JP5665348B2 - Method and apparatus for rejecting defective sterilization container in electron beam sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electron beam sterilizer that sterilizes containers and the like by electron beam irradiation in a sterilization chamber.

In an electron beam sterilization apparatus that sterilizes a container such as a PET bottle that is supplied and transported into the sterilization chamber by sterilizing the container, a sterilization pass / fail detector that detects the sterilization quality of the container irradiated with the electron beam is provided. Conventionally, the container determined to be sterilization failure by the sterilization quality detector is discharged to the outside of the electron beam sterilization apparatus. (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2)
In recent years, in order to prevent sanitary normal containers from being mixed with containers determined to be poorly sterilized, that is, to prevent recontamination of normal sterilized containers from containers determined to be poorly sterilized. It is getting demanded.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-213845 (FIG. 1) JP 2007-126168 A (FIGS. 1 and 2)

According to Patent Document 1, the electron beam sterilization system is measured by a thermometer in which a container carried into the sterilization box from the outside is transported by a container transport device, receives electron beam irradiation from the electron beam irradiation device. When it is determined that the container temperature after irradiation with the irradiated electron beam is out of the set temperature range, that is, when it is determined that the sterilization is defective, the container is discharged into a reject box disposed adjacent to the sterilization box. It is going to be done.
However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the intermediate reject wheel in the reject box is a wheel that also serves as a delivery wheel for transporting a normal sterilized container sterilized by electron beam irradiation to a subsequent filler. Therefore, after the wheel is contaminated by the conveyance of the sterilized defective container, the sterilized normal container is conveyed, and the sterilized normal container may be recontaminated.

Moreover, according to the said patent document 2, an electron beam sterilization system is sequentially passed through the sterilization part which the container carried in from the exterior receives the electron beam irradiation from an electron beam irradiation apparatus, being conveyed by the conveying apparatus. Detection of the presence or absence of an electron beam effective for sterilization by detection with a beam sensor provided at the electron beam irradiation port of the electron beam irradiation device, which is transported to a rinse rinser, a filling device, and a capper in a subsequent process. If the container is not properly irradiated with an electron beam, that is, if the sterilization is defective, the filling device is not filled with the sterilization-defective container. In this case, a defective sterilization container is removed by a defective product removing device provided in the container.
However, in the technique of Patent Document 2, the defective product removing device is not limited to between the filling device and the capper, but may be set at another position after the sterilization unit. The normal sterilized container sterilized by the irradiation of the radiation passes through the conveying device contaminated with the poorly sterilized container, which may be recontaminated.

  In the electron beam sterilization apparatus, after the conveyance of the container that has been determined to be sterilization failure after receiving the electron beam irradiation, the sterilization defect is considered not to be transported and recontaminated. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container that can appropriately discharge the determined container.

The present invention solves the above problems by the following means.
(1) A first means of rejecting a sterilized defective container is a closed-loop orbiting-type container transport apparatus that grips and transports a container with a plurality of container gripping apparatuses, and the container that is transported from upstream is delivered to the container. A container delivery and supply device to be supplied to the gripping device, an electron beam irradiation device that individually sterilizes the container transported by the container transport device by irradiating an electron beam, and a sterilized container is delivered from the container gripping device. a container transfer discharge device for discharging downstream, and sterilization quality detector for detecting the sterilization quality of the irradiated vessel with the electron beam for each of the vessel by the electron beam irradiation device, a method using electron beam sterilization apparatus provided with the provided exclusion can reject device containers determined to be defective sterilization by sterilizing quality detector in said electron beam sterilizer, the container receiving the exclusion of the bactericidal defective container and the sterilizing quality detector Characterized in that to carry out with the discharging device.

(2) The method for evacuating a sterilized defective container according to the second means is the same as the method for evacuating a sterilized defective container according to the first means, except that the container discharged by the evacuating device has a shutter at its outlet opening. The positive pressure in the waste container receiving box is maintained by receiving it in a receiving box and discharging the positive pressure from the inside of the waste container receiving box to the outside through the shutter.

