Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
  • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
  • B08B9/0804—Cleaning containers having tubular shape, e.g. casks, barrels, drums
• • 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
  • B65B55/04—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging
  • B65B55/10—Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging by liquids or gases
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C7/00—Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
  • B67C7/0073—Sterilising, aseptic filling and closing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
  • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
  • B67C3/22—Details
  • B67C2003/228—Aseptic features
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
  • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
  • B67C3/22—Details
  • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
  • B67C2003/2688—Means for filling containers in defined atmospheric conditions

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a container filling unit comprising an insulator, in particular for a production installation.
• Such a manufacturing facility generally comprises different units between which are disposed transfer means so as to perform successively the operations of the manufacturing process from the formation of the container to obtaining a filled and plugged container forming a finished product .
• the procedure is first upstream to the transformation of preforms into bottles in a blowing unit, the shaping is carried out by blowing or drawing blowing into a mold of a preform previously heated in an oven.
• the blowing unit is integrated into the manufacturing facility to obtain a compact monobloc installation capable of fully performing the manufacturing process from the beginning until finished products ready to be marketed.
• the unit is at least disposed upstream so that the bottles produced can then feed directly to the entrance of an installation grouping all units succeeding it according to the manufacturing process.
• the installation shown in FIG. 1 of this document mainly comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned blowing unit, a cleaning unit in which a sanitizing or sterilizing treatment is carried out in order to decontaminate the interior and / or the outside of the bottle, a filling time and a closing time.
• the manufacturing plant shown in FIG. 1 of EP-B1-1.001 2.047 comprises a sterile enclosure delimiting a volume within which the different elements are arranged in such a way that the manufacturing process is carried out. in an aseptic or sterile environment to mimic the risk of contamination of the bottles produced.
• the filling operation of the container is usually recognized as being the most sensitive with regard to the risks of contamination, in particular particulate airborne contamination by germs, bacteria, etc. likely to contaminate the interior volume of the container.
• other means are generally used to reduce the risk of contamination. especially when filling.
• an isolator is an enclosure for carrying out operations without risk of contamination.
• FIG. 1 shows an example of such an isolator of a filling state according to the state of the art known to the applicant but which does not, however, give complete satisfaction.
• FIG. 1 shows an example of such an isolator of a filling state according to the state of the art known to the applicant but which does not, however, give complete satisfaction.
• the invention therefore aims to solve the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a particular solution to reduce the risk of particulate contamination in such a filling unit having an insulator.
• the invention proposes a container filling unit, in particular for a container production installation, which comprises an insulator comprising an external enclosure provided with an inlet and an outlet, the enclosure delimiting, with an internal structure, a volume forming an aseptic working zone and having means for injecting sterile air that i, d isposed in the upper part of the insulator, are capable of injecting a sterile air flow intended to establish an overpressure inside the volume, characterized in that the sterile air insufflation means are arranged in the upper part of the insulator so as to project a laminar flow of sterile air intended to lick the outer surface of the containers and in that the insulator comprises in the lower part of the exhaust means, the end of the inlet and the outlet, intended to allow a controlled evacuation of the laminar flow of air s tilted insufflated.
• the exhaust means are made in a simple and economical manner by omitting to fill the sterilizer with the lower dynamic seal of the isolator of the filling unit to create a passage to which naturally flows the laminar flow of sterile air.
• the invention is therefore likely to be easily implemented on an existing insulator filling unit. According to other features of the invention:
• the means for injecting sterile air are arranged with a determined inclination corresponding to an angle which is defined by the intersection of a main axis of the insufflation means with a vertical axis of reference of the isolator ;
• the vertical axis of reference of the insulator is parallel to the main axis of the containers which extend vertically for their filling;
• the exhaust means are located closer to the containers so that the laminar flow of sterile air blown is mainly removed from the enclosure bydd its exhaust means; - The passage section of the exhaust means is greater than the passage section of the inlet and / or the outlet of the insulator provided in the enclosure;
• the isolator comprises extraction means associated with the exhaust means so as to control the evacuation of the laminar flow of sterile air;
• the isolator of the filling unit comprises dynamic sealing means, respectively at least one upper dynamic seal and one lower dynamic seal, which are arranged between the enclosure and a part movable internal structure, each of said dynamic seals comprising a first element and a second sealing element between which the seal is ensured by the presence of a l ill steril isant bathing at least a portion of prem first and second elements and the exhaust means are constituted by the lower dynamic seal between the first and second elements of which no sterilizing liquid is introduced so as to create a passage intended to evacuate directly, after the licking of the containers, the laminar flow of sterile air insufflated;
• the laminar flow of sterile air is capable of driving towards the exhaust means any contaminating particles present on the outer surface of the container, in particular likely to contaminate the interior volume of the containers;
• the value of the overpressure established in the aseptic working zone of the insulator is less than or equal to 15 Pascal (Pa) so as to maintain a flow of laminar type for the flow of sterile air blown.
