EP3367031A1 - Unité de séchage pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires liquides - Google Patents

Unité de séchage pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires liquides Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP3367031A1
EP3367031A1 EP18157445.0A EP18157445A EP3367031A1 EP 3367031 A1 EP3367031 A1 EP 3367031A1 EP 18157445 A EP18157445 A EP 18157445A EP 3367031 A1 EP3367031 A1 EP 3367031A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
web
drying
slits
packaging material
air
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP18157445.0A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Arash Saeidihaghi
Peter Löfvall Gustavsson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Original Assignee
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA filed Critical Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Publication of EP3367031A1 publication Critical patent/EP3367031A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B13/00—Machines and apparatus for drying fabrics, fibres, yarns, or other materials in long lengths, with progressive movement
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/004—Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a drying unit, drying member and method for sterilizing a web of packaging material for packaging pourable food products.
  • the packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a strong, stiff base layer, which may comprise fibrous material, such as paper, or material such as mineral-filled polypropylene.
  • the base layer is covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, such as polyethylene films; in the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, such as an aluminium foil or an ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH) foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material defining the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product.
  • a layer of oxygen-barrier material such as an aluminium foil or an ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH) foil
  • Packages of this sort are produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which the web of packaging material is unwound off a reel and fed through a sterilizing unit, in which it is typically sterilized by immersion in a bath of liquid sterilizing agent, such as a concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution or concentrated hydrogen peroxide and water solution.
  • liquid sterilizing agent such as a concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution or concentrated hydrogen peroxide and water solution.
  • the sterilizing unit comprises a bath filled, in use, with the sterilizing agent, into which the web is fed continuously.
  • the bath conveniently comprises two parallel vertical branches connected at the bottom to define a U-shaped path long enough to allow sufficient time to treat the packaging material.
  • the sterilizing agent must be maintained at a high temperature, e.g. of around 70°C - 80°C.
  • the sterilizing unit also defines an aseptic environment connected to the outlet of the bath, and in which the web of packaging material is dried and subsequently folded and sealed longitudinally to form a vertical tube, which is then filled continuously with the food product for packaging.
  • the web is treated to eliminate any residual sterilizing agent, the amount of which permitted in the packaged food product is governed by regulations decided by various local food authorities.
  • the above treatment normally comprises a preliminary operation, whereby the drops on the packaging material are removed mechanically, and air drying.
  • Preliminary removal of the drops may be performed, for example, by means of a pair of squeeze rollers conveniently located close to the inlet of the aseptic environment; the packaging material is fed between the rollers and comes out still covered with a film of sterilizing agent, but with no macroscopic drops.
  • Drying may be performed using air knives directed onto the opposite faces of the web of packaging material, supplied with sterile air, and for evaporating any leftover traces of sterilizing agent.
  • the web Before leaving the aseptic environment, the web is folded into a cylinder and sealed longitudinally to form a continuous vertical tube in known manner.
  • the tube of packaging material in effect, forms an extension of the aseptic environment, and is filled continuously with the pourable food product, and then fed to a (transverse) form-and-seal unit for forming the individual packages.
  • the packages coming out of the form-and-seal unit are already provided with reclosable opening devices.
  • the opening devices are pre-applied, e.g. injection molded directly, to the web of packaging material before the latter is supplied to the sterilizing unit.
  • Packaging machines of the type described above are used widely and satisfactorily in a wide range of food industries to produce sealed packages from a web of packaging material, such as e.g. WO2013045192 .
  • Performance of the sterilizing units of such machines ensures ample compliance with regulations governing sterility of the packages and the amount of residual sterilizing agent in the finished packages.
  • a drying unit for removing a sterilization agent from a web of packaging material comprising a succession of pre-applied opening devices, and the web is adapted to be transformed in to a plurality of sealed packages containing a pourable food product.
  • the drying unit comprises a device for creating a stream of air and a drying member connected to the device for creating a stream of air and for removing the sterilizing agent from the web.
  • the drying member comprises at least two adjacent and angled slits in a length direction of the web and which are extending across at least a width of the web such that the stream of air is directed to the web and onto the longitudinal portion of the web provided with the opening devices and for removing the sterilization agent.
  • a drying member connectable to a device for creating a stream of air, and for removing a sterilizing agent from a web of packaging material having opening devices.
  • the drying member comprises at least two adjacent and angled slits in a length direction of the web, and the slits are extending across at least a width of the web such that the stream of air is directed to the web and onto a longitudinal portion of the web provided with the opening devices and for removing the sterilization agent.
