Classifications

• • 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
  • B67C7/00—Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
  • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
  • B67C7/004—Conveying; Synchronising the containers travelling along a circular path
• • 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
  • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
  • B67C7/004—Conveying; Synchronising the containers travelling along a circular path
  • B67C7/0046—Infeed and outfeed devices
• • 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
  • B67C2003/2657—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for filling cans
• • 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
  • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
  • B67C2007/006—Devices particularly adapted for container filling
• • 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
  • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
  • B67C2007/0066—Devices particularly adapted for container closing

Definitions

• the invention relates to a can treatment plant and a method for treating cans.
• cans are filled with a beverage in beverage bottling plants and then sealed.
• the DE 10 2020 116 779 A1 a container treatment device, in particular a filling machine for filling cans or similar containers with a liquid product.
• the container treatment device comprises a first conveyor designed as a container inlet, a rotor downstream in the treatment direction and rotating around a machine axis with several treatment positions for treating the containers, and a second conveyor downstream of the rotor in the treatment direction and designed as a container outlet.
• the filled cans or their contents can be pasteurized after filling using a comparatively large pasteurization device, which is comparatively energy-intensive.
• the invention is based on the objective of creating an improved technology for the hygienic filling of cans.
• the technology should be advantageous with regard to cost, installation space (floor space) and energy consumption.
• the can handling system comprises a tunnel sterilization device for sterilizing cans (e.g., internally and/or externally) and a can filling device, preferably a rotary can filling device, for filling the sterilized cans with a (e.g., liquid or pasty) filling material.
• the can filling device is arranged downstream of the tunnel sterilization device.
• the can handling system offers the advantage of hygienic can filling. Furthermore, it is particularly space-saving, energy-efficient, and cost-effective. Instead of, for example, placing a tunnel pasteurization unit downstream of the can filling machine, this proposal suggests placing a tunnel sterilization unit upstream. Since the tunnel pasteurization unit pasteurizes the cans along with their contents, it would be comparatively large (e.g., 30 to 40 meters in length) and would require a significant amount of energy to heat both the cans and the contents.
• the tunnel sterilization unit upstream of the can filling machine can be relatively small (e.g., ⁇ 20 meters in length) and operate with comparatively low energy consumption, as empty cans only require relatively short sterilization times (e.g., by heat and/or hydrogen peroxide).
• the tunnel sterilization device and the can filling device are directly connected, preferably in a single unit. This advantageously allows for a particularly small installation space and thus a short transport distance between the tunnel sterilization device and the can filling device, during which the cans could still become contaminated.
• the outlet of the tunnel sterilization device and the inlet of the can filling device are directly connected.
• this also allows for a particularly small installation space and thus a short transport distance between the tunnel sterilization device and the can filling device, where the cans could still become contaminated.
• the discharge has a discharge conveyor (e.g., base handling conveyor) and/or a portioning device, preferably a portioning screw, for positioning the cans at a predetermined distance from one another, preferably in a division-compatible manner for the can filling device.
• the inlet can, for example, be designed as at least one inlet star wheel (rotary can conveyor). This advantageously allows the aforementioned benefits regarding installation space and short transport distance/hygiene to be particularly well utilized.
• the tunnel sterilization device is multi-lane or multi-track.
• the tunnel sterilization device is designed to sterilize the cans by
• the tunnel sterilizer is designed to sterilize cans (e.g., internally and/or externally) by exposing them to hot air (e.g., 120°C - 130°C) and/or hot steam (e.g., 120°C - 130°C) and/or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
• the tunnel sterilizer includes a can conveyor (e.g., a can chain conveyor) for transporting the cans through the tunnel sterilizer, the can conveyor preferably being designed for upright transport of the cans through the tunnel sterilizer. This advantageously enables reliable sterilization of large quantities of cans.
• the tunnel sterilization device has a sterilization section (e.g., straight and/or extending along the can conveyor of the tunnel sterilization device) along which the cans are sterilized (e.g., internally and/or externally) with a length of ⁇ 20 m, ⁇ 15 m, or ⁇ 10 m.
• the tunnel sterilization device can be operated, for example, such that the cans are sterilized for a duration of ⁇ 8 s, ⁇ 6 s, or ⁇ 5 s (e.g., internally and/or externally).
• the arrangement of the tunnel sterilization device upstream of the can filling device advantageously enables this comparatively short sterilization section length and/or this comparatively short sterilization time.
