JPH0516927A - Continuous heating sterilization process device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a heating sterilization process by which loss of heat quantity accompanied with the heating process is less, and which can be performed under a condition in which articles are arranged under a state packed in a box for delivery. CONSTITUTION:This device has a head which is close to the upper edges of an entrance and exit, 1a, 1b, which are vertically stood at both ends of a laterally long heating process tank 1, and is equipped with a conveyor 2 for articles to be processed, which pass through the heating process tank from the entrance 1a and are sent out to the outside from the exit 1b, and is equipped with gondolas 21 which are suspended from the conveyor 2 with uniform pitches, and containers 3 which are loaded while both edges of the bottom are supported by the gondola 21. The features of the title device are a container loading device 7 which stores the articles to be processed in the container 3 under the same arrangement as the final packaging and loads them on the gondola 21, and the conveyor 2 which makes the gondola 21 pass through a cooling device 30 and a drying device 34 after the heating process, and an unloading machine 8 which unloads the container 3 from the gondola 21, and a corrugated fiberboard caser 6 which can package the articles to be processed while they are arranged in a corrugated fiberboard case 61, from the container 3, to constitute the title device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous heat sterilization apparatus for canned foods, canned beverages and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a device for continuously heating and sterilizing canned foods and foods and beverages at a high temperature has a length of a conveyor that conveys the canned foods to maintain the high temperature heating time required for sterilization. Becomes large and the volume of the high temperature tank becomes large. Further, when heating the inside of the high temperature tank with hot water and steam, the temperature inside the tank must be raised to a saturated vapor pressure corresponding to that temperature in order to raise the temperature to around 120 ° C. For this reason, the inlet / outlet of the conveyor is raised to increase the pressure in the tank by the water head, and as described in JP-A-57-83268, the subordinate tanks are arranged in a U-shape. It is known that the pressure is calculated by adding the head of water.

Further, as seen in the patent publication of Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-41741, there is adopted a means for holding a pressure in the tank by providing a water sealing device at the entrance and exit of the conveyor. In each of the cases described in the above publications, most of the tank is filled with saturated steam, and a constant temperature is maintained under a constant pressure. Then, in order to hold and transfer the article to be processed in the conventional high temperature tank, a method in which the pockets in which the articles to be processed engaged with the conveyor chain are placed one by one in a horizontally arranged carrier are transferred. When the conveyor is arranged to meander in the vertical direction, a guide guard is provided to close the pocket entrance so that the article to be processed does not fall even if the entrance side of the pocket is upside down.

[0004]

Since the heat treatment tank in the conventional heat sterilization treatment apparatus of this type contains steam of a considerable pressure and is subject to the legal regulation as the first type pressure vessel, there are many safety measures and procedures. Need. In addition, the carrier carrier with a pocket for receiving the individual articles to be treated is heavy and the volume efficiency of the articles to be treated is not good. If this conveyor advances endlessly and heating and cooling are repeated, the amount of heat loss due to simultaneous heating and cooling of the conveyor in addition to the amount of heat required to heat the article to be processed becomes excessive.

When the articles to be treated are cans, when the cans are placed in the pocket of the carrier conveyor for heat treatment, the cans are randomly arranged on the feeding conveyor in the preceding stage by the aligning mechanism, and then the carriers are arranged. The cans are placed on the conveyor, and the cans that have undergone the heat treatment need to be realigned so that they can be stored in the packaging before the next packaging process. There are many opportunities for contact between the can and the guide of the can, and there is a risk of scratching the outer surface of the can, which is the article to be treated.

The present invention is proposed in view of these problems, and an object thereof is to obtain a heat treatment tank which is not subject to legal regulation as a pressure vessel, and to dissipate heat during heat treatment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous heat sterilization treatment device which has a small number of heat treatments and can perform heat treatment in a state of being aligned in a shipping packaging form.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus of the present invention is provided near the upper edges of the entrances / outlets 1a, 1b vertically rising at both ends of a horizontally elongated heat treatment tank. The heat treatment tank 1 with hot water having a water head of up to 100 ° C. or higher, and the heat treatment tank 1 is sent from the rising inlet 1a to the outside through the heat treatment tank 1 and the vertically rising outlet 1b. In a continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus comprising an endless feed conveyor 2 for the article to be treated, a gondola 21 hung by a constant pitch on the feed conveyor 2 for the article to be treated,
The gondola 21 is provided with a container 3 which is loaded while supporting both edges of the bottom, and the container 3 has a configuration capable of aligning and storing articles to be processed.

