JPH08128910A - Can internal pressure measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a can internal pressure measuring device which can continuously measure the change of an internal pressure of a canned food, which requires a high temperature, high pressure and many hours treatment, in a high temperature autoclave. CONSTITUTION: Since a pressure measuring instrument 30, which measures the pressure change of a canned food inside with the laps of time, is contained in a heat resistant and pressure resistant container 10, no electrical parts of the pressure measuring instrument 30 are affected by a high temperature and high pressure environment in a bactericidal treatment device. Since the pressure measuring portion 31 of the pressure measuring instrument 30 is provided with a correcting portion 36 which correct a measured pressure based on a temperature in the heat resistant and pressure resistant container 10, the internal pressure of a sample canned food 21 can be accurately measured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a can internal pressure measuring device capable of continuously measuring a change in pressure inside a can.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the process of producing canned food in which beer is sealed, the canned food in which the liquid temperature is 3 to 5 ° C. and filled and sealed is heat-sterilized by using a device called a pasterizer. It is supposed to do. In addition, even if the contents are low in pH and do not need to be sterilized, such as canned canned carbonated beverages, dew condensation will occur on the can surface, making it impossible to print on the canned surface in a later process, or packaging. In order to prevent the corrugated cardboard for use from getting wet, a device called a warmer is used to heat the cardboard to raise the temperature of the can to room temperature or higher.

By the way, in recent years, aluminum is often used as a material for cans in which beverages are sealed, but from the viewpoint of resource saving, the thickness of aluminum cans has been reduced. Accordingly, it is necessary to continuously measure how the pressure inside the aluminum can changes when the aluminum can is heated by the above-described device such as a pasterizer or a warmer. Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has developed and applied for a can internal pressure measuring device suitable for measuring changes in the internal pressure of an aluminum can. (Japanese Patent Application No. 4-159807)

The can internal pressure measuring device according to this prior application will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 6. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 6 denotes the can internal pressure measuring device, which is provided through a lid 3 attached to a sample can 2. A columnar blind plug 5 made of an elastic body is fitted into the through hole 4. A pressure measuring device 6 is fixed to the outer surface of the sample canister 2 by a rubber band 7, and a sample canister is provided via a thin rubber tube 8 having a thin hollow needle 9 which is inserted into the blind plug 5. The internal pressure of 2 is introduced into the pressure measuring device 6.

A can internal pressure measuring device 1 constructed as described above.
Is carried on the conveyor together at a rate of one in every 1,000 to 10,000 cans produced, and is subjected to heat sterilization treatment. Then, the pressure data in the sample can 2 measured and stored by the pressure measuring device 6 is read after the heating process is completed, so that it is determined whether or not the can specifications are properly selected. There is. For example, if the can strength specification is too high for the can pressure,
The cans can be made even thinner to reduce costs.

[0006]

By the way, in canning for sealing low-acidic beverages such as coffee and oolong tea, for example, the canning is sealed in a high-temperature high-pressure kettle and pressurized and heated to keep the high-temperature high-pressure state for a long time. It is sterilized by maintaining it. Therefore, in order to continuously measure the change in the pressure inside the can of the sterilized inside the high temperature and high pressure kettle, the internal can pressure measuring device itself must be positioned inside the high temperature and high pressure kettle. However, since the conventional can internal pressure measuring device does not have heat resistance or pressure resistance, it is not possible to measure the internal pressure of a can of food that is sterilized in the high temperature and high pressure kettle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and continuously changes cordless pressure of a can of a can, which requires a long-time sterilization process even in a high temperature and high pressure kettle, in a cordless manner. It is an object of the present invention to provide a can internal pressure measuring device.

[0008]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned problem is a can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention for continuously measuring the pressure change inside a can, wherein the change in pressure inside the can is measured over time. A pressure measuring unit, a storage unit that stores measured data, a control unit that controls the operation of the pressure measuring unit and the storage unit, a heat-resistant pressure-resistant container that stores a power supply unit that supplies power to each unit, and an internal pressure. Can be achieved by a pressure introducing means for introducing the pressure inside the sample can into the pressure measuring part.

