JP4147461B2 - Continuous aseptic packaging method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for continuously performing gas replacement and sealing by storing aseptically processed contents such as soft drinks, milk drinks, cooked rice and prepared dishes in a container such as an aseptic cup or a tray-like container.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, in JP-A-2-45323, a container such as an opened cup and its lid are continuously supplied into a sterile chamber maintained at a positive pressure by nitrogen gas, and the container is sterilized in the sterile chamber. In addition, an aseptic filling machine that fills the contents and seals the container by replacing the head space portion of the container with nitrogen gas is known.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In an aseptic filling machine, it is necessary to reduce the oxygen concentration in the head space by sterilizing the container and replacing the gas in the head space of the container to prevent oxidation of the contents. However, in the above conventional aseptic filling machine, the aseptic room is provided not only for the part for sterilizing the container, filling the contents, and sealing the lid, but also for the whole filling machine including the belt conveyor for transferring the container. For this reason, an extremely wide aseptic space is required. Therefore, if both sterilization and oxygen concentration reduction are performed with nitrogen gas, a large amount of nitrogen gas must be supplied, which is not economically viable. Sterilization is performed by blowing sterile air into the container, and only the head space gas replacement for reducing the oxygen concentration is performed with nitrogen gas.
[0004]
However, in this apparatus, the gas replacement in the head space is intended to replace the sterile air existing in the head space with nitrogen gas, so air always remains in the head space, and thus the gas replacement efficiency. The residual oxygen concentration in the head space cannot be reduced to about 2% or less.
[0005]
When the contents of the container are sensitive to oxygen, such as coffee and tea, sufficient oxidation cannot be prevented when the residual oxygen concentration in the head space is about 2%. Cannot handle aseptic filling of oxygen sensitive contents.
[0006]
The present invention has been considered in view of the problems of the conventional aseptic filling machine described above, and the headspace concentration immediately after sealing is reduced to 1% or less while maintaining sterility corresponding to normal temperature distribution of packaged food. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous aseptic packaging method and apparatus capable of performing the above.
[0007]
Moreover, since the conventional aseptic filling machine has a wide aseptic room, when the container is sterilized by spraying the sterilizing agent in the aseptic room, the sterilizing zone becomes wide and the sterilizing agent is scattered in a wide space. For this reason, consumption of a disinfectant becomes large and it is uneconomical.
[0008]
Therefore, another object of the present invention is to reduce the consumption of the bactericidal agent when the container is sterilized in a sterile room.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The continuous aseptic packaging method for achieving the object of the present invention is a continuous aseptic packaging method in which a sterilized container whose interior is replaced with a sterile gas other than the atmosphere is filled with aseptic contents and the container is sealed with a sterilized lid. In order to move the container and the container receiving member holding the container in the aseptic room where the aseptic gas other than the atmosphere is replaced, the container receiving member is driven from outside the aseptic room.
[0010]
The continuous aseptic packaging apparatus of the present invention is a continuous aseptic packaging apparatus in which a container whose inside is replaced with a sterile gas other than the atmosphere is filled with aseptic contents, and the container is sealed with a sterilized lid. An aseptic chamber for movably housing a container receiving member arranged at intervals and holding the container;
A gas displacement device for replacing the atmosphere in the sterile room with a sterile gas other than the atmosphere;
A magnet provided on the container receiving member;
A container receiving member driving conveyor provided outside the sterile room;
A magnet attached to the conveyor at the predetermined interval in the traveling direction of the conveyor so as to correspond to a magnet provided on the container receiving member, and having a polarity opposite to that of the magnet provided on the container receiving member And a magnet.
[0011]
In one aspect of the present invention, the continuous packaging apparatus further includes container sterilization means provided in a sterile room.
[0012]
In one aspect of the present invention, the aseptic chamber has a cylindrical shape having a top plate, both side plates, and a bottom plate whose central portion is open in the longitudinal direction, and whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container receiving member. A container receiving member receiving portion, and a container receiving portion formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the sterilization chamber so as to protrude downward from the opening of the bottom plate and whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container It is characterized by becoming.
