EP0380500B1 - Device for filling in a controlled atmosphere - Google Patents

Device for filling in a controlled atmosphere Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0380500B1
EP0380500B1 EP19880907018 EP88907018A EP0380500B1 EP 0380500 B1 EP0380500 B1 EP 0380500B1 EP 19880907018 EP19880907018 EP 19880907018 EP 88907018 A EP88907018 A EP 88907018A EP 0380500 B1 EP0380500 B1 EP 0380500B1
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EP
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Prior art keywords
piston
filling
product
discharge orifice
receptacle
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EP19880907018
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0380500A1 (en
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Alain Dufrene
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
    • B65B55/022—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages of flexible containers having a filling and dispensing spout, e.g. containers of the "bag-in-box"-type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sterile filling device in a controlled atmosphere.
  • the most commonly used filling heads separately comprise means for extracting the cap from the container to be filled, and means for bringing the filling nozzle into contact with the neck of this container.
  • the neck of the container and the means for extracting the cap and supplying the filling nozzle are all placed in a bell-shaped enclosure supplied with controlled gas, this arrangement does not eliminate the risks of contamination by the external faces of the plug and the neck.
  • a more recent system described in patent EP-A-72699 uses for closing the container, two discs, one of which, welded to the outer edge of the neck, is intended to be punctured before filling but after sterilization, and the other, only fixed by points at the internal end of the neck so as not to obstruct the filling of the container, is intended to be welded to it completely after filling.
  • This arrangement requires the presence of a welding head capable of intervening after filling by acting through an opposite wall part of the container, so that this wall is necessarily complex so as not to be itself welded to the second disc.
  • the presence of this welding head prevents precise weighing of the container during filling to stop it once the desired weight of product has been reached.
  • the user risks contaminating the product by perforating the second disc, this perforation being essential before racking.
  • the invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. It essentially relates to a filling device as defined in claim 1.
  • this sterile filling device closely associates a filling head 1, the operation of which is controlled by three jacks 2, 3 and 4, and a plug 5 for closing the neck 6 of the container 7 to be filled by liquid product such as wine.
  • the elements 5, 6 and 7 are shown in dashed lines before their assembly on the head 1, and in solid lines after this assembly, the plug 5 has, at its upper part, a peripheral external groove 8.
  • the body 9 of the head 1 has, at its lower part, a tubular outlet orifice 10, axial and vertical, which is provided a sealing ring against which the upper part of the neck 6 is pressed.
  • a tubular outlet orifice 10 Upstream of the orifice 10, which is itself sterilizable by means of a circulation of sterilizing fluid (anemia and flow channels 12 and 13), the body 9 defines a chamber 14, which is also sterilizable by circulation of sterilizing fluid (inlet and outlet channels 15 and 16).
  • a valve 17 which in this example is coaxial with the tubular orifice 10 and which is moved by the jack 2.
  • This valve serves as a shutter member for the lateral channel 18 for supplying the sterile product. filling.
  • an annular recess of the latter defines, with a corresponding annular recess of the body 9, an annular chamber 49 for sealing and sterilization.
  • sealing rings 25 to 34 Sealing of moving parts is conventionally ensured by sealing rings 25 to 34, while an annular groove 35 makes it possible to apply a vapor barrier around the piston 20 of the valve 17.
  • the circuit 15, 19, 16 ensures sterile sealing by means of a sterilizing fluid, for example hydrogen peroxide or steam.
  • a sterilizing fluid for example hydrogen peroxide or steam.
  • the next phase consists in lifting this assembly 7, 6, 5 until it comes to plug the upper part (comprising the clipping groove 8) of the plug 5 into the free end 21 of the piston 19: the connection is made by clipping, by cooperation of the groove 8 and the annular bead 22. In this position, the neck 6 is pressed against the sealing ring 11, which ensures the sealing of said neck.
  • the tubular outlet orifice is then completely closed, which makes it possible to circulate therein, by means of lines 12 and 13, a sterilizing fluid, which has the advantage of eliminating the areas where a pollutant could stagnate. It is in all this of course that the containers have themselves been sterilized before.
  • the clipping of 22 into 8 is not sufficient to exert a sufficient gripping force to allow the extraction of the plug 5 by lifting the piston 19.
  • a lock of 19 out of 5 For this purpose, the jack 4 is supplied to lower the piston 23, which has the effect of strongly pinching the upper part of the plug between this piston 23 and the lower part of the piston 21.
  • the lines 12, 13 and 15, 16 are always supplied with sterilizing fluid.
  • the next step is the step of lifting the plug 5, and therefore of opening the container 7, this step being shown in FIG. 3.
  • the jack 3 is powered to lift its piston 19.
  • the circulation of sterilizing fluid from 12 to 13 has of course been stopped, so as not to not introduce this fluid into the container 7.
  • the valve 17 is of course always closed.
  • the next step is the step of opening the valve 17, and therefore of filling the container with the sterile product supplied by the lateral line 18.
  • the circulation of sterilizing fluid from 15 to 16 is also stopped, then the jack 2 is supplied so as to raise the piston 20, which then carries with it the plug 5.
  • the product then flows from 18 to 6, and then fills the container 7.
  • the plug 5 makes the tightness of the piston 20, so that the product cannot go back up in the gripping mechanism.
  • the sterile product therefore flows towards the inside of the sterile container 7 without risk of pollution.
  • the closing of the head and the installation of the plug 5 in the neck 6 is of course carried out by the reverse operations to those which have just been described.
  • the container 7 can then be evacuated and replaced by another sterile container to be filled.
  • valve 17 is coaxial with the device 19 for gripping and lifting the plug.
  • FIG. 5 shows a further simplified variant embodiment, in which the valve 17 is of axis orthogonal to that of the device 19. Furthermore, in this simplified embodiment, the locking is ensured by the cooperation of a centripetal bead 36 carried by the upper part of the plug 5, and by a deep groove 37 located at the lower part of the part 19.
  • the piston 19 can handle a valve opening member fitted to the container, instead of handling a plug.
  • the gripping devices are simply adapted at this tap, for example, they are able to perform a quarter turn necessary for opening, for example using a simple device for transforming the vertical translational movement into a rotational movement.
  • the gripping mechanism can be housed in the sterile area of the filling head, and not in the piston, etc.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)