(3) The sterilization defective container evacuation device of the third means is a closed loop circulating container transport device that grips and transports a container with a plurality of container gripping devices, and the container that delivers the container transported from upstream. A container delivery and supply device to be supplied to the gripping device, an electron beam irradiation device that individually sterilizes the container transported by the container transport device by irradiating an electron beam, and a sterilized container is delivered from the container gripping device. a container transfer discharge device for discharging downstream, in the electron beam sterilizer provided with a sterilizer quality detector for detecting the respective container sterilization quality of the irradiated vessels electron beam by the electron beam irradiation apparatus, the sterilizing wherein the quality detector expelled capable displacing device sterilization failure containers between the container transfer discharge device provided undergoing sterilization failure detection signal from said sterilizing quality detector, sterilization failure vessel to said displacing device Characterized by being configured to provide a control device to issue a command to reject to.

(4) The sterilization failure container evacuation device of the fourth means is the sterilization failure container evacuation device of the third means, wherein the evacuation container receiving box receives the container evacuated by the evacuation device; The present invention is characterized in that a shutter is provided at the outlet opening for discharging the waste container of the box.

(5) The sterilization failure container evacuation device of the fifth means is a container count for detecting and counting containers passing through the electron beam irradiation device in the sterilization failure container evacuation device of the third and fourth means. An apparatus is provided to receive a container signal counted by the container counting device and to issue a command to the evacuation device from the control device to evacuate the sterilized defective container.

(6) The sterilization failure container evacuation device of the sixth means is integrated with opening and closing of a pair of grippers for gripping the container by the container gripping device in the sterilization failure container evacuation device of the third to fifth means. And the cam follower is configured to open the pair of grippers by engaging the cam follower with a cam operated in response to a command from the control device.

(7) The sterilization failure container evacuation device of the seventh means is the sterilization failure container evacuation device of the third to sixth means, wherein a container sensor for detecting the accumulation state of the evacuation container in the waste container receiving box is provided. And is configured to control the opening and closing of the shutter in response to a detection signal from the container sensor.

According to the first and third aspects of the present invention, a closed-loop circular container transport device that grips and transports a container with a plurality of container gripping devices, and a container transported from upstream is delivered and supplied to the container gripping device. A container delivery and supply apparatus; an electron beam irradiation apparatus that individually sterilizes the container conveyed by the container conveying apparatus by irradiating an electron beam; and a container that delivers the sterilized container from the container gripping apparatus and discharges it downstream. a transfer discharge device, and the sterilizing quality detector for detecting the sterilization quality of the container irradiated with the electron beam for each of the vessel by the electron beam irradiation device, a method using electron beam sterilization apparatus provided with the electron beam sterilizer the provided exclusion can reject device containers determined to be defective sterilization by sterilizing quality detector in the device, wherein the exclusion of the bactericidal defective container sterilizing quality detector, the container transfer discharge device By was performed between, has the effect of sterilization failure the container gripping device container of not gripping of never referred to recontamination by gripping the container properly sterilized.