It is preferable that the pressure measuring unit is provided with a correcting unit for correcting an error in pressure measurement caused by a change in temperature in the heat and pressure resistant container. Further, it is preferable that the control unit controls the pressure measuring unit, the temperature sensor, and the storage unit so that the pressure and the temperature inside the container can be measured at a set time interval. Further, it is preferable that the heat resistant and pressure resistant container and the sample can are mounted and a fixing means for fixing them integrally. Further, it is preferable that the fixing means includes a buffer member that protects the heat resistant and pressure resistant container and the sample can from contact with other cans. In addition, it is preferable to fix a second sample can in which a can temperature measuring and recording device is stored near the sample can.

[0010]

In the can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention, the pressure measuring part for measuring the change in the pressure inside the can of the can with time, the memory part for storing the measured data, the pressure measuring part and the operation of the memory part are provided. Control unit to control, consisting of a power supply unit for supplying power to each of the units, since the minimum components necessary for continuously measuring the change in pressure are stored in a heat-resistant pressure-resistant container for protection, It is possible to continuously measure the pressure inside the canned product even when it is placed inside the high-temperature high-pressure kettle.
Further, since the pressure measuring unit is provided with the correcting means for correcting the error in the pressure measurement caused by the change in the temperature in the heat resistant and pressure resistant container, the pressure inside the can can be accurately measured. Further, the control unit controls the pressure measuring unit, the temperature sensor, and the storage unit so as to measure the pressure and the temperature in the container at a set time interval, thereby measuring time and the capacity of the storage unit. Considering the above, it is possible to continuously collect an appropriate number of measurement data. Also,
By providing the temperature measuring unit to which the sensor for measuring the temperature inside the sample can is connected, the pressure and temperature inside the sample can can be measured at the same time. By providing the heat-resistant and pressure-resistant container and the fixing means for mounting and integrally fixing the sample can, the distance between the sample can and the heat-resistant and pressure-resistant container can be kept constant, thereby connecting the both. It is possible to prevent a load from being applied to the pressure introducing means. The fixing means is provided with a buffer member that protects the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container and the sample can from contact with other cans, so that the can internal pressure inspection device can be flowed to the manufacturing line together with other cans to be manufactured. You can Further, by fixing a second sample can in which a device for measuring and recording the temperature inside the can is fixed near the sample can, it is possible to measure the temperature inside the high-temperature high-pressure kettle together.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a can internal pressure measuring device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG.
1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the can internal pressure measuring device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part of the can internal pressure measuring device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the function of the can internal pressure measuring device. Block Diagram,
FIGS. 4 and 5 are graphs showing changes in the pressure inside the can of cans measured by the can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a can internal pressure measuring apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has a heat resistant and pressure resistant container 10 having a can internal pressure measuring unit 30 (not shown) housed therein and an internal pressure of a first sample can 21. It is provided with a pressure introducing means 40 to be introduced into the can internal pressure measuring unit 30 and a storage box 51 as a fixing means for mounting and integrally fixing the heat resistant and pressure resistant container 10 and the first sample can 21.

The heat and pressure resistant container 10 is a substantially cylindrical container made of a metal that does not easily rust, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, and has rectangular plate-like flanges 11 fixed to both ends thereof. The inside of the storage box 50 is prevented from easily rolling. The heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10 is designed to be used in a temperature range of 0 ° C to 150 ° C, and the equipment housed therein is completely waterproofed under an external pressure of 3 atm or less. Therefore, the can internal pressure measuring unit 30 stored therein is protected. Further, the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10 is provided with a through hole (not shown) into which the internal pressure measuring unit 30 is connected to an external computer and a measurement terminal for reading measurement data is inserted. A charging terminal for charging a power source can be inserted into the through hole, and the through hole is used for inserting the starting block 71 during measurement.

