WO2006108453A1 - Appareil servant a desinfecter des emballages de produits a hygiene critique - Google Patents

Appareil servant a desinfecter des emballages de produits a hygiene critique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2006108453A1
WO2006108453A1 PCT/EP2005/051907 EP2005051907W WO2006108453A1 WO 2006108453 A1 WO2006108453 A1 WO 2006108453A1 EP 2005051907 W EP2005051907 W EP 2005051907W WO 2006108453 A1 WO2006108453 A1 WO 2006108453A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
hygiene
packages
ionizing
products
critical
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2005/051907
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Franco Gornati
Franco Battaglia
Original Assignee
F.N.C. - Fabbrica Nazionale Cilindri S.P.A
I.Ri.S S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by F.N.C. - Fabbrica Nazionale Cilindri S.P.A, I.Ri.S S.R.L. filed Critical F.N.C. - Fabbrica Nazionale Cilindri S.P.A
Publication of WO2006108453A1 publication Critical patent/WO2006108453A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
    • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
    • A61L2/08—Radiation
    • A61L2/10—Ultraviolet radiation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/001—Details of apparatus, e.g. for transport, for loading or unloading manipulation, pressure feed valves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/26—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating
    • A23L3/263—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating with corpuscular or ionising radiation, i.e. X, alpha, beta or omega radiation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/26—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating
    • A23L3/28—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating with ultraviolet light
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
    • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
    • A61L2/08—Radiation
    • A61L2/082—X-rays
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
    • B65B55/027—Packaging in aseptic chambers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
    • B65B55/12—Sterilising contents prior to, or during, packaging
    • B65B55/16—Sterilising contents prior to, or during, packaging by irradiation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2202/00—Aspects relating to methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects
    • A61L2202/20—Targets to be treated
    • A61L2202/24—Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/26—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for marking or coding completed packages

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to the field of the industrial treatment of hygiene-critical products, such as food products and medical products, particularly to the sector of packaging methods and machinery for packaging hygiene-critical products. Specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for sanitizing hygiene-critical products packages and, in an embodiment thereof, to an improved packaging machine incorporating a products packages sanitizing unit.
  • Packaging machines are typically employed for automatically packaging food products such as for example fresh or cooked meats or fish, in chops or sliced, cheese, sausages, ham, mortadella, fresh noodles like raviolis or lasagna etc., just to cite a few examples.
  • the food products are packaged in containers, for example trays, envelops, bags, whose construction and size typically vary depending, for example, on the nature, shape, amount, e.g. weight of the food products to be packaged.
  • the containers are usually sealed, for example using suitable firms of plastic materials, or paper, carton, sheet metal.
  • the known packaging machines differ in structure and specific functions depending on the nature of the food products to be packaged, and of the containers wherein the food products have to be placed.
  • a conventional packaging machine comprises a plurality of operating stations or units, each one having a specific function, which are connected in cascade one to the other so as to define a working path; in particular, at a packaging machine loading station the food products are put into the respective containers, for example trays, which are then sealed by a packaging machine sealing unit; some packaging machines, also referred to as "thermoformers", include a thermoforming unit adapted to form the containers for the food products.
  • a transport mechanism is further provided, e.g. of the type comprising conveyor belts or chains, for transporting the items being processed, e.g. the (still empty) food products containers and/or the food products packages, along the working path to the different operating units.
  • the food products after having been put in the desired containers, i.e., packaged, are submitted to some kind of sanitizing process, allowing to substantially reduce or possibly destroy the bacterial charge thereof, or that of the container, or of the environment within the container.
  • Conventional packaging machines for food products albeit satisfactory under many respects, do not implement any such feature.
  • the Applicant has tackled the problem of improving the conventional packaging methods for packaging hygiene-critical products like food products or medical products, particularly under the respect of the products safety for the consumers, and of the packaged products' shelf life.
  • the Applicant has devised a solution that allows significantly increasing the level of hygiene and safety by sanitizing the hygiene-critical products packages; the hygiene-critical products, after having been put into the intended containers, are submitted to a sanitizing process, particularly a process adapted to substantially reduce or even destroy the bacterial charge normally present in the air, as well as to substantially reduce the populations of bacteria responsible of, e.g., alimentary toxinfection, by exposure to a suitable dose of a ionizing radiation.
  • a sanitizing process particularly a process adapted to substantially reduce or even destroy the bacterial charge normally present in the air, as well as to substantially reduce the populations of bacteria responsible of, e.g., alimentary toxinfection, by exposure to a suitable dose of a ionizing radiation.
  • an apparatus for treating hygiene- critical products packages is provided, as set forth in appended claim 1.
  • the apparatus includes at least one ionizing-radiation generator adapted to generate ionizing radiations, particularly but not limitatively X rays or electron beams, or other types of ionizing radiations, and to submit the hygiene-critical products packages to a sanitizing treatment by exposure thereof to a suitable dose of said ionizing radiations.
  • a suitable radiation dose amounts to at least approximately 0.2 Grays.
