EP2789574B2 - Device and method for the treatment of container closures, and aseptic filler - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to an aseptic filler according to the preamble of claim 1 for aseptic filling of liquids into containers and a method for treating container closures in an aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers, preferably for the sterilization of plastic screw caps for beverage containers in a beverage filling plant.

State of the art

In the field of filling beverages, it is known to close the filled containers, for example PET plastic bottles, with preformed plastic screw caps. For this purpose, the plastic screw caps are fed to a closing element and, by means of this, are screwed onto containers already filled with the respective liquid.

In order to achieve a hygienically perfect filling and a hygienically perfect closing of the containers, the plastic closures, among other things, are sterilized before closing. Various treatment options are available for sterilization, such as physical disinfection using hot water, saturated steam, UV radiation or plasma. Chemical disinfection with hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, chlorine dioxide or ozone can also be carried out. Combinations of these different sterilization processes are also conceivable.

The filling process into the container as well as the closing of the filled container takes place, in particular in the aseptic filling and in particular in the cold aseptic filling, within a clean room. This is a space that is essentially sealed off from the environment, in which a defined sterile atmosphere prevails, and the inner surfaces of which are accordingly regularly cleaned and sterilized.

Cold aseptic filling enables the filled products to be stored for a particularly long time and is used, for example, to fill milk products.

The closures are usually sterilized in front of the closure device in a sterilization chamber into which the respective closures are introduced via a channel system and in which the appropriate treatment medium is present in order to achieve the sterilization of the closures.

Such a device is for example from the WO 2010/073064 A1 known, in which the individual container closures are subjected to a heat treatment. The closures are pushed into the sterilization chamber via an actuator, which then exerts a corresponding dynamic pressure on the closures already in the sterilization chamber in such a way that the closures are driven through the sterilization chamber and exit the sterilization chamber again at its end.

The disadvantage of the known systems for closure sterilization is that if the inflow of filled containers is interrupted, the closures present downstream of the sterilization chamber in a corresponding feed channel are usually discarded, since they are fed to the closer regardless of the inflow of the containers and are then ejected in the closer if they are not screwed onto a container. This results in a loss of plastic closures in the event of a malfunction in the container supply, in particular when such a plastic closure is supplied to a container gap in the production process.

The WO 2010/012334 A1 describes a transport route for conveying caps for closing bottles or containers. The EP 2 687 478 A1 is an intermediate release and therefore only relevant to the question of novelty; it describes an apparatus and a method for treating closures for containers. The US 2013/0004368 A1 describes an apparatus and method for sterilizing caps. The US 2005/0169796 A1 describes an aseptic filler according to the preamble of claim 1 with a device for sterilizing closures. The DE 10 2005 032 322 A1 describes a method and machine for closing bottles with sterile caps. The FR 2 765 566 A1 describes a system for filling a product into containers to be closed by means of closures and a device for storing the closures. The WO 98/47770 A1 describes a system for blow molding, filling and sealing containers.

Presentation of the invention

Based on the known prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers and a method for treating container closures in an aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers, which enable a more efficient mode of operation.

This object is achieved by an aseptic filler with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments result from the dependent claims.

Correspondingly, the aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers comprises a closer arranged in a clean room for closing filled containers and a device for treating container closures, hereinafter also referred to more generally as molded parts, preferably for sterilizing plastic screw closures for beverage containers. The device comprises a treatment section for treating the container closures with a treatment medium, and a feed device arranged upstream of the treatment section for feeding container closures to the treatment section. A discharge device arranged downstream of the treatment section for discharging molded parts from the treatment section is provided.

By combining the feed device arranged upstream of the treatment section with the discharge device arranged downstream of the treatment section, the loss of molded parts when the supply of containers to be closed is interrupted or when the respective production is completed can be minimized, whereby it is ensured at the same time that each individual molded part receives the necessary treatment time in the treatment section and thus, for example, the prescribed sterilization is achieved.

In order to achieve this, the feed device is controlled in such a way that it applies the individual molded part to the treatment line in good time. The molded part then passes through the treatment section and, after the specified treatment time has elapsed or as required, is transferred to the respective subsequent machine station via the discharge device, for example a closer in an aseptic filler.

By providing the discharge device, it is also achieved that each molded part that is discharged by the discharge device can also be processed further directly accordingly. In the case of a beverage filling device, the molded part can accordingly be supplied in such a way that each container is precisely provided with a plastic screw cap. The treatment time that a molded part runs through in the treatment section can be set by means of a corresponding parameterization of the triggering of the feed device relative to the triggering of the discharge device.

