometimes would be ~5remained in the system and be mixtured into the products, which would cause undesirable sanitary problems.
B
~3~
Accordingly, the heat-sterilizing methods using hot water or steam have been acutally adopted for the system.
The heat-s~erilizing method above mentioned has been usually carried out under the conditions; sterilizing timeo 20~45 minutes, and sterilizing temper~ature. 120-140Co In this case, the hot water or steam in the inside of the system should be held at a pressure above the atmospheric pressure ~i.e. pressure for suppressing the boiling of water; this pressure is called as Wback pressureR in the present specification.) in order to maintain the hot water or steam at a temperature above 100C. Fur~hermore, it is required that the hot water or steam continues to flow through the system without being stayed therein, since if they would be stayed in the system, their temperature is lowered, due to the heat radiation from the inside o~ the system to the atmosphere, to the extent that the steriliza~ion of the inside of the system would become insufficient.
Meanwhile, filler nozzles have been designed to have 20 different shapes depending on the properties of the products to be filled, in general, that in the fi1ling process, any of the nozzle is arranged that it is opened to fill one of sontain2rs with the product and tben the nozzle is fully closed to interrupt the filling until the next conteiner is conveyed in placeO Because of the unction of the conventional filler nozzles as described above, therefore, it is impossible to maintain the hot water or steam in the system at a pressure above the atmospheric ~3~
pressure enough to provide a temperature required for sterilization while permitting a continuous flow of heated water and vapour through the system when the heat sterilization of tbe system is carried out prior to the filling production.
An attempt has been heretofore made to mount device sterilizing the interior on the filler nozzle an attachment device which is connected to back pressure device, such as a pressure control valve or a steam trap, by means of a pipe to establish enough pressure of ~he hot water or s~eam in the system to sterilize it while permitting the flow of hot water or steam through the system. However, there has been a complicatedness and difficulty in manually mounting the above attachment device on the ~iller nozzle in view of the fact that a number of parts are commonly mounted in the vicinity of the filler nozzle.
In addition, since the filler nozzle and the attachment device become hotter, it is impossible to manually remove the attachment device immediately after the interior of the ~ystem has been heat sterilized, they must be left for about thirty minutes to cool them to the ambient temperature.
Furthermore, during removal of the attachment device after cooling down as described above, the attachment device must be carefully handled so as to avoid any contamination of the tip and the inner surface of the sterilized filler nozzle with a microorganism such as a germ. In general, there is a need for disinfection of the B
handst and it is practical to spray on sterilizing agent to the nozzle portion of the filler after removal of the atachment device.
~owever, in spite of such procedures, there has been the problem that a filling chamber may be contaminated by contacting with the environment since the shield door provided to keep the filling chamber in a sterile condition is opened to permit removing of the attachment device.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of conveniently heat sterilizing an entire aseptic processing and filling system including the iller which is to be in contact with the product, without causing the above-mentioned problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a back pressure apparatus which is adapted to be connected to the filler nozzle of the system and enables to maintain the inside of the system under a predetermined pr,essurization at a temperature above lOO~C while avoiding any stagnation of the heating medium in the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a back pressure apparatus which is detachably connected to the filler nozzle of the syste~ without any troublesome handling and preparatory time for the operation thereof and without destroying the sterile condition of the filler nozzle and the inside of the filler having been sterilized.
According to the present inven~ion, it is possible to completely sterilize the inside of the system with heating B
medium at high temperature by connecting to the filker nozzle a cap having a flow restricting means for discharging the heating medium to maintain the pressure of the heating medium upstream of the filler nozzle of the system at a prede~ermined level and hy passing the heating medium through the system after the connection of the cap. Furthermore, it is possible, according to the present invention, to pass the heating medium through the system with any stay thereof in the system.
According to the present invention, the cap of the back pressure apparatus is designed to be compact in construction and therefore this makes it possi~le to convey the cap to a position directly below the filler nozzle by a conventional conveyor or the like and to connect the cap to the filler nozzle with any suitable means by which the mount and demount of the cap to the filler ~ozzle are easily carried out without destroying the sterile condition of the filLer nozzle and the inside of the system.
