JP2007029709A - Electron beam sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform sterilization by irradiating the electron beam onto the entire surface of the vessel 4 being conveyed using a single electron beam irradiator 24. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of vessel holder means 14 are mounted around a revolving body 12 at an equal circumferential spacing. Each vessel holder means 14 includes two holders 26, 26 for carrying two vessels 4, 4 in vertical alignment. A path along which the revolving body 12 revolves contains an inversion interval C-D and an upright transfer interval D-B and A-C. Inversion means 16 which inverts the vessel holder means 14 about a tangential axis O 1 is located within the inversion interval C-D while an electron beam irradiator 24 is located within the upright transfer interval A-C. Vessels 4 which are fed at a vessel feed position A and carried by the holders 26 are subject to the irradiation of the electron beam at an electron beam irradiation position E, then inverted, and when it reaches the electron beam irradiation position E again, the opposite surface is subject to the irradiation of the electron beam. Vessels 4 are inverted again and then discharged at a vessel discharge position B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electron beam sterilization apparatus that sterilizes a container being transported by irradiating it with an electron beam.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electron beam sterilization apparatus that performs sterilization by irradiating an electron beam with an electron beam irradiation apparatus during conveyance of a container is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2). A “plastic empty container electron beam sterilization apparatus” according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a supply mechanism for supplying a plastic empty container, a circulation mechanism, an electron beam irradiation mechanism, and an empty plastic container that has been irradiated with an electron beam. And a discharge mechanism for discharging.

  The circling mechanism is configured to vacuum and fix the plastic empty container supplied from the supply mechanism, and to rotate and rotate the plastic empty container in this fixed state. Turntable and a turntable drive unit. The electron beam irradiation mechanism sterilizes the plastic empty container by irradiating it with an electron beam from the inner periphery side in synchronization with the rotation mechanism. In the structure of this invention, the electron beam irradiation part of the electron beam irradiation mechanism is provided by the same number as the number of turntables on the orbit of the orbiting mechanism.

  In addition, the “electron beam container sterilization apparatus” described in Patent Document 2 has an electron beam generating unit arranged in a vertical position in a sterilization chamber, and is provided with a container transport means from the inlet side to the outlet side of the sterilization chamber. It has been. And the rotation provision means which rotates a container in the front position of the said electron beam generation part is arrange | positioned.

In this sterilization apparatus, the container advances in the sterilization chamber by the container transfer means (air transfer conveyor), and is rotated when it reaches the rotation applying means. The container conveyed while rotating passes while rotating in front of the irradiation window of the electron beam generator. The containers sequentially conveyed in this manner are rotated by the rotation applying means, pass through the front of the irradiation window, are sterilized by being irradiated with the electron beam, and are then discharged from the sterilization chamber.
JP-A-11-137645 (page 3-4, FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1212 (page 3-5, FIG. 1)

  In the configuration of the invention described in Patent Document 1, the same number of electron beam irradiation units as the number of turntables on which containers are placed and fixed are necessary, which increases the cost and increases the size of the entire apparatus. there were. In the configuration of the invention described in Patent Document 2, there is one electron beam irradiation unit, but the container is rotated in order to irradiate the entire circumference of the container with the electron beam. Thus, there is a problem that the speed cannot be increased because the container rotates in the middle of air conveyance.

  The present invention relates to an electron beam sterilization apparatus for sterilizing a container to be conveyed by irradiating an electron beam with a container holding means for holding two containers side by side by a pair of holding portions, and a plurality of container holding means, etc. A transporting means for circulating and transporting the container holding means provided at intervals; a reversing means for reversing the container holding means by rotating about an axis parallel to the advancing direction of the transporting means; and the container holding means. An electron beam irradiation device capable of irradiating an electron beam across the upper and lower ends of two containers held vertically and vertically, between the container supply position and the container discharge position in the transfer path of the transfer means, An inversion section in which the container holding means is reversed by the inversion means, and an upright transfer section in which the containers are arranged in an upright and vertical direction and transferred in an upright posture are provided, and an electron beam by the electron beam irradiation apparatus The firing position is set in this upright transfer section, and the container supplied at the container supply position passes through the electron beam irradiation position and the reversing section twice and is then discharged at the container discharge position. It is.