As shown in FIG. 3, the can internal pressure measuring unit 30 includes a pressure measuring unit 31 for measuring a change in pressure inside the first sample can over time, and a storage unit 32 for storing the measured data. And the pressure measuring unit and the storage unit 3
It has a control unit 33 for controlling the operation of No. 2 and a power supply unit 34 for supplying electric power to the respective units. The pressure measuring unit 31
Is for measuring the pressure in the first sample can 21 introduced by the pressure introducing means 40 using a strain gauge, and is based on the data obtained from the sensor 35 for measuring the temperature in the heat and pressure resistant container 10. In addition, a correction unit 36 that corrects an error in pressure measurement is provided. The storage unit 32 has a capacity to store the measurement data of the internal pressure of the can and the internal temperature of the heat-resistant and pressure-resistant container for five times, which is composed of 1000 pieces of data per measurement. The control unit 33 controls the pressure measuring unit 31.
In addition to controlling the storage unit 32, the time interval for measuring the pressure in the first sample can 21 can be set to an arbitrary interval, and the startup block 71 can be set.
Is attached to the heat resistant and pressure resistant container 10 so that the delay time from the start of the operation of the internal can pressure measurement unit 30 to the start of the measurement can be adjusted. Then, the stored measurement data is read out based on the control signal of the external computer and sent to the computer. The power supply unit 34 has a built-in battery that can be charged by external power, and is capable of continuous measurement for up to 4 hours.

The pressure introducing means 40 is a heat-resistant and pressure-resistant packing 41 made of silicone rubber fitted in a through hole penetrating the bottom of the first sample can 21, and one of the packing 41 is provided. A thin first pipe 42 made of stainless steel, the end portion of which is pierced, and a second thin pipe made of stainless steel, which is connected to the pipe 42 via a connector 43 and is also connected to the pressure measuring unit 31. Plumbing 44
It has and. The internal volume of the portion between the first sample can 21 and the pipe connection portion 12 of the heat and pressure resistant container 10 is minimized, which hinders the measurement of the pressure inside the first sample can 21. It is supposed not to. Also,
A silicone sealant is applied to both the inner and outer surfaces of the packing 41 attached to the bottom of the first sample can 21 to prevent pressure loss from the fitting portion between the first sample can 21 and the packing 41. Is prevented from happening.

In this embodiment, the storage box 51 is a box having a substantially rectangular bottom surface 52 with an open top, and is heat-resistant by the first bracket 53 screwed to the bottom surface 52. The pressure-resistant container 10 includes a first sample can 21 and a second sample can 22 in which a microminiature temperature measuring device is housed therein by a second bracket 54.
Are mounted and fixed on the bottom surface 52, respectively. The second bracket 54 is in the form of a plate having substantially semicircular cutouts 54a and 54b that are fitted onto the can bodies of the first and second sample cans 21 and 22, respectively. Not only can the second sample cans 21 and 22 be easily attached and detached, but also the second sample cans 21 and 22 are securely held so as not to tilt. Further, in the present embodiment, the cushioning member 56 made of a strip plate arranged so as to surround the upper outer periphery of the storage box 51 is the bottom surface 52.
The other can, which is fixed to the frame 55 hung vertically on the inside of the container, is put into the sterilization processing device together with the can internal pressure measuring device 100, and falls into the inside of the storage box 51 to cause the pressure introducing means 40. It is designed not to damage the.

Next, by using the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment having the above-described structure, the first sample can 21
The procedure for measuring the internal pressure will be described. First, the first and second sample cans 21 and 22 are manufactured by an ordinary canning process, and the inside thereof is filled with, for example, coffee or the like and sealed. The micro-miniature temperature measurement recording device 70 is previously housed inside the second sample can 22, and the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10 is attached to the first and second sample cans 21 by the first bracket 53. 22 are fixed in the storage box 51 by the second bracket 54. Next, the needle portion 41 of the pressure introducing means 40 is pierced through the can bottom of the first sample can 21, and the airtightness is maintained by applying high vacuum silicon grease to the periphery thereof.
Further, a first pipe 42 connected to the needle portion 41,
The second pipe 4 connected to the can internal pressure measurement unit 30
4 is connected by a connector 43.

