JP2020158206A - Method for sterilizing inside of chamber of aseptic filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To rapidly remove residual cleaning fluid or sterile water from the inside of a chamber before being jetted with a germicide containing a peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide when the inside of the chamber of an aseptic filling machine is subjected to COP treatment or SOP treatment.SOLUTION: A method for sterilizing the inside of a chamber of an aseptic filling machine includes the steps of: moving up and down a spindle for a capper for hermetically sealing a container inside a chamber of an aseptic filling machine; and removing cleaning fluid after COP treatment which adheres to a bellows protecting the spindle or sterile water at SOP treatment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a method of sterilizing the inside of a chamber of an aseptic filling machine prior to filling a container such as a PET bottle, a paper container, a cup, a tray or a pouch with food, a beverage or the like.

A sterile filling machine that aseptically fills containers such as PET bottles, paper containers, cups, trays, and pouches with tea beverages, mineral water, juices, soups, nutritional beverages, milk, milk beverages, soups, soup stocks, etc. When switching between, the contents supply system piping is first subjected to CIP (Cleaning in Place) processing and then SIP (Sterilizing in Place) processing.

In the CIP treatment, an acidic chemical was added to the water after a cleaning liquid containing an alkaline chemical such as caustic soda was poured into the water flow path from the inside of the content filling route to the filling nozzle of the filling machine. This is done by running a cleaning solution. As a result, the residue of the previous contents adhering to the contents filling path is removed.

The SIP treatment is performed, for example, by flowing steam, hot water, or the like through the flow path washed by the CIP treatment. As a result, the inside of the content filling path is sterilized and made sterile.

The aseptic filling machine is a sterilizer that sterilizes the container that fills the contents, a rinse part that rinses the sterilized container, a filling part that fills the sterilized container with the contents sterilized by the contents sterilizer, and the contents. A sealing portion or the like is provided to seal the container filled with the above in a sterile atmosphere. These parts are provided in a chamber that is shielded from the outside, and the inside of the chamber must be maintained in a sterile atmosphere during the operation of the aseptic filling machine.

Splashes of the contents filled in the previous filling work may adhere to the inside of the filling chamber and the sealing chamber, and when switching the type of contents to be filled, the chamber in the previous filling work A COP (Cleaning out of Place) treatment is performed on the inside of the chamber in order to remove droplets of contents adhering to the inner wall and the outer surface of equipment such as a filling machine in the chamber from the inside of the chamber. The COP treatment is performed, for example, by spraying water or the like into a sterile chamber in the form of a shower).

Further, since microorganisms may invade the sterile chamber during various operations when switching the type of contents, a SOP treatment (Sterilizing out of Place) treatment is also performed in the chamber. Conventionally, as a method of SOP treatment in the chamber, it has been attempted to spray peracetic acid, sterile water, heated air, hydrogen peroxide, and heated air in order in the chamber (). See Patent Document 1).

Further, Patent Document 2 also proposes in-chamber sterilization by a step of spraying hot water, spraying a heated peracetic acid-based disinfectant, and rinsing by spraying aseptic water (see Patent Document 2). Further, there is also an in-chamber sterilization method in which the low-concentration sterilizing solution is sprayed and then dried (see Patent Document 3).

Patent Document 4 refers to peracetic acid injection, sterile water injection, hydrogen peroxide water injection, hot air blowing, and cooling air blowing after performing COP treatment in which an alkaline cleaning agent is injected into the chamber and sterile water is injected. It has been proposed to sequentially perform SOP processing (see Patent Document 4).

JP-A-11-208782 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-189034 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-147673 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-55026

In a sterile filling machine in which the sterilized contents are filled in a container sterilized in a sterile atmosphere and sealed, SOP treatment is performed in order to secure a sterile atmosphere in the chamber of the sterile filling machine before the start of production.

Peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide is used as a disinfectant in the SOP treatment. Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 describe such a SOP processing method. On the other hand, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 4 propose a two-step SOP treatment of sterilizing with peracetic acid and then with hydrogen peroxide. The disinfectant containing peracetic acid is a liquid, and the part that gets wet with the liquid is sterilized, but sterilization with hydrogen peroxide is effective for the gaps in the packing where the liquid does not permeate. After injecting the hydrogen peroxide solution into the chamber, aseptic heating air is blown into the chamber. At this time, the hydrogen peroxide solution injected into the chamber is heated, vaporized and exhausted. Hydrogen peroxide The hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous solution is heated and vaporized to enter the gaps where the sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid did not permeate, and the parts not sterilized by the sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid can also be sterilized.

Normally, a disinfectant containing peracetic acid is sprayed into the chamber, then sterile water is sprayed to wash away the disinfectant containing peracetic acid sprayed into the chamber, and then hydrogen peroxide solution is sprayed into the chamber. Will be done. At this time, when the hydrogen peroxide solution is sprayed into the chamber while the sterile water remains in the chamber, the hydrogen peroxide solution is mixed with the sterile water remaining in the chamber, and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the mixed liquid is increased. It is lower than the hydrogen peroxide concentration of the hydrogen peroxide solution injected into the chamber. As a result, the bactericidal effect of the injection of hydrogen peroxide solution tends to decrease. Therefore, normally, the hydrogen peroxide solution is not sprayed into the chamber until the sterile water remaining in the chamber is naturally dried or dried by blowing sterile air and removed. After visually confirming that the sterile water in the chamber has been removed by natural drying or drying with sterile air, the hydrogen peroxide solution is sprayed into the chamber.

