JP7447424B2 - Aseptic filling machine and aseptic filling method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is an aseptic filling machine for aseptically filling liquid foods such as milk, cream, juice, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks, or liquid foods containing liquid drugs or solid substances into an inner bag for a bag-in-box with a spout. and relates to aseptic filling methods.

Conventionally, cans such as 18-ton cans have been widely used as large containers for liquids, but because the transportation and disposal of containers is complicated, plastic films filled with contents that can be easily disposed of have been used. The use of bag-in-boxes (BIB), which consists of a bag wrapped in cardboard, is becoming widespread. If the contents rot or deteriorate due to bacteria or the like, it is difficult to heat and sterilize the contents after filling them into the inner bag of the BIB due to the large capacity. Therefore, for perishable contents that are to be stored for a long period of time, aseptic filling is adopted, in which the inner bag is sterilized and the sterilized contents are filled into the sterilized inner bag in an aseptic atmosphere. Therefore, when filling a BIB with milk, cream, fruit juice, fruit juice with pulp, etc. for long-term storage, the inner bag is filled with the contents using an aseptic filling machine.

The aseptic filling method for the inner bag for BIB involves sealing a bag with a spout with a cap, sterilizing the inside of the bag by irradiation with gamma rays, etc., feeding the sterilized bag to a sterile BIB filling machine, and filling the bag with a spout and After sterilizing the outside of the cap with a liquid disinfectant such as sodium hypochlorite solution, peracetic acid solution, or hydrogen peroxide solution, remove the cap from the spout in a sterile chamber and fit the spout and filling nozzle. , fill the inner bag with a specified amount of contents from the filling nozzle, remove the filling nozzle from the spout, and seal the spout with a cap.

Furthermore, a method has been proposed in which sterilized liquid foods, medicines, etc. are filled into a sterilized BIB inner bag without using a sterile chamber (Patent Document 1). This is made by heat-sealing the edges of two plastic films.The spout is attached to the upper plastic film of the BIB inner bag, and the inner plug that fits into the spout from inside is attached to the lower plastic film. The sterilization process involves attaching the spout and inner stopper of a sealed bag that fits into the spout to the tip of the filling nozzle and steam sterilizing the bag.The inner stopper is removed from the spout and the contents are filled into the bag from the filling nozzle. This is an aseptic filling method consisting of a filling process, a cleaning process of cleaning the filling nozzle from the tip to the inner plug with steam, and a sealing process of fitting the spout and the inner plug after cleaning.

It has also been proposed to attach a cap to the spout in the aseptic filling method of Patent Document 1 (Patent Document 2). Furthermore, it has been proposed to provide a barrier chamber in a part of the sliding part of the plunger connected to the filling valve for opening and closing the filling port of the filling nozzle, and to introduce steam into the barrier chamber (Patent Document 3).

Special Publication No. 62-503164 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 162404/1983 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-142640

In an aseptic filling machine that fills contents into a BIB inner bag, the aseptic filling machine described in Patent Document 1, which does not require a sterile chamber, is compact and has good workability. In addition, since no disinfectant is used, there is no residual disinfectant and there is no need to dispose of the disinfectant, and running costs can be reduced. A spout is attached to the upper plastic film of an inner bag for BIB made by heat-sealing the peripheral edges of two plastic films described in Patent Document 1, and an inner stopper that fits into the spout from the inside is attached to the lower plastic film. , A sterilization process in which the spout of a sealed bag is made by fitting the inner stopper into the spout and the inner stopper is attached to the tip of the filling nozzle and steam sterilized.The inner stopper is removed from the spout and the contents are poured into the bag from the filling nozzle. The aseptic filling method, which consists of a filling process in which the filling is filled into the container, a cleaning process in which the area from the tip of the filling nozzle to the inner stopper is cleaned with steam, and a sealing process in which the spout and the inner stopper are fitted together after cleaning, is similar to other BIB aseptic filling methods. Compared to other methods, it has superiority in terms of equipment and materials.

In the above-described aseptic filling method, since a series of steps are performed with the spout fixed, there are no microbial problems and the sterility assurance level SAL (Sterility Assurance Level)>6 is satisfied. However, only the spout is inserted into a small chamber, the surface of the molded product of the spout is sterilized by spraying high-pressure steam at 135°C for several tens of seconds, and then the filling port is opened inside the chamber to remove the sterilized contents. Filling the material and cleaning the surface of the spout with steam after filling are performed in the same chamber, so the rate-limiting capacity of the aseptic filling machine is the time required from sterilizing the spout to cleaning it, and the filling volume can be reduced to several liters or more. In the case of 20L, the production capacity of the aseptic filling machine is determined by the sterilization, filling, and cleaning time of the filling port, and the production capacity is 2 bags/min. The following is true. The aseptic filling method of Patent Document 1 has a high level of sterility assurance, but has the drawback of poor productivity.

Meanwhile, the inside of the bag is sterilized, the sterilized bag is fed to the sterile BIB filling machine, and the spout and the outside of the cap are treated with a liquid sterilizer such as sodium hypochlorite solution, peracetic acid solution, or hydrogen peroxide solution. After sterilization, remove the cap from the spout in a sterile chamber, fit the spout with the filling nozzle, fill the specified amount of contents from the filling nozzle into the inner bag, remove the filling nozzle from the spout, and close the spout. The aseptic filling method, which seals the product with a cap, has excellent productivity, but has a low level of sterility assurance.

There is a need for an aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method for BIB inner bags, which have a high level of sterility assurance and excellent productivity, and which overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional aseptic filling method for BIB inner bags.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method for filling contents into a BIB inner bag in an aseptic atmosphere, which can solve these problems.

The aseptic filling machine according to the present invention includes a spout and a cap for sealing the spout attached to the upper plastic film of an inner bag for bag-in-box, which is made by heat-sealing the peripheries of at least two flexible plastic films. This is an aseptic filling machine for an inner bag for a bag-in-box, the inside of which has been sterilized by radiation in advance. A spout conveying device for conveying the inner bag is provided, a chamber is provided for shielding the spout and the cap of the bag-in-box inner bag conveyed by the spout conveying device from outside air, and a In order to sterilize the spout and the cap, an Aqua Gas spray nozzle is provided that sprays Aqua Gas, which is a gas-liquid two-phase heating medium, dispersed by spraying high-temperature, high-pressure fine water droplets into superheated steam. A filling device is provided downstream of the nozzle for removing the cap from the spout, filling the spout with contents, and attaching the cap to the spout after filling the contents, and transporting the spout. In a location where the device is not provided, a shielding plate is provided that shields the spout and the bag-in-box inner bag so as to sandwich the spout from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag is conveyed. A sterile air supply device is provided to maintain positive pressure in the chamber, and a continuous bag in which a plurality of the bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched at the location where the aqua gas spray nozzle is provided. The invention is characterized in that the spout conveying device is provided for transporting the spout while maintaining a distance between the spouts that is shorter than the distance between the spouts.

