JP6572606B2 - Aseptic filling plug - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a plug used by being attached to a film container for storing a liquid or the like, and more particularly to a plug suitable for aseptic filling.

  A packaging form in which a flexible container filled with a liquid is stored in a paper box or the like is known. In this type of container generally called a bag-in-box, a structure in which a plastic stopper is attached to a film container mainly composed of a soft plastic film is common.

  As for the form of the spigot, the one with a screw-type cap that can be opened, the type with a cock that allows the contents to be poured out by twisting the cock by hand, or the type that is attached with a separate spigot is used. It is various.

  On the other hand, various plugs suitable for aseptic filling in which contents are aseptically filled have been proposed. In performing aseptic filling, it is necessary to sterilize the container in advance, fill it in an aseptic environment, and seal it in the aseptic state.

  As a plug for aseptic filling, a plug using a thin film 3 that can be broken as shown in FIG. 4A is known. After this stopper is attached to the container, the inside of the container is sterilized by irradiating the whole with γ-rays, and when filling, the thin film 3 is broken in an aseptic environment as shown in FIG. Fill.

  This method has the advantage that the filling method is simple because the method of use is simple. On the other hand, fragments of the thin film 3 may be mixed into the contents and become foreign matters. The thin film and pressure-sensitive adhesive for use have a problem that they can be used only for the contents that are not altered or eluted because the contents are in direct contact with each other.

  As another plug for aseptic filling, a plug having a movable valve body having a diaphragm structure inside the plug as shown in FIG. 5A is known. After this stopper is attached to the container, the inside of the container is sterilized by irradiating the whole with γ-rays, and when filling, pressure is applied from the outside in an aseptic environment as shown in Fig. 5-2. There is also a method in which the diaphragm 4 is pushed and the insertion portion inserted into the inner diameter is pushed into the inside to open and a gap is formed to fill.

  Although this method is simple to use, it has a problem that the plug structure is complicated and the cost is high, and it can be easily filled, so that it is easy to open other than at the time of filling.

  The spout for a sterile packaging container described in Patent Document 1 is a spout plug that attempts to achieve aseptic filling by another method.

  In Patent Document 1, a cylindrical spout provided with a fitting convex edge 15 on the outer periphery and a two-stage fitting concave edge 25 fitted to the fitting convex edge are provided on the inner periphery, and at the lower part thereof. And a cap 20 provided with a membrane 200 coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that is bonded to the upper surface of the spout when pushed deeply, and proposes a spout for an aseptic packaging container, characterized in that FIG. 6 is a plug having a structure as shown in FIG.

In the plug, before filling, the cap 20 is shallowly attached to the plug as shown in FIG. In filling, the cap 20 is once removed and filled in an aseptic environment, and then the cap is completely pushed in and sealed as shown in FIG.

In Patent Document 2,
It consists of a cap body and a cap that are integrally molded, and the cap body has a cylindrical body, a mounting flange for welding to the container body, and a flange for welding the cap. The cap has a sealing plate and a fitting ring depending from the sealing plate, and the inner periphery of the injection port and the tip of the fitting ring extend over the entire circumference through a thin joint. Aseptic filling plugs, characterized by being connected to each other, have been proposed.

  When the cap used for this plug is repeatedly heated and cooled as a whole, the fitting between the cylindrical body and the fitting ring becomes familiar with the creep phenomenon, the difference in diameter decreases, and the fitting force decreases. However, there are problems such as leakage and the possibility of the cap coming out due to a change in internal pressure.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-39163 JP 2014-172620 A

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, there is no restriction on the contents, there is little change in the fitting force even if heating and cooling are repeated, and even if there is a change in internal pressure, the cap does not easily come out, making it hygienic. Also proposes an excellent plug for aseptic filling.

The plug of claim 1 of the present invention is:
It consists of a cap body and cap that are integrally molded,
The plug body has an inside as an injection port, and a cylindrical body having a fitting step inside,
A mounting flange for welding to the container body,
The cap is a sealing plate,
A fitting side wall having a vertical part hanging from the sealing plate upward, an inclined part inclined inward downward, and a fitting protrusion on the outer periphery;
A bottom plate provided inside the fitting side wall,
The trunk upper end and the fitting side wall are connected over the entire circumference via a joint ,
The aseptic filling plug is characterized in that the bottom plate is thicker than the fitting projection from the lower end of the bottom plate .

