JP4073216B2 - Clean chamber opening blocker - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clean chamber in which each device for performing aseptic processing such as aseptic filling of a beverage is shielded from the outside, and particularly to an opening blocking device for carrying in and carrying out a container when equipment is stopped.
[Prior art]
When filling plastic containers such as PET bottles with natural water, tea and other beverages at room temperature, in order to make the filling environment aseptic, carry the containers into a small room that is shielded and introduce sterile air at a pressure higher than the outside air. In this small room, the container is sterilized, and the filling machine and the capper are also washed so as to be aseptic, filled, and sealed to enable long-term storage of beverages. While it is natural to circulate and replenish aseptic air during beverage filling operations, it is useless to continue sending sterile air until operation is stopped, so it is desirable to completely shield small rooms. Conventionally, it has been usual to provide a shutter on the container gripping and conveying star wheel without a container. However, since this is structurally impossible to completely shield, it is necessary to keep sending sterile air at all times.
[0002]
A clean room opening shielding device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-240599 is provided with a conveyor for conveying containers and a screw for indexing the containers at a constant pitch for delivery to a star wheel which is a conveying means for regulating the next container position. The conveyor / screw conveying mechanism constituted by the above can be divided, and a gap can be formed after the division, and a blocking plate is inserted into the gap to block the inside and outside of the room. However, dividing the screw requires that the screw screw for indexing the container be aligned as before, and that the bending force acts on the screw when the container is sent, so it is difficult to maintain the bending strength of the screw. In this conventional shielding device proposal, a screw is not disclosed, but a shield plate is provided with a recess that matches the outer diameter of the screw.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The clean chamber circulates and replenishes sterile air during beverage filling operations, and maintains a sterile state by applying a little air pressure, but it is useless to keep sending sterile air until the operation is stopped. There is a place where it is desired to completely shield the small room, but it is difficult to completely shield the conventional continuous container conveying means because it is not possible to provide a gap through which the shutter passes.
In the example of the shielding device for the clean room opening disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-240599, the screw is divided to provide a clearance for the shutter to enter and exit, but when the screw is divided, the bending strength of the screw is increased. Since it is difficult to maintain, and the joint structure for transmitting the driving force to the driven side of the screw becomes difficult, the screw is not divided into the same proposed items, but a recess that matches the outer diameter of the screw is formed on the blocking plate. What is provided is also disclosed at the same time, but this does not completely seal the clean room.
The present invention provides a means for shielding a clean chamber opening that can completely shut off the mist and gas of the bactericide generated in the clean chamber while the aseptic filling operation is stopped, and does not require the continuous supply of sterile air at all times. For the purpose.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In response to the above problems, the present invention
(1) A shut-off device for a clean chamber opening for storing each device for performing aseptic processing such as aseptic filling into a beverage container, and maintaining aseptic conditions, and an opening for carrying in and out of the container; a slide shutter means for blocking the opening portion by sliding the shutter plate, the blocking device clean chamber over the opening and a container transfer means for transferring the container, said container transfer means is graspable container gripping the container The container gripping means is configured to be foldable upward, and the container delivery means is a rotary type including a plurality of foldable container gripping means. The folding mechanism of the container gripping means is provided and fixed on a common center line with the rotating shaft of the rotary container delivery means. A cylinder / piston mechanism mounted on the material and an operating rod of the cylinder / piston mechanism are coupled to each other via a rotatable joint, and is fitted on the rotation shaft of the container delivery means, and the rotation direction is constrained by the rotation shaft. An outer cylinder that can move up and down along the axis, a fixed lever that is radially fixed to the outer cylinder and has a pin hole, and is mounted rotatably around a horizontal disk integrated with the rotating shaft with a pin. A plurality of container gripping means, and a link bar that pin-couples the fixing lever of the outer cylinder and the container gripping means, and the cylinder / piston mechanism is moved up and down through the outer cylinder and the link bar. The problem is solved by a shut-off device for a clean chamber opening in which a plurality of container gripping means are rotated and moved simultaneously . The clean chamber opening blocking device, during operation stop of the equipment, after the shutter data plate of the slide shutter means folding the container gripping means comprising said container transfer means is made a passable clearance, the shutter motor The opening can be blocked by the plate , foreign matter, small animals, and the like can be prevented from entering through the opening, and the release of mist, gas, and the like of the bactericide aqueous solution in the clean chamber can be suppressed.