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the spout conveying device may adjust the distance between the spout to the spout when the continuous bag in which the plurality of inner bags for bag-in-boxes are connected is extended. It is preferable that the distance between the spout and the spout is ⅓ or less of the distance between the spout and the spout.

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the conveying device , which is an endless belt equipped with a chuck that rotates at the same speed in a horizontal direction sandwiching both ends of the bag-in-box inner bag in the traveling direction, is moved by the filling device to When filling the contents from the spout, the distance between the spouts is determined as the distance between the spouts when the continuous bag in which a plurality of the bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched out. It is preferable that the distance is approximately the same as that of the distance.

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that the ends of the shielding plate are inserted into grooves provided on the side surfaces of the spout from both sides perpendicular to the conveying direction of the spout. .

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that a suction/exhaust device for suctioning and exhausting the space formed between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film is provided.

Moreover, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that a heating device for heating the inside of the chamber is provided.

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that a partition plate is provided between the Aqua Gas spray nozzle and the filling device.

Moreover, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that a cooling device for cooling the spout and the cap is provided between the partition plate and the filling device.

Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, a sterile air supply device that maintains the inside of the chamber where the filling device is shielded at a higher pressure than the inside of the chamber where the aqua gas spray nozzle is shielded is installed in the chamber where the filling device is shielded. It is preferable that the

Moreover, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that a plurality of the aqua gas spray nozzles are provided.

The aseptic filling method according to the present invention includes attaching a spout and a cap for sealing the spout to the upper plastic film of an inner bag for bag-in-box, which is made by heat-sealing the peripheries of at least two flexible plastic films. A method for aseptically filling the inner bag for bag-in-box, the inside of which has been sterilized by radiation in advance, comprising: sandwiching the spout of the inner bag for bag-in-box between two divided transport retainers; A spout conveying step for conveying the bag-in-box inner bag, in a chamber shielded from outside air to which sterile air is supplied , for sterilizing the spout and the cap attached to the bag-in-box inner bag being conveyed. an aqua gas spraying step of spraying aqua gas, which is a gas-liquid two-phase heating medium, dispersed by spraying fine water droplets at high temperature and high pressure into superheated steam, in the chamber shielded from outside air to which the sterile air is supplied; , a filling step of detaching the cap from the spout, filling the contents from the spout, and attaching the cap to the spout after filling the contents, and carrying out the spout conveying step. In areas where the bag-in-box inner bag is not transported, the spout and the bag-in-box inner bag are shielded by shielding plates so as to sandwich the spout from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag is transported, and the aqua gas In the spraying step, the distance between the spout and the spout is maintained shorter than the distance between the spout and the spout when the continuous bag in which the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched. It is characterized in that the spout is conveyed by means of a conveyor.

Further, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the flexible plastic film is folded downward or laterally with respect to the spout in the aqua gas spraying step.

Further, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, when filling the contents from the spout of the bag-in-box inner bag, the distance between the spout is determined by the distance between the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags connected to each other. Preferably, the distance between the spout and the spout when the continuous bag is stretched is approximately the same as the distance between the spout.

Further, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, the distance between the spouts is set as the distance between the spouts when the continuous bag in which the plurality of inner bags for bag-in-boxes are connected is stretched. It is preferable to include a suction and exhaust step for suctioning and exhausting the space formed between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film when the distance is substantially the same as the distance between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film.

Further, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the method includes a chamber heating step of heating the inside of the chamber.

Moreover, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, it is preferable to provide a partition plate between the area where the aqua gas spraying process is performed and the area where the filling process is performed to partition the area.

Further, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the inner bag for bag-in-box has a cooling step of cooling the spout and the cap after passing through the partition plate and before performing the filling step. .

Moreover, in the aseptic filling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the pressure in the chamber in which the filling step is performed is maintained at a higher pressure than in the chamber in which the aqua gas spraying step is performed.

The present invention is a bag-in-box inner bag made by heat-sealing the peripheral edges of at least two flexible plastic films, and a spout and a cap for sealing the spout are attached to the upper plastic film. A method for aseptically filling a sterilized bag-in-box inner bag, wherein the bag-in-box inner bag is attached to the bag-in-box inner bag in a shielded chamber supplied with sterile air while the bag-in-box inner bag is being transported. Spray Aqua Gas onto the spout and cap to sterilize the spout and cap, then remove the cap from the spout, fill the spout with sterilized contents, and after filling the contents, place the cap into the spout. However, when spraying Aqua Gas, the distance between the spout is shorter than the distance between the spout and the spout when a continuous bag in which multiple bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched. Provided are an aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method that hold and convey a spout.

The present invention sterilizes the spout and cap of the inner bag for bag-in-box by spraying the spout and cap with Aqua Gas in a chamber where sterile air is supplied.The high sterilization performance due to the latent heat of Aqua Gas ensures reliable The spout and cap can be sterilized. Therefore, the sterile BIB used as a product can have a high sterility guarantee level.

When sterilizing the spout and cap of the bag-in-box inner bag by spraying aqua gas on the spout and cap, the flexible plastic film of the bag-in-box inner bag is folded below or to the side of the spout and transported. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the distance between the spout and the spout for conveyance. As a result, a large number of spouts and caps can be sterilized even if the distance over which aqua gas is sprayed onto the spouts and caps is short. Therefore, the initial equipment cost and running cost of the aseptic filling machine can be suppressed.

For example, compared to the case where the film part of the inner bag for bag-in-box is transported in a stretched state, if the distance between the spouts is set to 1/3, the time for spraying aqua gas can be tripled. That is, even if the distance over which Aqua Gas is sprayed is the same, Aqua Gas can be sprayed onto three times as many spouts and caps, and three times as many spouts and caps can be sterilized.

