JP6310768B2 - Container sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a container sterilization apparatus that performs sterilization by irradiating an electron beam to a container being transported. In particular, in addition to sterilization by irradiation of an electron beam, sterilization using a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide can be used in combination. The present invention relates to a safe container sterilizer.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, container sterilization apparatuses that sterilize resin containers such as PET bottles by irradiating them with an electron beam have been widely used. In such a container sterilization apparatus using electron beam irradiation, there is a problem that if the thickness of the resin container is thick, the electron beam hardly reaches the inside of the container and the sterilization effect may be small. On the other hand, in addition to sterilization by electron beam irradiation, a container sterilization apparatus is used that performs sterilization by gasifying a liquid sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide or spraying it into a mist form ( For example, see Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 3).

  The container sterilization apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a supply means for supplying a sterilization medium to a supply area on the upstream side of a sterilization area that sterilizes by irradiating an electron beam to a container being transported, and the inside of the container is aseptic. Aseptic gas injection means for injecting air is provided. In this invention, aseptic gas is blown into the container in the supply area to replace the inside with aseptic gas, the outer surface of the container is sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas, and then the container is sterilized by irradiating an electron beam in the sterilization area. Like to do.

  Moreover, the sterilization apparatus described in Patent Document 2 includes a decontamination chamber, a sterilization chamber, and a transport unit that transports the storage body. The decontamination chamber includes a bottom surface of the storage body housed in the chamber, A decontamination gas supply means for supplying decontamination gas to the side surface exterior portion is provided, and the sterilization chamber has a configuration including an electron accelerator that irradiates an electron beam to the upper surface exterior portion of the container.

  Furthermore, the container sterilization apparatus of Patent Document 3 is provided with a hydrogen peroxide gas injection device in an electron beam irradiation chamber of a lead aseptic chamber, and the entire electron beam irradiation chamber is filled with hydrogen peroxide gas during operation. Further, a hydrogen peroxide gas injection device is also provided in a space upstream of the electron beam irradiation chamber, and impurities such as bacteria are previously removed by setting this space as a sterilizing atmosphere. Further, an inert gas injection nozzle is provided on the rotary wheel disposed in the upstream space, and an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is blown into the container for replacement. In this container sterilizer, after injecting an inert gas into a container, electron beam irradiation is performed in a hydrogen peroxide atmosphere.

Japanese Patent No. 5141185 JP 2012-29859 A Japanese Patent No. 4730190

  In the configurations of these Patent Documents 1 to 3, the electron beam is irradiated after the bactericide is used. As described above, the surface of the container touched by the gaseous or mist-like disinfectant is condensed, and there is a problem that even if it is irradiated with an electron beam in this state, it is absorbed by water, and the disinfection efficiency is poor. . Further, nitrogen oxides are generated with the irradiation of the electron beam, but there is a problem that the nitrogen oxides react with moisture in the atmosphere brought in with the container to become nitric acid and corrode the metal part of the apparatus. Furthermore, in the case of a container having a thin wall as a whole, there is a concern that shrinkage or deformation may occur due to adhesion of a bactericide that is heated and gasified (vaporized) or mist. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a container sterilization apparatus that can handle both a thick resin container and a thin resin container.

The present invention relates to a container sterilization apparatus including a container transport unit that transports a container and an electron beam irradiation unit that irradiates the transported container with an electron beam. A sterilizing agent spraying means for spraying a sterilizing agent on the inside of the container to be transported, and a control means for controlling the operation of the container sterilizing apparatus, wherein the control means comprises the electron beam irradiation means and the A first sterilization mode in which the container is sterilized by the sterilizing agent spraying means and a second sterilization mode in which the container is sterilized only by the electron beam irradiation means are provided .

  Further, the second invention according to the first invention, further comprises a cover that covers the periphery of the container that is transported at the sterilizing agent spraying position by the sterilizing agent spraying means, and an exhausting means that exhausts the inside of the cover. It is characterized by.