[0006]
(2) In the above (1) breaker of clinker over emissions chamber over the opening sections, wherein the closing means includes a roller provided on the graspable container gripping means of the container, engage in the roller A cam for opening and closing the container gripping means is provided, and the container gripping means is opened and closed so as to grip the container.
( 3 ) Further, in the clean chamber opening blocking device according to the above ( 2 ), the cam is constituted by a separate cam plate separated from the fixed member, and the cam plate includes a cylinder attached to the fixed member. -The operating rod of the piston mechanism is connected so that the cam plate can be moved to a position where it does not contact the roller, and the cam plate and the roller interfere when the container gripping means is rotated and returned to the operating position. What is not used is a suitable means for smoothly folding and returning the container gripping means.
(4) Then, also in the shut-off device of the above item (1) to (3) Clean the chamber over the opening of the section, the container gripping means, and a neck gripper for gripping the neck of the container.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the container entrance / exit opening of the clean chamber is shut off when the facility for filling a plastic container such as a PET bottle with natural water, tea or other beverage at room temperature is stopped. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a layout of a container transfer device and an opening blocking means in the vicinity of an opening on the entrance side of a clean chamber in which a sterilizer, a washing machine, a filling machine, a capper and the like (not shown) are arranged, and FIG. Schematic plan view showing the layout of the container transfer device and the opening blocking means near the opening on the outlet side of the clean chamber, FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the opening blocking means of FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing details of the neck gripper folding mechanism of the section blocking means, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the neck gripper folding mechanism shown in the AA section of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. It is a bottom view of a neck gripper.
[0008]
In the figure, 1 is a conveyor for supplying empty containers, and 2 is an indexing screw for indexing the distance between containers to the container holding pitch of the transfer wheel 3 and feeding it to the transfer wheel 3. 4 is a front chamber of the clean chamber 8, 5 is a rotary opening container delivery means (hereinafter referred to as container delivery means), and 6 is a container transfer wheel. An entrance side opening 4a of the clean chamber 8 is opened near the container delivery means 5 between the container delivery means 5 and the container transfer wheel 6, and a slide shutter means 7 is attached to the opening 4a.
9 is a rear chamber of the clean chamber 8, 9a is an opening on the outlet side of the clean chamber 8, 11 is a delivery conveyor for containers filled with beverages, and 12 is a capper.
During operation of the aseptic filling equipment, the empty container 15 is sterilized, cleaned and aseptically filled in the clean chamber 8. In order to keep the inside of the clean chamber 8 aseptic, the positive pressure is applied to the clean chamber 8 to prevent the outside air from entering, and the air in the clean chamber 8 is circulated and supplied with clean air to keep it clean and sterile. It is.
[0009]
The shut-off device for the clean chamber opening 4a (9a) that operates while the aseptic filling equipment is stopped is constituted by the slide shutter means 7 and the container delivery means 5.
The slide shutter means 7 is operated by compressed air in which the shutter plate 16 guided by the shutter guide 17 attached to the opening 4a (9a) is attached to the fixing member of the front chamber 4 (or the rear chamber 9) on the side opposite to the rod. The cylinder / piston mechanism 18 (the rod side is connected to a seat 19 fixed to the shutter plate 16 with a pin) is slid in the vertical direction to be blocked. Although not shown, complete sealing is possible by attaching an appropriate packing around the groove bottom of the shutter guide 17. The shutter plate 16 may be operated in the horizontal direction (left-right direction).
[0010]
The neck gripper unit 20 is fixed to the neck gripper main body 22, the neck holder 21A, the neck holder 21B, which are pinned to the neck gripper main body 22 by a pair of pins 23 and 23 and rotatable in opposite directions, and the neck holder 21A. The lever 24, the roller 25 attached to the end of the lever 24, and the neck holder 21A and the compression spring 26 that preloads the neck holder 21B so as to grip the container 15. During the operation of the equipment, the neck gripper unit 20 is kept horizontal, and the roller 25 attached to the neck holder 21 is pushed by the cam plate 47 provided on the support base 40a of the fixing member 40 so that the neck holder 21 (the neck holder 21A, The neck holder 21B) is opened to receive the container neck as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6, and conversely, the profile of the cam plate 47 is moved away from the roller 25 to actuate the container neck.
A neck gripper 55 on the transfer wheel 6 side that receives an empty container 15 from a neck gripper unit 20 provided in the container delivery means 5 (a plurality of radial grippers are fixed to a horizontal disk 58 that is integral with a rotating shaft (not shown)). Has a similar structure (shown in FIG. 3). When receiving an empty container 15, the neck holder 55a is opened to receive the container 15, and the neck holder 21 of the neck gripper unit 20 of the container delivery means 5 is opened. At the same time, the neck holder 55 a on the transfer wheel 6 side is closed by the action of the cam 56 (attached to the fixing member 57) via the roller 25 to receive the container 15.
