EP3331812A1

EP3331812A1 - Method for cleaning and/or disinfecting sealing elements, sealing machine, and sealing element

Info

Publication number: EP3331812A1
Application number: EP16730345.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Manfred Härtel; Michael Beisel; Ludwig Clüsserath
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2015-08-04
Filing date: 2016-06-15
Publication date: 2018-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 2036-06-15
Also published as: WO2017021043A1; EP3331812B1; US20180215598A1; US10640350B2; DE102015112790A1; SI3331812T1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning and/or disinfecting sealing elements (8) of a sealing machine or of a sealing assembly (6), wherein, during a cleaning mode, at least one cleaning and/or disinfecting medium, which is supplied to the sealing element (8) via at least one coupling piece (19), flows through and around the interior chamber of the respective sealing element (8) and the functional elements therein and the sealing tool serving to attach the respective closure (3) to a container (2). Handling of the sealing elements (8) occurs in chronological succession as a result of a successive forwarding movement of the rotor (7) on a docking or cleaning station (18).

Description

METHOD FOR CLEANING AND / OR DISINFECTION OF LOCKING ELEMENTS, LOCKING MACHINE, AND LOCKING ELEMENT

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1, to a Verschließaggregat or a closing machine according to the preamble of claim 9 and to a closing element according to the preamble

Claim 14.

Processes and sealing machines or units for closing containers are known in different designs, in particular as machines or units for processing corks, bottle caps, screw caps, caps or caps, or as

Sealers or sealers. In any case, it is necessary to regularly clean and / or close the respective closing machine and, in particular, also its closing tools, in each case in a cleaning mode

disinfect.

In capping machines or units for processing crown caps, it is known to clean and disinfect the capping tools during the cleaning mode by an open padding with liquid cleaning media (DE 196 26 680 A1). However, this cleaning is often not sufficient because areas inside the closing elements inadequate or not at all

Cleaning medium can be achieved, with the result that, especially after prolonged periods of operation of the construction of biofilms or other contaminants can not be prevented. It is therefore with these capping machines

or -aggregates necessary to dismantle the closing elements at regular intervals for manual cleaning and especially internal cleaning, which is particularly expensive, since closing machines or units often in line with a filling machine or with a filling unit and with more

Capping machines or aggregates arranged and there are difficult to access because of their small diameter.

Also known is an interior cleaning and disinfection of

Closing elements (DE 41 15 285 A1), wherein for supplying and discharging the Cleaning and disinfection media during the cleaning mode Connections are provided which are permanently connected with the respective closing element as well as with hose lines for the supply and removal of the cleaning and disinfection

Disinfection medium are connected, which is structurally very expensive.

The object of the invention is to provide a method with which an intensive interior cleaning and / or disinfection of the closing of a

Verschließaggregates or a capping machine is possible, especially an intensive interior cleaning and / or disinfection with reliable and simplified operation. To solve this problem is a method

formed according to claim 1. A closing machine or a Verschließaggregat are the subject of claim 9. A closing element is the subject of claim 14. The capping machine or the Verschließaggregat or whose the

According to the invention, closing rotor-bearing rotors are driven by a drive, for example servo or direct drive, which is not only independent of the drive of further units or machines, for example the filling machine or the filling unit of a system, but which also enables this rotor during normal production operation. ie while filling and

Closing the container to rotate continuously and synchronously with the other machines or units of the system and controlled in the cleaning mode of the closing elements bearing rotor step or cyclically further rotated. Only then is it possible, in the cleaning mode the

Closing elements individually or in groups, in which the number of closing elements is substantially smaller than the total number of

Have closing of the Verschließaggregates and each having at least two closing elements, one after the other to a docking or

Cleaning station to move in the then during the stoppage phase of the clocked movement of the rotor, the treatment of the respective at the