• the invention also proposes a container manufacturing installation comprising a filling unit, characterized in that the installation comprises a controlled atmosphere containment enclosure delimiting an interior volume in which at least one cleaning unit is arranged, the unit filling and capping unit and associated sterile air insufflation means adapted to establish an overpressure in said interior volume of the containment whose value is lower than the value of the overpressure established in the aseptic zone of work of the isolator.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a filling unit according to FIG. the state of the art comprising an equalized isolator of means for injecting sterile air, which particularly illustrates the turbulent flow of the sterile air flow in the aseptic working zone in which at least one the filling of the receptacles;
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a filling unit according to the invention which illustrates the flow of the sterile air flow in the aseptic working area which licks the external surface of the container before being evacuated by the associated exhaust means.
• FIG. 1 shows a filling unit 1 0 according to the state of the art, which can in particular be integrated into a container production installation 1 2. .
• Container refers generically and nonimitatively to all types of containers 14, such as bottles, vials, etc.
• the container filling unit 10 comprises an insulator 16 for carrying out the filling operations of the containers in a controlled environment particularly having high sterilization or sterilization conditions to ensure a reduced risk of contamination of the containers. 14 by particles or pathogens, such as bacteria, germs etc.
• an insulator 1 6 comprises an external chamber 18 which is respectively provided with an inlet opening "E" through which the containers 14 to fill ir upstream are introduced into the insulator 16 and an outlet opening "S" through which the containers 14 are discharged downstream from the enclosure 1 8 of the insulator 1 6.
• the insulator 1 6 here comprises an internal structure 20 which is arranged centrally which is surmounted and surrounded by the enclosure 1 8.
• the enclosure 18 delimits, with the internal structure 20, a volume "V" forming an aseptic working zone 22 which is for example of annular shape and comprised radially between the internal face of a wall 24 delimiting the internal structure 20 and the internal face of a wall 26 of the enclosure 18.
• the insulator 16 also comprises means for insufflating sterile air 28 which are generally arranged in the upper part of the insulator 16 so as to inject a flow "f" of sterile air into the volume "V". forming the aseptic working zone 22 in which the containers 14 introduced by the inlet opening E are intended to be successively filled.
• the flow of sterile air injected by the insufflation means 28 is intended to establish an overpressure inside the volume V to isolate the aseptic working zone 22 from the risk of external contamination by particles (germs, viruses, bacteria , etc.) that may be present in particular in the surrounding air located outside the chamber 18 and around the insulator 16.
• the filling of the container 14 is usually considered as the operation in which the risk of contamination of the container, in particular of its internal volume, is the most critical.
• the isolator 16 comprises dynamic sealing means 30 respectively here constituted by an upper dynamic seal 32 and a lower dynamic seal 34.
• the insulator 1 6 comprises an upper portion 36 of the inner structure 20 which is rotatably mounted relative to the housing 18 and with respect to a lower portion 38 fixed to the internal structure 20 forming a frame.
• the dynamic sealing means 30 are disposed between the enclosure 1 8 and said movable upper part 36 of the internal structure 20 of the insulator 16.
• the movable part 36 is generally constituted by a carousel provided with a plurality of filling station which are distributed circumferentially and which are each capable of moving with a container from the inlet opening E to the outlet opening S by proceeding, during this course, at least to the filling issage of the container 14.
• the upper dynamic seal 32 and the lower dynamic seal 34 forming the dynamic sealing means 30 are for example arranged at the upper and lower ends of the wall 24, at the junction between the internal structure 20 and the enclosure 18.
• the upper dynamic seal 32 and the lower dynamic seal 34 each comprise a first member 32a, 34a and a second sealing member 32b, 34b, between which the seal is ensured by the presence of a seal.
• a sterilant 40 is bathed in at least a portion of the first and second elements.
• the containers 14 introduced through the inlet E are essentially the vector for the possible propagation of the particles.
