WO2005107822A1

WO2005107822A1 - Device for sterilisation of feeding bottles

Info

Publication number: WO2005107822A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/000978
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gérald SERRES VIVES; Benoit Linglin
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2004-04-22
Filing date: 2005-04-20
Publication date: 2005-11-17
Also published as: FR2869233A1; FR2869233B1; EP1740227A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for sterilisation of feeding bottles (7), comprising a trough (2) with a cavity for production of steam and a lid (5) which rests on said trough and forms a chamber for housing the feeding bottle(s) for sterilisation therewith. According to the invention, said chamber is separated from said cavity, by means of a wall provided with communicating holes and the device comprises separation and switching means (12) for defining a compartment (14) within said chamber (6) and to selectively directly connect said chamber (6) or said compartment (14) to the steam production means in the unit through the wall orifices.

Description

B.0679 ext APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING BOTTLES

The present invention relates to a device for sterilizing baby bottles and their accessories, such as teats, clamping rings, caps, etc.

Bottle sterilization devices consist of a container closed by a lid inside which the bottles and their accessories are arranged. A tank containing water is placed in the lower part of the container, the water being transformed into vapor by an electric heating element placed in thermal contact with the tank. The steam generated by boiling water in the tank circulates inside the container and sterilizes the objects placed in the container.

Such an apparatus is described in document EP 0 718 000 in the name of the applicant where several bottles are placed on a support resting inside the container, the teats being placed on a perforated basket placed above the support for bottles. The bottom of the container is equipped with a heating plate, controlled by a thermostat, forming a tank and containing water which is brought to the boil during the supply of electrical energy to the heating element of the tank. In operation, a certain amount of water is poured into the bottom of the tank and the device is started up. The sterilization cycle is complete when all the water has evaporated, the supply to the heating plate being cut off by the thermostat. Operating satisfactorily, this device however requires a long sterilization time, because to sterilize one or all the bottles placed in the container the complete sterilization cycle lasts about 12 min.

Furthermore, document EP 0 209 409 describes an electrical device capable of heating and sterilizing a baby bottle, comprising a heating tank provided with a heating element controlled by a thermostat suitable for heating baby bottles. The thermostat is bypassed by a switch placed in the electrical circuit of the device and allows to raise the temperature operating mode of the heating element when the device is in sterilization mode. Such an apparatus therefore makes it possible to quickly heat the water contained in its heating tank and thus to sterilize a single bottle placed in said tank then closed with a lid. However, this device has the drawback of sterilizing only one bottle at a time, the sterilization time of several bottles being then multiplied by their number to which are added intermediate times for preparing the device and bottles to be sterilized.

Document GB 2 306 328 also discloses an autoclave with two sterilization chambers arranged one above the other in a rack mounted on casters. The disadvantage of this device is that each sterilization chamber must have its own steam generator provided with its own control means, which complicates the construction and above all increases the cost of producing such a device.

Another document, GB 272 284, describes an apparatus intended to sterilize containers used on a farm. The device includes an oil boiler which evaporates water from a tank and then sends it through a network of steam pipes in the sterilization compartments of the device. We note more particularly in this document the complex network of steam conduits, each provided with a tap, an outlet nozzle and possibly a non-return valve, which make the construction of the device particularly bulky and complex. . Such a solution is not suitable for a baby bottle sterilizer, generally of much more compact construction.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks at least in part and to provide a bottle sterilization device capable of carrying out the sterilization either of an individual bottle or of several bottles at the same time, for an optimum time of sterilization adapted to the number of bottles to be sterilized. Another object of the invention is a bottle sterilization device capable of carrying out rapid sterilization of one or more bottles, which is of simplified and compact construction, while being reliable in operation.

Another object of the invention is a bottle sterilization device capable of ensuring the maintenance and transport in hygienic conditions of at least one bottle sterilized by the device.