  The present invention according to claims 2 and 4 is the method or apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the container discharged by the discharge apparatus has a shutter at the outlet opening thereof. By receiving in a receiving box and discharging the positive pressure from the inside of the waste container receiving box through the shutter, the positive pressure in the waste container receiving box can be maintained, and It has an effect that an atmosphere containing harmful ozone which is generated by activation of oxygen in the air in the sterilization chamber by electron beam irradiation is difficult to go outside.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container according to the third or fourth aspect, a container counting device for detecting and counting a container passing through the electron beam irradiation apparatus is provided, and the container Confirmation that the sterilization-defective container has been discharged reliably by receiving the container signal counted by the counting device and issuing a command to the evacuation device from the control device to reject the sterilization-defective container. Has the effect of being able to.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, the container gripping device operates integrally with opening and closing of a pair of grippers for gripping the container. The container gripping device is configured to open the pair of grippers by engaging the cam follower with a cam that operates according to a command from the control device. It has an effect that a mechanism common to the mechanism for delivering the container to the delivery / discharge device can be diverted.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sterilization defective container evacuation apparatus according to any one of the third to sixth aspects, a container sensor for detecting the accumulation degree of the evacuation container is provided in the evacuation container receiving box. Further, since the detection signal from the container sensor is received and the opening and closing of the shutter is controlled, even when the weight of the container discharged to the discharge container receiving box is light, the discharged container is the discharge container. Without being caught between the receiving box outlet opening and the shutter, it is reliably discharged to the outside, and the inside of the waste container receiving box is maintained at a positive pressure in a clean atmosphere by forcibly closing the shutter. And the effect that oxygen in the air in the sterilization chamber is activated by electron beam irradiation and the atmosphere containing harmful ozone is not easily released to the outside. Having.

It is the top view which showed typically the electron beam sterilization apparatus provided with the sterilization apparatus of the sterilization defect container concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part enlarged view of FIG. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a figure equivalent to FIG. 3 with the sterilization device of the sterilization defect container of the electron beam sterilization apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same.
(First Embodiment of the Invention)

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an electron beam sterilization apparatus including a sterilization failure container evacuation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.
In the figure, an electron beam sterilizer 1 is provided with a rotary (closed loop circulatory) container transport device 4 rotating in the direction of 4a in FIG. A container gripping device 30 that grips and transports the container P in an inverted state, and rotates in the direction of 5a in the figure, grips the neck of the container P that is transported in an upright state from the upstream in the direction of the arrow 7, and holds the container P Is transferred to the container gripping device 30 and supplied to the container gripping device 30, and the container P transported by the container transport device 4 is moved to the electron beam at the position E. Electron beam irradiation device 3 for sterilizing by irradiation, sterilization quality detector 3s for detecting the sterilization quality of the sterilization target container P attached to the electron beam irradiation device 3, and sterilization failure by the sterilization quality detector 3s The container P determined as The evacuation device 2 for evacuation at the position F and the sterilized container P conveyed by the container conveyance device 4 are delivered at the position D in the figure, while holding the neck of the container P and turning the container P upside down. The container delivery / discharge device 6 that rotates and conveys in the direction of the figure 6a and discharges to the subsequent process in the direction of the arrow 8, the control device 10 that controls these devices, and the inside is kept at a positive pressure by a clean atmosphere. The sterilization chamber 1a is mainly configured.
The container transport device 4 rotates in synchronization with the container delivery / supply device 5 and the container delivery / discharge device 6.
In the description of the figure, the container gripping device 30 is described as a case where the container P is transported in an inverted state, but it is of course possible to transport the container P in an upright state instead of an inverted state. Detailed description will be omitted.

In the container transport device 4, a ring 45 provided with the container gripping device 30 on the circumference equally is supported by a bearing 42 on a fixed boss 41 via a rotating disk 44 and rotated by a driving device (not shown). It is comprised so that it may rotate via the axis | shaft 43 to be performed.
Before and after the position E shown in the figure of the electron beam irradiation device 3, a container counting device 9a and a container counting device 9b for detecting and counting the containers P passing through the electron beam irradiation device 3 are provided. A container signal is sent to the control device 10.
Here, the case where the container counting device is provided at two locations and the container P passing through the electron beam irradiation device 3 is counted has been described, but either the container counting device 9a or the container counting device 9b is used. May be provided in one place.

In the container gripping device 30, a pair of grippers 31 and grippers 31 a that grip the neck of the container P are fixed to a shaft 32 and a shaft 32 a, respectively, and the shaft 32 and the shaft 32 a are pivotally supported by a hole 45 a provided in the ring 45. To slide and rotate.
A gear 33 that meshes with each other is attached to the shaft 32 and the shaft 32a, and when the shaft 32 rotates and swings, the other shaft 32a rotates and swings in the opposite direction.