According to the present invention, there is provided a back pressure apparatus for maintaining a predetermined pxessure within an aseptic filling system to sterilize the inside of the aseptic filling system, comprising:
`2~ a filler nozzle for filling a previously sterilized food into containers under an aseptic condition;
a cap adapted to be cbnnected in a liquid-tight manner to said filler nozzle and including a steam trap for continuously discharging steam condensate while maintaining the inside of the aseptic filling system upstream of the filler nozzle at the predetermined pressure for sterilization;
lift means for moving vertically the cap to connect or disconnect the cap to or from said filler nozzle;
~3~
seal means for achieving a liquid-tight connection between said filler nozzle and said cap; and transfer means for transferring said cap to or from a position just below said filler nozzle.
The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an io embodiment of a back pressure apparatus attached to a filler nozzle and constructed in accordance with the - present invention; and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modification of the invention.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a back pressure apparatus according to the present invention comprisiny a cap 2 adapted to be connected to a nozzle 1 of a filter in an aseptic processing and filling system.
The filler nozzle 1 extends through a fixed plate 8 below which a filling chamber is definedO A lifting device is provided for lifting the cap 2 toward the filler nozzle 1 for connection therewith and includes bolts 4 inserted in apertures in the fixed plate 8 and adapted to be threadedly received in tapped holes 12 in a flange 7 formed on the side wall of the cap 2.
Rotation of the bolts 4 causes the cap 2 to lift upwardly the filler nozzle 1 into engagement with its tip. An O-ring S is fitted in an annular groove in the flange 7 to form a seal between the cap 2 and the tip of the filler nozzle 1. The cap 2 is provided with a partition 2a for defining a compartment 2b therewithin and a conduit 2c extending from the partition through the side wall of the cap 2 and terminating at an outlet 6. A steam trap 3 is provided in the conduit 2c within the compartment 2b of the cap 2 to selectively ~2~
discharge steam condensate through the outlet 6 without - any escape of steam from the aseptic processing system so that the heating medium in a portion of the system upstream of -the cap 2 can be maintained at a predetermined pressure Prior to carrying out a heat sterilization of the aseptic processing and filling system, the cap 2 is first located on a chain conveyor 9 adapted to run through the filling chamber and to convey containers which are filled with a product during a su~sequent filling operation. The chain conveyor 9 is operated to convey the cap 2 to a position where it is located directly below the filler nozzle 1. Thenl the bolts 4 are inserted into the apertures in the fixed plate 8 to threadedly engage the tapped holes 12 in the flange 7 of the cap 2. The cap 2 is lifted upwardly toward the filler nozzle 1 by turning the bolts ~ in the tapped holes 12 so that it is moved away from the chain conveyor 9 until the cap 2 sealingly engages the tip of the filler nozzle 1 with the O-ring 5 interposed therebetween.
The heat sterilization of the sterile processing and filling system is carried out by introducing saturated stream from its source through a piping into the system and passing the steam through the filler nozzle 1 to the cap 2 through the stream trap 3 of which the steam condensate is intermittently discharged to the exterior~ The steam trap 3 in the cap 2 serves to maintain the saturated steam in the portion of the aseptic processing and filling system of the steam trap 3 at a predetermined pressure required to obtain a temperature sufficient to sterilize the system. The intermittent discharge of the steam condensate from the steam trap 3 through the outlet 6 permits the steam to constantly flow from the steam supply piping through the system to the filler nozzle l. Thus, the system B
~ ~3~
can be sterilized with the steam at the desired temperature for a required time of sterilization.
Upon completion of the sterilization within the - system as mentioned abov~, the bolts 4 are loosened so that the cap 2 can be lowered from the filler nozzle to the chain conveyor 9 which is then operated to convey the cap 2 outside of the filling chamber. In this case, -there are no possibilities of bacteria contaminating the tip of the filler nozzle 1 and its interior, and of ruining the sterilized condition within the filler because the removal and conveyance of the cap 2 can be perfor~ed without manual handling.
In addition, a sealing device which is disposed downstream of the filler is not in operation during the conveyance of the cap 2, so that it is possible to convey the cap 2 out of the filling chamber without any damage to the cap 2 and conversely, the filler is not damaged by the cap 2.