  The cap of claim 2 of the present invention is the cap for aseptic filling according to claim 1, wherein the fitting projection of the cap is provided above the joint.

The plug of claim 3 of the present invention is the plug for aseptic filling according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a mouthpiece is provided at the tip of the trunk .

The plug of the present invention has a high productivity since the cap body and the cap are integrally formed, and
Low price.
In addition, since it is not necessary to use an adhesive resin or the like, it is possible to use a material in which a component that elutes hardly appears.
In addition, since there is a bottom plate and it is fitted with a fitting protrusion, there is little change in fitting force even if heating and cooling are repeated, and even if there is a change in internal pressure, the cap does not easily come out. There is an effect.

It is the figure which showed the state immediately after the shaping | molding with which the cap main body and the cap were connected with the aseptic filling plug in the embodiment of the present invention. The left side is an external front view, the right side is a longitudinal sectional view, and the vicinity of the joint is shown in an enlarged view. It is a figure which shows the state which removed the cap from the stopper main body just before filling with the aseptic chamber with the aseptic filling stopper in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the state which fitted the cap after the contents filling with the aseptic filling plug in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the structure of a conventional aseptic filling plug, FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a state before filling, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state during filling. FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the aseptic filling stopper shown in Patent Document 1, FIG. 5A is a view showing a state before filling, and FIG. 5B is a view showing a state after filling. FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the structure of the aseptic filling plug shown in Patent Document 2, FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a state before filling, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state after filling.

Hereinafter, the form for implementing the stopper of this invention is demonstrated in detail using figures.
FIG. 1 is a mouth plug according to an embodiment of the present invention, a front view on the left of FIG. 1-1, a longitudinal sectional view on the right, and a state immediately after molding in which the plug body 1 and the cap 2 are connected and integrated. FIG.
The plug body 1 has a cylindrical body portion 11 having an inside as an injection port, and a mounting flange 12 for welding to the container body.
On the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 11, a hook 111 may be provided for holding the stopper for pouring and filling. A fitting step 110 is provided on the inner periphery of the cylindrical body 11.
The cap 2 includes a sealing plate 21, a fitting side wall 22, and a bottom plate 23.
The fitting side wall 22 includes a vertical portion 221 hanging from the sealing plate, an inclined portion 222 inclined inward from the lower end of the vertical portion, and a fitting protrusion 223, and a bottom plate 23 is provided inside the fitting side wall 22. .
And the trunk | drum upper end inner edge 112 and the fitting side wall 22 are connected over the perimeter via the junction part 1120, and are united.

FIG. 1-2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the joint. A fitting projection 223 is provided at the lower end of the vertical portion 221 of the fitting side wall 22, and there is an inclined portion 222 below the fitting projection 223, and in the middle of the inclined portion 222 having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the vertical portion 221. A joint 1120 is provided.
Since the joint portion 1120 is joined to the upper end inner edge 112 of the body portion 1 of the spigot body 1, the inner diameter of the upper end portion 112 of the trunk portion is smaller than the outer diameter of the vertical portion 221 and is strongly inserted.
The cap 2 is provided with a bottom plate 23.
When there is no bottom plate, if the cap is fitted for a long time, the cap is deformed due to the creep phenomenon and becomes a shape that fits the plug body 1, and the sealing force due to the fitting is lost, and there is a risk of easy leakage. Will occur.
When the bottom plate 23 is present, the cap 2 is compressed, so that the resistance is high and the deformation is difficult. The thickness C of the bottom plate 23 of the cap is sufficiently larger than the height B of the fitting protrusion from the lower end of the bottom plate 23.
For this reason, the inside of the fitting protrusion 223 is clogged with resin and is completely compressed, so that deformation due to a creep phenomenon that is stretched does not occur. For this reason, even if the fitting protrusion is compressed for a long period of time, the diameter hardly changes and the fitting strength of the fitting does not change.
Further, the fitting protrusion 223 is provided at a height sufficiently separated from the position of the joint 1120. Since the height A between the fitting protrusion 223 and the joining portion 1120 is provided large, a residue obtained by cutting the joining portion is not easily generated, and there is little risk of liquid leakage or aseptic destruction due to the biting of the resin residue.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which the container 2 is sterilized with γ rays and the cap 2 is opened in the aseptic chamber of the filling machine.
The cap 2 may simply pull up the end of the sealing plate 21 and peel off the joint 1120, or the entire cap 2 may be rotated relative to the plug body 1 and torn.
The height B from the joint portion 1120 to the fitting protrusion 223 is sufficiently large so that the joint portion 1120 does not stretch or cause cutting residue when torn.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the cap 2 is closed after the contents are filled through the open plug body in the aseptic chamber of the filling machine.
That is, the cap 2 is inserted into the plug body 1.
When the cap 2 is inserted, first, the cap 2 starts to be fitted from the upper end inner edge 112 of the trunk portion of the plug body 1 that has reached the joint portion 1120.
Thereafter, the cap 2 passes through the fitting protrusion 223 of the fitting side wall 22 while forcibly expanding the cylindrical body 11 of the plug body 1, and when the fitting protrusion 223 finishes passing through the body fitting part 113, The fitting protrusion 223 engages with the fitting step 110.
At the same time, the sealing plate 21 of the cap 2 reaches the upper end 1121 of the trunk portion of the plug body 1.