In addition, in cases other than the sterilization process in which Aqua Gas is sprayed, the distance between the spouts is the distance between the spouts when a continuous bag in which multiple bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched out. When transporting the bag-in-box inner bag, a shielding plate is provided between the spout and cap to be sterilized and the flexible plastic film, and suction and exhaust air is created between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film to prevent bag-in. A high sterility guarantee level can be obtained without sterilizing the outer surface of the inner bag for the box.

Furthermore, by using an aseptic filling machine that sterilizes and fills the bag-in-box inner bag while transporting it, the filling capacity is three times higher than that of an aseptic filling machine that performs sterilization, filling, and cleaning at the same location while stopping. It is possible to increase production efficiency by ~5 times.

The inner bags for bag-in-boxes used in conventional aseptic filling machines were treated with steam at high temperatures for long periods of time, which required a spout made of highly heat-resistant material. The spout and cap are sterilized by spraying aqua gas on them for a short period of time, and because the spout and cap do not need to be as heat resistant as the spout used in conventional machines, the cost of the inner bag for bag-in-box is reduced. can do.

1 shows an inner bag for a bag-in-box before filling according to an embodiment of the present invention, (1-1) shows a perspective view, and (1-2) shows a sectional view. 1 shows a side view of an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a plan view of an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of another aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows the folded state of the flexible plastic film of the bag-in-box inner bag being transported in the aseptic filling machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. A suction/exhaust port for suctioning and exhausting the space between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film formed when transporting the bag-in-box inner bag of the aseptic filling machine according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown (6- 1) shows an embodiment of the suction/exhaust port, (6-2) shows another form of the suction/exhaust port, and (6-3) shows the shape of the suction/exhaust port.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with contents by the aseptic filling machine 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 which is a perspective view of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 before being filled with contents. As shown in FIG. 1 (1-1) and FIG. 1 (1-2) showing a cross section, the peripheral edges of at least two flexible plastic films 2 are heat-sealed. The two flexible plastic films 2 are heat-sealed and adhered by the heat-sealed portion 3 to form a bag shape. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is formed by an upper plastic film 2a and a lower plastic film 2b. When heat sealing the upper plastic film 2a and the lower plastic film 2b, air between the films is eliminated as much as possible. When the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is sterilized by irradiation with gamma rays or electron beams, if oxygen exists inside the bag-in-box inner bag 1, the polyethylene constituting the innermost layer of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 will be sterilized. This is because there is a risk that it will react with oxygen and generate a strange odor.

The flexible plastic film 2 is a stretched film such as a biaxially stretched polypropylene film, a biaxially stretched nylon film, a biaxially stretched polyester film, a biaxially stretched ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer film, or a stretched film containing aluminum, aluminum oxide, Films deposited with silicon oxide, polyethylene films laminated with one or more films that do not have heat-sealing properties such as aluminum foil, single polyethylene films, nylon or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, etc. The upper plastic film 2a and the lower plastic film 2b of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 are made of one or more plastic films. Polyethylene is usually used for the heat-sealed adhesive surface. Heat sealing includes heat sealing by direct heating with a heating plate, ultrasonic heat sealing, and high frequency heat sealing when aluminum foil is included as a layer.

There may be two or more upper plastic films 2a or lower plastic films 2b of the bag-in-box inner bag 1. For example, the upper plastic film 2a is made by stacking two 80-μm polyethylene films and a 15-μm biaxially stretched nylon film, a 7-μm aluminum foil, and a 50-μm polyethylene film, and two 80-μm polyethylene films are stacked in the same manner for the lower plastic film 2b. A bag is formed by heat sealing with the film inside. In the heat-sealed portion 3, four films are bonded, but in the non-heat-sealed portion, none of the four films are bonded. In this way, the upper plastic film 2a and the lower plastic film 2b can be bonded by heat sealing at the heat sealing part, and by making a plurality of each of them, it is possible to prevent friction and vibration between the film and the cardboard exterior during transportation. It is possible to reduce the risk of contents leaking due to pinholes caused by bending of the flexible plastic film 2 due to movement of contents.

The lower the density of polyethylene, the better the pinhole resistance that suppresses the occurrence of pinholes, but the slippery properties are poor. Therefore, polyethylene film has a multilayer structure, with a high-density polyethylene layer on both sides of a low-density polyethylene layer. may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 1(1-2), a hole is provided in the upper plastic film 2a, a spout 4 is adhered from the inside, and a cap 5 is fitted to seal the spout 4. In order to ensure sealing, the cap 5 may be provided with a protrusion that comes into close contact with the outer surface of the spout 4. The cap 5 may be of a screw type instead of a fitting type. The cap 5 may have any shape as long as it can seal the spout 4.

The spout 4 and the cap 5 are obtained by injection molding or compression molding a resin such as polyethylene. Since the flange 4a of the spout 4 is heat-sealed to the inner surface of the flexible plastic film 2, polyethylene is preferable. Further, a cap 5 is fitted onto the inner surface of the spout 4 . The mating surfaces are required to have adhesion to the extent that bacteria and the like will not enter. Therefore, it is preferable that the density of the polyethylene constituting the cap 5 is higher than the density of the polyethylene constituting the spout 4. By fitting so that the spout 4 is stretched, high adhesion can be obtained. Alternatively, the density of the polyethylene constituting the spout 4 may be made higher than the density of the polyethylene constituting the cap 5, and high adhesion may be obtained by fitting the cap 5 so as to compress it.

The side surface of the spout 4 is provided with a groove 4b into which, for example, a transport retainer 18 that fixes the spout 4 when transporting the bag-in-box inner bag 1 or an end of a shielding plate 19 that becomes a guide rail is inserted. and 4c are provided. Three or more grooves are provided as necessary.

In the bag-in-box inner bag 1, the cap 5 is fitted to the spout 4, and in a sealed state, the inside of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is sterilized by irradiation with gamma rays, electron beams, or the like. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 whose inside has been sterilized is supplied to an aseptic filling machine 6. The outer surface of the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 supplied to the aseptic filling machine 6 is sterilized by an aqua gas spraying process.

The bag-in-box inner bag 1 whose interior has been sterilized by radiation in advance is supplied to an aseptic filling machine 6 shown in FIG. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is not supplied one bag at a time, but is supplied as a continuous bag in which a plurality of bags are connected. After being filled with the contents, the bag is discharged from the aseptic filling machine 6 and then cut into a single bag product.

