WO1998051609A1

WO1998051609A1 - Device for sterilizing beverage containers using a plasma

Info

Publication number: WO1998051609A1
Application number: PCT/EP1998/002675
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter PRÄSSLER; Matthias Bestmann; Siegfried Paasche
Original assignee: Crown Simplimatic Incorporated
Priority date: 1997-05-13
Filing date: 1998-05-07
Publication date: 1998-11-19
Also published as: CA2289464A1; DE19719911A1; BR9809638A; EP0981493A1; JP2001524913A; AU7762498A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling, closing and/or checking the smell of beverage containers comprising processing stations for the treatment of said containers and devices for transporting the objects to be treated taking the shape of containers or closures, in addition to devices for disinfecting the objects, said devices for disinfecting having at least one processing station located upstream. The invention is characterized in that at least one disinfecting station provides a disinfection area synchronously in relation to the flow of objects, said area being configured to receive an object between two electrodes which are connected to a high frequency generator to produce plasma pulses between said electrodes.

Description

DEVICE FOR STERILIZING BEVERAGE CONTAINERS THROUGH A PLASMA

The invention relates to a device of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.

Drinks are filled in beverage containers such as tin cans, glass bottles or more recently in plastic bottles. The containers are fed to a generic type of cleaning, so they either come from a Wascli machine, for example if reusable bottles are used acts or come when it comes to new bottles. z. B. directly from a plastic blowing machine or from a rinscr, dei only rinses out the bottles.

The containers fed to the generic device are clean, but not sterile. In the case of higher sterility requirements, such as those to be fulfilled by generic devices, the containers and also the closures to be closed on the containers must be sterilized before filling or closing. This reduces the number of bacteria in the filled, closed container and extends the shelf life of the drink. Some beverages that are becoming increasingly popular today, such as Iced tea or non-carbonated fruit juices can only be filled in sterile containers with a reasonable shelf life.

The device of the generic type can be a pure filling machine or a pure sealing machine. It is usually a filling and closing machine in which the containers are first filled and then closed. Disinfection devices must be provided that sterilize the processed objects, i.e. containers and / or closures.

Disinfection devices are mainly known from the prior art, superheated steam processing stations, but also chemically working sterilization devices that e.g. Use H2O2.

Disadvantages of these known disinfection devices are residues, such as water drops after hot steam sterilization or H2O 2 residues, which can impair the beverage to be filled. In addition, the sterilization results in the known devices are uncertain. Uneven gas flow or, for example, uneven steam temperatures can result in unsafe sterilization results. Since the sterilization process Treating objects therefore / B a mesh, but not with his Paiametein wake up directly vei remains a risk of risk, which compels to keep constant control of the stenosis I ai are disadvantageous (domestic or chemical loads on the retention material

The published application PC I / Cf 196/00406 proposes the disinfection of containers by means of plasma voi, without however addressing the special needs of geti anket technology

There is a wide sweat pioblem with containers contaminated with geois, especially with plastic bottles. In returning Meluweg bottles, which have been brought into contact with improper treatment / B with Unn, petrol or similar substances, there are also residual residues after cleaning in the usual washing machines a geophysical examination with a so-called sniff egg, which entails a high expenditure of equipment and which must be sorted out to contain vinegars that are contaminated with stinking, which leads to container rejection

The task of the existing discovery is then to create a generic device which, with high performance, enables the highest level of filling of drinks with a high degree of security