Cleaning station arranged closing element takes place, namely

For example, by a free transfer of the cleaning media to the positioned Verschließstationen or but for example by automatic or mechanical coupling at least one coupling piece of Cleaning station for supplying the cleaning medium and for the internal cleaning of the respective closing element, by subsequently opening the supply of the cleaning medium by discharging the cleaning medium after flowing through the interior of the treated closing element, by closing the supply line for the cleaning medium after the

Treatment time to end the treatment and by the automatic or mechanical uncoupling of the coupling piece of the relevant

Closing. During the cleaning mode (for example CIP cleaning and / or disinfection), the treatment of the closing elements thus takes place individually or in groups one after the other. The cleaning mode is ended when all

Closing elements were treated with the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium. During the treatment, the respective closing element, and in particular also the interior of the closing element and its

Closing tools with multiple interruptions or continuously

rinsed or lapped and / or treated with disinfectant and / or steam. The docking or cleaning station is effective only during the cleaning mode. If produced with the plant concerned, this station is without function and does not affect the normal production, in particular the docking or cleaning station does not interfere with the rotation of the capping machine or the

Verschließaggregates.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention, the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium flows freely after flowing through the interior of the closing and after the flow around the closing tools and is preferably collected in a drip tray or trough, from which it then flow, for example via a return can. Alternatively, the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium can also be conveyed back to the CIP system or to the respective storage container. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, not only the feeding, but also the discharge of the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium via a coupling piece, via a common coupling piece with supply and discharge or via two coupling pieces. Also that to derive the

Cleaning and / or disinfecting medium serving coupling piece is automatically, i. mechanically coupled to the respective closing element and decoupled from this and is also part of the cleaning station.

The automatic coupling and uncoupling of the at least one coupling piece to the respective closing element or from the respective closing element takes place, for example, by a robot, by a manipulator controlled by a drive or by a linear axis drive of the cleaning station.

The cleaning and / or disinfecting agent is a liquid, vapor and / or gaseous medium. Basically, the treatment can also be carried out with several different media, preferably in chronological succession.

The cleaning and / or disinfecting agent flows through the relevant

Closing element during the treatment preferably from top to bottom. The cleaning or disinfecting medium is the interior of the

Closing preferably supplied at an upper portion and discharged at a lower portion of the closing element.

"Container" in the context of the invention, in particular bottles or cans made of metal, glass and / or plastic, but also other packaging, which are suitable for filling of liquid or viscous products.

The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. All described and / or illustrated features are for itself or in any combination in principle subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their

Dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of an embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1 in a simplified representation and in side view of a filled and

sealed container in the form of a with a bottle cap

closed bottle;

Fig. 2 in a schematic functional representation and in plan view and in

Partial view of a system for filling and closing the bottles of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 in an enlarged detail two following the filling unit of the system of Figure 2 following Verschließaggregate (capper) for closing the container.

Fig. 4 in partial view and in side view of one of the two Verschließaggregate the system of Fig. 2;

5 shows a longitudinal section through the upper region of a closing element together with a connection or coupling piece for supplying a cleaning and / or disinfecting medium for the internal cleaning of the closing element;

6 shows a longitudinal section through the lower region of the closing element of FIG. 5 together with a cap-like connecting or coupling piece placed on the closing element for discharging the cap

Cleaning medium; 7 and 8 in a perspective individual representation of the coupling closing piece for supplying the cleaning medium in a single representation and in section;

Fig. 9, the cap-like coupling closure piece for discharging the

Cleaning medium in perspective individual representation;

Fig. 10 and 1 1 in a perspective view in side view and in partial section a printing cylinder of a closing element; Fig. 12 in partial view, the lower end of the printing cylinder with a local

Drawing ring and a holding plate securing the drawing ring (cork shoe).

In the figures, 1 is a plant which i.a. to fill and then

Closing of containers 2 with container closures 3 is used, the containers exemplified as bottles and the closures 3 exemplified by

Crown cork closures are formed.

