JPS60123328A - Vessel sterilizer in packer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention has the following features: lζ but a required space is isolated from the outside air;
The present invention relates to a packaging machine capable of performing packaging operations for 7 hours, and a device for sterilizing containers.

Conventional container sterilizers are known in which a sterilizing liquid is sprayed onto a container to sterilize the container, and then the container is passed through hot air to evaporate and remove the sterilizing liquid adhering to the container. The disadvantages of this container sterilizer are as follows. As mentioned above, since the sterilizing liquid adhering to the container is removed by evaporation, if an excessive amount of sterilizing liquid is sprayed onto the container, it cannot be completely removed by evaporation, and the sterilizing liquid attached to the container may be removed. There is a risk that sterilizing solution may remain.

On the other hand, if the amount of sterilizing solution sprayed is too small, there is a risk that the container will not be completely sterilized. In this way, the injection amount of the sterilizing liquid had to be delicately adjusted, which required a great deal of effort.

The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of conventional devices, to completely remove the sterilizing liquid adhering to the C1 container without delicately adjusting the amount of sterilizing liquid sprayed, and to achieve complete sterilization of the container. The object of the present invention is to provide a container sterilization device that can be mounted on a packaging machine.

In the container sterilization device for a packaging machine according to the present invention, a container transport conveyor is installed in a sterilization chamber, and a sterilizing liquid injection nozzle and a hot air blowing nozzle are oriented sequentially from the rear in the transport direction along the container transport path; There is also a type C in which a cleaning liquid injection nozzle is arranged in front of a hot air blowing nozzle in the same conveyance direction.

Since the present invention has the configuration described in "-", it has the following effects.

Sterilizer]? The containers supplied to the chamber are first sprayed with a sterilizing liquid and sterilized while being conveyed through a sterilizing chamber 17 on a conveyor. Then, hot air is blown into the container to steam and remove the sterilizing liquid that has adhered to the container. In this process, the temperature of the sterilizing solution is raised by 1 fold, thereby increasing the sterilizing power. Finally, since the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the container, even if the sterilizing liquid remains in the container without being completely evaporated, it can be completely removed by the cleaning liquid. Therefore, even if the amount of sterilizing liquid injected into the container is excessive, it can be completely removed by the cleaning liquid, so there is no need to delicately adjust the amount of sterilizing liquid sprayed into the container. can be completely and reliably sterilized.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The drawing shows a packaging machine and its container sterilization device.

The packaging machine is equipped with a sterile chamber (1).

The sterile chamber (1) is intended to isolate the required packaging work space from the outside air and maintain it in a sterile state.The interior of the chamber is appropriately sterilized and guarantees a substantially effective product life. The air is sterilized to the extent that it is covered, and is kept at a more positive pressure than the outside air. For example, a conveyor (not shown) is installed in the sterile chamber (1), and the container (C)
While being conveyed by the conveyor 7, the container (C) is filled with liquid food and the like. Container (C) is cup-shaped,
After this is filled with the contents, a lid (not shown) is tightly placed.

In the container sterilization device, a container transport conveyor (3) is installed in a sterilization chamber (2), and along the conveyor transport path, a sterilizing liquid injection nozzle (4) and a hot air blowing nozzle (5) are arranged in order from the rear in the transport direction. In addition, a cleaning liquid 1111FI nozzle (6) is placed in front of the hot air blowing nozzle (5) in the same conveyance direction.
) are arranged.

The sterilization chamber (2) has a closed structure with an upwardly opening container supply port (7) and a downwardly opening container outlet (8), and the downwardly opening container outlet (8) is vertically opened. It is connected to the sterile chamber (1) through the port (9), thereby being in airtight communication with the sterile chamber (1), and is also supplied to the sterile air generator (10) via the port (11). By being connected, the interior is maintained at positive pressure with sterile air, similar to the sterile chamber (1). Inside the supply pipe (11),
A nozzle (12) is provided for injecting a sterilizing liquid to sterilize the inside of the sterilizing chamber (2) when the apparatus starts operating.