[0013]
[Action]
According to the present invention, only the container and the container receiving member move in the aseptic chamber, and the container receiving member is driven from outside the aseptic chamber, so that the volume of the aseptic chamber is significantly reduced as compared with the conventional aseptic filling machine. Therefore, both sterilization of the container and gas replacement of the head space can be performed simultaneously with nitrogen gas without impairing the economy. Therefore, the gas replacement in the head space is not performed in a state surrounded by air as in the conventional case, but nitrogen gas replacement is performed in an environment of almost nitrogen gas, and the residual oxygen concentration in the head space is set to 1. % Or less.
[0014]
According to one aspect of the present invention, by providing the container sterilization means in the sterile chamber having such a small volume, the sterilization zone for sterilization of the container can be reduced, and the consumption of the sterilizing agent can be reduced. Can do.
[0015]
According to one aspect of the present invention, the aseptic chamber includes a top plate, both side plates, and a bottom plate having a central portion opened in the longitudinal direction, and has a cylindrical shape whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container receiving member. The container receiving member accommodating portion and the container accommodating portion formed so as to extend downward in the longitudinal direction of the sterilization chamber so as to protrude downward from the opening of the bottom plate and whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container As a result, the volume of the sterile chamber can be designed to the minimum volume required for the container receiving member to pass through, thereby making it possible to further reduce the volume of the sterile chamber, and the gas replacement efficiency. Can be further improved.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a side view illustratively showing one embodiment of a continuous aseptic packaging apparatus used in the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. (A) is a top view of a cup cradle, FIG.4 (b) is YY sectional drawing of Fig.4 (a), FIG. 5 is a top view which shows the magnet mounting plate attached to a conveyor chain.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, a continuous aseptic packaging device is a device that uses a PP cup as a packaging container and is filled with a liquid content such as juice, and includes a cup supply unit A, a cup sterilization unit K, a cup drying unit L, and aseptic gas. A replacement part B, a lid material drying part C, a lid material first seal part F, a lid material second seal part G, a cooling part H, a trimming part I, and a cup discharge part J are provided. The cup sterilization unit K, the cup drying unit L, and the aseptic gas replacement unit B constitute an aseptic chamber M.
[0018]
In the cup supply part A, the sterilized PP cup 1 is transferred in the direction of arrow P by the belt conveyor 20 and is transferred from the tip of the belt conveyor 20 by the conveyor chain 12 moving in the direction of arrow Q below. It is dropped and held in the cup holding hole 21 (FIG. 4). The diameter of the cup holding hole 21 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the upper end portion of the cup 1, and only the lid portion 1 a (FIG. 3) of the cup 1 is supported by the top surface 2 a of the cup cradle 2. It is configured to hang. The cup cradle 2 constitutes the container receiving member of the present invention.
[0019]
As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 4, the cup cradle 2 is made of a rectangular plate, and a cup holding hole 21 is formed through the plate in the center. A pair of sliding materials 14, 14 made of a slippery material are embedded on both sides of the cup holding hole 21 in the longitudinal direction of the cup cradle 2, and the lower surfaces of the sliding materials 14, 14 are from the lower surface of the cup cradle 2. It is exposed so that it protrudes slightly. As the sliding material 14, it is preferable to use a resin having high slipping property, heat resistance and chemical resistance. For example, in addition to polyether ether ketone, wholly aromatic polyester, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether sulfone, Super engineering plastics such as ether imide are preferred. Further, permanent magnets 13 and 13 are embedded outside the sliding members 14 and 14 in the longitudinal direction of the cup cradle 2.
[0020]
On the other hand, a magnet mounting plate 22 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 is mounted on the two conveyor chains 12 at a predetermined interval in the moving direction by a mounting bracket 23 having an L-shaped cross section. A permanent magnet 24 is disposed on the upper surface of the part, and is attached to the magnet mounting plate 22 by a fixing plate 25 covering the permanent magnet 24. The bolt nut 26 is used to fix both the mounting bracket 23 and the fixing plate 25 to the magnet mounting plate 22.
