KR101355046B1 - Container sterilization/cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

(assignment)
A single system provides a sterilization and cleaning system for containers capable of always performing an optimal sterilization and cleaning process according to the type of container and its filling contents and realizing low cost by sterilization and cleaning.
(Solution)
A container conveyance / liquid dispensing device comprising a wheel for conveying a container and a nozzle for injecting a liquid into the container being conveyed, wherein the liquid dispensing device supplies liquids of different types such as chemicals, sterile hot water, room temperature sterile water and low temperature sterile water. A plurality of liquid supply means and switching means for switching the liquid supply means were provided outside the container conveyance and liquid ejection apparatus.

Description

Sterilization and Cleaning System for Containers {CONTAINER STERILIZATION / CLEANING SYSTEM}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid supply system to a container and a sterilization / cleaning system for a container using the system. In particular, an optimum sterilization / cleaning process according to the type of container and its filling contents can be carried out. The present invention relates to a sterilization / cleaning system for a container capable of realizing a low cost.

An aseptic filling system is a filling system that sterilizes containers and beverages (or foods) and fills and seals them in an aseptic environment. Sterilization of the bottle using a method such as an aqueous solution of peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide (pharmaceutical sterilization) and sterile hot water (; high temperature sterile water required for sterilization; high temperature sterile water) without the use of drugs There is a method of sterilization (hot water sterilization). Since hot water sterilization can sterilize bottles without using drugs, a large amount of sterile water for cleaning a large amount of drugs and drugs attached to the bottles and their supply and drainage facilities are unnecessary or simple, so that bottles can be sterilized at low cost. Can be.

Hot water sterilization and pharmaceutical sterilization differ in their sterilization properties, so the application of hot water sterilization is limited by the contents of the bottle. For example, the filling contents to which hot water sterilization can be applied in a low acidic beverage having a pH of 4.6 or higher include green tea beverage, oolong tea, mineral water, etc., which have bacteriostatic properties by catechin, and an acid having a pH of 4.6 or lower. Examples of the beverage include fruit juices, sports drinks, and the like. In addition, low-temperature refrigerated beverages having a distribution temperature of 10 ° C. or lower after filling are also subjects. In addition, as a filling content to which hot water sterilization is not applicable, there are barley tea or milk coffee.

When the sterilization / cleaning process of the filling system is composed of the chemical sterilization process, there is no restriction on the filling contents. However, unnecessary sterilization must be applied to the filling contents having bactericidal properties, resulting in extra cost. . On the other hand, when the sterilization / cleaning process of the filling system is constituted by the hot water sterilization process, there is a filling content that is not applicable due to the limitation of the filling content as described above. In this case, a filling system having chemical sterilization is required separately, which increases the cost of sterilizing and cleaning the bottle.

By the way, a plurality of bottle grippers, nozzles corresponding to each of the grippers, a plurality of fluid sources for supplying a plurality of kinds of fluids (liquids) to the rotating body, and the nozzles and the fluid supply source at equal intervals to the rotating body. BACKGROUND ART A rotary cleaning device having a rotary valve for interrupting a passage of is known (see Patent Document 1, for example). This rotary cleaning device allocates a part of the center angle of the wheel to the primary cleaning zone, the secondary cleaning zone, and the dehydration zone, respectively, and the rotary when the bottle passes the primary cleaning zone or the secondary cleaning zone according to the rotation of the wheel. The valve is configured to sequentially connect passages between the nozzle and the fluid to sequentially supply other fluid to the nozzle, and to sequentially inject other fluid into the bottle held by the bottle gripper.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-267031

As described above, in the rotary cleaning device, for example, hypochlorite water, air, or circulating water of 50 to 60 ° C is supplied as the cleaning fluid in the primary cleaning area, and pure water is supplied in the secondary cleaning area. It is described that a plurality of treatments can be switched in one rotary by supplying water, water and hot water for finishing at 85 ° C., and a cleaning fluid can be used according to the purpose to use this apparatus.