Furthermore, the third invention is the first invention or the second invention, wherein the sterilizing gas is disposed in the downstream side of the sterilizing agent spraying position of the sterilizing agent spraying means, and sterilized gas is introduced into the container to be transported. A gas supply means for supplying and a heating means for heating the gas supplied by the gas supply means ; in the first sterilization mode, the sterilization gas is heated from the gas supply means to the inside of the container by the heating means; In the second sterilization mode, aseptic gas is supplied from the gas supply means to the inside of the container without being heated by the heating means .

In addition, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, after irradiating the outer surface of the container to be transported with an electron beam, a sterilizing agent is sprayed inside the container, and then a heated sterilized gas is supplied to the inside of the container to remove the sterilizing component. A first sterilization mode for removing, and a second sterilization mode for discharging a foreign substance in the container by supplying an unheated aseptic gas to the inside of the container after irradiating the outer surface of the container to be transported with an electron beam. The container sterilization method is characterized by switching between the first sterilization mode and the second sterilization mode according to the thickness of the container.

  The container sterilization apparatus of the present invention is provided with the sterilizing agent spraying means for spraying the sterilizing agent inside the container on the downstream side of the electron beam irradiation position by the electron beam irradiating means. If this is not possible, spraying a disinfectant after irradiation with an electron beam makes it possible to completely sterilize even a thick container, and if it can be reliably sterilized only by irradiation with an electron beam. By not using the disinfectant spraying means, it is possible to eliminate the harmful effects caused by the use of the disinfectant.

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an entire container sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Example 1 FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the electron beam irradiation position. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the sterilization wheel. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of the air rinser, showing the upright state of the container. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main part of the air rinser, showing the inverted state of the container.

  The container supplied from the outside and carried into the radiation shield chamber made of lead is rotated and conveyed by the entrance wheel of this chamber and delivered to the gripper of the main wheel. An electron beam irradiation device is installed in front of the radiation shielding chamber, and an electron beam is irradiated toward the electron beam irradiation position through a metal window foil such as titanium attached to the irradiation window. The container held and conveyed by the gripper of the main wheel is sterilized by receiving the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiation device at the electron beam irradiation position.

  The container sterilized by being irradiated with the electron beam from the electron beam irradiation device is transferred via an exit wheel to an intermediate wheel in the chamber disposed adjacent to the electron beam shielding chamber. The intermediate wheel is provided with preliminary temperature raising means, and the container is heated by blowing hot air from a number of nozzles while being rotated and conveyed.

  A sterilization wheel is disposed on the downstream side of the intermediate wheel, and the container delivered from the gripper of the intermediate wheel to the gripper of the sterilization wheel is rotated and conveyed to the next air rinser. The sterilization wheel is provided with a cover that surrounds the upper and lower sides of the container to be transported and the radially inner side and the outer side over almost a half of the sterilization wheel. Tubes are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction so that the disinfectant can be sprayed toward the container conveyed inside the cover. The spray tube is connected to a sterilizing agent supply unit that supplies sterilizing agent droplets, heats and vaporizes the sterilizing agent supplied from the sterilizing agent supply unit, and the compressed air jetted from the compressed air supply unit The vaporized germicide is sprayed toward the container.

  The operation of this container sterilizer is controlled by the control means. In this invention, after the sterilization by the electron beam irradiation device, the first sterilization mode in which sterilization is performed by the sterilizing agent spraying means, and the second sterilization mode in which sterilization is performed only by the electron beam irradiation device without operating the sterilizing agent spraying means. In the case of a container that can be sufficiently sterilized only by electron beam irradiation, the sterilizing agent spraying means is not operated, and there is a possibility that sufficient sterilization may not be performed only by electron beam irradiation. In this case, after the sterilization by the electron beam irradiation device in the first sterilization mode, the sterilization by the sterilizing agent spraying means is performed.