In the case of a demand-controlled supply of the respective molded parts via the supply device, as many molded parts pass through the treatment path as are actually transferred to the subsequent processing unit via the discharge device. This ensures that only as many molded parts are treated in the treatment section as are actually removed afterwards by the subsequent processing stations. This leads to an efficiency advantage with regard to the use of the treatment medium, for example the sterilization medium, since only as many molded parts are treated as are actually required. Furthermore, the fact that no large number of molded parts are temporarily buffered in the treatment section, but only exactly the number of molded parts that are also removed afterwards, has the advantage that when the production process is terminated or the production process is interrupted, for example by a as incorrectly discharged containers, no larger number of molded parts have to be discarded at the end of the production process, but in the ideal case the treatment section is completely emptied and no molded parts are discarded.

The feed device and / or the discharge device are preferably driven via a stepping motor in such a way that a partially accurate feeding or a partially accurate discharge of the respective molded parts is made possible. In this way, molded parts can be fed to the treatment section with partial precision and discharged from it again.

The treatment section is arranged in a treatment chamber which surrounds the treatment section and in which an atmosphere with the treatment medium can be built up accordingly. According to the invention, the feed device and the discharge device are arranged in the treatment chamber.

An increase in efficiency when carrying out the treatment in the treatment section can be achieved by using at least two grooves running parallel to one another, so that a simultaneous treatment of at least two molded parts running parallel to one another can be achieved.

In order to enable a simple exchange of the container closures from one type to another at the end of the respective production process, for example from a plastic screw closure of a first color to a plastic screw closure of a second color, according to the invention an emptying device is arranged upstream of the feed device, by means of which a container closure is fed can be completely emptied. In this way, it is possible to completely empty any container closure that may be present without all of the container closures having to pass through the treatment section.

Furthermore, a sensor is preferably provided downstream of the feed device in such a way that it serves to detect a backflow on molded parts in the treatment section. The sensor can be provided, for example, in the form of a light barrier or another sensor so that it either detects the passage of the molded part through the treatment path or outputs a corresponding signal only when there is a permanent interruption by a fixed molded part. This sensor can be used to determine whether the molded parts dispensed onto the treatment path via the feed device actually pass through the treatment path, or whether there is a backlog, that is, the molded parts have jammed within the treatment path.

Accordingly, a sensor is also preferred provided downstream of the discharge device, by means of which a backwater can be detected in a transfer area for the molded parts downstream of the discharge device.

Three operating states can be provided via these sensors and a corresponding stepper motor control of the feed device and the discharge device. In a first operating state, all stepper motors are switched off so that the molded parts are not conveyed and treated. In a second operating state, the stepper motors are each controlled via a reference point of a parallel or upstream process, for example when passing through a certain machine angle of a parallel or upstream unit. This unit can be, for example, a filler in a beverage filling plant. When the respective filled container has reached a certain reference position in the beverage filling system, the control of the stepping motor is triggered in such a way that a closure is introduced into the treatment section via the feed device. When passing through a second reference point, the stepper motor of the discharge device is operated in such a way that the corresponding molded part is discharged and transferred to the subsequent closer.

In a third operating state, the stepper motors move one revolution per machine cycle or pulse from the corresponding system control.

The control of the discharge device relative to the feed device can also be carried out via a time control which always triggers the feeding of a molded part into the treatment section earlier than the actual discharge process by at least the minimum treatment time.

A prerequisite for the discharge of a further molded part is of course that no backflow is reported via appropriate sensors, in particular a backflow sensor of the motor downstream of the feed device, as well as by a sensor downstream of the discharge device. In the event of such a backwater, the cause of the backwater must of course first be eliminated before a further discharge or further operation of the entire system can be continued.

Furthermore, a corresponding output signal must of course also be present in this operating mode, by means of which it is signaled that a production operation is taking place at all and that molded parts are to be supplied accordingly.

The device described above results in little or no loss of molded parts during production. In a preferred embodiment, for example, only a single container can be moved through the entire system in a beverage filling plant, and for this individual container only a single plastic screw cap is accordingly placed on the treatment line via the feed device, and via the discharge device to the closer with partial accuracy and timed accuracy supplied that precisely this one container is provided with the screw cap. There is then accordingly only one screw cap in the treatment section during the entire process.

Furthermore, it can be ensured that even in the event of incomplete operation, that is to say in the event of gaps in the flow of the respective container, each closure is adequately treated and, for example, correctly sterilized closures are used accordingly.

In this way, it is also possible to control the closure flow when the respective production is finished so that the last treated closure is used up with the last container to be closed. Correspondingly, in this way the principle of " last bottle - last closure " can be achieved, so that it is no longer necessary to discard closures after the end of production.

Furthermore, this mode of operation makes it possible that a discharge device from the isolator, for example an aseptic system, is no longer necessary, since closures no longer have to be discharged here. In this way, on the one hand, costs can be saved and, on the other hand, the system complexity can be reduced, whereby risk potentials in microbiological terms are reduced.