[0011]
The structure of the folding mechanism of the plurality of neck gripper units 20 for gripping the containers provided radially of the container delivery means 5 while the aseptic filling equipment is stopped will be described.
The folding mechanism of the neck gripper unit 20 is the same as a pneumatic cylinder / piston mechanism 43 provided on a common center line with the rotation shaft 35 of the container delivery means 5 and attached to the top wall 8a of the clean chamber 8, for example. A rotary joint comprising a shaft joint 44, a ball bearing 45, and a joint shaft 46, which are screwed into the operation rod 43a of the cylinder / piston mechanism 43, and a rotary shaft 35. The outer cylinder 36 that can be moved up and down along 35, the lid 39 of the outer cylinder 36 that is coupled to the joint shaft 46, and the same number of pin holes as the neck gripper unit 20 that is radially fixed to the outer cylinder 36 are opened. A fixed lever 36b, a support base 27 attached around a horizontal disk 35a integrated with the rotary shaft 35, and a pin 29 on the support base 27 can be rotated upward. A number of neck gripper body 22 is mounted, and a link bar 28 which bind with the pin 42 and the pin 31 of the locking lever 36b and the neck gripper body 22 of the outer cylinder 36 in the protrusion lever 22a. A stopper 22a formed integrally with the neck gripper main body 22 determines the horizontal position of the neck gripper main body 22.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 3, when the outer cylinder 36 is raised by the operation of the cylinder / piston mechanism 43, the multiple neck gripper units 20 are moved from the two-dot chain line state to the solid line position via the link bar 28. It is in a folded state while rotating upwards all at once around the center.
In the container delivery means 5, a cylinder / piston mechanism in which a cam plate 47 that opens and closes so that the neck holders 21 </ b> A and 21 </ b> B grip the neck of the container 15 via the roller 25 is attached to the support base 40 a of the fixing member 40. 48, which is connected to the operating rod 48a via the connecting plate 47a, so that the cam plate 47 is smoothly moved from the position shown by the two-dot chain line to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. Can do. In this way, the cam plate 47 and the roller 25 are prevented from interfering when the neck gripper unit 20 is rotated upward and returned to the horizontal position. Reference numeral 51 denotes a sliding guide plate that smoothly moves the connecting plate 47a.
The rotary shaft 35 is fixed to the drive shaft 38 at the lower part. The drive shaft 38 is rotatably supported by the fixed member 40 via a ball bearing 41 and a pair of ball bearings 52. When the equipment is in operation, the container transfer means 5 transfers the transfer wheel 6 (3) or the transfer wheel. The transfer wheel 6 (3) adjacent to the container transfer means 5 is driven to rotate synchronously so that the container 15 can be transferred from 3 to the container transfer means 5.
[0013]
While the aseptic filling equipment is in operation, the opening 4a serves as a container delivery place, and the container delivery means 5 receives an empty container 15 from the upstream transfer wheel 3 and is empty to the downstream transfer wheel 6 through the opening 4a. The container 15 is delivered.
On the rear chamber 9 side of the clean chamber 8, the actual container (referred to as 15 ′) is delivered from the transfer wheel 3 to the container delivery means 5. When receiving the actual container 15 ′, the neck holder 21 of the neck gripper unit 20 of the container delivery means 5 is opened to receive the container 15 ′ and the neck holder on the transfer wheel 3 side is opened, and at the same time, the neck gripper of the container delivery means 5 is opened. The neck holder 21 of the unit 20 is closed to receive the container 15 ′.
