EP1544154B1 - Sterilizing device for bottle caps - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a sterilization device according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic sterilization device is described in the post-published German Patent Application 10238633.1. A corresponding construction is further pre-published by the brochure "KHS Alfill sterile CAP".

Also the US 1 837 502 shows a generic device, which also has two towers to form a Behandlungslüngsstrecke.

It serves to transport caps in a continuous single-lane, or possibly also multi-lane stream on a track for a long time. The caps can be acted upon during this time, for example, with a sterile gas or they are applied before entering the illustrated sterilizer with a sterilizing liquid, such as H ₂ O ₂ , in the device is evaporated by air and heat. The continuous stream of caps should be applied in the device for a long time, so cover a longer path.

The known generic construction has a tower with support rings, wherein the transfer chutes connect support rings of different floors of the same tower. Caps are transported on a web, in which they are alternately successively on support rings or transfer slides. On the carrying rings, they are dragged by friction, so driven, while they passively pass on the transfer slides. As shown in the generic state of the art executed constructions, results in a very trouble-free transport, occur in particular no congestion problems.

However, this applies in generic known constructions only for caps normal design, ie of a substantially cylindrical basic shape. The underlying problem is:

In the known generic construction, the transfer slides must wrap around the tower over a certain circumferential angle of, for example, 45 °, so extend in plan view on a substantially extending in the circumferential direction web. In addition, they must bridge the height difference between a floor, which is essentially determined by the highest processable cap. Since they must run horizontally on both support rings, which they open with their ends, the transfer slides must have a downward curvature in the height direction and a subsequent upward curvature. In some areas, the transfer chutes must therefore be formed in their surface substantially in the manner of a helical surface.

This results in that on the transfer chute one behind the other caps tilt against each other both about the axis of their transport direction and about the transverse axis perpendicular thereto. When caps cylindrical basic shape interfere with these mutual Verkippungen little. In case of deviating from this basic form cap shapes, however, there is a wedging and jamming of the caps in the predetermined by the transfer chute track, which has lateral boundaries.

Some caps that are extremely interesting for industry today can therefore not be processed with known generic devices because of their risk of wedging. These are in particular the so-called sports caps, so caps with built-in closure. which have a complicated shape and in particular have smaller diameter at the top than below. Even very flat, in their basic form essentially a coin corresponding caps, as used for example as a flat sealing caps under screw caps, can not be processed, since their very low edges tend to push each other when tilted.

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve a generic sterilizing device to the effect that different cap shapes are processed without jamming danger.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, two or more towers are provided, wherein the transfer chutes each connect support rings of different towers. Compared to the known construction, this results in a number of constructive ways to reduce the risk of wedging or entrapment in the movement of the caps on the transfer chutes or completely off. So let the curvatures of Überführuriclsruischen completely avoid in plan view and / or reduce the height difference to be bridged. Thus, the mutual tilting of the caps can be reduced both around the longitudinal axis and about the transverse axis and the resulting risk of pinching, so that even unusual cap shapes, in particular the sports caps mentioned above and the very flat sealing caps can be processed trouble-free.

The floors on which the support rings are arranged, can be in the same height in both towers. Then the caps run over several towers either at the same height, ie horizontally or in a downward movement to bridge a floor space. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 2 are provided. Thereafter, the floors in the two towers are offset in height. From each tower to the next only part of the floor level must be overcome, so that there is a greatly reduced height movement for the transfer paths. In two towers, the floors are advantageously offset by half a floor against each other, so that the transfer slides between the towers must overcome only half a floor height.

The transfer chutes may extend between the towers on top in a winding plan view, the radii according to the invention may be substantially larger than in the prior art and thus the wedging risk is reduced. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 3 are provided. With the invention, this possibility arises, namely to connect supporting rings of adjacent towers with in plan view completely straight transfer lanes, so that thereby the tilting and thus Verklemmgefahr is substantially reduced. The transfer chutes can run on the support rings in plan view at a slight angle, which can improve on the traversed by the cap web the aspect ratio between traversed support rings and transfer chutes in favor of the support rings, so the caps are longer on the driving support rings. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 4 are provided. By tangential inlet results in an ideal trouble-free decrease or abandonment on support rings. In connection with claim 3, a construction results in which the transfer chutes are arranged as tangents to the respectively connected support rings.

The support rings of the two towers can be driven in opposite directions of rotation. In tangential arrangement of the transfer chutes these would then run crossed between the towers. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 5 are provided. With the same direction of rotation, the transfer slides can be formed as from the outside of the support rings tangents, resulting in a particularly simple and trouble-free design and in particular avoids problems with the floor by floor crossing counter-propagating Übertührungsrutschen, as would arise in opposite direction of rotation.