  The electron beam sterilization apparatus of the present invention can irradiate an electron beam from both sides of a container with one electron beam irradiation apparatus, and can reliably sterilize the entire surface of the container. Moreover, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus, and to increase the speed.

  In the container sterilization apparatus using an electron beam according to the present invention, the transfer means is provided with container holding means for holding the containers arranged in the vertical direction by two holding portions at equal intervals, and the containers are circulated and transferred in the middle of the transfer path. In the reversing section, the container holding means holding the containers arranged vertically is provided with reversing means for reversing the top and bottom around an axis parallel to the traveling direction of the transfer means, and the two containers are in an upright state An electron beam irradiation device is provided in an upright transfer section that is transported side by side, and is configured to be able to irradiate two upper and lower containers with an electron beam at the same time. By passing through the electron beam irradiation device twice and then discharging from the container discharge position, the object of reliably sterilizing the entire surface of the container with one electron beam irradiation device is achieved.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of an electron beam sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a container 4 such as a PET bottle (described later) that has been transported by an air transport conveyor 2 that is a container supply means. 2 to 5) is held by the gripper 8 (see FIG. 4) of the supply gripper wheel 6 and is rotated and conveyed, and supplied to the electron beam sterilizer 10 (from the supply gripper wheel 6 to the electron beam sterilizer 10). A supply position for supplying the container 4 is indicated by a symbol A in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the electron beam sterilizer 10 is provided with a plurality of container holding means 14 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body (transfer means) 12, and is supplied from the supply gripper wheel 6. The held container 4 is held by the container holding means 14, and the held container 4 is rotated and conveyed by rotating and transporting the container holding means 14 by the rotation of the rotating body 12. A reversing means 16 for reversing the container holding means 14 holding the container 4 is provided in the conveyance path of the container 4 and is in an upright state (a state where the mouth 4a of the container 4 is directed upward). The supplied container 4 is inverted by the inversion means 16 and is in an inverted state. After that, the container 4 is rotated and conveyed in an inverted state, and then reversed again by the reversing means 16 to be returned to the upright state, delivered to the gripper 20 (see FIG. 5) of the discharge gripper wheel 18 and discharged. It is sent to the next process downstream by the air conveyor 22. In this embodiment, the container 4 is handed over from the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 to the container holding means 14 of the electron beam sterilizer 10 at the container supply position (position A in the figure), and is rotated almost twice by the rotating body 12. In the meantime, it is turned upside down twice and delivered to the gripper 20 of the discharge gripper wheel 18 at the container discharge position (position B in the figure) and discharged to the air conveyor 22.

  An irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation apparatus is provided on the outer peripheral side of the electron beam sterilization apparatus 10 slightly downstream in the transport direction of the container 4 from the container supply position A (see FIGS. 1 and 3). As will be described later, the container holding means 14 has two upper and lower container holding portions 26 and 26. The irradiation unit 24 is held by the two container holding portions 26 and 26 and is in a vertical state. The upper and lower containers 4 and 4 are long enough to simultaneously irradiate an electron beam.

  Next, the structure of the electron beam sterilizer 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the container holding means 14, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the VV line of FIG. A plurality of the container holding means 14 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the rotating body 12 (the whole is not shown). The configuration of the container holding means 14 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the U-shaped attachment members 50 are provided at the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 12 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The container holding means 14 is attached to each of the plurality of attachment blocks 50. Each of these container holding means 14 has two container holding parts 26 and 26, respectively. The container holding means 14 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the container gripping means described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-192095, which was invented by the inventors of the present patent application and already filed by the present applicant. However, other configurations are possible.