  • the sanitizing treatment it is possible to increase the level of safety of the packaged hygiene-critical products, such as food products or medical products, for the consumers, and to increase their shelf life.
  • the effect of reduction or destruction of the bacterial charge, usually present in the air, achieved by the sanitizing treatment may make an otherwise very strict control of the production environment unnecessary, at least as far as the hygiene-critical products packaging is concerned, i.e.
  • the sanitizing treatment allows achieving results comparable to those that would be obtainable by operating in a clean room, and/or by submitting the packaged food products to a pasteurization process, but without the inherent complications (unless these measures are strictly imposed by national or international hygienic regulations concerning alimentary production in respect of specific food products). This allows keeping the production costs reasonably low, while ensuring high levels of hygienic safety.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention may in particular be incorporated in a packaging machine, e.g. a food products packaging machine, placing it in-line with the conventional packaging machine units, or alternatively it may be used off-line, as a stand-alone unit.
  • the apparatus may also be adapted to implement a function of inspection of the hygiene-critical products packages, directed to the detection of possible contaminants, in the form of foreign bodies, even small-sized, within the hygiene-critical products packages.
  • contaminants may be the most diverse, e.g. particles or pieces of metal, glass, stone, bone, plastic, seafood shells, ceramics and various kinds of plastic, small stones, and are the unwanted byproducts of one or more phases of the production process.
  • the apparatus may also be adapted to detect and identify hygiene-critical products, e.g. food products that do not fell within predefined ratings of, e.g., shape, density, and the like.
  • the inspection junction may be achieved exploiting the at least one ionizing-radiation generator provided for the sanitizing treatment, by properly modulating (lowering) the energy of the ionizing radiation.
  • a marking unit may be provided, operatively associated with the apparatus, adapted to mark, in an identifiable way, the hygiene-critical product packages wherein contaminants have been detected, or which do not fall within the predetermined ratings.
  • aspects of the invention concern a process of producing hygiene-critical products packages, as set forth in appended claim 25, as well as a hygiene-critical products packaging process as set forth in appended claim 28, which comprise submitting the products packages to a sanitizing treatment by exposure thereof to a suitable dose of ionizing radiations, particularly X rays or electron beams.
  • ionizing radiations particularly X rays or electron beams.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food products packaging machine, particularly a thermoforming machine, incorporating a sanitizing unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, particularly a combined-function, sanitizing and inspection unit;
  • Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a lower film with two groups of trays already formed by a thermoforming unit of the packaging machine (some of the trays are shown as already filled with food products);
  • Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but taken downstream a sealing unit of the packaging machine, with an upper, sealing film already placed over the lower film to seal the trays filled with food products;
  • Figure 4 is a schematic front elevation view, partially in cross-section, of the combined-function, sanitizing and inspection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
  • Figure 5 shows the sanitizing and inspection unit of Figure 4, partially in cross- section, from an entrance side thereof;
  • Figure 6A is an energy vs. time diagram showing how the sanitizing and inspection unit of Figures 4 and 5 is operated, in an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 6B is a correspondent diagram of the sealed trays transport speed vs. time; and Figure 7 schematically shows, in elevation view partially in cross-section, a portion of a cutting unit of the packaging machine, for separating the sealed trays, the cutting unit being equipped with a marking unit for marking food products packages to be discarded, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • a food products packaging machine 100 is depicted, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the packaging machine 100 is adapted to automatically package food products, such as for example fresh or cooked meats or fish, either in chops or in slices, cheese, sausages, ham, mortadella, salami, fresh noodles like raviolis and lasagna, vegetables (fresh and cooked), etc.
  • the packaging machine 100 comprises a plurality of operating stations or units, each with a specific function, connected in cascade one to the other so as to define a packaging working path, indicated in the drawings by the arrow A.
  • the packaging machine 100 herein considered by way of non- limitative example is a thermoforming packaging machine: the plurality of operating units includes a thermoforming unit 105, placed at the beginning of the working path A, a food loading station 110, a sealing unit 115, a cutting unit 120, an outfeed conveyor unit 125; according to an embodiment of the present invention, the packaging machine 100 is further equipped with, particularly embeds a food products packages sanitizing unit 130, which, in the exemplary embodiment of the invention, is arranged along the working path A of the packaging machine 100.
  • a transport mechanism is also provided, particularly albeit not limitatively of the type comprising a conveyor chain unit, for transporting the items to be processed along the working path to the different operating units, from the thermoforming unit to the outfeed conveyor unit.
  • the various units of the packaging machine 100 are controlled by an electrical cabinet 135 and a programmable control unit 140, for example comprising a PLC and/or a personal computer, with display device and data input devices such as a keyboard, adapted to control the packaging machine 100, making the various units thereof operate according to a pre-determined operating workflow.
  • the thermoforming unit 105 is adapted to produce food products containers of the desired shape, for example plastic trays of the type commonly used for packaging the food products mentioned in the foregoing; the trays are formed starting from a film denoted as 170 in the drawings (the so-called "lower film") of a suitable thermoplastic material, feed by a lower-film supply reel 145; the food products containers are formed using suitable, heated molds and compressed air.