However, the rotary cleaning device has the following problems. For example, since the first cleaning process and the second cleaning process are performed in one rotary, it is difficult to replace the cleaning fluid to be used after the residual liquid in the fluid injection nozzle during operation, depending on the cleaning fluid. Becomes difficult. In addition, when it is necessary to change the processing time by changing the cleaning fluid, it is necessary to disassemble and replace the component (fixing plate for changing the long hole length in Patent Document 1) for determining the injection section. In addition, when the primary processing time is to be lengthened, the allocation angle (allocated angle width) of the corresponding rotary must be changed (θ → θ ': θ <θ'), and as a result, the other secondary processing time is increased. It has a problem of being shortened. That is, since the rotary cleaning device divides the same rotary into a plurality of processing areas to perform sterilization and cleaning of the container, the secondary treatment time is inevitably shortened when the primary treatment time is lengthened. Have In addition, since the processing time for sterilizing and cleaning a bottle depends on the rotary angle and the rotation angle of the rotary when the radius is constant, there is a problem that the adjustment time of the processing time is narrow.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and its object is to always perform an optimal sterilization and cleaning process according to the type of container and its filling contents, and to realize a low cost by sterilization and cleaning. The present invention provides a sterilization and cleaning system for a container.

In order to achieve the above object, in the liquid supply system to the container of the present invention, there is provided a container conveying and liquid ejecting device comprising a conveying device for conveying a container and a liquid ejecting device for injecting liquid into the conveyed container. A plurality of liquid supply means for supplying different kinds of liquids to the container conveyance and liquid ejecting device, and switching means for switching the plurality of liquid supply means are provided outside the container conveyance and liquid ejecting device.

In the liquid supply system of the said container, since the liquid sprayed to a container is switched by the switching means provided in the exterior of a container conveyance and liquid injection apparatus, it becomes possible to switch a system easily according to the objective.

Moreover, in the liquid supply system to the container of this invention, a some liquid supply means consists of at least 2 types of the following (A)-(D).

(A) Pharmaceutical supply means, (B) Sterile hot water supply means, (C) Normal temperature sterile water supply means, (D) Low temperature sterile water supply means.

The liquid supply system to the vessel is suitably switched and applied according to the purpose as a system for sterilization or cleaning of the vessel.

Moreover, in the sterilization / cleaning system of the container using the liquid supply system to the said container of this invention, it is a sterilization / cleaning system of the container which consists of a sterilization part and a washing | cleaning part provided with the liquid supply system to the said container, The said sterilization part It is possible to switch the medicine supply means or the sterile hot water supply means, the cleaning unit is capable of switching the room temperature sterile water supply means or low temperature sterile water supply means, and switching the liquid supply means of the sterilization unit and the cleaning unit according to the purpose of use It is characterized by.

In the sterilization / cleaning system of the container, it is possible to use it versatilely by switching the medicine supply means or the sterile hot water supply means of the sterilization part provided with the liquid supply system and the normal temperature sterile water supply means or the low temperature sterile water supply means of the washing unit according to the purpose of use. It becomes a system.

Moreover, in the sterilization / cleaning system of the container of this invention, it was assumed that the said switching means is a flow path switching valve.

In the sterilization / cleaning system of the container, the injection liquid can be easily switched by setting the switching means in the above configuration.

(Effects of the Invention)

In the liquid supply system to the container of the present invention, the injection liquid can be easily switched. Moreover, in the liquid supply system of the container of this invention, it can switch suitably according to the objective as a system for sterilization or washing | cleaning of a container. Moreover, according to the sterilization and washing | cleaning system of the container which consists of said liquid supply system of this invention, it becomes possible to select and implement the optimal sterilization and washing process according to the kind of container and its filling contents. In addition, it becomes simpler by making them switchable using a switching valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the sterilization and washing system of this invention.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the liquid supply system of the sterilization and washing | cleaning system of this invention.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the form of the sterilization and washing process of the sterilization and washing system of this invention.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the other form of the sterilization and washing process of the sterilization and washing system of this invention.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the other form of the sterilization and washing process of the sterilization and washing system of this invention.
6 is an explanatory diagram showing another sterilization and washing system according to the present invention.
7 is an explanatory diagram showing another sterilization / cleaning system according to the present invention.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, this invention is demonstrated in detail by embodiment shown to drawing.

1: is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the sterilization and washing system 100 of the container of this invention.

