JP2004099058A - Method and apparatus for removing residual sterilizing agent from resin wrapper - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a resin wrapper 4 sterilized by using hydrogen peroxide from deforming by heat when removing residual hydrogen peroxide from the wrapper 4. <P>SOLUTION: A first hot air blowing section 18, a first cold air blowing section 24, a second hot air blowing section 26 and a second cold air blowing section 34 are sequentially provided on the downstream of a sterilizing section 8 for jetting a hydrogen peroxide gas for sterilization and a holding section 14 for keeping the above state to proceed with the sterilization. Hot air is blown by the first and second hot air blowing sections 18 and 26 for a time that the resin wrapper 4 is not thermally deformed. Cold air is jetted respectively in the first and second cold air blowing sections 24 and 34 subsequently to the sections 18 and 26, to temporarily cool the resin wrapper 4 heated by the hot air. Since the wrapper 4 is temporarily cooled in midstream, the hot air can be applied to the wrapper 4 for a sufficient time before and after the cooling. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention sterilizes a resin packaging material, for example, a resin packaging material such as a vial, ampoule, or syringe with a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide, and then removes a sterilizing agent remaining on the inner surface of the resin packaging material. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for removing a residual sterilant in a resin packaging material for removing a sterilant using hot air.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When filling a resin packaging material with a product such as a medicine or food, the inside of the resin packaging material is sterilized in advance. In some cases, hydrogen peroxide or the like is used as a sterilizing agent for such a resin packaging material. In such a case, it is necessary to remove the hydrogen peroxide from the inside of the resin packaging material after sterilization.
[0003]
As a method of removing a sterilizing agent from a resin packaging material, a method of washing away with sterile water or hot water is conventionally known. However, in a method of washing with such a liquid, drainage equipment and drying equipment are used. However, there is a problem that the equipment becomes large and the cost is high. Also, a method of removing the sterilant by injecting hot air into the resin packaging material is also known, but since a certain time is required to remove the sterilant from the resin packaging material by blowing hot air, In the case of a non-heat-resistant resin packaging material, there is a problem in that the material is thermally deformed before the removal of the sterilizing agent is not completed.
[0004]
Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an apparatus has been proposed in which equipment cost and running cost are low and the residual sterilant can be removed without deforming the container (for example, see Patent Document 1). The conventional disinfectant removing device described in Patent Document 1 has a suction nozzle and a hot air nozzle. The suction nozzle has a vertical cylindrical shape and a suction port at the lower end, while a hot air nozzle is a vertical cylindrical shape integrally and concentrically arranged inside the suction nozzle and has a blow port at the lower end. have.
[0005]
In the disinfectant removing device described in Patent Document 1, hot air is blown into the container by a hot air nozzle, and at the same time, the inside of the container is sucked by a suction nozzle so that hot air does not stay inside the resin packaging material. The sterilizer is removed while preventing the packaging material from being deformed by heat.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-278227 A (page 3-5, FIG. 2)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional invention described in Patent Literature 1, hot air is blown into a container (resin packaging material) and sucked to prevent the hot air from staying in the resin packaging material. Has a problem in that a thermal load is continuously applied to the resin, and thermal deformation cannot be avoided with a resin packaging material having a low heat-resistant temperature.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has a simple configuration as compared with the related art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material capable of removing a sterilant.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The method for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to the first aspect of the present invention is a method for removing a sterilizing agent remaining on the inner surface of the resin packaging material. A step of injecting hot air only for a time during which the material is not deformed; a step of injecting cold air into the resin packaging material; and It is characterized by having.
[0010]
According to the method of the present invention, the sterilizing agent is removed by blowing hot air into the resin packaging material.However, before the resin packaging material is thermally deformed, the blowing of the hot air is temporarily stopped, and the cooling air is injected to cool the resin packaging material. Cooling. After that, hot air is injected again for a time during which the resin packaging material does not deform again. Therefore, in the total time, hot air is blown for a time capable of completely removing the sterilizing agent in the resin packaging material, but since cooling is performed by blowing cold air in the middle, the resin packaging material is not deformed, and extremely. The sterilant can be removed to a low residual value.
[0011]
The method according to claim 2 is characterized in that after the step of injecting hot air again, a step of injecting cold air again into the resin packaging material is performed.
[0012]
According to the method of the present invention, since hot air is blown again into the resin packaging material and then cool air is blown again, thermal deformation of the resin packaging material can be more reliably prevented.
