JPH0725376B2 - Method and device for sterilizing container lid - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a lid sterilization method and apparatus in an aseptic filling line for aseptically filling a container with contents.

(Prior Art) Recently, an aseptic filling method has been proposed as a method for making canned foods and the like even if they are perishable beverages or foods without impairing the flavor. The aseptic filling method is to sterilize a container in a clean room and then fill the contents, thereby preventing contamination from the container and the atmosphere and eliminating the need for heating after filling.

In order to perform the aseptic filling method in a completely aseptic state, it is necessary to completely sterilize the container, but conventionally, sterilization of the lid to be capped on the container body is sterilized in advance and stored in the lid supply hopper. Alternatively, each lid supplied to the sealing device is irradiated with ultraviolet rays or a sterilizing solution is sprayed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Even if stored in a sterilized state in advance, it may be contaminated during that time. Therefore, in order to keep the lid completely sterilized and to cap the container body, It is desirable to sterilize and wash immediately before supplying to a sealing device such as a capper. However, it is difficult to completely sterilize the individual containers immediately before they are capped. In the conventional lid sterilization method, since the lid being transported is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, it is difficult to uniformly irradiate the inner and outer surfaces of the lid with ultraviolet rays, and uneven sterilization is likely to occur. Particularly in the case of a threaded cap, it is difficult to completely sterilize the threaded portion by the method. Similarly, in the method of injecting the sterilizing solution, it is difficult to uniformly contact the inner and outer surfaces of the lid with the sterilizing solution for a certain period of time, and there is a drawback that uneven sterilization is likely to occur. In addition, the lid during cleaning is conventionally transported by a chute or rope conveyor, but generally the conveyor surface is coated with a lubricant to improve smoothness and smooth transportation. Lubricant may adhere to the lid.

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the conventional lid sterilization described above, and completely sterilizes the inner and outer surfaces of the lid without sterilization unevenness,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lid sterilization method and apparatus that can be completely washed with sterile water and supplied to the capper without causing contamination from the conveyor.

(Means for Solving Problems) The lid sterilization method of the present invention which solves the above problems is sprayed from the inner sterilizing nozzle to the inner surface of the lid on a zigzag conveyor arranged in a zigzag shape in a substantially closed sterilization chamber. It moves on the zigzag conveyor while being driven by the pressure of the sterilizing liquid, rotated by the pressure of the sterilizing liquid sprayed from the outer sterilizing nozzle to the outer peripheral surface of the lid, and rotated by the injection pressure of the sterilizing liquid sprayed on the outer and inner surfaces of the lid. By doing so, the sterilizing liquid is brought into contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the lid for a predetermined time, and aseptic water is sprayed on the inner and outer surfaces of the lid that is transferred out of the sterilization chamber to wash the lid.

Further, a lid sterilization device for carrying out the above lid sterilization method,
A zigzag zigzag conveyor arranged in a substantially closed sterilization chamber, an outer sterilization nozzle and an inner sterilization nozzle arranged along the conveyor for injecting a sterilizing liquid onto the outer surface and the inner surface of the lid,
A lid transfer conveyor continuously provided from the outlet of the sterilization chamber to the zigzag conveyor, arranged along the lid transfer conveyor, and comprises an outer washing nozzle and an inner washing nozzle for injecting sterile water to the lid outer surface and inner surface, The outer sterilization nozzle and the outer washing nozzle each have a nozzle port for injecting a sterilizing liquid and sterile water on the outer surface of the lid in a direction to give a rotational force to the lid, and the inner sterilization nozzle and the inner washing nozzle have a direction to give thrust to the lid. Each has a nozzle opening for spraying aseptic water on the inner surface of the lid.

(Operation) The lid that is transported into the sterilization chamber is sterilized by sterilizing liquid from the inner sterilizing nozzle and the outer sterilizing nozzle to the inner and outer surfaces of the lid during transportation by the zigzag conveyor, and the inner and outer surfaces of the lid are sterilized. A thrust force and a rotational force are given by the pressure, and move on the zigzag conveyor while rotating. Therefore, even if the lid is continuously fed, the sterilizing liquid can be uniformly sprayed on the entire inner and outer surfaces of the lid. While being conveyed by the zigzag conveyor in such a state, it is efficiently sterilized for a predetermined time in a sealed sterilization chamber.