The aseptic filling machine 6 is shielded by a chamber 7 so that the spout 4 and cap 5 are not exposed to the outside air. A sterile air supply device 8 is provided in the chamber 7 to prevent germs from entering the chamber 7 from the outside air, and sterile air is supplied to the chamber 7 to maintain a positive pressure. The sterile air supply device 8 has at least a blower and a sterile filter, and sterile air is obtained by passing air from the blower through the sterile filter. A heating device may be provided between the blower and the sterile filter to heat the sterile air and supply it into the chamber 7. The chamber 7 at least shields the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 being transported. The chamber 7 may shield the entire bag-in-box inner bag 1.

The chamber 7 has a shielding structure, and a portion of the chamber 7 is shielded by a transparent member such as glass or plastic so that the inside can be visually recognized. In addition, a door structure will be provided so that a portion of the system can be opened and closed so that it can be operated in the event of a problem. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide gloves so that troubles can be resolved without opening or closing the door.

As shown in FIG. 2, the aseptic filling machine 6 includes, from the side that supplies the bag-in-box inner bag 1, an exhaust section 9 that exhausts the aqua gas blown in the sterilization section 10, and an outlet for the bag-in-box inner bag 1. 4 and the cap 5, a sterilizing section 10 that sterilizes the aqua gas, an exhaust section 11 that exhausts the aqua gas sprayed in the sterilizing section 10, and a spout 4 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 whose temperature is raised by spraying the aqua gas. and a cooling unit 12 that cools the cap 5, and a filling device that detaches the cap 5 fitted to the bag-in-box inner bag 1 from the spout 4 and fills the spout 4 with sterilized contents. A filling section 13 is provided.

The aseptic filling method for the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to be supplied to the aseptic filling machine 6 includes a conveyance process of transporting the supplied bag-in-box inner bag 1, an exhaust process of exhausting the aqua gas sprayed in the sterilization section 10, Aqua gas spraying step of sterilizing the spout 4 and cap 5 by spraying aqua gas onto the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1; an exhaust step of exhausting the aqua gas sprayed in the sterilization section 10; aqua gas is sprayed This cools the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 whose temperature has risen, and the cap 5 fitted to the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is detached from the spout 4, and the spout is cooled. It has a filling step of filling the sterilized contents from step 4.

The exhaust section 9 is provided with an exhaust device 15 for exhausting aqua gas flowing from the adjacent sterilization section 10. This is because when the aqua gas flows out from the sterilizing section 10, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 supplied into the chamber 7 is heated, and the inner surface of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 may become blocked. Since aqua gas consists of water as described below, if the amount of aqua gas flowing out is small and the temperature of the aqua gas flowing out is low, the exhaust part 9 may not be provided. In other words, the exhaust process using the exhaust section 9 may not be performed.

The spout 4 and the outer surface of the cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 supplied into the chamber 7 are sterilized by being sprayed with aqua gas from an aqua gas spray nozzle 16 provided on the wall of the sterilizing section 10 in the chamber 7. be done. Although one aqua gas spray nozzle 16 may be provided for each spout 4 and cap 5, it is preferable to provide a plurality of aqua gas spray nozzles 16. As shown in FIG. 2, Aqua gas spray nozzles 16 are installed on the ceiling surface of the chamber 7, on the wall surface that shields the sterilization section 10 and exhaust section 9 of the chamber 7, and on the sterilization section 10 side of the wall surface that shields the sterilization section 10 and exhaust section 11. establish. The aqua gas spray nozzle 16 provided on the ceiling of the chamber 7 is used to spray the spout 4 and the cap 5 from above, and the aqua gas spray nozzle 16 provided on the wall is used to spray the spout 4 and the cap 5 from the transport direction side. 5 can be sprayed with Aqua Gas evenly.

Aqua gas is supplied from an aqua gas generator (not shown) to each aqua gas spray nozzle 16 through an aqua gas supply pipe (not shown).

Aquagas is a gas-liquid two-phase heating medium that is dispersed by spraying high-temperature, high-pressure fine water droplets into superheated steam. Superheated steam is saturated steam that has evaporated at 100°C and is further heated to a temperature from 120°C to 450°C, and Aqua Gas is superheated steam that contains water droplets. The particle size of the water droplets is 20 μm to 100 μm. Since aqua gas contains water droplets, it is not easy to heat it to a high temperature, and the optimum temperature is 110°C to 160°C. Although the superheated steam can have a high temperature, there is little condensed water of the steam adhering to the surface of the object to be sterilized, and the heat capacity is small. However, Aqua Gas contains high-temperature water droplets, and when the water droplets adhere to the surface of the object to be sterilized, it has a large heat capacity due to the latent heat of the water droplets, and has a higher sterilizing effect than superheated steam in sterilizing bacteria etc. on the surface of the object to be sterilized. is obtained.

Since Aquagas can sterilize bacteria and the like at a lower temperature than superheated steam, it is effective for sterilizing the spout 4 and cap 5 made of polyethylene, which is a resin with a relatively low melting point. That is, sterilization using aqua gas is a sterilization method suitable for low-melting point resin molded products such as polyethylene, and can sterilize the surfaces thereof within a temperature range that does not deform the spout 4 and cap 5.

The temperature of the sterilizing section 10 in the chamber 7 becomes 120° C. to 160° C. due to the aqua gas spraying. However, in order to maintain the temperature of the sterilizing section 10, a heating device may be provided on the wall of the sterilizing section 10 in the chamber 7 to maintain the sterilizing section 10 in the chamber 7 at 120° C. to 160° C. The heating device is, for example, a heater, and by setting the temperature of the heater to 120°C to 160°C, the sterilizing section 10 in the chamber 7 can be maintained at 120°C to 160°C. At this time, the outer surface temperature of the spout 4 and the cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 in the sterilization section 10 is 110°C to 130°C. When the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 are made of polyethylene, there is a risk of deformation if the temperature is higher than necessary.

When sterilizing the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1, they must remain in the sterilizing section 10 for a required period of time in order to achieve the desired sterilizing effect. For example, if a sterilizing effect with LRV≧3 is desired, residence time of 30 to 60 seconds is required, although this varies depending on the temperature inside the sterilizing section 10. Assuming that the filling time is 7 seconds and the time for transporting the bag-in-box inner bag 1 once is 3 seconds, the time between the bag-in-box inner bag 1 being transported once and stopping is 10 seconds. At this time, in order for the bag-in-box inner bags 1 to stay in the sterilization section 10 for 30 seconds, three bag-in-box inner bags 1 must enter the sterilization section 10, and in order to stay there for 60 seconds, six bag-in-box inner bags 1 must enter the sterilization section 10. There must be.