The can internal pressure measuring device 100, which has been prepared as described above, is placed on the conveyor along with a large number of cans produced in the can production line. This time,
By attaching the activation block 71 to the main body of the heat and pressure resistant container 10, the can internal pressure measurement unit 30 is activated. As a result, the control unit 33 of the can internal pressure measurement unit 30
When the set delay time elapses, the pressure measuring unit 31 and the storage unit 32 are activated to start pressure measurement. The can internal pressure measuring device 100, which has been carried into the sterilization processing device by the transport conveyor, is hermetically sealed in a high temperature and high pressure vessel along with a number of other cans, and is gradually heated and pressurized. At this time, the control unit 33 of the can internal pressure measuring unit 30 causes the pressure measuring unit 31 to measure the internal pressure of the first sample can 21 every time a set time, for example, 3 seconds has elapsed, and obtains the obtained measurement data. It is stored in the storage unit 32. Therefore, in the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment, the storage unit 32 can store a maximum of 1000 pieces of data per measurement, so that 3 can be stored.
When the measurement is performed at the second interval, the change in the pressure inside the first sample can 21 can be measured with time over 3 seconds × 1000 pieces, that is, for about 50 minutes. In the present embodiment, based on the measurement data of the temperature sensor 35 arranged in the heat and pressure resistant container 10, the correction unit 36 of the can internal pressure measurement unit 30 properly determines the measurement result of the pressure measurement unit 31. Since the corrected pressure is sent to the storage unit 32, the pressure inside the sample can 21 can be accurately measured regardless of the change in the temperature inside the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10.

The heat-resistant and pressure-resistant container 10 of the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment, which has been sterilized and taken out from the high temperature and high pressure kettle, is detached from the storage box 51 and connected to the external computer, and stored in the storage unit 32. The stored measurement data is read. Then, by processing the read measurement data, a pressure change graph as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is obtained. The temperature measurement recording device 70 housed in the second sample can 22 is processed in the same manner to obtain a temperature change graph as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. According to these graphs, the temperature inside the canned product is 2
Since it is held for 0 minutes or more, it can be confirmed that the sterilization treatment is properly performed. Further, at this time, the maximum pressure inside the can is about 5.5 atm, and it can be confirmed that the maximum pressure is within the allowable strength of the can.

That is, the can internal pressure measuring device 10 of the present embodiment.
In No. 0, the can internal pressure measuring unit 30 for measuring the pressure inside the sample can 21 is housed in the heat resistant pressure resistant container 10 and protected, so that it is sterilized by keeping the high temperature and high pressure state for a long time, for example, coffee. The pressure inside a can such as a can can be continuously measured inside a high-temperature high-pressure kettle. Further, the can internal pressure measuring device 1 of the present embodiment
In 00, since the correction unit 36 for correcting the pressure to be measured based on the temperature in the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10 is provided in the can internal pressure measurement unit 30, the internal pressure of the sample can 21 is set to the temperature in the heat-resistant pressure-resistant container 10. Can be measured without being affected by. Further, in the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment, since the first sample can 21 for measuring the pressure inside the can and the heat and pressure resistant container 10 are placed in the storage box 51 and integrally fixed, Not only is the pressure introducing means 40 not subjected to an unreasonable force, but also the cans can be made to flow into the sterilization treatment apparatus together with other cans produced in the canning production line, so that the operation status of the sterilization treatment apparatus can be accurately measured. Can be measured.