The sterilization / cleaning system 100 of this container shows the case where the sterilization / cleaning system of the container of this invention is applied to the aseptic filling system of PET bottles. The structure of the sterilization / cleaning system 100 of the container in this PET bottle consists of the bottle supply part 10 which continuously supplies a PET bottle to a sterilization process, and the bottle sterilization part 20 which sterilizes the PET bottle received from the bottle supply part 10. ), A bottle washing unit 30 for washing or cooling a PET bottle with sterile water, etc., a filling sealing portion 40 for filling a sterilized PET bottle with a beverage and sealing with a "sterilized cap", and a bottle sterilizing unit. The liquid supply system which supplies sterilization and a washing | cleaning liquid to 20 and the bottle washing | cleaning part 30 is comprised. In addition, the detail of a liquid supply system is mentioned later, referring FIG. The bottle sterilization unit 20 and the bottle cleaning unit 30 are constituted by wheels as conveying devices, and are liquid ejecting devices for injecting liquid into PET bottles provided on the outer circumferential end of the wheels. It is connected to the supply source. Here, the switching valve provided as the liquid supply switching means is provided outside the liquid injection device 95. Therefore, when each liquid injection apparatus 95 is equipped with a some nozzle, it is easy because all the liquid supply in the injection apparatus is switched by one switching valve. The liquid supply switching means may be disposed inside the bottle sterilizing unit 20 and the bottle cleaning unit 30 described later, but as shown in the figure, the bottle sterilizing unit ( 20) Since it is not necessary to enter into the bottle washing | cleaning part 30, since maintenance can be performed simply, it is preferable. In addition, the range shown by the oblique part in each wheel is the longest section which can inject liquid.

The bottle supply part 10 supplies a PET bottle biaxially stretch-molded by the preform, for example to the bottle sterilization part 20 continuously, for example, by the gripper which is not shown in figure at the circumferential end of a conveyance wheel. In addition, although the conveyance system of a bottle may be a well-known system, the neck grip conveyance system is employ | adopted in this embodiment. In addition, a PET bottle is inverted from an upright position to an inverted position here, and is handed over to the wheel of the bottle sterilization part 20. FIG.

The bottle sterilization unit 20 maintains a positive pressure state in which the pressure inside is slightly higher than the outside pressure in order to prevent intrusion of outside air. In addition, the boundary with the bottle supply part 10 is divided by the inner wall, and inflowing sterile air to the bottle supply part 10 side at the delivery point of a PET bottle is blocking the inflow of external air.

In addition, the bottle sterilization part 20 is comprised from the big and small wheels of a different diameter, and in this embodiment 6 wheels. In the vicinity of each gripper at the circumferential end of each wheel there is a medicament, sterile hot water (; high temperature sterile water; high temperature sterile water required for sterilization), or room temperature sterile water as needed Each nozzle (not shown) which injects low-temperature sterile water is provided. Each nozzle is connected to the some liquid supply source through a flow path switching valve so that it may mention later. Moreover, as mentioned later, each nozzle has the longest injection time (longest ON time of a nozzle injection valve) of the liquid corresponding to the wheel's allocation angle with respect to the predetermined conveyance speed of a PET bottle. Therefore, by appropriately configuring the wheel used for liquid injection by selecting the liquid supply source by the flow path switching valve, and appropriately adjusting the ON time of the nozzle injection valve as necessary, proper sterilization according to the type of container and its filling contents Moreover, it becomes possible to perform processes, such as washing and cooling as needed.

In addition, whether the PET bottle is sterilized by medicine or sterile hot water depends on the type of beverage (fill contents) filled in the PET bottle. For example, it is preferable to apply a medicament to low-acid beverages such as barley tea and milk coffee with a pH of 4.6 or higher and to apply hot water sterilization to catechin green tea, oolong tea, mineral water and the like among low-acid beverages with a pH of 4.6 or higher. . In addition, it is preferable to apply hot water sterilization to an acidic beverage having a pH of less than 4.6, such as a sports beverage, a juice beverage or a carbonated beverage containing juice. In addition, since carbonic acid has a bactericidal effect on an acidic beverage having a pH of less than 4.6, sterile water washing can be applied in this sterilization section, and the washing described later can be omitted.

The bottle washing | cleaning part 30 is comprised with four wheels of different magnitudes. In the vicinity of each gripper at the circumferential end of each wheel, nozzles (not shown) are provided on the inner circumferential surface and / or outer circumferential surface of the bottle to inject various sterile water of normal temperature sterile water or low temperature sterile water as injection liquid, respectively. Moreover, as mentioned later, with respect to the predetermined conveyance speed of a PET bottle, each nozzle has the longest injection time (the longest ON time of a nozzle injection valve) of the liquid corresponding to the wheel's allocation angle. Therefore, by appropriately configuring a large and small wheel and appropriately adjusting the ON time of the nozzle injection valve, it is possible to appropriately perform a process such as cooling, washing or rinsing according to the type of container and its filling contents.

