JPH066010Y2 - Aseptic packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial field of application> The present invention relates to an aseptic packaging machine having various parts for sterilizing a loaded container, filling the contents, and sealing the container in a sterile chamber always under positive pressure. Regarding improvement.

<Prior Art> Generally, the aseptic chamber of an aseptic packaging machine is always in a positive pressure state with respect to the outside air in order to prevent the outside air from entering. In order to maintain this positive pressure state, sterilized sterile air is blown from above the aseptic chamber 1 as shown in FIG. 5 or from the side of the aseptic chamber 1 as shown in FIG.

If the container carried into this sterile chamber is in a completely sterilized state, the problem of contamination in the sterile chamber and the inner surface of the container does not occur, but to achieve this, carry it into the sterile chamber. In the previous step, a step of sterilizing the filling container is required. Therefore, the device becomes large and complicated.

Therefore, a container formed by sterilizing or sterilizing a material in the open air, in particular, a paper container C whose top is opened and folded and sealed as shown in FIG. It was common to sterilize with.

Hydrogen peroxide, water vapor, hot air, ultraviolet rays, or a combination thereof was used for sterilization of this container.

However, each step was carried out in a sterile chamber without sterilizing the outside of the container.

Therefore, aseptic air that is blown to keep the inside of the aseptic chamber at a positive pressure flows toward the discharge part for discharging the sealed and filled product and the carry-in part of the container.

At this time, since there is a carrier for transporting the container in the aseptic chamber, a transport mechanism including a chain, a filling nozzle, and a sealing device, the flow of sterile air is disturbed and dust or the like attached to the outside of the container is scattered. There was a risk of infiltration into the container through the opening.

On the other hand, as a sterilizing method of the container in the aseptic chamber, first, hydrogen peroxide, spraying a sterilizing liquid such as steam, then injecting hot air for both drying and sterilizing this sterilizing liquid,
In addition, it is common to sterilize by irradiating with ultraviolet rays as needed.

For this reason, particularly when the sterilizing air is blown to the side, the sterilizing air may hit the outside of the unsterilized container, dust and the like may be scattered, and the inside of the container may be contaminated.

In addition, although the inside of the aseptic chamber is sterilized in advance before filling, there is a possibility that the inside of the aseptic chamber may be contaminated by dust and the like adhering to the outside of the container.

<Problems to be Solved> Therefore, the present invention is directed to a sterilization unit that does not contaminate the inside of the container and the inside of the aseptic chamber with the carried-in container even when the container is sterilized in a chamber that is always in a positive pressure state. It is an object of the present invention to provide an aseptic packaging machine provided with.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention continuously connects a paper container in which a top portion carried in from a molding portion of the container is opened and a top portion is folded and sealed in a sterile chamber which is always kept at positive pressure. In the aseptic packaging machine provided with a sterilizing unit having a sterilizing mechanism for sterilizing the container, a filling unit for contents, and a sealing unit at the top according to the movement of the transport mechanism in which the carriers are arranged at regular intervals, Is a sterile packaging machine characterized in that sterilizing liquid spraying nozzles are arranged on the upper and lower sides of the container, respectively.

Also, the present invention provides a sterile packaging in which the sterilizing unit extends to the lower side of the container on both sides in the transport direction of the container, has a plurality of spray holes on the side surface, and has spray nozzles at least above and after the transport direction. It is a machine.

<Action> When the container sent from the carry-in part of the container according to the carrier is stopped at the position of the external sterilizing part, the sterilizing liquid is discharged from the sterilizing liquid nozzles provided on the upper and lower four sides of the container to the side surface of the container. Is reliably sprayed until the outside of the container is sterilized.

Further, since the nozzles provided on both sides of the container in the conveying direction extend to the bottom of the container and are provided with a plurality of spray holes, the nozzles can be surely sterilized to the bottom, and the front and rear surfaces are nozzles provided above or below. Sterilized by.

Furthermore, when sterilizing with hot air and drying, the outside of the container is washed and sterilized by spraying a sterilizing liquid such as hydrogen peroxide and water vapor, and even if bacteria remain, it is already sterilized. There is no risk of contaminating the inside of the container or the sterile chamber due to the influence of the outside of the container.

<Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of an aseptic packaging machine showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a bottom is assembled at a molding part, a top is opened, and a top is made of paper. This is an aseptic packaging machine for filling and packaging a liquid (for example, juice, milk, liquor) in a container C under a sterile atmosphere.