The plant 1 comprises in a known manner a filling machine or a filling unit 4, to which the containers 2 are supplied for example by a rinser 5, as well as in the illustrated embodiment a Verschließaggregat 6 and a

Ausschubstern. If several Verschließaggregate 6 provided, they may for example be designed for processing of different closures, of which, for example, a Verschließaggregat 6 is designed for processing the crown cap, while another Verschließaggregat 6 for the

Processing of screw caps is provided. The Verschließaggregat 6 of the illustrated embodiment has at one to a vertical

Machine axis circumferentially driven rotor 7 (arrow A) a plurality of closing elements 8, which are provided at a pitch on the rotor 7 for the processing of closures 3 in the form of crown caps each having the below described in more detail in connection with FIGS ,

The closing elements 8 designed for processing the closures 3 in the form of crown caps accordingly exist in the person skilled in the art known manner in principle from one held on the rotor 7 sleeve-like guide bearing 9, which is aligned with its axis coaxially with a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor 7 Verschließelementachse VA oriented and in which inter alia a hollow tube-like and coaxially arranged with the axis VA drive element in the form of a Pressure cylinder 10 is guided by a predetermined stroke H axially movable. At the bottom of a

shoe-like extension 10.1 of the printing cylinder 10 or at a local annular portion 10.2 is held by a plate 1 1 (cork shoe) pull ring 12 interchangeable. In the interior of the printing cylinder 10 is also a mitbewegter with this cylinder, sprung by a compression spring 13 and arranged coaxially with the axis VA down device 14 is provided. The drawing ring 12 is provided with molded seals which prevent penetration of dirt and germs into the gap between the drawing ring 12 and the annular portion 10.2, in which the drawing ring 12 is held. Likewise, the holding plate 1 1 is provided with a molded seal, which seals the gap between the plate 1 1, the drawing ring 12 and the extension 10.1.

When revolving rotor 7, the closing of the container 2 with the

Closures 3 in the manner known to those skilled in the fact that the respective closing element 8 at a closure transfer position in each case receives a closure 3, which is then held magnetically, for example, at the lower end of the plunger-like hold-down 14. Subsequently, the closure is placed on the inserted under the closing element 8 container 2, by controlled movement of the printing cylinder 10 and the blank holder 14 down, with the result that the shutter 3 with the spring-loaded hold-down 14 first to the opening of the container. 2 pressed and then fixed by the drawing ring 12 on the container 3 by deforming. The controlled

Lifting movement H of the impression cylinder 10 is cam-controlled, i. by arranged on the printing cylinder 10 cam rollers 15 which cooperate with a control cam 16.

The sleeve-like guide bearing 9 ultimately also forms a housing part in which the impression cylinder 10 is received with an upper part length in the figures and at the upper and lower end of the pressure cylinder 10 at 17 sealed for the stroke H is performed.

The held on the shoe-like extension 10.1 pull ring 12 forms together with the hold-down 14, the actual closing tool of

Closing element 8.

A special feature of Verschließaggregates 6 is that at the

Movement path of the closing elements 8 a docking or cleaning station 18 is provided which does not rotate with the rotor 7 and the local closure elements 8 and u.a. a first, in the illustration of the figures upper coupling piece 19 and a second, in the representation of the figures lower coupling piece 20 which, in a cleaning mode of Verschließaggregates. 6

allow the entire interior of each closing element 8 with a this interior flowing through and in particular the actual

Closing tool, i. To treat the pull ring 12 and the hold-down 14 on all surface areas flowing around cleaning and / or disinfecting agent. For this purpose, the coupling piece 19 is formed so that it is deliverable by a relative to the axis VA radial delivery to the drawing ring 12 remote upper end of the sleeve-like guide bearing 9, in such a way that the coupling piece 19, the guide bearing 9 at its

circular cylindrical outer surface with respect to the axis VA on a

Angular region greater than 90 °, but less than 180 ° rider-like overlaps and is arranged with two connection openings 21 each congruent with a connection opening 22 of the guide bearing 9, so that with coupled coupling piece 19 via the connection openings 21 and 22, a flow connection from the connection openings 21 associated channels 23.1 of terminals 23 of

