JPH01279018A - Method for replacing gas in head space in liquid content filling - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit air substitution rate to be increased after filling and sealing, by filling a container with an inert gas and then filling the same with its liquid content to replace the inert gas and supplying the inert gas into a gap between a filling nozzle and a container opening during content filling. CONSTITUTION:A container 1 is sent to a filling port of a filling machine, an inert gas supply nozzle 2 is inserted therein and the container is filled with an inert gas 3 with which to replace the air therein. The container is thereafter filled with its liquid content 6 in a predetermined amount from a filling nozzle 5 and the inert gas therein is then replaced with the liquid content. Since the inert gas is supplied into an opening 4 of the container during content filling, the intrusion of the air into the container through the container opening is prevented and, therefore, the air is not almost present near a filling nozzle tip, thereby remarkably improving the substitution rate after filling and sealing.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a method for replacing the air in the head space of a container with an inert gas when filling the container with liquid contents such as fruit juice or carbonated drinks. It is.

[Prior art] When a container is filled with liquid contents such as fruit juice or carbonated drinks, air remains in the head space above the flavoring line, and the oxygen in this air reacts with the liquid contents, causing discoloration and flavor. There are problems in that the quality of the liquid contents deteriorates, such as deterioration, and the air volume decreases by the amount of reacted oxygen, resulting in negative pressure inside the container, which causes deformation of the container.

In order to solve this problem, conventional methods have been to replace the air in the head space with an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As a replacement method, there is a method in which an inert gas is injected into the head space to fill the liquid content, and the head space is immediately sealed with a cap. During this process, the liquid content entrains air along its flow and the liquid surface bubbles due to filling, so the displacement rate (the displacement of the displaced inert gas/the level of air in the initial headspace) is satisfied. It did not reach the required standard.

Therefore, the inventor of the present invention proposed a method (Japanese Patent Application No. 1983-1981-1) in which the container is filled with inert gas in advance and then filled with liquid contents.
156318) was proposed.

According to this method, the air inside the container can be replaced with inert gas at a replacement rate of 95% in advance, and the replacement rate after filling and sealing increases to about 60%.

However, this method cannot completely prevent air from being drawn in during filling with liquid contents, nor can it prevent outside air from entering from the mouth of the container, and has not yet reached a satisfactory replacement rate.

This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a method for replacing gas in the head space during filling of liquid contents, which can further increase the replacement rate after filling and sealing. .

[Means for Solving the Problem] Corresponding to this object, the head space gas replacement method for filling liquid contents of the present invention includes heating an inert gas in a container prior to filling the liquid contents. Fill the container with a liquid content to replace the inert gas in the container, and fill the gap between the filling nozzle and the mouth of the container with an inert gas while filling the liquid content. It is characterized by supplying gas.

[Operation] In the method for replacing gas in the head space when filling liquid contents with this structure, an inert gas supply nozzle is first inserted into the container sent to the filling boat of the filling machine. In rare cases, the container is filled with a warm inert gas, and the air inside the container is replaced with the inert gas. Thereafter, a predetermined amount of liquid content is filled into the container from the filling nozzle, and the inert gas in the container is replaced with the liquid content.

During filling of the liquid contents, inert gas is supplied to the container mouth, which prevents air from entering the container from the container mouth, which prevents air from entering the container near the tip of the filling nozzle. Since almost no air is present, the replacement rate after filling and sealing is significantly improved.

[Example] Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained with reference to drawings showing an example.

FIG. 1 shows the method of replacing gas in the head space during filling of liquid contents according to the invention over time.

First, an inert gas supply nozzle 2 is inserted into an empty container 1 sent to a filling boat of a filling machine to warmly fill the container with an inert gas 3 (FIG. 1(a)). Here, the inert gas supply nozzle 2 is long and is connected to a gas cylinder (
(not shown).

Next, the inert gas supply nozzle 2 is pulled out, the filling nozzle 5 is placed opposite the mouth 4 of the container 1, and the liquid contents 6 are filled in the container 1.
to replace the inert gas 3 in the container 1.

The main thing here is that the filling nozzle 5 is located at the mouth 4 of the container 1.
There is a flow path 7 between the two that allows gas to flow inside and outside the container during filling, and an inert gas 3 is supplied to this flow path 7. (Figure 1(b)).

As a device for supplying inert gas to the flow path 7, for example, a gas supply device 11 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which will be described later, can be used.

Next, the filling nozzle 5 is pulled out and the mouth 4 of the container 1 is sealed with a cap 8.

The gas supply device 11 is attached to the tip of the filling nozzle 5 and has an annular vibrator 12 that goes around the tip of the filling nozzle 5 once. A large number of holes 14 are formed in the upper and lower surfaces and the inner peripheral surface of the annular vibrator 12 so as to be evenly distributed over the entire circumference. The annular vibe 12 is connected to one end of a gas supply vibe 13, and the other end of the gas supply vibe 13 is connected to an inert gas cylinder (not shown) via a control valve (not shown).

The gas supply device 11 is also located above and outside the annular pipe 12.
It has a hood 15 surrounding the lower three sides. Hood 15 is
The upper end is in close contact with the filling pipe, and the lower end is the mouth 4 of the container 1 to be filled.
Although it is located slightly away from the flow path 7 and does not block the flow path 7, the flow path 7 is covered by the inert gas 3 injected from the hole 14 of the annular vibrator 12, and outside air enters the flow path 7. be located in a position that can prevent

[Experimental Example] The pressure of the inert gas ejected from the hole 14 was varied, and the gas replacement rate in the hood 15 and the gas replacement rate in the container after the cap was sealed were measured, and the results shown in the table were obtained. The replacement rate in the container reached a satisfactory value of over 80%.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a method for replacing gas in the head space during filling of liquid contents, in which the gas replacement rate in the head space after sealing the cap can reach 80% or more. I can do it.

Therefore, there is less air remaining in the head space, and deterioration in the quality of the liquid content caused by reaction of oxygen in the air with the liquid content can be reduced, which is advantageous for maintaining the quality of the liquid content.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the head space gas replacement method in filling liquid contents according to the present invention, and FIG.
Figure 1(b) shows the step of filling with inert gas warmly, and filling the liquid contents to replace the inert gas, and filling the gap between the filling nozzle and the container mouth with inert gas. Fig. 1 (C) is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the process of supplying gas, and Fig. 1 (C) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the process of sealing the container with a cap. A vertical cross-sectional explanatory view showing the active gas supply device and FIG. 3 are a plan view of the inert gas supply device with the hood removed. 1... Container 2... Inert gas supply nozzle 3... Inert gas 4... Mouth part 5... Filling nozzle 6... Liquid content 7... Distribution path 8... Cap 11... Gas supply device 12... Annular vibrator 13... Gas supply pipe 14... Hole 15... Hood Patent applicant Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd. Representative patent attorney Osamu Kawai Osamu Ogata 1! (C)

Claims (1)

[Claims] Prior to filling the liquid content, the container is fully filled with inert gas, and then the liquid content is filled into the container to replace the inert gas in the container, and while the liquid content is being filled. A method for replacing gas in a head space when filling a liquid content, the method comprising supplying an inert gas to a gap between a filling nozzle and the mouth of the container.