Also, when the inside of the chamber is washed with a cleaning liquid and the cleaning liquid is washed away with water and then sterilized with a sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid in the chamber, the concentration of peracetic acid in the sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid remains in the chamber. When it is reduced by water, the bactericidal effect of the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid sprayed into the chamber is reduced.

Waiting for the aseptic water sprayed immediately before to be removed from the chamber and then spraying the disinfectant containing peracetic acid and the hydrogen peroxide solution into the chamber will prolong the SOP treatment time and aseptically fill. It is reducing the productivity of the machine. When performing the SOP treatment in the chamber of the aseptic filling machine, it is required to quickly remove the disinfectant containing peracetic acid and the water before the injection of the hydrogen peroxide solution. The present invention solves such a problem, and when SOP treatment is performed in the chamber of the aseptic filling machine, the residual water is quickly removed and the SOP treatment time is shortened, so that the productivity of the aseptic filling machine is increased. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of sterilizing the inside of an aseptic filling machine chamber.

In the aseptic filling machine chamber of the present invention, the sterilized container is filled with the sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere, and the aseptic filling machine is used to seal the container filled with the contents. It is a sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber performed before the operation of the machine. After cleaning the inside of the chamber by injecting a cleaning liquid into the aseptic filling machine chamber, the spindle of the capper that seals the container is moved up and down. After removing the cleaning liquid adhering to the bellows that protects the spindle, the disinfectant is sprayed into the aseptic filling machine chamber. Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention, the sterilized container is filled with the sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere, and the container filled with the contents is sealed. In the filling machine, it is a sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber performed before the operation of the aseptic filling machine, and after cleaning the inside of the chamber by injecting a cleaning liquid into the aseptic filling machine chamber, at least the aseptic filling machine. The transport device that transports the container is driven at an operating speed that is at least half of the operating speed during the operation of the above, and after removing the cleaning liquid adhering to the transport device, a bactericidal agent is sprayed into the aseptic filling machine chamber. It is characterized by that.

Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to the present invention, it is preferable that the sterilizing agent contains hydrogen peroxide.

Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to the present invention, it is preferable that the sterilizing agent contains peracetic acid.

Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to the present invention, it is preferable that the cleaning liquid is aseptic water.

Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to the present invention, it is preferable to blow aseptic heating air into the aseptic filling machine chamber when moving the spindle up and down. Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to blow aseptic heating air into the aseptic filling machine chamber when driving the transfer device.

Further, in the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to drive the transfer device in the plurality of the aseptic filling machine chambers for each aseptic filling machine chamber.

According to the present invention, at the time of COP treatment or SOP treatment in the aseptic filling machine chamber, after injecting the cleaning liquid into the aseptic filling machine chamber, the transporting device for transporting the container is driven to perform cleaning adhering to the transporting device. By removing the water, the washing water remaining in the aseptic filling machine chamber can be quickly removed. After that, by injecting a sterilizing agent containing hydrogen peroxide or a sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid into the aseptic filling machine chamber, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid in the injected sterilizing agent does not decrease, and aseptic filling is performed. Sterilization inside the machine chamber can be performed reliably. Further, by shortening the SOP processing time, the productivity of the aseptic filling machine can be improved.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the nozzle arrangement in the aseptic filling machine chamber which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic plan view in the filling part chamber of the aseptic filling machine of the bottle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine of the tray which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine of the paper container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine of the pouch which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

An aseptic filling machine usually sterilizes a container to which a container is supplied and sterilizes the supplied container, a filling part for filling the sterilized container with sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere, and a container filled with the contents. It is provided with a sealing part that seals in an atmosphere. However, the configuration of the aseptic filling machine differs depending on the container to be aseptically filled.

For example, when the container is a bottle, the preform is supplied to the sterile filling machine, and the heating part that heats the preform to the molding temperature, the molding part that molds the heated preform into the container, and the inspection part that inspects the molded bottle. , Bottle sterilization part to sterilize inspected bottles, Air rinse part to air rinse sterilized bottles, Filling part to fill sterilized bottles with contents sterilized by contents sterilizer in sterile atmosphere, Contents filling It consists of a sealing part that seals the bottle with a sterilized lid material in a sterile atmosphere and a discharging part that discharges the sealed bottle. The aseptic filling machine for bottles does not have to have an inspection part and an air rinse part. There is also an aseptic filling machine having a preform sterilizer that sterilizes the supplied preform before heating it. An aseptic filling machine having a preform sterilizer does not have to be provided with a bottle sterilizer.

In the case of a paper container, a sleeve is supplied to the sterile filling machine to sterilize the outer surface of the paper container and the bottom molding part, the bottom molding part to sterilize the inner surface of the paper container with the bottom molded, and the inner surface to sterilize. The paper container is provided with a filling part for filling the sterilized contents and a sealing part for sealing the paper container filled with the contents. The configuration of the aseptic filling machine is different for other containers as well.

