JP2610651B2 - Container transfer method and device in aseptic filling and packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an aseptic filling package in which a supplied container is sterilized, and then the container is filled with contents in a sterile atmosphere and sealed with a sterilized lid. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of transferring containers, and more specifically, a transfer method of intermittently transferring containers at a fixed distance along a pair of rails supported by a neck between a pair of rails. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transferring containers in an aseptic filling and packaging machine provided with two transfer means.

[Conventional technology]

The contents, which are foods, were sterilized and sterilized before filling, and sterilized before filling, for sterile packaging, which was processed under aseptic conditions as much as possible to maintain freshness for as long as possible. It has been recognized that aseptic filling and packaging in which containers are filled and sealed in a sterile atmosphere and are not sterilized secondarily are excellent in the following points.

Since the contents are sterilized by high-temperature treatment for a short time, the heat history is small, so that the original quality of the foods, such as the flavor, color tone, and nutritional value, which the contents originally possess, can be favorably maintained.

Since the stored contents are sterile, they can be stored at room temperature.

Since refrigeration is not required for storage and distribution, the huge amount of energy required for low-temperature distribution can be reduced.

Can be packaged in large containers that cannot be made by canning.

Because the shelf life is long, planned production can be performed.

Since the container that is the packaging material is sterilized before packaging,
Does not require the heat resistance required for canning and retort.

As described above, aseptic filling and packaging technology has many excellent advantages, so it has come to be used for filling and packaging of many foods, and its basic processing means is carried in and sterilized. The treated container is sent as it is into a sterile atmosphere, filled with contents, and then sealed with a sterilized lid.

The processing step in this aseptic filling and packaging technology includes a step of sterilizing the supplied container, filling the sterilized container with contents in a sterile atmosphere, and supplying a sterilized lid. It can be roughly divided into a step of sealing the container with the supplied lid.

In the container sterilization step, the supplied container is sterilized by means for passing the container through a sterilizing agent atmosphere. It is moved to the supply position and the sealing position in order to fill the contents, thereby achieving the supply and sealing of the lid.

As disclosed in JP-A-55-163124 as a prior art in the aseptic filling and packaging machine as described above, a container inserted into a conveyor pallet is sterilized and dried, and a certain content is filled with food and drink. As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-287833, there is an apparatus in which containers are transferred one by one in a sealed manner, sterilized and dried, and filled with contents.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned prior art corresponds to a single container form, and when the container form is changed, all conveyor pallets must be changed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-287833 discloses a container capable of coping with a change in the container form.However, since the container is transferred using a sealed transfer means over the entire length of the container transfer path, the container is In addition to the problem that the atmosphere of the sterilization drying stage and the filling and sealing stage cannot be clearly defined, the transfer device makes it difficult to clean, sterilize and inspect the filling machine and the sealing device for the lid, In particular, the sealing device for the lid is in a sealing space, so that it is difficult to position the container, and there are problems such as poor sealing.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and achieves container sterilization and filling and sealing while intermittently transferring a container along two different transfer methods along a single transfer path. It is intended to intermittently move the container alone.

[Means for solving the problem]

Means of the present invention for achieving the above object is that at least a pair of rails horizontally arranged in a sterile atmosphere are supported in a neck-hanging manner by a collar portion provided around the outer periphery of the opening of the main body. The transfer method is to transfer the containers intermittently along the rail at a fixed distance, a container sterilization zone that achieves sterilization of the supplied containers that is the first half of the sterile atmosphere, and the container sterilization that is the second half of the sterile atmosphere. A filling / sealing zone that achieves filling and sealing of the contents of the container supplied from the zone is partitioned so as to allow passage of the container, and the filling / sealing zone is maintained at a positive pressure with respect to the container sterilization zone. In the container sterilization zone, intermittent transfer of a flat push plate assembled in an upright posture across the transfer path to an endless chain that is placed immediately below the transfer path of the container formed by the rail and driven intermittently. In the filling and sealing zone, intermittent transfer of containers is achieved by reciprocating along the transfer path and pressing by reciprocating rods that enter and exit the transfer path from the side. , It is in.