These goals are achieved with a bottle sterilization device comprising a tank comprising a steam production cavity and a cover which bears on the tank and forms with the latter an enclosure capable of receiving one or more bottles to be sterilized, because said enclosure is separated from said steam producing cavity by a wall provided with communicating orifices, and that the apparatus includes separation and switching means which are capable of delimiting inside said enclosure a compartment and putting selectively in communication with said enclosure or said compartment with said device for producing steam from the device directly through the orifices in the wall.

This device is therefore designed so as to be able to separate the enclosure located inside the tank into two chambers, a small chamber corresponding to the compartment, consequently having reduced dimensions compared to the whole of the enclosure, and a larger room corresponding to the remaining space of the enclosure. A common means of steam production is advantageously provided for sending steam into one or other of the chambers directly (that is to say without piping or other means of remote transport interposed between the place of production of steam and the enclosure) through the orifices of an intermediate wall situated between the enclosure and the means for producing steam.

According to the invention, the device comprises separation means provided for delimiting a compartment of reduced dimensions inside the enclosure. The apparatus further comprises switching means provided for sending steam either only in the compartment delimited inside the enclosure, or in the whole enclosure. The switching and separation means can be separate means, the enclosure then being able to comprise, for example, a vertical wall delimiting a compartment in a vertical enclosure and a horizontal bottom wall comprising an opening communicating with said compartment and another communicating with the rest of the enclosure, openings which are closed by a drawer when actuated by the user. In another embodiment of the invention, the separation of the compartment in the enclosure and the switching of the vapor flow between the compartment and the enclosure are done by unique means, for example a movable vertical wall provided with a set of lateral orifices communicating with those opposite the enclosure and capable at the same time (for example by actuating shutters or shutters) of switching the openings of the intermediate wall arranged between the steam production cavity and the enclosure.

Thus, the vapor produced in the tank can then be directed, for example by a system of shutters, shutters, drawers, etc., either in this compartment of smaller dimensions, or in the whole of the enclosure, including- in the compartment. Depending on the operating mode chosen, it is then possible to sterilize either only the objects placed in the compartment of smaller dimensions, or all of the objects placed in the enclosure, the amount of water used and / or the operating time being adapted to the type of operation chosen.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a single bottle can be placed in the compartment. A smaller amount of water is then added to the tank, which means that the device rises more quickly in temperature and that the sterilization cycle is greatly reduced. In a variant, the sterilization time can be adapted to the volume of the enclosure or to that of the compartment. A shutter system then puts the volume of the compartment in relation to that of the tank, without loss in the enclosure.

In the case where the whole enclosure, i.e. the large room and the small chamber constituted by the compartment each contain bottles to sterilize, the steam produced by the heating tank of the device is then directed throughout the enclosure.

A rapid sterilization of a single bottle is thus obtained, while having the possibility of sterilizing several bottles with the same device.

Advantageously, said compartment is tubular and is capable of containing a bottle.

Such a tubular compartment can then delimit in the entire enclosure a volume sufficient to sterilize a single bottle. The peripheral zone between the base of this tube and that of the enclosure is then closed, the vapor produced by the tank being directed only inside this tubular compartment, without loss throughout the enclosure. Laboratory tests have shown that we can reduce a sterilization cycle by 40% for the sterilization of a single bottle, compared to a complete sterilization cycle of a set of six bottles with the device. of the invention.

Usefully, said compartment is closed and its bottom wall has at least one lower orifice for the passage of steam from the tank.

Thus, this compartment delimits a closed space inside which is carried out the sterilization of a single bottle, the steam arriving by a lower orifice which puts it in communication with the tank of the device.

Preferably, said tank is a cylinder or a cylinder portion and said compartment is arranged at the center of rotation of the cylinder or of the cylinder portion.

This allows to obtain, for a constant volume of the tank, a compact construction of the latter, for an optimized storage of the bottles around a central compartment, when the tank is a cylinder. In another embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, the tank is a portion of cylinder and the central compartment is arranged at the center of rotation of said portion of cylinder by being close to the side wall of the tank, which allows d '' arrange the other bottles on the cylindrical periphery of the tank to also obtain an optimized storage of all the bottles in the enclosure.