  In this embodiment, since the two container holding portions 26, 26 have the same configuration, each component will be described with the same reference numeral. Two parallel leaf springs (support plates) 56 whose center portions are fixed to both ends of the rod 54 are rotatably supported in the opening 50 a of the mounting block 50. As described above, the mounting block 50 is fixed to the outer periphery of the rotating body 12 so that the radial direction is fixed. Therefore, the rod 54 supported between the openings 50a is arranged in the tangential direction of the rotating body 12. It is suitable. Further, springs 58 are connected to both sides of the rod 54 between the two plate springs 56, and the end portions 56a of the two plate springs 56 are always attracted in a direction approaching each other. Further, a pair of holding plates 60 facing each other are attached to both end portions 56a (upper and lower ends in FIG. 2) of the two leaf springs 56, and the pair of holding plates 60 face each other. Container holders 26 and 26 are configured. An arcuate concave surface 60a that abuts the neck portion of the container 4 (in this embodiment, the lower portion 4c of the flange portion 4b) is formed in the opposite surfaces of the holding plates 60. A guide surface 60b that expands toward the center is formed.

  The holding plates 60 on both sides constituting the container holding portions 26, 26 are fixed to the end portions 56a of the two leaf springs 56, and are attracted to each other by the springs 58. The container 4 is located below the flange portion 4b. The portion 4c passes through the guide surfaces 60b of the holding plates 60 on both sides and enters between the arcuate concave surfaces 60a while pushing the holding plates 60 outward, and then the holding plates 60 on both sides are held back by the springs 58. In addition, since each holding plate 60 has guide surfaces 60b on both sides of the arcuate concave surface 60a, the guide plate 60b can enter and exit between the arcuate concave surfaces 60a facing each other. . The container holding means 14 is constituted by the container holding portions 26, 26 and the like comprising the plate spring 56, the spring 58 and a set of holding plates 60. The container holding means 14 of this embodiment includes a central rod 54. Container holding portions 26 and 26 are provided at symmetrical positions around the central axis of the rotating body 12, that is, the axis O1 in the tangential direction of the rotating body 12, so that the two containers 4 can be held side by side in the vertical direction.

  An engaging member 64 having U-shaped recesses 64a that engage with guide rails 62, which will be described later, formed at both ends is fixed to the central portion of the rod 54 in the length direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the engaging member 64 is attached to the leaf springs 56 on both sides in an inclined manner. On the other hand, in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 12, the upper and lower sides of the two container holding portions 26, 26 are switched with the rotational movement of the rotating body 12 by engaging with the U-shaped recess 64 a of the engaging member 64. Further, a guide rail 62 for rotating the container holding means 14 about 180 degrees around the axis O1 of the rod 54 is disposed. The guide rail 62 constitutes the reversing means 16 and is supported by a guide rail support means 63a attached to a fixed support 63 installed outside the rotating body 12, as shown in FIGS. It is installed at a position where it does not interfere with the container 4 or the container holding means 14. The guide rail 62 is located on the supply gripper wheel 6 side (left side in FIG. 4) at the container supply position A (see FIGS. 1 and 4) for supplying the container 4 from the supply gripper wheel 6 to the electron beam sterilizer 10. The leading end 62a (see FIGS. 1 and 2) engages with the U-shaped recess 64a of the engaging member 64.

  The guide rail 62 gradually rises in height toward the container discharge position B where the container 4 is discharged from the electron beam sterilizer 10 to the discharge gripper wheel 18, and gradually enters the inside of the rotating body 12, and then gradually. Descend. In other words. The position of the guide rail 62 rotates 180 degrees while twisting around the position where the rod 54 passes. The container holding means 14 and the container 4 indicated by broken lines in FIG. 4 show a state in the middle of reversal. When the position changes 180 degrees as described above, the two containers 4 are completely turned upside down. Become. In this embodiment, the guide rail 62 guides the container between the position C downstream of the electron beam irradiation position E where the electron beam irradiation means 24 shown in FIG. This is a reversal section in which the holding means 14 and the two containers 4 held by the holding portions 26 and 26 are turned upside down. Further, between the container discharge position B and the container supply position A, only the upper container holding portion 26 holds the container 4, and therefore, the position from the position D where the inversion section ends to the container discharge position B is reached. Between the container supply position A and the position C where the inversion section starts, two containers 4 held side by side in the vertical and vertical directions form an upright transfer section in which the axis is transferred in the vertical direction. The guide rail 62 and the engaging member 64 of the container holding means 14 constitute reversing means 16 that reverses the container holding means 14 by rotating it around the tangential axis O1 of the rotating body 12.