• a processing unit of the can handling plant may be configured to operate the tunnel sterilization device (e.g., a can conveyor of the tunnel sterilization device) in such a way that the cans are sterilized in the tunnel sterilization device for a period of time of ⁇ 8 s, ⁇ 6 s or ⁇ 5 s.
• the tunnel sterilization device e.g., a can conveyor of the tunnel sterilization device
• processing device can refer to electronics (e.g., implemented as a driver circuit or with microprocessor(s) and data storage) and/or mechanical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic control systems, which, depending on their design, can perform control tasks, regulation tasks, and/or processing tasks.
• control is used here, it can also appropriately encompass or refer to "regulation” or “control with feedback” and/or “processing.”
• the can handling system also includes a can sealing device, preferably a rotary can sealing device, for sealing the filled cans.
• the can sealing device can be arranged downstream of the can filling device.
• the can filling device and the can sealing device can be combined. They should be directly connected to each other, preferably blocked together.
• a connecting conveyor can be arranged as an outlet of the can filling device and an inlet of the can sealing device.
• the can handling system further comprises a cleanroom (e.g., pressurized with sterile air and/or overpressure), with the can filling device being located in the cleanroom.
• a cleanroom e.g., pressurized with sterile air and/or overpressure
• the cleanroom features a can inlet airlock located at an outlet of the tunnel sterilization device (e.g., at or integrated with a can outlet opening of the tunnel sterilization device and/or at or integrated with the discharge conveyor).
• the cans can thus enter the cleanroom directly after sterilization, effectively preventing recontamination of the sterilized cans.
• the cleanroom can be advantageously designed to be comparatively small, since the tunnel sterilization device itself is not located within the cleanroom and can instead function advantageously as part of the can inlet airlock.
• the outlet of the tunnel sterilization device and/or the outlet conveyor and/or the dividing device and/or the inlet of the can filling device can be arranged at least partially, preferably completely, in the cleanroom.
• the can sealing device is located in the cleanroom.
• a lid feeding device for supplying sealing lids to the can sealing device can also be located in the cleanroom.
• this prevents contamination of the contents in the cans both before and during sealing.
• sterilization e.g., internal and/or external
• hot air sterilization e.g., at approx. 120°C to 130°C
• hot steam sterilization e.g., at approx. 120°C to 130°C
• hydrogen peroxide sterilization e.g., hydrogen peroxide sterilization.
• the Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a can handling system 10.
• the cans 12 handled by the system 10 are preferably metal cans, preferably aluminum cans, for beverages or other liquid or pasty contents.
• the cans 12 can, for example, have cylindrical bodies.
• the devices, conveyors, etc., of the system 10 can transport the cans 12 through the system 10 using so-called base handling, i.e., with support at the bottom, and optionally handle them during this process (e.g., sterilize, fill, seal).
• the can handling system 10 comprises a tunnel sterilization device 14 and a can filling device 24.
• the can handling system 10 may further comprise a can sealing device 30 and/or a cleanroom 34.
• the tunnel sterilization device 14 is used to sterilize the containers 12, preferably inside and out.
• the containers 12 pass through a tunnel of the tunnel sterilization device 14 and are sterilized in the process.
• the cans 12 can be sterilized in the tunnel sterilizer 14 with hot air and/or hot steam (e.g., inside and/or outside), e.g., in a temperature range between 120°C and 130°C.
• the cans 12 can be sterilized in the tunnel sterilizer 14 with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (e.g., inside and/or outside), e.g., by spraying or misting with hydrogen peroxide.
• H2O2 hydrogen peroxide
• the tunnel sterilization device 14 preferably has several nozzles from which the sterilizing medium, e.g., hot air and/or hot steam and/or hydrogen peroxide, can be dispensed.
• the nozzles can be directed towards the cans 12 moving through the tunnel sterilization device 14, e.g., towards a can opening of the cans 12.
• the doses 12 can be sterilized in the tunnel sterilization device 14 along a sterilization path with a length ⁇ 20 m, ⁇ 15 m or ⁇ 10 m, and/or sterilized for a sterilization time of ⁇ 8 s, ⁇ 6 s or ⁇ 5 s per dose 12.
• the tunnel sterilization device 14 can be multi-lane or multi-track.
• the cans 12 can be transported through the tunnel sterilization device 14 in bulk transport and sterilized in the process.