Advantageously, said tank comprises a first substantially horizontal perforated wall arranged at a distance from its bottom wall and comprising at least one central orifice and one or more peripheral orifices.

Preferably, said tank comprises a second perforated wall arranged against the first perforated wall and comprising at least one central orifice and one or more peripheral orifices.

Such perforated walls then form a support for the bottle or bottles placed in the enclosure, above the tank, allowing the water to drip and fall back into the tank through their respective orifices. These walls may be, depending on the shape of the tank, discs or portions of discs. In the case of a wall in the form of a disc portion, by central orifices, one understands the orifices placed at the center or around the center of rotation of the disc portion.

Advantageously, one of the perforated walls is mounted fixed relative to the tank and the other perforated wall is movable between a first position, called complete circulation, where their central and peripheral orifices face each other and a second position, called restricted circulation, where one of the walls blocks the peripheral orifices of the other wall.

Thus, by virtue of its mobility, one of the walls can then close the orifices of the other wall, thus forming a shutter system of simplified construction allowing the steam coming from the heating tank of the appliance to be directed at the center or at the center and on the periphery of said walls. Usefully, said perforated walls are movable in rotation relative to one another.

Thus, we manage to obtain a relative displacement of one wall relative to the other by using a small angular displacement of one of the walls.

Preferably, said compartment is integral with the movable perforated wall. This allows the compartment to perform the same movement as the movable wall, at the same time as the latter.

Preferably, said compartment has a handle projecting from the outside of the device.

This handle then makes it possible to actuate the compartment from outside the device and to print to it, as well as to the movable perforated wall, the rotational movement necessary for matching or closing certain orifices of the openwork walls.

According to the invention, the compartment is removably mounted relative to the tank.

By virtue of its removable nature, this compartment can then be removed from the tank, with the advantage of being able to transport with this compartment a bottle and its sterilized accessories, without touching them, thus preserving them from contact with germs, bacteria, etc. Furthermore, such a removable compartment acts as a key which can be used to actuate the movable perforated wall in rotation.

Preferably, the compartment is closed by a cover provided with a handle. The cover keeps the interior of the compartment watertight and at the same time allows access to the interior of the latter. The handle of this cover then serves as a means of gripping the compartment.

Advantageously, the compartment has a support in its upper part. This allows the body of the bottle to be arranged in the lower part of the compartment and its accessories (teat, ring, cap), in the upper part of the compartment, on said support.

Usefully, said compartment is cylindrical. This allows the interior space of the compartment to better conform to the exterior shape of the bottle to be sterilized. The volume of such a compartment is then better suited to sterilizing a single bottle.

Usefully, the tank has a cylindrical housing for receiving the compartment.

Such a cylindrical housing integral with the tank then makes it possible to better guide the removable compartment during its positioning relative to the tank.

Advantageously, said housing comprises at least one lateral orifice coming into communication with at least one lateral orifice of the compartment in its position of complete circulation, orifice which is closed by the side wall of the compartment in its position of restricted circulation.

Thus, the lateral orifices ensure better circulation of the vapor inside the enclosure when the complete circulation option for sterilizing all the bottles present in the enclosure is chosen. Furthermore, these orifices are closed off by the side wall of the compartment in order to conduct the vapor only inside the compartment when the restricted circulation option has been chosen.

Preferably, said enclosure is capable of receiving at least two, preferably six bottles.

Thus, with such a device, it is possible to sterilize at least one bottle in the option of circulating the steam restricted to the compartment containing this bottle. At at least a second bottle could then be placed next to the compartment in the enclosure. However, it has proved advantageous to be able to sterilize either a single bottle or six bottles at the same time (including one in the compartment and five arranged in the enclosure, around this compartment), for an operating time and a volume of optimized tank.