The device for treating the molded parts can be arranged outside the clean room. In particular, the sensors and motors that are used to drive the feed device and the discharge device can be installed outside the clean room, which on the one hand does not endanger the sterility of the respective isolator and on the other hand increases the service life of the drives and the sensors as they are not exposed to the aggressive cleaning cycles inside the isolator.

The treatment section can be used with all known treatment media, for example with hydrogen peroxide, as well as with a peracetic acid immersion bath.

The device for treating container closures is particularly preferably arranged outside the clean room of the aseptic filler.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 9. Preferred developments emerge from the subclaims.

The molded parts are preferably fed partially precisely to the treatment section by means of the feed device and / or discharged partially precisely by means of the discharge device.

The feeding of molded parts to the treatment section and / or the discharge of molded parts from the treatment section is advantageously triggered via the machine cycle, preferably when one is present Trigger signal, particularly preferably taking into account a minimum treatment time.

The feeding of molded parts to the treatment section and / or the discharge of molded parts from the treatment section can also be triggered in a parallel process when a reference position is reached, preferably taking into account a minimum treatment time.

Brief description of the figures

• Figur 1 zeigt schematisch eine Vorrichtung zur Behandlung von Formteilen.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figure. It shows:

• Figure 1 shows schematically an apparatus for treating molded parts.

Detailed description of preferred exemplary embodiments

Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figure.

Figure 1 shows schematically a device 1 for treating molded parts, shown here in the form of a device for sterilizing plastic screw caps for closing beverage containers in a beverage filling plant.

Via a molded part feed 2, via which the individual molded parts are supplied from a supply of molded parts, the molded parts arrive at a feed device 3, which is set up for partially accurate feeding of molded parts to a treatment line 4. The partially accurate feed is achieved, for example, by control via a stepper motor.

The treatment section 4 is accommodated in a treatment chamber 40 and is designed in the form of a schematically indicated channel 42 through which the molded parts which are fed via the feed device 3 slide. In the in Figure 1 The embodiment shown, the channel 42 and thus also the treatment chamber 40 is arranged sloping, such that the respective molded parts pass through the channel 42 due to their own weight.

In a preferred variant, not shown here, at least two channels arranged parallel to one another are provided so that at least two molded parts can be treated parallel to one another.

Downstream of the treatment section 4, a discharge device 5 is provided, which is used for partially accurate discharge of the respective molded parts to a corresponding transfer area 6. A further treatment station follows the transfer area 6 accordingly. In the case of a beverage filling plant, this is typically followed by the corresponding capper, which is then supplied with the plastic screw caps which are then sterilized.

The feed device 3 is correspondingly arranged upstream of the treatment section 4 and the discharge device 5 is arranged downstream of the treatment section 4. Correspondingly, the respective molded parts can be fed into the treatment section 4 with partial precision via the feed device 3.

The discharge device 5 arranged downstream of the treatment section 4 enables the respective molded part to be transferred to the transfer device 6 in a demand-controlled manner whenever a respective molded part is required here.

When used as a sterilization device for plastic closures in a beverage bottling plant, an individual plastic screw cap is placed on the treatment line 4 via the feed device 3 for each filled and to be closed container and, after the corresponding treatment time has passed, transferred via the discharge device 5 to the respective closer, synchronized that the corresponding container to be closed can be closed. If there is no container to be closed, no plastic screw cap is sterilized and discharged. In this way, it can be avoided that, for example, when the container flow is interrupted by a previous discharge of defective containers, closures which were fed to the closer must be discarded.

Due to the partially accurate feeding of the respective plastic closures according to the present device, it can accordingly be achieved that such a discarding of container closures is no longer necessary. Furthermore, even when the respective production is interrupted or when the respective production ends, there are no longer any container closures in the treatment section 4 and the last treated container closure is used up with the last closed container. According to the invention, an emptying device 7 is also provided upstream of the feed device 3, which can be opened after the end of the production process and by means of which the container closures from the container closure, which are supplied via the container closure feed 2, can be completely emptied.

In the case of a beverage filling system, it can be achieved in this way that, for example, all plastic screw caps of a certain type, for example a certain color, can be emptied from the respective closure reservoir without all of these closures having to be passed through the treatment section 4. To convert the system, closures of a different type can then be provided, for example closures of a different color, and production can be resumed.

A first sensor 8 is preferably provided downstream of the feed device 3 in order to prevent a backwater to be able to detect molded parts in the treatment section 4. A further sensor 9 is preferably provided downstream of the discharge device 5 in order to be able to detect the detection of a backwater in a transfer area 6.

The sensors 8, 9 can be used to monitor whether the molded parts pass through the corresponding system areas and in particular the treatment section 4 in the form of the channel 42 without any problems, or whether a molded part is possibly backing up or jammed. The sensor 9 can also be used to check whether the output of the molded parts to the transfer area 6 is taking place in the specified manner, or whether, for example, there is a backlog in the transfer area 6, which suggests that the molded parts are jammed or another jam in the transfer area 6.