Coupling piece 19 in the interior of the guide bearing 9 consists. The two connection openings 21 and also the two connection openings 22 are offset relative to the axis VA by an angle greater than 90 °, for example by an angle of about 120 ° to each other. In order to achieve a tight transition between the coupling piece 19 and the housing 9 in the region of the connection openings 21 and 22, the coupling piece 19 where the two channels 23.1 each open at their connection opening 21, provided with an example molded seal 19.1.

The coupling piece 20 is during the cleaning and disinfection mode also with respect to the axis VA radially on the respective closing element 8 deliverable, in such a way that it after delivery in cooperation with the extension 10.1, which surrounds the axis VA part-shell, a to

Surrounding closed Spülraums 24 forms in the u.a. a lower part length of the blank holder 14, the drawing ring 12 and the drawing ring holding plate 1 1 are arranged. A provided on the lower coupling piece 20 connection 25 opens with its channel 25.1 in the washing compartment 24th

More in detail, there is the coupling piece 20 in the illustrated

Embodiment of a plate-shaped base 26 having a recess 27 into which the channel 25.1 of the terminal 25 opens and a half-shell-shaped portion 28 which extends over that surface side of the base 26, on which the recess 27 is open and the concave side the recess 27 facing and is curved at this concave side about an axis perpendicular to said surface side of the base 26 in a circular arc. When the coupling piece 20 has been delivered, this axis is coaxial with the axis VA of the closing element 8 to be treated. On the surface side 26.1 and at the edge surfaces of the section 28, the coupling piece 20 with a

preferably provided with molded seal so that when delivered

Coupling piece 20 of the washing chamber 24 is sealed to the outside.

To clean the interior of a flow of cleaning and / or

Disinfection medium through all relevant areas of the treated

To allow Verschließelementes 8, not only through the interior of the printing cylinder 10 and along the functional elements provided there, but also in the gap between the inner surface of the guide bearing 9 and the outer surface of the pressure cylinder 10 enclosed by this and also in between the downholder 14 and The printing cylinder 10 formed guide surfaces of the printing cylinder 10 is profiled many times, ie with different openings 29th and flow channels 30 which allow a multi-branched flow path for the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium (arrows B).

Preferably, the closing element 8 is flowed through during the cleaning mode from top to bottom of the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium, which is then supplied via the two terminals 23 of the coupling piece 19 and discharged via the terminal 25 of the coupling piece 20. To a the

To achieve treatment-promoting turbulence of the cleaning medium already on entering the closure element 8 in question, are in the illustrated

Embodiment, the two connection openings 22 each formed by a plurality of individual openings, or at the two connection openings 22, a preferably also adjustable aperture is provided in each case having these individual openings. In detail, the cleaning and disinfection of the closing elements 8 takes place during the cleaning mode in succession in the form that each

Closing element 8 by the drive of Verschließaggregates 6 in the

Cleaning position 18 is moved so that the respective closing element 8 of the cleaning station 18 is immediately adjacent. To make this possible, each Verschließaggregat 6 has its own drive, during continuous filling operation, the respective rotor 7 continuously and synchronously with the

Filling unit 4 drives, while the cleaning mode but a gradual, exact further rotation of the rotor 7 by one pitch allows, the provided on the rotor 7 closing elements 8 from each other. After positioning a closing element 8 at the cleaning station 18, the two previously arranged outside the movement path of the closing elements 8 coupling pieces 19 and 20 to be treated

Closing element 8 coupled, so that in the manner described above, the terminals 23 and 25 are tightly connected to the interior of the closing element 8 and this interior then of the cleaning medium

through the arrows B can be flowed through.