This task was solved in accordance with the principles of claim 1

In the case of the device according to the invention, a disinfection station with at least one disinfection station is seen, at which the objects, that is to say retainers or connections between electrodes, are exposed to a plasma generated by a high-frequency plasma. This disinfection station provides the treatment station or the several treatment stations are available to the continuous stream of objects synchronously. The disinfection station can therefore run synchronously with a filling or sealing machine and is therefore suitable for the high performance that is required in today's cellar industry. In addition, the disinfection station can be integrated directly in front of the filling or sealing station in this way, so that the risk of re-infection is low on the very short path between the disinfection station and the subsequent treatment station. In this case, a single disinfection station can be provided, which the objects traverse in a clockwise movement or in continuous movement or, for example, multiple disinfection stations can also be arranged in a disinfection station in order to achieve higher performance, for example rotating around a carousel, as in the case of filling elements of a rotating filling machine . The disinfection station can also be equipped with multiple parallel disinfection stations for multi-lane operation, for example also in cyclical operation according to the type of operation of a row filler. The disinfection stations are very simply designed with two electrodes, which can be structurally integrated in conventional container treatment machines such as conveyors, filling machines or sealing machines. In preliminary tests, disinfection by means of plasma has shown very good results which, with comparable design effort, result in lower remaining bacterial counts, such as the known sterilization methods with superheated steam or H2O2. With a suitable design of the disinfection station, complete sterility can be achieved with high reliability. No residues remain in the container, as with hot steam sterilization or H2θ2 sterilization. It has also been shown that the plasma treatment has a strong deodorizing effect. Under certain circumstances, therefore, the expensive odor test can be dispensed with or, if a disinfection station is arranged in front of the Sniffei, the committee can be reduced. The time required for the plasma processing process is so short that with very short cycle times even in single-track object guidance It depends on the performance of the modality of the preservation treatment process

The objects to be disinfected are containers which are open to a mouth and which should be lined with germs floating there as well as flat with germs sitting there. The usual vial closures, such as for example caps, are also to be used Bottles are pot-shaped with a mouth that is open to the outside and must be disinfected in your interior and with the external surfaces.For this, the meicmal features of claim 2 are advantageous The inside walls of the object with plasma, which unfolds its chair-like movement there. The high-voltage electrode can be the mouth in the inside or outside, preferably outside of the object

The characteristics of claim 3 are advantageous here. The iso-layer provides a more uniform distribution of the plasma produced and exercises the entire inner surface of the object and avoids excessive local plasma concentrations that lead to surface damage

For particularly uniform plasma exposure to the interior, the flat electrode is advantageous in accordance with claim 4. Keep or odei for sealing caps in a pot-like manner surrounding the object

With the on tone of the claim 5, in a filled container, kutz vie can easily graze again after closing the head, which is on the way from the Fullstatton to: the infection station has become infected According to claim 6, the ground electrode is advantageously adapted to the shape of the object to improve the uniform exposure to plasma.

A disinfection station can be fully equipped with both electrodes. With higher throughputs, however, it then becomes difficult to bring the object correctly and in a form-fitting fit between the electrodes in the time available for changing the object and to remove them again. The features of claim 7 are therefore advantageously provided. The ground electrodes are moved with the objects, so that there is sufficient time during the movement for the engagement and disengagement of the objects with the ground electrodes. However, the high voltage electrode is stationary. This has the advantage that the high-frequency generator and the complex connection and geometry-sensitive connecting line between the high-voltage electrode and the high-frequency generator as well as any necessary shields against electrical interference can be arranged in a stationary manner.

In the case of ground electrodes which are firmly arranged at the disinfection station and in particular encompass the object to be treated, the object change is difficult and requires e.g. pot-open ground electrodes a lifting process. The features of claim 8 are therefore advantageously provided. With this design of the ground electrode which can be disengaged in part, the object change is considerably simplified. The objects can e.g. run straight while the parts of the ground electrode are e.g. lateral lifting movements are brought into and out of engagement.

The features of claim 9 are advantageously provided. In this way, the positive locking of the objects in the ground electrode can be done very easily with the usual construction means in container treatment machines. solve new voi partly according to claim 10 by forming the half-shells on transpottstones which, at their transfer point, interlocking with the loaf shells, result in the complete enclosure of the object at the place of the treatment place.