The feed device 3 and the discharge device 5 are preferably driven by a stepper motor, by means of which a partially accurate feeding of molded parts into the treatment section 4 and a partially accurate discharge of molded parts via the discharge device 5 is possible.

The feed device 3 and the discharge device 5 can be controlled in different ways. For example, in connection with a beverage filling system, the feed device 3 can be actuated when a certain container to be filled is inserted into the corresponding filling device, and when the corresponding container has passed through a further section of the treatment angle or moves towards the closer in the inlet, the discharge device 5 are operated. Correspondingly, the feeding of a molded part into the treatment section 4 is triggered at predetermined points within the feed of the containers to be closed and, after passing through a second reference point, the discharge of the molded part from the treatment section 4 is triggered. The treatment time must also be taken into account, which varies with the machine speed in this operating mode. The minimum treatment time must not be undercut.

In a further operating mode, for example, the machine cycle can trigger the feed device 3 and the discharge device 5, the machine cycle being delayed either for the feed device or for the discharge device according to the intended treatment time. With such a control over the general machine cycle, it is also necessary that there is a corresponding trigger signal according to which closures should actually be transferred to the closer in order to avoid unnecessary discarding of container closures if there is a disturbance in the container flow.

In both operating modes, the sensor signal from the sensors 8 and 9 must also be viewed in order to ensure that there is no backwater and that the molded parts are correspondingly free to flow through the treatment section 4 into the transfer area 6.

List of reference symbols

1

Device for the treatment of molded parts

2

Part feed

3

Feeding device

4th

Treatment line

40

Treatment chamber

42

Gutter

5

Discharge device

6th

Transfer area

7th

Emptying device

8th

sensor

9

sensor

Claims (13)

1. Aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers comprising a capper, arranged in a cleanroom, and a device (1) for treating container caps, preferably for sterilising plastic screw caps for drink containers, comprising a treatment section (4) for treating the container caps with a treatment medium, wherein the treatment section (4) is arranged in a treatment chamber (40),
   a feed device (3) arranged upstream of the treatment section (4), for feeding container caps to the treatment section (4), and
   a removal device (5) arranged downstream of the treatment section (4), which enables a transfer of the respective container cap to a transfer device (6) driven by demand, always precisely when a respective container cap is needed here,
   characterised in that
   the device (1) furthermore has an emptying device (7) for emptying a container cap feed (2) upstream of the feed device (3) and the feed device (3) is arranged upstream of the treatment section (4) and the removal device (5) is arranged downstream of the treatment section (4), in the treatment chamber (40).
2. Aseptic filler according to claim 1, characterised in that the feed device (3) and/or the removal device (5) is driven via a stepper motor.
3. Aseptic filler according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the treatment section (4) is formed by at least two channels (42) running in parallel to one another.
4. Aseptic filler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor (8) for detecting a backlog of container caps in the treatment section (4) is arranged downstream of the feed device (3).
5. Aseptic filler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor (9) for detecting a backlog of container caps is provided in the transfer region (6) downstream of the removal device (4).
6. Aseptic filler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the feed device (3) is configured for precise feeding of container caps.
7. Aseptic filler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the removal device (5) is configured for the precise removal of container caps.
8. Aseptic filler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device (1) for treating container caps is arranged outside the cleanroom and is preferably connected to the cleanroom via a sterile connection.
9. Method for treating container caps in an aseptic filler for aseptic filling of liquids into containers comprising a capper, arranged in a cleanroom, preferably for sterilising plastic screw caps for drink containers, comprising
   the feeding of container caps into a treatment section (4) by means of a feed device (3) and the treatment of the container caps in the treatment section (4) with a treatment medium, wherein the treatment section (4) is arranged in a treatment chamber (40), wherein
   the container caps are removed downstream of the treatment section (4) via a removal device (5) using which a transfer of the respective container cap to a transfer device (6) takes place driven by demand, always precisely when a respective container cap is needed here,
   characterised in that
   an emptying device (7) for emptying a container cap feed (2) is arranged upstream of the feed device (3) and the feed device (3) is arranged upstream of the treatment section (4) and the removal device (5) is arranged downstream of the treatment section (4), in the treatment chamber (40).
10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the container caps are supplied precisely by means of the feed device (3) of the treatment section (4).
11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the container caps are removed precisely by means of the removal device (5).
12. Method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the feeding of container caps to the treatment section (4) and/or the removal of container caps from the treatment section (4) is triggered via the machine cycle, preferably in the case of the presence of a trigger signal, particularly preferably considering a minimum treatment time.
13. Method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the feeding of container caps to the treatment section (4) and/or the removal of container caps from the treatment section (4) is triggered on reaching a reference position in a parallel process, preferably considering a minimum treatment time.

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