After treating a closing element 8, the coupling pieces 19 and 20 are moved back to their original position and the rotor 7 for the treatment of the next closing element 8 further rotated by a pitch by the drive, so that then the coupling pieces 19 and 20 can be delivered to the other, to be treated closing element 8 and coupled. The movement of the coupling pieces 19 and 20 takes place by machine or

Automatically without manual intervention by an operator, for example by at least one robot, a manipulator, a linear axis drive, etc. Overall, the cleaning and / or disinfection mode of

Verschließaggregates 6, i. moving the closing elements 8 to the

Cleaning position 18, the delivery and removal of the coupling pieces 19 and 20 to the closing elements 8 and of these elements as well as the supply and locking of the cleaning and / or disinfection medium controlled by an electrical control device, so that manual intervention by the

Operators are also not required during the entire cleaning mode.

As a drive for the rotor 7 of the Verschließaggregates 6 is a direct drive with a servo motor, in particular with a torque motor, which allows an accurate gradual indexing or rotation of the rotor 7 without delay.

Conveniently, a positioning aid 31 is provided for the exact positioning of the coupling piece 19 to the respective closing element 8, which is assigned to the outer contour of this positioning 31 complementary coupling portion 32 of the coupling piece 19 so that when recorded by the coupling portion 32 positioning aid 31 an exact positioning of the coupling piece 19 on Closing element 8 is ensured.

It was assumed above that, during the cleaning mode, the closing elements 8 are each treated individually one after the other.

Of course, the cleaning station 18 also for a simultaneous

Treatment of closing element groups, which then at least two

Have closing elements 8, be formed. The number of coupling pieces 19 and 20 then corresponds, for example, the number of locking elements to be treated 8 of each group or the coupling pieces 19 and 20 are each as

Multiple coupling pieces for simultaneous coupling to several

Closing elements 8 formed. After the treatment of the closing elements 8 a group then the rotor 7 by the angular distance of

Moving closure element groups further.

The invention has been described above using the example of a closing unit 6 or closing elements 8, which are designed for the processing of closures 3 in the form of crown caps. Of course, the invention is also suitable for Verschließaggregate or closing machines for

Processing of other types of closures. In this case too, the

Closing elements designed so that they form in the interior of a permeable by the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium space with

Coupling pieces for supplying and / or discharging the cleaning medium is connectable, otherwise closed to the environment, in turn, e.g. one of the coupling pieces cap-shaped or part-cap-like and forms a washing chamber in which the actual closing tool of the respective closing element is arranged and is thus flows around during the cleaning and / or disinfection mode of the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium intensive.

In any case, in the invention, the treatment of Verschließelemente either individually or in groups successively with successive stepwise further rotation of the closing elements bearing rotor and under machine feed the serving for supplying and preferably also for discharging the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium coupling pieces to the

Closing elements and mechanical removal of the coupling pieces of the closing elements, wherein the entire process is controlled by an electrical or electronic control, for example, controlled by the plant control automatically runs.

It has been assumed above that the couplings 20 are used as the return for the discharge of the cleaning medium. In a simplified embodiment of the invention, it is also possible, the cleaning and / or Disinfecting medium on the delivered coupling piece 19 above in the

To feed the interior of the closing element and down to open or divert into a drip tray, so then then, for example, to the lower

Coupling piece 20 can be omitted.

Furthermore, it may be expedient to form self-closing the connection openings 21, via which the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium is supplied, i. in such a way that these connection openings 21 only with the delivery of the respective coupling piece 19 or only through this

Coupling piece to be opened.