This aseptic packaging machine includes a container molding unit 12 and the container molding unit 12
And a transport mechanism 42 comprising a chain 41 to which a carrier 40 is attached at regular intervals, in the lower portion of the aseptic chamber 13, and a positive pressure aseptic chamber 13 connected thereto.
And a guide 43 is provided along the chain 41.

The molding part 12 has a mandrel 15, and the mandrel 15
15 molds the bottom of the container. Further, in the sterile chamber 13, an external sterilization unit 16 for sterilizing the outside of the container C carried in from the carry-in unit 10 and an internal sterilization unit 17 for sterilizing the inside of the container C.
And a drying section 18 for drying the sterilizing liquid inside the container and for heat sterilization, and a filling section for filling the contents such as juice and sake.
19, a heating section 20 for heating the top opening of the container, and a sealing section 21 for crimping and sealing the heated opening. The sterile air blower 22 is provided on the opposite side of the carry-in unit 10.

In the external sterilization unit 16, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, sterilizing solution nozzles 44A and 44B are arranged in the upper and lower four sides of the container, respectively. The nozzles 44A and 44B have a structure that sprays on the upper and lower portions of the side surface of the container.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the nozzle extends to the lower side of the container at positions on both sides of the container in the conveying direction, and a nozzle 45 having a plurality of spray holes 46 on its side surface and a rear portion thereof. nozzle
A cover 47 having a shape that covers 45 may be attached, and nozzles 44A and 44B similar to the above may be provided at the front and rear positions, respectively.

On the other hand, the internal sterilization unit 17 has a nozzle 31 for spraying a sterilizing liquid.
Is provided so as to be located right above the opening of the container.

In the internal sterilization unit 17, the sterilizing liquid may be sprayed not only inside but also outside.

With the above-mentioned structure, when the external sterilization unit 16 sprays the sterilizing liquid from the nozzle, the sterilizing liquid is sprayed on the entire surface including the lower portion outside the container, and the outside of the container is reliably sterilized.

The sterilizing liquid sprayed by the nozzle may be hydrogen peroxide, water vapor, or a combination thereof.

<Effect> Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is transported in the sterile chamber with the outside of the container being sterilized, and as a result, the flow of sterilized air is disturbed by the jigs in the sterile chamber. Therefore, even if cells and the like are scattered outside the container, the cells are still dead, so the inside of the container and the inside of the aseptic chamber are not contaminated, and it is possible to reliably fill and package in an aseptic state. It was

Further, even if the container is not completely aseptic before being brought into the aseptic chamber, the aseptic filling and sealing can be performed, and a simple and easy-to-use aseptic packaging machine can be obtained, which is a general-purpose type.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of the aseptic packaging machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a container suitable for sterilization and packaging by the aseptic packaging machine of the present invention, FIG. 3A and FIG. FIG. 4A is a plan view showing the state of the nozzle in the external sterilization unit, and FIG. 3B.
And FIG. 4B is a side explanatory view showing the state of the nozzle in the external sterilization unit, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic explanatory views showing the flow of aseptic air in the aseptic chamber. C ... Container, 10 ... Carry-in section 11 ... Aseptic packaging machine, 12 ... Molding section, 13 ... Aseptic chamber, 16 ... External sterilization section, 17 ... Internal sterilization section, 18 ... Drying section, 19 ... Filling Section, 20 ...... heating section 21 ...... sealing section, 22 ...... air blowing section 31 ...... nozzle, 40 ...... carrier 41 ...... chain, 42 ...... transport mechanism 43 ...... guide, 44A, 44B, 45 ...... nozzle

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A paper container, in which a top portion introduced from a molding portion of the container is opened and a top portion is folded and sealed, is continuously moved in a sterile chamber which is always kept at positive pressure, and a carrier is kept constant. In the aseptic packaging machine provided with a sterilization unit having a sterilization mechanism for sterilizing the container according to the movement of the transport mechanism arranged at intervals, a filling unit for the contents, and a sealing unit at the top, the sterilization unit is placed on the upper side of the container and An aseptic packaging machine characterized by disposing sterilizing liquid spray nozzles on each of the lower four sides. 2. The sterilizing section extends to the lower side of the container on both sides in the carrying direction of the container, has a plurality of spray holes on its side surface, and has spray nozzles at least above and after the carrying direction. Aseptic packaging machine of (1).