As means for specifically implementing the above means, the inside is made a sterile atmosphere, the first half and the second half of this sterile atmosphere are partitioned so as to allow passage of a container, and the second half is separated from the first half of the sterile atmosphere. Having a hermetic frame maintained at a positive pressure, having at least a pair of rails horizontally arranged in parallel in the hermetic frame, a transfer path formed by rails in a container sterilization zone which is a first half of the hermetic frame; Having a container sterilization stage in which a flat transfer plate is assembled at regular intervals in an upright posture crossing the transfer path to an endless chain which is disposed immediately below and intermittently driven, thereby forming a first transfer device; In the filling and sealing zone, which is the second half of the second embodiment, a comb-shaped body provided at regular intervals with rod-shaped tooth pieces reciprocating along the transfer path and entering and exiting the transfer path from the side.
Having a filling and sealing stage comprising a transfer device.

In the container sterilization step, the container supply body, the sterilant inlet, and the hot air supply duct are arranged in this order from the upstream side of the transfer path immediately above the transfer path, and the gas in the container sterilization zone is provided at the boundary between the filling and sealing zones. For preventing the inflow into the filling and sealing zone. In the container sterilization step, the container sterilization step is preferably composed of a germicide spraying / adhering step and an ultraviolet irradiation step, and then proceeds to a drying step in terms of container sterilization.

Further, the filling and sealing step includes a filling machine that fills the container with the contents immediately above the transfer path from the upstream side of the transfer path, a lid sterilization supply body that sterilizes the lid and supplies the lid to the container opening. And a pressure seal body for heating and welding the supplied lid to the container opening densely in order, and a positioning member for accurately positioning and supporting the container at each stop position directly below the transfer path. Is provided.

[Action]

The container is fed into the airtight frame forming an aseptic atmosphere from one end of the airtight frame, and sterilized while being intermittently transported in a state of being supported by at least a pair of rails in a hanging manner.
After being subjected to filling, lid supply, and sealing processes, the air is sent out from the outlet at the other end of the airtight frame. This intermittent transfer of the container is achieved by the first transfer device in the container sterilization zone in the airtight frame, and is achieved by the second transfer device in the filling and sealing zone.

The sterilization process in the container sterilization zone is performed entirely from the top of the container, does not require accurate positioning of the container, and furthermore, there is no handling of substances that cause soiling. Intermittent transfer of the container is achieved only by the first transfer device constituted by the push plate which moves intermittently together.

On the other hand, in the filling / sealing zone, it is necessary to accurately position the stop position of the container, and to handle the contents that cause soiling, so that the container reciprocates along the transfer path and the transfer path sideways. The container is intermittently moved alone by a second transfer device constituted by a rod body coming in and out of the container. For this reason, a sufficient space will be formed immediately below the transfer path, and a positioning member for accurate positioning of the container can be conveniently arranged in this space,
Further, the container is transported intermittently by itself, so that the scattered contents are not diffused into the filling and sealing zone by the second transporting device and become dirty.

In the container sterilization step in the container sterilization step forming the container sterilization zone, the container is sprayed with a bactericide, the container sprayed with the bactericide is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and then the container is completely blown by blowing hot air on the container. Achieved by drying. Further, the filling and sealing process in the filling and sealing step of forming the filling and sealing zone is performed in the aseptic atmosphere formed by the aseptic air supplied from the aseptic air supply port, and the container supplied from the container sterilization step is accurately placed in the filling position. Filling the contents in the positioned position, then mounting the sterilized lid with the container correctly positioned in the lid supply position from the lid sterile supply into the container opening, and A container with a lid mounted on an opening is accurately positioned at a sealing position and is tightly welded to the container opening by heating and pressing of a pressure seal body in a state of being firmly supported, and the sealing is achieved by sealing the container. It is sent out of the airtight frame from the carry-out port.

At the boundary between the container sterilization zone and the filling and sealing zone formed by the container sterilization step, means are provided for partitioning both zones to prevent the atmosphere in the container sterilization zone from entering the filling and sealing zone. Also, since the positive pressure in the filling and sealing zone is set to be higher than that in the container sterilizing zone, even if the sterile atmosphere in the filling and sealing zone may flow into the container sterilizing zone, Does not flow into the filling / sealing zone, thereby reliably preventing the contamination of the filling / sealing zone by the sterilizing agent atmosphere.