  • the conveyor chain unit comprises two conveyor chains, depicted only very schematically in the drawings and denoted herein as 160a and 160b; the two conveyor chains are located at the two sides of the working path A.
  • the two conveyor chains are equipped with grippers (not shown in the drawings) that have a normally-closed position, and are adapted to grip the lower film 170 so as to drag it along the working path A; the grippers can be opened, to release the film, for example by means of cams positioned along the working path A in predetermined positions.
  • the thermoforming unit in order to increase the machine throughput, is adapted to produce more than one food products container (e.g. tray) at a time in every single mermoforming cycle, for example two or, as schematically depicted in Figure 2, groups 200 of four (possibly more, e.g. six, nine, twelve or even more) containers 205, arranged for example in a 2-by-2 (or 2-by-3, or 3- by-3, or 4-by-3) matrix.
  • the groups of trays are formed from the same plastic film 170 and are physically attached to one another.
  • the food products loading station 110 Downstream the thermoforming unit 105, the food products loading station 110 is provided, for receiving the food products in a form ready to be packaged, for example slices of ham, or noodles, and for placing the received products into the containers 205.
  • the food products loading station 110 is of a manual type, being essentially an area of the packaging machine 100 whereat one or more human operators manually and visually control the filling of the food products containers, e.g. the trays 205, by the food products, the latter being for example received from a separate conveyor belt (not shown in the drawing), or from a hopper.
  • the food loading station may be semi-automatic or fully automatic, and be adapted to load the containers coming from the thermoforming unit 105 with a pre-determined amount of food products without the need of intervention by human operators.
  • the sealing unit 115 is adapted to seal the containers, filled with the food products, typically using a plastic film 180 ( Figure 3), the so-called "upper film”, particularly a thermoplastic film similar to the lower film 170, and unwound from an upper supply reel 147.
  • the sealing unit 115 At the entrance of the sealing unit 115, cams operated by toothed sprockets cause the grippers of the conveyor chain unit and that hold the lower film 170 to open, so as to receive the upper film 180, and then close again, so as to hold together the lower and the upper films and drag them along the working path A.
  • the sealing unit 115 similarly to the thermoforming unit, is adapted to submit the upper film 180 to a prescribed combination of heat and pressure, so as to cause the upper film 180 to adhere to the lower film 170 and thus seal the food products containers.
  • the sealing unit 115 may optionally include a vacuum pump arrangement, adapted to create vacuum inside the containers being sealed, and possibly a gas injection arrangement, adapted to inject into the containers being sealed an inert gas mixture (for example, a mixture of O2, CO 2 , N 2 ), for increasing the shell life of the packaged food products.
  • the cutting unit 120 is adapted to separate the sealed containers from each other, by cutting of the films 170 and 180.
  • the cutting unit 120 may include a transverse cutting sub-unit 120a, and a longitudinal cutting sub-unit 120b, respectively adapted to separate by cutting the containers along a direction transversal to the direction of motion along the working path A, and along the direction of motion along the working path A.
  • the outfeed conveyor 125 receives the separated, finished (filled and sealed) food product packages from the cutting unit 120, and makes them available for subsequent processing, such as storage and shipping.
  • the packaging machine 100 includes a sanitizing unit 130, adapted to perform a sanitizing treatment of the already packaged food products.
  • the sanitizing treatment is directed to substantially reduce, or even destroy the bacterial charge normally present in the air (the so-called "total mesophillic charge", e.g., staphylococcus and other bacteria usually present in the air), as well as to substantially reduce the populations of bacteria responsible of alimentary toxinfection of the human and/or animal body; for example, populations of bacteria dangerous for the human body like listeria and botulin may be strongly reduced (provided the food products packages are exposed to a suitable dose of ionizing radiations, as will be discussed later on).
  • the sanitizing unit 130 is a combined-fonction, sanitizing and inspection unit, adapted to perform, in combination with or addition to the above-mentioned sanitizing treatment, an inspection of the food products packages, directed to detecting the presence in the packages of possible contaminants in the form of small-sized foreign bodies, such as particles or pieces of metal, glass, stone, bone, plastic, seafood shells, ceramics and various kinds of plastic, small stones, which are for example the unwanted byproducts of one or more phases of the production process.
  • the inspection of the food products packages may reveal products that do not fell within predetermined ratings, for example in terms of density, or shape.
  • the sanitizing unit 130 is located, along the working path A, downstream the sealing unit 115, and before the cutting unit 120, and is thus adapted to operate on the groups 300 of already sealed food containers 305, before they are separated into individual packages.
  • the sanitizing unit 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention is best seen in Figures 4 and 5.
  • the unit comprises a cabinet 400 structured and arranged in such a way to be traversed, along the direction of the working path A, by the groups 300 of sealed food products containers 305 coming from the sealing unit 125.
  • the cabinet 400 has a generically trapezoidal shape (in cross-section), and defines thereinside a radiation-propagation chamber 405, which chamber is traversed by the containers as they are dragged along the working path A by the conveyor chain unit (the conveyor chains 160a and 160b).