In the present embodiment, the filling seal 40 is filled with a charger (not shown) for filling a predetermined amount of beverage into a PET bottle via a pre-heat sterilized filling line (feeding line), and a "sterilization completed cap". It consists of a winding machine (not shown) which seals this finished PET bottle.

2 is an explanatory diagram showing a liquid supply system of the bottle sterilization unit 20 and the bottle cleaning unit 30 of the present invention. Further, for convenience of explanation, the sterilization nozzle injection valve or the cleaning nozzle injection valve of each wheel is withdrawn from the wheel and briefly indicated as a single valve.

The liquid supply system includes a drug supply source 50 for supplying a medicament to each of the downstream sterilization nozzles, a sterile water supply source 60 for supplying sterile water to each of the downstream sterilization nozzles or cleaning nozzles, and the sterilization nozzle injection. The valve unit 70, the washing nozzle injection valve unit 80, and the valve control unit 90 for controlling ON / OFF and ON times of all the valves are provided.

The chemical | medical agent supply source 50 consists of the chemical | medical agent tank 51 which stores a chemical | medical agent, the pump 52 which delivers a chemical | medical agent to each nozzle of a downstream side, and the filter 53 which filters and purifies a chemical | medical agent. As the medicine, for example, any of medicines such as peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid, ozone, hypochlorous acid (less than 200 ppm) and the like are stored. In addition, the chemical | medical agent tank 51 here is not limited to one, For example, multiple chemical | medical agent tanks 51 are provided, and each chemical | medical agent tank 51 puts different chemical | medical agents, and each You may comprise so that supply of a chemical | medical agent can be switched by the flow path switching valve (for example, flow path switching valve CV1) mentioned later.

The sterile water source 60 is a sterile hot water of high temperature (temperature higher than room temperature required for sterilization, preferably at least 64 ℃ 88 ℃ high sterilization effect, more preferably at least 72 ℃ 88 ℃ suitable for short time sterilization) High temperature sterile water tank 61 for storing the temperature, normal temperature sterile water tank 62 for storing normal temperature sterile water (15 ° C. or higher and 35 ° C. or lower), and low temperature sterile water (more than 0 ° C. and lower than 15 ° C.) A sterile water tank 63, pumps 64, 65, 66 for pumping each sterile water to each nozzle on the downstream side, and filters 67, 68, 69 for filtering and purifying various sterile water. In addition, by passing a room temperature sterile water stored in the room temperature sterile water tank 62, for example, by passing through a heat exchanger, hot sterile water or low temperature sterile water is generated there, and directly delivered or stored in a tank as needed as shown in the drawing. You may also

The flow path switching valve CV1 is a valve for switching the sterilizing liquid supplied to the downstream side (sterilization nozzle injection valve unit 70). That is, the sterilizing liquid of either a chemical | medical agent or high temperature sterile water is supplied to the sterilization nozzle injection valve unit 70 (except the sterilization nozzle injection valve V5 mentioned later) by the flow path switching valve CV1. The switching is performed by the valve control unit 90. In addition, similarly to the flow path switching valve CV2, the valve control unit 90 switches the flow path switching valve CV2 so that any one kind of liquid, either low temperature sterile water or normal temperature sterile water, is removed from the cleaning nozzle injection valve unit 80. Supplied to. In addition, the flow path switching valve CV3 controls the valve control unit 90 to supply the liquid to be supplied to the sterilization nozzle injection valve V5 on the flow path switching valve CV1 side (the chemical or the high temperature sterile water) as needed. Or it switches to any 1 type of liquid on the flow path switching valve CV2 side (; room temperature sterile water or low temperature sterile water).

The shutoff valves SV1 and SV2 are valves for stopping the supply of chemicals or sterile water to the downstream side. Therefore, it is normally open (normal open). In addition, the connection valve SV3 blocks the chemical | medical agent supply source 50 and the sterile water supply source 60 (in this embodiment, room temperature sterile water tank 62 and low temperature sterile water tank 63), and if needed It is a valve for supplying the low-temperature sterile water to the bottle sterilization unit 20 (or the high-temperature sterile water to the bottle cleaning unit 30), and therefore is normally closed (normal closed). In addition, when supplying room temperature or low temperature sterile water to the bottle sterilization unit 20 to use the device for simply rinsing the bottle, the shutoff valve SV1 is closed (or high temperature for rinsing the bottle with high temperature sterile water). When sterile water is supplied to the bottle washing section 30, the flow path switching valve CV1 is switched to the high temperature sterile water side to close the shutoff valve SV2, and the connecting valve SV3 is opened.