The part of the endless chain that has the push plate attached in a standing position crossing the transfer path and that runs in the transfer direction is supported by the chain guide so that it does not rattle up and down. The container intermittently moves together with the container while maintaining the standing posture crossing the transfer path in a stable state.

A suction duct is provided at one end of the airtight frame that forms the container sterilization zone where the container supply body is installed, and the atmosphere in the container sterilization zone is constantly sucked, so that sterilization that achieves sterilization of the container is achieved. The agent atmosphere is quickly sucked by the suction dunk and does not diffuse into the container sterilization zone, and the suction of the suction duct results in a negative pressure in the container sterilization zone as compared with the filling and sealing zone as described above. Thus, the atmosphere in the container sterilization zone does not enter the filling and sealing zone side, and the outside air that has entered the airtight frame from the container supply portion is sucked and exhausted together with the atmosphere in the container sterilization zone. In short, in the container sterilization zone, there is the outside air entering from the container supply part, the sterilizing agent after the sterilization operation, and the sterilizing agent gas generated in the portion from the ultraviolet irradiation body to the hot air supply duct, but these are present. The gas is exhausted from one suction duct on the large flow of the sterile atmosphere flowing from the filling and sealing zone.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show the entire aseptic filling and packaging apparatus 3. The aseptic filling and packaging apparatus 3 is a support frame 8 which is a base body of the entire apparatus and is a storage part of a drive function part of the apparatus. An airtight frame 9 as a chamber is mounted on the upper portion, and two pairs of rails R arranged horizontally and parallel over the entire length are arranged in the airtight frame 9 in parallel, and container sterilization is performed on the first half of the airtight frame 9. A container sterilizer 4 is provided in the container sterilization step of forming the zone M, and a filling and sealing device 5 is provided in the latter half of the filling and sealing step of forming the filling and sealing zone N.

A suction duct 91 is provided on one end wall (left end wall in FIG. 1) of the airtight frame 9 to exhaust the atmosphere in the container sterilization zone M to a processing chamber (not shown), and the other end wall of the airtight frame 9 ( An opening 92 is formed in the right end wall in FIG. 1 for carrying out the container A, which has been completely filled and hermetically sealed, from the inside of the airtight frame 9 while being placed on the rail R.

The container sterilizer 4 is configured by sequentially attaching a container supply body 40, a germicide inlet 41, an ultraviolet irradiation body 42, and a hot air supply duct 43 to the top plate of the airtight frame 9 from the upstream side in the transfer direction. Then, the container supply body 40 drops and supplies the container A onto the rail R in synchronization with the intermittent movement timing of the push plate 10 of the first transfer device 1 attached to the container sterilization device 4, and feeds the sterilant.
Reference numeral 41 denotes a liquid disinfectant such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which is sprayed in a mist state on the container A located immediately below, and irradiated with an ultraviolet ray
42 achieves sterilization of the container A by irradiation of ultraviolet rays, and the hot air supply duct 43 blows dry hot air onto the container A from above, thereby drying and scattering the sterilizing agent attached to the container A.

The filling and sealing device 5 sequentially attaches a sterile air supply port 50, a filling machine 51, a lid sterilizing supply 52, and a press seal 54 to the top plate of the airtight frame 9 from the upstream side in the transfer direction, In the airtight frame 9, a positioning member for accurately positioning the container A at the filling position, the lid supply position and the sealing position of the transfer path and supporting the container A in a stable posture is attached. A temporary sealing body 53 is provided immediately above, and aseptic air constantly fed into the filling and sealing zone N from the aseptic air supply port 50, the inside of the filling and sealing zone N is outside the airtight frame 9 and from the sterilization zone M. Is also maintained at positive pressure,
For this reason, there is no possibility that outside air containing various bacteria enters the filling sealed zone N, and the sterilizing agent atmosphere is prevented from entering from the sterilizing zone M. The filling machine 51 is stopped at the filling position immediately below. The container A was poured and filled with the desired contents from above, and the lid sterilization supply 52 was sterilized on the opening of the container A stopped at the lid supply position immediately below, that is, on the collar section A2. A sheet-like lid is supplied, and a pressure seal
The lid mounted on the lip A2, this lip A2
Is heated and welded tightly to achieve sealing of the container A by the lid,
The temporary seal body 53 is provided at a plurality of positions with the lid just supplied and mounted in order to prevent the lid supplied and mounted on the container A from being displaced with extremely high positioning accuracy from the lid sterilization supply body 52. Heated and welded from the flange A2, each positioning member accurately positions the intermittently transferred container A at the filling position, the lid supply position, and the sealing position, and supports the container A in a stable posture from below.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first transfer device 1 disposed immediately below the rail R of the container sterilization zone M includes a pair of parallel endless chains 13 stretched between front and rear sprockets 14, 14. In between, the push plate 10 with the leg pieces 11 extending rearward from the lower ends on both sides of the flat body is connected to the two connecting rods 12 with the pins of the endless chain 13 extended as they are, and the leg pieces 11 are connected. By doing this, the push plate 10 is assembled in an upright posture crossing the transfer path, and the part running in the transfer direction of the endless chain 13 to which the push plate 10 is assembled, that is, the upper endless chain 13 is vertically moved. The endless chain 13 is provided with a straight-bar-shaped chain guide 15 which is lightly held between the endless chains 13 to prevent the endless chain 13 from rattling.