  • a generator of ionizing radiation particularly (albeit not limitatively) a generator of X rays 410 is mounted; the X-ray generator 410 is arranged so that the generated X radiations propagate inside the propagation chamber 405, entering thereinto through a slot 460 formed in an upper wall of the cabinet; in particular, said slot 460 is located generically midway along the radiation chamber 405 in the direction A, and transversally extends across substantially all the width of the cabinet's upper wall ( Figure 5).
  • the X radiations 465 generated by the X-ray generator propagates through the radiation chamber 405 being directed generically downwards, towards the sealed food products containers 305 traveling through the chamber 405.
  • the cabinet 400 is closed at the bottom by a shield plate member 425 in X-ray shielding material, which is mounted to the bottom of the cabinet 400.
  • the shield plate member includes a central portion 425a, lying in a first plane, and two lateral wings 425b, inclined with respect to the plane of the central portion 425a.
  • the shield plate member 425 has a slot 470 formed therein, extending transversally thereto (transversally to the direction A), and an X-ray sensor 415 is enclosed within a housing 420, mounted underneath the shield plate member in correspondence of the slot 470 .
  • the X-ray sensor 415 is for example a linear sensor.
  • the internal surface of the walls of the cabinet 400 is in an X-ray reflecting material, such as for example stainless steel.
  • the spatial configuration of the cabinet 400, particularly of the radiation chamber 405, is such that, by ensuring an adequate reflection of the X rays, the intensity of the radiation in the area traversed by the sealed containers is essentially constant.
  • the lateral walls 480 of the cabinet 400 form, with respect to a vertical direction, an angle ⁇ approximately equal to half a divergence 2 ⁇ (transversally to the direction A) of the X radiations flow entering the radiation chamber 405 through the slot 460; additionally, the transversal width of the radiation chamber 405 is essentially equal to the width of the X radiations flow generated by the X-ray generator 410; in this way, the X radiations flow generated by the X-ray generator 410 substantially fills the space between the two opposite lateral walls 480 of the cabinet 400.
  • the radiation chamber 405 is longer than the width of the X radiations flow generated by the X-ray generator, but the lateral walls 490 form, with respect to the vertical direction, an angle ⁇ such that, combined with the angle formed by the lateral wings 425b of the shield plate 425 and the divergence 2 ⁇ (along the direction A) of the X radiations flow entering the radiation chamber 405 through the slot 460, the X radiations incident onto and reflected by the shield plate 425 are reflected back towards the sealed food containers by the walls of the radiation chamber 405.
  • suitable values for the angle ⁇ ranges from 2/3 ⁇ and 2 ⁇ (the specific value of the angle ⁇ depends on the X-ray generator, and a typical value is for example equal to 40°).
  • This construction allows achieving, within the radiation chamber 405, particularly in the region thereof where the food products containers to be processed pass, an essentially uniform intensity level of the X radiations.
  • the cabinet 400 has an input port 430 and an output port 435, through which the food products packages 305 enter into and, respectively, exit from the radiation chamber 405.
  • each one of the two UVC radiating arrangements 44Oi and 44Oo comprises an upper and a lower array of UVC lamps 445u, 4451, mounted to the cabinet 400 in such a way that, in operation, they are located above and, respectively below the sealed food products containers moving along the working path A and entering, respectively leaving, the radiation chamber 405.
  • Each one of the two UVC radiating arrangements 44Oi and 44Oo comprises for example some tens of UVC lamps; the lamps may extend transversally to the working path direction, so as to substantially span the whole width of the upper and lower films, and be arranged side by side along the direction A, or alternatively the lamps may extend along the direction A and be arranged side by side transversally to the direction A.
  • the sanitizing unit 130 has an X-ray shielding system adapted to prevent X-rays from escaping from the radiation chamber 405.
  • the cabinet 400 has an X-ray containment structure, and comprises in particular a layer 400a of an X-ray stopping material, typically Pb of suitable thickness, e.g. up to 10mm, sandwiched between two layers 400b of, e.g., stainless steel.
  • protections 450 in rubber charged with Pb are provided, again for preventing any escape of X rays from the chamber 405.
  • a pair of shielding shutters 455 of or including X-ray shielding material are provided, vertically movable under the action of a drive mechanism, such as an electric motor and a belt transmission (not shown in the drawing), so as to selectively open/close from below the input and output ports of the radiation chamber.
  • a drive mechanism such as an electric motor and a belt transmission (not shown in the drawing)
  • the sanitizing unit 130 may be equipped with an individual control unit (not shown in the drawings), or it may be controlled by the general control unit 140 of the packaging machine 100; in particular, the control unit 140 (or, if provided, the individual control unit of the sanitizing unit 130) is adapted to execute an image processing application software adapted to process the data coming from the X-ray sensor 415, so as to detect the presence of contaminants within the food products packages, particularly in the form of small-sized foreign bodies, such as particles or pieces of metal, glass, stone, bone, plastic, seafood shells, ceramics and various kinds of plastic, small stones. Additionally, food products packages not falling within predetermined ratings, for example in terms of density of the packaged food products, or their shape, may be identified.