After the cap 2 has been removed from the filler nozzle 1, it is necessary to remove the fastening bolts 4 from the apertures in the fixed plate 8 because these bolts 4 interfere with the incoming containers during the subsequent filling operation. In this case, it is possible to prevent bacteria or the like from entering the filling chamber through the apertures by introducing sterilized air, an inert gas or superheated steam thereinto to maintain the filling chamber at a positive pressure somewhat higher than the atmosphere whereby the sterilized condition therewithin can be maintained. It is preferable to close the apertures in the top plate 8 by any suitable means after removal of the bolts 4.
The steam drain is discharged out of the ~illing chamber by connecting a pipe or the like to the outlet port 6, especially in the case where it is undesirable to discharge the steam condensate into the ~illing ,r cham~er.
- The conveyance of the receiver forming part of the back pressure apparatus according to the invention may be performed by any suitable conveyor ~eans other than the chain conveyor as described in the above embodiment. In the case where it is d:ifficult to convey the cap along a path of conveyance of the product containers, -the ~hain conveyor may be reversely driven to convey the cap through the exit side of the filling chamber to the position direct:Ly below the filler nozzle in a direction opposite to the direction of the conveyance of the product containers.
Instead of the bolts threadedly received in the tapped holes in the flange of the cap as shown in the drawings, any suitable lifter means may be employed to lift the cap from the chain conveyor toward the filling nozzle 'or connection therewith.
Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the back pressure apparatus in which a cap 2 similar to that of the first embodiment as described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings is used except that the cap 2 is bought into contact with the fixed plate 8 to surround the filler nozzle 1`. There is provided a lifte~ 14 for lifting the cap 2 from the chain conveyor 9 toward the fixed plate 8. Gaskets of synthetic resin, rubber or the like are interposed between the periphery of the filler noz~le I and fixed plate 8 and between the upper end of the cap 2 and the lower surface of the fixed plate 8, respectively to prevent any heating medium from escaping through therebetween.
The cap ~ay be formed from any suitable material, such as stainless steel, ceramics synthetic resin or the like which can resist the heat sterilizing operation of the system.
It will be noted from the foregoing that by connection the cap having the flow restricting means to ~, :~3~2~
--1 o--the fil.ler nozzle, the steam in the system can be maintained under the pressurization to make it possible to heat sterilize the inside of the system at high temperature without any stagnation of the heating medium in the system. It will also be noted that the cap is simple and compact in construction and can ~e removably connected to the filler nozzle without any contamination of the nozzle with microorganisms affecting the sterile condition within the system.
20 .
Claims
1. A back pressure apparatus for maintaining a predetermined pressure within an aseptic filling system to sterilize the inside of the aseptic filling system, comprising:
a filler nozzle for filling a previously sterilized food into containers under an aseptic condition;
a cap adapted to be connected in a liquid-tight manner to said filler nozzle and including a steam trap for continuously discharging a heating medium while maintaining the inside of the aseptic filling system upstream of the filler nozzle at the predetermined pressure for sterilization;
lift means for moving vertically the cap to connect or disconnect the cap to or from said filler nozzle;
seal means for achieving a liquid-tight connection between said filler nozzle and said cap; and transfer means for transferring said cap to or from a position just below said filler nozzle.