  The operation of the electron beam sterilizer 10 having the above-described configuration will be described. The container 4 that has been transported while being suspended by the container supply means (air transport conveyor) 2 is held by the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 and is rotationally transported. In this embodiment, the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 holds a portion 4d above the flange 4b formed on the neck portion of the container 4 (see FIG. 4).

  When the container 4 held by the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 approaches the supply position A to the electron beam sterilizer 10, it is fixed to the rotating body (transfer means) 12 of the electron beam sterilizer 10 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The container holding part 26 (the container supply position A shown in FIG. 4) is located below the upper and lower container holding parts 26, 26 of the container holding means 14 attached to the U-shaped attachment member 50. The lower portion 4c of the flange 4b is inserted between the holding plates 60 on both sides of the lower container holding portion 26). In addition, the two container holding parts 26 and 26 are located up and down in the vertical direction at the container supply position A from the supply gripper wheel 6 to the electron beam sterilizer 10 as shown in FIG.

  Since both holding plates 60 are fixed to the leaf springs 56 and are attracted to each other by the spring 58, the container 4 held by the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 pushes the guide surfaces 60b of the both holding plates 60 apart. It passes through while being inserted into the arc-shaped recess 60a. At the start of the operation of the electron beam sterilizer 10, only the lower holding portion 26 in FIG. On the other hand, the engaging member 64 integral with the container holding means 14 has a downward U-shaped concave portion 64 a engaged with the tip 62 a of the guide rail 62. At this time, the end portion 62b of the guide rail 62 is engaged with the upward U-shaped recess 64a (see FIGS. 1 and 4).

  When the supply gripper wheel 6 and the rotating body 12 of the electron beam sterilizer 10 rotate together and the gripper 8 and the container holding part 26 of the container holding means 14 move away from each other, the container 4 is separated from the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6. It is detached and held on the container holding unit 26 side, and is rotated and conveyed by the rotation of the rotating body 12 of the electron beam sterilizer 10. The reversal start position C which is further downstream than the container supply position A of the electron beam sterilizer 10 is an upright transfer section, and an electron beam irradiation position E is set in this section. An irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation apparatus is arranged so as to face the radially inner side of the rotating body 12 constituting the electron beam sterilization apparatus 10 corresponding to the electron beam irradiation position E (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The electron beam is irradiated over the upper and lower ends of the passing container 4. In this irradiation (first irradiation with respect to the container 4), the container 4 held by the holding unit 26 positioned below the container holding means 14 is directed substantially outward in the radial direction of the rotating body 12. Half of the surface is sterilized by the electron beam (the hatched portion of the container 4 held by the lower holding portion 26 in FIG. 3 is sterilized).

  When the container holding means 14 enters the inversion sections C to D after passing through the front side of the irradiation unit 24 as the rotating body 12 rotates, the U-shaped recess 64a of the engaging member 64 has the shape of the guide rail 62. The container holding means 14 is rotated so that the upper and lower sides of the two container holding portions 26 and 26 are interchanged. When the two container holding portions 26 and 26 are rotated 180 degrees and switched up and down in this way, the container 4 held in one container holding portion (a container holding portion positioned below in FIG. 4) 26 is Inverted from the upright state on the lower side to the inverted state on the upper side.

  While the container holding means 14 passed through the reversal sections C to D, the upper and lower holding portions 26 and 26 were rotated 180 degrees around the rod 54 and held in an upright state on the lower holding portion 26. The container 4 is completely inverted (see the upper container 4 in FIG. 5). Thereafter, the rotating body 12 of the electron beam sterilizer 10 further rotates and reaches the container discharge position B. A discharge gripper wheel 18 having a gripper 20 is disposed at the container discharge position B. The gripper 20 is positioned at a height for gripping the container 4 held by the holding portion 26 on the lower side. At this time immediately after the start of operation, the lower container holding part 26 does not hold the container 4, so the container holding means 14 passes through the discharge position B as it is.

  When the container holding means 14 reaches the container supply position A again, the gripper 8 of the supply gripper wheel 6 that receives the containers 4 from the air conveyor 2 and rotates and conveys them is located below the container holding means 14. The next container 4 is handed over to the holder 26. At this time, the container holding means 14 is in a state of holding the containers 4 and 4 in the upper and lower container holding portions 26 and 26, respectively. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the two containers 4, 4 are the containers 4 held by the upper holding part 26 in a state where the containers 4 held by the lower holding part 26 are upright. Are vertically aligned with the axis line in the vertical direction.

