JP2001063559A - Continuously carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a carrying part to the size almost same as a longitudinal section of a carrying part of a retainer by providing a tubular carrying part and the magnetic retainer traveling on this tubular carrying part, and arranging a retainer magnetic force guiding belt with the magnetic force attracting relationship so as to be opposed to the retainer. SOLUTION: Circular labyrinth seal orifice pieces 60, 62 are arranged in front/rear end parts of a retainer R, and a box-shaped housing 66 having a foodstuff housing part 64 is arranged between these labyrinth seal orifice pieces 60, 62. Carrying magnets 72, 73 for alternately arranging an N pole and an S pole of a permanent magnet are horizontally installed in both side parts of the housing 66. A tubular structure 10 of the retainer R is formed as a double structure composed of an inside tube member 100 and an outside tube member 102, and compartments 104 extending in the carrying direction are arranged on the left/right both sides below by 45 deg. from the horizontal in the structure between these tube members 100, 102, and retainer carrying electromagnet belts 17, 19 are arranged in the compartments to carry the retainer R with the carrying magnets 72, 73.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous conveying apparatus, and more particularly, to a sterile or pressure-controlled tubular conveying section, in which the inlet and outlet are sealed with a labyrinth seal or the like so as to maintain the sterile state. The present invention relates to a continuous conveyance device using a magnetic force effective for conveying an article, that is, an object to be processed while maintaining a pressure control state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The transfer of an object to be processed in a tubular transfer section in a sterile state or a pressure-controlled state includes loading of an object into a tubular transfer section, transfer in the tubular transfer section, and transfer out of the tubular transfer section. . Regarding the loading and unloading, in a device that continuously performs a pressure treatment, a pressure is increased from a normal pressure to a pressure upstream of the pressure treatment device in order to carry a workpiece into a sealed pressure treatment device. A pressure control room to be adjusted must be installed. Further, in order to carry out the object to be processed which has been subjected to the pressure treatment from the pressure treatment device, a pressure regulating chamber for adjusting the pressure from pressurized to normal pressure must be provided downstream of the pressure treated device.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-67595 discloses an apparatus in which a food material is put into a retainer and continuously subjected to a pressure sterilization treatment. That is, the food material supply unit, the straight tube heater, the straight tube cooler, and the discharge unit are arranged in this order, and a double sealed gate or valve is provided at the inlet and outlet of the straight tube heater and the straight tube cooler, A configuration is disclosed in which each double sealed gate is sequentially opened and closed to supply and discharge an object to be processed to and to maintain the pressure from the linear cylinder heater and the linear cylinder cooler. In this apparatus, the loading and unloading of the object to and from the straight cylinder heater and the straight cylinder cooler, and the transfer of the workpiece within the straight cylinder heater and the straight cylinder cooler are performed by a very large number of pushing means. Since it is performed, the structure and operation are extremely complicated, and the double sealed gate has to be opened and closed alternately every time carrying in and out, so that there is a problem in operation complexity and durability of the apparatus.

On the other hand, even in an apparatus that performs a continuous decompression process, a pressure regulating chamber for adjusting the pressure from normal pressure to a reduced pressure is installed upstream of the decompression device in order to carry the object into the decompression device. Must. Further, in order to carry out the decompression-processed object from the decompression processing device, a pressure regulating chamber for adjusting the pressure from decompression to normal pressure must be provided downstream of the pressure treatment device. Therefore, also in this apparatus, the apparatus is complicated and large-sized in order to carry in / out the object to be processed into / from the decompression processing apparatus, and to transfer the object to be processed in the decompression processing apparatus. Each time the pressure regulating chamber must be opened and closed, there is a problem in the durability of the device.