The features of claim 1 1 are advantageously provided. In this way, both an object can be sterilized in one place and an object located in the area on the second grounded electrode can be sterilized at the same time. According to claim 12, this can be the filling element standing above the container to be filled, so that its outlet, which is at risk of infection, is sterilized simultaneously with the container. This ensures optimal sterile filling.

According to claim 13, the seal lowering onto the container and the head space above the liquid in the container can advantageously be sterilized immediately before closing a container, so that optimal sterility is also guaranteed before the container is closed.

According to claim 14, the closure element carrying a closure can advantageously be designed as a ground electrode, so that disinfection of the closure in the closure! "Is possible immediately before the closure, e.g., screwing on.

The features of claim 15 are advantageously provided. In this way, it is possible to supply several disinfection stations with only one sufficiently powerful high-frequency generator, as a result of which the design effort and the costs of the overall operation are reduced. Thereby new the treatment statuses required by the hole frequency genetatoi at the same time or one after the other, e.g. practice switching rights, vei sotgt knows

The plasma can graze in undisturbed gases or gas mixtures. Vacuum apparatuses are not egg-friendly because even with pressure in the area of the emergency atmospheric pressure with a suitably designed high-frequency generator, a plasma can be produced, the plasma generation in response to aspiration 16 This simplifies the process as gas-tight rooms, locks and the like are not required

Preferably, according to claim 17, a filling gas is added that can easily generate the plasma. The addition can preferably take place according to claim 18, the suitably designed high-voltage electrode and specifically the mouth of the object, in the interior of which it is thinned

In contrast to the known stencilization processes using superheated steam or H2O2, the stencilization process can be monitored well with a plasma pulse Also directly at the disinfection site, the plasma generation is carried out, for example, optical monitoring of the resulting light appearance or acoustic monitoring of the resulting light bang. The monitoring device can make a statement from the determined parameters with a high degree of standing the treated object is treated with a plasma pulse with the approved Paiametei values, so the stabilization is carried out with certainty. In the event of a malfunction, the fclil-treated object can be followed on its longest path and taken from a suitable location ject current sorted out. This results in maximum infection security.

The invention is shown schematically, for example, in the drawings. Show it:

1: in the axial section, a disinfection place for empty plastic bottles,

2: in the axial section a disinfection place for caps,

Fig. 3: in the axis section a disinfection place filled for the head space

Bottles,

Fig. 4: a disinfection station with two transport stones in section

Line 4-4 in Figure 5,

Fig. 5: the disinfection station of Figure 4 in section along line 5 - 5 in

Fig. 4,

Fig. 6: in section along lines 6 - 6 in Fig. 8, a disinfection place for an empty bottle and the associated filling element.

Fig. 7: in section along line 7 - 7 in Fig. 8 a disinfection place fin ^¬ the headspace of a filled bottle and for the associated cap and Fig. 8: in section along the lines 8 - 8 in Figiucn 6 and 7 in plan view a filling and capping machine with three disinfection stations.

Figure 1 shows a disinfection station for disinfecting the inner surfaces of a plastic bottle 1, e.g. from the material PET commonly used today for these purposes. The bottle 1 stands on its bottom and has its open mouth 2 pointing upwards. The bottle 1 is placed in a pot-shaped, open top electrode 3, e.g. is formed from electrically conductive metal sheet. On its inside, the ground electrode 3 is lined with an insulating layer 4 made of a suitable insulating material. An earth line 5 is indicated, by means of which the earth electrode 3 is earthed. The grounding can of course also take place via structural elements to which the ground electrode 3 is attached.

A high-voltage electrode 6 is held above the mouth 2 of the bottle 1 by means not shown, which is connected via a line 7 to the high-voltage pole of a high-frequency generator 9 grounded via a line 8.

With the dimensions and arrangement of the electrodes 3 and 6 approximately as shown and with a plastic bottle 1 of approximately one liter volume, a high-frequency generator can be used, which during a pulse time of e.g. 20 ms a high frequency of e.g. 2 MHz at a voltage of a few kV between the electrodes 3.6.