The invention will be better understood from the study of the embodiments taken without any limitation being implied and illustrated in the appended figures in which:

- Figure 1a is an exploded view of the apparatus of the invention and Figure 1b is an exploded view of a compartment used with the apparatus of the invention;

- Figure 2a is an axial sectional view of the device of the invention according to a first mode of operation and Figure 2b is a similar view showing by arrows the circulation of steam inside the device;

- Figure 3a is an axial sectional view of the apparatus of the invention according to a second mode of operation and Figure 3b is a similar view showing by arrows the circulation of steam inside the apparatus;

- Figure 4 is a top view, on an enlarged scale, of the tank, the cover being removed, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

The bottle sterilization apparatus according to the present invention as presented in FIG. 1a comprises a tank 2 provided at its bottom with an electric heating element 3 capable of bringing to a boil the water contained in the bottom wall 4 of form concave of the tank 2, forming a vapor production cavity of the device. For example, the power of the electric heating element 3 is 850W. The apparatus also includes a cover 5 fitted with an orifice or a steam exhaust valve (not shown in the figures).

The cover and cuvé assembly defines the outer envelope of the device, the cover 5 being fitted onto the tank 2. The same assembly defines inside an enclosure 6 capable of receiving the bottles to be sterilized. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the enclosure 6 is dimensioned so as to be able to receive six bottles and their accessories. According to the invention, the device comprises separation means 12 making it possible first of all to define a compartment 14 inside the enclosure 6. Such a compartment 14, better visible in FIG. 1b, comprises a body 15 cylindrical tubular open in the upper part and whose bottom wall 18 has lower orifices 19 for the passage of steam from the tank, as will be explained later. The side wall of the compartment 14 has lateral orifices 20 arranged over part of its circumference.

The compartment 14 forms a tube, the inside diameter of which is slightly greater than that of a bottle, so that it can receive a bottle arranged in the inverted position. opening bearing on the bottom wall 18 of compartment 14. The compartment 14 comprises a cylindrical support 16 with a perforated bottom wall arranged with its peripheral rim on the upper edge of compartment 14. The support 16 is designed to receive the accessories for the bottle , such as the nipple, the ring and the cap. The compartment 14 is closed by a cover 17 provided with a handle 21, a cover which fits into the free end of the body 15 of the compartment 14. Thus assembled, the compartment 14 defines a closed space inside, space suitable for receiving a bottle and its accessories.

The tank 2 (fig. 1a) is cylindrical, with a vertical axis of rotation, and comprises, above its bottom wall 4, a perforated lower wall 25 in the form of a disc having central orifices 26 distributed over a central zone of surface equivalent to that of the bottom wall 18 of the compartment 14, as well as peripheral orifices 26 'distributed, themselves, over a peripheral annular zone comprised between said central zone and the periphery of the perforated wall 25. A perforated wall 23 above disc shape is placed just above the perforated wall 25 and includes, like the previous one, central orifices 24 distributed over a central area of surface equivalent to that of the bottom wall 18 of compartment 14, as well as peripheral orifices 24 'distributed, them, on a peripheral annular zone between said central zone and the periphery of the perforated wall 23. The lower perforated wall 25 is mounted movable in rotation relative to the upper perforated wall 23 around the axis longitudinal of the tank 2.

A basket 30 is mounted in the upper part of the enclosure 6 and forms a support for the accessories of the bottles to be sterilized, the bottles being placed inside the enclosure, below the basket 30.

The compartment 14 is removably mounted relative to the tank 2. The compartment 14 has two protrusions 22 protruding outside and downward relative to its bottom wall 18. The protrusions 22 have a square shape, they pass through with clearance of the openings made in the upper perforated wall 23 and come to fit in correspondingly shaped orifices made in the lower perforated wall 25. Thus, by rotating the compartment 14, it rotates the perforated wall 25 according to two predetermined angles of rotation (or according to an angle and two directions of rotation) so as either to close the peripheral orifices 24 'of the perforated wall 23 upper, that is to make the orifices 24 'and 26' communicate with each other to let the steam coming from the tank 2 pass.