Abstract

A device for sterile filling of a sterile receptacle (7) comprises a head provided with sterilization members (12, 13, 15, 16, 35) and a device for raising the stopper (5) and then replacing it. A valve (17) controls the flow of the sterile product, which is delivered through a sterile channel (18).

Description

La présente invention se rapporte à un dispositif de remplissage stérile en atmosphère contrôlée.The present invention relates to a sterile filling device in a controlled atmosphere.

Les têtes de remplissage les plus couramment utilisées comportent séparément des moyens d'extraction du bouchon du récipient à remplir, et des moyens d'amenée de la buse de remplissage au contact du goulot de ce récipient. Bien que le goulot du récipient ainsi que les moyens d'extraction du bouchon et d'amenée de la buse de remplissage soient placés tous dans une enceinte en forme de cloche alimentée en gaz contrôlé, cette disposition n'élimine pas les risques de contamination par les faces externes du bouchon et du goulot.The most commonly used filling heads separately comprise means for extracting the cap from the container to be filled, and means for bringing the filling nozzle into contact with the neck of this container. Although the neck of the container and the means for extracting the cap and supplying the filling nozzle are all placed in a bell-shaped enclosure supplied with controlled gas, this arrangement does not eliminate the risks of contamination by the external faces of the plug and the neck.