Each part of the aseptic filling machine is shielded by a chamber. In the case of bottles, the heating part and the molding part may be shielded by a single chamber. Further, the sealing portion and the discharging portion may also be shielded by a single chamber. Further, the filling part, the sealing part and the discharging part may be shielded by a single chamber.

In the case of paper containers, the bottom molded part, sterilizing part, filling part and sealing part are shielded by a single chamber. However, the bottom molded part, the sterilized part, the filled part and the sealed part may be shielded by different chambers. The configuration of each part differs depending on the container targeted by the aseptic filling machine, but there are also various chambers that shield each part.

During the operation of the aseptic filling machine for bottles, the chamber of the bottle sterilizer, the chamber of the air rinse, the chamber of the filling, the chamber of the seal and the chamber of the discharge are supplied with aseptic air sterilized by a sterilization filter. By making the pressure in each chamber positive, the sterility of the aseptic filling machine is maintained. The pressure held at the positive pressure is set highest in the chamber of the filling part, and is set lower toward the upstream of the chamber of the air rinse part and the chamber of the bottle sterilization part. Further, for example, when the pressure in the chamber of the filling portion is 20 Pa to 40 Pa, the pressure in the other chambers is lower than the pressure in the chamber of the filling portion. In the aseptic filling machine having a preform sterilizer, the heating part and the molding part are also covered with a chamber, and aseptic air is supplied into the heating part chamber and the molding part chamber and maintained at a positive pressure.

The inside of the chamber of the bottle sterilizer, the chamber of the air rinse, the chamber of the filling part, the chamber of the sealing part and the chamber of the discharging part are subjected to COP treatment and SOP treatment before the operation of the aseptic filling machine. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, a rotary nozzle 2 for injecting a cleaning liquid and a disinfectant containing peracetic acid and a two-fluid nozzle 3 for injecting a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide are provided in the chamber 1 of the aseptic filling machine. .. The rotary nozzle 2 is a nozzle that injects a liquid supplied while rotating by a liquid feeding pressure into the chamber 1. The two-fluid nozzle 3 supplies a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide and compressed air, and injects the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide into the chamber 1 by the pressure of the compressed air. The nozzles provided in the chamber 1 are not limited to the rotary nozzle 2 and the bifluid nozzle 3, and a cleaning agent, a sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid, and a sterilizing agent containing sterile water and hydrogen peroxide are placed in the chamber 1. A nozzle having another structure may be used as long as it can inject.

In the case of a bottle, the sterilizer is sprayed into the chamber of the bottle sterilizer while the aseptic filling machine is in operation, so that the SOP treatment may not be performed. In the aseptic filling machine having the preform sterilizing part, the SOP treatment in the chamber covering the heating part and the molding part is performed.

In the aseptic filling machine for containers other than bottles, there is an example in which the sterilizing part, the filling part and the sealing part are shielded by a single chamber, and in this case, the COP treatment and the SOP treatment are performed in the single chamber. Will be done.

Before the inside of each chamber is SOP-treated, the chamber downstream from the filling chamber where the contents are filled is COP-treated. The inside of the chamber where the contents are scattered into the chamber and are heavily contaminated is cleaned by spraying a cleaning liquid such as hot water, hot water, alkaline cleaning liquid or acidic cleaning liquid. Since the chambers of the molding part and the bottle sterilizing part have limited contamination, they do not have to be COP-treated.

When the contents are changed after the continuous operation of filling the container with the aseptic filling machine, or when the inside of the chamber is contaminated by the droplets of the contents due to the continuous operation for a long time, the aseptic filling machine is operated. Stop and perform COP treatment and SOP treatment in the chamber of the aseptic filling machine. Only SOP treatment is performed in the chamber where there is no contamination by the contents.

For the COP treatment for cleaning the inside of the chamber 1 contaminated with the contents, first, for example, an alkaline cleaning liquid is sprayed into the chamber. The alkaline cleaning solution contains an inorganic basic compound such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, or an organic basic compound such as ethanolamine and diethylamine, and in addition, an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, an alkaline earth metal salt, and the like. Metal ion sequestering agents such as ammonium salts and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, and solubilizers such as sodium cumene sulfonate. , Metal salts of acid-based polymers such as polyacrylic acid, corrosion inhibitors, preservatives, antioxidants, dispersants, antifoaming agents and the like may be included.

After spraying the alkaline cleaning liquid, the acidic cleaning liquid may be sprayed. The acidic cleaning solution is an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or phosphoric acid, or an organic acid such as acetic acid, formic acid, octanoic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, or gluconic acid, and is an anionic surfactant or a cationic surfactant. Activators, nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, solubilizers such as sodium cumene sulfonate, acid polymers such as polyacrylic acid, corrosion inhibitors, preservatives, antioxidants, It may contain a dispersant, an antifoaming agent and the like. If the contamination caused by the contents is not cleaned by spraying the alkaline cleaning liquid, spray the acidic cleaning liquid. Further, it is also possible to simply inject the acidic cleaning liquid without injecting the alkaline cleaning liquid. The spraying of the alkaline cleaning liquid and the spraying of the acidic cleaning liquid may be alternately and repeatedly performed.

