EP3331812B1 - Method for cleaning and/or disinfecting sealing elements and sealing machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of patent claim 1, and to a Verschließaggregat or a closing machine according to the preamble of claim 8.

Methods and sealing machines or units for sealing containers are known in various designs, in particular as machines or units for processing corks, crown caps, screw caps, caps or caps, or as a seal sealer or -closing machines. In any case, it is necessary to regularly clean and / or disinfect the respective closing machine and, in particular, also its closing tools in each case in a cleaning mode.

In the case of capping machines or units for processing crown corks, it is known to clean and disinfect the sealing tools during the cleaning mode by an open infiltration with liquid cleaning media ( DE 196 26 680 A1 ). However, this cleaning is often not sufficient because areas inside the closing elements are insufficient or not reached by the cleaning medium, with the result that, especially after prolonged periods of operation, the formation of biofilms or other contaminants can not be prevented. It is therefore necessary in these capping machines or aggregates to disassemble the closing elements at regular intervals for manual cleaning and in particular 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 others 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 disinfecting medium during the cleaning mode connections are provided, which are permanently connected to the respective closing element and also with hose lines for supplying and discharging the cleaning and disinfecting medium, which is structurally very expensive.

From the DE 603 04 103 T2 are known a method for cleaning and / or disinfecting closure elements according to the preamble of claim 1 and a Verschließaggregat according to the preamble of claim 8.

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, in particular an intensive interior cleaning and / or disinfection with reliable and simplified operation. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. A closing machine or a closing unit are the subject matter of patent claim 8.

The capping machine or the Verschließaggregat or its closing the bearing rotor are inventively driven by a drive, such as servo or direct drive, which is not only independent of the drive other units or machines, such as the filling machine or the filling unit of a system, but it also allows this rotor during normal production operation, ie during filling and closing of 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 controlled stepwise or cyclically further rotated. Only thereby 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 closing elements of Verschließaggregates and each having at least two closing elements, in succession to a docking or cleaning station in which then during the stoppage phase of the clocked movement of the rotor, the treatment of the respective arranged at the cleaning station Verschließelementes takes place, 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 Cleaning station for supplying the cleaning medium and for the internal cleaning of the respective closure element, by subsequently opening the supply line of the cleaning medium, by deriving the Reini transfer medium the flow through the interior of the treated closure element, by closing the supply line for the cleaning medium after the treatment time to complete the treatment and by the automatic or mechanical uncoupling of the coupling piece of the respective closing element.

Thus, during the cleaning mode (e.g., CIP cleaning and / or disinfection), the treatment of the occlusion members occurs one at a time or in groups one at a time. The cleaning mode is ended when all closing elements have been 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, are repeatedly rinsed or rinsed with interruptions or continuously and / or supplied 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 has no function and does not affect normal production, in particular the docking or cleaning station does not interfere with the rotation of the capping machine or of the capping unit.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention, the cleaning and / or disinfection medium flow 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 pan from which it then for example via a Return flow can drain. Alternatively, the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium can also be conveyed back to the CIP system or to the respective storage container.

According to 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 for deriving the cleaning and / or Serving disinfection medium coupling piece is automatically, ie 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 closure element in question during the treatment preferably from top to bottom. For this purpose, the cleaning or disinfecting medium is preferably supplied to the interior of the closing element at an upper area and removed from the closing element at a lower area.

"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.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung und in Seitenansicht einen gefüllten und verschlossenen Behälter in Form einer mit einem Kronkorken verschlossenen Flasche;

Fig. 2

in schematischer Funktionsdarstellung und in Draufsicht sowie in Teildarstellung eine Anlage zum Füllen und Verschließen der Flaschen der Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

in vergrößerter Einzeldarstellung zwei auf das Füllaggregat der Anlage der Fig. 2 folgende Verschließaggregate (Verschließer) zum Verschließen der Behälter;

Fig. 4

in Teildarstellung und in Seitenansicht eines der beiden Verschließaggregate der Anlage der Fig. 2;

Fig. 5

einen Längsschnitt durch den oberen Bereich eines Verschließelementes zusammen mit einem Anschluss- oder Kupplungsstück zum Zuführen eines Reinigungs- und/oder Desinfektionsmediums für die Innenreinigung des Verschließelementes;