  • the image processing software is adapted to perform an inspection of a plurality of food products packages at a time, for example all the trays 305 in a group 300 ⁇ e.g., two, four, six, nine, twelve or more trays).
  • the image processing software is designed to treat the signals acquired by the X-ray sensor 415 as relating to a plurality of distinct regions of inspection (i.e., regions of interest) in the radiation chamber 405 (for example, the number and shape of the different regions of inspection may be programmed by the user via a graphical user interface), so as to adapt to different numbers and shapes of food containers.
  • the image processing software processes the data coming from the X-ray sensor 415 and relating to the different inspection regions independently and in parallel (based on the user-defined configuration of the regions of inspection), for example by means of distinct processing threads.
  • a package marking unit 700 is further provided, for example embedded in the transversal cutting sub-unit (as shown schematically in Figure 7) and adapted to individually mark the sealed containers of food products 305 when they leave the sanitizing and inspection unit 130 in case the latter has detected the presence of contaminants.
  • the marking unit 700 comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, an array of marking heads 705, spatially arranged substantially as the trays in the generic group (e.g., in a 2-by-2, 3-by-3, 4-by-3 matrix), respecting the pitch between the trays in the generic group.
  • the marking heads 705 are adapted to be actuated independently from one another, under instructions by the control unit 140; the marking heads carry for example an inking film, adapted to release ink onto the sealing film of the packages when pressed against it.
  • the marking heads may include one or an arrangement of inkjet nozzles, similar to those provided in printing heads of inkjet printers; other types of marking heads may also be used.
  • the image processing software provides, for every inspection region, an individual indication of whether or not the food products package corresponding to that inspection region includes contaminants, and this indication is exploited for controlling the marking unit 700 so as to selectively mark only the contaminated packages.
  • an automatic expeller unit may be provided (not shown in the drawings), downstream the cutting unit 120, adapted to expel and discard the food products packages that have been identified, by the sanitizing and inspection unit 130, to contain foreign bodies and/or to be out of predetermined ratings.
  • the expeller unit may include selectively-activatable trap-doors, pushers, suction-cups, or whichever device adapted to selectively eliminate food products packages from the production cycle. «* The operation of the packaging machine 100 described in the foregoing will be now explained in greater detail. The operations of the different units are governed and synchronized by the machine's control unit 140.
  • the machine operating cycle starts by bringing a fresh portion of the lower thermoplastic film 170, from which the food containers 205 will be formed, to the thermoforming unit 105.
  • the lower film 170 is hooked, by means of grippers, to the conveyor chains 160a and 160b, so that when the latter are activated the film 170 of thermoplastic material is dragged along the direction A and is progressively unwound from the lower-film supply reel 145, and advanced along the working path A.
  • thermoforming unit 105 starts the trays' formation process; this involves, in a way known perse, using compressed air to cause the thermoplastic film to deform and conform to a properly shaped, heated mould(s); the heat causes a plastic deformation of the thermoplastic material, which is then cooled down, and retains the shape of the mould.
  • the conveyor chains 160a and 160b are re-started, so as to cause the newly formed group 200 of trays 205 be advanced along the path A to the loading station 110.
  • the advancement of the lower film 170 by the conveyor chains causes at the same time a new, fresh portion of lower thermoplastic film 170 to be unwound from the supply reel 145 and brought into the thermoforming unit 105, ready for the formation of a new group of trays.
  • the conveyor chains are stopped, and a new thermoforming cycle is started, for forming a new group 200 of trays 205.
  • thermoforming packaging machine 100 has a timing dictated by the thermoforming unit 105: phases in which the lower film is advanced along the direction A, to bring a new, fresh portion of lower film into the thermoforming unit, alternate to phases during which new groups of trays are formed, in which the films advancement is stopped.
  • a generic group 200 of trays 205 reaches the loading station 110.
  • the trays 205 are filled with the desired food products, for example manually, or automatically.
  • the filling of the trays may for example take place while the conveyor chains are stopped, because the thermoforming unit 105 is performing a new thermoforming cycle, leading to the formation a new group of trays.
  • the loading of the trays with the desired amount of food products may be accomplished in a time corresponding to the tray thermoforming time, or a longer time may be required: the loading station 110 may thus extend along the working path A a length such that the time of permanence of the trays in the loading station corresponds to two or more thermoforming cycles.
  • the trays filled with food products are sealed by the upper film 180, which is fed by the upper film supply reel 147.
  • the sealing process involves heating the upper film to a suitable temperature, depending on the thickness and the type of material of the upper film, and the type of material of the lower film from which the trays are made. While heated, the upper film 180 is subjected to a flow of compressed air, for making it adhere to the edges of the trays; the upper film is then cooled down.
  • the groups 300 of filled trays 305 after having been sealed, are advanced to the cutting unit, for being separated into individual finished packages. According to an embodiment of the present invention, before reaching the cutting unit 120 the sealed trays 305 pass through the sanitizing unit 130.