In a treatment of each closure element 8 with different

Cleaning and / or disinfecting media, e.g. first with a liquid and then with a gas and / or vapor cleaning and / or

Disinfecting medium, it may be appropriate to supply the treatment medium of each type via its own coupling piece 19 and its own

Disengage coupling piece 20, as far as coupling pieces 20 are used. The couplings are for the different cleaning and / or

Disinfection media are then part of a cleaning station 18, but effective at different rotational positions of the rotor 7, so that each

Closing 8 during the stoppage phase of the rotational movement of the rotor 7 at a rotational position, first with a cleaning and / or

Disinfecting medium, e.g. with the liquid medium, and at another

Rotary position of the rotor 7 with another cleaning and / or

Disinfecting medium, e.g. with the gas and / or vapor medium, is treated.

By the treatment of the closing elements 8 in succession, each individually or in smaller groups, it is possible, the treatment station 18 and the at least one coupling piece for Verschließaggregat 6 only once

to provide and to design so that it occupies only a small angular range of rotation of the rotor 7, so that the treatment station 18 does not affect the normal production operation (filling and closing the container), the cleaning and / or disinfection in particular

Locking elements 8 but still without complicated assembly / disassembly is possible. The cleaning station 18 is preferably arranged in an angular range of the rotational movement of the rotor 7 formed between a container outlet and a container inlet.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 plant

2 containers

3 closure

4 filling unit or filling machine

5 rinsers

6 capping unit or closing machine

7 rotor

8 closing element

9 housing or guide bearing

10 impression cylinders

10.1 extension

10.2 annular section

1 1 plate or cork shoe

12 drawing ring

13 compression spring

14 hold downs

15 cam roller

16 control curve

17 seal

18 cleaning station

19, 20 coupling piece

19.1 seal

21, 22 connection opening

23 connection

23.1 channel

24 washing room

25 connection

25.1 channel

26 base

27 deepening

28 section

29 opening 30 channel

31 Positioning aid

32 V-shaped opening or coupling section

A direction of rotation

B flow of cleaning and / or disinfecting medium through the

closing

Claims

claims

Method for cleaning and / or disinfecting closing elements (8) of a closing machine or a closing unit (6), wherein during a cleaning mode the interior of the respective

Closing element and the local functional elements and also for attaching the respective closure (3) to a container (2) serving closing tool of at least one cleaning and / or

Are flowed through and around the disinfecting medium, which the

Closing element (8) via at least one coupling piece (19) is fed, characterized in that the treatment of the closing elements (8) during the cleaning mode temporally successively each individually or in Verschließelementgruppen of at least two closing elements (8), that for this purpose the closing elements (8 ) or Verschließelementgruppen with a stepwise further movement of the rotor (7) enabling drive to a docking or cleaning station (18) moves, the

at least one coupling piece (19), that the at least one coupling piece (19) with the respective at the cleaning station (18) located closing element (8) is connected by machine infeed and coupling, and that after completion of the treatment of the respective closing element (8) the at least one coupling piece (19) is in turn removed by machine from the respective closing element (8).

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that for discharging the at least one cleaning and / or disinfecting medium, at least one further coupling piece (20) of the cleaning station (18) is mechanically coupled to the closing element (8) arranged at this station and after the treatment of the Closing element (8) is removed by machine again.

A method according to claim 2, characterized in that one of the two coupling pieces (20) in the coupled state forms a flushing chamber (24) in which at least the closing tool (20, 14) is accommodated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment of each closing element (8) in succession with at least two different cleaning and / or disinfecting media preferably at different rotational positions of the clocked rotational movement of the rotor (7) via at least one coupling piece (19, 20 ) he follows.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the entire cleaning mode, i. moving the respective closing element (8) or the group of closing elements (8) to the cleaning station (18), coupling and uncoupling the at least one coupling element (19, 20) and opening and closing an inlet for the cleaning and / or or disinfection medium is controlled automatically by an electrical or electronic control device, for example by a system control according to a program stored there.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the coupling and removal of the at least one coupling piece (19, 20) by advancing or removing this

Coupling piece in an axial direction radially or substantially radially to a Verschließelementachse (VA) take place in and / or around which the closing tool (12) when closing the container (2) is moved or rotated.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the movement of the at least one coupling piece (19, 20) for coupling and uncoupling by a robot, manipulator or linear axis drive takes place.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium is supplied to the closing element (8) via at least one connection opening (22), and in that this connection opening (22) is machined, for example by the coupling piece (19) is opened for treatment and closed after treatment.