  The container holding means 14 that holds the upper and lower containers 4, 4 in a state of being arranged in the vertical direction reaches the electron beam irradiation position E where the irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation apparatus is provided and is irradiated with the electron beam. The The container 4 previously irradiated with the electron beam in the irradiation unit 24 is inverted around the rod 54 facing the tangential direction of the rotating body 12 in the subsequent inversion sections C to D, and is irradiated with the electron beam. This part is located on the right side of FIG. Therefore, the container 4 (the container 4 positioned in the upper part of FIG. 3) that passes through the electron beam irradiation position E for the second time is the part that has not been irradiated with the previous electron beam (the part that is positioned on the left side of FIG. 3). ) Is directed to the electron beam irradiation device 24 side, and the remaining portion of the container 4 and the half of the container 4 held by the lower container holding portion 26 on the electron beam irradiation device 24 side are 2 An electron beam is irradiated over the upper and lower ends of the two containers 4 to be sterilized. The container 4 held by the upper container holding part 26 is subjected to two electron beam irradiations when it is positioned on the lower side and on the upper side after being inverted. The whole is sterilized.

  The container holding means 14 that has passed the electron beam irradiation position E enters the reversal sections C to D again from the upright transfer section from the container supply position A to the reversal start position C, and is reversed according to the movement trajectory of the guide rail 62. The holding part 26 located on the lower side moves to the lower side, the holding part 26 located on the lower side moves to the upper side, and the container 4 whose entire surface is sterilized is held in an upright state. On the other hand, the container 4 in which the half surface on the radially outer side of the rotating body 12 is sterilized is inverted with the sterilized surface directed inward in the radial direction.

  When the container holding means 14 passes through the inversion sections C to D and reaches the container discharge position B, the container 4 held by the lower container holding portion 26 is held by the gripper 20 of the discharge gripper wheel 18. It is taken out from the container holder 26, rotated and conveyed to the air conveyor 22. Between the container discharge position B and the container supply position A, the container holding means 14 moves with only the upper container holding part 26 holding the container 4, and the gripper of the supply gripper wheel 6 is moved at the container supply position A. The container 4 is delivered from 8 to the lower container holding part 26. Thus, one container 4 is transported twice through the electron beam irradiation position E and the inversion section by the rotation of the rotating body 12 of the electron beam sterilizer 10, and the container holding unit 26 on the lower side of the container holding means 14. So that it passes through the front surface of the irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation device and is irradiated with the electron beam twice in a state where the electron beam irradiation device is held upright and in an upright state held by the upper container holding unit 26. Therefore, the entire outer peripheral surface of the container 4 can be completely sterilized only by arranging one electron beam irradiation device 24 while the container 4 is continuously conveyed. The electron beam irradiation position E is provided between the container supply position A and the reversal start position C, but is not limited to this position. From the position D where the reversal section ends to the container discharge position B is not limited. It may be set to an upright transfer section.

  FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electron beam sterilization apparatus according to the second embodiment at the electron beam irradiation position E where the electron beam irradiation apparatus is disposed, and corresponds to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. It is. In this embodiment, only the configuration of the container holding means is different from that of the first embodiment, and the other configurations are the same. Therefore, only the different portions will be described, and the other portions will be described using the same reference numerals and only the necessary portions. explain. In this embodiment, the container holding means 114 is provided with container holding portions 126 and 126 formed of a vacuum table at both ends of two parallel support plates 156 whose central portions are fixed at both ends of the rod 154. Yes.

  These vacuum tables 126, 126 are formed with recesses 126a, 126a substantially matching the shape of the bottom surfaces of the containers 4, 4 to be held on the outer surfaces of the vacuum tables 126, 126, respectively, and at the center of these recesses 126a, 126a, Vacuum holes 126b and 126b connected to a vacuum source (not shown) are formed. In this embodiment, the container supply means (transport conveyor) for transporting the containers 4 is a top chain conveyor that transports the containers 4 in a standing state, and supplies them into the electron beam sterilizer 10 via a star wheel. . The container conveyor surfaces of the conveyor and the star wheel substantially coincide with the upper surface of the vacuum table 126 which is a container holding unit located above the container holding means 114, and supply of the container 4 to the upper vacuum table 126 is performed. And discharge.