A lever 34 is fixed to the shaft 32, and a cam follower 36 is provided on the lever 34 via a shaft 35, and the cam follower 36 is integrated with the fixed boss 41. It engages with cams 47 provided at positions C and D.
Here, the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a act in a closing direction via a lever 34 and a shaft 32 by a spring 39 suspended from a pin 37 attached to the lever 34 and a pin 38 attached to the fixed disk 46. However, when the cam follower 36 is engaged with the cam 47, the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a against the force of the spring 39 cause the shaft 32 and the shaft 32a to rotate and swing respectively. It is configured to act as an open.

The sterilization device 2 for the poor sterilization container P is configured such that at the position F, the two shafts 23 are slidably supported by two pairs of bearings 24 attached to the fixed disk 46, and are fixed via the bracket 22. The actuator 25 attached to the disk 46 is reciprocated, and the cam 25 attached to the tip of the shaft 23 is reciprocated accordingly.
The cam 25 is not engaged with the cam follower 36 when the actuator 21 is in the retracted state. However, when the actuator 21 is in the advanced state, the cam 25 is engaged with the cam follower 36 and the shaft of the lever 34 is engaged. The gripper 31 and the gripper 31a are opened with the shaft 32 and the shaft 32a as the rotational swing center, respectively, through the rotation of the shaft 32 accompanying the rotational swing around the shaft 32.

  When the sterilization quality detector 3s determines that the container P is sterilized, the actuator 21 sends a signal of the sterilization failure target container P by the container counting device 9a and the container counting device 9b to the control device 10. When the container P for sterilization failure reaches the position F in the figure, the forward movement is performed according to a command from the control device 10, whereby the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a are opened, The gripper 31 and the container P whose neck is gripped by the gripper 31a are discharged by natural fall.

Further, at the position F, a waste container receiving box 26 for receiving the discharged container P is provided, and the waste container discharge outlet opening 26w of the waste container receiving box 26 has an upper portion of the opening 26w. A shutter 28 is provided that is opened and closed by a hinge 27 provided at the top.
Further, the atmosphere inside the shutter 28 is positive pressure so that there is no air flow from the outside to the inside of the shutter 28.
Although the shutter 28 may be a rubber warmer, detailed description thereof is omitted.

The sterilization quality detector 3s is, for example, one that detects the container temperature after electron beam irradiation with a thermometer as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-213845, or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-2007. There is a detector of a known technique such as one that detects a current value of a beam current with a beam sensor provided in an electron beam irradiation port of an electron beam irradiation apparatus as described in Japanese Patent No. 126168. The detailed explanation is omitted.
Further, in the electron beam sterilizer 1, since the oxygen in the air is activated by electron beam irradiation and decomposes ozone generated, the atmosphere in the sterilization chamber 1a is recovered by a suction duct (not shown) and an ozone decomposer (not shown). A device for decomposing and exhausting harmful ozone is provided, but a detailed description is omitted here.

Next, the operation of the sterilization defective container evacuation apparatus 2 of the electron beam sterilization apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The container P conveyed in an upright state from the upstream in the direction of the arrow 7 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow 5a while being held upside down by the container delivery and supply device 5 with the neck gripped by a neck gripping tool (not shown). , The neck is transferred to the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a which are opened by the engagement of the cam follower 36 and the cam 47, and the engagement of the cam follower 36 and the cam 47 is released by the rotation of the rotating disk 44. When the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a are gripped by the neck, and are transported by the rotation of the rotary disk 44 and reach the position E in the figure, the electron beam irradiation device 3 irradiates the electron beam. When the sterilization quality is detected by the detector 3s and it is determined that the sterilization is poor, the container counting device 9a and the container counting device 9b More signals sterilization defective target container P is fed to the controller 10.