[0013]
The method according to the third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the sterilizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.
[0014]
Further, the apparatus for removing a residual sterilizing agent from a resin packaging material according to claim 4 includes a transporting means for transporting the resin packaging material, and a sterilizing agent supplying means for attaching a sterilizing agent to the inner surface of the resin packaging material for sterilization. A first hot air supply means for injecting hot air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, a cold air supply means for injecting cold air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, A second hot air supply means for injecting hot air onto the inner surface is arranged in order.
[0015]
In the residual sterilant removing apparatus according to the present invention, the sterilizing agent is supplied to the inside of the resin packaging material by the sterilizing agent supply means to sterilize the resin packaging material, and then hot air is blown into the resin packaging material from the first hot air supply means on the downstream side. In order to remove the sterilizing agent, a cool air supply means is disposed downstream of the first hot air supply means. Before the hot air blown, the cold air blows the resin packaging material. The supply device blows cold air to temporarily cool the inside of the resin packaging material, thereby preventing the resin packaging material from being deformed. Thereafter, the sterilizing agent is removed by blowing hot air again by the second hot air supply means, so that the sterilizing agent can be effectively removed by blowing hot air for a necessary time without deforming the resin packaging material.
[0016]
The sterilizing agent removing apparatus according to the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a second cold air supply unit is disposed downstream of the second hot air supply unit.
[0017]
In the apparatus of the present invention, the hot air is blown again by the second hot air supply means, and then the cool air is blown again by the second cold air supply means provided on the downstream side, so that the thermal deformation of the resin packaging material can be more reliably prevented. Can be.
[0018]
The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the sterilizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the entire configuration of a sterilizer having a residual sterilizing agent removing device for a resin packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows continuously.
[0020]
Reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1 denotes a transport conveyor that transports a packaging material 4 such as a resin vial. The resin packaging material 4 transported by the transport conveyor 2 is introduced into a first rotary wheel 6. An injection section 8 for injecting a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide gas is provided at a predetermined position of the first rotary wheel 6, and a plurality of sterilizing agent supply means are provided above the resin packaging material conveyance path in this section 8. (Sterilant spray nozzle) 10 is disposed.
[0021]
A second rotary wheel 12 is arranged downstream of the first rotary wheel 6. While being held and transported by the first rotary wheel 6, the resin packaging material 4 in which the sterilizing agent (hydrogen peroxide gas) is injected from the sterilizing agent injection nozzle 10 is transferred to the second rotary wheel 12 at the transfer position A. It is delivered, held by the rotary wheel 12, and rotated and transported. The entire section of the second rotary wheel 12 is a hold section 14 in which the hydrogen peroxide gas is injected and the resin packaging material 4 adhered to the surface is maintained in that state, and is held by the second rotary wheel 12 and transported. During this process, the sterilization of the resin packaging material 4 proceeds.
[0022]
The resin packaging material 4 that has been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide while being conveyed by the second rotary wheel 12 is then delivered to the third rotary wheel 16 at the transfer position B. The third rotary wheel 16 is provided with a hot air injection section (first hot air injection section) 18 that extends over substantially half the circumference of the resin packaging material transport path. The first hot air supply means (first hot air injection nozzle) 20 is disposed. The resin wrapping material 4 held and transported by the third rotary wheel 16 is blown into the inside from the first hot-air injection nozzle 20 while being transported in the first hot-air injection section 18, and the sterilization is performed. The hydrogen peroxide sprayed by the agent injection nozzle 10 and attached to the inner surface is removed.
[0023]
A fourth rotary wheel 22 is arranged following the third rotary wheel 16, and the resin packaging material 4 is delivered to the fourth rotary wheel 22 at a transfer position C. The fourth rotary wheel 22 is provided with a first cold air injection section 24 on the inlet side and a second hot air injection section 26 on the outlet side. A plurality of first hot air supply means (first cold air injection nozzles) 28 are provided above, and a plurality of second hot air supply means (second hot air injection nozzles) are provided above the resin packaging material conveyance path in the second hot air injection section 26. ) 30 are provided.
[0024]
While the resin packaging material 4 held and conveyed by the fourth rotary wheel 22 is conveyed in the first cool air jet section 24, cold air is blown into the inside from the first cool air jet nozzle 28. Note that the temperature of the cool air injected from the cool air injection nozzle may be any temperature at which the resin packaging material heated in the first hot air injection section can be temporarily cooled, and normal temperature air is usually used. Also, after passing through the first cold air injection section 24, while being conveyed in the second hot air injection section 26, hot air is blown again from the second hot air injection nozzle 30 into the resin packaging material 4.