Fig. 6

einen Längsschnitt durch den unteren Bereich des Schließelementes der Fig. 5 zusammen mit einem auf das Verschließelement aufgesetzten kappenartiges Anschluss- oder Kupplungsstück zum Abführen des Reinigungsmediums;

Fig. 7 und 8

in perspektivischer Einzeldarstellung das Kupplungsschlussstück zum Zuführen des Reinigungsmediums in Einzeldarstellung und im Schnitt;

Fig. 9

das kappenartige Kupplungsschlussstück zum Abführen des Reinigungsmediums in perspektivischer Einzeldarstellung;

Fig. 10 und 11

in perspektivischer Darstellung in Seitenansicht und im Teilschnitt einen Druckzylinder eines Verschließelementes;

Fig. 12

in Teildarstellung das untere Ende des Druckzylinders mit einem dortigen Ziehring und einer dortigen den Ziehring sichernden Halteplatte (Korkschuh).

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 bottle cap closed with a bottle;

Fig. 2

in a schematic functional representation and in plan view and in partial view a system for filling and closing the bottles of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

in enlarged detail two on the filling unit of the plant Fig. 2 the following capping units (cappers) for closing the containers;

Fig. 4

in partial view and in side view of the two Verschließaggregate the plant of Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 5

a longitudinal section through the upper portion of a Verschließelementes together with a connecting or coupling piece for supplying a cleaning and / or disinfecting medium for the internal cleaning of the closing element;

Fig. 6

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 cleaning medium;

FIGS. 7 and 8

in a perspective individual representation of the coupling closure piece for supplying the cleaning medium in a single representation and in section;

Fig. 9

the cap-like coupling end piece for discharging the cleaning medium in a perspective individual representation;

10 and 11

in 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 draw ring and a local retaining the retaining ring retaining plate (cork shoe).

In the figures, 1 is a plant which i.a. is used for filling and then closing containers 2 with container closures 3, wherein the containers are exemplified as bottles and the closures 3 are exemplified by Kronkorkenverschlüssen.

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, and in the illustrated embodiment a Verschließaggregat 6 and a Ausschubstern. If several Verschließaggregate 6 are 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 caps, while another Verschließaggregat 6 is provided for the processing of screw caps. The Verschließaggregat 6 of the illustrated embodiment has on a rotatably driven about a vertical axis of the machine rotor 7 (arrow A) a plurality of Verschließelementen 8, provided at a pitch on the rotor 7 for the processing of closures 3 in the form of crown caps respectively below in the Related to the Fig. 4 - 12 Have described in more detail training.

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 coaxial with the axis VA arranged drive element in the form of a Pressure cylinder 10 is guided by a predetermined stroke H axially movable. At the lower end 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 11 (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 11 is provided with a molded seal which seals the gap between the plate 11, the drawing ring 12 and the extension 10.1.

When revolving rotor 7, the closure 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 magnetically held at the lower end of the plunger-like hold-down 14, for example. 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 closure 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 printing 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 pull ring 12 held on the shoe-like extension 10.1, together with the hold-down 14, forms the actual closing tool of the closing element 8.

A special feature of Verschließaggregates 6 is that at the trajectory 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 representation of the figures upper coupling piece 19 and a second, in the representation of the figures lower coupling piece 20, which allow it in a cleaning mode of Verschließaggregates 6, the entire interior of each closing element 8 with this interior flowing through and in particular the actual closing tool, ie 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 relative to the axis VA on an angular range greater than 90 °, but less than 180 ° equidirectionally overlaps and is arranged with two connection openings 21 each congruent with a connection opening 22 of the guide bearing 9, so that when coupled coupling member 19 via the connection openings 21 and 22nd a flow connection of the connection openings 21 associated with channels 23.1 of terminals 23 of the 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 ua a lower part length of the blank holder 14, the drawing ring 12 and the drawing ring holding plate 11 are arranged. A provided on the lower coupling piece 20 connection 25 opens with its channel 25.1 in the washing compartment 24th

In more detail, the coupling piece 20 in the illustrated embodiment consists of a plate-shaped base 26 with a recess 27 into which the channel 25.1 of the terminal 25 opens and from a half-shell-shaped portion 28 which extends beyond the surface side of the base 26 at which the Recess 27 is open and facing with its concave side of the recess 27 and at this concave side about an axis perpendicular to said surface side of the base 26 is curved 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 on the edge surfaces of the section 28, the coupling piece 20 is provided with a preferably molded seal, so that when delivered coupling piece 20 of the washing chamber 24 is sealed to the outside.

