JP2668982B2 - Aseptic filling and packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial field of application> The present invention relates to a liquid aseptic filling and packaging machine. More specifically, it is easy to perform filling, pre-sterilization of air piping, and washing, and moreover, it is possible to perform reliably. The present invention relates to an aseptic filling and packaging machine in which the filling amount at the time of filling is accurate and the residual liquid after filling can be easily recovered.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, as for filling in an aseptic packaging machine and pre-sterilization of an air pipe, after filling, after washing with an acid and alkaline solution, sterilization is performed using a sterilizing solution, sterile hot water, and steam. Was common.

However, the aforementioned washing,
Since the germicidal solution remains, it was difficult to completely sterilize and wash. For this reason, at the start of filling, the first filled package has to be discarded, resulting in increased waste. In addition, it is difficult to make the pressure in the filling nozzle and the measuring section, and the pressure in the lower end of the measuring section constant, it is difficult to keep the filling amount constant, and it is difficult to collect all the liquid remaining after filling. there were.

<Problems to be Solved> The present invention provides a sterilizing solution when pre-cleaning and sterilizing a sterile chamber before filling, a filling nozzle, a filling tank, and an air pipe,
We provide an aseptic packaging machine with no problem of residual cleaning liquid, an aseptic packaging machine equipped with a filling device that keeps the filling amount constant during filling, and an aseptic filling and packaging machine that makes it easy to remove the liquid remaining in the filling device after completion of filling. The purpose is to do.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention provides a filling tank having a liquid level sensor inside, and a liquid feeding pipe connected below, a lower end of the filling tank connected to a lower end of the filling tank by a piping pipe, a valve above, A metering part having a piston that moves up and down by a cylinder below, a filling device equipped with a filling nozzle whose tip reaches a sterile chamber from below the valve, a sterile chamber provided below the filling device, and sterilization below the sterile chamber A washing liquid tank and a movable nozzle cup provided below the filling nozzle, and a pipe connecting a lower end of a cylinder of a measuring unit of the filling device and an upper part of the filling tank is further provided. A vent filter and a valve are provided between two three-way valves provided on a pipe connecting the three-way valve provided and a three-way valve provided on a pipe for circulating a sterilizing / washing liquid. It is a sterile filling and packaging machine characterized by having a filter section equipped with an ipass pipe. <Operation> First, at the time of washing and sterilization, a tank washing and sterilizing liquid is sent to a liquid sending pipe, and this is filled into a filling tank. , And to a sterile chamber. Then, from the filling tank, the piston is sent to the metering part of the filling device located at the lower end, and then the CIP is passed through the pipe equipped with the filling nozzle and the filter part.
If you return to the tank and repeat this, cleaning and sterilization will be performed, and no cleaning / sterilizing liquid will remain in the measuring section.

Next, at the time of filling, the filling liquid is fed into the filling tank, and when the filling tank is filled to a high level, the feeding liquid is interrupted. Then, when the filling liquid is reduced to the bottom level according to the filling, the liquid feeding is started again. This operation is sequentially repeated. At this time, the upper space in the filling tank also increases or decreases (breaths) through the filter as the filling liquid in the filling tank increases or decreases.

On the other hand, as the piston moves up and down, the space below the piston increases and decreases (breaths) through a filter, similar to the filling tank. However, the space above the filling tank and the space below the piston are filled. When the piston descends, the space below the piston decreases, the space above the filling tank increases, and the gas moves by the pipe. When the piston rises, the volume of the upper space in the filling tank does not change, so the increase in the space below the piston due to the rise is supplied through the filter,
Normal pressure is maintained.

Further, when the filling liquid is being sent, in each operation, the amount of the liquid is added to the system of the space above the filling tank and the space below the piston, and the space is added through the filter for the amount of addition and subtraction. Will be increased or decreased. By this, by increasing or decreasing the space through the filter in each of the filling tank and the lower part of the piston, it is possible to reduce the amount of breathing with the atmosphere, and also, the space above the filling tank,
And the pressure in the space below the piston can be kept constant.

Further, the vent filter of the filter portion does not pass the warm water for cleaning and sterilizing the device, and since the sterilization by steam is performed from the side opposite to the filling side, it is possible to prevent dust from being contaminated by steam and mixing into the filling device. .