Cleaning may be performed with normal temperature water, hot water, or hot water without using an alkaline cleaning solution or an acidic cleaning solution. Further, after cleaning with an alkaline cleaning solution and an acidic cleaning solution, the alkaline cleaning solution and the acidic cleaning solution may be washed away with normal temperature water, hot water, or hot water. The use of these cleaning solutions may be in any combination and order. Here, hot water is water having a temperature in the range of 40 ° C. or higher and lower than 100 ° C., and hot water is water having a temperature in the range of 100 ° C. or higher and 130 ° C. or higher.

Since heating the alkaline cleaning solution to 50 ° C. or higher also has a bactericidal action, a bactericidal effect can be expected by heating the alkaline cleaning solution to 50 ° C. or higher and injecting the alkaline cleaning solution into the chamber 1.

After injecting the cleaning liquid into the chamber 1, the transport device for transporting the container is driven to remove the cleaning liquid adhering to the transport device. When the cleaning liquid is, for example, an alkaline cleaning liquid or an acidic cleaning liquid, water such as normal temperature water, hot water, or hot water may be used as the cleaning liquid to wash away the alkaline cleaning liquid or the acidic cleaning liquid. Here, sterile water may be used as the water. In order to prevent the inside of the chamber from being contaminated by bacteria due to the injection of water containing bacteria, it is preferable to use sterile water. Aseptic water is water that has been sterilized by heating it at 121.1 ° C. or higher for 4 minutes or longer, or by passing it through a sterilization filter. When a disinfectant containing peracetic acid is used in the subsequent injection of the disinfectant, the water may be general water. This is because the water remaining in the chamber 1 is sterilized by the sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid.

After cleaning the inside of the chamber with an alkaline cleaning solution or an acidic cleaning solution, the water sprayed into the chamber is 20 ° C. to 100 ° C., preferably 60 ° C. to 100 ° C., but the water temperature is set to 60 ° C. or higher for cleaning. In addition to improving the capacity, it is expected to have a bactericidal effect on heat-resistant mold and heat-resistant yeast damaged by chemicals such as alkali by COP treatment.

The drive of the transport device for transporting the bottle will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the inside of the filling chamber 4 of the aseptic filling machine for bottles according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a part of an aseptic filling machine in which the filling part, the sealing part and the discharging part are shielded by a single filling part chamber 4. The bottle 5, which is a sterilized container, is conveyed from the wheel 10 in the air rinse chamber 6 that shields the air rinse into the filling chamber 4. The bottles 5 to be conveyed are arranged in the order of the introduction wheel 11, the filling wheel 12, the intermediate wheel 13, the capper wheel 14, and the discharge wheel 15 from the upstream side to the downstream side. These wheels 11 to 15 are driven so as to perform rotational movements at substantially the same peripheral speed.

Around each of the wheels 11 to 15, scissors-shaped grippers that clamp and unclamp the neck of the bottle 5 are arranged at a predetermined pitch. The gripper can swing around the central axis of each wheel 11 to 15 together with each wheel 11 to 15.

Since the gripper has a known structure, it will not be described in detail, but the bottle 5 is delivered from the gripper of the upstream wheel to the gripper of the downstream wheel by opening and closing by the action of a cam or the like at a position adjacent to the wheels. It has become like. As a result, the bottle 5 continuously travels from the introduction wheel 11, the filling wheel 12, the capper wheel 14, and the like to the discharge wheel 15.

The filling wheel 12 and the filling nozzle rotating with the filling wheel 12 are connected to the filling wheel 12 mounted horizontally on the vertical axis installed on the base, and a gripper is provided around the filling wheel 12.

Further, around the filling wheel 12, a plurality of pipe-shaped filling nozzles for filling the bottle 5 with a beverage or the like are provided corresponding to each gripper. Each filling nozzle is arranged vertically so that the mouth of the lower end of the filling nozzle faces the mouth of the bottle 5 gripped by the gripper. The filling nozzle may be fixed to the filling wheel 12, or may be reciprocating in the vertical direction. When the reciprocating motion is possible in the vertical direction, the filling nozzle can be inserted into the bottle 5 to supply the beverage or the like as the contents into the bottle 5.

Beverages, etc. are sterilized and then stored in a storage tank (not shown), from which they reach the filling nozzle through a pipeline, and the beverages, etc. supplied from the storage tank are distributed to the swirling filling nozzle. In addition, an upper rotary joint and an upper manifold are provided on the vertical axis. Beverages and the like in the storage tank enter the empty chamber on the vertical axis, and are discharged into the bottle 5 from the filling nozzle via the upper rotary joint and the upper manifold.

The filling nozzle is provided with a valve for supplying a desired amount of beverage or the like into the bottle 5. The aseptic filling machine is provided with a CIP processing device that performs CIP processing for cleaning the inside of the beverage supply system piping from the storage tank to the filling nozzle and a SIP processing device that performs SIP processing for sterilizing. In order to perform the CIP process and the SIP process, a cup-shaped opening / closing body for opening / closing the lower end of the filling nozzle is provided. The opening / closing body is arranged around the filling wheel 12 corresponding to each gripper and filling nozzle.