  The container that has been sterilized by the upstream electron beam irradiation device and the sterilizing agent spraying means in the first sterilization mode, and the container that has been sterilized only by the electron beam irradiation device in the second sterilization mode are sent to the air rinser. And rinsed. A heating means is connected to a conduit for supplying aseptic air to the air rinser. When the sterilization is performed in the second sterilization mode, the heating means is not operated, and aseptic air is sprayed to discharge the foreign matter in the container. In addition, when sterilized in the first sterilization mode, aseptic air is heated and sprayed into the container, not only to discharge foreign matter in the container, but also to disassemble and remove the sterilizing agent adhering to the container, The residue is prevented.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. This container sterilization apparatus (indicated by reference numeral 1 as a whole) performs sterilization by irradiating an electron beam from an electron beam irradiation means 4 onto a container 2 (see FIG. 2) conveyed by a container conveyance means described below. Furthermore, a disinfectant spraying means 6 for spraying a disinfectant inside the container 2 to be transported is provided downstream of the electron beam irradiation position A by the electron beam irradiation means 4.

  In this embodiment, the container 2 to be sterilized is a plastic container such as a plastic bottle, and as shown in FIG. 2 and the like, it is close to the lower part of the neck portion 2a (the smaller diameter portion above the shoulder portion 2b of the container 2). A flange 2c is formed on the surface. These containers 2 are arranged above and below the flange 2c by container holding means (grippers) respectively provided on a plurality of wheels 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 arranged in succession. Are held alternately and rotated. The container 2 is continuously transported by an air transport conveyor (not shown) arranged on the upstream side of the container sterilizing apparatus 1, separated by a predetermined interval by an infeed screw or the like, and loaded in the inlet chamber 24. Passed to the wheel 8. The carry-in wheel 8 is provided with a plurality of grippers (not shown) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and rotates and conveys the container 2 while holding the lower side of the flange 2c of the container 2.

  A radiation shielding chamber 26 is disposed adjacent to the entrance chamber 24, and the container 2 transported by the carry-in wheel 8 is delivered to the entrance wheel 10 disposed on the entrance side of the radiation shielding chamber 26. The radiation shielding chamber 26 is composed of a lead wall that shields the electron beam and X-rays (braking X-rays) from leaking outside when the container 2 is sterilized by electron beam irradiation. The inlet wheel 10 is provided with a plurality of grippers (not shown) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The container 2 held below the flange 2c by the gripper of the carry-in wheel 8 is connected to the inlet wheel 10. The gripper is held above the flange 2c and rotated and conveyed. An opening (not shown) through which the container 2 can pass is formed in a transfer portion from the carry-in wheel 8 to the entrance wheel 10 on the wall surface of the radiation shielding chamber 26.

  In the radiation shielding chamber 26, the main wheel 12 is disposed following the entrance wheel 10, and the exit wheel 14 is disposed on the exit side. As shown in FIG. 2, the central main wheel 12 is provided with a plurality of grippers 30 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 28, and the flange of the container 2 received from the gripper of the inlet wheel 10. The lower side than 2c is held and conveyed by rotation. The gripper 30 of the main wheel 12 is attached via a vertical rotation shaft 32, and the container 2 is placed at the irradiation position A where the electron beam irradiation means (electron beam irradiation device 4) irradiates the container 2 with the electron beam. It is designed to rotate 180 degrees. A beam collector 34 is disposed behind the container 2 that passes in front of the irradiation window 32 (electron beam irradiation position A) of the electron beam irradiation apparatus 4.

  The electron beam irradiation device 4 is arranged on the front side of the radiation shielding chamber 26 (upper side in FIG. 1). As is well known, the electron beam irradiation device 4 heats the filament in a vacuum in a vacuum chamber to generate thermoelectrons, accelerates the electrons with a high voltage to form a high-speed electron beam, and attaches to the irradiation window 32. The container 2 that has been taken out to the atmosphere through a metal window foil 36 made of titanium (Ti) or the like and held in the gripper 30 of the main wheel 12 and moved to the front electron beam irradiation position A is irradiated with an electron beam. Go and sterilize.