Un système plus récent décrit dans le brevet EP-A-72699, utilise pour la fermeture du récipient, deux disques dont l'un, soudé au bord extérieur du goulot, est destiné à être crevé avant remplissage mais après stérilisation, et dont l'autre, seulement fixé par points à l'extrémité interne du goulot pour ne pas faire obstacle au remplissage du récipient, est destiné à lui être soudé totalement après remplissage. Cette disposition nécessite la présence d'une tête de soudure apte à intervenir après remplissage en agissant à travers une partie de paroi opposée du récipient, de sorte que cette paroi est nécessairement complexe pour ne pas être elle-même soudée au second disque. En outre, la présence de cette tête de soudure fait obstacle à un pesage précis du récipient durant son remplissage pour faire cesser celui-ci une fois atteint le poids désiré en produit. En outre, lors du premier soutirage du produit, l'utilisateur risque de contaminer le produit en perforant le deuxième disque, cette perforation étant indispensable avant soutirage.A more recent system described in patent EP-A-72699, uses for closing the container, two discs, one of which, welded to the outer edge of the neck, is intended to be punctured before filling but after sterilization, and the other, only fixed by points at the internal end of the neck so as not to obstruct the filling of the container, is intended to be welded to it completely after filling. This arrangement requires the presence of a welding head capable of intervening after filling by acting through an opposite wall part of the container, so that this wall is necessarily complex so as not to be itself welded to the second disc. In addition, the presence of this welding head prevents precise weighing of the container during filling to stop it once the desired weight of product has been reached. In addition, during the first racking of the product, the user risks contaminating the product by perforating the second disc, this perforation being essential before racking.

L'invention vise à remédier à ces inconvénients. Elle se rapporte en substance à un dispositif de remplissage tel que défini dans la revendication 1.The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. It essentially relates to a filling device as defined in claim 1.

De toutes façons, l'invention sera bien comprise, et ses avantages et caractéristiques ressortiront, lors de la description suivante d'un exemple non limitatif de réalisation de ce dispositif de remplissage, en référence au dessin schématique annexé dans lequel :

  • Figure 1 montre la tête de remplissage dans sa première phase opératoire, c'est-à-dire avant et après son assemblage au bouchon du récipient;
  • Figure 2 montre la phase de verrouillage de la tête et du bouchon ;
  • Figure 3 montre la phase de soulèvement du bouchon ;
  • Figure 4 montre la phase d'ouverture du canal d'amenée du produit et de remplissage du récipient ; et
  • Figure 5 montre une variante simplifiée qui comporte une vanne d'ouverture et de fermeture du canal d'amenée du produit dont l'axe est orthogonal à celui de l'orifice tubulaire de sortie de la tête de remplissage.
In any case, the invention will be well understood, and its advantages and characteristics will emerge during the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of this filling device, with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:
  • Figure 1 shows the filling head in its first operating phase, that is to say before and after its assembly with the container cap;
  • Figure 2 shows the locking phase of the head and the plug;
  • Figure 3 shows the lifting phase of the cork;
  • Figure 4 shows the phase of opening the product supply channel and filling the container; and
  • Figure 5 shows a simplified variant which includes a valve for opening and closing the product supply channel whose axis is orthogonal to that of the tubular orifice for leaving the filling head.

En se reportant à la figure 1, ce dispositif de remplissage stérile associe étroitement une tête de remplissage 1, dont le fonctionnement est commandé par trois vérins 2, 3 et 4, et un bouchon 5 d'obturation du goulot 6 du récipient 7 à remplir par le produit liquide tel que du vin. Les éléments 5, 6 et 7 sont représentés en traits mixtes avant leur assemblage sur la tête 1, et en traits pleins après cet assemblage, le bouchon 5 présente, à sa partie supérieure, une gorge extérieure périphérique 8.Referring to FIG. 1, this sterile filling device closely associates a filling head 1, the operation of which is controlled by three jacks 2, 3 and 4, and a plug 5 for closing the neck 6 of the container 7 to be filled by liquid product such as wine. The elements 5, 6 and 7 are shown in dashed lines before their assembly on the head 1, and in solid lines after this assembly, the plug 5 has, at its upper part, a peripheral external groove 8.