In the present invention, the distance between the spouts is maintained shorter than the distance between the spouts 4 when a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is stretched. In order to convey the spout 4, the spout 4 and the cap 5 remain in the sterilizing section 10 for a longer time than the continuous bag to which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is connected stays in the sterilizing section 10 in a stretched state. can be done.

An exhaust section 11 is provided downstream of the sterilization section 10. The exhaust section 11 is provided with an exhaust device 15 for exhausting aqua gas flowing from the adjacent sterilization section 10. This is to prevent the temperature of the cooling part 12 or the filling part 13 adjacent to the exhaust part 11 from becoming high when the aqua gas flows out from the sterilizing part 10. If aqua gas flows out into the cooling section 12, there is a possibility that the cooling effect of the cooling section 12 will not reach the target. When aqua gas flows out into the filling part 13, there is a risk that the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 may be deformed, and the temperature of the contents to be filled may rise. If the amount of aqua gas flowing out is small or the temperature of the aqua gas flowing out is low, the exhaust part 11 may not be provided. That is, there is no need to include an exhaust process after the aqua gas spraying process.

It is preferable to perform a cooling step to cool down the spout 4 and cap 5, which have become hot due to the aqua gas spraying step in the sterilization section 10. The cooling process is performed in the cooling section 12. This is to restore the spout 4 and cap 5, which have expanded in temperature due to the aqua gas spraying, to their normal temperature shape. This is because when the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is filled with contents in an expanded state and the spout 4 and the cap 5 are fitted together, there is a risk that the tightness due to the fitting may be insufficient and the sealing performance may be impaired. Preferably, the spout 4 and the cap 5 are cooled to 50° C. or lower.

The cooling step is preferably performed by spraying sterile water, sodium hypochlorite solution, or sterile air onto spout 4 and cap 5. For this purpose, a nozzle for spraying sterile water, a sodium hypochlorite solution, or sterile air into the spout 4 and the cap 5, and a cooling device for supplying sterile water, sodium hypochlorite solution, or sterile air to the nozzle are provided. The sterile water, sodium hypochlorite solution, or sterile air is preferably cooled to a temperature lower than room temperature. In this case, the cooling device must also be equipped with a device for cooling sterile water, sodium hypochlorite solution, or sterile air. The sodium hypochlorite solution preferably has a sodium hypochlorite concentration of 40 ppm to 200 ppm.

It is preferable to provide a partition plate 17 between the exhaust section 11 and the cooling section 12, which partitions off the area through which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 can pass. When the exhaust section 11 is not provided, a partition plate 17 is provided between the sterilizing section 10 and the cooling section 12. That is, it is preferable to provide the partition plate 17 between the sterilizing section 10 equipped with the aqua gas spray nozzle 16 and the filling section 13 equipped with the filling device. By providing the partition plate 17, aqua gas does not flow into the cooling section 12 and the filling section 13 that perform the cooling process and the filling process, and the spout 4 and the cap 5 are efficiently cooled.

When the partition plate 17 is provided, the pressure in the filling section 13 where the filling process is performed must be maintained at a higher pressure than the pressure inside the sterilizing part 10 where the aqua gas spraying process is performed. This is to prevent bacteria and the like from entering the contents by maintaining the filling part 13 filled with the contents at a high pressure. Therefore, it is preferable that the sterile air supply device 8, which maintains the pressure inside the filling section 13 higher than the pressure inside the sterilization section 10, be provided in the chamber 7 that shields the filling section 13. When the cooling section 12 is provided, the pressure inside the cooling section 12 is maintained higher than atmospheric pressure and lower than the pressure inside the filling section 13 by the inflow of sterile air supplied to the filling section 13. Ru. However, in order to maintain the pressure within the cooling section 12 appropriately, the cooling section 12 may be provided with a sterile air supply device. Moreover, when the exhaust part 11 is not provided, the pressure in the cooling part 12 is maintained lower than the pressure in the filling part 13 and higher than the pressure in the sterilizing part 10.

After the cooling process in the cooling section 12, in the filling section 13, the cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is removed from the spout 4, and the sterilized contents are transferred from the spout 4 into the bag-in-box inner bag 1. After filling, a filling step is performed in which the cap 5 is attached to the spout 4. A filling device is provided within the filling section 13 to perform the filling process.

The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is supplied to the chamber 7, and is conveyed by a conveyance device to undergo various steps. Transport is carried out intermittently. Conveyance is stopped during a filling process in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is filled with contents. Thereafter, the filled bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported until the spout 4 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to be filled next reaches the lower part of the filling nozzle 20 of the filling device.

Continuous transport of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 within the chamber 7 is performed with the spout 4 sandwiched between transport retainers 18, as shown in FIG. A spout conveying device is provided which conveys the spout 4 with the conveying retainer 18 divided into two. The conveying retainer 18 fixes the spout 4 by inserting the end of the conveying retainer 18 into the groove 4b or groove 4c of the spout 4. The groove of the spout 4 into which the end of the transport retainer 18 is inserted is preferably located close to the flexible plastic film 2 side. That is, the groove of the spout 4 into which the end of the transport retainer 18 is inserted is preferably the groove 4b rather than the groove 4c. This is because a wide area of the spout 4 is sterilized by the aqua gas spraying process.

The conveyance retainer 18 is provided on two rows of endless belts that rotate as shown in FIG. 3 with respect to the traveling direction of the bag-in-box inner bag 1. Although the chamber 7 shields at least the spout 4 and the cap 5, it is preferable that the chamber 7 also shields the portion where the transport retainer 18 that does not sandwich the spout 4 is operated. When the conveyance retainer 18 that does not sandwich the spout 4 is exposed to the outside air in the chamber 7, bacteria and the like adhere to the conveyance retainer 18 and the endless belt, and bacteria and the like are transferred from the conveyance retainer 18 and the endless belt to the spout 4. This is because there is a risk of metastasis.