  • the trays 205 and 305 advance with the advancement of the lower film 170, and that their advancement is step-wise: each time a new group 200 of trays 205 has to be formed, the conveyor chains 160a and 160b are activated so to unwound a fresh portion of lower film 170 and bring it into the thermoforming unit 105; at the same time, the group 200 of trays 205 just formed is caused to leave the mermoforming unit 105 and is moved ahead towards the loading station 110. At the loading station 110, the trays 205 are filled with the food products.
  • the group of filled trays is brought to the sealing unit 115, where the trays are sealed.
  • the group 300 of just sealed trays 305 is moved ahead towards the sanitizing unit 130.
  • UVC rays generated by the arrangement of lamps 44Oi located upstream the input port 430 of the cabinet 400.
  • the UVC lamps are for example lighted at the packaging machine start-up, and are kept constantly lighted.
  • UVC rays are ionizing radiations that feature relatively good sanitizing (sterilization) properties, but they have a relatively low capability of penetrating bulk materials; the Applicant has found that the exposure to UVC rays allows sanitizing the containers of the food products, whereas only a limited sanitizing effect, possibly a limited surface sanitizing effect, is expected on the food products themselves, especially in the case of relatively bulky food products. It is observed that thermoplastic films commonly used in the alimentary industry for packaging food products can be penetrated by UVC rays.
  • the trays are exposed to X rays generated by the X-ray generator 410.
  • the exposure of the sealed food containers to X rays is accomplished by modulating the energy of the X-ray radiation, in the exemplary way described hereinbelow.
  • the first group of trays may for example be the first group of trays formed at the packaging machine start-up, that reaches the sanitizing unit 130 after a certain number of thermoforming cycles, or any other subsequent group of trays.
  • the X-ray generator 410 is caused to generate X-rays of a first, relatively low energy level, indicated as El in the drawing; in particular, the first energy level El is chosen on the basis of the nature of the X-ray sensor 415, of the food product to be inspected, of the container material, of the possible contaminants to be detected.
  • the radiation is captured by the X- ray sensor 415, and the sensor provides data to the control unit 140, which, through an image processing software, can determine the presence of possible contaminants within the containers 305.
  • the conveyor chains are stopped (because the thermoforming unit 105 starts a new thermoforming cycle).
  • the stopping of the conveyor chains 160a and 160b triggers the start of a first sanitizing phase of the group(s) of sealed trays which are within the radiation chamber 405, in this example the first and the second groups of sealed trays.
  • the control unit 140 causes the X-ray generator 410 to increase the energy of the generated X radiations, for example according to a linear ramp, up to a second, higher energy level E2 (which is reached at the instant t3).
  • the second energy level E2 depends as well on the nature of the product to be inspected and of the container material.
  • the relatively high energy of the generated X radiation allows the X rays, which are a rather penetrating type of radiation, to have a sanitizing action on the food products within the packages, as well as on the packages themselves.
  • the second energy level E2 is maintained till an instant t4, just before (instant t5) the conveyor chains are re-started (after the thermoforming unit has completed a thermoforming cycle).
  • the re-start of the conveyor chains 160a and 160b triggers a second inspection phase, for inspecting the second group 300 of sealed trays 305: the energy of the generated X rays is caused to drop again to the first energy level El, for example following a linear fell; the first energy level El is reached at instant t4; during the second inspection phase, similarly to the first inspection phase, all the sealed trays 305 of the second group 300 are inspected at a time, in parallel to each other. While the second group of trays is being inspected, the first group of trays moves forward to the output port of the radiation chamber 405, and the next, generic third group 300 of sealed trays 305 enters into the radiation chamber.
  • the second inspection phase lasts until, at the instant t6, the conveyor chains are stopped; this event triggers the start of a second sanitizing phase, similar to the first one, which is performed on all the packages that are inside the radiation chamber.
  • the generic sealed food products container 305 is first exposed to UVC radiations, for a certain time, then it is exposed at least once to relatively high-energy X rays, and finally it is exposed again to UVC radiations.
  • UVC radiations UVC rays, X rays
  • the Applicant has found that a suitable dose adapted to achieve the desired sanitizing goal is approximately 0.2 Grays.
  • the first energy level El of the X rays may range from approximately 35KeV to approximately 75KeV, whereas the second energy level E2 may range from 100 KeV to some tens of MeV, e.g. 20 MeV; a second energy level in the range from 150 KeV to 220 KeV may for example be suitable.
  • the inspection phases may last from approximately 0.3 seconds to approximately 1 second; the sanitizing phases may last approximately 5 seconds, this corresponding to the time needed by the thermoforming unit to perform a thermoforming process.
  • the exposure to the UVC radiation may last approximately 4 or 5 seconds both before entering the radiation chamber and after leaving it.
  • the specific radiations dose particularly the specific energy levels and exposure times greatly depends on the nature of the food products to be sanitized, and on the package materials; the energy levels can be traded off with the exposure times, for achieving the desired sanitizing effect.