<Example> An example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an embodiment, in which a filling liquid supply unit A, a sterile air supply unit B, a filling tank C, a filling device D,
Sterile chamber E, washing solution, sterilizing solution tank F, after washing,
A sterilizing solution sending pump P is provided, and the above-mentioned respective parts are connected by a pipe having a valve therebetween.

A liquid supply pipe 10 connecting the filling liquid supply part A and the lower part of the tank C
Is equipped with a swing valve 11, a three-way valve 12, and a valve 13 operated by a liquid level sensor H provided on the inner surface of the filling tank C from the filling liquid supply section A side. And, below the three-way valve 12,
Pipe 1 having plate heater 80 connected to pump P
5, between the three-way valve 12 and the valve 13, a valve 16 is provided, a spray ball 17 is provided at the tip, and a pipe 18 in which the spray ball 17 is incorporated in the filling tank C is branched. In addition, a pipe 33 is provided from the pipe 15 through which the nozzle 32 at the tip reaches the aseptic chamber E via the three-way valve 35B.

The aseptic air supply unit B is connected to the pipe 15 by a pipe 19 by a three-way valve 47. Filling device D
Has a metering part 23 provided with a valve 20 on the upper side and a piston 22 which moves up and down by an air cylinder 21 on the lower side, and
Filling nozzle 24 reaching the aseptic chamber E from the top of 23
Having. The valve 20 can be kept open by a pressing tool 24 provided outside, and the moving distance of the air cylinder 21 can be controlled by a spacer 25.

To connect the filling device D to the other parts, first, the pipe 26 connecting the lower end of the filling tank C and the upper part of the filling device D and the measuring unit.
Connecting the lower end of 23 and the upper end of the filling tank C, a three-way valve 27A,
, A pipe 36 having a valve 27B, a nozzle cup 70 movable into a sterile chamber, a discharge pipe 71 below the nozzle cup 70, and a three-way valve 72 provided in the middle of the discharge pipe 71. 73 connected to tank F
It has.

The three-way valve 35A has a filter section G between the three-way valve 48 provided between the three-way valves 12 and 35B.

The filter section G has a pipe 60B connecting the three-way valves 35A and 48, and the pipe 60B has three three-way valves 50 and 5
1, 52 are provided, and a vent filter 28 is provided between these three-way valves 50, 51.

From the three-way valves 35A and 52, the sterile chamber E
Pipes 61 and 60A reaching the above are respectively provided, and a bypass pipe 63 is provided between the three-way valves 50 and 51.

An exhaust pipe 65 having a valve 54 is provided below the filter 28, and the pipe 65 has a structure that prevents outside air from entering due to a vapor barrier.

The aseptic chamber E includes devices (not shown) for sterilizing the container, filling the container, sealing, and transporting the container therein (not shown). The lower end and the tank F are connected by a pipe 34. The pipe 34 intersects with the pipe 73, and valves 74 and 75 are provided below the intersecting portion. The only valve 74 is for tank F and the valve 75 is for drainage.

From below the tank F, a pipe 40 provided with a filter 39 is connected to the pump P, and a water supply section 37 and a chemical (acid, alkali, germicide) supply section 38 are connected via a pipe. I have.

Further, a pressing tool 24 of the filling device D, an air cylinder
The connecting portion 21 is structured so as to be shielded from outside air by steam.

Using the apparatus, sterilization and washing are performed so that the three-way valve 12 communicates with the liquid supply pipe 10 and the pipe 15 and the pipe 33, and also communicates the valves 13, 16, 27A, 27B and 35. At the same time, when the pump P is operated while the valve 20 of the filling device D is positioned downward by the pressing tool 24 and the piston 22 is positioned at the lower end, the cleaning / sterilizing liquid in the tank F is transferred to the pipe 40, To filling tank C via 15, 10 and 18 and to pipe 26, metering section 23, one to tank F via pipe 29 and the other via nozzle 24, nozzle kip 70, pipes 71, 73 Then, it is returned to the tank F.

Further, the one that has passed through the pipe 33 from the three-way valve 35B sterilizes the inside of the aseptic chamber E by the nozzle 32, returns to the tank F through the pipe 34.