A plasma is generated between the electrodes, essentially in the axis of the bottle 1, which fills the interior, diffuses to the inner walls of the bottle 1 and this with chemically highly reactive ions and radicals acts upon Dadui ch grazing in the interior and floating on the inside of the flat Ii I, in particular biological substances etc., zeistoit Also active substances that twist in the beverage graze are eliminated in this way, so that under certain circumstances the sniffing and Veimteden graze on exposed bottles

The disinfection place shown here can be enclosed in a certain atmosphere, for example with an undisplayed comb, entrance and exit locks etc. In the embodiment shown here, however, the plasma is generated in an open atmosphere, that is to say in an area B Aigon to put in the bottle

For this purpose, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the high-voltage electrode 6 is designed as a nozzle with a channel 11, which is connected to a hose 12 and a control valve 13 to a gas valve, not shown

After the plasma impulse, as deliberately chosen, bottle 1 can be removed immediately and a new bottle is put in. The impulses can be fed at intervals of about 10 Hz, so that the bottles can be disinfected at a very high processing speed

In the disinfection station shown in FIG. 1, cup-shaped containers, as shown in FIG. 5, can also be disinfected, for example also tin cans open at the top, glass bottles or other containers used for the beverage removal

2 shows a disinfection station for internal disinfection of a closure cap 21 with an internal thread, as used, for example, as a closure cap for bottles becomes. It is a pot-shaped object with a lower mouth 22, the inner surfaces of which are to be disinfected, that is to say a geometrically similar object as is provided by the bottle 1 according to FIG. 1 dat.

Here, too, there is provided a ground electrode 23 enclosing the closure cap 2 1 in pot-like fashion, which in this case is designed as a holder for the cap 21, with which, driven by a shaft 24, the cap 21 can be sprayed onto a bottle immediately after sterilization has ended , wherein the shaft 24 is to be rotated in the direction of the arrow.

A high-voltage electrode 26 is arranged in front of the mouth 22 of the cap 21 and is connected via a line 27 to a high-frequency generator 29 which is grounded via a line 28.

The ground electrode 23 is to be grounded in a suitable manner, for example via a grounded contact spring 25, which also keeps the ground electrode 23 grounded in sliding contact during rotation.

In the construction of FIG. 2, too, an auxiliary gas can be introduced into the interior of the cap 21 through the high-voltage electrode 26 or in some other way before the plasma is generated. The high-frequency generator 29 can have data similar to the aforementioned high-voltage generator 9.

Other closures, such as can lids or Kionko ken, can be plasma sterilized in a similar manner. The ground electrode surrounding it can be designed as a grounded closing element in order to simplify the construction. I igut 3 shows a disinfection place for a bottle in the treatment sequence of the mesh after the hole and before the closure is anoided. The shown bottle 1 winds up to e.g. on the disinfection place according to FIG. 1 then it goes up to level 3 1 filled and is now to be closed, the head dew above level 3 1 can, however, be contaminated again on the way from the zero station to the locking station and must now be grazed afterwards. The disinfection station shown in Fig. 3 is used for this purpose

A ground electrode 33 with an inner iso-layer 34 surrounds the upper part of the bottle 1 with the neck area, that is to say the Hohenbeieich dr mesh, in which the non-liquid-filled head lauid is anoidized The mouth 2 of the bottle 1 has a high-voltage electrode 36 which is connected by a line 37 to a high-frequency generator 39 which is sealed by a line 38

With this construction, in the same way as for the construction of Fig. 1, the interior and the inner surface of the flat bottle, 1, with a plasma, but with the construction of Fig. 3, it is only in the skill-free head area

As FIGS. 1 to 3 show, the mass electrode 3, 23, 33 of the outer film of the object to be disinfected, that is to say of the bottle 1 or the front cap 21, has to be adapted in a positive manner in order to target a favorable plasma formation in the imieniaum of the object Alternating dr with a plasma pulse disinfected mesh 1 against the next bottle to be disinfected is in the execution fo dr riguten 1 and 3 with pot-oily or t ingfoπnig closed mass electrodes 3 or 33 callous In order to make the bottle change more straightforward at the possible clock frequency of 10 Hz mentioned, a disinfection station can be designed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A pot-shaped container 41 is shown here, but bottle 1, which is shown in FIGS. I and 3, can also be treated with this treatment station.