  When the container P determined to be sterilized normally by the sterilization pass / fail detector 3 s reaches the position D shown in the figure by the rotation of the rotating disk 44, the gripper 31 and the gripper 31 a opened by the engagement of the cam follower 36 and the cam 47. From the neck, the neck is gripped by a neck gripping tool (not shown) of the container delivery / discharge device 6 and conveyed in the direction of arrow 6a while being turned upside down, and in the direction of arrow 8 as the neck grip is released. It is discharged to the subsequent process.

  If the container P is determined to be sterilization failure by the sterilization quality detector 3s, a signal of the sterilization failure target container P is sent to the control device 10, and when the corresponding container P reaches the position F, the control device 10 As the actuator 21 moves forward in response to the command, the cam 25 moves forward via the bracket 22 and the shaft 23, the cam 25 engages with the cam follower 36 of the container gripping device 30, and the gripper 31 and the gripper 31a are opened. As shown in the arrow R in FIG.

The container P discharged into the waste container receiving box 26 is discharged to the outside with the pressure lower than that of the sterilization chamber 1a because the shutter 28 is opened by the force of its own weight.
Here, since the inside of the waste container receiving box 26 and the shutter 28 has a positive pressure, the air outside the shutter 28 enters the inside of the waste container receiving box 26 when the discharged container P is discharged. The atmosphere inside the sterilization chamber 1a is maintained at a positive pressure and a clean atmosphere, and the atmosphere containing harmful ozone generated by activation of oxygen in the air in the sterilization chamber 1a by electron beam irradiation is exposed to the outside. It becomes difficult to come out.

  After the container gripping device 30 reaches the position C by the conveyance of the container conveyance device 4 after the sterilization failure container P is clarified by the evacuation device 2 at the position F, the container delivery device 5 supplies the container P before sterilization. Upon receiving the delivery supply, the container P is irradiated with the electron beam by the electron beam irradiation device 3 at the position E. Therefore, the container gripping device 30 contaminated by the container P with poor sterilization grips the container P with normal sterilization. There is no such thing as recontamination.

(Second Embodiment of the Invention)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, which is a discharge device for a sterilization failure container of an electron beam sterilization apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 4, the same structure as that of the first embodiment is denoted by the same symbol, and redundant description is omitted.
In the figure, the sterilization defective container evacuation apparatus 2a of the electron beam sterilization apparatus 1a includes a container detection sensor 29 for detecting the container P discharged into the evacuation container receiving box 26a, and a signal detected by the container detection sensor 29. Is sent to the control device 10a, and an actuator (not shown) is actuated by a command from the control device 10a to open or close the shutter 28.

Next, the operation of the sterilization failure container evacuation apparatus 2a of the electron beam sterilization apparatus 1a of the second embodiment will be described.
When the container P discharged to the waste container receiving box 26a is detected by the container detection sensor 29, a signal is sent to the control device 10a, and the shutter 28 that has been closed by the command from the control device 10a is opened. By being operated so as to be discharged, it is discharged to the outside.
Thereafter, the shutter 28 is closed again in response to a command from the control device 10a, the positive pressure of a clean atmosphere is maintained in the waste container receiving box 26a, and oxygen in the air in the sterilization chamber 1a is irradiated with an electron beam. It becomes difficult for the air containing harmful ozone generated by activation to go out.