[0025]
The resin packaging material 4 from which the hot air has been injected again in the second hot air injection section 26 of the fourth rotary wheel 22 is then transferred to the fifth rotary wheel 32 at the transfer position D and is conveyed. The fifth rotary wheel 32 is provided with a second cool air injection section 34, and a plurality of second cool air supply units (second cool air injection nozzles) are provided above the resin packaging material conveyance path in the second cool air injection section 34. ) 36 are installed. While the resin packaging material 4 held and conveyed by the fifth rotary wheel 32 passes through the second cool air jet section 34, cool air is blown from the second cool air jet nozzle 36. The resin packaging material 4 that has passed through the second cool air injection section 34 is transferred from the fifth rotary wheel 32 to a discharge conveyor 38, and is sent to the next step by the discharge conveyor 38.
[0026]
The operation of the apparatus for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material having the above-described configuration will be described. In this embodiment, the resin packaging material 4 is a non-heat-resistant resin vial, and its heat-resistant temperature is 60 ° C to 70 ° C. Also, hydrogen peroxide gas is used as a sterilant. The resin packaging material 4 transported by the transport conveyor 2 is delivered from the transport conveyor 2 to the first rotary wheel 6, and transported in the direction of arrow R1 in FIG. In the hydrogen peroxide gas injection section 8 of the first rotary wheel 6, a plurality of hydrogen peroxide gas injection nozzles 10 are provided above the conveyance path of the resin packaging material 4, and the hydrogen peroxide gas is directed downward. Hydrogen peroxide gas is supplied to the inside of the resin packaging material 4 which has been injected and passes through the hydrogen peroxide gas injection section 8. In this embodiment, a hydrogen peroxide gas at about 100 ° C. is injected into the resin packaging material 4.
[0027]
The resin packaging material 4 into which the hydrogen peroxide gas has been supplied is delivered from the first rotary wheel 6 to the second rotary wheel 12 and transported in the direction of arrow R2. The second rotary wheel 12 has a hold section 14 as a whole, and rotates and conveys the resin packaging material 4 from which the hydrogen peroxide gas has been injected by the first rotary wheel 6 while maintaining the state. Promotes sterilization with hydrogen peroxide gas. In this embodiment, hydrogen peroxide gas is injected for about 1 second in the hydrogen peroxide gas injection section 8, and then hold is performed in this hold section 14 for about 4 seconds.
[0028]
The resin packaging material 4 that has passed through the hold section 14 by the second rotary wheel 12 is delivered to the third rotary wheel 16 and transported in the direction of arrow R3. The third rotary wheel 16 is provided with a first hot air injection section 18 and injects hot air of about 130 ° C. from the hot air injection nozzle 20 for 2 seconds. The temperature of the hot air to be injected and the injection time are set to values at which the resin vial having a heat-resistant temperature of 60 to 70 ° C. used in this embodiment does not thermally deform, and is not limited to these values. .
[0029]
The resin packaging material 4 that has been subjected to the first-stage sterilant removal treatment by injecting hot air in the first hot-air injection section 18 is sent to the fourth rotary wheel 22 and transported in the direction of arrow R4. In the first cool air injection section 24, cool air is injected from the first cool air injection nozzle 28. In this embodiment, the cooling air is injected for about 1 second to temporarily cool the resin packaging material 4 from which the hot air has been injected in the first hot air injection section 18.
[0030]
Thereafter, in the second hot air injection section 26 provided on the downstream side of the same fourth rotary wheel 22, hot air is injected by the second hot air injection nozzle 30 for about one second, and the hot air is blown again to the resin wrapping material 4. The process of removing the remaining hydrogen peroxide gas is repeated. Subsequently, while the resin packaging material 4 is delivered to the fifth rotary wheel 32 and transported in the direction of arrow R5, cooling is performed again by injecting cool air from the second cool air injection nozzle 36 in the second cool air injection section 34. In this second cool air injection section 34, cool air is injected into the resin packaging material 4 for about one second.
[0031]
For example, when hot air of 130 ° C. is continuously sprayed onto the resin packaging material (resin vial) 4 for 3 seconds for example, there is a possibility of deformation due to heat. After injecting for 2 seconds, cool the air temporarily by injecting cold air for 1 second, then inject hot air again to secure the time required to remove the total remaining hydrogen peroxide. It is possible to remove the residual sterilant to a very low residual value by applying hot air for a sufficient time without deforming the packaging material 4.