After that, the lid is moved from the sterilizing solution outlet to the cleaning section, and while being conveyed by the transfer conveyor in the same section as described above, the inner and outer surfaces are cleaned with sterile water ejected from the outer washing nozzle and the inner washing nozzle. Therefore, the sterilizing liquid attached to the lid in the previous step is removed, and the odor of the sterilizing liquid does not remain on the lid, and the lid is washed aseptically. Even in the washing step with the sterile water, the lid is subjected to the rotating force and the thrust with the sterile water similarly to the sterilizing step, and the sterile water is sprayed on the inner and outer surfaces without leaking to be washed evenly. In addition, since thrust is applied with sterilized water, the lid can be transported smoothly, and it is not necessary to apply a lubricant to the conveyor.
The cleaned lid is not contaminated with lubricant.

(Example) Hereinafter, the Example of this invention is described in detail based on drawing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a lid sterilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment, the case where the threaded lid is sterilized and washed is shown. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a sterilization chamber, which is hermetically sealed except for the entrance and exit of the conveyor. 3 is a zigzag conveyor provided in the sterilization chamber, which is arranged in a zigzag shape in order to obtain a predetermined sterilization time. As shown in FIG. 2, an upper guide 4 and side guides 5 arranged on both sides,
It consists of 5 and. However, the forms of the zigzag conveyor and the lid transfer conveyor described later differ depending on the type of the lid to be transferred, and are not necessarily limited to the above.

Along the zigzag conveyor 3, an inner sterilizing pipe having an inner sterilizing nozzle group for injecting a sterilizing solution to the inner surface of the lid and an outer sterilizing pipe having an outer sterilizing nozzle group for injecting a sterilizing solution to the outer surface of the lid are provided. . The inner sterilization nozzle is provided with a nozzle port for injecting a sterilizing liquid onto the inner surface of the lid in a direction (direction of arrow B shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) that applies a propelling force to the lid. There is. Further, the outer sterilization nozzle is provided with a nozzle port thereof so as to inject a cleaning liquid onto the outer surface of the lid in a direction (direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 2) that applies a rotational force to the lid.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a stopper provided at the outlet of the sterilization chamber. When the lid passes through the sterilization chamber in a short time at the start of operation, etc., the stopper is actuated to hold the lid in the sterilization chamber for a predetermined time, for example, 3 minutes. So that the sterilization time can be obtained.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a cleaning unit continuously provided at the outlet of the sterilization chamber, which is provided at a certain section along the lid transfer conveyor 9 and in the section, an external washing nozzle for injecting washing water (sterile water) onto the outer surface of the lid. And an inner washing pipe having a nozzle group for injecting washing water on the inner surface are arranged. Similar to the outer sterilization nozzle and the inner sterilization nozzle, the nozzle ports of the outer washing nozzle and the inner washing nozzle are respectively provided in the direction in which the rotational force and the thrust force are applied to the lid.

Lid sterilization by the lid sterilizer configured as described above is performed as follows.

The screw-equipped lid c conveyed from the lid supply device (not shown) into the sterilization chamber through the sterilization chamber inlet is conveyed by the zigzag conveyor 3. During conveyance, the inner sterilization nozzle is provided on the inner surface of the lid from below the conveyor 3 obliquely. The sterilizing liquid is jetted and thrust is applied, and the sterilizing liquid moves on the conveyor 3 while sliding. Therefore,
Since it is not necessary to apply a lubricant or the like to the transfer surface of the conveyor in order to reduce the friction between the cover and the transfer surface as in the conventional transfer conveyor, contamination of the cover by the lubricant can be prevented. Simultaneously with the injection from the inner sterilization nozzle, sterilized water is ejected from the outer sterilization nozzle to the outer surface of the lid from the direction deviated from the transport direction and the direction perpendicular to it, and a component force in the rotation direction is generated on the lid, causing the lid to move while rotating. To do. Therefore, each nozzle sprays sterilizing water in a certain direction, but since the lid moves while rotating, it is possible to spray the sterilizing liquid evenly on the entire inner and outer surfaces of the lid even when the lid is continuously fed. It is possible to evenly sterilize and clean the threaded portion on the inner surface of the lid.