[0014]
Action of breaker of the opening 4a of the clean chamber 8 (9a when the rear chamber 9), during operation stop of the equipment, shutter motor plate of the slide shutter means 7 fold the neck gripper unit 20 of the container transfer means 5 after 16 made a passable clearance, blocks the opening 4a (9a) with shutter motor plate 16, the foreign matter from the opening 4a (9a), prevents small animals such as to penetrate, sterilization of the clean chamber 8 This is intended to suppress the release of mist and gas from the aqueous agent solution.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
Breaker of the clean chamber opening of the present invention, the foldable container gripping means comprising a container transfer means upwards, creating a gap that can pass through the shutter plate of the slide shutter means by folding a container gripping means upwards, By sliding the shutter plate, the opening of the clean chamber can be reliably blocked without a gap. Thereby, it is possible to prevent foreign substances, small animals, and the like from entering from the opening, and to suppress the release of mist and gas of the bactericide aqueous solution in the chamber, and it is not necessary to apply a positive pressure in the clean chamber. Further, when the opening / closing means for opening / closing the container gripping means is constituted by an opening / closing operation roller for the container gripping means and a cam plate for operating the opening / closing operation roller, the cam plate cannot be moved in the horizontal direction, that is, fixed. When fixed to a member, when the device is stopped, if the container gripping means that happens to be stopped at the delivery position is folded, the opening / closing operation roller will slide without being rolled while receiving the pressing force and come off the cam plate. When the container gripping means is returned to the original position next time, the opening / closing operation roller interferes with the cam plate and cannot be returned, but in the present invention, the cam plate can be moved to a position that does not contact the opening / closing operation roller. Interference between the roller and the cam plate can be avoided, and the container gripping means can be folded and returned very smoothly and easily.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a layout of a container transfer device and an opening blocking means in the vicinity of an opening on the inlet side of a clean chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the layout of the container transfer device and the opening blocking means in the vicinity of the opening on the clean chamber outlet side according to the embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the opening blocking means of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
4 is a side sectional view showing details of a folding mechanism of a neck gripper of the opening blocking means of FIG. 3. FIG.
5 is a plan view of a folding mechanism of the neck gripper shown in the AA cross section of FIG. 4. FIG.
6 is a bottom view of the neck gripper as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
4 Clean chamber front chamber 4a Opening 5 Rotary opening container delivery means 6 Container transfer wheel 7 Slide shutter means 8 Clean chamber 9 Clean chamber rear chamber 9a Opening 15 Empty container 15 'Actual container 16 Shutter plate 20 Neck gripper unit 21 Neck holder 22 Neck gripper body 22b Stopper 23 Pin 25 Roller 26 Compression spring 27 Support base 28 Link bar 29 Pin 35 Rotating shaft 36 Outer cylinder 37 Key 38 Drive shaft 39 Upper lid 40 Fixing member 40a Support base 43 Pneumatic cylinder / piston 44 Shaft joint 45 Ball bearing 46 Joint shaft 47 Cam plate 48 Pneumatic cylinder / piston

Claims (4)

A shut-off device for a clean chamber opening for storing each device for performing aseptic processing such as aseptic filling into a beverage container and maintaining aseptic conditions, and an opening for carrying in and out the container, and a shutter plate In the clean chamber opening blocking device having a slide shutter means for blocking the opening by sliding and a container transfer means for transferring the container, the container transfer means is the same as the container holding means capable of holding the container. Opening and closing means for opening and closing the container gripping means, the container gripping means is configured to be foldable upward, the container delivery means is a rotary type including a plurality of foldable container gripping means, The folding mechanism of the container gripping means is provided on a common center line with the rotary shaft of the rotary container delivery means, and is fixed to the fixing member. The cylinder / piston mechanism attached to the cylinder / piston mechanism is connected to an operating rod of the cylinder / piston mechanism via a rotatable joint, and is externally fitted to the rotating shaft of the container delivery means. An outer cylinder that can move up and down along, a fixed lever that is radially fixed to the outer cylinder and has a pin hole, and a plurality of rotatably mounted pins around a horizontal disk integrated with the rotating shaft. Container gripping means, and a link bar that pin-couples the fixing lever of the outer cylinder and the container gripping means, and by a vertical operation of the cylinder / piston mechanism, a plurality of vias are provided via the outer cylinder and the link bar. A shut-off device for a clean chamber opening, characterized in that the container gripping means rotate and move all at once. 2. The clean chamber opening blocking device according to claim 1 , wherein the opening / closing means includes a roller provided in a container gripping means capable of gripping a container, and a cam that engages with the roller and opens and closes the container gripping means. A device for shutting off the clean chamber opening, wherein the container gripping means is opened and closed so as to grip the container. 3. The clean chamber opening blocking device according to claim 2 , wherein the cam is constituted by a separate cam plate separated from the fixed member, and an operation of a cylinder / piston mechanism attached to the fixed member is provided on the cam plate. The rod is connected and the cam plate can be moved to a position where it does not come into contact with the roller, so that the cam plate and the roller do not interfere when the container gripping means is rotated and returned to the operating position. A shut-off device for the clean chamber opening. In breaker of clean chamber opening according to claim 1 to 3, the container gripping means, shut-off device of the cleaning chamber opening, characterized in that the neck grippers gripping the neck of the container.

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