• the containers 14 thus generally undergo an aseptic treatment upstream of the insulator 1 6, treatment at the end of which the containers 14 are supported by conventional transfer means (not shown) and introduced continuously through the inlet opening E inside the chamber 18 of the insulator 16, in the aseptic working zone 22 to be filled therein.
• the flow of sterile air blown by the insufflation means 28 flows vertically up and down following a turbulent flow through the aseptic working zone 22 in which the containers 14 are filled in particular.
• the flow of sterile air flows from the insufflation means 28 "falling" partly vertically above the receptacles 14 and filling means 42 carried by the carousel 36 forming the part mobile of the internal structure 20.
• the rotation of the assembly 14, 36, 42 therefore causes large swirls in the air flow, which is necessarily a turbulent type flow.
• the evacuation of the flow of sterile air maintaining the overpressure inside the insulator 1 6 is effected through the inlet openings E and outlet S of the enclosure 1 8, openings d E inlet and outlet S through which the containers 14 are permanently introduced or evacuated so that it still contributes to cause a flow of sterile air that is turbulent.
• one of the containers 14 comprises, for example on its outer surface 44, a contaminating particle such as a bacterium, a germ etc. there is then a risk of airborne contamination of the aseptic working zone 22 by this particle and more particularly contamination of the internal volume 46 of one of the containers 14 introduced into the aseptic working zone 22 in order to its filling.
• the object of the invention is therefore to provide a simple and economical solution for controlling the risk of particulate contamination by such particles that may be present on the outer surface 44 of the container 14 despite the sanitizing or sterilizing treatment operations of the container 14 carried upstream of the insulator 16.
• the sterile air insufflation means 28 are arranged in the upper part of the insulator 1 6 so as to project a laminar flow F of sterile air intended to lick the outer wall 44 containers 14 and the insulator 1 6 has in the lower part of the exhaust means 48 for allowing a controlled discharge of the flow F injected sterile air.
• FIG. 2 shows an example of a filling state 10 of containers 14 according to the invention which will be described hereinafter by comparison with the one shown in FIG. 1.
• blowing means 28 are arranged in the upper part of the insulator 1 6, here of its enclosure 18, with a determined inclination of angle " ⁇ ".
• the angle ⁇ of inclination is defined by the intersection of a main axis A blowing means 28 with a vertical axis X of reference of the insulator 1 6.
• the value of the angle ⁇ is determined in such a way that the sterile airflow F flows vertically vertically from top to bottom by licking the outer wall 44 of each container 14 introduced into the aseptic working area. 22 with a view to their filling.
• the vertical axis X of the reference of the insulator 1 6 is here parallel to the main axis of the containers 14 which extend vertically below the filling means 42 able to introduce a quantity of liquid determined in each container.
• the filling is performed by means of a filling spout 50 may be introduced into an opening 52 of the container 14 held in position by the support means 54 to pour the liquid.
• the laminar flow F of sterile air flows well according to a flow of laminar type, and therefore non-turbulent, before being evacuated by the exhaust means 48.
• the exhaust means 48 are located closer to the containers 14 and further from the inlet openings E and exit S of the insulator 16.
• passage section of the exhaust means 48 is advantageously greater than the passage section of the inlet E and / or the output S of the insulator 16 formed in the wall 26 of the enclosure 18.
• the laminar flow F of sterile air insufflated by the blowing means 28 is essentially discharged from the enclosure 18 by said exhaust means 48 and no longer by the inlet openings E or outlet S so that that the flow of the laminar flow F through the aseptic working zone 22 is fully controlled to further reduce the risk of particulate contamination of the interior volume 46 of one of the containers 14 or a portion of the unit 10 such that the filling means 42.
• the laminar flow F of sterile air is able to drive towards the exhaust means 48 the air contained inside each container 14 which, during filling operations, is progressively expelled by the opening 52 upper filling of the container 14.
• the insulator 16 includes extraction means 56 associated with the exhaust means 48 so as to cause an additional suction effect and to guarantee that the removal of the laminar flow F of sterile air takes place mainly, it is almost completely exhausted by the exhaust means 48.
• the air of the laminar flow F sucked by the extraction means 56 is discharged to the outside in the atmosphere so that the contaminating particles present in this air can not contaminate, in an installation 1 2 , the other units adjacent to one of the filling stations 1 0.
• the air of the laminar flow F sucked by the extraction means 56 could be recycled to supply back the insufflation means 28, the recycling comprising treatment operations, in particular by filtration and / or sterilization, extracted air before it is reintroduced to ensure that it is free of all contaminating particles.
