FI75316B - STERILIZERINGANORDNING OCH -FOERFARANDE FOER BEHAOLLARAEMNE. - Google Patents

Description

χ 75316

This invention relates generally to a sterilization technique and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method for sterilizing coated thermoplast-5 account liquid liquid cartons prior to filling with liquid and sealing with a conventional forming, filling and sealing machine.

From a marketing point of view, it is desirable to be able to extend the storage or sale time of various foodstuffs. This is achieved by using a specific sterilization process for the packaging design, filling and sealing operations. Hitherto, the sterilization of thermoplastic-coated cardboard packages for liquids 15 has typically been performed by a forming, filling and sealing machine at a location between the station where the finished bottom package is removed from the manifold and the station below which the package is filled with a particular liquid, such as with milk or 20 juice. Such an arrangement is disclosed and described in U.S. Patent 3,566,575, issued March 2, 1971.

Furthermore, it is known to use a sterilization apparatus and method in which a certain channel is formed along the entire length of each spindle of a typical camshaft and spindle unit, the channel communicating with the openings and compartments formed in the hub of the camshaft and spindle unit so that each when the mandrel enters the 6.00 position, a connection is made to a line 30 from a generator capable of continuously producing a certain amount of chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide mist and conveying such mist through the compartment and corresponding channels inside each package when the package is mechanically removed from the mandrel 35 . Such an arrangement is disclosed and described in U.S. Patent Application 369,940, filed April 16, 1982.

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It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved sterilization apparatus and method which are highly efficient and equivalent to the shaping, filling and sealing machines currently in use.

It is a further object to provide a sterilization apparatus and method which provides a maximum sterilization time for each blank and at the same time sterilizes the manifold unit.

The sterilizer according to the invention is intended for four-sided cardboard packaging blanks stored in the container of a forming, filling and sealing machine folded and compressed and their free edges sealed together, said machine comprising a manifold unit, the suction device folded into a collapsed from the container, to open each blank of the opening device into a four-sided, open tubular blank, means for placing such a tubular blank on one side in the conveying device, a source of pressurized sterilant, a generator which receives the sterilizer and distributes it , operatively connected to the generator and installed in said machine. The device is characterized in that the fixed spray nozzle is axially aligned with each corresponding tubular blank in the conveying device to apply a sterilizing mist to and through the open end of the conveying blank shortly before said tubular blank is moved towards the manifold. axially in line with the spindle.

The sterilized liquid-filled cartons in question are produced by a process in which a folded, compressed, four-sided blank with 35 free edges seamed together is drawn by means of a suction device on the basis of a blank stack from a container arranged in a certain

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3,75316 to a forming, filling and sealing machine, is opened into an open-ended tubular preform and placed on one side of a conveying device so as to move to and on one of the mandrels of the manifold unit where the sterile-5 release agent is drawn from a pressurized source into a spray nozzle through the nozzle. The method is characterized in that the spray nozzle is directed to the rear open end of the tubular blank and through the blank as the conveying device moves the blank towards and onto the mandrel.

10 The sterilization of the tubular blanks is carried out in a forming, filling and sealing machine comprising a container for compressed four-sided cartons with the free cutting edges joined together, a manifold unit with a plurality of radially extending spaced apart devices. to close and seal the other end of each tubular blank disposed in the respective mandrel, a conveying device operating between the container and the respective mandrels, and a suction and opening device for pulling each compressed blank out of the container, opening such compressed blank into a tubular blank, and each tubular blank for positioning on one side of the conveying device, in which method the conveying device conveys each tubular blank towards and on the respective spindles 25. The following steps are characteristic of the method: a) mounting the spray nozzle on said machine below the tank and behind the conveying device with the nozzle aligned with the axis of each tubular blank when the conveying means conveys the blank; b) connecting the nozzle to a source of pressurized sterilant and cooperating to receive the sterilant and apply the sterilant as a mist; and 35 c) distributing said sterilant as a mist through a nozzle to and through each tubular blank and 4 75316 its inner surfaces as the conveyor transports each such blank to and over each respective mandrel to provide maximum sterility. for each blank and at the same time sterilizing the manifold unit.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partial side view of a forming, filling and sealing machine utilizing the invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged partial cross-section along the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1 in the direction of arrows, Figure 3 is a perspective view, illustrating the typical functions associated with a package as it passes through a forming, filling and sealing machine, Figure 4A shows a typical folded, compressed and side-sealed packaging blank that can be fed into a container of a forming, filling and sealing machine, Figure 4B is a perspective view of the packaging blank shown in Figure 4A, open-ended and tubular throughout, before being placed in the mandrel at position 20A of Figure 3 and during said positioning step, Figure 4C is a perspective view of the package after its bottom closure plates are closed at position 3; D, and Figure 4D is a perspective view of the filled and closed a pak-25, after passing through the discharge station marked L in Fig. 3.

