JPS6147323A - Sterile packaging method and device - 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 (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for aseptically filling and packaging liquid foods into cup-shaped containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for replacing the air present in the head space of a filled container with an inert gas.

(Prior art) Conventional aseptic filling methods for liquid foods include filling a cup-shaped container made of a sterilized oxygen-barrier material with a sterilized liquid food; The contents are sealed with a lid made of. At this time, if oxygen exists in a sealed container, the quality of fruit juice drinks, alcoholic beverages, seasonings, etc. that are sensitive to oxygen will deteriorate, so to remove this oxygen, the air inside the container is replaced with an inert gas. It is necessary to replace it with

Conventionally, for example, when sealing a lid, a part of the lid is left unsealed, a nozzle is inserted into the container through this unsealed part, inert gas is injected, and the next step is to unseal the lid. There are two methods: a method of sealing the container, a method of filling the contents in an inert gas atmosphere, and a method of sealing the lid material.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, in the former method, it is necessary to lower the gas pressure to prevent sealing failure due to splashing of the contents, resulting in a problem of low gas exchange rate. . Furthermore, the latter method requires that the entire filling section and sealing section be covered with a chamber, which poses the problem that the entire device becomes dependent.

(Means for solving the problem) To achieve the above object, the aseptic packaging method of the present invention continuously supplies a bottom material formed into a cup-shaped container and subjected to sterilization treatment, and After filling the sterilized liquid food, stack the bottom material and the sterilized lid material, and before sealing, stack the bottom material and the lid material from at least one edge of the bottom material. A sterilized inert gas is injected between them, and the air in the space formed by the bottom material and the lid material is replaced with the inert gas.

The aseptic packaging device of the present invention is a device for carrying out the above method, and includes a sterilizer that sterilizes the bottom material that is continuously supplied, and a cup-shaped portion of the bottom material that is filled with sterilized liquid food. a sterilizing device for sterilizing the lid material, a sealing device for sealing the lid material to the bottom material, and an inert gas supply device having at least one inert gas outlet; The aseptic packaging device is characterized in that the active gas outlet is disposed between a position where the bottom material and the lid material overlap and the sealing device.

The above-mentioned present invention will be explained in more detail below using the drawings. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the aseptic packaging device main body 10 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, /1 is a bottom material roll made of a thermoplastic plastic sheet, and /D is a lid material roll. The sterile packaging apparatus main body IO has a sterilization tank 3 for sterilizing the bottom material 1, and a sterilization tank DA for sterilizing the lid material fed out from the lid material row kl. The sterilizing tanks 3, q are filled with a sterilizing liquid such as hot water or a hydrogen peroxide solution, and are provided with shielding plates j, A that shield the inside of the sterile packaging apparatus 10 from outside air. A guide roll /lI is placed in front of the bottom material 1 and the lid material 1 in the direction of movement, and a guide roll /lI is arranged to join the two, and a molding machine is placed between the guide roll /4' and the sterilization tank 3 to form the bottom material / into a cup shape. Devices //, /2 are provided, and a filling device /J for filling the inside of the molded cup 7 with liquid food is arranged between the molding device //, 12 and the guide roll /4. Filling device 1
3 is provided with a sterilizer (not shown) for sterilizing the filling. A sealing device 15 for sealing the opening of the molded cup with a lid material is provided in front of the molded cup 7 of the guide roll/g in the traveling direction. A punching device (not shown) for punching out the molded cup 7 is provided.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the inert gas supply device 30 provided in the aseptic packaging apparatus main body. The inert gas supply device 30 includes a steam supply port I8, an inert gas supply port 1. and a vapor filter 3). Sterile filter 32
The pulps V1, V2, ■3, V3, and ■6 are connected by piping, and the pulp V is connected to a pair of deformable pipes having an inert gas discharge nozzle 21 and a pipe at the tip. has been done. The steam supply port I11 is connected to a boiler (not shown), and the inert gas supply port X0 is connected to an inert gas cylinder (not shown). The inert gas discharge nozzle 2/, 21 is located between the guide roll/4' and the sealing device 15, as shown in FIG.
Ko O is placed in an opposing position. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the inert gas supply device 30 is equipped with a hydrogen peroxide liquid spray device 3J and a heater 3H between the sterile filter J2 and the pulp (2) in order to more completely aseptically process the inert gas. It may be provided. In addition, the inert gas discharge nozzle 21
A position adjustment mechanism may be provided to accurately adjust the position of %λ/. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the position adjustment mechanism. The position adjustment mechanism qo consists of slide block Hiro/, rod lI2, q3, fixing screw lI<<, <<r,
The rod 6 is fixed to the main body of the sterile packaging apparatus by a fixing mechanism (not shown). rod 1
The pipe is fixed to the tip of 1.7 with a fixing screw lI6, and the inert gas discharge nozzle is movable in the horizontal and vertical directions.