The sterilizing nozzle injection valve unit 70 is opened by the valve control unit 90 by a correspondence to the wheel allotment angle so that the chemical or hot sterile water is injected from the nozzle onto the inner and / or outer peripheral surfaces of the PET bottle. In addition, the cleaning nozzle injection valve unit 80 is similarly opened by the valve control unit 90 corresponding to the wheel allotment angle so that various types of sterile water of normal temperature sterile water or low temperature sterile water from the nozzle are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the PET bottle and / or Sprayed on the outer circumferential surface. In addition, the injection nozzle may follow with a wheel, and may be fixed so that injection may be performed suitably in the range corresponding to an assigned angle, without following, and may be made to inject toward a PET bottle during apparatus operation.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the form of the sterilization and washing process of PET bottles.

The form of this sterilization / cleaning process is to sterilize the PET bottle with the medicine of the sterilizing part 20 and to rinse the PET bottle with the medicine with the normal temperature sterile water of the washing part 30. Therefore, the flow path switching valve CV1 connects the flow path of the chemical | medical agent 51 and the sterilization nozzle injection valves V1, V2, V3, and V4 of the sterilization nozzle injection valve unit 70, and further, the sterilization nozzle injection valve V5. Is connected by switching the flow path switching valve CV3 to the flow path switching valve CV1 side (the chemical side). On the other hand, the flow path switching valve CV2 connects the room temperature sterile water 62 and the cleaning nozzle injection valves V6 and V7 of the cleaning nozzle injection valve unit 80. In addition, the connecting valve SV3 is made closed.

First, the sterilization unit 20 sterilizes by spraying the drug in the PET bottle at the same time of the internal injection and the external injection, but in this example, the five wheels 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 as a combination of wheels, If necessary, the wheel allocation angles θ1, θ2, θ3, θ4, and θ5 corresponding to ON of the sterilization nozzle injection valves are set, and the injection time is set using the respective maximum wheel allocation angles. The valve control unit 90 opens the sterilization nozzle injection valves V1, V2, V3, V4, V5 while the PET bottle is moving along the conveyance path (indicated by the bold line in the drawing) corresponding to the wheel allocation angle. The chemical is injected into the PET bottle from the sterilization nozzle.

In addition, when adjusting the injection time, the valve control unit 90 may select a valve which is always closed among the sterilization nozzle injection valves V1 to V5 and set the corresponding wheel so as not to inject the medicine, and the maximum allocation. The assignment angles θ1 to θ5 may be set as appropriately short within each range. Moreover, the injection speed of a PET bottle can be adjusted quickly or slowly, and the injection time can be made long or short, and it can also adjust suitably by combining these. This time adjustment can also be applied to the cleaning nozzle injection valves V6 and V7.

Next, while the PET bottle is conveyed to the wheel 26, the adhered medicine is drained and passed to the bottle cleaning unit 30.

Subsequently, the washing unit 30 sprays sterile water at room temperature onto the PET bottle to rinse the chemicals. In this example, two wheels 31 and 32 are combined as a wheel combination, and the wheels used for spraying sterile water at room temperature are selected and wheel assignments corresponding to (on) the ON time of the cleaning nozzle injection valve, if necessary. Set the angles φ1 and φ2 to use the respective maximum wheel allocation angles. And while the PET bottle is moving the conveyance path | route (indicated by the bold line in figure) corresponding to the wheel allocation angle, the valve control unit 90 opens the washing | cleaning nozzle injection valves V6 and V7, and room temperature from the washing nozzle. Aseptic water is sprayed on PET bottles.

Finally, the normal temperature sterile water attached while conveying the PET bottles to the wheels 33 and 34 is drained and passed to the filling seal 40 as shown in FIG.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the form of the sterilization and washing process of another PET bottle.