  • the generic food products container may be submitted to a number of sanitizing phases different that that described above, and this aspect is not a limitation of the present invention.
  • Performing the inspection phase while the packages are moving, and the sanitizing phase when the trays are stopped inside the radiation chamber requires the use of a specific X-ray sensor (a linear sensor should in this case be used), but improves the effectiveness of the sanitizing process, because it is ensured that the food product containers are more* uniformly invested by the high-energy X rays in the sanitizing phase.
  • the sanitizing and the inspection phases are not carried out on a single container, but on a group of, e.g., two or more containers. This speeds up the sanitizing and inspection procedures.
  • the image recognition software is capable of analyzing the image data coming from the X-ray sensor 415 in respect of the individual food containers 305 of a group 300, so as to detect possible contaminants in the different packages of the group.
  • the marking unit 700 upstream the transversal cutting blades of the transversal cutting sub-unit 120a, the marking unit 700, under control of the control unit 140, is operated so as to mark those containers 305 of the generic group 300 wherein, during the inspection phase, the presence of contaminants has been ascertained: marking of these containers provides an easy way to identify the finished packages to be discarded. The marking of the containers takes place when the conveyor chains are stopped. It is pointed out that the marking of the packages is performed while they are still joined to each other, because in this way the process of marking the packages is easier; however, nothing prevents from performing the marking in different ways.
  • sub-unit 120a After having marked those containers that include contaminants, they are separated by a transversal cutting (in sub-unit 120a), by which the lower and upper films are cut in the direction transversal to the direction A, and then by a longitudinal cutting (in sub-unit 120b), by which the lower and upper films are separated in the direction A.
  • a transversal cutting in sub-unit 120a
  • a longitudinal cutting in sub-unit 120b
  • an automatic expeller unit may be provided, downstream the cutting unit, adapted to automatically discard the food products packages identified as non conforming to the prescribed ratings.
  • X rays i.e., by combining the good, but scarcely penetrative? superficial sanitizing properties of the UVC rays, with the high penetration capabilities of the X rays, an efficient sanitizing effect on the packaged food products can be achieved. It is pointed out that the exposure of the UVC is not perse strictly necessary to achieve a satisfactory sanitizing effect, however it is believed advantageous, because it allows reducing the X- rays dose, e.g. the exposure time and/or the energy of the X rays necessary for achieving a satisfactory sanitizing of the packaged food products.
  • one or both of the UVC radiating arrangements may be eliminated: in this case, the radiation dose to which the food products packages are exposed may need to be adjusted, e.g. the exposure time to X rays may have to be increased, taking account of the nature of the food products and of the packages.
  • the X rays used for sanitizing the food products are expediently used also for food containers' inspection purposes, for detecting the possible presence of small-sized foreign bodies and/or out-of- ratings food products packages.
  • this double function is achieved by modulating the energy of the generated X radiation; however, nothing prevents that, in alternative practical embodiments, distinct X-ray generators are used for performing the sanitizing and the inspection processes.
  • the described invention embodiment allows sanitizing and, in the preferred embodiment, inspecting the already packaged food products, substantially at the end of the packaging process, and thus of the productive cycle; in this way, it is possible to obtain one conformity certificate for the whole production line, instead of having to produce a conformity certificate for every equipment making up the production line. It is thus possible to comply with all the existing regulations with no extra-costs. When not strictly imposed by the national or international regulations concerning foods production, it is possible to avoid the use of clean rooms and/or pasteurization processes.
  • the possibility of sanitizing the food products during their packaging process is also particularly important in case the food products are produced following biocompatible production rules, avoiding any herbicides and chemical pesticides to protect the cultivation.
  • the sanitizing process or the combined sanitizing/inspection processes being performed "in-line" with the usual phases of the packaging process, do not essentially add dead times to the packaging process.
  • the packaging machine is a mermoforming packaging machine
  • the "dead" machine times required by the thermoforming unit for forming the food products containers are expediently used for performing the sanitizing or, alternatively, the inspection processes.
  • the energy of the ionizing radiations to which the food products are exposed in the sanitizing unit may be adjusted so as to fully take advantage of the inevitable dead machine times needed for thermoforming the food products packages.
  • thermoforming unit may be dispensed for, the packaging machine receiving food containers to be replenished already formed by a separate, distinct machine.
  • the sanitizing unit was embedded in the packaging machine and, in particular, placed downstream the sealing unit, in alternative invention embodiments the sanitizing unit may for example be located, along the working path, after the loading station, upstream the sealing unit of the packaging machine. In other words, the sanitizing process may be performed after or before sealing the containers.
  • the sanitizing apparatus instead of being a unit embedded in the packaging machine, placed in-line with the other units/stations of the packaging machine, may be a stand-alone unit placed off-line the packaging machine, for example downstream thereof in the production process; also in these cases, the sanitizing unit may be a combined-function, sanitizing and inspection unit, for example exploiting the same ionizing radiation for both sanitizing and inspecting the food products packages. Additionally, also in these cases a package marking unit and/or a package expeller unit may be operatively associated with the sanitizing (and inspection) unit. - ⁇ * Furthermore, having the sanitizing unit also perform the additional function of inspection unit is perse advantageous, but not strictly necessary: distinct sanitizing and inspection units may be provided, generically arranged along the working path.