Looking at the drawings in more detail, Figures 1-3 show a sterilization device 10 comprising a spray nozzle attached to the body 30 14 of a conventional forming, filling and sealing machine 16. Said machine comprises a container 18, a blank feed unit 20, a blank loading unit 22 and a manifold unit or bottom closing mechanism 24 mounted on a drive shaft 26. The unit 24 comprises six spaced apart spindles 28 extending radially from the hub 30 attached to the drive shaft 26. 12 is connected to

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7531 6 5 ki 32, which leads from a suitable generator 34 via pipes 36 to a specific source (not shown) containing a suitable pressurized sterilizing fluid.

The function of the supply and loading units 20 and 22 is mainly to pull the blanks in succession from the tank 18, to lift them from their ends into an open tubular shape and then to load them into the respective spindles 28 of the bottom closing mechanism 24. For this purpose, these mechanisms are driven in sync with the machine 16.

Typically, such a thermoplastic-coated carton blank (40, Figure 4A) is removed by vacuum or suction cups 42 (Figure 2) from a container 18 (Figure 1), causing the blank 40 to open into a four-sided tube (Figure 4B) and placed on a small conveyor 46 (Figure 1). The conveyor 15 46 moves the tube 44 to one of the spindles 28 at the loading station A, which is in the 4.00 position as shown in Fig. 1. The spray nozzle 12 is close to the rear end of the tube 44 and in line with its longitudinal axis.

The blank feed unit 20 (Figure 2) typically includes a pivot-mounted gate portion 48 for pivoting at an angle of about 90 ° between the two positions shown in Figure 2. A plurality of vacuum cups 42 are located in the port portion 48 and serve to engage the side surface of the bottom blank 40 of the container 18. The outward movement of the gate portion 48, after it has gripped the blank, causes this blank to begin to open, as shown in Figure 2, and move past the stops 50. As the gate moves further outward, the left side edge of the blank contacts the fixed arc guide 52 while the blank continues to open until it opens completely at the end of the arcuate trajectory of the gate portion 48, after which it passes to the small conveyor 46.

The blank loading unit 22 typically comprises a continuous chain 54 formed with an outwardly extending finger 56. The chain is arranged to move the finger as a trajectory generally parallel to the sidewalls of the square blank 44. During such movement, the finger grips the rear outer edge of the bottom closure surface. When this occurs, the vacuum cups in the gate portion 48 release the blank and are forced to move along fixed guides (not shown) until it is compressed with the manifold unit 24 and a spindle 38 aligned therewith.

When the spindle unit 24 is loaded, it turns from the loading station A at the pre-cutting station B 10 of the bottom surface of the package to the 2.00 position before moving to the bottom surface heating station C at 12.00. The next distribution point is the bottom surface crimping and pressing station D at 10.00, followed by a transfer to station E, which can be used as another pressing station at 8.00, 15 and finally the blank moves to unloading station E at 6.00 as a bottom-sealed package 58 (Fig. 4 ). The bottom-sealed package 58 is removed from each successive mandrel 28 by a reciprocating mechanical release device 60 having a rubber vacuum cup 62 attached to its end and adhering to the closed and sealed bottom of the package 58.

Generally, when the sealing of the bottom closure is complete, the mechanical remover 60 pulls the package 58 down from the mandrel 28 at position F and places it on a suitable conveyor marked at 64 in Figure 1. The top open package 58 is then moved to the lid pre-cutting station G, such pre-cutting being facilitated by the lid closure. folding and seaming as an integral part. The package 58 is then transferred to a filling station H, where a measured amount of a certain product, for example juice, is dispensed from the top of the package to the open end. Thereafter, the package 58 is directed to its upper end partially crimping station I before being directed to a heating station J, which heats the top end thermoplastic sealing surfaces shortly before transferring the package to a sealing station K, where the upper end sealing surfaces are pressed together.

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7 75316 as a sealing function so that they close tightly to a final gable roof can 66 before being transferred to delivery station L.

After each preform 40 is removed from the container 5 and opened into a tubular preform 44 as transferred by the small conveyor 64 to the mandrel 28, an axially aligned spray nozzle 12 feeds sterilizing mist into the tubular blank substantially along all of its four sides. In addition, mist strikes the bottom of the mandrel 10 28 and bounces or rotates back into the tube 44 and then settles on the four inner wall surfaces. The heat at the bottom surface heating station C is believed to increase the effectiveness of a sterilant such as chlorine dioxide in tube 44.

If hydrogen peroxide is used as a sterilant, it may be necessary to arrange a drying or heating unit (not shown) between positions G and H so as to remove residual hydrogen peroxide from inside the packages before filling the package with the desired product at station H.

It will be appreciated that the sterilizer 20 of the present invention provides an improved device for initiating sterilization of tubular cartonboard blanks, preferably prior to forming them into bottom-sealed packages, rather than after the base-forming operation has been performed at a remote station on a forming, filling and sealing machine. a significantly longer sterilization time is obtained.