Before the heat treatment, the articles to be treated are arranged in the same arrangement as the final packaging, housed in the container 3, and loaded on the gondola 21. The container loading device 7 and the gondola 21.
Is sent to the heat treatment tank 1, and after the heat treatment, the conveyor 2 for passing the cooling device 30 and the drying device 34, and the gondola 21.
Further, an unloading machine 8 for lowering the container 3 and a corrugated cardboard case 6 capable of packaging the articles to be processed while being lined up in the corrugated cardboard case 61 from the container 3 are provided.

[0009]

In the continuous heat sterilization apparatus of the present invention, as described above, the heat treatment tank is composed of the heat treatment tank filled with only hot water and does not seal the saturated vapor pressure. It is not necessary to be subject to legal regulations, and safety can be improved. Also, the article to be processed is stored in a container loaded on a gondola suspended on a feed conveyor, in which case the gondola engaged with the conveyor is lightweight,
It is possible to reduce the weight of the container to be loaded on it, and moreover, since the articles to be treated can be sealed and aligned and stored, the volume efficiency is improved. Therefore, when the conveyor runs endlessly, the amount of heat loss due to other than the articles (cans) to be treated can be remarkably reduced as compared with the conventional carrier.

Since the cans, which are the articles to be processed, are stored in the container, it is necessary to align the cans transferred at random on the cans conveyor when storing them in the container. At the time of this alignment, the alignment pattern in the container is changed to the final packaging form, for example, a cardboard case 6 ×
By aligning with the total of 30 aligners in No. 5, after the heat treatment, cooling process, and drying process, the can rows in the container can be pushed into the cardboard case in the same arrangement, so that the can aligning process The work may be performed only once when initially loading the gondola, and the packaging process when transferring from the container after heat sterilization to the cardboard case can be facilitated.

[0011]

EXAMPLE A continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the examples shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is an overall system diagram of an apparatus for continuously heating and sterilizing a canned food or beverage. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a heat treatment tank, and an inlet 1a of the heat treatment tank 1 is set so that the hot water surface comes to a height h from a can temperature hold zone indicated by the central portion Y of the treatment tank 1. The height of the outlet 1b of the heat treatment tank 1 is also the inlet 1a.
Is the same as. A pressure corresponding to a head of height h is applied to the central portion of the heat treatment tank 1.

The hot water in the heat treatment tank flows out from the hot water outlet 1c in the direction of arrow G, is sent by the pump 12, passes through the hot water heater 9, and is returned from the nozzle 10 into the heat treatment tank.
In the hot water heater 9, heated steam enters the heater 9 through the control valve 14 in the direction of the arrow J, and reheats the slightly cooled hot water that has recirculated to an appropriate temperature. The temperature of the hot water is adjusted by controlling the control valve 14 by the temperature indicating control instrument 13. The steam generated in the heat treatment tank 1 flows along the slope of the ceiling inside the heat treatment tank 1 and is discharged to the outside from the inlet 1a side. The insufficient water is supplied from the water supply pipe 18 to the hot water circulation pipe 11 via the check valve 17, the control valve 16 and the heat exchanger 26. 1d is the outlet of the hot water overflow,
After the amount of heat is exchanged with makeup water in the heat exchanger 26 by the overflow pipe 25, it is discarded.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a chain conveyor. The chain conveyor 2 moves endlessly in the direction of arrow F. A gondola 21 is hung with equal pitches on the chain of the chain conveyor 2. FIG. 3 shows a detailed structure of the gondola 21.
As shown in FIG. 3, the gondola 21 is suspended by a shaft 21a that also serves as a pin of the chain conveyor 2. The container 3 is supported by the shelf plate 21b of the gondola 21.
The number of containers 3 loaded on one gondola 21 can be determined according to the processing capacity.

Details of the container 3 are shown in FIG. The container 3 is lacking on one of its side surfaces to form an opening 3a. The cans 4 are arranged and accommodated in the container 3. A hole 3b is opened so as to open in a gap between the cans 4 aligned with the bottom of the container 3. When the container 3 is loaded on the gondola 4 and enters the tank from the inlet 1a of the heat treatment tank 1 and descends, hot water enters through the bottom hole 3b of the container 3 and the gap between the cans 4 is formed in the hole 3b. It promotes the action of heating the can 4 through the through.

