JP3376474B2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus suitable for being used when contents such as beverages are filled in a container. [0002] The present invention relates to a suitable sterilizing apparatus for use when the contents of such a beverage is filled into the container, times
Against rolling filling machine filling opening for filling the provided contents thereof to, by a configuration in which a light irradiating means for irradiating light having a wavelength belonging to the infrared region or ultraviolet region, the filling port of the rotary filling machine The sterilization can be performed properly and reliably. A plurality of containers such as PET bottles are transferred by a conveyor or the like, and the contents such as beverages are sequentially filled into the PET bottles from a filling port of a filler (rotary filling machine) on the transfer line. Production lines are known. In this case, the contents, the PET bottle, or the cap serving as the lid thereof are sterilized by heat treatment or the like, and so-called aseptic filling is performed. [0005] However, the rotating charge
The filling port of the filling machine was not properly sterilized to the extent that hot water was applied, and thus there was a possibility that reliable and hygienic filling could not be performed. An object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizing apparatus which is suitable for sterilizing a container to which a cap is attached by a cap seamer and which can properly and surely sterilize a filling port of a rotary filling machine . In order to achieve the above object, a sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention fills a container to be sterilized by heat treatment or the like from a filling port of a rotary filling machine. A container to be filled with the contents, a cap being attached to the container by a cap seamer, and a disinfection device disposed on a production line on which the container to which the cap is attached is transported, wherein a desired content is contained in the container 20. The container 20 has a plurality of filling ports 50 for filling the object 30, and the container 20 is filled with a predetermined amount of the content 30 by substantially one rotation while rotating and entraining the container 20 and then supplied. Container is set
The light irradiating means 1 irradiates light having a wavelength belonging to the infrared region or the ultraviolet region to the filling port 50 until the filling is performed to perform non-contact sterilization by light. , 7, and 9 include light generators 7 and 9 that generate light, and a light irradiating unit 1 that is connected to the generator by optical transmission means and faces the filling port 50 and emits light toward the filling port. In order to irradiate light even when filling the contents, the light irradiating section 1 is provided in an empty area 70 on the rotation locus of the rotary filling machine 40 where the container 20 is transported. [0008] In the sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention, the filling port provided in the rotary filling machine arranged in the production line for filling the contents such as beverages belongs to the infrared region or the ultraviolet region from the light irradiation means. Light of a wavelength is irradiated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a sterilization apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a plastic bottle (container) 20 containing a beverage (content) 30 and a filler 40 as a rotary filling machine.
Schematically shows a production line to be filled. In FIG. 1, a PET bottle 20 is transported along a transport line P from a right side to a left side in the figure by a belt conveyor or the like. When the beverage 3 is transferred to a position immediately below the filler 40, the beverage 3 is rotated along the circumferential direction (the direction of the arrow Q) of the filler 40 from the filling nozzle 50 as a filling port.
0 is filled, and a desired amount of the beverage 30 is filled in one rotation. The PET bottle 20 filled with the beverage 30
Is transferred to the position where the cap seamer 60 is arranged, and a cap (not shown) is attached by the cap seamer 60. Here, the rotation locus of the filler 40 is
Below the empty area 70 where the plastic bottle 20 is not conveyed, a plurality of light irradiators 1 including a condenser lens and the like are provided, and the light irradiators 1 transmit the light to the main body 1a and the main body 1a. And an optical fiber F. Light having a wavelength belonging to the infrared region (including the far infrared region) or the ultraviolet region is transmitted to the main body 1a, and the transmitted light is transmitted from the main body 1a to the filling nozzle 5a.