In order to solve these problems, a large number of throttle pieces are provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the pressure processing device or the decompression processing device to form a narrow flow path. A very narrow throttle channel is provided at an interval between the inner wall portion of the carry-out path and the transporting portion of the workpiece, and a so-called labyrinth seal for preventing leakage of fluid is provided, so that a pressurized state or a depressurized state is provided. It is conceivable to maintain a sterilized state. However, even if it is configured in this way to maintain a pressurized state, a decompressed state, or a sterilized state, the conventional apparatus for transporting an object to be processed in a pressurized processing apparatus, a decompressed processing apparatus, or a sterilizing apparatus has a complicated structure. In addition, there is a problem that the apparatus is large and it is difficult to completely clean and maintain the apparatus. On the other hand, as a device for transporting articles, that is, a device using magnetic force for transporting articles, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-47443 discloses a canning device for canned bottled products. This is a configuration having a magnet conveyor that transports while suspending and supporting the upper portion of the canned product by direct magnetic attraction with a magnetic force, and is required to maintain a pressurized state, a depressurized state, or a sterilized state as in the present invention. In such an apparatus, the magnet conveyor must be passed through a pressure processing apparatus, a decompression processing apparatus, or a sterilization apparatus, and there is a problem that cleaning and maintenance of the apparatus are more difficult.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems relating to the transport of a retainer in a conventional pressure processing apparatus, decompression processing apparatus, sterilization apparatus, and the like. The retainer can be reduced in size to approximately the same size as the vertical cross section, and the retainer can be transported while maintaining the pressurized state, depressurized state, or sterilized state in the retainer transporting section, requiring a complicated transport mechanism. Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous transfer device having a structure that is easy to clean. In addition, the present invention relates to the problem of transporting the retainer in the pressure treatment device, the decompression treatment device, the sterilization device, etc., while maintaining the pressure control state and the sterilization state of the pressure treatment device, the decompression treatment device, the sterilization device, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous transfer device capable of coping with the device from outside.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a tubular transporting section, a retainer having magnetism or a magnetic body or a magnet which travels in the tubular transporting section, and a magnetically attracting relationship opposed to the retainer. And a retainer magnetic induction band arranged.

An embodiment of the present invention is as follows.
The inside of the tubular transport section is at least in a sterile state or a pressure controlled state. The retainer magnetic induction band may be arranged outside the tubular transport unit. The retainer magnetic induction band is disposed within the thickness of the tubular transport section. The retainer magnetic induction band includes a plurality of magnets or magnetic bodies arranged at the same interval as the retainers, and a moving mechanism for moving the magnets or the magnetic bodies in the same direction as the retainer. The retainer magnetic induction band has a plurality of fixed electromagnets. The retainer is characterized in that the magnetic body or the magnet is directly attached to the retainer. The retainer attaches the magnetic body or the magnet to a retainer pressing member.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A continuous pressurizing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, that is, a food heat sterilizing apparatus 1 is provided with a cylindrical cavity having a linear and constant cross-sectional area as shown in FIG. The tubular structure 10 is provided with a preheating unit 12, a labyrinth seal pressurizing unit 14, a pressure control processing chamber 16, and a labyrinth seal depressurizing unit 18 in order from the upstream side in the transport direction of the retainer R. As shown in FIG. 4, retainer transport electromagnet bands 17 and 19 described later are provided on both side portions of the tubular structure 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a container supply unit 20 for supplying a sterilized container C to cover the retainer R, and a combined retainer R and sterilization are sequentially provided on the downstream side of the labyrinth seal pressure reducing unit 18. Reversing section 22 for reversing while maintaining the combined state of the used containers C,
A container take-out section 24 for taking out the container C that has received the sterilized solid food material that has been inverted and received in the retainer R from the inverting section 22, and removes the retainer R that has been inverted and has no sterilized food material from the inverting section 22. A retainer take-out part 26 to be taken out is arranged. Container supply unit 20
Is connected to a container forming device 21 or a sterilizing device (not shown) for receiving and sterilizing the container C formed at another location.

As shown in FIG. 1, a gas replacement section 31 for sequentially replacing the air in the container C with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is provided downstream of the container take-out section 24.
, A lid sealing section 32 for sealing the lid L to the container C, and a product take-out section 34. If necessary, the container removing section 24 and the gas replacing section 31
A liquid supply device (not shown) for injecting a sterilized liquid may be disposed between the liquid supply device and the liquid supply device. A retainer cleaning section 40 and a retainer return line 42 for transporting the cleaned retainer R to the preliminary heating section 12 are sequentially arranged downstream of the retainer removal section 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outermost shape of the retainer R is circular, and circular labyrinth seal throttle pieces 60 and 62 for forming labyrinth seals are arranged at front and rear ends in the conveying direction. Labyrinth seal diaphragm 6
Between 0 and 62, a box-shaped housing 66 for storing food materials is provided. A food material container 64 having a punching plate 80 at the bottom is formed inside the housing 66, and a container fitting portion 70 that fits with the container C is formed around the upper opening of the housing 66. . On both sides of the housing 66, transfer magnets 72 and 73 in which N poles and S poles of permanent magnets are alternately arranged at a predetermined pitch are horizontally mounted. The lower part of the punching plate 80 in the housing 66 of the retainer R is open.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tubular structure 10 is provided with an inner pipe member 100 and an outer pipe member 10 as necessary.
2 is a double structure, that is, a jacket structure. Between the inner pipe member 100 and the outer pipe member 102, there are provided compartments 104 extending in the transport direction on both the left and right sides at 45 ° below horizontal, in which the retainer transport electromagnet bands 17, 19 are disposed. Is done. Electromagnet belt for transporting retainer 1
7 and 19 convey the retainer R in cooperation with the conveying magnets 72 and 73.