  The container 4 transported by the transport conveyor is delivered to the vacuum table 126 on the upper side of the container holding means 114 provided in the electron beam sterilizer 10 via the supply star wheel. The container 4 placed on the vacuum table 126a is sucked and held from the vacuum hole 126b. When the container holding means 114 reaches the electron beam irradiation position E on the front side of the irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation apparatus in a state where the container 4 is held on the upper vacuum table 126, the container 4 moves outward in the radial direction of the rotating body 12. The electron beam is irradiated from the side, and almost half of the outer surface is sterilized. A hatched portion of the container 4 held by the upper vacuum table 126 in FIG. 6 is a portion sterilized by being irradiated with an electron beam.

  When the container holding means 114 rotates and moves with the rotation of the rotating body 12 and enters the reversal sections C to D, the container holding means 114 is reversed as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, since the container 4 supplied from the outside is held by the upper vacuum table 126, when the container 4 is turned upside down, the bottom surface is sucked by the lower vacuum table 126 and is conveyed in an inverted state.

  After passing through the reversal sections C to D, passing through the discharge position B as it is and reaching the supply position A, the next container 4 is supplied to the vacuum table 126 located on the upper side. Thereafter, when the container holding means 114 reaches the electron beam irradiation position E on the front side of the irradiation unit 24 of the electron beam irradiation apparatus, the surface on the irradiation unit 24 side of the container 4 held by the upper and lower vacuum tables 126, 126, respectively. It is sterilized by being irradiated with an electron beam. The container 4 held on the lower vacuum table 126 is the second irradiation, and the container 4 held on the upper vacuum table 126 receives the first electron beam irradiation (the upper and lower two containers in FIG. 6). The part with hatching 4 is the part irradiated with the electron beam). Also in the case of the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the container 4 is inverted about the tangential axis of the rotating body 12 (the central axis of the rod 154), and electrons are emitted twice at the upper and lower positions. By irradiating the electron beam from the beam irradiation device 24, the entire outer peripheral surface can be sterilized while the container 4 is continuously conveyed.

  In the electron beam sterilization apparatus 10 according to each of the above embodiments, the container holding means 14 and 114 are provided around the rotating body 12 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and are held by the container holding means 14 and 114 by the rotation of the rotating body 12. The container 4 was rotated and conveyed, and the container 4 was inverted and irradiated with the electron beam. However, the transfer means for circulating and transporting the container holding means 14 and 114 for holding the container 4 rotates around the rotating body 12 in a circular shape. The present invention is not limited to the case, and can be applied as long as it circulates and transfers a predetermined route. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of the electron beam sterilizer 210 according to the third embodiment, and the chain 274 is looped between the upstream circular sprocket 270 and the downstream circular sprocket 272. In addition, a plurality of container holding means (not shown) are provided at equal intervals, and each container holding means holds two containers side by side in the vertical direction and moves up and down while circulating around the sprockets 270 and 272. Is reversed.

  The electron beam irradiation device 224 is provided in a straight line conveyance portion of a path for transporting the container, and the electron beam irradiation position E where the electron beam irradiation device 224 is provided is such that the container holding means moves the two containers in the vertical direction. It is an upright transfer section that is held and transferred in a state of being aligned. An inversion section for inverting the container holding means is provided at any position other than the electron beam irradiation position E. The position where the reversal section is provided may be a linear conveyance section between both sprockets 270 and 272, or may be a section where the periphery of the sprockets 270 and 272 is rotated and transferred. When a reversal section is provided in the linear conveyance section between the sprockets 270 and 272, the container holding means is rotated around an axis parallel to the traveling direction of the chain. Further, when the reversing means is provided in the section for rotating and transporting around the sprockets 270 and 272, the container holding means is connected to the axis of the tangential direction of the sprockets (rotating bodies) 270 and 272 as in the first embodiment. Rotate to center. The axis in the tangential direction of the rotating body is included in the axis parallel to the traveling direction. Further, the reversing means for reversing the top and bottom of the two containers may be constituted by a guide rail and an engaging member provided on the container holding means, as in the structure of the first embodiment, or other structures. .