In the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment, the second sample can 22 having the microminiature temperature measuring and recording device 70 for measuring and recording the temperature inside the can is used.
Although it is arranged to measure the temperature condition in the high-temperature high-pressure vessel by disposing it in the vicinity of the first sample can 21, it is not necessary to be confined to this and the temperature configured in the same manner as the can-internal-pressure measuring unit 30 can be measured. Heat resistant pressure vessel 10
It goes without saying that it is also possible to store them inside and measure the change in pressure and the change in temperature inside the first sample can 21 at the same time. Further, in the above description, the case where the can internal pressure measuring device 100 of the present embodiment is used for measuring the pressure inside the can of the high temperature and high pressure kettle is described as an example, but the can internal pressure measurement of the present embodiment is performed. It goes without saying that the device 100 can also be used for measuring the change in pressure inside the can of the past riser or warmer.

[0022]

That is, the can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention is
A can internal pressure measuring device for continuously measuring the pressure change inside the can of a cord, wherein the pressure measuring unit measures the change of the pressure inside the can with time, a storage unit for storing the measured data, and the pressure. A control unit that controls the operation of the measurement unit and the storage unit, a heat-resistant pressure-resistant container that stores a power supply unit that supplies electric power to each unit, and a pressure inside the sample can for measuring a change in internal pressure to the pressure measurement unit. Since it is provided with a pressure introducing means for introducing, it is possible to continuously measure the pressure inside the can of sterilized by keeping the high temperature and high pressure state for a long time. As a result, it is possible to continuously measure changes in the pressure inside the cans that have been sterilized in a high-temperature high-pressure kettle, which could not be measured in the past, so it is extremely effective for thinning aluminum cans. Not only is it possible to obtain data, but it is also possible to accurately determine whether or not the sterilization apparatus is operating properly based on the measured data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a can internal pressure measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part of the can internal pressure measuring device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the function of a can internal pressure measuring device.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing changes in the pressure inside the can of cans measured by the can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing changes in the pressure inside the can of cans measured by the can internal pressure measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a can internal pressure measuring device according to a prior application of the applicant of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Can Internal Pressure Measuring Device 2 Can Main Body 3 Lid Body 4 Through Hole 5 Blind Plug 6 Pressure Measuring Instrument 7 Rubber Band 8 Rubber Tube 9 Needle 10 Heat Resistant Pressure Container 11 Flange 12 Pressure Injecting Means Connection 21 First Sample Can 22 2nd Sample can 30 Internal pressure measuring unit 31 Pressure measuring unit 32 Storage unit 33 Control unit 34 Power supply unit 35 Temperature sensor 36 Correction unit 40 Pressure introducing unit 41 Packing 42 First pipe 43 Connector 44 Second pipe 50 Fixing means 51 Storage Box 52 Bottom surface 53 First bracket 54 Second bracket 55 Frame 56 Buffer member 70 Temperature measurement recording device 71 Starting block 100 Can internal pressure measurement device according to the present invention

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takuya Yoshida 1500 Suganuma, Oyama-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Aluminum Can Development Center

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A can internal pressure measuring device for continuously measuring a change in pressure inside a can, comprising a pressure measuring unit for measuring a change in pressure inside the can over time, and a storage unit for storing the measured data. A control unit for controlling the operation of the pressure measuring unit and the storage unit; a heat-resistant pressure-resistant container that stores a power supply unit that supplies electric power to each unit; and a pressure inside the sample can for measuring a change in internal pressure. A can internal pressure measuring device, comprising: a pressure introducing unit that is introduced into a measuring section. 2. The in-can pressure measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure measuring unit includes a correcting unit that corrects an error in pressure measurement caused by a change in temperature in the heat and pressure resistant container. 3. The control unit controls the pressure measuring unit and the storage unit so as to measure and store the pressure at a set time interval.
The can internal pressure measuring device described in. 4. The can internal pressure measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature measuring unit to which a sensor for measuring the temperature inside the sample can is connected. 5. The can internal pressure measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising fixing means for integrally fixing the heat resistant and pressure resistant container and the sample can. 6. The can internal pressure measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the fixing means includes a buffer member that protects the heat and pressure resistant container and the sample can from contact with other cans. 7. The can internal pressure measuring device according to claim 5, wherein a second sample can containing an internal can temperature measuring and recording device is fixed near the sample can.