JPH024623A - Aseptic packaging apparatus and disinfecting method for filling part - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a full disinfecting efficacy and perfectly prevent recontamination during preparatory operation for production by providing an aseptic air supply line below a content supply line at a filling part and a movable disinfectant supply line above said content supply line. CONSTITUTION:A weblike packaging material 3 disinfected in a disinfection bath is fed to a vertical sealing part 11 through a large roll 6, a dancer roller 7, a triangular guide 8, a kink producing roll 9 and a crease producing plate 10. There is also provided above the larger roll an air nozzle 20 for removing a medical fluid from the outer surface of the packaging material 3 and keeping the inner pressure of a chamber positive. The triangular guide 8 folds the packaging material 3 fed from the dancer roller 7 along the middle and in the traveling direction. A content supply nozzle 12 is connected with a content supply line 18 for carrying a liquid content (commodity to be filled) and said line 18 is provided at its end with an aseptic air supply nozzle 23 for producing a positive pressure above the liquid surface level of the content filled in the packaging material 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an aseptic filling and packaging machine and an improvement in a method of sterilizing the filling section of the packaging machine before the start of production.

<Prior art> In recent years, laminated paper made by laminating thermoplastic plastic film such as polyethylene through paper is sterilized with a sterilizer, the sterilizer is removed, a part is sealed, and the contents are filled.
Aseptic filling and packaging systems have been developed that hermetically seal, form, and complete aseptic packaging paper containers. In such an aseptic filling and packaging system, it is necessary to sterilize equipment such as chambers and piping before starting production.

As conventional methods for sterilizing devices, methods using sterilizing agents, methods using heat such as steam, etc. are well known as methods for sterilizing devices.

<Problem to be solved> However, it is possible to use steam sterilization to sterilize the inner surface of the piping, and to sterilize the outer surface of the piping and the inside of the chamber by spraying a sterilizing agent to satisfy sufficient conditions for the sterilizing effect. Even if a sufficient sterilization effect was obtained, there was a serious problem in that there was a possibility of re-contamination during subsequent preparatory operations such as paper threading before the start of production.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a relatively simple mechanism and method that can be used to sterilize an aseptic filling and packaging machine before the start of production by using steam or spraying with a sterilizing agent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for sterilizing an aseptic packaging machine and a filling section, which can achieve a sufficient sterilizing effect and completely prevent re-contamination during preparatory work before the start of production. .

Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention includes a sterilization processing section that performs sterilization processing on a predetermined packaging material, a method for removing a chemical solution adhering to the surface of the packaging material led out from the sterilization processing section, and for cleaning the inside of the device. In an aseptic packaging machine, the packaging machine is equipped with a sterile air generating means that supplies sterile air through a blow line to maintain a positive pressure state, a filling section to which the packaging material is supplied, and a packaging section, wherein the filling section is configured to A sterilizer supply line having an air nozzle extending close to the content supply nozzle and a sterilizer spray nozzle at an upwardly movable tip is provided, and a steam receiver line connectable to the tip of the content supply nozzle is provided. This is an aseptic filling and packaging machine.

In addition, the steam receiver is an aseptic filling and packaging machine equipped with a throttle valve in the line.

Furthermore, in order to sterilize the content filling section of the aseptic filling and packaging machine, such as the content supply line, content supply nozzle, and sterile air supply line, by steam and spraying of a sterilizing agent before starting production, first, the contents of the filling section must be sterilized. The inside of the piping of the material supply line and the contents supply nozzle is sterilized using pressurized steam. This is done by spraying with a fungicide. The disinfectant spray nozzle that sprays this disinfectant has a movable disinfectant supply line.
When spraying disinfectant, move to a position where disinfectant can be evenly applied to the object to be sterilized, such as the content supply nozzle, and move to a safe location to prevent foreign matter from entering the product other than when spraying disinfectant. Move and fix. When spraying disinfectant, cover the content supply nozzle and sterile air supply line with packaging material, etc.

At this time, the packaging material is sealed in a bag shape, and only the contents supply nozzle from above and the sterile air supply line inlet are open. At this time, sterile air is simultaneously supplied into the bag-shaped packaging material to maintain a positive pressure state.

The disinfectant is sprayed in this state, and by blowing sterile air, a space is created between the content supply nozzle, etc. and the packaging material, and the disinfectant is evenly applied to the content supply nozzle, etc. It is possible to be The sterile air blown into the packaging material is also used to dry and remove the sterilizing agent after the sterilizing effect of the sterilizing agent has expired. After drying and removing the disinfectant, the parts to be sterilized, such as the content supply nozzle, remain covered with the packaging material, and sterile air is blown into the packaging material to maintain a positive pressure state, and the content is supplied. Production can begin immediately after that.