A cylindrical container stacker (13) is installed at the container supply port (7) so that its F-plane outlet coincides with the supply port (7).
). A large number of containers (
C) are held in a stacked state with their mouths facing upward. Directly below the container stacker (13) and above one end of the conveyor (3) is a container (C) with the L1 portion facing soil.
A container inverting device (14) is arranged to turn the container downward. Inside the sterilization chamber (2), each nozzle (4)
(5) Two vertical walls (15
) (1G) into three, and the spray chamber (17)
, a drying chamber (18) and a washing chamber (19) are formed.
There is. A sterilizing liquid reservoir (20) is provided at the bottom of the I@sheath (11), and a cleaning liquid reservoir (20) is provided at the bottom of the cleaning chamber (19).
21) is provided. M1, l: Both weight self-walls (1!i
) (16) are provided with holes (22) to (25) through which the necessary parts of the container transport competition j' (3) and the containers (C) held therein can pass. .

Container conveyor 3) has left and right sprockets (2G)
(27), a chain (28) hung on these, and a large number of container holders (all not shown) attached to the chain (28) via attachments at regular intervals in the direction of movement of the chain (28). Become. Left and right sprocket
(26) <27) is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction. Further, a guide plate (29) for guiding the bottom of the container (C) held by the holder is provided on the transport path of the container transport conveyor (3). Guide plate〈29
> extends from almost directly below the container supply port (7) to almost directly above the container discharge port (9) with a gap between it and the mouth support surface of the container holder so that the container (C) is loosely inserted. .

Sterilizing liquid injection nozzle (4) and hot air blowing nozzle (5)
and the cleaning liquid spray nozzle (6) are both connected to the conveyor (
3) They are arranged oppositely above and below the container transfer space so that sterilizing liquid, hot air, or cleaning liquid can be sprayed or blown onto the containers (C) held in the containers (C). A pump for sterilizing liquid and cleaning liquid is installed outside the sterilizing chamber (2).
30) (31) and the hot air generator (32) are installed.The sterilizing liquid injection nozzle (4) and its pump (30) are installed.
), and a return pipe (34) is connected between the suction side of the sterilizing liquid pump (30) and the sterilizing liquid reservoir (20). ing.

On the other hand, a feed pipe (35) is also connected between the cleaning liquid injection nozzle (6) and its pump discharge side, and a suction pipe (35) extending from the storage tank (36) is connected to the suction side of the cleaning liquid pump (31). 9 (37) are connected. Further, a discharge pipe (38) is connected to the cleaning liquid reservoir (21) k:.

The hot air generator (32) heats sterile air supplied through a filter (not shown) to about 250°C, and is connected to the hot air blowing nozzle (5) by a supply pipe (39).

As the sterilizing liquid, 35% mm hydrogen peroxide solution heated to about 80° C. is used, and as the cleaning liquid, sterile water is used. The sterilizing solution is circulated and used. On the other hand, the cleaning solution is disposable.

The container (C) held in the container stacker (13) with its mouth facing upward is delivered to the container transport conveyor (3) with its mouth facing downward by a reversing device (14). Conveyor (3
) is transported inside the sterilization chamber (2).

During this transportation, the container (C) is sequentially sprayed with a sterilizing liquid, blown with hot air, and sprayed with a cleaning liquid.

When the sterilizing liquid attached to the container (C) was evaporated and removed by blowing hot air, the temperature was about 80°C, but it was 110°C.
It can be avoided to a certain extent. As a result, the best sterilizing power is exhibited when oxygen is removed from the hydrogen peroxide solution, which is a sterilizing solution. Further, even if the sterilizing liquid adhering to the container (C) is not completely evaporated and removed by the hot air, it is washed away by the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the amount of hot water sprayed with the sterilizing solution may be larger than the amount that can be evaporated and removed by the hot air, and there is no need to make delicate adjustments. The container (C), which has been completely sterilized and from which the sterilizing solution has been removed, is then turned over while being conveyed directly above the discharge port (8), with the mouth facing upward.
[Get into a position, and while in that position, pass the shoe i~ (9) sterilely? (1). Therefore, the sterilized container can be filled with the contents without being contaminated by outside air or the like again.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings are layout diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention. (2)...sterilization chamber, container transport conveyor for (3), (4)...sterilizing liquid injection nozzle, (5)...hot air blowing nozzle, (6)...cleaning liquid injection nozzle. 4 people other than above

Claims (1)

[Claims] Container transport conveyor (3) is installed inside the sterilization butonba (2).
A sterilization 'all 10% nozzle (4) and a hot air blowing nozzle (5) are arranged in order from the rear of each conveyor horn along the conveyor conveyance path, and a hot air blowing nozzle (5) in the same conveyance direction (7) is arranged in order. A3 container sterilizer attached to a packaging machine in which a cleaning liquid spray nozzle (6) is arranged.