The opening / closing body can be moved in the radial direction and the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the filling wheel 12 by a cam device, an air cylinder device, etc., and when the beverage or the like is supplied into the bottle 5 from the filling nozzle, it retracts inward in the radial direction. When shielding the filling nozzle, it moves outward in the radial direction directly below the filling nozzle, and then rises to close the mouth of the filling nozzle.

Further, as a component of the CIP processing device, in addition to the opening / closing body, a lower manifold, a lower rotary joint, a cleaning liquid tank, and a pump are provided. The lower rotary joint is attached to the vertical axis. The lower manifold is fixed to the base side. The opening / closing body, the upper manifold, the lower manifold, etc. are connected by a pipe. These CIP processing devices rotate together with the filling wheel 12.

Around the capper wheel 14 shown in FIG. 2, although not shown, a capper for screwing a cap into the mouth of a bottle 5 filled with a beverage or the like is provided. The capper is adapted to screw a sterilized cap to the mouth of the bottle 5 while rotating with the capper wheel 14.

The wheels 11 to 15 in the chamber cleaned with the cleaning liquid are rotated. After the cleaning liquid is sprayed into the filling chamber 4, the wheels 11 to 15 that convey the bottle 5 are rotated, and the centrifugal force generated by rotating the wheels 11 to 15 causes the wheels 11 to 15 and the wheels 11 to 15 to work together. Remove the cleaning liquid adhering to the rotating device.

The rotation of the wheels 11 to 15 is at least half or more of the wheel rotation speed during operation of the sterile filling machine, preferably to the operation speed at the time of manufacture. The wheels in each chamber are rotated at approximately the same rotation speed at the same time. If each chamber is equipped with a motor and the rotation of the wheel can be controlled for each chamber, it is rotated for each chamber. By rotating each chamber according to the stage of COP treatment and SOP treatment, the COP treatment and SOP treatment of each chamber can be rapidly advanced. By rotating the wheel, sterile water adhering to the device and the wall surface in the chamber can be quickly removed. When the CIP process or the SIP process in the beverage supply system pipe is being performed, the clutch of the wheel of the filling wheel 12 may be disengaged to rotate a wheel other than the filling wheel 12.

Next, the disinfectant is sprayed into the filling chamber 4 to sterilize the device and the wall surface in the filling chamber 4, but when the disinfectant containing peracetic acid is sprayed, the water remaining in the chamber is sprayed. This is to prevent the concentration of peracetic acid in the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid from being lowered and the bactericidal effect from being lowered. Before spraying the disinfectant containing peracetic acid, it is preferable to further blow heating air into the filling chamber 4 to completely remove the remaining water, but it takes a long time. By rotating the wheels 11 to 15 which are the transfer devices of the bottle 5, the cleaning liquid adhering to the wheels 11 to 15 and the devices attached to the wheels 11 to 15 is removed, and the bactericidal effect of the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid is reduced. Can be suppressed.

When rotating the wheels 11 to 15, the rotation and the stop may be repeated. Acceleration is applied by repeating rotation and stop, and the cleaning liquid adhering to the wheels 11 to 15 and the devices attached to the wheels 11 to 15 is efficiently removed. Further, the spindle of the capper may be moved up and down to remove residual water adhering to the bellows protecting the spindle.

Removing the washing water by driving the transport device that transports the container is a part other than the filling part such as the heating part, the molding part, the sterilizing part, the air rinse part, the sealing part, and the discharging part in the aseptic filling machine of the bottle. It is done in a chamber that shields. The wheels are rotated in chambers other than the filling chamber 4, but the heating section can remove sterile water adhering to the endless chain and the attached spindle by operating the endless chain that conveys the preform. In the molded portion, sterile water adhering to the wheel and the mold, extension rod, valve block, etc. attached to the wheel can be removed by rotating the wheel.

When removing the washing water by driving the transport device for transporting the container, it is preferable to blow air into the aseptic filling machine chamber. By blowing aseptic heating air into the chamber, the removal of the washing water can be promoted, and the washing water can be removed in a short time. The air blown into the chamber is preferably heated. Further, the air blown into the chamber may be sterile air. This is done by supplying aseptic heating air into the chamber 1 by the aseptic heating air supply device 16 provided in the upper part of the chamber 1 shown in FIG. Aseptic heating air is obtained by heating the air from the blower 17 with the heating device 18 and sterilizing it with the filter 19. The aseptic heating air supply device 16 includes a blower 17, a heating device 18, and a filter 19.

After removing the cleaning liquid in the chamber where the COP treatment has been performed by injecting the cleaning liquid, the SOP treatment is performed in the chamber. In the aseptic filling machine for bottles, since the inside of the chamber covering the heating part and the molding part of the aseptic filling machine having the preform sterilizing part is not contaminated by the contents, only the SOP treatment may be performed without the COP treatment. As the SOP treatment, a disinfectant containing peracetic acid is sprayed into the chamber, and then the disinfectant containing peracetic acid is washed away by spraying sterile water. A disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide is sprayed into the chamber, and then hydrogen peroxide is sprayed. The bactericidal agent contained is removed by drying.