Le corps 9 de la tête 1 possède, à sa partie inférieure, un orifice tubulaire de sortie 10, axial et vertical, qui est muni d'un anneau d'étanchéité contre lequel vient se presser la partie supérieure du goulot 6. En amont de l'orifice 10, qui est lui-même stérilisable au moyen d'une circulation de fluide stérilisant ( canaux d'anemée et de départ 12 et 13 ), le corps 9 définit une chambre 14, qui est elle aussi stérilisable par circulation de fluide stérilisant (canaux d'amenée et de départ 15 et 16). Dans cette chambre 14 coulisse une vanne 17, qui dans cet exemple est coaxiale à l'orifice tubulaire 10 et qui est mue par le vérin 2. Cette vanne sert d'organe d'obturation pour le canal latéral 18 d'amenée du produit stérile de remplissage. En position de fermeture de la vanne 17, un évidement annulaire de celle-ci définit, avec une évidement annulaire correspondant du corps 9, une chambre annulaire 49 d'étanchéité et de stérilisation.The body 9 of the head 1 has, at its lower part, a tubular outlet orifice 10, axial and vertical, which is provided a sealing ring against which the upper part of the neck 6 is pressed. Upstream of the orifice 10, which is itself sterilizable by means of a circulation of sterilizing fluid (anemia and flow channels 12 and 13), the body 9 defines a chamber 14, which is also sterilizable by circulation of sterilizing fluid (inlet and outlet channels 15 and 16). In this chamber 14 slides a valve 17, which in this example is coaxial with the tubular orifice 10 and which is moved by the jack 2. This valve serves as a shutter member for the lateral channel 18 for supplying the sterile product. filling. In the closed position of the valve 17, an annular recess of the latter defines, with a corresponding annular recess of the body 9, an annular chamber 49 for sealing and sterilization.

La vanne 17 est creuse, et elle contient deux autres vérins 3 et 4 coaxiaux et alignés.

  • un premier vérin 3 qui manoeuvre un piston 19, qui est intérieur au piston 20 qui est l'organe de fermeture équipant la vanne axiale 17, et dont la course lui permet de descendre plus bas que le piston extérieur 20, de façon à s'engager dans l'orifice tubulaire de sortie 10, son extrémité libre étant munie d'un bossage annulaire 22 qui est complémentaire de la gorge 8 du bouchon 5, de manière à réaliser un accouplement par enclipsage ;
  • un second vérin 4, dont on distingue les conduites de fluide 43 et 24, et qui manoeuvre un piston 23 apte à coulisser très étroitement dans la partie inférieure creuse 21 du piston 19, ainsi qu'à l'intérieur du bouchon 5, qui a une forme de coupelle comme représenté.
The valve 17 is hollow, and it contains two other cylinders 3 and 4 coaxial and aligned.
  • a first cylinder 3 which operates a piston 19, which is inside the piston 20 which is the closing member fitted to the axial valve 17, and whose stroke allows it to descend lower than the external piston 20, so as to engage in the tubular outlet orifice 10, its free end being provided with an annular boss 22 which is complementary to the groove 8 of the plug 5, so as to produce a coupling by clipping;
  • a second cylinder 4, which distinguishes the fluid lines 43 and 24, and which operates a piston 23 capable of sliding very tightly in the hollow lower part 21 of the piston 19, as well as inside the plug 5, which has a cup shape as shown.

L'étanchéité des pièces en mouvement est classiquement assurée par des anneaux d'étanchéité 25 à 34, tandis qu'une gorge annulaire 35 permet d'appliquer une barrière de vapeur autour du piston 20 de la vanne 17.Sealing of moving parts is conventionally ensured by sealing rings 25 to 34, while an annular groove 35 makes it possible to apply a vapor barrier around the piston 20 of the valve 17.

Le fonctionnement de ce dispositif sera maintenant explicité à l'aide des figures 1 à 4.The operation of this device will now be explained using FIGS. 1 to 4.

Sur la figure 1, le produit stérile de remplissage est en pression dans le canal d'amenée 18, la vanne 17 est fermée de manière étanche par le vérin 2, le piston 19 est en position basse sous l'action du vérin 3, et le piston 23 est en position haute par le vérin 4.In Figure 1, the sterile filling product is under pressure in the supply channel 18, the valve 17 is closed in leaktight manner by the jack 2, the piston 19 is in the low position under the action of the jack 3, and the piston 23 is in the high position by the jack 4.