The inventively provided support rings, since they are all on the same trajectory of the caps, must all be driven at the same peripheral speed. It is therefore quite possible to form support rings within a tower with different diameters for special design reasons. In particular, the support rings of a tower may have a different diameter than that of the other tower. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 6 are provided. If all support rings are the same size, results in a particularly simple construction with replaceable identical parts.

In the simplest case, two towers stand side by side at a distance. Their center distance is greater than the sum of their Tragringradien. Advantageously, however, the features of claim 6 may be provided when the floors of the two towers are arranged offset from one another. It can then the support rings intermeshing, laterally overlapping arranged, so that per floor, the sum of the radii of the support rings is greater than the distance between the axes of the two towers. As a result, the overall size of the construction can be significantly reduced and it shortens the length of the tangentially connecting the towers transfer chutes, so that improves the ratio of driven way (on the support rings) to braking slipping way (on the transfer chutes) for the caps.

Fig. 1

eine hinsichtlich des Gehäuses teilgeschnittene Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Sterilisiervorrichtung mit zwei Türmen, nach Linie 1 - 1 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt nach Linie 2 - 2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

in Seitenansicht in stark vereinfachter schematischer Teilansicht eine Konstruktion entsprechend Fig. 1, jedoch mit sich seitlich überlappenden Tragringen,

Fig. 4

in Draufsicht entsprechend Fig. 2 eine Konstruktion mit zwei Tür- men unterschiedlich großer Tragringdurchmesser,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht entsprechend Fig. 2 einer Ausführungsvariante, bei der die Überführungsrutschen stark verkürzt sind und nicht streng tangential auf die Tragringe münden,

Fig. 6

in Draufsicht entsprechend Fig. 2 eine Konstruktion mit gegenläu- figer Drehrichtung der beiden Türme und

Fig. 7 u. 8

in Draufsicht zwei Ausführungsvarianten mit je drei Türmen in un- terschiedlicher Führung der Überführungsrutschen.

In the drawings, the invention is shown for example and schematically. Show it:

Fig. 1

with respect to the housing partially cutaway side view of a sterilizing device according to the invention with two towers, according to line 1 - 1 in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 2

a section along line 2 - 2 in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

in side view in a highly simplified schematic partial view of a construction accordingly Fig. 1 , but with laterally overlapping support rings,

Fig. 4

in plan view accordingly Fig. 2 a construction with two towers of different sizes of support ring diameter,

Fig. 5

a plan view accordingly Fig. 2 a variant in which the transfer chutes are greatly shortened and do not open strictly tangentially to the support rings,

Fig. 6

in plan view accordingly Fig. 2 a construction with opposite direction of rotation of the two towers and

Fig. 7 u. 8th

in plan view two variants with three towers in different leadership of the transfer chutes.

In the Figures 1 and 2 a first embodiment of a sterilizer is shown. It serves to transport caps in a continuous single-lane, or possibly also multi-lane stream on a track for a long time. The caps can be acted upon during this time, for example, with a sterile gas or they are applied before entering the illustrated sterilizer with a sterilizing liquid, such as H ₂ O ₂ , which is evaporated in the device by air and heat. The continuous stream of caps should be applied in the device for a long time, so cover a longer path. Nevertheless, the volume of construction of the device should be kept small.

For this purpose, the device shown on two towers 1 and 2, which are constructed substantially identical. Each of them has a drum 4 carried by a column 3, which carries annularly circumferentially attached to the drum 4, in four floors one above the other in the same floor space arranged support rings 5 carries. The support rings 5 may be formed as closed or preferably perforated sheets, as grid floors or the like, the latter gas-permeable embodiments are preferred to ensure gas exchange to the bottom of caps 6, which lie on the support rings 5 and of those in FIG. 1 for reasons of simplified drawing only two copies are shown.

With regard to the columns 3, drums 4 and support rings 5, the two towers 1 and 2 are identical. They are, however, like FIG. 1 shows offset in height so that the floors of the tower 2 are lower by half a floor, than that of the tower. 1

Both columns 3 are coupled to the same direction synchronous circulation, in the embodiment via a drive belt 7, and driven by a common motor 8.

The two towers 1 and 2 are arranged in a space 9 which is enclosed by a housing 10.

From the top opens into the housing 10, a supply channel 11, through which a feed chute 12 ends down and in arc with its end flat on the support ring 5 of the top floor of the tower 1. The tail of the feed chute 12 is in the plan view of FIG. 2 to recognize. The feed chute 12 is in its in FIG. 2 square end to be recognized U-shaped with lateral boundary walls, or formed as a closed profile, so as not to lose the caps even with vertical guidance.