Next, the operation of focal packaging using the above device IO will be explained. The bottom material 1 supplied by the bottom material roll 1 passes through a sterilization tank 3 and is sterilized, and is then formed into a cup shape by a forming device // and /co and sent to the next step. After the cup-shaped molded cup is filled with high temperature sterilized liquid food C by the filling device 13, it advances further and reaches the position next to the guide roll. Here, the opening of the molded cup 7 is covered with a lid material supplied from a lid material roll 9, sterilized in a sterilization tank, and guided to a guide roll 9. Next, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the inert gas discharge nozzles set at both ends of the bottom material L and the lid material Y are placed between the bottom material L and the lid material Y. The air present in the top space H of the molded cup filled with the liquid food C is injected with a sterilized inert gas G, and the air that is present in the top space H of the molded cup is filled with the inert gas G and the bottom material l.
The inert gas G is discharged through the gap between the lid and the lid, and the top space H is filled with the inert gas G. It is necessary to set the inert gas discharge nozzles 1 and 2/ in a position where they are sandwiched between the ends of the bottom material 1 and the lid material 2, but if the widths of the bottom material 1 and the lid material 2 change. In order to be able to easily adjust its position, it is desirable that it be connected to a deformable pipe or fixed to a position adjustment mechanism as shown in FIG. Next, the bottom material L in which the top space H of the molded cutlet is filled with an inert gas G is sealed by a sealing device 15.
The lid material Y is heat-sealed, and in the next step, it is punched out by a punching device (not shown) to continuously produce a cup product G in which the liquid food product C is sealed.

Next, the operation of the inert gas sterilization process by the inert gas supply device JO will be explained. In FIG. 7, first, pulp v2,
(2) Close V, , V, , v6, open pulp V, supply steam from steam supply port I8, and remove drain from pulp v1. Then pulp Vllllji, pulp v2, v
3. Open the v6 and sterilize the sterile filter 3= with the steam from which the contents were removed using the Steam Filter J/. At this time, the steam temperature is / u / ”C
Adjust the steam pressure using pulp v6 so that Sterilization time is about 30 minutes. When the sterilization of the sterile filter 32 is completed, the pulp v6 is closed and the pulp V is opened to sterilize the piping system between the sterile filter 32 and the inert gas discharge nozzle 2/. In this case, inert gas discharge nozzle/l
/ko/ It does not rise to the top, and heat-resistant bacteria in the ≠ part survive within the piping system. If it is necessary to further sterilize heat-resistant bacteria living in the piping part of this piping system, use hydrogen peroxide spray device nJ3, heater 3', as shown in Figure S.
tff: Provided between three sterile filters and valve V,
By spraying a hydrogen peroxide solution into the piping system from the hydrogen peroxide solution spray device J3, heat-resistant bacteria living in the ≠ part can be killed. The hydrogen peroxide solution remaining in the piping system can be completely dried by heating the inert gas supplied thereafter with a heater 3t. After the above sterilization treatment, pulp v2, ■3
Close the valve to stop the supply of steam, open the pulp v4, and supply inert gas from the inert gas supply port IO. Bacteria are removed from the supplied inert gas through a sterile filter, the gas passes through the nokurubu V, and is injected between the bottom material 1 and the lid material yu through inert gas discharge nozzles 2/, 2/.

Specific examples using the apparatus of the present invention are shown below.

After sterilizing the bottom material made of a composite material whose main resin layer is high-impact polystyrene, vinylidene chloride, and high-impact polystyrene with a hydrogen peroxide solution at a concentration of 35% and a temperature of 60°C, a cup with a volume of xooml is prepared. Filled with 100% orange juice that has been sterilized at a high temperature for a short period of time, sterilized, the air in the top space of the C-cup container is replaced with snow gas, and the lid material is used to replace the air in the top space of the C-cup container. When a sealed cup product was manufactured, the residual oxygen concentration inside the tube was as low as 2.3% on average.
It was also proven that a good aseptic packaged product for orange juice could be produced without a decrease in vitamin C, taste, or aroma.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the present invention provides a cover SL that covers the vicinity of the upper part of the molded cup 7 at a position immediately before the bottom material 1 and the lid material 1 are overlapped by the guide roll 7, and the bottom material 1 and the lid material 1 are cover 51
5 inert gas injection nozzles provided on the top surface of the cover 51 supply the sterilized inert gas G to the inside of the chamber 20, and fill the filling device 13 side of the cover SO. By discharging the inert gas G from the discharge nozzle 53 provided on the surface, the air existing in the top space H of the molded cutlet is preliminarily replaced, and a cup product with a higher inert gas replacement rate can be manufactured. At this time, the inert gas injection nozzle S2 is connected to the piping system of the inert gas supply device 30 via a valve. After filling with sterilized liquid food,
The air existing in the top space of the cup-shaped container is replaced with a sterilized inert gas, and the lid is immediately sealed with a lid, thus filling the top space with inert gas and aseptically filling the liquid food. This has the advantage that packaging is carried out continuously.