Containers 41 come in a continuously moving stream to the treatment station shown, which has two transpoite stars 43 and 44 rotating synchronously in opposite directions about perpendicular axes 42. The two stars have pockets on their circumference and, in the top view of FIG. 4, correspond to the usual transport stites used in bottle treatment machines. Containers run in, for example, at the tiansportstem 43, standing in its pockets, pass through the disinfection station located at 45 and run out with the transport star 44, railings 46 echoing the containers 41 in the pockets.

All of the pockets of the two stones, as shown in FIG. 5 in particular, are formed with cylindrical half-shells 47, with, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, at the disinfection station 45 where the two stones 43 and 44 are in engagement with one another, ie the transfer of the container 41 takes place from one star to the other stone, two half-shells 47 from both stones form a cylinder which completely surrounds the container 41 and which is closed at the bottom with a sliding plate 48 to form a cup-shaped ground electrode 47, 47, 48.

This ground electrode is grounded via a ground line 49 on the sliding plate 48. The transport stars 43 and 44 are grounded by sliding contacts 50 with the sliding plate 48 kontaktiet t. so that the half-shells 47 are also grounded. At the mouth of the container 41 there is a stationary ubei your slide plate 48, that is to say the high-voltage electrode 56 indicated at the disinfection station 45, which, as indicated in FIG. 5, emerges from an isolating head 58 hr. A line 57 leads to the high-frequency generator

At the disinfection station shown in Figures 4 and 5, keep 41 one after the other in a row with the Tianspoitstetnen 43 and 44 tianspootiert you get to the disinfection site 45 und high-voltage selector 56 At this point are the stones 43 and 44 respectively with the half shells 47 and the sliding plate 48, a pot-shaped mass electrode is closed around the container 41 and a plasma discharge can take place with essentially the same geometric conditions as explained with reference to FIG

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the half-shells 47 are provided with an iso-gorge 54 which. if identical, also on the sliding plate 48 voiced

Figures 6 to 8 show a device for filling and closing vet and for disinfecting bottles 61 twice, which are shown in FIG. 6 with neck collar 62 and mouth 63, otherwise they may correspond to the foam shown in FIG. 1 trade standard PET meshes A station for geotagging is activated

The bottles 61, as shown in FIG. 8, arrive on an infeed conveyor 80 to an inlet star 81, which unites the bottles on the full places 82 about an axis 83 with their full machine which clears them. The bottles run, standing on the filling places 82, with the Fulleitisch 84 and graze with a transfer star 85 is transferred to the rotating table 86 of a capping machine, from which they are transferred to a discharging conveyor belt 88 after one revolution with an outlet star 87. The Fulleitisch 84 and the encryption table 86 and the schließr ^'fran sport tapes 80. 88 and the stones 8 1, 85 and 87 are synchronously coupled continuously.

FIG. 6 shows an axial section of a filling station 82 on the filler table 84 with the filling member 89 arranged above each filling station in the usual configuration with a liquid outlet 90, container edge seal 91 and return gas roller 92.

A semi-cylindrical half-shell 93 which is open radially outward is fastened on each filling station 82 on the Fulleitisch 84.

In FIG. 8, 94 denotes a disinfection station which is arranged in a stationary manner, that is to say not rotating with the Fulleitisch 84. At this disinfection station 94, a counter-rotating stone 95 with pockets designed as half-shells 96 is arranged next to the filler table 84.

