JP4985938B2 - Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of product filled with content liquid in plastic bottle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for a product in which a plastic bottle such as a plastic bottle is filled with a liquid content such as a liquid beverage, and more specifically, a plastic bottle capable of reducing the height and reducing the internal volume. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a product formed by filling a content liquid into a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing apparatus therefor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plastic bottle (for example, a plastic bottle) is known that can deform a predetermined portion and change the internal volume by, for example, expansion and contraction in the height direction by pushing and pushing back the bottom (for example, patent document). 1). Using such a plastic bottle, a product filled with a liquid beverage is produced as follows.

A plastic bottle in a state where the bottom portion is extruded (state of maximum internal volume) is filled with a high-temperature liquid beverage such as a tea beverage, and in this state, the cap is wound and the plastic bottle is sealed. Thereafter, the bottom of the plastic bottle is pushed back inward. According to such a method, even if the internal pressure of the plastic bottle is reduced due to the shrinkage of the liquid beverage in the process of cooling the filled liquid beverage and the aggregation of water vapor in the head space (space) of the plastic bottle, Since the volume of the plastic bottle is forcedly reduced by being pushed back, the plastic bottle is maintained at a predetermined internal pressure (for example, atmospheric pressure).
JP-T-2006-501109

  By the way, the amount of shrinkage (the amount of deformation) of the height of the plastic bottle described above is determined to be an amount corresponding to the temperature of the liquid to be filled. In other words, this amount of shrinkage compensates for the internal pressure of the plastic bottle that is reduced due to the shrinkage of the liquid while it is cooled to a predetermined temperature while the plastic bottle filled with the high-temperature liquid is cooled to the predetermined temperature or the condensation of water vapor. It is decided as possible. Therefore, when filling a liquid with a temperature lower than the temperature suitable for the amount of shrinkage, the amount that the internal pressure of the plastic bottle decreases while the liquid cools to a predetermined temperature is when filling the liquid with a temperature suitable for the amount of shrinkage. Less than Therefore, when the plastic bottle is shrunk in the height direction as it is (when the bottom part is pushed back), the internal pressure becomes too large, and the plastic bottle may be stretched in the height direction (the bottom part will be pushed out), resulting in a normal product. There is.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle that can reduce the internal volume by deforming a predetermined portion is lower than the temperature corresponding to the deformation amount. Even so, the present invention provides a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for a product in which a plastic bottle is filled with a content liquid that enables normal product manufacturing.

A method for producing a product in which a plastic bottle according to the present invention is filled with a content liquid is a method for producing a product obtained by filling a plastic bottle with a content liquid by deforming a predetermined portion to reduce the internal volume. a step of filling the content liquid in the plastic bottle of the state of maximum internal volume, and a step of reducing the volume of the plus tics bottles by pushing the barrel of the filled the plastic bottle of the liquid content, the volume reduced a step of sealing the plastic bottle allowed was state by the lid, to deform the predetermined portion of the sealed the plastic bottles have a a step of reducing the internal volume, reducing the volume of the plastic bottle The step of causing the pressing amount of the barrel part of the plastic bottle according to the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle Configuration and made to change.

  With such a configuration, the plastic bottle filled with the content liquid in the state of the maximum internal volume is sealed with the lid in a state where the volume of the plastic bottle is reduced and the temperature of the filled content liquid is reduced. However, the amount of apparent shrinkage increases even if the amount of the content liquid actually shrinks in the process of cooling after sealing is lower than the temperature corresponding to the amount of deformation of the predetermined part of the plastic bottle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the internal pressure from becoming too high when a predetermined portion of the sealed plastic bottle is deformed.

In addition, the product manufacturing apparatus filled with the content liquid in the plastic bottle according to the present invention is a product manufacturing apparatus formed by filling the content liquid into the plastic bottle capable of reducing the internal volume by deforming a predetermined part. A filling device for filling the plastic bottle with the maximum internal volume with the content liquid, a mechanism for reducing the volume of the plastic bottle by pushing the barrel of the plastic bottle filled with the content liquid, and the container There mechanism to reduce a mechanism for sealing the plastic bottle in a state of being reduced by a lid, possess a mechanism for deforming the predetermined portion of the sealed the plastic bottle, the volume of the plastic bottle, the configuration of changing the pushing amount of the torso portion of the plastic bottle in accordance with the temperature of the content liquid filled in plastic bottles It made.