  • a method of drying a web of packaging material having opening devices comprises providing a drying member and drying the web of packaging material.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for a drying unit that will blow away any sterilization agent from a web and around attached opening devices.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for a drying unit that will blow away any sterilizing agent and out over an edge of a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for all or almost all of a sterilization agent being removed and/or evenly distributed on a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for rollers that are used to keep a web stretched and/or to aid in distribution of a sterilizing agent on the web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for an air flow which is more uniform and distributes a sterilizing agent evenly along a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for an air flow which is more uniform and removes any excess of a sterilizing agent by pushing it over a edge of a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for blowing a sterilizing agent downward and slightly outward toward an edge of a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for blowing a sterilizing agent in a more outward direction toward an edge of a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for an air flow to be greater in a same direction.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for air flows to cooperate with each other from the different slits.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for an effective air stream for pushing a sterilizing agent of a web, being created.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for a customized air stream.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for a customized air stream for a specific desired air flow at a web.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for a specific distance between a web and a drying member.
  • Some examples of the disclosure provide for an air stream covering a desired area of a web.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a drying unit 1 for removing a sterilization agent from a web of packaging material 2 comprising a succession of pre-applied opening devices 3, and the web 2 is adapted to be transformed in to a plurality of sealed packages containing a pourable food product.
  • the drying unit 1 comprises a device for creating a stream of air 10 and a drying member 20 connected to the device for creating a stream of air 10 and for removing the sterilizing agent from the web 2.
  • the drying member 20 comprises at least two adjacent and angled slits 21 in a length direction of the web 2 and which are extending across at least a width of the web 2 such that the stream of air is directed to the web 2 and onto the longitudinal portion of the web 2 provided with the opening devices 3 and for removing the sterilization agent.
  • the drying member 20 will blow any sterilization agent from the web 2 and around the opening device, out over the edge of the web 2 and of the web 2 such that all or almost all of the sterilization agent is removed and/or evenly distributed.
  • the device for creating the stream of air 10 is closely connected to the drying member 20, but the skilled person would easily appreciate that the device 10 can be placed almost anywhere close to or remote to the drying member 20.
  • Figure 1 also illustrates rollers above and below the drying member 20 that are used to keep the web stretched and/or to aid in the distribution of the sterilizing agent on the web 2.
  • the drying member 20 comprises at least three angled slits 21, illustrated in e.g. figure 2 .
  • the air flow will be more uniform and distribute the sterilizing agent evenly along the web 2 and remove any excess of it by pushing it over the edge of the web 2.
  • the slits 21 are angled between 10-80 degrees, more preferably between 25-65 degrees, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the web 2.
  • the air stream will hit the web 2 at an angle that either has a greater downward direction, blowing the sterilizing agent downward and slightly outward toward the edge of the web 2.
  • the angle will be such that it will blow the sterilizing agent in a more outward direction toward the edge of the web 2. Either way, the effect of the blowing will be that the sterilizing agent will be removed from and/or more evenly distributed on the web 2.
  • the slits 21 are angled parallel and adjacent to each other, such that they blow any sterilizing agent of the web 2 in a same direction, illustrated in e.g. figures 3a-d . by having the slits parallel and arranged adjacent to each other the air flow will be greater in a same direction and cooperate with each other from the different slits 21.
  • the height of the opening of the slits 21 is between 0.25-2mm. By having the height of the opening of the slits 21 being in the range of 0.25-2mm an effective air stream for pushing the sterilizing agent of the web 2 is created.
  • the size of the opening of the slits 21 are decided based on the effect of the air stream from the device 10 and the desired blowing effect on the web 2. Another parameter that could be used is how much effect is needed to remove the sterilizing agent in relation to the speed of the web 2.
  • the opening of the slits 21 are different from slit 21 to slit 21, as illustrated in e.g. fig. 3c .
  • the slits 21 having different sizes of the openings the effect of the air stream is different and can be customized to a specific desired air flow at the web 2 for removing the sterilizing agent.
  • the drying unit 1 comprises at least two drying members 20.
  • the at least two drying members 20 are arranged on opposite sides of the web 2 for drying both sides of the web 2.
  • the drying unit 1 further comprises a back plate 30.
  • the back plate 30 By having the back plate 30 a specific distance between the web 2 and the drying member 20 is set.
  • the back plate is arranged at a distance between 2-6mm from the slits 21, and more preferably 4mm.
  • the air stream will be covering a desired area of the web 2, have a chosen blowing effect but at the same time the web 2 will not move to far away from the slits 21 such that the blowing effect will be too low to move the sterilizing agent.
  • the skilled person will appreciate that other distances are also possible and this will then be based on factors such as the effect of the air stream from the device 10, the size of the opening of the slits 20 and so on.
  • the drying member 20 is connectable to the device for creating the stream of air. In an example the drying member 20 is a replacement part.
  • a method 100 of drying a web 2 of packaging material having opening devices 3 comprises providing 110 the drying member 20. The method also comprises drying 120 the web 2 of packaging material.
  • the method further comprises providing the device for creating a stream of air 10.
  • the method further comprises providing the back plate 30 for restricting any movement of the web 2.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
EP18157445.0A 2017-02-28 2018-02-19 Unité de séchage pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires liquides Withdrawn EP3367031A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP17158532 2017-02-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3367031A1 true EP3367031A1 (fr) 2018-08-29