After the completion of the liquid feeding, the aseptic air is supplied from the aseptic air supply unit B through the same path, whereby the cleaning and sterilization are completed. Here, by providing a discharge valve 81 below the pipe 15,
15 can also be discharged by the sterile air.

At this time, the filter section G is in a state where the three-way valves 35, 50, 51, 52 are in communication with each other, and the pipe 6 is not passed through without passing through the filter 28.
Send directly to sterile chamber E by 0,61.

Then, the filter 28 is sterilized by steam from the side opposite to the filling line by the steam pipe 56, and the pipe 60,
Discharge to sterile chamber E via 61.

Next, when filling the filling liquid, the valves 11, 12, 13 are opened, and the filling liquid is stored in the filling tank C through the liquid feed pipe 10. Then, the spacer 25 of the filling device D is inserted to allow the piston 22 to reciprocate between the measuring units 23 by the air cylinder 21, and the valves 27A and 27B are opened to bring the pipes 29 and 36 into communication with each other. .

In this state, the piston 22 is reciprocated, the piston 22 descends, and the extruded air on the lower side of the
The gas is supplied to the space of the filling tank C while being breathed by being connected to the chamber E through 9,36, the valve 35, 50, the filter 28, and the valves 51, 52. Then, when the piston 22 rises and sends the filling liquid of the measuring section 23 to the filling nozzle 24, air is supplied to the lower side of the measuring section 23 through the filter section 28.

For this reason, even if the amount of the filling liquid in the filling tank C decreases, the same amount of air is supplied as the measurement, so that the pressure in the filling tank C is stabilized, and the supply amount of the filling liquid is also stabilized.

After the filling is completed, the filling tank C and the filling device D
The filling liquid remaining in the filling device D is lowered by the pressing tool 24 of the filling device D, and the nozzle cup 70 is aligned with the filling nozzle 24 while the piston 22 is positioned at the upper end. Is discharged.

<Effect> Since the present invention has the above configuration, first, at the time of cleaning / sterilization, only the piston in the filling device is positioned at the lower end, and the cleaning / sterilizing liquid does not remain in the filling device. After that, if it is dried with aseptic air, it is possible to immediately move to the filling step, and the washing. Since it is a sterilizing liquid, the filling liquid at the beginning of the filling process and the filling container are not wasted.

Also, at the time of filling, the filling device sucks the filling liquid from the filling tank, and even if the filling liquid decreases, the same amount of air as the filling amount is supplied to the filling tank, so that the pressure in the filling tank is stabilized, This stabilizes the filling amount of the filling liquid in the container, reduces the breathing amount with the atmosphere, and extends the life of the filter.

Then, conventionally, it was difficult to collect the remaining filling liquid in the filling device after the completion of the filling and wasted, but according to the present invention, it is easy to simply position the valve and the piston in the filling device at the upper end. The remaining filling liquid can be collected, the filling liquid can be used without waste, and the collection can be performed without passing through the aseptic chamber, so that the aseptic state in the aseptic chamber can be maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. A ... Filling liquid supply unit, B ... Aseptic air supply unit C ... Filling tank, D ... Filling device E ... Aseptic chamber, F ... Tank P ... Pump, G ... Filter unit 10 ... Sending Liquid pipe, 22 …… Piston 23 …… Measuring section, 24 …… Filling nozzle 12,27A, 48,50,51 …… Three-way valve 28 …… Filter, 15,29,36 …… Pipe 63 …… Bypass pipe, 70 …… Nozzle cup

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A filling tank having a liquid level sensor inside and a liquid feeding pipe connected below, a piston connected to a lower end of the filling tank by a piping pipe, a valve upward, and a vertically movable cylinder downward. A metering section having a filling device having a filling nozzle whose tip reaches the aseptic chamber from below the valve, a sterile chamber provided below the filling device, a sterilizing / washing liquid tank below the aseptic chamber, and the filling nozzle. It is provided with a movable nozzle cup provided below, and a pipe is provided for connecting the lower end of the cylinder of the measuring unit of the filling device to the upper portion of the filling tank. A filter provided with a vent filter and a bypass pipe between two three-way valves provided on a pipe connecting the three-way valve provided on the pipe for circulating Aseptic filling and packaging machine, characterized in that a chromatography unit.