In the first transfer device 1, the push plate 10 is intermittently moved by a predetermined distance by the intermittent rotation drive of a sprocket 14 on the downstream side (right side in FIG. 1) in the transfer direction by a drive source (not shown). The body A1 of the container A supported in a neck-hanging manner by the collar A2 between the pair of rails R is pressed by the intermittently moving push plate 10, and the container A is intermittently transferred along the rail R by a fixed distance. . As described above, the first transfer device 1 intermittently transfers the container A along the transfer path by the push plate 10, so that the push plate 10 moves intermittently with the container A.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the second transfer device 2 acts as a rod for pressing and moving the container A on the elongated plate-shaped head plate 22 at intervals equal to the intermittent transfer distance of the container A. A comb tooth body 20 having tooth pieces 21 extended to the side is attached via a swing arm 23 to an operating shaft 24 that is rotatably arranged in the lower part of the airtight frame 9 in parallel with the transfer path. By reciprocating the operating shaft 24 in the axial direction, that is, the transport direction by the feeder 25, the comb-tooth body 20, that is, the tooth pieces 21 is reciprocated along the transport path, and the operating shaft 24 is rotated by the insertion / removal body 26. By causing the swing arm 23 to swing and displace, the tooth piece 21 is moved.
Is moved in and out of the transfer path. Thus, the second
The transfer device 2 achieves the intermittent movement of the container A by moving the tooth pieces 21 in and out of the transfer path from the side and reciprocating. Therefore, when the container A is stopped, that is, when the contents are filled, the cover 21 is closed. During the supply and temporary sealing of the body, and when the lid is heated and welded to the container A, the second transfer device 2 is not located at all near the container A, particularly below the container A. The processing action on the container A can be achieved very smoothly and well.

At the boundary between the container sterilization zone M and the filling and sealing zone N, means for dividing the airtight frame 9 back and forth to prevent the sterilant atmosphere in the container sterilizing zone M from entering the filling and sealing zone N. A partition plate 6 is provided, and an opening is formed in the partition plate 6 to allow the container A to pass therethrough. As described above, the container sterilization zone M and the filling / sealing zone N communicate with each other only through the small opening for passing the container A of the partition plate 6. Since the zone N has a positive pressure, the sterilization residual atmosphere in the container sterilization zone M does not flow into the filling and sealing zone N through the container passage opening of the partition plate 6, and the container of the partition plate 6 From the passage opening, a harmless sterile air atmosphere in the filling and sealing zone N always flows into the container sterilization zone M, and a certain gas flow form for preventing unnecessary diffusion of the sterilizing agent in the container sterilization zone M. Has formed.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, the following effects can be exhibited.

Since the container can be sterilized and filled and sealed while intermittently transferring the container along a single transfer path,
Handling of the container is extremely simple and easy.

Intermittent transfer of containers in the filling and sealing process is achieved by the reciprocating movement along the transfer path and the pressing action of the rods coming in and out of the transfer path from the side, so that the container can be accurately positioned and stabilized during the processing operation. Auxiliary function part for achieving the supported support can be arranged directly below the transfer path,
As a result, a reliable and safe filling and sealing process can be achieved.