FIG. 6 shows the disinfection station 94 formed in this way, at which, as also shown in FIG. 8, a half-shell 96 of the star 95 and a half-shell 93 of the filler table 84 are closed around the bottle 61 and together with the Fulleitisch 84 the bottle 61 is pot-oily Form comprehensive ground electrode, similar to the ground electrode 3 shown in Figure 1.

At this point, that is to say at the fixed disinfection station 94, a high-voltage electrode 97 with an insulator 98 is arranged in a fixed manner, which, via a schematically indicated line 99, is connected to a high-frequency generator 101 grounded with a line 100. The stationary high-voltage electrode 97 has tips 102 and 103 which project upwards and downwards. Both the mass electrode 93 96 84 formed at the disinfection station and the Milloigan 89 are suitable! As shown in Fig. 6, when a pulse is given to the high-voltage electrode 97, a plasma is generated in both the bottle 61 and against the fullotgan 89 at the same time. The inside of the mesh is thus raised and the fullotgan 89 is applied to the crucial points, i.e. at the jerk gas 92 and in the outlet 90, you can move the fuller table 89 to the mouth 63 of the bottle 61 and the full flow is started

The bottles 61 filled up to a level 104 (FIG. 7) now arrive on the Vr closing table 86 to a disinfection station 105 seen there, which is shown in detail in FIG

The bottles 61 are in vending closure places on the vending machine table 86, each of these locking places is equipped with a half-shell 106, which is connected, for example, to a disc 107 with the vending machine table 86. Wide half-shells 108 are fastened to the pockets of a stone 109 , the opposite syncluon lotieiend next to the Veischheßertisch 86 is anoid

The half-shells 106 on the Veischheßertisch 86 and the half-shells 108 on the stone 109 are kept at a corresponding height and are designed in a corresponding form, so that when they are closed around the bottle 61 in pairs, they form a mass electrode in ion and anoid as they do is shown in Fig. 3, if necessary also with dr dott shown inside innings. Both half-shells, as indicated in Fig. 7, are to be sworn, for example with the Veischheßertisch 86 and with the Stein 109 As shown in FIG. 7, locking elements 23 with shafts 24 for holding locking caps 21 are anoidized above the locking locations on the locking table 86. They correspond to the training in Figure 2.

A high-voltage electrode 97, which corresponds to the high-voltage electrode shown in FIG. 6 and is provided with the same reference numerals, including the entire high-voltage part, is fixed at the location of the disinfection station 105, that is to say not rotating.

At the disinfection station 105, when the impulse is applied to the high-voltage electrode 97, the closure cap 21 and downward the bottle 61 in the headspace above the level 104 are simultaneously sterilized. Immediately connect can pasture on the closure - the closing process causes.

A feed path 110 is also indicated in FIG. 8, by means of which the closure caps 21 are fed to the closer, on which they are inserted into the closing elements 23 in a manner not shown.

As indicated in FIG. 8, the high-voltage electrodes 97 of the two disinfection stations 94 and 105 can be supplied by a high-voltage generator 101 via lines 99, specifically via a distributor 1 1 1, which either gives impulses to both high-voltage electrodes simultaneously or, with a suitable switching device, one after the other with appropriate synchronization.

FIG. 8 also shows a system upstream of the conveyor belt 80 for testing plastic bottles. As can be seen from the highly schematic representation, the bottles 61 arrive on a conveyor 120 and first reach a disinfection station 121 which, for example, as shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5, can be formed from the disinfection station 121, the disinfected stitches reach an oil transporter 122 to a sniffing machine 123, the imieniaum dei the bottles are checked for grueling and ejects stubborn stitches onto a t i spooler 124 Unused stitches run on the ianspoi tband 80

The disinfection station 121 operates, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, with plasma generation and is connected to the distribution 1 1 1 via a line 99. With plasma generation in the bottles 61, there is not only void disinfection, but also a substantial reduction in the number of users - Load the committee on Tianspoiteui 124 and daduich staik veinngeil