In the center of the tank 2 is disposed a cylindrical tubular housing 28 making it possible to receive and guide the compartment 14 during its positioning on the perforated wall 25 of the tank 2. The housing 28 comprises, over all or part of its circumference , lateral orifices 29 capable of coming into communication with the lateral orifices 20 of the compartment 14, as will be explained below. This tubular housing therefore separates the enclosure into a large peripheral chamber and a small central chamber for compartment 14.

Figure 2a shows the apparatus of the invention in a first mode of operation. The bottles 7 were arranged with their bodies 8 in the inverted position, their opening being placed on the perforated wall 23 of the tank 2. The accessories of these bottles, such as the teats 9, the rings 10 and the caps 11, are , placed on the basket 30 above the bodies 8 of the baby bottles 7. The compartment 14 has been put in place on the tank 2, a body 8 of the baby bottle and its accessories being placed inside the compartment 14. When the handle 21 of the compartment has been actuated in rotation according to arrow I, all the central orifices 24 and peripheral 24 ′ of the perforated wall 23 have been placed in communication with the central orifices 26, respectively peripheral 26 ′ of the perforated wall 25. All these orifices let the steam coming from the tank 2. By the same operation, the lateral orifices 29 of the housing 28 are united in communication with the lateral orifices 20 of the compartment 14 allowing a circulation of the steam in the middle part of the enclosure 6. FIG. 2b shows by curved arrows how the steam circulates inside the enclosure of the apparatus. Note in this figure that in the rotational position I of compartment 14, the vapor produced by the tank 2 circulates throughout the volume of the enclosure 6 of the device in order to sterilize the six bottles 7 that the enclosure contains .

Figure 3a shows the apparatus of the invention in a second mode of operation. A single bottle was placed inside the compartment 14 which was put in place as previously on the tank 2. When the handle 21 of the compartment was actuated in rotation according to arrow II, the compartment 14 and therefore the perforated wall 25 receive an additional angular displacement with respect to the preceding displacement so that the perforated wall 25 covers the peripheral orifices 24 'of the perforated wall 23. When the compartment 14 is rotated, the side wall of the latter closes the lateral orifices passage which existed between the compartment 14 and the housing 28. Thus, the only communication passages between the tank 2 and the enclosure 6 are limited to the central holes 26 of the perforated wall 25 which communicate with the central holes 24 of the wall perforated 23 and with the lower orifices 19 of the bottom wall of the compartment 14. Thus, the steam produced by the tank 2 is used only to sterilize the c compartment 14. Figure 3b shows by curved arrows how the steam circulates inside the enclosure of the appliance. Note in this figure that in the rotation position II of compartment 14, the steam produced by the tank 2 circulates only in compartment 14 thus ensuring, for a shorter treatment time, the sterilization of a single baby bottle and its accessories.

In operation, the user begins by putting a well-determined amount of water at the bottom of the tank 2. This amount of water depends on the operating mode chosen by the user. Thus, to sterilize the six bottles, one must pour 120 ml of water into the tank 2, while for a single bottle one pours only 70 ml into the tank 2. Then, the bottle or bottles are placed inside of speaker 6 and the on / off switch of the device is on. The heating element is supplied with electricity and raises the temperature of the water in tank 2 to around 95 - 98 °. The steam produced sterilizes the objects placed in enclosure 6. When the water in the tank is evaporated, the thermostat detects overheating and stops supplying the heating element. A sterilization cycle ends at this time and the bottles can be used by removing them from the device.

Thus, the duration of a sterilization cycle is 12 min to sterilize 6 bottles and only 6 min to sterilize a single bottle with the device of the invention.