Further, the spray of the disinfectant containing peracetic acid and the spray of the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide may be alternately performed. For example, after injecting a bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid, the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid is washed away with sterile water, the transport device for transporting the container is driven to remove the sterile water, and then the bactericidal agent containing hydrogen peroxide is injected. The disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide is removed by drying.

SOP treatment consisting of a step of spraying a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide, removing the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide by drying, spraying a disinfectant containing peracetic acid, and then washing away the disinfectant containing peracetic acid with sterile water. There is also. Not only the spray of the disinfectant containing peracetic acid and the spray of the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide may be alternately performed, but each may be performed a plurality of times.

When sterile water is sprayed after spraying a bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid and then a bactericidal agent containing hydrogen peroxide is sprayed, the sterile water is removed by driving a transport device that transports the container after spraying the sterile water. Sterilization in the chamber with a disinfectant containing peracetic acid is completely performed where the disinfectant containing peracetic acid comes into contact. However, there are minute gaps where the disinfectant cannot enter, areas where the spray does not reach, areas where the disinfectant cannot be actively sterilized with a peracetic acid (for example, HEPA filter), and peracetic acid-resistant bacteria (such as Paenivatilus and Seleus). May not be sterilized. Therefore, in order to sterilize minute gaps where the sterilizing agent cannot enter and places where the injection does not reach, which may not be sterilized by the sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid by the hydrogen peroxide gas generated from the sterilizing agent containing hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid and the bactericidal agent containing hydrogen peroxide may be alternately sprayed.

Here, the disinfectant containing peracetic acid is a disinfectant containing peracetic acid as a main component, and the peracetic acid concentration is 500 ppm or more, preferably 1000 ppm to 5000 ppm. It also contains at least hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. At this time, the bactericidal effect is enhanced by heating the bactericidal agent containing peracetic acid to 40 ° C. to 95 ° C., preferably 50 ° C. to 95 ° C.

After spraying a disinfectant containing peracetic acid into the chamber, sterile water is sprayed into the chamber. By spraying sterile water, the disinfectant containing peracetic acid is washed away from the chamber. Here, the water used to wash away the disinfectant containing peracetic acid must be sterile water. This is to maintain the state of being sterilized by a sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid.

A disinfectant containing peracetic acid drives a transport device that transports a container in a chamber that has been washed away with sterile water. In the bottle sterile filling machine, the wheels 11 to 15 that convey the bottle 5 are rotated after the sterile water is injected into the chamber, and the centrifugal force generated by rotating the wheels 11 to 15 causes the wheels 11 to 15 and Removes sterile water adhering to the device that rotates with the wheels 11-15.

After removing the sterile water, a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide is sprayed into the chamber of the sterile filling machine. It is preferable to dry the inside of the chamber as much as possible before spraying the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide into the chamber. This is because, in the wet state, hydrogen peroxide is dissolved in the remaining sterile water and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is lowered, so that the bactericidal ability may not be exhibited.

In order to efficiently remove the sterile water remaining in each chamber in a short time, the wheels in each chamber are rotated, and the rotation speed at which the wheels are rotated is preferably increased to the operating speed at the time of production. Further, the rotation and the stop may be repeated. When rotating the wheel, it is preferable to supply sterile air so that bacteria do not invade from the outside. Furthermore, it is more preferred to heat sterile air to speed the removal of sterile water. Aseptic air can be between 50 ° C and 200 ° C. By rotating the wheel, sterile water adhering to the wheel and the device that rotates with the wheel can be removed, but the air flow around the wheel generated by rotating the wheel collides with the wall surface of the chamber. , The downward flow of the sterile water adhering to the wall surface can be promoted, and the removal of the sterile water adhering to the wall surface can be accelerated. By supplying sterile air, the pressure in the filling chamber 4 is raised to 30 Pa to 200 Pa, and the sterile water is efficiently removed. In addition, aseptic water can be efficiently removed by increasing the pressure in other chambers in the same manner.

As described above, it is preferable to blow aseptic heating air into the chamber during wheel rotation, but by blowing aseptic heating air into the chamber even after the wheel rotation is stopped, the aseptic water remaining in the chamber is removed. Can be accelerated.

After removing the sterile water in the chamber, a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide is sprayed into the chamber. It is appropriate that the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide to be injected contains hydrogen peroxide in the range of 20% by mass to 65% by mass. If it is less than 20% by mass, the bactericidal activity may be insufficient, and if it exceeds 65% by mass, it becomes difficult to handle for safety. By injecting a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide, the parts that could not be sterilized by injecting the disinfectant containing peracetic acid and the bacteria containing peracetic acid resistant bacteria are sterilized.

After injecting a disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide into the chamber, aseptic heating air is blown into the chamber in order to gasify the hydrogen peroxide and sterilize the inside of the chamber. The aseptic heating air can be 50 ° C to 200 ° C. By blowing aseptic heating air into the chamber, the hydrogen peroxide in the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide remaining in the chamber is gasified, and the fine gaps where the disinfectant containing peracetic acid could not enter and the injection reach. No areas or peracetic acid resistant bacteria are sterilized.