[0032]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the resin vial is sterilized as the resin packaging material 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the resin vial. In addition, a resin ampule, a resin syringe, an infusion bag, and the like may be used. The present invention can also be applied to the resin packaging material 4. Further, various resins can be used as the material of the resin packaging material 4, and it is particularly effective for a packaging material made of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyolefin or the like. Furthermore, the sterilizing agent is not limited to hydrogen peroxide, and the present invention can be applied to a sterilizing agent removing process using another condensable sterilizing gas. Further, in the above-described embodiment, each step is performed while the resin packaging material is being conveyed by the rotary wheel. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the rotary type conveying means.
[0033]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, each of the nozzles (the sterilizing agent injection nozzle 10, the first hot air injection nozzle 20, the first cold air injection nozzle 28, the second hot air injection nozzle 30, and the second cold air injection nozzle 36) is made of resin. It is installed above the conveying path of the packaging material 4 and injects hot air or the like into the resin packaging material 4 from a remote position. Alternatively, the nozzle may be lowered and the tip of the nozzle may be inserted into the container to spray hot air or the like. In addition, the number of times the hot air and the cool air are repeatedly injected is not limited to two as in the above-described embodiment, but may be any number of times.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a sterilizing agent removing method for removing a sterilizing agent remaining on the inner surface of a resin packaging material, hot air is injected onto the inner surface of the resin packaging material for a time during which the resin packaging material does not deform. The step, the step of injecting cold air into the resin packaging material, and the step of injecting hot air again only for the time that the resin packaging material does not deform on the inner surface of the resin packaging material, so that the resin packaging material is There is no risk of deformation, and the residual sterilant can be removed using a sufficient processing time. In addition, the structure is simple, the facility cost and running cost are not required when hot water or the like is used, and the management is easy because of the dry environment.
[0035]
According to the apparatus for removing a sterilizing agent for a resin packaging material according to the invention of claim 4, a transporting means for transporting the resin packaging material, and a sterilizing agent for attaching a sterilizing agent to the inner surface of the resin packaging material to perform sterilization. Supply means, and further, on the downstream side of the sterilant supply means, first hot air supply means for injecting hot air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, and cool air supply means for injecting cool air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, By disposing the second hot air supply means for injecting hot air onto the inner surface of the resin packaging material in order, the first hot air supply means blows hot air into the resin packaging material to which the sterilizing agent is adhered to remove the sterilizing agent. After that, after cooling by blowing cold air by means of temporary cold air supply means, hot air is blown again to remove the sterilant, so that hot air is blown for a sufficient time effectively without deforming the resin packaging material by heat. The sterilant can be removed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a sterilizer provided with a device for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing each step of the sterilization apparatus in succession.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Conveying means 4 Resin packaging material 10 Sterilizing agent supplying means (hydrogen peroxide gas injection nozzle)
20 First hot air supply means (first hot air injection nozzle)
28 first cold air supply means (first cold air injection nozzle)
30 Second hot air supply means (second hot air injection nozzle)
36 Second cool air supply means (second cool air injection nozzle)

Claims (6)

In a sterilant removing method for removing a sterilant remaining on the inner surface of the resin packaging material,
A step of injecting hot air onto the inner surface of the resin packaging material for a time during which the resin packaging material does not deform; a step of injecting cold air into the resin packaging material; and Injecting hot air again only for a period of time. The method for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to claim 1, wherein a step of re-injecting the cold air into the resin packaging material is performed after the step of injecting the hot air again. The method for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sterilant is hydrogen peroxide. A conveying means for conveying the resin packaging material; and a sterilizing agent supply means for sterilizing the resin packaging material by attaching a sterilizing agent to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, and further comprising, on the downstream side of the sterilizing agent supply means, an inner surface of the resin packaging material. A first hot air supply means for injecting hot air into the air, a cold air supply means for injecting cold air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material, and a second hot air supply means for injecting hot air to the inner surface of the resin packaging material. A device for removing residual sterilant from resin packaging materials. The apparatus for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to claim 4, wherein a second cold air supply means is disposed downstream of the second hot air supply means. 6. The apparatus for removing a residual sterilant from a resin packaging material according to claim 4, wherein the sterilant is hydrogen peroxide.

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