• the tunnel sterilization device 14 can, for example, have a (tunnel sterilization) can conveyor 16 and/or an outlet 18.
• the can conveyor 16 can convey the cans 12 through the tunnel sterilization device 14, preferably in bulk transport.
• the can conveyor 16 can be designed to support the cans 12 at their base.
• the cans 12 can preferably be transported upright through the tunnel sterilization device 14 by the can conveyor 16.
• the outlet 18 may preferably have an outlet conveyor 20 and/or a dividing device 22.
• the discharge conveyor 20 can transport the cans 12 from the tunnel sterilization device 14 to the can filling device 24.
• the discharge conveyor 20 can take over the sterilized cans 12 from the can conveyor 16.
• the sterilized cans 12 can be transferred from the can conveyor 16 to the discharge conveyor 20 by means of a pusher.
• the discharge conveyor 20 can transport the cans 12 with bottom support and in an upright position.
• the discharge conveyor 20 is preferably a linear conveyor.
• the discharge conveyor 20 can be designed as a belt, plate, chain, or mat conveyor. It is possible that the discharge conveyor 20 has a device for turning the cans 12, e.g., if the cans 12 need to be turned after hot steam sterilization in the tunnel sterilization device 14.
• the dividing device 22 can position the sterilized cans 12 on the discharge conveyor 20 to assume predetermined distances from one another.
• the dividing device 22 can be designed as at least one dividing screw.
• the sterilized cans 12 can be accumulated upstream of the dispensing unit 22 on the discharge conveyor 20.
• the accumulated, sterilized cans 12 can then be positioned by the dispensing unit 22 at the desired predetermined intervals from one another.
• the can filling device 24 is arranged downstream of the tunnel sterilization device 14.
• the can filling device 24 can fill the sterilized cans 12 received from the tunnel sterilization device 14 with a filling material.
• the filling material is liquid or pasty.
• the tunnel sterilization device 14 and the can filling device 24 are directly connected, and particularly preferably, they are interlocked.
• the outlet 18 of the tunnel sterilization device 14 and an inlet 26 of the can filling device 24 can be directly connected.
• the sterilized cans 12 can thus be transferred directly from the outlet 18 of the tunnel sterilization device 14 to the inlet 26 of the can filling device 24.
• the inlet 26 can, for example, have at least one inlet star (inlet transport star).
• the can filling device 24 is designed as a rotary can filling device.
• the can filling device 24 can have several filling valves for the simultaneous or overlapping filling of several cans 12.
• the filling valves can be arranged around the circumference of a filling carousel of the rotary can filling device.
• the cans 12 can be supported at their base by the can filling device 24 during filling or handled using so-called base handling.
• the can sealing device 30 can be arranged downstream of the can filling device 24.
• the can filling device 24 can be connected to the can sealing device 30 via a connecting conveyor 28.
• the can filling device 24 and the can sealing device 30 can be directly connected to each other by means of the connecting conveyor 28, preferably in a block connection.
• the connecting conveyor 28 can connect the can filling device 24 and the can sealing device 30 to each other, preferably directly, for transporting filled cans 12 from the can filling device 24 to the can sealing device 30.
• the connecting conveyor 28 can be connected to the can filling device 24 for receiving filled cans 12 from the can filling device 24, preferably directly.
• the connecting conveyor 28 can also be connected to the can sealing device 30 for transferring the received cans 12 to the can sealing device 30, preferably directly.
• the connecting conveyor 28 can form both an outlet for the can filling device 24 and an inlet for the can sealing device 30.
• the connecting conveyor 28 does not take the cans 12 directly from a filling carousel of the can filling device 24, but, for example, from an outfeed star wheel of the can filling device 24. It is also possible that the connecting conveyor 28 does not transfer the cans 12 directly to a capping carousel of the can capping device 30, but, for example, to an infeed star wheel of the can capping device 30.
• the connecting conveyor 28 can be configured in any way for transporting cans.
• the connecting conveyor 28 is a linear conveyor.
• the connecting conveyor 28 has a circulating transport element and several (can) carriers.
• the transport element is a transport chain.
• the transport element can transport the cans by means of the carriers.
• the carriers can be spaced apart along the circulating transport element to carry the cans 12, for example, in the form of cantilever arms.
• each carrier can transport (only) one of the cans 12.
• the carriers can be positioned equidistant from each other along the transport element.