(Effects of the Invention) To explain in more detail, according to the present invention, the air in the top space of the cup-shaped container filled with liquid food is mixed with the bottom material before the bottom material and the lid material are sealed. The inert gas is replaced with inert gas injected from the inert gas discharge nozzle inserted into the edge of the lid, so after sealing with a part of the lid unsealed as in the past, the gas is removed from the unsealed part. There is no need to insert a nozzle directly into the top space, and the inert gas discharge nozzle is installed only in 7 parts of the passage of the bottom material.
The entire device does not depend on the dog. These results
The device of the present invention has a simple structure and can easily produce a cup product with a high rate of inert gas replacement in the head space.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the aseptic packaging device main body of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the part in Figure 1 where the inert gas is injected, Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the I-1 arrow in Figure 1, and Figure 9 is an example of the inert gas supply device. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a modification of the inert gas supply device, FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the inert gas discharge nozzle position adjustment mechanism, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a modification of the inert gas supply device. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a chamber that performs preliminary replacement of . l・・・・・・・・・・Bottom material Y・・・・・・・−−Lid material 3, G・・・・・・・Sterilization tank? -@-・lIΦ...Φ Molded cup... Cup product 10... Sterile packaging equipment body l/,/
U...Forming device 13...Light filling device/4' --Fist...■■Guide roll 15...
...11111 sealing device...11-1...---
Bottom material roll/9・・・・・・・・・・・・Lid material roll 1
......Inert gas discharge nozzle 30
......Inert gas supply device 3)...
−・・−−−−−−i air filter 3 pieces −・・l・
・・・・Sterile filter qo ・・・・・・・・・・・・
・Inert gas discharge nozzle position adjustment mechanism at φ...
■・・11 Slide block 5O----------------------
-Chamber 0G...Inert gas H...Top space Patent applicant Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Atsushi Konishi Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) Continuously supplying a sterilized bottom material formed into a cup-shaped container, filling the cup-shaped container with a sterilized liquid food, and then sterilizing the bottom material. In a liquid food packaging method in which lid materials are stacked and sealed, after the bottom material and the lid material are stacked and before sealing, the bottom material and the lid material are separated from at least one edge of the bottom material. A sterile packaging method characterized by injecting an inert gas that has undergone sterilization during the step and replacing the air in the space formed by the bottom material and the lid material with the inert gas. (2) After filling the cup-shaped container of the bottom material with liquid food and immediately before placing the lid material on the bottom material, the air near the liquid level in the cup-shaped container of the bottom material is sterilized. The aseptic packaging method according to claim 1, characterized in that preliminary substitution is performed with an inert gas. (3) A sterilizer that sterilizes continuously supplied bottom material;
An aseptic packaging device comprising a filling device for filling a cup-shaped container of the bottom material with sterilized liquid food, a sterilization device for sterilizing the lid material, and a sealing device for sealing the lid material to the bottom material, at least An inert gas supply device having one or more inert gas discharge ports is provided, and the inert gas discharge port is arranged between a position where the bottom material and the lid material overlap and the sealing device. Aseptic packaging equipment featuring: (4) The sterile packaging apparatus according to claim (3), wherein the inert gas discharge port comprises a pair of opposing nozzles. (5) The sterile packaging device according to claim (3), wherein the inert gas outlet is connected to a deformable pipe. (6) The inert gas supply device includes an inert gas outlet position adjustment mechanism.
The sterile packaging device described in section 3). (7) The inert gas supply device includes a filter that removes bacteria from the inert gas, and a sterilizer that sterilizes the filter and the inert gas passageway. ) Aseptic packaging equipment as described in section 2. (8) a chamber that has an inert gas injection mechanism and an inert gas discharge mechanism and covers the vicinity of the upper part of the liquid level in the cup-shaped container of the bottom material at a position immediately before the bottom material and the lid material are overlapped; The aseptic packaging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an inert gas supply device for supplying an inert gas into the chamber.