As FIG. 2 shows run caps 6 after leaving the feed chute 12 on the topmost support ring 5 of the top floor by 180 ° and then come to a running over transfer chute 13, which like the Figures 1 and 2 show the caps 6 from the support ring of the top floor of the tower 1 to the support ring the top floor of the tower 2 slidably transferred. For this purpose, the transfer chute 13 is suitably arranged stationary, for example, attached to the housing 10.

After leaving the running transfer chute 13, the caps run on the top support ring 5 of the tower 2 by 180 ° and reach a return transfer chute 14, which they from the support ring 5 of the top floor of the tower 2 to the support ring 5 of the next lower floor of the tower. 1 transferred. In a corresponding manner then run the caps 6 with return and returning transfer chutes 13 and 14 between the towers 1, 2 back and forth and floor to floor down until they lie on the deepest support ring 5, which is the last of caps 6 rotate. In the embodiment, this is the lowest level of the tower 2. On this last support ring 5 reach the caps 6 coming from the tower 1 with a running transfer chute 13, revolve this support ring by 180 ° and are removed by a discharge chute 15 on which they, in the embodiment vertically downwards in a discharge channel 16, leave the room 9.

In the selected arrangement, the caps 6 on the feed chute 12 and the chute 15 run in the same orientation and in alignment with each other on the vertical parts of these chutes, which greatly simplifies installation in a straight vertical cap guide.

The reciprocating transfer chutes 13 and 14 open flat on the support rings for stolperfreien transfer of the caps 6 and have lateral boundary walls 17 for clean guidance of the caps 6.

On the support rings 5, the path of the caps 6 is also bounded laterally, on the one hand on the inside by the drums 4 of the two towers 1 and 2 and on the outside by stationary guide plates, which formed in the embodiment directly by the closely enclosing housing 10 are, in particular in FIG. 1 recognizable on the left side of the illustration. If, how shown, the transfer chutes 13 and 14 abut the wall of the housing 10, the outer boundary walls 17 can be omitted in them.

If a gas purging of the space 9 in the housing 10 is required, this can be done by Gaszu- and -abfuhröffnungen 18 of the housing 10.

As the Figures 1 and 2 show, with respect to the cap guide critical return and return transfer chutes 13 and 14 are designed extremely low. They run, like FIG. 2 shows, tangent to the towers 1 and 2 on the support rings 5 and are in plan view of FIG. 2 completely straight. As a result, lateral tilting of the caps are avoided against each other. Also, from the transfer chutes 13 and 14 to be overcome height difference is very low. In the height-offset arrangement of the floors on the towers 1 and 2, as in FIG. 1 shown, each transfer chute 13 or 14 must overcome only half a floor height, so that the tilt of the caps on the transfer chutes around their transversely to the direction of travel axis is low. Even very flat caps can be pushed neatly over the transfer chutes without sliding over each other at their low edges. In particular, in this construction, the disturbing combined tilting of the caps against each other about the longitudinal and the transverse axis is prevented.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the construction of the FIG. 1 be changed so that the floors are on the two towers 1 and 2 at the same height. Then each of the running transfer chutes 13 would be horizontal and the returning transfer chutes 14 would bridge the entire floor level.

The other figures show variants in which, where possible, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar parts.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment Fig. 1 in which the drums 4 are replaced by low webs 19 for inner lateral delimitation of the path of the caps 6. The outer boundary for the caps 6 here again forms the stationary housing 10 and in the same way, as for FIG. 1 explained.

When designing in FIG. 1 the towers 1 and 2 were at a distance from each other. In embodiment of the FIG. 3 However, at the same diameter of the support rings 5, the distance between the driving columns 3 is significantly reduced and indeed so far that, as FIG. 3 shows, the support rings 5 of the tower 1 and the tower 2 overlap laterally. Since the height-through drum 4 of the construction of the FIG. 1 lack and instead only low limiting webs are provided, the disks 5, 19 thus formed can interlock laterally, as the FIG. 3 shows. This results in a significantly reduced space requirement of the overall construction and, as the comparison with FIG. 1 shows, shorten the return and returning transfer chutes 13 and 14th

FIG. 4 shows in plan view accordingly FIG. 2 an embodiment in which the support rings 5 and 5 'of the towers 1 and 2 have different diameters and that are the support rings 5' of the drum 2 of larger diameter than the support rings 5 of the drum 1. The reciprocating transfer chutes 13 and 14 extend in a corresponding manner tangentially to the support rings 5 and 5 '. Both towers 1 and 2 turn in the same direction. Your drive clutch, for example by a drive belt 7, as in FIG. 1 explained, however, must be done in accordance with different sized pulleys so that the support rings Run 5 and 5 'at the same peripheral speed, as required for a jam-free transport of the caps 6.