• the carriers can support the cans 12 from behind for transport.
• the carriers can push the cans 12 over a stationary support surface, e.g., a table, of the connecting conveyor 28.
• the cans 12 can be supported at the bottom, for example, on a circulating support element, e.g., a belt or a mat chain, of the connecting conveyor 28, while the cans 12 are supported circumferentially (on the outer surface/rear) by the carriers.
• the can sealing device 30 can seal the filled cans 12 with a sealing cap.
• the can sealing device 30 can be connected to a cap feeder 32.
• the cap feeder 32 can feed the sealing caps for the cans 12 to the can sealing device 30 or to its sealing stations, e.g., from a cap buffer or a cap feeder conveyor.
• the cap feeder 32 may include a sterilization unit for sterilizing the caps.
• the can sealing device 30 can preferably be designed as a rotary can sealing device 30.
• the can sealing device 30 can have several sealing stations for simultaneously or overlapping sealing several cans 12.
• the sealing stations can be arranged around the circumference of a sealing carousel of the rotary can sealing device.
• the cans 12 can be supported at their base by the can sealing device 30 during sealing or handled using so-called base handling.
• Cleanroom 34 can also be referred to as an isolator. Cleanroom 34 can be essentially free of or low in particles (e.g., particles of all types and sizes). Cleanroom 34 can also be designed or referred to as a sterile or aseptic room, since it is preferably essentially free of microorganisms.
• the cleanroom 34 is preferably supplied with sterile air.
• the cleanroom 34 is supplied with sterile air such that the air pressure inside the cleanroom 34 is greater than in the surrounding area or outside the cleanroom 34.
• a sterile air source can be connected to the cleanroom 34.
• the sterile air source can supply sterile air to the cleanroom 34.
• the sterile air source can, for example, include at least one air filter and/or an air conveying device, such as a blower or compressor.
• the sterile air source can be located outside the cleanroom 34 or be accessible from outside the cleanroom 34, so that components (e.g., air filter and/or air conveying device) of the sterile air source can preferably be serviced, repaired, or replaced from outside the cleanroom 34.
• the can filling device 24 is arranged in the cleanroom 34.
• the can filling device 24 can be designed for aseptic filling of the cans 12.
• the outlet 18 with the outlet conveyor 20 and the portioning device 22 can be at least The components may be partially located in the cleanroom 34.
• the connecting conveyor 28 and/or the can sealing device 30 and/or the lid feeding device 32 may also be located in the cleanroom 34.
• the can sealing device 30 may be designed for the aseptic sealing of the cans 12.
• Cleanroom 34 can, for example, have an enclosure that can enclose one or more of the components 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32.
• the cleanroom 34 can have a can inlet lock 36 and a can outlet lock 38.
• the can inlet 36 allows the cans 12 to be transported from outside the cleanroom 34 into the cleanroom 34.
• the can inlet 36 is preferably arranged at the outlet 18 of the tunnel sterilization device 14.
• the can inlet 36 can be arranged directly at a can outlet opening of the tunnel sterilization device 14 or integrated with it.
• the outlet conveyor 20 can run through the can inlet 36 or start directly at the can inlet 36.
• the can discharge gate 38 allows the cans 12 to be transported from inside the cleanroom 34 to outside the cleanroom 34.
• the can discharge gate 38 can be located, for example, at an outlet of the can sealing device 30 or downstream of the can sealing device 30.
• a transport device can convey the cans 12 through the can discharge gate 38.
• the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a multitude of variants and modifications are possible, which also make use of the inventive concept and therefore fall within the scope of protection.
• the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and the features of the dependent claims independently of the referenced claims.
• the individual features of independent claim 1 are each disclosed independently of one another.
• the features of the dependent claims are also disclosed independently of all features of independent claim 1 and, for example, independently of the features relating to the presence and/or configuration of the tunnel sterilization device and/or the can filling device of independent claim 1. All range specifications herein are to be understood as disclosed in such a way that all values falling within the respective range are disclosed individually, e.g., also as preferred narrower outer limits of the respective range.

Landscapes

• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=95655188

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2024
  • 2024-05-21 DE DE102024114203.0A patent/DE102024114203A1/de active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-05-09 CN CN202510596425.1A patent/CN120987247A/zh active Pending
  • 2025-05-14 EP EP25176264.7A patent/EP4653385A1/fr active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events