JP2000085726A - Method and device for sterilizing container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely irradiate the ultraviolet ray of the intensity necessary for sterilization on each part in a container by irradiating the ultraviolet ray from the outside of the container toward an opening end using a means to reflect or irregularly reflect the ultraviolet ray. SOLUTION: An ultraviolet ray emission source 5 comprising a rod-like xenon lamp is arranged in a perpendicular condition in an ultraviolet ray reflecting means 6 comprising a three-dimensional elliptical reflection plate and an opening end 6a of the ultraviolet ray reflecting means 6 is provided opposite to an opening end 1a of a container 1. The ultraviolet ray emitted from the ultraviolet ray emission source 5 is reflected by the ultraviolet ray reflecting means 6 toward a focal point P set in the vicinity of the opening end 1a. In addition, for a tapered part in the vicinity of the opening end 1a considered to form a dead angle relative to the irradiation with the ultraviolet ray, a conical irregular reflection body is inserted in the container 1, and the ultraviolet ray emission source 5 is allowed to effect the emission and irregular reflection to further surely effect the sterilization.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sterilizing containers, and more particularly to a technique for sterilizing containers using ultraviolet rays.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, plastic bottles such as plastic bottles (hereinafter simply referred to as bottles) are often used as containers for drinks such as juice and coffee.
As a method of sterilizing bottles filled with such foods excluding carbonated beverages and alcoholic beverages, a hot pack method in which these foods are heated to about 90 ° C. and packed into bottles, and the bottles are sterilized by residual heat is mainly used. . Another sterilization method for filling food at room temperature without heating it when filling the bottle is to fill the bottle with a drug (gas or liquid such as ozone water, hydrogen peroxide or hypochlorous acid) or play it. There is a way to do that. Further, a method of irradiating the container with radiation or an electron beam, a method of introducing and irradiating ultraviolet rays into the container using an optical fiber, and the like are known.

[0003]

By the way, in the above-mentioned method using a medicine, an apparatus for surely bringing the medicine into contact with the container is required. However, means for verifying that the medicine has come into contact with the container has not been developed. In addition, in the method using radiation or electron beam, the apparatus configuration is large, the cost is high, and the container may be damaged. Furthermore, in the method using ultraviolet light, it is necessary to irradiate the inner surface of the container with ultraviolet light having sufficient intensity for sterilization, but due to the transmission loss of the optical fiber, introduce ultraviolet light of the intensity required for sterilization into the container. It is technically difficult.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has the following objects. (1) The container is sterilized by irradiating the container with ultraviolet rays having the intensity required for sterilization. (2) Irradiate each part in the container with ultraviolet rays having a necessary intensity for sterilization.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, as a first means relating to a method of sterilizing a container, ultraviolet light is irradiated from the outside toward the open end of the container. Is applied to each part of the inner surface of the container to sterilize it. Further, as the second means relating to the container sterilization method, the above-mentioned first means employs means for irradiating toward the opening end of the container by reflecting the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting source. Further, as the second means relating to the method of sterilizing a container, in each of the above means, means for irregularly reflecting ultraviolet light in the container is employed.

On the other hand, in the present invention, as a first means relating to the container sterilizing apparatus, an ultraviolet light emitting source for emitting ultraviolet light, and an ultraviolet light for reflecting the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting source toward the opening end of the container. Means having a reflecting means is employed. Further, as the second means relating to the container sterilizing device, in the first means, the ultraviolet reflecting means,
The reflecting surface is curved as an ellipse and is formed as an elliptical reflecting plate disposed immediately above the opening end of the container. As the ultraviolet light source, a xenon lamp disposed in the ultraviolet reflecting means is employed. Further, as the second means relating to the container sterilizing apparatus, each of the above means employs a means in which a movable diffuse reflector is provided in the container.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a container sterilizing method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall configuration of a container sterilization apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, the present sterilizing apparatus includes a conveying means 2 for conveying a container 1, a container supplying means 3 for supplying a container to the conveying means 2, a container collecting means 4 for collecting a container from the conveying means 2, and An ultraviolet light emitting source 5 for emitting ultraviolet light, an ultraviolet reflecting means 6 for reflecting the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 toward the container 1, and a control means 7 for controlling each of the above components.