  According to the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of the product in which the plastic bottle according to the present invention is filled, the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle is higher than the temperature corresponding to the deformation amount of the predetermined part of the plastic bottle. Even if there is not enough shrinkage in the process of cooling after sealing, the plastic bottle body is pushed before sealing to increase the apparent shrinkage of the content liquid. It is possible to prevent the internal pressure from becoming excessively high even if it is deformed, and as a result, a normal product can be manufactured.

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

  A manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for a product in which a plastic bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention is filled with content liquid will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A plastic bottle capable of reducing an internal volume by deforming a predetermined portion is configured as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), for example. This plastic bottle is designed to reduce its inner volume by pushing the bottom part into a deformed shape and reducing the overall height.

The plastic bottle 10, for example, be made by blow-molding a preform made of PET, initially, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), a state where the bottom 11 is protruded to the mountain shape outward It has become. In this state, the height of the plastic bottle 10 becomes the maximum value HH, and the internal volume becomes maximum. From the state in which the bottom portion 11 protrudes outward, for example, the rod rod pushes the outer surface of the bottom portion 11 and pushes in the bottom portion 11, thereby bringing the bottom portion of the plastic bottle 10 as shown in FIG. 11 will be in the normal state drawn inward. In this state, the plastic bottle 10 comes to be able to stand on its own with the peripheral edge of the bottom 11 grounded, and its height becomes the normal value HL and its internal volume becomes normal. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a neck ring 12 is formed on the neck portion of the plastic bottle 10 so as to project outward in a flange shape.

  The initial shape of the plastic bottle 10 (the shape immediately after blow molding) is not the one in which the bottom portion 11 protrudes outward as shown in FIG. 1A, but the bottom portion 11 as shown in FIG. May be drawn inward. In this case, for example, when the rod rod pushes the inner surface of the bottom portion 11 and pushes out the bottom portion 11, the bottom portion 11 can be projected outward as shown in FIG. .

  The extrusion and pushback amount Δ (HH−HL) of the bottom portion 11 of the plastic bottle 10, that is, the deformation amount (the amount of expansion and contraction in the height direction) of the bottom portion 11 is a liquid having a relatively high predetermined temperature (for example, 85 ° C.). It is decided to compensate for the internal pressure of the plastic bottle 10 that is reduced due to the shrinkage of the liquid while it is cooled to a relatively low predetermined temperature (for example, room temperature) or the condensation of water vapor in a sealed state. It is done. Hereinafter, the relatively high predetermined temperature (for example, 85 ° C.) is referred to as a temperature commensurate with the amount of shrinkage of the plastic bottle 10 (the amount of deformation of the bottom portion 11).

  Using the plastic bottle having the structure as described above, a product filled with a beverage is produced as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, each plastic bottle 10 in which the bottom 11 protrudes to reach the maximum internal volume state (see FIG. 1A) has its neck and ring 12 guided by a guide bar 50. Transported in a suspended state (neck support transport). And when the plastic bottle 10 conveyed in this way reaches a filling device (not shown), the plastic bottle 10 having the maximum internal volume is set in the filling device. In the filling device, as shown in FIG. 2B, the nozzle 51 is inserted into the plastic bottle 10, and a temperature (Δ = HH−HL) corresponding to the shrinkage amount (Δ = HH−HL) of the plastic bottle 10 from the nozzle 51. For example, the beverage liquid 20 having a temperature lower than 85 ° C. (for example, 60 ° C.) is ejected and accumulated in the plastic bottle 10 (filled with the content liquid). When the beverage liquid 20 is accumulated in a predetermined amount, the ejection of the beverage liquid 20 from the nozzle 51 is stopped, and the filling of the beverage liquid 20 is completed as shown in FIG.