Closing unit or closing machine for closing containers (2) with closures (3), with a plurality of closing elements (8) each having a closing tool (12, 14) on a rotor (7) which closes off the containers (2) from one Drive around a vertical

Machine axis continuously revolving driven, thereby

in that a docking or cleaning station (18) is not peripherally provided on the movement path of the closing elements (8) with the rotor (7), that the drive of the rotor (7) additionally for a stepwise or clocked further movement or rotation of the rotor to the

Machine axis is formed to position the closing elements (8) in succession individually or in groups of at least two closing elements (8) in a standstill phase of the clocked movement at the cleaning station (18), and that the docking or cleaning station (18) at least one coupling piece (19, 20), which for supplying a cleaning and / or disinfecting medium to the arranged at the cleaning position closing element (8) can be mechanically coupled and after the treatment of the closing element (8) again mechanically removable.

0. Verschließaggregat according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one further coupling piece (20) for discharging the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium is provided at the cleaning station (18) for each moving to this station closing element (8), and that the at least one further Coupling piece (20) is also moved by machine for coupling and uncoupling.

1 . Closing unit according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by a robot, by a manipulator or a linear axis drive at the cleaning station (18) for mechanically moving the at least one coupling piece (19, 20).

2. Verschließaggregat according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning station (18) is arranged in a formed between a container outlet and a container inlet angular range of rotation of the rotor (7) and / or that the

Cleaning station (18) at least two different rotational positions of the clocked movement of the rotor (7) in each case at least one

Coupling piece (19, 20).

3. Verschließaggregat according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized by a machine control, the all processes of the cleaning mode, in particular the gradual indexing or further rotation of the rotor (7), the coupling and uncoupling of the at least one coupling piece (19, 20), the opening and locking of the supply of the

Cleaning and / or disinfecting medium etc. controls automatically.

4. closing element of a closing machine or a Verschließaggregates (6) for closing containers (2) with closures (3), with a

Functional elements (10, 13, 14) having interior space within a housing (9), for a cleaning and / or disinfection thereof

Functional elements and in particular also a closing tool (12, 14) of the closing element (8) of at least one at least one connection opening (22) supplied cleaning and / or

Can be flowed through disinfectant medium, wherein at least one of

Functional elements (10) hollow shaft-like and for fixing the closure (3) on the container (2) for a rotational and / or lifting movement around and / or in an axis (VA) of the closing element (8) is formed, characterized

in that the at least one functional element (10) is formed at least on a partial length accommodated in the housing (9) with openings (29) and / or flow channels (30) which extend from an inner side to an outer side of the functional element (10) and one branched flow path for the at least one cleaning and / or

Training disinfectant medium.

15. Closing element according to claim 14, characterized in that it is designed for processing of closures (3) in the form of crown caps and that the at least one functional element

Pressure cylinder (10) is.

16. Closing element according to claim 14 or 15, characterized by means for closing the at least one connection opening (22) and for preferably automatically opening the at least one connection opening (22) in the cleaning and disinfection mode.

17. Closing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that it has on its housing (9) has two connection openings (22) for supplying the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium, which are offset from each other about the axis (VA) of the closing element.

18. Closing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that it is for coupling and uncoupling of the at least one coupling piece (19) for supplying the cleaning and / or

Disinfection medium and preferably for coupling and uncoupling at least one further coupling piece (20) for discharging the

Cleaning and / or disinfecting medium is formed by a movement in an axial direction, with respect to the axis (VA) of the

Closing element (8) is radially or substantially radially oriented.