It will also be appreciated that such a sterilizer indirectly dispenses chlorine dioxide or hydrogen peroxide mist onto each unit (not shown) of the machine in which the manifold unit 24 is mounted when the tubular blank 44 is attached to the mandrel 28. This feature facilitates continuous sterilization of the entire mandrel unit 24 throughout. during operation.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has now been shown and described, other related variations are possible.

Claims (2)

A sterilizer for four-sided cardboard packaging blanks (40) stored in the container (18) of a forming, filling and sealing machine folded and compressed and their free edges sealed together, said machine comprising a manifold unit (24), a suction device (42) for removing the folded, compressed blanks one at a time from the container, an opening device (52) for opening each blank of four sides, accessing an open tubular blank, means for placing such a tubular blank on one side of the conveying device (46); , a generator (34) which receives the sterilant and distributes it as a mist, and a fixed spray nozzle (12) operatively connected to the generator and mounted on said machine, characterized in that the spray nozzle (12) is arranged axially in the same line in each conveying device 20 ( 46) to be left with a tubular blank for applying a sterilizing mist to and through the tubular blank shortly thereafter before said tubular blank is moved by a conveying device to the manifold unit (24) and secured to an axially aligned spindle (28). A method of making a sterilized, liquid-filled carton, wherein a folded, compressed, four-sided blank (40) having the free edges seamed together is drawn by a suction device (42) from a blank stack 30 from a container (18) arranged in a particular , in a filling and sealing machine, is opened into an open-ended tubular blank and placed on one side of a conveying device (46) so as to move towards and on one of the mandrels (28) of the manifold unit (24), 35 and in which the sterilant is drawn from a pressurized source into a spray nozzle and dispensed as a mist through a nozzle, characterized in that the spray nozzle (12) is directed to the rear open end of the tubular blank and through the blank as the conveying device (46) moves the blank towards and onto the mandrel. A method for sterilizing tubular blanks in a forming, filling and sealing machine, comprising a container (18) for compressed four-sided cardboard packaging blanks (40) having their free cutting edges seamed together, a manifold unit (24) having a plurality of radially spaced apart spindles (24), a device (B, C, D) for closing and sealing the other end of each tubular blank placed in the respective spindle, a conveying device (46) operating between the container and the respective spindles, and suction and opening devices -15 tea (42,52) for pulling each compressed blank out of the container, opening such a compressed blank into a tubular blank and placing each tubular blank on one side of the conveying device, the conveying means conveying each tubular preform to and from the respective spindles; that the method comprises the following steps: mounting a spray nozzle (12) on said machine below the tank (18) and backing the conveying device (46) with the nozzle aligned with the axis of each tubular preform as the conveying device conveys the preform; b) pressurizing sterilant connecting the nozzle (12) (32,36) and a generator (34) in cooperation with it for receiving the sterilant and applying the sterilant as a mist, and c) distributing said sterilant as a mist by means of a nozzle (12) to each tubular blank, through it and its inner surfaces as the conveying device transports each such blank towards and on each respective mandrel (28) so as to provide the maximum sterilization time for each blank and at the same time sterilize the manifold unit. 10 7531 6 1. Steriliseringsapparat fyrsidiga kartonbehäl-laränmen (40), vilka uppbevaras i ett Magasin (18) för en 5 formande, fyllande and förseglande maskin i vikt, till-plattat tillständ med sinia fria kanter förseglade vid var-andra, varvid maskinen inklud en delningsdornenhet (24), ett sugorgan (42) för avlägsnande av de vikta, tillplattade ämnena ett i sänder frän claiminet, en öppningsanordning 10 (52) för öppning av varje ämne's ä att det f & r formen av ett fyrsidigt rörämne, vilket ärpp orally, for the purpose of placentalization in the form of a sterling medium (46), for the purpose of sterilization under the tricycle, and in the presence of a geneticizer (34) for the purpose of sterilization and disinfection of the sterilization medium and dimensionally and rapidly , dimensional ammunition (12), for operation of the generating set of generators and monitors on the machine, for the purpose of measuring, the dimensional munitions (12) are anorded and in line with a shield respecting the shape of the transport 20 en (46) for the dispensing of sterilizers in the genome and in the genome of the genome, the genome of the nucleus is shown in the form of the transport of the nucleus and the genome of the axle ligand. 25 2. For use in the manufacture of sterilized and non-sterile cardboard containers, in addition to flashing and folding, on plates, in the same way (40) with the other parts of the container, in the case of solid (42) or above 18) anordnat 30 i en formande, fyllande ocförseglande maskin, öppnas i form av ett rörformat ämne med olkkna andar or placeras pk en transportanordning (46) sk att det förflyttas mot och upp pä nägon Dorn (28) i en delningsdornenhet (24) , that the sterile-coated detergent is provided under the tricycle in and to 35 dimensional munitions (12) and dispensers and dimensionally through the munitions (12);