The container 1 is, for example, a resin container provided for food (eg, a polyethylene terephthalate bottle-shaped container: a so-called PET bottle). The transport means 2 includes a transport belt 2a, a pair of pulleys 2b and 2c provided at both ends of the transport belt 2a, a motor 2d for rotating one pulley 2b, and the like. When the pulley 2b is rotationally driven by the motor 2d, the transporting means 2 configured as described above moves the containers 1 sequentially placed on the transporting belt 2a by the container supplying means 3 with an arrow X
The conveyance is performed intermittently in the direction, that is, from the pulley 2b side to the pulley 2c side.

The container supply means 3 is for placing the container 1 supplied from the preceding step on the conveyor belt 2a for sterilization. The container collecting means 4 collects the container 1 after the sterilization process and transfers it to the next step, for example, a step of filling the container 1 with food such as juice.

Although not shown, a sensor for detecting the container 1 is provided at a position A during the transfer of the container 1.
When the container 1 is transported to the position A, the rotation of the pulley 2b is temporarily stopped, and the container 1 is temporarily stopped at the position A. The ultraviolet reflecting means 6 is provided immediately above the container 1 temporarily stopped at the position A, and reflects the high-intensity ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 toward the container 1.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 and the ultraviolet reflecting means 6. As shown in this figure, the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 is a bar-shaped xenon lamp, and is disposed vertically in the ultraviolet reflecting means 6. Xenon lamps are well known as being relatively small and capable of emitting high intensity ultraviolet radiation. In the present embodiment, by using such a xenon lamp as the ultraviolet light emitting source 5, it is possible to obtain ultraviolet light having the intensity required for sterilization.

The ultraviolet reflecting means 6 is a three-dimensional elliptical reflecting plate (total reflecting plate) having a reflecting surface curved in an elliptical shape, and is provided so as to cover the ultraviolet light source 5. The ultraviolet reflecting means 6 is provided such that its open end 6a faces the open end 1a of the container 1.

That is, the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 5 is reflected by the ultraviolet reflecting means 6 toward a focal point (condensing point) P set near the opening end 1a. In the present embodiment, the position of the focal point P is appropriately set according to the shape of the container 1 so that each part in the container 1 is uniformly irradiated with ultraviolet rays. The positional relationship between the container 1 and the ultraviolet reflecting means 6 is also set to an optimal state so that the ultraviolet rays are evenly applied to each part in the container 1.

Next, the operation of the sterilizer will be described in detail. First, when the operation button is operated to operate the sterilizing apparatus, the control means 7 controls the container supply means 3 to place the container 1 on the transport belt 2a. When the container 1 is placed on the transport belt 2a in this manner, the control means 7
Drives the motor 2d to transport the container 1 in the direction of the arrow X. When the position sensor detects that the container 1 has been transported to the position A, the control means 7 stops the motor 2d and stops the container at the position A, that is, immediately below the ultraviolet reflecting means 6.

Further, when the container 1 stops immediately below the ultraviolet reflecting means 6, the control means 7 causes the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 to emit light. In this case, a driving current is rapidly applied to the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 to emit light in a flash shape, and emit high-intensity ultraviolet light. The high-intensity ultraviolet light emitted in this manner is totally reflected at each part of the ultraviolet reflecting means 6, passes through the focal point P, and is applied to each part in the container 1.

Here, the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 is a bar-shaped xenon lamp, and ultraviolet rays are emitted from each part in the longitudinal direction. Further, since the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 is vertically arranged in the ultraviolet reflecting means 6, the ultraviolet light emitted from each part of the ultraviolet emitting light source 5 in the longitudinal direction is totally reflected by each part of the ultraviolet reflecting means 6, Each part in the container 1 is irradiated with the high intensity.

The inner surface of the container is surely sterilized by such one flash emission. When the sterilization is completed, that is, when the ultraviolet light emitting source 5 emits light, the control means 7 operates the motor 2d again to convey the container 1 in the direction of the arrow X, and subsequently operates the container collecting means 4. The container 1 conveyed to the predetermined position is transferred to the next process.