  In this embodiment, the containers transported by the container transport conveyor 202 are cut by the infeed screw 276 at a predetermined interval, delivered to the supply wheel 206, and further supplied to the electron beam sterilizer 210. The container holding means of the electron beam sterilizer 210 is configured to hold and transport the containers in the two upper and lower container holding portions, respectively, and when passing through the electron beam irradiation position E, The irradiation with the electron beam is performed twice for the case of being located at the upper side and the case of being located above. The container that is held by the container holding unit and is transported almost twice through the circulation path, and is subjected to the electron beam irradiation twice in the meantime, is delivered to the discharge wheel 218 and discharged from the electron beam sterilizer 210, and is transported by the conveyor 222. Is sent to the next step. Also in this embodiment, since the entire circumference of the container can be sterilized by one electron beam irradiation device 224 as in the above embodiments, the configuration of the device can be simplified.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a simplified configuration of the electron beam sterilization apparatus 310 according to the fourth embodiment. This embodiment is also different from the above embodiments in the transfer path of the container holding means for holding the container. However, the other configuration is the same as that of each of the embodiments described above, and the description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, a chain 386 is hung between a large-diameter sprocket 380 facing the supply wheel 306 and the discharge wheel 318, and two small-diameter sprockets 382 and 384, and the two container holding portions of the container holding means are connected to each other. The held container is circulated around these three sprockets 380, 382, and 384.

  An electron beam irradiation device 324 is arranged in a section between the two small-diameter sprockets 382 and 384 for linearly transporting the container. The electron beam irradiation position E where the electron beam irradiation device 324 irradiates the container with an electron beam is installed in an upright transfer section in which two containers held by the container holding means are vertically aligned. In addition to the electron beam irradiation position E, a reversing section for vertically reversing the container holding means is provided. Similar to the third embodiment, the reversing section may be provided in a linear conveyance unit that linearly conveys the container between the sprockets 380, 382, 384, and around the sprockets 380, 382, 384. You may provide in the area which rotates and conveys a container. Furthermore, it may be provided across the section carrying the rotary conveyance with the linear conveyance unit. Also in this embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the respective embodiments can be achieved.

It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of an electron beam sterilizer. Example 1 It is a perspective view which shows the container holding means provided in the said electron beam sterilizer. It is sectional drawing which follows the III-III line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the VV line of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal part of an electron beam sterilizer. (Example 2) It is a top view which simplifies and shows the whole structure of an electron beam sterilizer. (Example 3) It is a top view which simplifies and shows the whole structure of an electron beam sterilizer. (Example 4)

Explanation of symbols

A container supply position B container discharge position C to D inversion section A to C upright transfer section D to B upright transfer section 4 container 10 electron beam sterilizer 12 transfer means (rotating body)
14 Container holding means 16 Reversing means 24 Electron beam irradiation device 26 Container holding part 54 Engaging member 62 Guide rail

Claims (1)

In an electron beam sterilizer that sterilizes the container to be transported by irradiating it with an electron beam,
A container holding means for holding two containers side by side in a vertical direction by a pair of holding portions, a plurality of container holding means provided at equal intervals, a transfer means for circulating and transferring these container holding means, and the container holding means Electron capable of irradiating an electron beam across the upper and lower ends of two containers held in the vertical and vertical directions by the container holding means by reversing means for reversing by rotating around an axis parallel to the traveling direction of the transfer means Line irradiation device,
An inversion section in which the container holding means is inverted by the inversion means between the container supply position and the container discharge position in the transfer path of the transfer means, and an upright transfer section in which the containers are arranged in an upright and vertical direction and transferred in an upright posture. The electron beam irradiation position by the electron beam irradiation device is set in this upright transfer section,
An electron beam sterilization apparatus, wherein a container supplied at a container supply position passes through an electron beam irradiation position and a reversal section twice and is then discharged at a container discharge position.

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