  The joint portion 1120 is joined to the upper end inner edge 112 of the body portion 1 of the plug body 1, and the inner diameter of the upper end inner edge 112 of the trunk portion is smaller than the outer diameter of the vertical portion 221. Is a force that fits the vertical portion 221 of the cap into a difference in diameter, and the liquid is stopped.

A mouthpiece 114 is provided on the outer side of the body fitting part 113, and the body fitting part 113 is set so as not to be expanded by a creep phenomenon and to reduce the fitting force.
The plastic container equipped with the aseptic filling plug according to the present invention can be opened after the aseptic filling plug is opened, the contents are filled, and then the aseptic filling plug is opened. Absent. When taking out the contents from the container, the film container body is cut open and the contents are taken out.

The molding resin used for the aseptic filling stopper of the present invention can be used as long as it is a resin that can be fused to the inner surface of the film forming bag to be used and does not undergo significant material change by sterilization processes such as γ irradiation.
For example, as molding resins used for aseptic filling plugs, high pressure method low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene / propylene copolymer, ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer Polymers can be used.
Usually, these resins are selected according to the fusion layer of the film to which these resins are fused, the environmental stress cracking resistance to the contents, the compatibility with the plug body, and the like, and manufactured by an injection molding machine or a compression molding machine.

The stopper of the present invention is as described above, and since the conventional automatic paper container manufacturing machine for a bag with a stopper for aseptic filling can be used as it is, the start-up cost is manufactured in the same manner as a container such as a normal back-in box. it can.
In particular, the aseptic filling spigot of the present invention can be molded integrally with the cap main body and the cap, so that it is possible to mold with a single mold, and the productivity is high, and the cost can be greatly reduced. .
Further, since the thickened bottom plate is provided, the fitting strength hardly changes over time, and long-term storage becomes possible.
In addition, the cap and the plug body are fitted in a press-fitted state due to the difference in diameter and are liquid-stopped. It is a mechanism to prevent surely.
Moreover, the aseptic filling plug of the present invention has a great merit in that it is difficult to cause troubles such as loose fitting even in export via the tropical region.

1 ········ Plug body 11 ······················································ 112 ······· Body upper end inner edge 1120 ········································································ ···············································································································・ Membrane (prior literature)
21... Sealing plate 22. ··········································································································· ... Diaphragm

Claims (3)

It consists of a cap body and cap that are integrally molded,
The plug body has an inside as an injection port, and a cylindrical body having a fitting step inside,
A mounting flange for welding to the container body,
The cap is a sealing plate,
A fitting side wall having a vertical part hanging from the sealing plate upward, an inclined part inclined inward downward, and a fitting protrusion on the outer periphery;
A bottom plate provided inside the fitting side wall,
The trunk upper end and the fitting side wall are connected over the entire circumference via a joint ,
The aseptic filling plug, wherein the bottom plate is thicker than the lower end of the bottom plate than the upper end of the fitting projection .   The cap for aseptic filling according to claim 1, wherein the fitting protrusion of the cap is provided above the joint. The mouth plug for aseptic filling according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a mouthpiece is provided at the tip of the trunk.

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