Returning to FIG. 1, the preheating section 12 supplies saturated steam to the tubular structure 10 to preliminarily heat the food material to be treated. The labyrinth seal pressurizing section 14 and the labyrinth seal depressurizing section 18 provide a gap of about 0.1 mm between the inner pipe member 100 of the tubular structure 108 and the labyrinth seal throttle pieces 60 and 62 of the tubular structure 10 of the retainer R. The labyrinth seal is formed by providing. As a result, in the labyrinth seal pressurizing section 14, the pressure increases from the normal pressure toward the downstream side of the conveyance, and the pressure control processing chamber 16
Maintain pressurization. In addition, the labyrinth seal pressure reducing section 18
Then, a labyrinth seal is formed in the same manner as the labyrinth seal pressurizing section 14, and the pressure is reduced to normal pressure toward the downstream side of the conveyance, and the pressure in the pressure control processing chamber 16 is maintained. As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure control processing chamber 16 supplies pressurized steam from above the tubular structure 10 via the connecting pipe 110 to heat-treat the food material stored in the retainer R under pressure. The connecting pipe 110 is configured by arranging a plurality of nozzles 111 along the conveying path of the retainer R, and by changing the conditions of the pressurized steam discharged from each nozzle 111, a desired stepwise fit for the food material is achieved. Pressure heat treatment can also be performed. In addition, by arranging a plurality of nozzles, a section in which heat treatment is performed can be arbitrarily set in accordance with an object to be processed, so that setting and control of heat treatment conditions can be easily performed.

The container supply section 20, the reversing section 22, the container take-out section 24, and the retainer take-out section 26 are in a steam atmosphere in order to maintain sterility, and further, as shown in FIG. To prevent bacterial contamination of the sterilized food material, the retainer R, the lid member, and the like in this area. The container supply unit 20 lifts the container C formed by the container forming device 21 shown in FIG. 1 by the container supply cylinder device 122 as shown in FIG. 5, the gate valve 123 is opened, and the container C is conveyed. It is supplied to the sterilizer 126.
The inside of the container transport sterilization device 126 is sterilized by the UV lamp 130, and the container C received from the container supply cylinder device 122 is horizontally pushed by the container pushing device 124, transported by the container transport roller 125, and by the container covering device 134. Retain container C with retainer R
Is fitted to the container fitting portion 70.

The container covering device 134 lowers a suction device (not shown) to suction a plurality of locations at the bottom of the container C facing downward. The container C is moved to a position where it can be fitted to the container fitting portion 70 of the retainer R, and the container C is lowered to release the suction by the suction device (not shown) of the container covering device.

The reversing section 22 has a heating jacket 184, as shown in FIG. The inside of the reversing section 22 is maintained in a sterile state. The reversing drum 185 is reversible about a central axis 0 by a reversing drive source output gear 182 and a driving belt 183. The reversing drum 185 has container retainer accommodation spaces 190 and 192 for accommodating the retainer R after the container fitting in a symmetrical position about the central axis 0.
Is provided. Two container retainer storage spaces 190,
When the 192 is at the same height position, one container retainer storage space 190 is on the extension of the tubular structure 10 and the other container retainer storage space 192 is
On the upstream extension of. The reversing unit 22 includes the reversing drum 1
The processed food material in the retainer R is moved to the container C by rotating 85 about the central axis 0 by 180 °.