During a series of operations as described above, when the container 1 stops at the position A, the control means 7 drives the container supply means 2 to place the next container 1 on the conveyor belt 2a. Place. Further, at the time when the container 1 is transported to the position A, the control means 7 recovers the previously sterilized container 1 from the transport belt 2a by operating the container recovery means 4 and transfers it to the next step. . Therefore, the transport belt 2a
The container 1 placed in the is subjected to a sterilization treatment sequentially and sequentially,
It will be transferred to the next process.

Next, a modified example of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the above embodiment, each portion of the inner wall of the container is uniformly sterilized by irradiating the inside of the container with ultraviolet rays from the open end 1a of the container 1. In this case, the vicinity of the open end 1a as shown in FIG. It is conceivable that the flared portion 8 becomes a blind spot with respect to the ultraviolet light irradiated from the information. Since the site 8 corresponding to the blind spot cannot be irradiated with ultraviolet light of sufficient intensity, sterilization may be incomplete.

As one means for solving such a problem, a diffuse reflector 9 is provided near the open end 1a in the container 1 as shown in the figure. The diffuse reflector 9 is formed, for example, in a conical shape, and its conical surface 9a is processed so as to diffusely reflect ultraviolet rays.

When sterilizing the container 1 by using such a diffuse reflector 9, for example, the ultraviolet light source 5 emits light a plurality of times while moving the diffuse reflector 9 up and down or left and right in the container 1, or After the main sterilization is completed by emitting the ultraviolet light source 5 once as in the above-described embodiment, the irregular reflector 9 is inserted into the container 1 and the ultraviolet light source 5 emits light again to form a blind spot. A sterilization method such as sterilization of No. 8 can be considered.

[0023]

As described above, according to the container sterilizing method and apparatus according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) By irradiating ultraviolet rays from the outside toward the opening end of the container, each part of the inner surface of the container is irradiated with the ultraviolet light and sterilized. In other words, since the ultraviolet light is directly irradiated into the container, the strength required for sterilization is obtained. UV light can be irradiated into the container. Therefore, the container can be sterilized. (2) Since the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting source is reflected to irradiate toward the opening end of the container, it is possible to reliably irradiate each part in the container with ultraviolet light having the intensity required for sterilization. (3) By irregularly reflecting the ultraviolet light in the container, it is possible to reliably irradiate the ultraviolet ray radiated toward the opening end of the container also to the site of the container which becomes a blind spot. Therefore, the inner surface of the container can be reliably sterilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Container 1a ... Open end (open end of container 1) 2 ... Conveying means 2a ... Conveying belts 2b and 2c ... Pulley 2d ... Motor 3 ... Container supply means 4 ... Container collection means 5 ... UV light source 6 UV reflecting means 6a Open end (open end of UV reflecting means 6) 7 Control means 8 Blind spot 9 Diffuse reflector 9a Conical surface P Focus

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A container sterilization method comprising: irradiating ultraviolet rays from the outside toward an open end (1a) of a container (1) to irradiate each part of an inner surface of the container with the ultraviolet rays to sterilize the container. . 2. An open end (1) of a container (1) by reflecting ultraviolet light emitted by an ultraviolet light source (5).
The method for sterilizing a container according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation is performed toward a). 3. The method for sterilizing a container according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light is diffusely reflected in the container. 4. An ultraviolet light emitting source for emitting ultraviolet light (5).
And ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting source in a container (1).
An apparatus for sterilizing a container, comprising: an ultraviolet reflecting means (6) for reflecting light toward an open end (1a) of the container. 5. The ultraviolet reflecting means (6) is an elliptical reflecting plate whose reflecting surface is curved elliptical and is disposed immediately above the opening end (1a) of the container (1). Is
The container sterilizer according to claim 4, characterized in that it is a xenon lamp arranged in the ultraviolet reflecting means (6). 6. The food container sterilizer according to claim 4, further comprising a movable diffuse reflector (9) in the container (1).