  When the weight of the container P discharged to the waste container receiving box 26a is light, the container P remains sandwiched between the end of the outlet opening of the waste container receiving box 26a and the shutter 28, and the shutter 28 may remain open. However, as described above, if the shutter 28 is forcibly opened by a command from the control device 10a, the discharged container P is moved to the discharged container receiving box 26a. Without being sandwiched between the end of the outlet opening of the shutter and the shutter 28, and is surely discharged to the outside, and the shutter 28 is forcibly closed by a command from the control device 10a, whereby the waste container receiver The inside of the box 26a is reliably maintained at a positive pressure in a clean atmosphere.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a Electron beam sterilizer 2, 2a Exhaust device 3 (of sterilization defect container) 3 Electron beam irradiation device 3s Sterilization pass / fail detector 4 Container transport device 5 Container delivery supply device 6 Container delivery discharge device 9a, 9b Container count device 10, 10a Control device 21 Actuator 23 Shaft 25 Cam 26, 26a Waste container receiving box 28 Shutter 29 Container detection sensor 30 Container gripping device 31, 31a Gripper 32, 32a Shaft 33 (meshing) gear 34 Lever 36 Cam follower 39 Spring 41 Fixed disk 44 Rotating disc 47 Cam P Container

Claims (7)

A closed-loop circular container transport device that grips and transports containers with a plurality of container gripping devices;
A container delivery and supply device for delivering a container conveyed from upstream and supplying the container to the container gripping device;
An electron beam irradiation device for individually sterilizing the container conveyed by the container conveyance device with an electron beam;
A container delivery / discharge device that delivers the sterilized container from the container gripping device and discharges it downstream;
A sterilization quality detector for detecting the sterilization quality of the container irradiated with the electron beam by the electron beam irradiation device for each container ;
In the method of using an electron beam sterilizer equipped with
In the electron beam sterilizer, provided with a evacuation device capable of evacuating containers determined to be sterilization failure by the sterilization quality detector,
A method for rejecting a sterilized defective container, characterized in that the sterilized defective container is discharged between the sterilization pass / fail detector and the container delivery / discharge device.   2. The method for evacuating a sterilized defective container according to claim 1, wherein a container evacuated by the evacuation device is received in an evacuation container receiving box having a shutter at an outlet opening thereof, and the positive pressure evacuation is performed through the shutter. A method for evacuating a sterilized defective container, characterized in that the positive pressure in the waste container receiving box is maintained by discharging the container from the container receiving box to the outside. A closed-loop circular container transport device that grips and transports containers with a plurality of container gripping devices;
A container delivery and supply device for delivering a container conveyed from upstream and supplying the container to the container gripping device;
An electron beam irradiation device for individually sterilizing the container conveyed by the container conveyance device with an electron beam;
A container delivery / discharge device that delivers the sterilized container from the container gripping device and discharges it downstream;
A sterilization quality detector for detecting the sterilization quality of the container irradiated with the electron beam by the electron beam irradiation device for each container ;
In an electron beam sterilizer equipped with
Between the sterilization pass / fail detector and the container delivery and discharge device is provided an evacuation device capable of evacuating a sterilized defective container,
An apparatus for rejecting a sterilization defect container, wherein a control device for receiving a sterilization defect detection signal from the sterilization pass / fail detector and issuing a command to reject the sterilization defect container is provided in the evacuation apparatus.   The waste container sterilization apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a waste container receiving box for receiving the container discharged by the waste apparatus, and a shutter is provided at a discharge container discharge outlet opening of the waste container receiving box. A sterilization device for poorly sterilized containers.   5. The apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a container counting device for detecting and counting containers passing through the electron beam irradiation device is provided, and a container signal counted by the container counting device is received. An apparatus for rejecting a sterilized defective container, wherein the controller is configured to issue a command to the sterilizing apparatus to reject the sterilized defective container.   6. The sterilization device for rejecting a sterilized container according to claim 3, wherein the container gripping device includes a cam follower that operates integrally with opening and closing of a pair of grippers for gripping the container, and the cam follower is An apparatus for rejecting a sterilization-defective container, wherein the pair of grippers are opened by engaging with a cam that operates in accordance with a command from a control device.   7. The sterilization failure container evacuation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the evacuation container receiving box is provided with a container sensor that detects a state of accumulation of the sterilization container, and receives a detection signal from the container sensor. The sterilization apparatus for rejecting a sterilized container is configured to control opening and closing of the shutter.

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