The form of this sterilization / cleaning process is to sterilize the PET bottle with the high temperature sterile water of the sterilization unit 20 and to cool the high temperature PET bottle with the low temperature sterile water of the washing unit 30. Therefore, the flow path switching valve CV1 connects the flow path of the high temperature sterile water 61 and the sterilization nozzle injection valves V1, V2, V3, V4 of the sterilization nozzle injection valve unit 70, and further, the sterilization nozzle injection valve ( V5) is connected by switching the flow path switching valve CV3 to the flow path switching valve CV1 side (high temperature sterile water side), while the flow path switching valve CV2 is connected to the flow path of the low temperature sterile water 63 and the cleaning nozzle injection valve unit. (V6, V7) are connected. In addition, the connecting valve SV3 is made closed.

First, the sterilization unit 20 sterilizes the PET bottle by spraying high-temperature sterile water at the same time with the internal injection and the external injection, but in this example, the sterilization nozzle injection valves V1 and V2 are always turned OFF to turn off the three wheels 23 and 24. , 25) is used for hot water spraying, and the wheel allocation angles (θ3, θ4, θ5) corresponding to (on) the ON time of the sterilizing nozzle injection valve are set to the respective maximum wheel allocation angles to set the spraying time. do. And while the PET bottle is moving the conveyance path | route (indicated by the bold line in figure) corresponding to the wheel allocation angle, the valve control unit 90 sterilizes the sterilization nozzle injection valve V3, V4, V5 by opening it. Hot sterile water is injected from the nozzle into the PET bottle.

Next, the hot sterile water adhering while conveying the PET bottle to the wheel 26 is drained, and is passed to the bottle washing unit 30.

Subsequently, the washing unit 30 sprays low-temperature sterile water onto the PET bottle to cool the PET bottle heated to the above-mentioned sterilizing unit. In this example, the cleaning nozzle injection valve V7 is always turned OFF, and the wheel 31 has a maximum wheel allocation angle φ1 corresponding to (corresponding to) the ON time of the cleaning nozzle injection valve. While moving the conveyance path (indicated by the bold line in the figure) corresponding to the assigned angle, the valve control unit 90 opens the cleaning nozzle injection valve V6 by opening it while the PET bottle is moving the conveyance path. Low-temperature sterile water is injected into the PET bottle from the cleaning nozzle.

In addition, when the heating of the PET bottle by the high temperature sterile water of the sterilization part 20 mentioned above is not severe, you may use room temperature sterile water instead of low temperature sterile water.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the form of the sterilization and washing process of another PET bottle.

The form of this sterilization / cleaning process sterilizes the PET bottle with the high temperature sterile water of the sterilization unit 20, cools the high temperature PET bottle with the low temperature sterile water supplied to the sterilization unit 20, and further It is cooled by low temperature sterile water.

First, the sterilization unit 20 sterilizes the PET bottle by spraying high-temperature sterile water at the same time with the internal injection and the external injection, but in this example, the three wheels 22, 23 and 24 are used to turn on the sterilization nozzle injection valve. While the corresponding wheel allocation angles θ2, θ3, and θ4 are set to their respective maximum wheel allocation angles, and while the PET bottle is moving the conveying path (indicated by the bold line in the drawing) corresponding to the wheel allocation angle, The valve control unit 90 is always turned OFF for the sterilization nozzle injection valve V1, and the sterilization nozzle injection valves V2, V3, and V4 while the PET bottle moves the conveyance paths of the wheels 22, 23, and 24. Is opened to allow hot sterile water to be injected into the PET bottle from its sterilization nozzle.

Next, in the sterilization unit 20, in order to quickly lower the temperature of the container to a temperature at which abnormal deformation does not occur, the low temperature sterile water is immediately sprayed on the PET bottle by the wheel 25 to cool the PET bottle. The injection time is external spraying while draining hot water in a PET bottle by setting the allocation angle θ5 to the maximum wheel allocation angle. At the same time, if necessary, low-temperature sterile water may be injected into the interior, and the hot water in the PET bottle may be cooled or replaced with cold water. The valve control unit 90 moves the flow path switching valve CV3 to the flow path switching valve CV2 while the conveyance path corresponding to the wheel allocation angle (indicated by a thick line in the drawing) is moved with respect to the wheel 25. By switching to the (low temperature sterile water side), low temperature sterile water is supplied to the sterilization nozzle injection valve V5. And while the PET bottle is moving the conveyance path | route, the sterilization nozzle injection valve V5 is opened, and low temperature sterile water is injected from a sterilization nozzle to a PET bottle.

Next, the sterile water adhering while conveying the PET bottle to the two wheels 25 and 26 is drained, and is passed to the bottle washing unit 30.