The spout conveyance device includes a conveyance retainer 18, an endless belt, and a drive device that drives the endless belt. In order to supply the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to the spout conveying device in the chamber 7, for example, inclined rails are provided to hold the spout 4 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 from both sides. The conveyance retainer 18 pinches the spout 4 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 that is moved while being held on the inclined rail, so that the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is supplied to the spout conveying device.

In FIG. 3, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is conveyed to the exhaust section 9, the sterilization section 10, the exhaust section 11, and the cooling section 12 with the spout 4 in between by the conveyance retainer 18. When the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported by the transport retainer 18 with the spout 4 in between, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported as a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported while maintaining a distance between the spouts 4 that is shorter than the distance between the spouts 4 when the continuous bag is stretched. Therefore, the flexible plastic film 2 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 between the spouts 4 is folded downward with respect to the spouts 4, as shown in FIG.

When supplying the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to the inclined rail, a folding device may be provided to fold the flexible plastic film 2 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 downward relative to the spout 4. By shortening the distance between the spouts, the flexible plastic film 2 is folded downward relative to the spout 4.

In FIG. 5 (5-1), as in FIG. 1, the flexible plastic film 2 is folded downward relative to the spout 4. On the other hand, in FIG. 5 (5-2), the flexible plastic film 2 is folded in the transverse direction with respect to the spout 4. In this case, a flat plate is provided at the bottom of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 being transported, and the lower surface of the lower plastic film 2b of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 slides on this flat plate, causing the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to slide. 1 moves. When supplying the bag-in-box inner bag 1 to the inclined rail, the flexible plastic film 2 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is folded downward relative to the spout 4, and is placed directly at the bottom of the spout conveying device. The flexible plastic film 2 is conveyed while being placed on a flat plate. At this time, the flexible plastic film 2 is folded in the transverse direction with respect to the spout 4. The flexible plastic film 2 may be folded downward or laterally relative to the spout 4. However, since the lower part of the aseptic filling machine 6 can be made smaller, it is preferable to fold it in the horizontal direction.

The distance between the spouts transported by the spout conveying device is 1/3 or less of the distance between the spouts 4 when the continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is stretched out. It is preferable that By shortening the distance between the spouts, many bag-in-box inner bags 1 can be placed in the sterilization section 10, and the residence time of the bag-in-box inner bags 1 in the sterilization section 10 is increased. be able to. As a result, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 can be reliably sterilized.

In FIG. 3, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 that was being transported by the spout conveying device is folded into the flexible plastic film 2 after the spout 4 leaves the spout conveying device at the entrance of the filling section 13. are extended, and the distance between the spouts is approximately the same as the distance between the spouts 4 when a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is stretched. Thereafter, when the spout 4 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 reaches the lower part of the filling nozzle 20 of the filling device, the cap 5 is removed from the spout 4, and the sterilized contents are transferred from the spout 4 to the bag. A filling process is performed in which the inbox inner bag 1 is filled and the cap 5 is attached to the spout 4 after filling.

After the spout 4 is separated from the spout conveying device, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is conveyed with both end faces in the direction of travel thereof being pinched by chucks. The distance between the spouts of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is approximately the same as the distance between the spouts 4 when a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is extended. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is filled with the contents.

A plurality of chucks are provided at equal intervals on a rotating endless belt. That is, the conveyance device in the filling section 13 is an endless belt equipped with a chuck that rotates at the same speed in a horizontal direction that sandwiches both ends of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 in the traveling direction. The endless belts are provided in one row on each side of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and are operated at the same speed. An endless belt is provided within the chamber 7.

The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is released from the zipper when it is transported to the filling position. In the filling section 13 where the contents are filled, a large number of rolls are provided at the bottom of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 so as to be orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is The lower surface of the lower plastic film 2b moves on a number of rotating rolls. The roll may be provided so as to be inclined downward in the downstream direction, so that the bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is moved by gravity. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is sealed with a cap 5, becomes a sterile product, and is discharged from the chamber 7, after which the perforations previously provided in the continuous bag are cut with a cutter. , packed in a cardboard box.

The spout 4 and the cap 5 are sterilized in the sterilization section 10 by spraying aqua gas from the aqua gas spray nozzle 16. However, other parts of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 are not actively sterilized. In FIG. 3, the conveyance retainer 18 shields the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2. Therefore, bacteria and the like that may be attached to the flexible plastic film 2 are not scattered to the exhaust section 9, the sterilization section 10, the exhaust section 11, and the cooling section 12. However, in the filling part 13 where the flexible plastic film 2 is not shielded from the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1, bacteria that may be attached to the flexible plastic film 2 are There is a risk that the spout 4 and the cap 5 may be contaminated and the liquid may be scattered into the filling section 13.

Therefore, in the filling section 13, the parts other than the parts where the spout 4 and the cap 5 move are shielded by a shielding plate 19, so that bacteria, etc. that may be attached to the bag-in-box inner bag 1 can be removed from the spout 4 and the cap. 5 and from scattering into the filling part 13. The shielding plate 19 is provided so as to sandwich the spout 4 along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. That is, in a place where the spout conveying device is not provided, the spout 4 and the bag-in-box inner bag 1 are placed so as to sandwich the spout 4 from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. A shielding plate 19 is provided for shielding.

The shielding plate 19 is provided so as to sandwich the spout 4 along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. As shown in FIG. 6 (6-1), the ends of the shielding plate 19 are inserted into the grooves 4b or 4c of the spout 4 from both sides in the conveying direction of the spout 4, and the spout 4 The end of the container is used as a guide rail. As shown in FIG. 3, inside the filling part 13, the spout 4 and the flexible plastic film 2 are shielded by shielding plates 19 provided to sandwich the spout 4 except for the portion where the spout 4 and the cap 5 move. . However, the portion where the spout 4 and the cap 5 move will be in an open state. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 (6-1), a suction and exhaust process is performed to suction and exhaust the space formed between the shielding plate 19 and the flexible plastic film 2. By discharging any bacteria etc. that may be present, the spout 4 and cap 5 are prevented from being contaminated by bacteria etc. and the bacteria etc. are prevented from scattering into the filling portion 13. A suction/exhaust device for suctioning and exhausting the space formed between the shielding plate 19 and the flexible plastic film 2 is provided.