  The exit wheel 14 is arranged in the radiation shielding chamber 26 on the downstream side in the transport direction of the main wheel 12, and the container 2 that has been transported while being held below the flange 2 c by the gripper 30 of the main wheel 12 is The upper side of the flange 2c is held and rotated by a gripper (not shown).

  A chamber 40 in which an air rinser 38 is accommodated is installed adjacent to the radiation shielding chamber 26. An intermediate wheel 16 is disposed on the inlet side of the chamber 40, and grippers (not shown) provided on the outer peripheral portion of the intermediate wheel 16 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction are flanged by the gripper of the outlet wheel 14. The container 2 that has been transported while being held on the upper side of 2c is received, and is rotated and transported while holding the lower side of the flange 2c. An opening through which the container 2 can pass is formed at a portion where the container 2 is transferred from the exit wheel 14 in the radiation shielding chamber 26 to the intermediate wheel 16 in the chamber 40 in which the air rinser 38 is accommodated.

  The intermediate wheel 16 is provided with a preliminary temperature raising means 42 that blows warm air to the container 2 being conveyed to raise the temperature. The preliminary heating means 42 heats the air sent from the sterile air supply unit 44 by the heating means 46 and is held by the gripper from a number of nozzles (not shown) arranged around the intermediate wheel 16. The container 2 being conveyed is sprayed.

  Following the intermediate wheel 16, a sterilization wheel 18 is arranged. As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization wheel 18 is provided with a plurality of grippers 48 on the outer peripheral portion at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The gripper of the intermediate wheel 16 holds and conveys the lower side of the flange 2 c. The container 2 is transferred to the gripper 48 and the upper side of the flange 2c of the container 2 is held.

  On the outer peripheral side of the sterilization wheel 18, a cover 50 that covers the periphery of the container 2 to be transported is provided over almost half of the circumference. The cover 50 covers the radially outer side and the inner side, and the upper and lower sides of the container 2 to be rotated and conveyed. A radially inward wall surface 50a is formed with a gap 52 through which the gripper 48 attached to the outer peripheral portion of the sterilization wheel 18 can rotate and can pass through. The container 2 is covered except for the opening through which the container 2 can pass. A plurality of spray tubes 6 as a disinfectant spraying means are attached to the top surface 50 b on the upper side of the cover 50 with the spray nozzle 6 a facing the inside of the lower cover 50. A sterilizing agent supply unit 54 and a compressed air supply unit 56 are connected to the spray tube 6, and the sterilant droplets supplied from the sterilizing agent supply unit 54 to the spray tube 6 are heated in the spray tube 6. Vaporized, sent by compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply unit 56, and injected from the injection nozzle 6a into the cover 50. An exhaust pipe 58a of the exhaust means 58 is provided near a lower portion of the wall surface 50c on the radially outer side of the cover 50, and the exhaust inside the cover 50 is exhausted by the exhaust pipe 58. In this embodiment, an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution is used as the liquid sterilizing agent, but other liquid sterilizing agents such as a peracetic acid sterilizing agent can be used, and the form of use is also gaseous (vapor). Various known forms such as mist, spray, and spray can be employed.

  Following the sterilization wheel 18, a rinser wheel 20 that is a rotating body of the air rinser 38 is arranged. The rinser wheel 20 is provided with a plurality of grippers 60 on the outer peripheral portion at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The gripper 48 of the sterilization wheel 18 holds the upper side of the flange 2c. The container 2 that has been conveyed is delivered to the gripper 60 of the rinser wheel 20 and held below the flange 2c. Each gripper 60 is supported by a horizontal reversing shaft 62 so as to be reversible, and is in a horizontal state facing outward in the radial direction (the state shown in FIG. 4) and horizontally facing inward in the radial direction. By rotating 180 degrees to the correct state (the state shown in FIG. 5), the container 2 that is being held can be inverted between the upright state and the inverted state. A grooved cam 63 is attached to each gripper 60, and the cam 63 moves while engaging with a cam rail 66 fixedly installed on the outer peripheral side of the rinser wheel 20 via a stand 64. Accordingly, the gripper 60 rotates according to the track of the cam rail 66.