  Next, the plastic bottle 10 filled with the beverage 20 is conveyed to a cap winder (not shown). In addition to a mechanism for tightening the cap around the mouth of the plastic bottle 10, the cap winding machine has a push mechanism for pushing the body of the plastic bottle 10 by a predetermined amount to reduce the volume of the plastic bottle 11. When the plastic bottle 20 filled with the beverage 20 is set in the cap tightener, first, as shown in FIG. 3A, the push plates 60a and 60b of the push mechanism sandwich the body portion of the plastic bottle 11. Press the torso (torso press deformation). Thereby, the volume of the plastic bottle 11 is reduced, and the entry line of the filled beverage 20 is relatively raised.

  The amount by which the push plates 60a and 60b of the pushing mechanism push the barrel is a temperature commensurate with the amount of shrinkage of the plastic bottle 10 (for example, 85 ° C.) and the temperature of the beverage liquid 20 actually filled (for example, 60 ° C.). The amount of shrinkage (Δ = HH−HL) of the plastic bottle 11 and the actually filled beverage liquid 20 is cooled to room temperature in the sealed plastic bottle 10. It is determined based on the difference from the amount that the water vapor is condensed and the volume of the plastic bottle 10 is expected to be reduced.

  As described above, the plastic bottle 10 in which the body portion is sandwiched between the pressing plates 60a and 60b and the volume thereof is reduced is sealed with the cap (lid) 15 being wound around the mouth portion while maintaining the state. (Cap tightening). Thereafter, the plastic bottle 10 filled with the beverage liquid 20 and sealed is released from being sandwiched between the body portions by the pressing plates 60a and 60b and cooled (either natural cooling or forced cooling). In the course of this cooling, the beverage 20 contracts and the water vapor condenses to reduce the internal pressure of the plastic bottle 10.

  Next, the plastic bottle 10 with the cap 15 wound and sealed is conveyed to the pushback machine and set on the base 53 of the pushback machine as shown in FIG. A through hole extending in the vertical direction is formed in the base 53, and the rod rod 52 can slide in the through hole, and the tip end portion of the rod rod 52 protrudes from the set surface of the base 53. . When the sealed plastic bottle 10 is set on the base 53 of the push-back machine, the rod rod 52 protrudes from the set surface, and the tip of the rod rod 52 has a substantially central portion of the bottom 11 where the plastic bottle 10 has a mountain shape. Push in. As a result, the bottom 11 is pushed into the plastic bottle 10 (returned), and the height of the plastic bottle 10 is reduced (bottom push-back). When the bottom 11 is pushed in in this way, the plastic bottle 10 becomes in a self-supporting state, and a product in which the plastic bottle 10 is filled with the beverage 20 is completed.

  According to the method and apparatus as described above, the plastic bottle 10 filled with the beverage liquid 20 with the bottom portion 11 protruding outward and having the maximum inner volume is in a state in which the body portion is pushed and the volume is reduced. Since the cap 15 is wound and sealed, the temperature of the filling liquid 20 (for example, 60 ° C.) matches the amount of shrinkage of the height of the plastic bottle 10 (Δ = HH−HL) (for example, , 85 ° C.), the amount of apparent shrinkage increases even if the beverage liquid 20 actually shrinks in the process of cooling after sealing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the internal pressure from becoming too high when the bottom 11 of the sealed plastic bottle 10 is pushed in and the height is reduced. As a result, a normal product can be manufactured without the bottom 11 being extruded again due to the increase in internal pressure.

  Furthermore, in the method and apparatus described above, the plastic bottle 10 is pushed by the pushing mechanism (push plates 60a, 60b) according to the temperature of the beverage 20 to be filled (a temperature lower than the temperature corresponding to the amount of shrinkage of the plastic bottle 10). By changing the pushing amount of the body part before sealing, a normal product can be manufactured regardless of the temperature of the beverage 20 to be filled. Therefore, the plastic bottle 10 having the same specification can be commonly used for a plurality of types of beverages 20 having different temperatures suitable for filling.

  Experimental examples are shown below together with comparative examples.