In order to allow a flow of the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium through all relevant areas of the closure element 8 to be treated in the internal cleaning, not only by 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 the guide surfaces formed between the holding-down device 14 and the printing cylinder 10, 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. In order to achieve a treatment-promoting swirling of the cleaning medium already upon entry into the respective closure element 8, in the illustrated embodiment, the two connection openings 22 are each formed by a plurality of individual openings, or at the two connection openings 22 is in each case additionally preferably also adjustable Aperture provided which has 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 is moved by the drive of Verschließaggregates 6 in the cleaning position 18, 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 that drives the relevant rotor 7 continuously and synchronously with the Füllaggregat 4 during normal filling operation, but during the cleaning mode but a gradual, exact further rotation of the rotor 7 by one pitch allows have the provided on the rotor 7 closing elements 8 from each other. After the positioning of a closing element 8 at the cleaning station 18, the two hitherto arranged outside the movement path of the closing elements 8 coupling pieces 19 and 20 are coupled to the closure element 8 to be treated, so that in the manner described above, the terminals 23 and 25 sealed to the interior of the closing element 8 are connected and this interior can then be traversed by the cleaning medium according to the arrows B.

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 automatically 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. the movement of 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 disinfecting medium controlled by an electrical control device, so that manual intervention by the operators are 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 can also be designed for a simultaneous treatment of closing element groups, which then each have at least two closing elements 8. 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 formed as multiple coupling pieces for simultaneous coupling to a plurality of closing elements 8. After the treatment of the closing elements 8 of a group, the rotor 7 is then moved on by the angular spacing of the closing element groups.

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 other types of closures. Also in this case, the closing elements are designed so that they form in the interior of a permeable by the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium space, with coupling pieces for feeding and / or removal of the cleaning medium is connectable, otherwise closed to the environment, in turn, for example one of the coupling pieces cap-shaped or part-cap-like and forms a flushing chamber, in which the actual closing tool of the respective closing element is arranged and 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 the closing takes place either individually or in groups in succession with gradual further rotation of the closing elements bearing rotor and 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, non-inventive embodiment, it is also conceivable, the cleaning and / or Disinfecting medium supplied via the supplied coupling piece 19 above in the interior of the closing and open downwards or divert into a drip tray, so that then, for example, 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 are opened only with the delivery of the relevant coupling piece 19 or only through this coupling piece.

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 gaseous and / or vaporous cleaning and / or disinfecting medium, it may be expedient to supply the treatment medium of any kind via its own coupling piece 19 and to discharge it via its own coupling piece 20. The coupling pieces are for the different cleaning and / or disinfecting media are then part of a cleaning station 18, but effective at different rotational positions of the rotor 7, so that each closing element 8 during the stoppage phase of the rotational movement of the rotor 7 at a rotational position with the first cleaning and / or disinfecting medium, eg with the liquid medium, and at a further rotational 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 successively in time, individually or in smaller groups, it is possible to provide the treatment station 18 and the at least one coupling piece for the Verschließaggregat 6 only once 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 the closing 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

investment

2

container

3

shutter

4

Filling unit or filling machine

5

rinser

6

Closing unit or closing machine

7

rotor

8th

closing

9

Housing or guide bearing

10

pressure cylinder

10.1

renewal

10.2

annular section

11

Plate or cork shoe

12

drawing ring

13

compression spring

14

Stripper plate

15

follower

16

cam

17

poetry

18

cleaning station

19, 20

coupling

19.1

poetry

21, 22

port opening

23

connection

23.1

channel

24

Wash cabinet

25

connection

25.1

channel

26

Base

27

deepening

28

section

29

opening

30

channel

31

positioning

32

V-shaped opening or coupling section

A

direction of rotation

B

Flow of the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium through the closing element

Claims (11)