In the embodiments described above, the Oberführun2srutschen 13 and 14 extend in a straightforward straight and run at their ends strictly tangential to the respectively connected support rings 5. However, this results in how FIG. 2 shows, a relatively large length of the transfer chutes 13 and 14 in relation to the distance covered by the caps on the support rings 5 and which corresponds to only about half a revolution. The caps 6 are actively driven on the support rings 5, but must passively slip on the transfer chutes 13, 14, which opposes their transport resistance.

In the embodiment of the FIG. 5 in their representation of the top view of the FIG. 2 corresponds, run the reciprocating transfer chutes 13 and 14 between the towers 1 and 2 also parallel to each other, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2 , However, they are offset to the columns 3 of the two towers inward and no longer run strictly tangent in the respective connected support rings 5, but each with a slight kink, like this FIG. 5 is apparent. With a suitable design of the construction and uncomplicated caps these kinks are overcome in the cap guide trouble-free. This results in the advantage of a significant shortening of the transfer chutes 13 and 14 relative to the circulation path of the caps 6 on the support rings. 5

FIG. 6 shows in the same representation how FIG. 2 , a construction in which the towers 1 and 2 run in the opposite direction of rotation at the same peripheral speed. The reciprocating transfer chutes 13 and 14 in turn run straight and strictly tangent to each connected Support rings 5 of the two towers 1 and 2. In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 2 However, they run intersecting between the towers 1 and 2, so that the towers are circulated 8-shaped. For flat caps and sufficient floor space resulting at the intersections between the transfer chutes 13 and 14 no height problems. Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 2 it can also be seen that also in the embodiment of the FIG. 6 in turn improves the ratio of transport path on the support rings 5 to the transport path on the transfer chutes 13, 14.

In the figures described above, the sterilizer always had two towers 1, 2. There are also more towers in such a construction possible, as based on the FIGS. 7 and 8 is described, in which the construction consists of three towers each.

FIG. 7 shows three towers 1, 2 and 3, which are indicated only schematically. The towers run in the same direction of rotation and are corresponding to, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2 , connected to the outside tangential straight transfer chutes 13 and 14, wherein the two transfer chutes 13 connects the same floor on the three towers and the transfer chute 14 to the next lower level of the tower 1 leads back.

In the embodiment of the FIG. 8 turn three towers 1, 2 and 3 are provided, which are connected to transfer chutes 13 and 14, in turn, connect the two transfer chutes 13 the same floor and the transfer chute 14 from this floor to the next lower floor on the tower 1 leads back.

In the embodiment of the FIG. 8 However, in comparison to the embodiment of FIG. 7 chose a different direction of rotation of the towers. The towers 2 and 3 turn in the same direction and the tower 1 in the other direction. It results between the towers 2 and 3, a tangentially applied from the outside leadership of the transfer chutes 13, while between the towers 1 and 2 and between 3 and 1, a crossed guide is selected, which is the embodiment of FIG. 6 equivalent. In contrast, in the embodiment of the FIG. 8 the crossing area placed more favorably, since the intersection is located substantially in the region of the edge of the tower 1, where there is sufficient height distance between the transfer paths 13 and 14.

Claims (7)

1. Sterilizing device for bottle caps (6) wherein the caps (6) are transported on carrier rings (5, 5') arranged in a tower (1) in stages aligned above each other and concentric to a common perpendicular axis (3) and driven for common rotation, with stationarily arranged transfer chutes (13, 14) which each transfer the caps (6) to the next stage down, and with a feed (12) for caps (6) to the first cap-holding carrier ring in the transport direction and with a discharge (15) for caps from the last cap-holding carrier ring in the transport direction, characterised in that a first tower (1) and a second tower (2) are provided with parallel axes (3) which are driven at equal circumferential speed, wherein transfer chutes (13, 14) are provided which open with their ends at carrier rings (5, 5') of different towers and transfer caps (6) from each stage of the first tower (1) to a stage of the second tower (2) and from there, where applicable via at least one further tower (3) and transfer chutes (13, 14), to the next stage down of the first tower (1).
2. Sterilizing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the stages in the towers (1, 2) are arranged offset to each other in height.
3. Sterilizing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transfer chutes (13, 14) are formed straight in top view.
4. Sterilizing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transfer chutes (13, 14) open with their ends tangentially to the respective carrier rings (5, 5').
5. Sterilizing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrier rings (5, 5') of the two towers (1, 2) have the same direction of rotation.
6. Sterilizing device according to claim 1, characterised in that all carrier rings (5) have the same diameter.
7. Sterilizing device according to claim 2, characterised in that the carrier rings (5, 19) of the two towers (1, 2) are arranged laterally overlapping.

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