Le circuit 15, 19, 16 assure l'étanchéité stérile au moyen d'un fluide stérilisant, par exemple du peroxyde d'hydrogène ou de la vapeur. A ce stade, l'ensemble constitué par le récipient 7, son goulot 6 et son bouchon 5 est à distance de la tête de remplissage 1 (position figurée en traits mixtes).The circuit 15, 19, 16 ensures sterile sealing by means of a sterilizing fluid, for example hydrogen peroxide or steam. At this stage, the assembly constituted by the container 7, its neck 6 and its plug 5 is at a distance from the filling head 1 (position shown in dashed lines).

La phase suivante consiste à soulever cet ensemble 7, 6, 5 jusqu'à venir enficher la partie supérieure (comportant la gorge d'enclipsage 8) du bouchon 5 dans l'extrémité libre 21 du piston 19 : la solidarisation est réalisée par enclipsage, par coopération de la gorge 8 et du bourrelet annulaire 22. Dans cette position, le goulot 6 est pressé contre l'anneau d'étanchéité 11, ce qui assure l'étanchéité dudit goulot.The next phase consists in lifting this assembly 7, 6, 5 until it comes to plug the upper part (comprising the clipping groove 8) of the plug 5 into the free end 21 of the piston 19: the connection is made by clipping, by cooperation of the groove 8 and the annular bead 22. In this position, the neck 6 is pressed against the sealing ring 11, which ensures the sealing of said neck.

L'orifice tubulaire de sortie est alors totalement clos, ce qui permet d'y faire circuler, au moyen des conduites 12 et 13, un fluide stérilisant, ce qui a pour avantage d'éliminer les zones où un polluant pourrait stagner. Il est dans tout ceci bien entendu que les contenants ont été eux-mêmes stérilisés auparavant.The tubular outlet orifice is then completely closed, which makes it possible to circulate therein, by means of lines 12 and 13, a sterilizing fluid, which has the advantage of eliminating the areas where a pollutant could stagnate. It is in all this of course that the containers have themselves been sterilized before.

Dans de nombreux cas, l'enclipsage de 22 dans 8 n'est pas suffisant pour exercer une force d'agrippage suffisante pour permettre l'extraction du bouchon 5 par soulèvement du piston 19. Dans l'exemple de réalisation présent, on réalise ensuite, comme schématisé figure 2, un verrouillage de 19 sur 5. Dans ce but, le vérin 4 est alimenté pour faire descendre le piston 23, ce qui a pour effet de pincer fortement la partie supérieure du bouchon entre ce piston 23 et la partie inférieure du piston 21. Pendant cette manoeuvre, les conduites 12, 13 et 15, 16 sont toujours alimentées en fluide stérilisant.In many cases, the clipping of 22 into 8 is not sufficient to exert a sufficient gripping force to allow the extraction of the plug 5 by lifting the piston 19. In the present embodiment, it is then carried out , as shown schematically in Figure 2, a lock of 19 out of 5. For this purpose, the jack 4 is supplied to lower the piston 23, which has the effect of strongly pinching the upper part of the plug between this piston 23 and the lower part of the piston 21. During this maneuver, the lines 12, 13 and 15, 16 are always supplied with sterilizing fluid.

L'étape suivante est l'étape de soulèvement du bouchon 5, et donc d'ouverture du récipient 7, cette étape étant représentée sur la figure 3. Pour ce faire, le vérin 3 est alimenté pour soulever son piston 19. Auparavant, la circulation de fluide stérilisant de 12 vers 13 a bien entendu été arrêtée, pour ne pas introduire ce fluide dans le récipient 7. La vanne 17 est bien entendu toujours fermée.The next step is the step of lifting the plug 5, and therefore of opening the container 7, this step being shown in FIG. 3. To do this, the jack 3 is powered to lift its piston 19. Previously, the circulation of sterilizing fluid from 12 to 13 has of course been stopped, so as not to not introduce this fluid into the container 7. The valve 17 is of course always closed.