1. Method for cleaning and/or disinfecting of sealing elements (8) of a sealing machine or of a sealing assembly (6), wherein, during a cleaning mode, at least one cleaning and/or disinfection 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 and the functional elements therein, and the sealing tool serving to attach the respective closure (3) onto a container (2), wherein the treatment of the sealing elements (8) during the cleaning mode takes place one after another, in each case individually or in sealing element groups of at least two sealing elements (8), wherein, for this purpose, the sealing elements (8) or sealing element groups, by way of a drive which allows for a stepped further movement of the rotor (7), move to a docking or cleaning station (18), which comprises the at least one coupling piece (19), wherein the at least one coupling piece (19) is connected to the respective sealing element (8) located at the cleaning station (18) by mechanical delivery and coupling, and wherein, after the completion of the treatment of the respective sealing element (8), the at least one coupling piece (19) is removed, again by mechanical means, from the respective sealing element (8), characterised in that for the removal of the at least one cleaning and/or disinfection medium, at least one further coupling piece (20) of the cleaning station (18) is mechanically coupled to the sealing element (8) arranged at this station, and after the treatment is mechanically removed again from the sealing element (8).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that one of the two coupling pieces (20) in the coupled state forms a flushing chamber (24) in which at least the sealing tool (20, 14) is accommodated.
3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the
   treatment of each sealing element (8) takes place one after another in a time sequence, with at least two different cleaning and/or disinfecting media, preferably at different rotational positions of the cyclic pulsed rotational movement of the rotor (7) via at least one coupling piece (19, 20).
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the entire cleaning mode, i.e. the moving of the respective sealing element (8) or the group of sealing elements (8) to the cleaning station (18), the coupling on and uncoupling of the at least one coupling element (19, 20) and the opening and closing of an inlet for the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium is controlled automatically by an electrical or electronic control device, for example by a system control arrangement in accordance with a program stored there.
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling and removal of the at least one coupling piece (19, 20) takes place by the delivery or removal of this coupling piece in an axial direction radially or essentially radially to a sealing element axis (VA), in and/or around which the sealing tool (12) is moved or rotated during the sealing of the containers (2).
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the movement of the at least one coupling (19, 20) for the coupling and uncoupling takes place by means of a robot, manipulator, or linear axial drive.
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium is supplied by way of at least one connection opening (22) to the sealing element (8), and that this connection opening (22) is opened mechanically, for example by the coupling piece (19) for the treatment, and closed mechanically after the treatment.
8. Sealing apparatus or sealing machine for sealing containers (2) with seals (3), with a
   plurality of sealing elements (8), in each case comprising a sealing tool (12, 14), at a rotor (7), which during the sealing of the containers (2) can be driven by a drive unit such as to circulate continuously about a vertical machine axis, wherein a docking or cleaning station (18) is provided at the movement path of the sealing elements (8), not circulating with the rotor (7), wherein the drive of the rotor (7) is additionally configured for a stepped or cyclic pulsed further movement or rotation of the rotor about the machine axis, in order to position the sealing elements (8) in a time sequence, individually or also in groups of at least two sealing elements (8) in each case, in a standstill phase of the cyclic pulsed movement, at the cleaning station (18), and wherein the docking or cleaning station (18) comprises at least one coupling piece (19, 20), which, for the delivery of a cleaning and/or disinfecting medium to the sealing element (8) arranged in the cleaning position, can be mechanically coupled on, and after the treatment can be mechanically removed again from the sealing element (8), characterised in that provided at the cleaning station (18), for each sealing element (8) moved to this station, is at least one further coupling piece (20), for removing the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium, and that the at least one further coupling piece (20) is arranged in such a way that it is likewise moved mechanically for the coupling and uncoupling.
9. Sealing apparatus according to claim 8, characterised by a robot, by a manipulator, or a linear axial drive at the cleaning station (18) for the mechanical movement of the coupling piece (19, 20).
10. Sealing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cleaning station (18) is arranged in an angle range, formed between a container outlet and a container inlet, of the rotational movement of the rotor (7), and/or that the cleaning station (18) comprises, at least at two different rotational positions of the cyclic pulsed movement of the rotor (7), in each case the at least one coupling piece (19, 20).
11. Sealing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by a
    machine control arrangement, which automatically controls all the sequences of the cleaning mode, in particular also the stepped onwards switching or further rotation of the rotor (7), the coupling and uncoupling of the at least one coupling piece (19, 20), the opening and closing of the delivery of the cleaning and/or disinfecting medium, etc.

Images