After confirming that the disinfectant containing hydrogen peroxide in the chamber was removed by blowing aseptic heating air into the chamber, the remaining hydrogen peroxide was removed and the temperature was raised by blowing aseptic heating air. The inside of the chamber is ventilated and cooled by blowing sterile air at room temperature into the chamber to cool the inside.

So far, we have mainly described the sterile filling machine for bottles, but even in the sterile filling machine for containers such as cups, trays, paper containers or pouches other than bottles, driving the transport device that conveys the container is a cleaning liquid. Alternatively, since the sterile water is removed in a short time, the productivity of the sterile filling machine can be improved.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine for trays according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the aseptic filling machine shown in FIG. 3, the container to be filled is a tray, but even a cup-shaped container having a flange is a sterile filling machine having the same shape. The tray 20 supplied to the aseptic filling machine is held by the retainer 21. The retainer 21 has a flat plate portion, and the flat plate portion is formed with an fitting hole into which the tray 20 is fitted. In the tray, the flange 22 of the tray 20 is held by the flat plate portion by inserting the container portion into the fitting hole of the retainer 21. A large number of retainers 21 are prepared, and the tray is continuously conveyed horizontally with the surface of the flange 22. The retainer 21 is attached to a transport device that travels continuously. The continuously traveling transport device is attached to the endless chain 24 horizontally hung between the sprocket wheels 23a and 23b at predetermined intervals. The tray 20 is conveyed in the aseptic filling machine by continuously traveling while holding the retainer 21 by driving the endless chain 24.

The tray 20 is sterilized, filled with the contents, and sealed by being conveyed in the chamber 25 of the aseptic filling machine shown in FIG. The chamber 25 includes a sterilizing part, a filling part, and a sealing part in the chamber 25. The tray 20 supplied to the chamber 25 is held by the retainer 21, and is preheated by blowing hot air from above and below by the preheating nozzle 26. The preheated tray 20 is sterilized by spraying the disinfectant from above and below by the disinfectant spray nozzle 27. The tray 20 to which the disinfectant is sprayed is held for a predetermined time, and then sterilized by activating the disinfectant adhering to the surface of the tray 20 by aseptic heating air sprayed from the drying air nozzle 28, and the disinfectant is dried. Is removed by. After that, the contents sterilized by the filling device 29 are filled in the tray 20, and the tray 20 filled with the contents is sealed by heat-sealing the lid material sterilized by the sealing device to the tray 20. The sealed tray 20 is ejected from the chamber 25.

The inside of the chamber 25 is subjected to COP treatment and SOP treatment before operating the aseptic filling machine. In this process, when removing the cleaning water after the COP treatment or the aseptic water in the SOP treatment, the transport device for transporting the tray 20 is driven to remove the cleaning liquid and the sterile water adhering to the transport device. .. That is, the endless chain 24 that conveys the retainer 21 that does not hold the tray 20 is driven. By driving the endless chain 24, the cleaning liquid or sterile water adhering to the endless chain 24 and the retainer 21 can be removed in a short time.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine for paper containers according to the embodiment of the present invention. The sleeve 31, which has at least a wall surface formed by laminating paper and is a tubular body having a substantially rectangular cross section, is introduced into the chamber 33 by the sleeve supply device 32. The sleeve 1 is inserted into a mandrel 35 provided on the turret 34, leaving a portion necessary for closing. Further, the sterilizer 36 sterilizes the inner surface of the sleeve 31 on which the mandrel 35 is not inserted on the closed side and the outer surface of the sleeve 31. After sterilization, the remaining disinfectant is removed by hot air blown by the drying device 37.

Further, in the sleeve 31, the ruled line forming the bottom of the paper container is folded by the bottom bending device, and the portion heated by the drying device 37 is crimped by the bottom sealing device 38. In this way, one surface of the open end of the sleeve 31 is closed, and the sleeve 31 is molded into a bottomed tubular paper container.

While the molded paper container is intermittently conveyed by the conveyor 39, the disinfectant gas generated by the disinfectant gas generator 40 is ejected from the nozzle onto the inner surface of the paper container. The disinfectant sprayed on the paper container is removed by the hot air sprayed on the inner surface of the paper container from the hot air nozzle 41. The sterilized paper container is filled with the contents sterilized by a device provided separately by the filling device 42. Further, the ruled line of the head of the paper container is folded by the head bending device, the inner surface is heated by the head heating device 43, crimped by the head sealing device 44, and the paper container is sealed. The sealed paper container is discharged from the chamber 33. The paper container is molded by being conveyed in the chamber 33 of the aseptic filling machine shown in FIG. 4, the molded paper container is sterilized, and the contents are filled and sealed. The chamber 33 includes a paper container molding part, a sterilization part, a filling part, and a sealing part inside.