(Comparative example)
A PET bottle designed to have a maximum inner volume of 535 ml and a reduced volume by pushing into the bottom of 30 ml was used. The bottom bottle is extruded and filled with 500 g (516 ml) of high temperature (85 ° C.) content liquid into the PET bottle that reaches the maximum internal volume, sealed with a plastic cap, and cooled to 25 ° C. (content liquid 501 ml). (The body was not pushed to reduce the volume after sealing).
About 15 ml of the shrinkage of the content liquid and about 14 ml of the water vapor condensate in the head space are almost absorbed by the bottom pushing-in (+1 ml of positive pressure). It became.

(Experimental example)
A PET bottle having the same specifications as the PET bottle used in the comparative example was used. A state in which the bottom bottle is extruded and filled with 500 g (502 ml) of the content liquid at 30 ° C. in the state of the maximum internal volume, and the body is pushed 10 mm each from both sides (20 mm in total) to reduce the volume by 28 ml ( The cap was wound and sealed in a state where the inner volume of the PET bottle was 507 ml), and immediately after that, the bottom was pushed in (positive pressure of +2 ml).
The internal pressure of the PET bottle became substantially the same as the atmospheric pressure at 5 ° C. (content liquid 500 ml).

  In addition, this invention is not limited to each example mentioned above. The structure for reducing the internal volume by changing the height of the container (bottle) is not limited to the one by pushing out and pushing in the bottom part, but may be by forming a bellows part in the body part and expanding and contracting the bellows part. . Also, the inner volume of the container can be changed by deforming the bottom of the raised bottom structure in the height direction without changing the total height of the container, with the raised bottom structure. Further, the mechanism for reducing the volume by pushing the barrel before sealing the bottle is not the one in which the two push plates 60a and 60b push the barrel evenly as described above. The structure which presses against a part etc. may be sufficient.

  As described above, the manufacturing method of the product in which the content is filled in the plastic bottle according to the present invention is the temperature at which the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle capable of reducing the height matches the amount of shrinkage. It has the effect that normal products can be manufactured even at lower temperatures, and is useful as a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for products in which plastic bottles such as PET bottles are filled with content liquids such as liquid beverages. It is.

It is a figure which shows the state (a) used as the maximum internal volume of the plastic bottle used for the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus which concern on one Embodiment of this invention, and a normal state (b). It is a figure which shows the procedure (the 1) according to the manufacturing method which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the procedure (the 2) according to the manufacturing method which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Plastic bottle 11 Bottom part 12 Neck ring 15 Cap 20 Drinking liquid 50 Guide bar 51 Nozzle 52 Rod bar 53 Base 60a, 60b Press plate

Claims (2)

A method for producing a product obtained by filling a liquid content into a plastic bottle capable of reducing a predetermined volume by deforming a predetermined part,
Filling the plastic bottle with the maximum internal volume with the content liquid;
A step of reducing the volume of the plus tics bottles by pushing the barrel of the filled the plastic bottle of the liquid content,
Sealing the plastic bottle in a state where the volume is reduced with a lid;
Deforming the predetermined portion of the sealed the plastic bottles have a a step of reducing the internal volume,
In the step of reducing the volume of the plastic bottle, the plastic bottle is filled with the contents, wherein the pressing amount of the body portion of the plastic bottle is changed according to the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle. Product manufacturing method. An apparatus for manufacturing a product formed by filling a liquid content into a plastic bottle capable of reducing a predetermined volume by deforming a predetermined part,
A filling device that fills the plastic bottle with the maximum internal volume with the content liquid;
A mechanism for reducing the volume of the plastic bottle by pushing the barrel of the plastic bottle filled with the content liquid;
A mechanism for sealing the plastic bottle in a state where the container is reduced with a lid;
Possess a mechanism for deforming the predetermined portion of the sealed the plastic bottle,
The mechanism for reducing the volume of the plastic bottle changes the pressing amount of the body portion of the plastic bottle according to the temperature of the content liquid filled in the plastic bottle, and the plastic bottle is filled with the content liquid. Product manufacturing equipment.

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