<Example> An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of an aseptic filling and packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows a content supply line before the start of production and a filling section during sterilization of the content supply nozzle piping. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the filling section showing disinfectant spraying from the content supply line, content supply nozzle, and sterile air supply line before the start of production, and Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the contents supply line, content supply nozzle, and sterile air supply line spraying disinfectant before production starts. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a filling section that supplies contents to the container and shows the start of operation. This vA bacteria filling and packaging machine is comprised of a sterilization process section that sterilizes the packaging material 3 and a filling/packaging section that fills and packages the sterilized packaging material 3. The packaging material 3 is, for example, a laminated paper, as shown in FIG. 5, made by laminating a plurality of thermoplastic plastic films 3b, 3c such as polyethylene film, or aluminum foil, etc. on both sides of a paper 3a with decorative printing on one side. It consists of The sterilization process section passes the packaging material 3 through a sterilization tower 5 to sterilize it.

The filling/packaging section includes a vertical seal section that applies a partial seal (vertical seal) to the sterilized packaging material 3 while maintaining sterility;
The contents (
It has a part that fills the container with the material to be filled, seals it, and separates it into individual containers.

The configuration of the sterilization process section and the filling/packaging section will be explained below with reference to FIG. In the same figure, 1 is a roll of packaging material 3 taken out from 6 roll 1 of packaging material 3.
After being provided with forming rules in the flow direction by a ruling section 2, the sheet is guided to a sterilization tower 5 by a drive roll 4. The sterilization tower 5 is filled with a predetermined chemical solution. The web-shaped packaging material 3 sterilized in the sterilization tower 5 is sequentially passed through a large roll 6, a dancer roller 7, a triangular guide 8, a shackle 9, and a purchasing plate IO to a vertical seal section 11.
is being supplied to. The large roll 6 is configured to deliver the packaging material 3 to the vertical sealing section 11 by being rotationally driven. An air nozzle 20 for the outer surface is provided above the large roll to remove chemical liquid adhering to the outer surface of the packaging material 3 and to maintain a positive pressure inside the chamber. The triangular guide 8 is configured to fold in the packaging material 3 supplied from the dancer roller 7 from the center along the flow direction. The marking roll 9 is designed to mark the folded portion of the folded packaging material 3.The purchasing plate 1O is designed to add ruled lines other than vertical ruled lines to the packaging material 3. , N seal part 11
A content supply nozzle 12 for filling the material to be filled into the packaging material 3 formed into a cylindrical shape is provided near the packaging material 3 .

A content supply line 18 is connected to the content supply nozzle 12 for feeding the content (material to be filled). A sterile air supply nozzle 23 is attached to the tip of the content supply line 18 to maintain a positive pressure above the liquid level of the material filled in the packaging material 3. Vertical seal part 1
Below 1 is a packaging material 3 containing the contents (material to be filled).
A cutting section 15 is provided below the horizontal sealing section 14 that seals the packaging material 3 in a size corresponding to one predetermined container by cutting the packaging material 3 at the center of the hermetically sealing section and dividing it into individual containers. ing. A container forming section 16 is provided below the cutting section 15 for attaching and forming individual containers.

Such aseptic filling and packaging machines need to be covered with a sterile chamber to prevent recontamination of packaging materials after sterilization. The space or part that comes into contact with the packaging material must be completely sterile, and the equipment must be sterilized before production begins, and it must be kept completely sterile after sterilization.

A method for sterilizing the filling portion before starting production will be explained using FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

The inner surfaces of the pipes of the content supply line 18 and the content supply nozzle 12 are thermally sterilized with steam. Content supply nozzle 12
A steam receiver line 24 for guiding heating steam is connected to the lower end of the steam receiver. Content supply line 18 and content supply nozzle 1
It is possible to send steam into the 2 piping, and the heated steam is sent through the content supply line 18 and the content supply nozzle 12, and the steam receiver discharges the heated steam to the outside through the line 24. In order to maintain the temperature of the heated steam at the sterilization temperature, it is necessary to maintain pressure in each line nozzle. In order to maintain pressure, the steam receiver is equipped with a throttle valve near the line 24 outlet, and the steam receiver controls the amount of heated steam flowing out from the line outlet and gradually discharges it, increasing the temperature of the heated steam in each line and nozzle. Hold.