The inside of the chamber 33 is subjected to COP treatment and SOP treatment before operating the aseptic filling machine. In this process, when removing the cleaning liquid after the COP treatment or removing the sterile water in the SOP treatment, the transport device for transporting the paper container is driven to remove the cleaning liquid and sterile water adhering to the transport device. That is, the turret 34 provided with the mandrel 35 is rotated in a state where the sleeve is not inserted into the mandrel 35, and the conveyor 39 for conveying the paper container that does not hold the paper container is driven. By driving the turret 34 and the conveyor 39, the cleaning liquid or sterile water adhering to the turret 34 and the conveyor 39 can be removed in a short time.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic elevation view of the aseptic filling machine for the pouch according to the embodiment of the present invention. The aseptic filling machine for the pouch shown in FIG. 5 is a device that supplies a film, sterilizes the supplied film, forms the pouch, and fills the pouch with the sterilized contents and seals the pouch. Therefore, it is provided with a traveling means of the packaging film 45 and a nozzle 46 for spraying a disinfectant on both sides of the packaging film 45. The traveling means of the packaging film 45 is a drive device for continuously traveling the packaging film 45 from the feeding roll of the packaging film 45, and various guides arranged on the traveling path of the infeed roller and the packaging film 45. A roller, a guide roller that sandwiches the packaging film 45 from both sides thereof, and the like are included.

The guide roller for guiding the packaging film 45 unwound from the feeding roll to the disinfectant spray nozzle 46 and the preheating device 47 and the packaging film 45 for heating the packaging film 45 before spraying the disinfectant on the packaging film 45. A heated air blowing device 48 for blowing heated air on both sides of the packaging film 45 after spraying the sterilizing agent is provided.

The sterilized packaging film 45 is turned around by the rollers 49 and conveyed to the bag-making filling section 50. The bag-making filling section 50 is shielded by the chamber 51, and the inside of the chamber 51 is subjected to COP treatment and SOP treatment before operating the aseptic filling machine. The direction of the packaging film 45 conveyed to the bag-making filling section 50 is changed downward by the rollers 52. After that, the packaging film 45 is folded by the former 53 so that both side edges along the transport direction overlap each other. The folded packaging film 45 passes between a pair of vertical sealing rollers 54 (only the front side is shown in FIG. 5). At that time, the overlapping portions of both side edges of the packaging film 45 are heat-welded by the vertical sealing roller 54, whereby the packaging film 45 is formed into a tubular shape. After that, the packaging film 45 is heat-welded by a pair of lateral sealing rollers 55 at regular intervals in the transport direction and sealed in the lateral direction. Various sterilized contents are continuously supplied from the supply pipe 56 to the horizontally sealed tubular packaging film 45, and the horizontal seal seals the location of the contents in the liquid. Will be done. After that, notches are appropriately formed in each pouch, and perforations are made in the lateral direction, or the lateral seal portion is cut by the cutting roller 57 to separate the pouches from each other. The cut pouch falls into the discharge section.

The inside of the chamber 51 is subjected to COP treatment and SOP treatment before operating the aseptic filling machine. When the SOP treatment is performed, the packaging film 45 is passed through the chamber 51. This is because the packaging film 51 cannot be passed through the SOP-treated chamber 51 without opening the chamber 51. In this process, when removing the wash water after the COP treatment or the sterile water in the SOP treatment, a roller for niping and transporting the packaging film for transporting the packaging film 45, a vertical seal roller 54, and a horizontal seal roller 54. The seal roller 55 and the cutting roller 57 are transport devices for transporting the packaging film 45, and drive the transport device to remove the cleaning liquid and sterile water adhering to the transport device. That is, the cleaning liquid or sterile water adhering to the roller, which is the conveying device, can be removed in a short time by driving the forming film while feeding it to the roller, which is the conveying device of the forming film 45. At this time, the packaging film 45 is conveyed into the chamber 51 by spraying the disinfectant by the disinfectant spraying device 46. In order to reliably perform the SOP treatment in the chamber 51, the packaging film 45 transported in the chamber 51 must be sterilized and transported into the chamber 51.

Although the present invention is configured as described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

1 ... Chamber 2 ... Rotary nozzle 3 ... Two-fluid nozzle 4 ... Filling chamber 11 ... Introduction wheel 12 ... Filling wheel 14 ... Capper wheel 15 ... Discharge wheel

Claims (5)

In an aseptic filling machine in which a sterilized container is filled with sterilized contents in an aseptic atmosphere and the container filled with the contents is sealed.
It is a sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber performed before the operation of the aseptic filling machine.
After cleaning the inside of the chamber by spraying the cleaning liquid into the aseptic filling machine chamber, the spindle of the capper that seals the container is moved up and down to remove the cleaning liquid adhering to the bellows that protects the spindle, and then the disinfectant. Is sterilized in the aseptic filling machine chamber, which comprises injecting the above into the aseptic filling machine chamber. In the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to claim 1.
A method for sterilizing an aseptic filling machine chamber, wherein the sterilizing agent contains hydrogen peroxide. In the sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to claim 1.
A method for sterilizing an aseptic filling machine chamber, wherein the sterilizing agent contains peracetic acid. The sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A method for sterilizing an aseptic filling machine chamber, wherein the cleaning liquid is aseptic water. The sterilization method in the aseptic filling machine chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A method for sterilizing an aseptic filling machine chamber, which comprises blowing aseptic heating air into the aseptic filling machine chamber when moving the spindle up and down.

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