Subsequently, in the washing section 30, low-temperature sterile water is sprayed on the PET bottle that is not sufficiently cooled to further cool the PET bottle. In this example, the cleaning nozzle injection valve V7 is always turned OFF, and the wheel allocation angle φ1 corresponding to the injection time (corresponding) with respect to the wheel 31 is set to the maximum wheel allocation angle, and the PET bottle has the wheel. While moving the conveyance path (indicated by the bold line in the figure) corresponding to the allotted angle, the valve control unit 90 opens the cleaning nozzle injection valve V6 while the PET bottle is moving the conveyance path to clean it. Low-temperature sterile water is injected from the nozzle into the PET bottle.

As described above, in the sterilization / cleaning system of the container of the present invention, the sterilization nozzles and the cleaning nozzles provided at the outer circumferential ends of the wheels, which are transfer devices, are connected to the plurality of liquid supply sources through the flow path switching valves CV1, CV2, CV3. Connected. Therefore, the combination of wheels according to the processing contents and time and the respective wheel allocation angles are determined, and the liquid supply source is switched by the flow path switching valves CV1, CV2 and CV3, and the sterilization nozzles correspond to the allocation angles of the respective wheels. And by opening the injection valve of the cleaning nozzle, it becomes possible to perform the optimal sterilization and cleaning process of the container according to the type of container and its filling contents.

Moreover, it becomes possible to perform a several process by sterilization, washing | cleaning, cooling, or rinsing of a container by a single system, and the cost by sterilization and washing | cleaning is reduced suitably.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the example of the sterilization and washing | cleaning system which provided the sterilization part and the washing | cleaning part of a container was demonstrated and demonstrated, for example, multiple liquid injection apparatuses to the container provided in one serial conveying apparatus as shown in FIG. It is useful because the injection liquid is easily switched even when the sterilization / cleaning system of the container provided with the liquid supply means and the means for switching them.

In addition, as shown in FIG.7 (a), when the conveyance apparatus provided with the liquid ejection apparatus is also provided, at least 2, the injection time by selecting the conveyance apparatus which injects liquid, even if the liquid ejection time of each liquid ejection apparatus is fixed This is useful because it can be changed. In the case of Fig. 7A, two kinds of changes can be made, θ when using one liquid jetting device and 2θ when using two liquid injection devices. In addition, as shown in Fig. 7B, when two or more types of liquid jet section widths differ from each other in the conveying apparatus for liquid jet, the combinations generate widths, and the types of time that can be set also increase. In the case of Fig. 7B, three types of changes can be made, θa, θb, and θa + θb, depending on the configuration of the liquid ejecting apparatus.

(Industrial availability)

The sterilization / cleaning system of the container of the present invention can be suitably applied to the sterilization / cleaning step of the container in the aseptic filling system for a beverage filled with the container.

10: bottle supply unit 20: bottle sterilization unit
30: bottle cleaning part 40: filling sealing part
50: drug source 60: sterile water source
70: sterilization nozzle injection valve unit 80: cleaning nozzle injection valve unit
90 valve control unit 100 container sterilization and cleaning system

Claims (4)

Switching a plurality of liquid supply means for supplying different kinds of liquid to the container conveyance, liquid ejecting device consisting of a conveying device for conveying the container and a liquid ejecting device for ejecting liquid to the container to be conveyed and switching the plurality of liquid supply means In the sterilization / cleaning system of a container including a sterilization part and a cleaning part provided with a switching means outside the container conveyance and liquid injection device:
The plurality of liquid supply means is composed of at least two kinds of supply means of the drug supply means, sterile hot water supply means, room temperature sterile water supply means, and low temperature sterile water supply means,
The sterilization unit to switch the drug supply means or sterile hot water supply means according to the purpose of use,
The sterilization and cleaning system of the container, wherein the sterilization unit and the cleaning unit are constituted by wheels, and one nozzle injection valve is disposed for each wheel. delete The method of claim 1,
The said cleaning part is comprised by the wheel of the different magnitude | size, and can sterilize and clean a sterile water supply means or a low temperature sterile water supply means according to a filling content and a kind of container, The sterilization and cleaning system of the container characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 1 or 3,
The said switching means is a flow path switching valve, The said flow path switching valve is connected to the nozzle injection valve for each said wheel, The sterilization / cleaning system of the container characterized by the above-mentioned.

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