  • the specific spatial configuration of the radiation chamber of the sanitizing unit may differ from the described one, and other configurations may be devised adapted to ensure a relatively uniform radiation intensity in the radiation chamber, particularly in the region thereof traversed by the food products containers. Also, more than just one ionizing-radiation generator may be provided.
  • transversal cutter unit or the longitudinal cutter unit, may not be provided, depending on the arrangement of the groups of joined containers, or no cutting unit at all may be provided, in case the various units of the packaging machine operate on a single container at a time.
  • the invention can also be applied to bag-in-box packaging, vacuum packaging, metal pouches, tray and carton packaging (e.g., packages used for baby food, bread, cakes, meat, seafood, vegetables), as well as to machines for bottling or canning beverages; for the purposes of the present invention, the terms "food products” and "packaging” are to be construed in a rather broad sense, and the present invention applies to any kind of machine adapted to put food products in respective containers.
  • the applicability of the present invention is not limited to the sanitizing of food products packages: more generally the invention can be advantageously applied to the sanitizing of packaged products which are hygiene-critical, i.e. products for which the hygiene is a critical aspect; examples of hygiene-critical products include, in addition to the already considered food products and beverages, products for use in the medical treatment of the human and/or animal body, such as for example bandages, surgical gauzes, and like products.
  • X rays are also not to be construed as limitative to the present invention; other types of radiation can be exploited in place of the X rays; in particular, ionizing radiations of sufficient energy, higher than the UVC energy, can be used, either electro-magnetic radiation or particle radiation and, more particularly, electron beams.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
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  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
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  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil permettant de traiter des emballages de produits à hygiène critique (305), tels que des emballages de produits alimentaires ou des emballages de produits médicaux. L'appareil comprend au moins un générateur de rayonnements ionisants (410) conçu pour générer un rayonnement ionisant et pour soumettre les emballages de produits à hygiène critique à un traitement de désinfection en les exposant à une dose appropriée de rayonnements ionisants, en particulier à des rayonnements d'au moins 0,2 Gray, tels que des rayons X ou des faisceaux d'électrons. L'appareil peut en particulier être également apte à inspecter les emballages de produits à hygiène critique afin de détecter l'éventuelle présence de contaminants. L'appareil peut être intégré dans une machine d'emballage, telle qu'une machine d'emballage de produits alimentaires, en ligne avec d'autres unités de celle-ci.
PCT/EP2005/051907 2005-04-12 2005-04-27 Appareil servant a desinfecter des emballages de produits a hygiene critique WO2006108453A1 (fr)

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WO2008037326A2 (fr) * 2006-09-26 2008-04-03 CFS Bühl GmbH Traitement sanitaire des aliments, chaîne de transport et d'emballage pour réaliser des produits allongés et pour déterminer la durée de stockage d'un produit
FR2955777A1 (fr) * 2010-01-29 2011-08-05 Pierre Herve Station automatisee de decontamination de container par flux ionisant
EP2463229A1 (fr) * 2010-12-10 2012-06-13 Krones AG Procédé et dispositif destinés au remplissage aseptisé
WO2014083054A1 (fr) * 2012-11-27 2014-06-05 Krones Ag Dispositif et procédé de stérilisation de récipients avec surveillance du rayonnement x
IT201600082954A1 (it) * 2016-08-05 2018-02-05 Fater Spa Impianto per la produzione di prodotti cosmetici, in particolare per la produzione di salviette umidificate
WO2019200249A1 (fr) * 2018-04-13 2019-10-17 Nqv8 Llc Désinfection d'unités alimentaires préquantifiées prêtes à l'emballage
CN110720116A (zh) * 2018-05-11 2020-01-21 艺康美国股份有限公司 用于便携式包装食品容器的卫生系统

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WO2008037326A2 (fr) * 2006-09-26 2008-04-03 CFS Bühl GmbH Traitement sanitaire des aliments, chaîne de transport et d'emballage pour réaliser des produits allongés et pour déterminer la durée de stockage d'un produit
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IT201600082954A1 (it) * 2016-08-05 2018-02-05 Fater Spa Impianto per la produzione di prodotti cosmetici, in particolare per la produzione di salviette umidificate
WO2018025126A1 (fr) * 2016-08-05 2018-02-08 Fater S.P.A. Installation de production de produits cosmétiques, en particulier de production de lingettes humides
WO2019200249A1 (fr) * 2018-04-13 2019-10-17 Nqv8 Llc Désinfection d'unités alimentaires préquantifiées prêtes à l'emballage
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CN110720116A (zh) * 2018-05-11 2020-01-21 艺康美国股份有限公司 用于便携式包装食品容器的卫生系统
CN110720116B (zh) * 2018-05-11 2023-11-07 艺康美国股份有限公司 用于便携式包装食品容器的卫生系统

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