L'étape suivante, schématisée figure 4 est l'étape d'ouverture de la vanne 17, et donc de remplissage du récipient par le produit stérile alimenté par la conduite latérale 18. Pour ce faire, la circulation de fluide stérilisant de 15 vers 16 est elle aussi arrêtée, puis le vérin 2 est alimenté de façon à relever le piston 20, qui entraîne alors avec lui le bouchon 5. Le produit s'écoule alors de 18 vers 6, et remplit alors le récipient 7. Le bouchon 5 réalise l'étanchéité du piston 20, de sorte que le produit ne peut pas remonter dans le mécanisme de préhension. Le produit stérile s'écoule donc vers l'intérieur du conteneur stérile 7 sans risque de pollution.The next step, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, is the step of opening the valve 17, and therefore of filling the container with the sterile product supplied by the lateral line 18. To do this, the circulation of sterilizing fluid from 15 to 16 is also stopped, then the jack 2 is supplied so as to raise the piston 20, which then carries with it the plug 5. The product then flows from 18 to 6, and then fills the container 7. The plug 5 makes the tightness of the piston 20, so that the product cannot go back up in the gripping mechanism. The sterile product therefore flows towards the inside of the sterile container 7 without risk of pollution.

Lorsque le remplissage est terminé, la fermeture de la tête et la repose du bouchon 5 dans le goulot 6 s'effectue bien entendu par les opérations inverses de celles qui viennent d'être décrites. Le récipient 7 peut alors être évacué et remplacé par un autre récipient stérile à remplir.When the filling is finished, the closing of the head and the installation of the plug 5 in the neck 6 is of course carried out by the reverse operations to those which have just been described. The container 7 can then be evacuated and replaced by another sterile container to be filled.

Dans l'exemple qui vient d'être décrit, la vanne 17 est coaxiale au dispositif 19 de préhension et soulèvement du bouchon. La figure 5 montre une variante de réalisation simplifiée de surcroît, dans laquelle la vanne 17 est d'axe orthogonal à celui du dispositif 19. Par ailleurs, dans cette réalisation simplifiée, le verrouillage est assuré par la coopération d'un bourrelet centripète 36 porté par la partie supérieure du bouchon 5, et d'une profonde gorge 37 située à la partie inférieure de la pièce 19.In the example which has just been described, the valve 17 is coaxial with the device 19 for gripping and lifting the plug. FIG. 5 shows a further simplified variant embodiment, in which the valve 17 is of axis orthogonal to that of the device 19. Furthermore, in this simplified embodiment, the locking is ensured by the cooperation of a centripetal bead 36 carried by the upper part of the plug 5, and by a deep groove 37 located at the lower part of the part 19.

Par ailleurs, dans cette variante simplifiée, la stérilisation est assurée simplement par des jets de vapeur amenés par des conduites 40 et 41. Sur la figure 5, les éléments ayant le même rôle que dans l'exemple précédent ont été désignés par les mêmes chiffres de référence. Il a été nécessaire cependant d'ajouter une barrière de vapeur 38 et une bague d'étanchéité 39.Furthermore, in this simplified variant, sterilization is ensured simply by jets of steam supplied by pipes 40 and 41. In FIG. 5, the elements having the same role as in the previous example have been designated by the same figures reference. However, it was necessary to add a vapor barrier 38 and a sealing ring 39.

Le piston 19 peut manipuler un organe d'ouverture d'un robinet équipant le récipient, au lieu de manipuler un bouchon. Dans ce cas, les dispositifs de préhension sont simplement adaptés à ce robinet, par exemple, ils sont aptes à effectuer un quart de tour nécessaire à l'ouverture, par exemple à l'aide d'un dispositif simple de transformation du mouvement de translation verticale en un mouvement de rotation. Le mécanisme de préhension peut être logé dans la zone stérile de la tête de remplissage, et non pas dans le piston, etc...The piston 19 can handle a valve opening member fitted to the container, instead of handling a plug. In this case, the gripping devices are simply adapted at this tap, for example, they are able to perform a quarter turn necessary for opening, for example using a simple device for transforming the vertical translational movement into a rotational movement. The gripping mechanism can be housed in the sterile area of the filling head, and not in the piston, etc.