[0021]
The magnets 24 are fixed to the conveyor chain 12 such that the magnetic poles on the cup cradle 2 side are alternately arranged with N and S poles in the direction of travel of the conveyor chain 12. The cup cradle 2 has its magnet 13 arranged such that the magnetic poles on the conveyor chain side are alternately arranged with N and S poles in the direction of travel of the conveyor chain 12.
[0022]
Outside the sterilization chamber M, the cup cradle 2 is attracted to the surface of the magnet 24 such that the magnet 13 is attracted to the medium polarity of the magnet 24 fixed to the conveyor chain 12 at a predetermined interval. Is retained. Accordingly, the cup cradle 2 is disposed on the conveyor chain 12 at intervals at which the magnets 24 are disposed, and moves in the direction of arrow Q in FIG. 1 as the conveyor chain 12 moves.
[0023]
The sterilization chamber M is composed of a top plate 30, side plates 31, 31, and a bottom plate 32 having a central opening in the longitudinal direction. The cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the cup cradle 2. A flat rectangular cylindrical cup cradle receiving portion 33 having a slightly larger area than the surface, and extending in the longitudinal direction of the fungus chamber M so as to protrude below the opening 34 of the opened bottom plate 32. And a cup housing portion 35 having a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the cup 1 and having an area slightly larger than the cross-sectional shape of the cup 1. As described above, the sterilization chamber M is constituted by the cup cradle receiving portion 33 whose cross section is similar to that of the cup cradle 2 and the cup storage portion 35 whose cross section is similar to that of the cup 1. The cup pedestal 2 and cup 1 can pass through, so it is possible to design the minimum necessary size. Even if sterilization in a sterile room is performed with nitrogen gas, only the minimum amount of nitrogen gas is required. Can be improved.
[0024]
A pair of apparatus frames 36 and 36 provided below the sterilization chamber M are provided with both side portions 36a and 36a and a base portion 36b, respectively, and a base portion 36b facing a space between the both side portions 36a and 36a. Rails 37, 37 on which the conveyor chain 12 travels are laid on the top surface. Magnet mounting plate guide grooves 38 and 38 are formed in both side portions 36a and 36a so as to open inward so that both end portions of the magnet mounting plate are fitted to extend along the traveling direction of the conveyor chain 12. Yes.
[0025]
In the cup sterilization section K located at the upstream end of the sterilization chamber M in the cup transfer direction, the sterilizing agent nozzles 54-1 and 54-2 are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals. These sterilizing nozzles 54-1 and 54-2 are supplied with a hydrogen peroxide solution from a sterilizing agent tank 43 outside the aseptic room. The cup 1 is sterilized by spraying on the surface.
[0026]
In the cup drying section L located on the downstream side of the cup sterilizing section K, sterilizing agent drying nozzles 55-1 and 55-2 are arranged in a column at a predetermined interval. These nozzles 55-1 and 55-2 are supplied with dry air of 100 ° C. from the dry air generator 15 outside the sterile room through the sterilized filter 46, and the sterilized cup 1 is provided with the cup drying part L. As it passes, it is dried with dry air.
[0027]
Nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-4 for replacing the head space of the cup 1 with nitrogen gas are located in the upper space of the cup cradle housing part 33 of the aseptic gas replacement part B. 5 are arranged in tandem at predetermined intervals in the traveling direction of the conveyor chain 12, and between the nitrogen gas nozzle 4-2 and the nitrogen gas nozzle 4-3, the liquid content 3 such as juice is filled in the cup 1. A liquid content filling nozzle 5-1 is disposed, and a liquid content filling nozzle 5-2 is disposed between the nitrogen gas nozzle 4-3 and the nitrogen gas nozzle 4-4. The nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1 to 4-5 are supplied with sterile nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas generator 17 outside the sterile room M through the sterilized filter 16. The liquid content filling nozzles 5-1 and 5-2 are supplied with the sterile liquid content from the sterile liquid content tank 18 outside the sterile chamber 2. In FIG. 2, the nitrogen gas nozzles 4-2 and 4-4 are omitted for simplification. In FIG. 1, the cup cradle 2 is regularly arranged on the conveyor chain 12 at a predetermined interval. However, in FIG. 2, in order to help understanding, in the center of the sterilization chamber 2 and immediately before the entrance of the sterilization chamber M. Is shown with no cup holder 2 on the magnet 24 of the conveyor chain 12. Moreover, in FIG. 2, the cup sterilization part K and the cup drying part L are abbreviate | omitting illustration.