  Air nozzles 68 are respectively arranged on the inner sides in the radial direction of the reversing shafts 62 on which the grippers 60 are supported. Each air nozzle 68 faces upward, and when the container 2 held by each gripper 60 is in an inverted state, it is inserted into the mouth portion of the container 2 from below (the state shown in FIG. 5). Air is supplied to the supply pipe 70 of each air nozzle 68 from the aseptic air supply unit 44. Further, as described above, the heating means 46 is connected to the conduit for supplying air from the sterile air supply unit 44 to the air nozzle 68, and the heating air can be supplied through the heating means 46. Can be supplied into the container 2 without heating.

  The container 2 rinsed by the air rinser 38 is delivered to the carry-out wheel 22 installed in the outlet chamber 74 disposed adjacent to the air rinser chamber 40. The carry-out wheel 22 is provided with a plurality of grippers (not shown) on the outer peripheral portion at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the container that has been conveyed while being held below the flange 2c by the gripper 60 of the rinser wheel 20 2 is transferred to the gripper of the carry-out wheel 22 and is held above the flange 2c. The container 2 rotated and conveyed by the carry-out wheel 22 is discharged from the container sterilizer 1 and sent to the next process such as filling or capping. On the wall surface at the boundary between the air rinser chamber 40 and the outlet chamber 74, an opening through which the container 2 can pass is formed.

  The operation of the container sterilization apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is controlled by the control means 76. In particular, the electron beam irradiation device 4 irradiates the container 2 being conveyed by the container conveying means (in this embodiment, each wheel from the entrance wheel 10 to the rinser wheel 20 is called the container conveying means). After sterilization, it becomes possible to switch between the first sterilization mode in which the sterilization wheel 18 sprays the sterilizing agent in the container 2 for sterilization and the second sterilization mode in which only the sterilization by the electron beam irradiation device 4 is performed. ing. The control means 76 is provided with a storage unit 78 for registering the first sterilization mode and the second sterilization mode, and the control unit 80 performs control according to the registered sterilization mode.

  Operation | movement of the container sterilizer 1 concerning the above structure is demonstrated. The container sterilization apparatus 1 according to this embodiment sterilizes the container 2 by irradiating the container 2 with an electron beam, and then sprays the sterilizer in the container 2 with a sterilizing agent spraying means (spray tube) 6. The first sterilization mode in which sterilization is performed and the second sterilization mode in which only the sterilization by the electron beam irradiation device 4 is performed can be switched. First, a case in which sterilization is performed in the first sterilization mode will be described.

  The container 2 that has been continuously conveyed by an air conveyance conveyor (not shown) is cut at a predetermined interval by an infeed screw or the like, and then delivered to the gripper of the carry-in wheel 8 installed in the inlet chamber 24. The container 2 rotated and conveyed by the gripper of the carry-in wheel 8 is delivered to the entrance wheel 10 disposed on the entrance side of the radiation shielding chamber 26. The container 2 held and rotated by the gripper of the inlet wheel 10 is handed over to the gripper 30 of the main wheel 12 to hold the lower side of the flange 2c. The container 2 which is held by the gripper 30 of the main wheel 12 and is rotated and conveyed and moved to the electron beam irradiation position A is irradiated with an electron beam from the electron beam irradiation device 4 and sterilized. At this time, the gripper 30 is rotated 180 degrees (rotated 180 degrees around the vertical axis), and the entire circumference of the container 2 is irradiated with an electron beam to sterilize the entire outer surface.