Also, in the filling and sealing process, only the container moves intermittently, so even if the contents are scattered at the time of filling, the whole of the filling and sealing zone is not contaminated by the scattered contents. Can be maintained.

Since the container sterilization zone and the filling / sealing zone are shut off and the sterile air atmosphere in the filling / sealing zone flows into the container sterilization zone, the harmful sterilizing agent atmosphere in the container sterilization zone enters the filling / sealing zone. Without intrusion,
Thereby, filling of the contents can be safely achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the first rail with respect to the rail of the embodiment shown in FIG.
It is a top view in the state where the top board of the airtight frame was removed and which shows the arrangement relationship of the transfer device and the second transfer device. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the filling machine of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part combined with a rail of the first transfer device. FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view of the first transfer device attached to the container sterilizing device. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the waist portion combined with the rail of the second transfer device. FIG. 8 is an overall front view showing a specific example of the second transfer device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; 1st transfer device, 10; push plate, 13; endless chain, 15; chain guide, 2; 2nd transfer device, 20; comb, 21;
3; Aseptic filling and packaging device, 4; Container sterilizer, 40; Container supply, 41; Disinfectant inlet, 42; Ultraviolet irradiation, 43; Hot air supply duct, 5; Filling and sealing device, 50; Aseptic air supply , 51; filling machine, 52; lid sterile supply, 54; press seal, 6; partition plate,
8; support frame, 9; airtight frame, 91; suction duct, 92; outlet,
A; container, A1; main body, A2; collar, R; rail, M; container sterilization zone, N; filling and sealing zone.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Mogi 380 Sannomiya, Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd., Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture 72) Inventor Mamoru Fujita 3-2-6 Oshima, Koto-ku, Tokyo Inside Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-287833 (JP, A) JP-A 50-97885 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A container supported by at least one pair of rails arranged horizontally and parallel in a sterile atmosphere in a neck-hanging manner by a collar provided around an outer periphery of an opening of a main body. A transfer method of intermittently transferring by a fixed distance, a container sterilization zone for achieving sterilization of a supplied container that is the first half of the sterile atmosphere, and a second half of the sterile atmosphere, which is supplied from the container sterilization zone. A filling and sealing zone that achieves filling and sealing of the contents of the container has been partitioned so as to allow passage of the container, and the container sterilization is performed while maintaining the filling and sealing zone at a positive pressure with respect to the container sterilization zone. In the zone, the endless chain that is disposed immediately below the transfer path of the container formed by the rail and that is intermittently driven is pressed by intermittent movement of a flat push plate that is assembled in an upright posture that crosses the transfer path. In the filling and sealing zone, the container is reciprocated along the transfer path, and the container is intermittently transferred by the reciprocating movement of the rod that enters and exits the transfer path from the side. A method for transferring containers in a sterile filling and packaging machine using two transfer means in a sterile atmosphere to be achieved. 2. A hermetic atmosphere in which the interior is made a sterile atmosphere, the first half and the second half of the sterile atmosphere are partitioned so as to allow passage of a container, and the second half is maintained at a positive pressure with respect to the first half of the sterile atmosphere. A frame, at least a pair of rails horizontally arranged in parallel in the hermetic frame, and an endless end provided at the front half of the hermetic frame and disposed immediately below a transfer path formed by the rails and intermittently driven; A flat push plate is attached to the chain at regular intervals in an upright posture crossing the transfer path, and the first
Configuring a transfer device, a container sterilization step for achieving sterilization and drying of the container within the range of the first transfer device, provided at the rear half of the hermetic frame, reciprocating along the transfer path and A second transfer device is constituted by a comb-shaped body provided with tooth pieces, which are rods that enter and exit the transfer path from the side at regular intervals. The container is filled with contents within the range of the second transfer device, and A container transfer device in an aseptic filling and packaging machine provided with two transfer devices in an airtight frame, comprising: a filling and sealing step of sealing a container with a lid. 3. The container sterilization step in the container sterilization step,
3. The container transfer device in the aseptic filling and packaging machine according to claim 2, comprising a step of attaching a sterilizing agent and a step of irradiating ultraviolet rays, and drying after the sterilizing step.