[0028]
The lid material supply unit E is disposed outside the aseptic chamber M, and the belt-like lid material 7 fed out from the lid material supply roller 6 is guided to the guide rollers 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. Then, it is wound around the lid material winding roller 10.
[0029]
The lid material sterilizing section C is disposed in the passage of the lid material 7 outside the aseptic room M, and includes a tank 50 for storing a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing the lid material 7. The lid member 7 is sterilized while passing through the sterilizing agent of the tank 50.
[0030]
The lid material drying section D is a duct-like chamber provided in the passage of the lid material 7 between the lid material sterilization section C and the exit of the sterilization chamber M outside the sterilization chamber M. The sterilized filter is supplied from the dry air generator 15. Dry air is supplied through 46. The lid member 7 is dried by dry air when passing through the lid member drying part D.
[0031]
The space of the cup cradle accommodating portion 33 at the downstream end of the sterilization chamber M in the cup transfer direction is almost completely closed by the lid member 7 guided and fed by the guide roller 45, and the upstream end of the sterilization chamber M Since the space of the cup cradle accommodating portion 33 is open to the atmosphere, the nitrogen gas injected from the nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1 to 4-5 in order to replace the gas in the head space of the cup 1 is in the sterilization chamber M. The inside of the sterilization chamber M is kept at a slight positive pressure by flowing from the downstream side in the cup transfer direction to the upstream side, that is, in the direction opposite to the cup transfer direction in the cup cradle receiving portion 33 and being dissipated into the atmosphere from the upstream end. Air is prevented from flowing into the aseptic room M. As a result, the inside of the sterilization chamber M is always kept in a sterilized state with sterilized nitrogen gas during operation. Therefore, the structure in which the downstream end portion (exit) of the sterilization chamber M is closed and the upstream end portion (entrance) is opened to the atmosphere and the nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1 to 4-5 are used for the atmosphere in the sterilization chamber of the present invention. A gas replacement device for replacing with a sterile gas other than the atmosphere is configured. In order to increase the positive pressure by the nitrogen gas in the sterilization chamber M and to maintain the sterility more completely, nitrogen supplied from the nitrogen gas generator 17 during operation is supplied to the nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1 to 4-5. In addition to the above, the downstream end of the sterilization chamber M may be constantly supplied.
[0032]
Outside the exit of the sterilization chamber M, a lid material first seal portion F, a lid material second seal portion G, a cooling portion H, a trimming portion I, and a cup discharge portion J are provided in the direction of travel of the conveyor chain 12. .
[0033]
The lid material first seal portion F places the supplied lid material 7 on the cup 1 for preliminary sealing, and the lid material second seal portion G uses the lid material on the pre-sealed cup 1 as the top of the cup 1. The sealing part is completed by heat-sealing to the edge part, the cooling part H cools this heat-sealing part by cooling air, and the trimming part I punches out the cover material heat-sealed to the cup 1 to remove the extra cover material. Excise. The cup discharge section J pushes up a push-up lever 50 provided below the advancing cup cradle 2 to eject the cup 1 from the cup cradle 2 and discharge it as a product 11 out of the system.
[0034]
Next, the operation of the above apparatus will be described.
The PP cup 1 falls from the cup supply part A to the cup holding hole 21 of the cup cradle 2 transferred by the conveyor chain 12 and is transferred to the sterilization chamber M. At the upstream end of the sterilization chamber M, the cup cradle 2 enters the sterilization chamber M, and the magnet 13 of the cup cradle 2 is adsorbed by the magnet 24 on the conveyor chain 12 side that is moved by the conveyor chain 12. The cup cradle 2 moves downstream in the aseptic chamber M so that the two sliding members 14 slide on the bottom surface of the aseptic chamber M.