FIG. 6 shows a suction/exhaust port 14 that suctions and exhausts the space between the shielding plate 19 and the flexible plastic film 2 formed when the bag-in-box inner bag 1 of the aseptic filling machine 6 is transported. In FIG. 6 (6-1), the suction/exhaust port 14 is provided parallel to the side surface of the spout 4. In FIG. In FIG. 6 (6-2), the suction/exhaust port 14 is provided so as to be inclined outward from the top to the bottom with respect to the spout 4. It is effective to angle the bag-in-box inner bag 1 at an angle of 45 degrees or more, and if the suction/exhaust port 14 is provided at an angle of less than 45 degrees, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 that is subject to suction/exhaust Since the area becomes unnecessarily wide, 45° or more is appropriate. Suction holes are provided at equal intervals in the suction/exhaust port 14 provided perpendicularly to the bag-in-box inner bag 1 or at an appropriate angle. The shape of the suction hole is not particularly limited and may be circular, oval, oval, or the like. The position of the holes does not particularly matter, even if the holes are formed evenly on the top, middle, and bottom of the board, only at the bottom, only at the top, etc. The size of the hole is preferably 1 to 4 mm in the case of a circular hole, and 2 to 4 mm both vertically and horizontally in the case of an ellipse or rectangle. Since the amount of positive pressure air varies depending on the chamber size, the number of holes and the amount of suction are adjusted as appropriate within a range that maintains the positive pressure and does not lose the suction force of the holes. The shape of the suction/exhaust port 14 may be any shape as shown in FIG. 6 (6-3). The suction/exhaust port 14 is provided in the filling part 13 of the chamber 7 in FIG. 3 . A blower is connected to the suction/exhaust port 14 to suction/exhaust the space formed between the shielding plate 19 and the flexible plastic film 2. The suction/exhaust device includes a blower, a suction/exhaust port 14, and a member connecting the blower and the suction/exhaust port 14.

At least in the sterilization section 10, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2 must be shielded by the conveying retainer 18 of the spout conveying device. The distance between the spouts of a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is determined by the spout conveyance device, which is a conveyance device for the bag-in-box inner bags 1 of the sterilization unit 10 in which the aqua gas spray nozzle 16 is provided. This is to convey the spout 4 while maintaining a shorter distance between the spouts.

In FIG. 3, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2 are transported by the conveyance retainer 18 through the exhaust section 9, sterilization section 10, exhaust section 11, and cooling section 12. It is shielded by the transport retainer 18 of the device. As shown in FIG. 4, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2 are connected to the conveying retainer 18 of the spout conveying device in the exhaust section 9 and the sterilization section 10. It does not matter if it is blocked by. In the exhaust section 11, the cooling section 12, and the filling section 13, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2 are not shielded by the transport retainer 18.

In FIG. 4, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 that was being conveyed by the spout conveying device is shown in FIG. Therefore, the distance between the spouts is approximately the same as the distance between the spouts 4 when a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is stretched out. Thereafter, the spout 4 and cap 5 are cooled in the cooling section 12 via the exhaust section 11, the cap 5 is removed from the spout 4, and the sterilized contents are transferred from the spout 4 to the inner bag for bag-in-box. It is transported to the filling section 13 where it is filled.

After the spout 4 exits the sterilization section 10 and leaves the spout conveying device near the entrance of the discharge section 11, the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is held between both end faces in the direction of travel by chucks and transported. be done. Move until the distance between the spouts becomes approximately the same as the distance between the spouts 4 when the continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags 1 are connected is stretched, and then stop. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is filled with contents.

A plurality of chucks are provided at equal intervals on a rotating endless belt. That is, the conveying devices in the exhaust section 11, the cooling section 12, and the filling section 13 are endless belts equipped with chucks that rotate at the same speed in the horizontal direction sandwiching both ends of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 in the traveling direction. The endless belts are provided in one row on each side of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and are operated at the same speed. An endless belt is provided within the chamber 7.

The bag-in-box inner bag 1 is released from the zipper when it is transported to the filling position. In the filling section 13 where the contents are filled, a large number of rolls are provided at the bottom of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 so as to be orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is The lower surface of the lower plastic film 2b moves on a number of rotating rolls. The roll may be provided so as to be inclined downward in the downstream direction, so that the bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is moved by gravity. The bag-in-box inner bag 1 filled with the contents is sealed with a cap 5, becomes a sterile product, and is discharged from the chamber 7, after which the perforations previously provided in the continuous bag are cut with a cutter. , packed in a cardboard box.

The spout 4 and the cap 5 are sterilized in the sterilization section 10 by spraying aqua gas from the aqua gas spray nozzle 16. However, other parts of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 are not actively sterilized. In FIG. 4, the spout 4 and cap 5 of the bag-in-box inner bag 1 and the flexible plastic film 2 are shielded by the transport retainer 18 in the sterilization section 10. However, the exhaust section 11, the cooling section 12, and the filling section 13 are not shielded. Therefore, if bacteria, etc. that may be attached to the flexible plastic film 2 are present in the exhaust section 11, cooling section 12, and filling section 13, the spout 4 and cap 5 may be contaminated with bacteria, etc., and the exhaust section 11. There is a risk that bacteria and the like may be scattered inside the cooling section 12 and the filling section 13.

Therefore, in the exhaust section 11, the cooling section 12, and the filling section 13, the parts other than the parts where the spout 4 and the cap 5 move are shielded with a shielding plate 19 to prevent bacteria that may be attached to the bag-in-box inner bag 1. etc., from transferring to the spout 4 and cap 5, and from scattering into the exhaust section 11, cooling section 12, and filling section 13. The shielding plate 19 is provided so as to sandwich the spout 4 along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. That is, at a location where the spout conveying device is not provided, the spout 4 and the flexible plastic film 2 are shielded so as to sandwich the spout 4 from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. A shielding plate 19 is provided.

The shielding plate 19 is provided so as to sandwich the spout 4 along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag 1 is transported. As shown in FIG. 6 (6-1), the ends of the shielding plate 19 are inserted into the grooves 4b or 4c of the spout 4 from both sides in the conveying direction of the spout 4, and the spout 4 The end of the container is used as a guide rail. A suction and exhaust device is provided to suction and exhaust the space formed between the shielding plate 19 and the flexible plastic film 2, and a suction and exhaust process is performed.