Next, after the sterilization holding time has ended, the piping heated by one atmosphere of heating is sufficiently cooled while maintaining sterility inside the piping such as each line and nozzle. Natural cooling is basically used for cooling. After cooling the piping, steam or sterile air is gradually flowed into the content supply line and the content supply nozzle, and the steam receiver line 24 is removed while maintaining positive pressure in each line and nozzle piping. Next, in the process of sterilizing the inner surface of the piping of the content supply line and the content supply nozzle, the packaging material is placed before the purchasing plate. 'i'N Kiuke is line 2
4 is removed, and passed through a sterilization bath while maintaining the positive pressure inside the piping of the content supply line 18 and content supply nozzle 12, and the packaging material 3 with a sterilizing sour taste is provided with ruled lines for molding using the purchasing plate 10. At the same time, seal the packaging material in the vertical direction with the vertical seal part l! 6. The packaging material is sealed in a bag shape, and the packaging material is sealed in a bag shape so as to surround the content supply nozzle 12.The packaging material is sealed in a bag shape, and the packaging material is sealed in a bag shape so as to surround the content supply nozzle 12. A positive pressure state is maintained by steam or sterile air supplied from the sterile air supply nozzle 23 and sterile air supplied by the sterile air supply nozzle 23.

In this state, as shown in the explanatory diagram shown in FIG. The container is fixed so that it is on the extension of the vertical center line of the content supply nozzle. The disinfectant supplied from the disinfectant supply line 28 is sprayed by the disinfectant spray nozzle 27 into the bag-shaped packaging material 3 centered around the contents supply nozzle. The sprayed sterilizer spreads uniformly within the bag-shaped packaging material and is evenly sprayed onto the outer surface of the content supply nozzle I2, the outer surface of the sterile air supply nozzle 23, etc. 1 with disinfectant attached
After holding for about 0 to 30 minutes, steam or sterile air is supplied from the content supply line and the content supply nozzle, and sterile air is supplied from the sterile air supply nozzle to completely remove the sterilizer after sterilization.

The sterile air used for removal is more effective when heated to about 70°C. Since steam or sterile air is supplied into the sterilized piping of the content supply nozzle 12, it is possible to prevent the sterilizer from entering from the lower end.

After the sterilization is completed and the disinfectant is completely removed, the inside of the content supply line and the content supply nozzle piping is dried. The contents (materials to be filled) are supplied to the contents supply line, and the contents (materials to be filled) are supplied into the bag-shaped packaging material from the contents dispensing nozzle. After the contents (material to be filled) are supplied from the sterile air supply nozzle 23, production is started. The state of the filling section after the start of production is as shown in FIG.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the present invention has a simple structure in which a sterile air supply line is provided below the contents supply line of the filling section, and a sterilizing material supply line that can be moved to the information packaging. It was possible to prevent contamination due to materials.

Furthermore, by using an apparatus sterilization method for sterilizing the content filling section, it becomes possible to more effectively sterilize the device and maintain sterility from the sterilization to the start of production.

According to the device sterilization method for the content filling section of an aseptic filling and packaging machine according to the present invention, although the configuration is relatively simple, the sterilization of the content filling section and the sterility maintenance after sterilization can be effectively and efficiently performed. It is something.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of an aseptic filling and packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the content filling section is sterilized by steam from the content supply nozzle. , FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the sterilization of the filling part by disinfectant spraying, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state at the time of filling the contents after the start of production. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the packaging material. 3... Packaging material 4... Drive roll small 5...
・Sterilization processing section 6... Large drive roll 7... Dancer roller 8... Triangular guide 9... Curved roll lO... Purchase plate 11... Vertical seal section
12...Contents supply nozzle 14...Horizontal seal part
]5... Cutting part 16... Container forming part 18
...Contents supply line 19...Sterile air supply line 20.2L 22.23...Air nozzle 24...
Steam receiver is line 25... Squeezed pulp 26... Valve 27... Disinfectant spray nozzle 28... Disinfectant supply line Figure 1

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A sterilization processing section that performs sterilization processing on predetermined packaging materials;
a sterile air generating means for supplying sterile air through a ventilation line in order to remove the chemical solution adhering to the surface of the packaging material led out from the sterilization processing section and to maintain a positive pressure state in the apparatus; In an aseptic packaging machine comprising a filling section and a packaging section, the filling section includes a content supply nozzle, an air nozzle extending close to the supply nozzle,
A sterile filling and packaging machine comprising a sterilizer supply line having a sterilizer spray nozzle at an upwardly movable tip and a steam receiving line connectable to the tip of the content supply nozzle. (2) Claim (1) in which a throttle valve is provided in the steam receiving line
) aseptic filling and packaging machine. (3) Before starting filling using the aseptic filling and packaging machine of claim (1), first connect a steam receiving line to the tip of the content supply nozzle, and then apply heated steam while maintaining a pressurized state. After flushing, sterile air is flowed through the air nozzle and the content supply line to create a positive pressure state, and then the steam receiving line is removed, while packaging material is supplied to surround the content supply nozzle. The sterilizer spray nozzle at the tip of the sterilizer supply line is positioned above the content supply nozzle, the sterilizer is sprayed, and after a certain period of time, sterile air or steam is supplied from the content supply nozzle. A method for sterilizing the filling section of an aseptic packaging machine.