[0035]
The cup 1 is sterilized by the hydrogen peroxide solution sprayed from the sterilizing agent nozzles 54-1 and 54-2 in the cup sterilizing part K, and then sprayed from the sterilizing agent drying nozzles 55-1 and 55-2 in the cup drying part L. The air is dried by dry air and sent to the next sterile gas replacement section B. In the aseptic gas replacement section B, nitrogen gas is sequentially ejected from the nitrogen gas nozzles 4-1 to 4-5 as the cup 1 advances, and gas replacement of the head space of the cup 1 is performed. Further, the liquid content filling nozzles 5-1 and 5-2 fill the cup 1 with the content 3 such as juice.
[0036]
The cup 1 filled with the contents 3 in the aseptic gas replacement section B and the gas replacement of the head space is completed is discharged from the downstream end (exit) of the sterilization chamber M, and the cup cradle 2 is directly again directly by the conveyor chain 12. The first seal part F, the second seal part G, the second seal part G, the cooling part H, the trimming part I, the preliminary sealing of the lid material 7, the thermal fusion of the seal, the cooling of the thermal fusion part, After the punching of the lid material is sequentially performed, the cup 1 is discharged out of the system as a product by the cup discharge portion J.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, only the container and the container receiving member are moved in the sterile room, and the container receiving member is driven from outside the sterile room. Therefore, both the aseptic maintenance of the container and the gas replacement of the head space can be performed simultaneously with nitrogen gas without impairing the economy. Therefore, the gas replacement in the head space is not performed in the state surrounded by air as in the conventional case, but the nitrogen gas replacement is performed in an almost nitrogen gas environment, and the residual oxygen concentration in the head space is reduced. It can be made 1% or less.
[0038]
In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, by providing the container sterilization means in the sterilized chamber having such a small volume, the sterilization zone for sterilization of the container can be reduced, and the consumption of the sterilizing agent is reduced. be able to.
[0039]
Further, according to one aspect of the present invention, the aseptic chamber includes a top plate, both side plates, and a bottom plate having a central portion opened in the longitudinal direction, and the cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container receiving member. Container-receiving member-accommodating portion, and a container-accommodating portion that extends in the longitudinal direction of the sterilization chamber so as to protrude downward from the opening of the bottom plate, and whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container Therefore, the volume of the sterile chamber can be designed to be the minimum volume required for the container receiving member to pass through, whereby the volume of the sterile chamber can be further reduced, and the gas can be reduced. The replacement efficiency can be further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view illustratively showing one embodiment of a continuous aseptic packaging apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of the apparatus.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG.
4A is a plan view of a cup cradle, and FIG. 4B is a YY cross-sectional view of FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a magnet attachment plate attached to the conveyor chain.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 cup 2 cup cradle 12 conveyor chain 13 magnet 24 magnet M aseptic room

Claims (2)

In a continuous aseptic packaging device that fills aseptic contents into a sterilized container and seals the container with a sterilized lid,
A sterile chamber that movably accommodates a container receiving member that is disposed at predetermined intervals in the traveling direction of the container and holds the container;
A gas displacement device for replacing the atmosphere in the sterile room with a sterile gas other than the atmosphere;
A magnet provided on the container receiving member;
A container receiving member driving conveyor provided outside the sterile room;
A magnet attached to the conveyor at the predetermined interval in the advancing direction of the conveyor so as to correspond to a magnet provided on the container receiving member, and having a polarity opposite to that of the magnet provided on the container receiving member for example Bei the door
The aseptic chamber includes a top plate, both side plates and a bottom plate having a central portion opened in the longitudinal direction, and a tubular container receiving member housing portion having a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container receiving member; A container housing part that is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the sterilization chamber so as to protrude downward from the opening of the bottom plate, and whose cross-sectional shape is substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of the container;
The container receiving member is provided with a pair of sliding materials made of a slippery material on both sides of the container receiving portion in the longitudinal direction of the container receiving member, and the lower surface of the sliding material is the lower surface of the container receiving member A continuous aseptic packaging device, wherein the device is exposed so as to protrude slightly . Continuous aseptic packaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a container sterilization unit provided in the sterile chamber.

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