The retainer R from which the container C has been separated in the container take-out device 24 is cleaned in a retainer cleaning device 40 as shown in FIG. The retainer R is subsequently connected to the preheating unit 1 via the retainer return line 230.
Conveyed to 2.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a retainer guide rail 300 and a transfer magnet guide rail 302 are horizontally arranged on the inner surface and the outer surface on both sides of the tubular structure 10. . Inside the tubular carrier 10, a retainer magnet 304 that runs on the retainer guide rail 300 is disposed. The pair of left and right retainer magnets 304 is, for example, a retainer pusher that presses and conveys a retainer R containing a sterilized medical device. They are connected by a contact member 306. A transport chain 310 that runs near the transport magnet guide rail 302 is disposed outside the tubular transport body 10, and travels in the transport magnet guide rail 302 to a proper position of the transport chain 310, that is, a position where the retainer magnet 304 is to be attracted. Is mounted. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a retainer pressing member 306 is applied to the upstream side surface of the retainer R, while the retainer magnet 304 and the transfer magnet 312 attached to the retainer pressing member 306 are formed in a tubular shape. The transport chain 310 is driven to move the retainer R by bringing the transport body 310 into the suction relationship with the transport body 10 interposed therebetween.

A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. On the left and right sides of the tubular structure 1 that transports the retainer R shown in FIG. 2, two transport belts 404 wrapped around a drive pulley 400 and a return pulley 402 are arranged. The belt magnets 410 are attached to each of the conveyor belts 404 at a constant interval corresponding to an interval of a predetermined retainer R in the tubular structure 1. In the continuous transport apparatus having such a configuration, the belt magnet 410 is moved along the tubular structure 1 by rotating the transport belt 404, and the belt magnet 410 adsorbs the transported magnet via the tubular structure 1. Moving and transporting the retainer R to which the magnets 72 and 73 are attached.

[0020]

According to the above-described continuous processing apparatus of the present invention, the transfer pipe can be reduced in size to a size substantially equal to the longitudinal section of the transfer section of the retainer, and the pressurized state in the retainer transfer section can be reduced. The retainer can be transported while maintaining the pressure, the decompressed state, or the sterilized state, and there is an effect that it is possible to provide a continuous transport device having a structure that is easy to clean without requiring a complicated transport mechanism. In addition, the present invention relates to the problem of transporting the retainer in the pressure treatment device, the decompression treatment device, the sterilization device, etc., while maintaining the pressure control state and the sterilization state of the pressure treatment device, the decompression treatment device, the sterilization device, etc. This has the effect of providing a continuous transport device that can be handled from outside the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a continuous processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a retainer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view along a transport direction of the tubular structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vicinity of a container supply unit and a reversing unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a reversing unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of a continuous transfer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a vertical sectional view taken along a plane orthogonal to the transport direction of the continuous transport device shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram of a continuous conveyance device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 R Retainer C Container 1 Food Heat Sterilizer 10 Tubular Structure 12 Preheating Section 14 Labyrinth Seal Pressing Section 16 Pressure Control Processing Chamber 17, 19 Retainer Transport Electromagnet Band 18 Labyrinth Seal Depressurizing Section 20 Container Supply Section 21 Container Forming Device 22 Inversion Part 24 container take-out part 26 retainer take-out part 30 lid material supply device 31 gas replacement part 32 lid material sealing part 34 product take-out part 40 retainer cleaning part 42 retainer return line 60, 62 labyrinth seal throttle piece 66 housing 70 container fitting part 72 , 73 Transfer magnet 80 Punching plate 100 Inner pipe member 102 Outer pipe member 104 Partition room 120 Clean room 122 Container supply cylinder device 123 Gate valve 126 Container transport sterilization device 134 Container covering device 185 Reversing drum 19 , 192 container retainer housing space 200 heated tube

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Iwahata 1-5-7 Mikitei Sakaecho, Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka House Foods Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3F021 AA03 BA03 CA06 4B021 LA01 LT02

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A tubular transporter, a retainer having magnetism or a magnetic body or a magnet that travels in the tubular transporter, and a retainer magnetic induction band arranged in a magnetic attraction relationship facing the retainer. A continuous conveyance device comprising: 2. The continuous transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the tubular transport section is at least aseptic or under pressure control. 3. The continuous conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the retainer magnetic induction band is disposed outside the tubular conveyance unit. 4. The continuous conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the retainer magnetic induction band is disposed within a thickness of the tubular conveyance unit. 5. The retainer magnetic induction band includes a plurality of magnets or magnetic bodies arranged at the same interval as the retainers, and a moving mechanism for moving the magnets or the magnetic bodies in the same direction as the retainer. The continuous conveyance device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: 6. The continuous conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the retainer magnetic induction band has a plurality of fixed electromagnets. 7. The continuous conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer directly attaches the magnetic body or the magnet to the retainer. 8. The continuous transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retainer attaches the magnetic body or the magnet to a retainer pressing member.