It is irradiated to 0. In this case, the wavelength of the light to be irradiated can be appropriately selected, such as a configuration in which one of infrared rays and ultraviolet rays is irradiated and a configuration in which infrared irradiation and ultraviolet irradiation are performed simultaneously. In the irradiation of infrared rays, the filling nozzle 50
Temperature is raised and the heat sterilizes while
In ultraviolet irradiation, bacteria are directly killed by short-wavelength light. In this embodiment, the light irradiating section 1 is also provided before and after the filler 40, and the plurality of main bodies 1a fixed to the plate-like member 3 can be used to fill the PET bottle before and after filling the beverage. 20 (particularly, an opening to which the cap is attached, for example, a mouth or a screw) is irradiated with light to be sterilized. In this case, if the light source of the light transmitted to the light irradiating unit 1 in the former stage and the latter stage is also used as the infrared ray generator 7 as the light irradiating means and the ultraviolet ray generator 9 as the light irradiating means, However, in some cases, it is preferable to use a separate light source. The light irradiating section 1 provided in front of the filler 40 is provided over a length in consideration of a sterilizing effect and the like, while the light irradiating section 1 in the rear is provided with a cap seamer 60 near the rear of the filler 40. Is preferably provided up to the position immediately before. As described above, in this embodiment, since the filling nozzle 50 is irradiated with infrared rays or ultraviolet rays from the light irradiation unit 1, the filling nozzle 50 can be sterilized properly and reliably. As a result, the problem that the filling nozzle 50 is not sterilized is solved, and the aseptic filling of the beverage 30 can be performed with high reliability. Since the opening 20a of the PET bottle 20 such as the mouth portion and the screw portion is sterilized at the front and rear stages of the filler 40, the filling operation can be performed under aseptic or nearly aseptic conditions. The reliability of beverage filling is even higher. In addition, since the conventional retort sterilization treatment (particularly cans, bottles, etc.) and the like are not required, energy saving and improvement in workability can be achieved. In the above embodiment, the light is transmitted by the optical fiber F. However, the semiconductor laser device is directly attached to the main body 1a, and the laser light (in the infrared region or the ultraviolet region) of the semiconductor laser device is attached. (Having a wavelength) may be emitted from the main body 1a. Furthermore,
As the light irradiation means, an infrared lamp or an ultraviolet lamp can be used. The present invention can also be applied to a case where the contents are filled in a container such as a can or a bottle (a container filling system such as a can or a bottle). As will be understood from the above description, in the sterilizing apparatus according to the present invention, the rotary motion provided in the rotary filling machine disposed on the production line for filling the contents such as beverages. To
Light having a wavelength belonging to the infrared region or the ultraviolet region is irradiated from the light irradiating means to the repeated filling port. Therefore, the filling port is sterilized properly and reliably without heat by infrared rays or ultraviolet rays in a non-contact manner, so that the reliability of filling the beverage is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a preferred embodiment of a sterilization apparatus according to the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 light irradiation section, 1a main body, 7 infrared ray generator (light irradiation means), 9 ultraviolet ray generator (light irradiation means), 2
0 PET bottles (containers), 30 beverages (contents),
40 filler ( rotary filling machine ), 50 filling nozzle (filling port), 70 free space, F optical fiber

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI B65B 55/08 B65B 55/08 Z (56) References JP-A-63-281991 (JP, A) JP, A) JP-A-63-174658 (JP, A) JP-A-63-205138 (JP, A) JP-A-63-178927 (JP, A) JP-A-2-92360 (JP, A) JP 63-183063 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B67C 3/00-7/00 B65B 39/00-39/14 B65B 55/08 A61L 2/08- 2/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] A container to be sterilized by heat treatment or the like is filled with contents from a filling port of a rotary filling machine, and a cap seamer is placed on the container filled with the contents. A disinfection device provided with a cap and disposed on a production line on which a container to which the cap is attached is transported, the container having a plurality of filling ports for filling a desired content in the container, and After the container is filled with a predetermined amount of contents in approximately one rotation while rotating and entraining the container, the container is then supplied.
A light irradiating unit for irradiating light having a wavelength belonging to an infrared region or an ultraviolet region to perform non-contact sterilization by light with respect to the filling port until the container to be set is set; Has a light generator that generates the light, and a light irradiator that is connected to the generator and optical transmission means and faces the filling port and emits the light toward the filling port. A sterilizer, wherein the light irradiator is provided in an empty area on the rotation locus of the rotary filling machine where the container is conveyed in order to irradiate the light even when the contents are filled.