Before operating the aseptic filling machine 6, the inside of the filling section 13 is cleaned by COP (Cleaning Out of Place) treatment and sterilized by SOP (Sterilizing Out of Place) treatment. Furthermore, the insides of the exhaust section 9, sterilization section 10, exhaust section 11, cooling section 12, and filling section 13 are subjected to SOP treatment. Since the inside of the sterilizing section 10 is sterilized by spraying aqua gas, there is no need for SOP treatment.

Although the present invention is configured as described above, it is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

1... Inner bag for bag-in-box 4... Outlet 5... Cap 6... Aseptic filling machine 7... Chamber 9... Exhaust section 10... Sterilization section 11... Exhaust section 12... Cooling section 13... Filling section 16... Aqua gas spray nozzle 18... Transport retainer 19...Shielding plate

Claims (18)

A bag-in-box inner bag made by heat-sealing the peripheries of at least two flexible plastic films, with a spout and a cap for sealing the spout attached to the upper plastic film, the inside of which has been sterilized by radiation in advance. A sterile filling machine for inner bags for inboxes,
A spout conveying device is provided that conveys the bag-in-box inner bag by sandwiching the spout of the bag-in-box inner bag between two divided conveyance retainers,
A chamber is provided that shields the spout and the cap of the bag-in-box inner bag transported by the spout conveying device from outside air,
In order to sterilize the spout and the cap, an aqua gas spray nozzle is provided in the chamber to spray aqua gas, which is a gas-liquid two-phase heating medium, dispersed by spraying high-temperature, high-pressure fine water droplets into superheated steam. ,
A filling device is provided downstream of the aqua gas blowing nozzle, which detaches the cap from the spout, fills the spout with content, and attaches the cap to the spout after filling the content,
At a location where the spout conveying device is not provided, the spout and the bag-in-box inner bag are shielded so as to sandwich the spout from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag is transported. A shielding plate is provided to
A sterile air supply device is provided to maintain positive pressure in the chamber,
The location where the aqua gas spray nozzle is provided has a spout that is shorter than the distance between the spout and the spout when the continuous bag in which the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched. An aseptic filling machine characterized in that the spout conveying device is provided to convey the spout while maintaining a distance between the spout and the spout. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 1,
The spout conveying device sets the distance between the spouts to 1 of the distance between the spouts when the continuous bag in which the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is extended. An aseptic filling machine characterized in that it is installed so that the filling temperature is 0.3 or less. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 1 or 2,
When the conveyance device , which is an endless belt equipped with a chuck that rotates at the same speed in a horizontal direction sandwiching both ends of the bag-in-box inner bag in the traveling direction, fills the contents from the spout with the filling device, the The distance between the spouts is approximately the same as the distance between the spouts when the continuous bag in which the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is extended. Aseptic filling machine featuring: In the aseptic filling machine according to claims 1 to 3,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that an end of the shielding plate is inserted into a groove provided on a side surface of the spout from both sides perpendicular to a conveying direction of the spout. In the aseptic filling machine according to claims 1 to 4,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that a suction/exhaust device is provided for suctioning and exhausting a space formed between the shielding plate and the flexible plastic film. The aseptic filling machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An aseptic filling machine characterized by being provided with a heating device that heats the inside of the chamber. The aseptic filling machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that a partition plate is provided between the aqua gas spray nozzle and the filling device. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 7,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that a cooling device for cooling the spout and the cap is provided between the partition plate and the filling device. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 7 or 8,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that a sterile air supply device that maintains the pressure inside the chamber where the filling device is shielded at a higher pressure than the inside of the chamber where the Aqua Gas spray nozzle is shielded is provided in the chamber that shields the filling device. . The aseptic filling machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
An aseptic filling machine characterized in that a plurality of the aqua gas spray nozzles are provided. The bag-in-box inner bag is made by heat-sealing the peripheries of at least two flexible plastic films, and a spout and a cap for sealing the spout are attached to the upper plastic film. A method for aseptically filling an inner bag for a bag-in-box, the method comprising:
a spout conveying step of conveying the bag-in-box inner bag by sandwiching the spout of the bag-in-box inner bag between two divided conveyance retainers;
In a chamber shielded from outside air to which sterile air is supplied, high-temperature, high-pressure fine water droplets are added to superheated steam in order to sterilize the spout and the cap attached to the bag-in-box inner bag being transported. Aqua gas spraying step of spraying Aqua gas, which is a gas-liquid two-phase heating medium, dispersed by spraying;
In the chamber shielded from outside air to which the sterile air is supplied, the cap is removed from the spout, the contents are filled from the spout, and after filling the contents, the cap is removed from the spout. It has a filling process that attaches to the
At a location where the spout conveyance process is not performed, the spout and the bag-in-box inner bag are shielded so as to sandwich the spout from both directions along the direction in which the bag-in-box inner bag is conveyed. shielded by a board,
In the aqua gas spraying step, the distance between the spout is shorter than the distance between the spout and the spout when the continuous bag in which the plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is stretched. An aseptic filling method characterized by holding and conveying the spout. The aseptic filling method according to claim 11,
An aseptic filling method characterized in that, in the aqua gas spraying step, the flexible plastic film is folded downward or laterally with respect to the spout. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 11 or 12,
When filling the contents from the spout of the inner bag for bag-in-box, the distance between the spouts is determined from the spout when a continuous bag in which a plurality of inner bags for bag-in-box are connected is stretched. An aseptic filling method characterized in that the distance between the spout and the spout is approximately the same as the distance between the spout. In the aseptic filling method according to any one of claims 11 to 13,
When the distance between the spouts is approximately the same as the distance between the spouts when a continuous bag in which a plurality of bag-in-box inner bags are connected is extended, the shielding An aseptic filling method comprising a suction and exhaust step of suctioning and exhausting the space formed between the plate and the flexible plastic film. In the aseptic filling method according to any one of claims 11 to 14,
An aseptic filling method comprising a chamber heating step of heating the inside of the chamber. In the aseptic filling method according to any one of claims 11 to 15,
An aseptic filling method characterized in that a partition plate is provided between a region where the aqua gas spraying step is performed and a region where the filling step is performed. The aseptic filling method according to claim 16,
An aseptic filling method comprising a cooling step of cooling the spout and the cap after the bag-in-box inner bag passes through the partition plate and before the filling step. In the aseptic filling method according to claim 16 or 17,
An aseptic filling method characterized in that the pressure in the chamber in which the filling step is performed is maintained at a higher pressure than the pressure in the chamber in which the aqua gas spraying step is performed.

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