Reference numeral 5 is a container caser, the details of which are shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the group of cans 4 sent from the can conveyor 51 in the direction of arrow K is 3 on the can conveyor 51.
The container is divided into rows, aligned and moved forward, and is fed into the container 3 from the opening 3a of the container 3 which is sent by the container conveyor 52 and stopped at a predetermined position by the stopper 53. In this case, a total of 12 cans 4 are stored in the container 3 in 4 rows of 3 cans. When the can position sensor (approaching switch, photoelectric switch, lever switch, etc.) 54 confirms that a predetermined number of cans 4 have entered the container 3, the can conveyer 51 stops, and then the can conveyer 51 moves a short distance.
To lower the pressing force of the subsequent can 4, lower the stopper 53, and send it out on the container conveyor 52 in the direction of arrow N. The container conveyor 52 is connected to the container loading device 7 that loads the container 3 containing the cans 4 into the gondola 21 (see FIG. 1).

Reference numeral 6 is a corrugated cardboard caser, the details of which are shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the container 3 containing the heat-treated cans 4 sent from the direction of the arrow P on the container conveyor 52 is stopped at a predetermined position by the stopper 62. An empty cardboard case 61 is sent from the direction of arrow Q on the case conveyor 65 with one side lid open.
The stopper 63 stops at a predetermined position. When it is confirmed that the container 3 and the empty corrugated cardboard case 61 have reached the predetermined positions by a container and a corrugated cardboard caser position confirmation sensor (not shown), the pneumatic cylinder 64 for pushing out the can is operated, and the heat-treated in the direction of arrow S Can 4 press can 4
Is pushed into the cardboard case 61, and after pushing,
The pneumatic cylinder 64 operates in the direction of arrow S'and returns to its original position.

Thereafter, the stoppers 62 and 63 descend and the emptied container 3 advances in the direction of arrow M by the container conveyor 52, and the cardboard case 61 containing the cans 4 moves on the case conveyor 65 in the direction of arrow L. Proceeding, the lid is closed and sealed by a folding lid guide (not shown), and the final packaged product is sent to the next step. It is a necessary condition that the arrangement of the cans 4 housed in the corrugated cardboard case 61 by the corrugated cardboard caser 6 is exactly the same as the arrangement in the container 3. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes a unloading machine for taking out the container 3 accommodating the heat-treated can 4 from the gondola 21. 30 is a can cooling device for supplying water to the pipe 18
Then, the manual valve 19 is opened for replenishment, and the pump 33 recirculates the pipe 32, the water cooler 31, and the can cooling device 30. Reference numeral 34 represents a can dryer.

According to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 described above, the cans 4 before heat sterilization are aligned while entering the container caser 5 and are fed from the container caser 5 to the container 3 while being aligned. Then, the container 3 accommodating the cans 4 is sent in the direction of the arrow N, and the opening 3a of the container 3 is attached to the gondola 21 attached to the chain conveyor 2 by the container loading device 7 as shown in FIG. It is loaded so as to be in contact with the back plate 21c. This eliminates the risk of the can 4 dropping from the container 3 during transfer of the gondola.

The chain conveyor 2 advances in the direction of arrow F, rises and descends from the inlet 1a of the heat treatment tank 1 and enters the heat treatment tank 1. In the can temperature rising zone indicated by X in FIG. 1, the can 4 is lowered while being stored in the container 3. The hot water rises from below, flows out from the hot water outlet 1c, and recirculates. At this time, hot water passes through the gap between the cans 4, which are the articles to be processed, from the holes 3b on the bottom surface of the container 3, and heats the cans 4 evenly.

The can 4 of the container 3 suspended from the gondola 21 slowly progresses in the can temperature hold zone Y below the heat treatment tank 1 for the time required for sterilization and then rises to the can temperature drop zone Z. to go into. The pressure of the hot water in this zone Z decreases as it goes up, so the temperature also drops. Can 4
Goes out into the atmosphere through the outlet 1b of the heat treatment tank 1 and moves downward. Next, the chain conveyor 2 moves horizontally, is cooled by the can cooling device 30 to a temperature at which handling of the can 4 is not affected, the can drying device 34 removes water, and the unloading machine 8 unloads the container 3 from the gondola 21. Then, it is placed on the container conveyor 52.

Container 3 on container conveyor 52
Is sent in the direction of arrow P and stopped at a predetermined position on the cardboard caser 6. The empty cardboard case 61 sent by the case conveyor 65 from the direction of the arrow Q stops at a predetermined position of the cardboard caser 6, and the group of cans 4 aligned in the container 3 remains in the cardboard case 61. The corrugated cardboard case 61 is pushed into the inside of the case conveyor 65, and the side cover is closed and moved during the movement on the case conveyor 65 to be sent to the next step.