• the exhaust means 48 consist of the lower dynamic seal 34 between the first and second elements 34a, 34b of which no sterilizing liquid 40 is introduced. it so as to voluntarily create a passage capable of discharging, after the licking of the containers 14, the laminal flow F of sterile air blown in by the insufflation means 28.
• the lower dynamic seal 34 between the first and second elements 34a, 34b of which no sterilizing liquid 40 is introduced. it so as to voluntarily create a passage capable of discharging, after the licking of the containers 14, the laminal flow F of sterile air blown in by the insufflation means 28.
• the lower dynamic seal 34 between the first and second elements 34a, 34b of which no sterilizing liquid 40 is introduced. it so as to voluntarily create a passage capable of discharging, after the licking of the containers 14, the laminal flow F of sterile air blown in by the insufflation means 28.
• the lower dynamic seal 34 between the first and second elements 34a, 34b of which no steriliz
• the sterilizing liquid 40 is thus introduced selectively into the lower dynamic seal 34 depending on whether it is desired to respectively open, during the filling operations of the containers 14, a passage for the controlled evacuation of the laminar flow F by said seal. lower dynamic sealing 34 or closing said passage for example to restore tightness during maintenance operations of the insulator 16, in particular of decontamination of the aseptic working zone 22.
• the exhaust means 48 are made in a given part of the insulator 16, for example in the wall 24 of the internal structure 20, the dynamic sealing means 30, 32 and 34 then being kept operational.
• the invention is therefore likely to be easily implemented in a filling unit 10 by the sole modification of the insufflation means 28 of the laminar flow F, without other substantial modifications, in particular for producing the exhaust means 48 of the invention.
• laminar flow F when they are constituted by the opening of the lower seal 34.
• the value of the overpressure established in the aseptic working zone 22 of the insulator 16 is less than or equal to 15 Pascal (Pa) so that the flow of the sterile airflow is always of laminar type.
• the filling unit 10 with insulator 16 which has just been described is capable of being integrated in a container manufacturing installation 12 not shown in detail.
• a container manufacturing installation 12 is for example of monoblock type as the installation shown in Figure 1 of the aforementioned document EP-B1 -1.012.047.
• a container manufacturing installation 12 comprises a containment enclosure (not shown) with a controlled atmosphere delimiting an interior volume in which the various units necessary for the implementation of the manufacturing process are arranged.
• the installation 12 comprises at least one cleaning unit, a filling unit according to the invention and a corking unit for closing the filled containers 14.
• the installation 12 also comprises associated sterile air insufflation means which are able to establish an overpressure in said interior volume of the containment enclosure.
• the value of the overpressure established in the internal volume of the confinement enclosure is lower than the value of the overpressure established in the aseptic working zone 22 of the insulator 16 of the filling unit 10.
• the value of the overpressure established in the aseptic working zone 22 of the insulator 16 of the filling unit 10 is for example between 10 and 15 Pascal while the value of the overpressure established in the containment is the order of 7 Pascal.
• a positive pressure gradient is created relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the installation, the value of the overpressure increasing as a function of the importance of the risks of particulate contamination. Thanks to such a pressure gradient, the air flow in the installation 12 is always effected from the cleanest and most sensitive areas, here the aseptic working zone 22 of the insulator 16 of the filler unit 10, to the least sensitive areas, namely successively the interior volume of the containment enclosure including the others a ities or is the atmosphere outside the enclosure of the installation.
• such a container-making installation 12 comprises, upstream of the cleaning unit, a unit 1 blowing device capable of producing the containers 14, for example PET bottles obtained by blow molding or stretch-blow molding from preforms preheated in an oven before being introduced into a mold.
• a unit 1 blowing device capable of producing the containers 14 for example PET bottles obtained by blow molding or stretch-blow molding from preforms preheated in an oven before being introduced into a mold.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
• Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2007
  • 2007-11-13 FR FR0758981A patent/FR2923474B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-11-04 WO PCT/EP2008/064932 patent/WO2009062863A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2008-11-04 US US12/742,479 patent/US8701720B2/en active Active
  • 2008-11-04 JP JP2010533535A patent/JP5108109B2/ja active Active
  • 2008-11-04 MX MX2010004603A patent/MX2010004603A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2008-11-04 CN CN2008801158496A patent/CN101855163B/zh active Active
  • 2008-11-04 EP EP08850774.4A patent/EP2209734B1/de active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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