The Voiuchspiungungsanlage switched on can also be omitted if the bottles are not odor-laden or if, for example, if there is only a small odor exposure, the plasma exposure to the disinfection station 94 evens out to the desolate Desodonng

In all of the exemplary embodiments shown, it is necessary to ensure that the respective high-voltage electrode lmmr then receives a pulse to generate the plasma from its associated high-frequency generator, if it is placed in front of the mouth of an object, that is, a bottle of a container or a bottle The high-frequency geniator is suitable for this! To synchronize objects with the Antneb dr so that the impulse always follows at the bright time r

In the exemplary embodiments shown here, the ground electrodes are associated with the respective geneiatoi ubei ground lines, for example machine parts and identical, but the ground electrodes can also be rdfiei, i.e. isolated, with the corresponding pole of the high-frequency generator This is despite the fact that, as a rule, it is particularly good to wake up or cloak the Stoi from the crowd

In the embodiment shown with moving mass electrodes, such as the moving half-shells 47 in Tigut 5, the mass connections are oscillating. Sliding contacts must be used, such as the two resilient sliding contacts 50 shown in Fig. 5. Serving contact points on the shafts can also be used However, another type of contact is advantageous, which is possible in view of the high frequency used for plasma generation. A capacitive coupling can be used to graze, which works and helps prevent wear and tear.

In FIG. 5, for example, the sliding plate 48 can be coated with a fixed ground line 49. However, the ground contact between the sliding plate 48 and the stones 43 and 44 can be made contactlessly by means of capacitive coupling between the sliding plate 48 and the heath washers dr Steiruadei 43 and 44, which in Appropriate size and distance may be anoid

In the illustrated embodiment, the stench of plastic containers spilled with glass containers, for example glass bottles, can be treated in the same way. Metallic objects, such as cans of beverages or metallic caps, can also be easily modified! Way with plasma stencilia

In the plasma setting, there may be electrostatic disturbances in the high-frequency region or due to imperfections in the objects to be treated, for example in the case of a filled bottle if one empty bottle is expected to lead to inadmissible deviations in the plasma generation. A mishandled object is not sterile and must be sorted out. For this purpose, a monitoring device (not shown) can be provided, which, for example, taps the electrical parameters of the piasina pulse at the high-frequency generator or monitors the plasma generation, for example, by optical or acoustic remote observation at the slerilization site. After comparing each individual plasma generation with permissible parameter limit values, a decision can be made about the correct disinfection. If there is mishandling, the mishandled object is identified and can be tracked in the synchronously running object stream and ejected at a suitable point.

6 and 7 show disinfection stations in which a high-voltage electrode 97 with the tips 102 and 103 simultaneously generates a plasma upwards to the filling element 89 or to the closure cap 21 and downwards into the bottle 61. These representations are selected only schematically to show the possibility of simultaneously sterilizing two objects at a disinfection station. In fact, the simultaneous application of plasma to two objects from one electrode encounters technical problems. It is better to provide two high-voltage electrodes each, instead of the one high-voltage electrode 97 shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which are individually supplied by high-frequency generators, e.g. successively. The tips of these high-voltage electrodes, like the tips 102 and 103, can be directed towards their respective plasma application site. They can be acted upon, for example, in quick succession or, if appropriate, simultaneously

Claims

Crown Simplimatic Incorporated

1. Device for filling, closing and / or for odor testing of beverage containers (1, 41, 61), with treatment stations (filler table 84, closing table 86, Sniffei 123) for treatment and with egg devices for transport (conveyor belts 80, 88, stars 81, 85, 87) of the objects to be treated in the form of containers or closures and with devices for disinfecting the objects which are connected upstream of at least one treatment station, characterized in that at least one disinfection station is provided which synchronously with the object stream has at least one disinfection station (45, 94 , 105, 121) which provides for holding an object (bottle 1, 41, 61, closure cap 21) between two electrodes (high-voltage electrode 6, 26, 36, 56, 97, ground electrode 3, 23, 33, 47, 48 , 93, 96, 84, 106, 108), which are connected to a high-frequency generator (9, 29, 39, 101) for generating a plasma pulse between the electrodes.