The emptied container 3 is sent by the container conveyor 52 in the direction of the arrow M and again receives the group of cans 4 aligned by the container caser 5. When the number of cans 4 to be heat-treated is small, that is, when the heat treatment capacity is to be reduced, the number of containers 3 loaded on the gondola 21 is reduced, or the number of empty containers not loaded with the containers 3 is reduced. This can be dealt with by appropriately selecting the gondola 21.

[0023]

According to the continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus of the present invention, the heat treatment tank is filled with only hot water and does not seal the saturated vapor pressure, so that the safety is high unlike the pressure vessel, and the article to be treated is conveyed by the conveyor. Since it is to be stored in a container loaded on a gondola that is suspended in, it is possible to closely arrange and store the articles to be processed, so that the volume efficiency is large and the heat treatment tank can be downsized, This can reduce the device cost. Furthermore, since the gondola that engages with the chain conveyor and the container that is loaded on the gondola can be made lighter, not only the heat loss due to heat loss other than the article to be processed during operation is low but also the article to be processed is reduced. Since it can be processed in the state of being aligned and held in the shipping boxed form, the chances of mutual contact of the objects to be processed are reduced, scratches on the outer surface of the objects to be processed are prevented, and the packaging process is also facilitated. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall system diagram showing an embodiment of a continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container used in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of a chain conveyor with a gondola used in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container caser in the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cardboard caser in the apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 heat treatment tank 1a Heat treatment tank entrance 1b Heat treatment tank outlet 2 Chain conveyor 3 containers 6 Cardboard Caser 7 container loading equipment 8 unloader 21 Gondola 30 cooling system 34 Dryer 61 empty cardboard

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 28, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0004]

The heat treatment tank in the conventional heat sterilization treatment apparatus of this type contains steam of a considerable pressure and requires many safety measures. In addition, the carrier carrier with a pocket for receiving the individual articles to be treated is heavy and the volume efficiency of the articles to be treated is not good. If this conveyor advances endlessly and heating and cooling are repeated, the amount of heat loss due to simultaneous heating and cooling of the conveyor in addition to the amount of heat required to heat the article to be processed becomes excessive.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The present invention is proposed in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of heat loss during the heat treatment, and further to perform the heat treatment in a state in which the heat treatment is arranged in the shipping packaging form. The point is to provide a continuous heat sterilization treatment device that enables the above.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0023

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0023]

According to the continuous heat sterilization treatment apparatus of the present invention, the heat treatment tank is filled with hot water only and does not seal the saturated vapor pressure, so that the safety is high and the article to be treated is hung on the conveyor. Since it is stored in a container loaded in a gondola, the articles to be processed can be closely aligned and stored, so that the volume efficiency is large and the heat treatment tank can be miniaturized. Can be reduced. Furthermore, since the gondola that engages with the chain conveyor and the container that is loaded on the gondola can be made lighter, not only the heat loss due to heat loss other than the article to be processed during operation is low but also the article to be processed is reduced. Since it can be processed in the state of being aligned and held in the shipping boxed form, the chances of mutual contact of the objects to be processed are reduced, scratches on the outer surface of the objects to be processed are prevented, and the packaging process is also facilitated. There is.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Hot water having a water head up to near the upper edge of an entrance which rises vertically at both ends of a horizontally long heat treatment tank
Continuous equipped with a heat treatment tank at 00 ° C or higher, and an endless feed conveyor for articles to be processed, which is sent from the rising inlet of the heat treatment tank through the heat treatment tank to the outside through a vertically rising outlet In the heat sterilization apparatus, a gondola hung by a certain pitch on the feed conveyor for the articles to be treated and a container loaded with the gondola supporting both edges of the bottom are arranged. The apparatus for continuous heating and sterilization is characterized in that it has a configuration capable of being stored by being stored. 2. Before the heat treatment, the articles to be treated are arranged in the same arrangement as the final packaging and stored in a container, and a container loading device for loading the articles on a gondola, and the gondola is sent to a heat treatment tank and cooled after the heat treatment. A conveyor for passing through the device and the drying device, a unloader for unloading the container from the gondola, and a corrugated cardboard case capable of packaging the articles to be processed in the cardboard case from the container while being aligned. 1. The continuous heat sterilization treatment device according to 1.