Claims (4)

1. Device for filling in sterile manner a receptacle (7) with a sterile product, with on one hand a filling head (1) comprising:
- a tubular discharge orifice (10) impermeably matching the neck (6) of the receptacle (7) to be filled,
- a sterilisable chamber (14) upstream of the above discharge orifice (10),
- a sterilisable duct (18) for the intake of the product with which to fill said chamber,
- closing and opening means (17) of the intake duct for the filling product,
- a cylinder coaxial with the discharge orifice (10) and with the above chamber (14) and housing a piston (19) of which the stroke allows it to enter this discharge orifice, means such as annular ducts (49) and axial ducts (41) moreover being provided to supply all parts of the sterilizable chamber (14) of the product intake duct (18) and of the head discharge orifice (10) with the desired sterilization fluids, characterized in that on one hand the free end (21) of piston (19) is provided with means (22) with which to assemble it to the sealing member (5) (such as stopper or faucet) in the receptacle neck (6) locking means (23) for this assembly being associated to this free end (21) and, on the other hand the sealing member is provided with complementary assembly means (8) to the free end (21) of the above piston (19) whereby it may be driven by this piston (19) when being retracted thanks to locking means (23) rigidly joined to said piston, thereby then causing the opening of the receptacle (7)
2. Device defined in claim 1, characterized in that the locking means consist of a second piston (23) coaxial with the first piston (19).
3. Device defined in either of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the closing means (17) for the product intake duct (18) is coaxial with the gripping piston (19) of the sealing member (5).
4. Device defined in one of the claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the sealing member (5) and the gripper means (21) comprise complementary members (8, 22 or 36, 37) capable of linking them.
EP19880907018 1987-08-04 1988-07-28 Device for filling in a controlled atmosphere Expired - Lifetime EP0380500B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8711236 1987-08-04
FR8711236A FR2619078B1 (en) 1987-08-04 1987-08-04 FILLING DEVICE IN A CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0380500A1 EP0380500A1 (en) 1990-08-08
EP0380500B1 true EP0380500B1 (en) 1991-12-04

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EP19880907018 Expired - Lifetime EP0380500B1 (en) 1987-08-04 1988-07-28 Device for filling in a controlled atmosphere

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EP (1) EP0380500B1 (en)
AU (1) AU2135488A (en)
DE (1) DE3866704D1 (en)
FR (1) FR2619078B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1989000952A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH679768A5 (en) * 1989-05-02 1992-04-15 Nestle Sa
US5479955A (en) * 1994-05-31 1996-01-02 Spartanburg Steel Products, Inc. Method and apparatus for aseptically filling containers
WO2000000390A1 (en) * 1998-06-29 2000-01-06 Astrapak Limited Plug and gland aseptic package system
AU749742B2 (en) * 1998-06-29 2002-07-04 Rapak Asia Pacific Limited Plug and gland aseptic package system
GB9916215D0 (en) 1999-07-09 1999-09-15 Smith David S Packaging Apparatus and method for filling
CN101155735B (en) * 2005-02-03 2012-03-07 利奎-保克斯加拿大公司 Integrated fitment for aseptic packaging

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS56113528A (en) * 1980-02-05 1981-09-07 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd Germless filling method
EP0072699B1 (en) * 1981-08-18 1986-07-23 Wrightcel Ltd. Method and system for aseptically filling a container with fluid

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1989000952A1 (en) 1989-02-09
FR2619078A1 (en) 1989-02-10
AU2135488A (en) 1989-03-01
EP0380500A1 (en) 1990-08-08
FR2619078B1 (en) 1989-12-01
DE3866704D1 (en) 1992-01-16

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