2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the

Electrodes are grounded as a ground electrode (3, 23, 33, 47, 48, 93, 96, 84, 106, 108) and is designed to surround the object (bottle 1, 41, 61, cap 21) over a large area, rotationally symmetrically, while the other high-voltage electrode (6, 26, 36, 56, 97) connected to the floch voltage pole of the high-frequency generator (9, 29, 39, 101) is arranged in the region of the mouth (2,22, 63) of the object.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the ground electrode (3, 33, 47) is provided on its inner surface with an insulating layer (4, 34, 54).

4. Vomchtung according to claim 2, characterized in that at a disinfection place for caps (21) or empty containers (1, 41, 61) the ground electrode (3, 23, 47, 48, 93, 96, 84) potfföπnig, the mouth area leaving free enclosing the cap or the body of the container.

5. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that a disinfection place is provided after filling and before closing the container (1, 61), the head space of the container with an essentially annular mass electrode (33, 106, 108) encloses above the liquid level (3 1, 104).

6. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the ground electrode (3, 23, 33, 47, 48, 93, 96, 84, 106, 108) of the outer shape of the object (1, 21, 41, 61) is adapted in a positive manner .

7. Apparatus according to Anspi uch 2 with continuously moving objects, characterized in that a plurality of ground electrodes (3, 23, 33, 47, 93, 96, 84, 106, 108) with the objects (bottles 1. 41, 61, caps) 21) moved through the disinfection station (45, 94, 105) at which the high-voltage electrode (6, 26, 36, 56, 97) is arranged in a stationary manner, the high-frequency generator (9, 29, 39, 101) being controlled in a controlled manner, that a pulse is emitted whenever the mouth (2, 22, 63) of an object is in front of the high-voltage electrode.

8. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the ground electrode is divided into mehiere for object change separately disengageable parts (47, 47; 93, 96; 106, 108).

9. Device according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the ground electrodes in the center line of the movement of the objects (container 41, bottles 61) are each divided into two half-shells (47, 47; 93, 96; 106, 108), which are attached to separate transporters (stones 43, 44; filler table 84, star 94; capping table 86, stone 109), which run synchronously with the objects in such a way that two half-shells at the disinfection station (45, 94, 105) each time a pulse is applied enclose the object.

10. The device according to Anspiuch 9, characterized in that the half-shells (47) are designed as pockets of mutually engaging at the disinfection station transport stems (43, 44).

1 1. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one high-voltage electrode (97) between the mouth (63) of the ground electrode (93, 96, 84; 106, 108) surrounding object (bottle 61) and a second grounded electrode (filler 89, Vei closes- 23) is arranged.

12. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the object is an empty container (bottle 61) and the second earthed electrode is a filling element (89) for infecting the container.

13. Device according to claims 5 and 1 1, characterized in that the ground electrode (half-shells 106, 108) surrounds the head space of the filled container (bottle 61) and the second grounded electrode (capper 23) one on the container (bottle 61) surrounds the closure cap (21) to be closed.

14. Seal according to claim 2, characterized in that a ground electrode surrounding the closure cap (21) is designed as a closure element (23) for closing the closure cap.

15. Device according to claim 1 with several disinfection stations (94, 105, 121) for disinfecting empty or filled containers or caps, characterized in that the disinfection stations (94, 105, 121) are connected to a common high-frequency generator (101).

16. The apparatus according to claim l, characterized in that the plasma is produced in an open atmosphere.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that a foreign gas, preferably argon, is added to the location of the plasma generation before application of the pulse.

18. Device according to claims 2 and 17, characterized in that the filling gas is passed through the high-voltage electrode designed as a nozzle (6) into the mouth (2) of the object (bottle 1)

19. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a monitoring device is provided, which monitors the parameters of each pulse and assigns them individually to the disinfected objects.