Family

ID=58231404

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18157445.0A Withdrawn EP3367031A1 (fr) 2017-02-28 2018-02-19 Unité de séchage pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires liquides

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3367031A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN208453350U (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020260190A3 (fr) * 2019-06-28 2021-03-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Procédé d'élimination d'excès d'un agent de stérilisation d'une bande de matériau de conditionnement à base de carton et système associé

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP7325312B2 (ja) * 2019-11-29 2023-08-14 芝浦機械株式会社 ガスシール構造及び抽出乾燥装置

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3630571A1 (de) * 1985-09-24 1987-03-26 Valmet Oy Vorrichtung zum beruehrungslosen stabilisieren und/oder tragen einer sich bewegenden materialbahn
US5231774A (en) * 1990-12-10 1993-08-03 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Photosensitive material drying apparatus
EP1291458A2 (fr) * 2001-09-07 2003-03-12 Hirano Tecseed Co., Ltd. Dispositif pour le traitement thermique des bandes

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3630571A1 (de) * 1985-09-24 1987-03-26 Valmet Oy Vorrichtung zum beruehrungslosen stabilisieren und/oder tragen einer sich bewegenden materialbahn
US5231774A (en) * 1990-12-10 1993-08-03 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Photosensitive material drying apparatus
EP1291458A2 (fr) * 2001-09-07 2003-03-12 Hirano Tecseed Co., Ltd. Dispositif pour le traitement thermique des bandes

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020260190A3 (fr) * 2019-06-28 2021-03-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Procédé d'élimination d'excès d'un agent de stérilisation d'une bande de matériau de conditionnement à base de carton et système associé
EP3756693A3 (fr) * 2019-06-28 2021-05-19 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Procédé de suppression d'excès d'un agent de stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage à base de carton et système associé

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN208453350U (zh) 2019-02-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8337771B2 (en) Packaging material sterilizing unit for a pourable food product packaging machine
US10301050B2 (en) Shutter for a valve and corresponding valve for controlling an air flow and relative valve
US10077127B2 (en) Method and arrangement for treating bags to be filled with a product prior to filling the bags with a product
EP2960188B1 (fr) Unité de convoyage permettant d'acheminer des paquets et procédé permettant d'acheminer des paquets
US6354061B1 (en) Unit for sterilizing strip material on a packaging machine
EP0095812B1 (fr) Procédé et appareil pour l'emballage aseptique de produits tels que des denrées alimentaires et de produits pharmaceutiques
KR100580764B1 (ko) 포장용 시트 재료를 살균하기 위한 방법 및 장치
EP3367031A1 (fr) Unité de séchage pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires liquides
KR20040086335A (ko) 유출 가능한 식료품 포장용 기계상의 웹 공급 재료를멸균하는 장치
US6510669B1 (en) Unit for sterilizing strip material on a packaging machine for packaging pourable food products, and packaging machine comprising such a unit
EP2789543B1 (fr) Unité pour la stérilisation d'une toile de matériau d'emballage pour une machine prévue pour le conditionnement de produits alimentaires fluides
WO2010044024A1 (fr) Machine de fabrication de contenants alimentaires
EP1674398B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage de produits alimentaires fluides
EP4219321B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage et procédé de formation d'emballages
EP4332008A1 (fr) Machine d'emballage et procédé de formation d'emballages
WO2021165897A1 (fr) Dispositif d'élimination d'un fluide de la surface d'une bande de papier
JP2022538448A (ja) カートンベースの包装材料のウェブから過剰な殺菌剤を除去する方法及びそのシステム

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: BA ME

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20190301