The compartment 14 being removable, the bottle and the accessories which it contains can be transported with the compartment, being kept in very good hygienic conditions, out of contact with germs or bacteria which could contaminate them again.

Figure 4 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, where the tank 2, the cover 5 and the basket 30 have been removed for clarity. There is a tank 2 in the form of a cylinder portion, the cylindrical peripheral zone 32 being delimited by a flat side wall 31. The compartment 14 is in this case placed at the center of rotation O of the cylinder which generates the peripheral zone 32, close to the side wall 31 of the tank 2. The bottles, represented by their bodies 8, are then arranged on the arc periphery of circle of the tank 2 by partially surrounding the compartment 14. As previously described, the compartment 14 is integral with the perforated wall 25 in the form of a disc portion (shown in simplified form in the figure for clarity), which it drives in rotation. The arrows I and II indicate the possibilities of rotation of the perforated wall 25 actuated in rotation by the compartment 14 about a pivot axis passing through the center of rotation O. Such an apparatus has the same operation as that previously described.

Other variants and embodiments of the invention can be envisaged without departing from the scope of these claims.

Thus, when the compartment is removed from the tank, it could be replaced by a bottle placed directly in the enclosure and surrounded by five other bottles, the device then being able to function as a sterilizer with six bottles.

In another variant, the compartment can be delimited in the enclosure simply by placing a template in the enclosure (by template we understand a body of shape and dimensions adapted to those of the enclosure) which is capable of sealing off part of the orifices in the wall which separates the enclosure from the steam production cavity. Thus the steam produced is sent only in a compartment of reduced volume, via a limited number of communicating orifices.

Claims

B.0679Rext CLAIMS

1. Bottle sterilization device (7) comprising a tank (2) comprising a steam production cavity, and a cover (5) which bears on the tank and forms with the latter an enclosure capable of receiving one or more bottles to be sterilized, characterized in that said enclosure is separated from said vapor production cavity by a wall provided with communicating orifices, and in that the apparatus comprises separation and switching means (12) which are capable of delimiting inside said enclosure (6) a compartment (14) and to selectively put said enclosure (6) or said compartment (14) in communication with said device for producing steam directly through the orifices of the wall.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said compartment (14) is tubular and is capable of containing a bottle (7).

3. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said compartment (14) is closed and that its bottom wall has at least one lower orifice (19) for the passage of steam from the tank ( 2).

4. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tank (2) is a cylinder or a cylinder portion and that said compartment (14) is arranged at the center of rotation of the cylinder or of the cylinder portion.

5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tank (2) has a first perforated wall (23) substantially horizontal arranged at a distance from its bottom wall (4) and comprising at least one central orifice (24 ) and one or more peripheral orifices (24 ').

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said tank (2) comprises a second perforated wall (25) arranged against the first perforated wall (23) and comprising at least one central orifice (26) and one or more peripheral orifices (26 ').

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that one of the perforated walls (23) is mounted fixed relative to the tank (2) and that the other perforated wall (25) is movable between a first position, called of complete circulation, where their central (24,26) and peripheral orifices (24 ', 26') face each other and a second position, called restricted circulation, where one of the walls (25) closes the peripheral orifices (24 ') on the other wall.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said perforated walls (23,25) are movable in rotation relative to each other.

9. Apparatus according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said compartment (14) is integral with the perforated wall (25) movable.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said compartment (14) has a handle (21) projecting outside the apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compartment (14) is removably mounted relative to the tank (2).

12. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compartment (14) is closed by a cover provided with a handle (21).

13. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compartment (14) has a support (16) in its upper part.

14. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said compartment (14) is cylindrical.

15. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (2) comprises a cylindrical housing (28) for receiving the compartment (14).

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that said housing (28) comprises at least one lateral orifice (29) coming into communication with at least one lateral orifice (20) of the compartment (14) in its position of complete circulation, orifice which is closed by the side wall of the compartment (14) in its restricted circulation position.

17. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said enclosure is capable of receiving at least two, preferably six bottles.