  The container 2 that has been sterilized by the electron beam is delivered from the main wheel 12 to the exit wheel 14 and then delivered to the intermediate wheel 16 installed on the entrance side of the adjacent chamber 40. The intermediate wheel 16 is provided with preliminary temperature raising means 42 over almost a half circumference, and while being rotated and conveyed by the intermediate wheel 16, hot air is blown from a number of nozzles (not shown) to The temperature is raised. Thus, by preheating the inside of the container 2, the sterilizing agent sprayed after that adheres uniformly without abrupt condensation, and a high sterilizing effect can be exhibited.

  Thereafter, the container 2 is transferred from the gripper of the intermediate wheel 16 to the gripper 48 of the sterilization wheel 18 and is rotated and conveyed by the sterilization wheel 18. Around the path along which the gripper 48 of the sterilization wheel 18 moves, a cover 50 is provided over almost half of the sterilization wheel 18, and the container 2 held by the gripper 48 is conveyed inside the cover 50. The top surface 50b of the cover 50 is provided with a plurality of spray tubes 6 as disinfectant spraying means at equal intervals with the spray nozzle 6a facing downward, and the disinfectant heated and vaporized in the spray tubes 6 is provided. It injects toward the inside of the container 2 from the injection nozzle 6a. The sterilizing agent sprayed inside the container 2 and the sterilizing agent sprayed outside the container 2 fills the inside of the cover 50 and is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 58a. As a result, the atmosphere containing the sprayed disinfectant does not flow to the next process or the previous process, and in particular, flows to the electron beam irradiation position A to corrode the window foil 36 or is generated with the irradiation of the electron beam. It reacts with the nitrogen oxides to produce nitric acid and does not corrode the metal parts of the device. When the container 2 is a thick resin bottle or the like, the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiation device 46 is difficult to reach the inside of the container 2 and may not be sufficiently sterilized. After the sterilization by 4, the sterilization is performed by spraying the sterilizing agent vaporized from the sterilizing agent spraying means (spray tube 6) to the inside of the container 2, so that the container 2 is completely sterilized by the first sterilization mode. be able to. In particular, in the electron beam sterilization using the conventional electron beam irradiation apparatus, it is difficult for the electron beam to pass through the inside of the relatively thick container 2 in which the thickness of the body portion excluding the neck portion 2a exceeds approximately 0.4 mm. Since the electron beam does not reach sufficiently, the necessary bactericidal effect may not be obtained, but a sufficient bactericidal effect can be obtained by using a bactericidal agent together.

  The container 2 that has been sterilized with the sterilizing agent while being transported by the sterilizing wheel 18 is transferred from the gripper 48 of the sterilizing wheel 18 to the gripper 60 provided on the rinser wheel 20 of the next air rinser 38. . When the container 2 is received from the sterilization wheel 18, the gripper 60 of the air rinser 38 is engaged with the cam rail 66 in which the groove of the cam 63 is disposed below as shown in FIG. It is a horizontal state facing the radially outward side of the sawheel 20, and holds the lower side of the flange 2c in a state where the container 2 is upright. Thereafter, as the gripper 60 rotates, the cam 63 moves along the track of the cam rail 66 and reverses the gripper 60 inward in the radial direction of the rinser wheel 20. When the gripper 60 is in a horizontal state facing the radially inward side of the rinser wheel 20, the container 2 rotates 180 degrees around the reversing shaft 62 and is inverted, and the air nozzle 68 is inserted into the mouth of the container 2. (See FIG. 5).

  In the air rinser 38, aseptic air is sprayed from the air nozzle 68 into the container 2, and foreign matters inside the container 2 are discharged. Further, after sterilization by the electron beam irradiation device 4 in the first sterilization mode and also sterilization by the sterilizing agent spraying means (spray tube 6), the air supplied from the sterile air supply unit 44 is heated by the heating means 46. Since the heated air is jetted, the inside of the container 2 is heated by the heated air to promote the decomposition of the sterilizing agent component adhering thereto, and the function of preventing the residue can be performed. After rinsing with the air rinser 38, the container 2 is delivered to the carry-out wheel 22 installed in the outlet chamber 74, discharged from the container sterilizer 1, and sent to the next step.