In such a state, the lid c is conveyed by the zigzag conveyor 3 for a predetermined time, and the inside and outside of the lid are sterilized by a sterilizing liquid contacting the inside and outside of the lid during that time.
The lid transferred inside may pass through the sterilization chamber 1 in a short time due to the thrust of the internal sterilization liquid, and it may not be possible to secure a predetermined sterilization time. Therefore, at the beginning of the operation, the stopper 7 is operated to block the movement of the lid, and the lid is held in the sterilization chamber to perform sterilization for a predetermined time. Further, since the sterilization chamber is hermetically closed, the mist of the sterilizing solution is filled and the lid is sterilized by the mist.

The lid that has been sterilized for a predetermined time in the sterilization chamber 1 moves from the sterilizing solution outlet to the cleaning unit 8, and while being transported by the transport conveyor 9 in the same manner as described above, sterile water is sprayed onto the outer surface by the external washing nozzle. Aseptic water is sprayed on the inner surface from the inner washing nozzle, and the sterilizing liquid adhering to the inner and outer surfaces of the lid is removed to be washed in a sterile state. Even in the washing step with the sterile water, the lid is subjected to the rotating force and the thrust with the sterile water similarly to the sterilizing step, and the sterile water is sprayed on the inner and outer surfaces without leaking to be washed evenly. Further, since the thrust is applied by the sterilized water, the lid is smoothly transported, it is not necessary to apply the lubricant to the transport conveyor, and the washed lid is not contaminated with the lubricant. The lid whose inner and outer surfaces are sterilized and washed as described above is sent to the capper and capped with the container filled with the contents.

(Effect) The present invention is configured as described above and has the following special effects.

While the lid is being transported into the sterilization chamber by the zigzag conveyor, the sterilizing solution is sprayed on the inner and outer surfaces of the lid, so even if the lid has a screw, it can be sterilized uniformly, and the inner and outer surfaces of the lid can be cleaned with sterile water outside the sterilization chamber. Since the spray cleaning is performed, the sterilizing liquid adhering to the lid is also removed, and the odor of the sterilizing liquid does not remain on the lid, and the sterilizing state can be efficiently cleaned.

Further, since the lid is sterilized and washed with a sterilizing liquid and sterile water while applying a rotating force and a thrust, the lid can be sterilized and washed more uniformly, the lid can be transported smoothly, and it is not necessary to apply a lubricant to the conveyor. The cleaned lid is not contaminated with lubricant.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the lid cleaning apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the sterilization chamber and the top wall of the cleaning unit removed, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the zigzag conveyor. FIG. 3 is a side view thereof. 1: Sterilization room, 3: Zigzag conveyor 7: Stopper, 8: Cleaning section 9: Lid transfer conveyor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A zigzag conveyor arranged in a zigzag shape in a substantially closed sterilization chamber is propelled by the pressure of the sterilizing liquid injected from the inner sterilization nozzle to the inner surface of the lid, and from the outer sterilization nozzle to the outer peripheral surface of the lid. It is rotated by the pressure of the sterilizing liquid injected,
By moving on the zigzag conveyor while rotating with the spray pressure of the sterilizing liquid sprayed on the outer surface and the inner surface of the lid,
A method of sterilizing a lid, which comprises contacting a sterilizing liquid with the inner and outer surfaces of the lid for a predetermined time, and spraying sterile water onto the inner and outer surfaces of the lid that is transferred from the sterilization chamber to wash the lid. 2. A zigzag zigzag conveyor arranged in a substantially closed sterilization chamber, an outer sterilization nozzle and an inner sterilization nozzle arranged along the zigzag conveyor for injecting a sterilizing solution onto the outer and inner surfaces of the lid, and the sterilization chamber. The lid transfer conveyor continuously provided from the outlet of the zigzag conveyor, an outer washing nozzle and an inner washing nozzle which are arranged along the lid conveying conveyor and inject sterile water to the outer and inner surfaces of the lid, and the outer sterilization is performed. The nozzle and the external washing nozzle each have a nozzle port for injecting a sterilizing liquid and sterile water on the outer surface of the lid in the direction of giving a rotational force to the lid, and the inner sterilization nozzle and the inner washing nozzle each have an inner surface of the lid in a direction of giving a thrust to the lid. A lid sterilizer, characterized in that each has a nozzle port for spraying aseptic water.