a filler nozzle for filling a previously sterilized food into containers under an aseptic condition;
a cap adapted to be connected in a liquid-tight manner to said filler nozzle and including a steam trap for continuously discharging a heating medium while maintaining the inside of the aseptic filling system upstream of the filler nozzle at the predetermined pressure for sterilization;
lift means for moving vertically the cap to connect or disconnect the cap to or from said filler nozzle;
seal means for achieving a liquid-tight connection between said filler nozzle and said cap; and transfer means for transferring said cap to or from a position just below said filler nozzle.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP58081077A JPS59207155A (en) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-05-09 | Backpressure obtaining apparatus |
| JP81077/1983 | 1983-05-09 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1238026A true CA1238026A (en) | 1988-06-14 |
Family
ID=13736324
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000453847A Expired CA1238026A (en) | 1983-05-09 | 1984-05-08 | Sterilizing and cleaning system for filler nozzles |
Country Status (10)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS59207155A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU572506B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1238026A (en) |
| CH (1) | CH658843A5 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3416967C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2545787B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2140396B (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1173971B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL8401467A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE456986B (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2606008B1 (en) * | 1986-11-05 | 1989-07-28 | Mapco | FILLING HEAD FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND FILLING MACHINE EQUIPPED WITH SUCH FILLING HEADS |
| IT1222018B (en) * | 1987-07-13 | 1990-08-31 | Tetra Dev Co | A DEVICE FOR PACKAGING MACHINES |
| DE4205655C2 (en) * | 1992-02-25 | 1999-12-16 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Method for sterilizing a packaging machine and device for carrying out the method |
| DE19904131C2 (en) * | 1999-02-03 | 2001-01-04 | Hassia Verpackung Ag | Filling station for an aseptic FFS packaging machine |
Family Cites Families (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2658147A1 (en) * | 1976-12-22 | 1978-07-06 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | DOSING DEVICE FOR SEEDLESS MEASURING AND FILLING OF LIQUID |
| SE7701818L (en) * | 1977-02-18 | 1978-08-19 | Tetra Pak Int | KIT AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND STERILIZING A FILLING TUBE AT A PACKAGING MACHINE |
| SE422918B (en) * | 1977-10-05 | 1982-04-05 | Tetra Pak Int | SET AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING A FILLER PIPE ON A PACKAGING MACHINE |
| DE2747501C3 (en) * | 1977-10-22 | 1980-08-14 | Seitz-Werke Gmbh, 6550 Bad Kreuznach | Rinsing device for the microbiological cleaning of the liquid-carrying parts of filling machines by means of rinsing containers |
| CA1105773A (en) * | 1979-11-26 | 1981-07-28 | Derek V. Mancini | Combination autoclave pump and nozzle |
| JPS56106789A (en) * | 1980-01-17 | 1981-08-25 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Washer for filling machine |
| DE3040492A1 (en) * | 1980-10-28 | 1982-05-27 | Seitz-Werke Gmbh, 6550 Bad Kreuznach | RINSING DEVICE FOR MICROBIOLOGICALLY CLEANING THE LIQUID-CONTAINING PARTS OF FILLING MACHINES BY MEANS OF RINSING TANKS |
-
1983
- 1983-05-09 JP JP58081077A patent/JPS59207155A/en active Pending
-
1984
- 1984-05-02 GB GB08411235A patent/GB2140396B/en not_active Expired
- 1984-05-03 AU AU27626/84A patent/AU572506B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1984-05-07 SE SE8402452A patent/SE456986B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1984-05-08 NL NL8401467A patent/NL8401467A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1984-05-08 CA CA000453847A patent/CA1238026A/en not_active Expired
- 1984-05-08 DE DE3416967A patent/DE3416967C2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1984-05-09 CH CH2276/84A patent/CH658843A5/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1984-05-09 FR FR8407136A patent/FR2545787B1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-05-09 IT IT20847/84A patent/IT1173971B/en active
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU572506B2 (en) | 1988-05-12 |
| NL8401467A (en) | 1984-12-03 |
| DE3416967A1 (en) | 1984-11-15 |
| FR2545787A1 (en) | 1984-11-16 |
| GB8411235D0 (en) | 1984-06-06 |
| SE8402452L (en) | 1984-11-10 |
| GB2140396A (en) | 1984-11-28 |
| IT8420847A0 (en) | 1984-05-09 |
| SE456986B (en) | 1988-11-21 |
| IT1173971B (en) | 1987-06-24 |
| JPS59207155A (en) | 1984-11-24 |
| FR2545787B1 (en) | 1988-02-19 |
| DE3416967C2 (en) | 1994-09-22 |
| GB2140396B (en) | 1987-04-08 |
| SE8402452D0 (en) | 1984-05-07 |
| AU2762684A (en) | 1984-11-15 |
| IT8420847A1 (en) | 1985-11-09 |
| CH658843A5 (en) | 1986-12-15 |
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