  In addition, the relatively thin container 2 having a body portion excluding the neck portion 2a of approximately 0.4 mm or less is sterilized in the second sterilization mode in which the container 2 is sterilized only by the electron beam irradiation device 4. carry out. In the case of the second sterilization mode in which the container 2 is sterilized only by the electron beam irradiation device 4, the electron beam irradiation device 4 transfers the container 2 being conveyed by the main wheel 12 as in the case of the first sterilization mode. After sterilization by irradiating with an electron beam, the container 2 is sequentially transferred to the exit wheel 14, the intermediate wheel 16 and the sterilization wheel 18. In the sterilization wheel 18, the sterilizing agent supply unit 44 and the compressed air supply unit 56 are not operated, and the container 2 held by the gripper 48 is simply rotated and conveyed to the next air rinser 38. In the air rinser 38, the container 2 is received with the gripper 60 standing upright, and the container 2 is inverted while being conveyed, so that the air nozzle 68 is inserted into the container 2 from below. In the second sterilization mode, air that has not been heated by the heating means 46 is ejected from the air nozzle 68 in this state, and foreign matter in the container 2 is discharged. Thus, when the thickness of the container 2 is thin as a whole, it is prevented from shrinking or deforming by not heating it more than necessary. The form of the air rinser 38 is not limited to processing the container 2 in an inverted state, but the container 2 is conveyed in an upright state with the mouth portion facing upward, and the container is moved from an air nozzle 68 disposed above the container 2 to the container. 2 may be configured to inject heated air heated by the heating means 46 or aseptic air not heated. As described above, in the second sterilization mode, the container 2 can be prevented from being thermally contracted or deformed while obtaining the sterilization effect of the container 2 with respect to the container having a generally thin wall thickness. Is possible.

2 Container 4 Electron beam irradiation means (electron beam irradiation device)
6 Disinfectant spray means (spray tube)
10 Entrance wheel (container transport means)
12 Main wheel (container transport means)
14 Exit wheel (container transport means)
16 Intermediate wheel (container transport means)
18 Sterilization wheel (container transport means)
20 Rinser wheel (container transport means)

Claims (4)

In a container sterilization apparatus comprising a container transport means for transporting a container and an electron beam irradiation means for irradiating an electron beam to the transported container,
A disinfectant spraying means for spraying a disinfectant inside the container to be transported disposed downstream of the electron beam irradiation position of the container transporting means, and a control means for controlling the operation of the container disinfection device. With
The control means includes a first sterilization mode in which the container is sterilized by the electron beam irradiation means and the sterilizing agent spraying means, and a second sterilization mode in which the container is sterilized only by the electron beam irradiation means. Container sterilization device.   The container sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a cover that covers a periphery of a container that is transported at a position where the sterilizing agent is sprayed by the sterilizing agent spraying unit; and an exhaust unit that exhausts air from the cover. A gas supply means that is disposed downstream of the disinfectant spraying position of the disinfectant spraying means and supplies a sterile gas to the inside of the container to be transported, and a heating means for heating the gas supplied by the gas supply means It equipped with a door,
In the first sterilization mode, aseptic gas is supplied into the container from the gas supply means by heating with the heating means, and in the second sterilization mode, the container is supplied from the gas supply means without being heated by the heating means. The container sterilizer according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein aseptic gas is supplied to the inside of the container. A first sterilization mode of spraying a sterilizing agent inside the container after irradiating an electron beam on the outer surface of the container to be transported, and then supplying a heated aseptic gas to the inside of the container to remove sterilizing components ; A second sterilization mode for discharging a foreign gas in the container by supplying an unheated aseptic gas to the inside of the container after irradiating the outer surface of the container to be transported with an electron beam;
A container sterilization method, wherein the first sterilization mode and the second sterilization mode are switched depending on the thickness of the container.

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