JPH0322142B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a continuous processing apparatus, for example, a continuous sterilization apparatus that sterilizes articles such as foods by heating them with high-temperature, high-pressure steam.

[Prior art and its problems]

In this type of device, for example, a spiral transfer path is provided in an airtight container filled with high-temperature, high-pressure water vapor, and a vibration force is applied to the spiral transfer path so that the object to be sterilized is transferred from the object supply device to the upper end of the transfer path. The supplied material to be sterilized is transferred downward along the transfer path, and during this transfer, the material to be sterilized is heated and sterilized by the water vapor, and is passed from the lower end of the transfer path through the material discharge device to the outside. Continuous sterilization equipment is known that discharges waste water.

The materials to be sterilized are, for example, bottled, canned, or bagged and sealed, but when these are introduced into a closed container, the container is filled with high-temperature, high-pressure water vapor. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent this from leaking into the atmosphere. That is, a sealing action is required for the device for supplying the object to be sterilized into the closed container. The same applies to the sterilized material discharge device.

Conventionally, a rotary valve mechanism has been used for the feeding and discharging devices, and although there is no problem in sterilizing foods sealed in hard sealed containers such as bottles and canned foods, it is difficult to sterilize foods packed in bags (pouches). In the case of food, the following problems arise.

For example, the bag that seals the curry is made of aluminum foil and polyethylene foil, but it is soft and easily deforms. When such objects to be sterilized are supplied into a sealed container using a rotary valve mechanism, the bag is likely to be damaged. This not only reduces the value of the product, but may also cause the food inside to protrude through the cracks in the bag.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a continuous processing device capable of supplying or discharging even bagged materials to be sterilized into a sealed container without damaging the bag. The purpose is to

[Structure of the invention]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing a spiral transfer path in a sealed container filled with a processing fluid, applying a vibration force to the spiral transfer path, and moving the transfer path from the processing object supply device to the container. The object to be processed, which is supplied to the upper end or the lower end, is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path, and during this transfer, the object to be processed is subjected to a predetermined treatment with the processing fluid, and the object to be processed is transferred along the transfer path. In a continuous processing device configured to discharge to the outside from a lower end portion or an upper end portion through a processing material discharge device, at least one of the processing material supplying device and the processing material discharging device is elastically deformable and compatible with each other. Consisting of a pair of rollers that touch and rotate in opposite directions, the pair of rollers seals between the atmosphere and the inside of the sealed container, and the workpiece is held between the pair of rollers while inside the sealed container. This is achieved by a continuous processing apparatus characterized in that the water is supplied to the airtight container or discharged to the outside from the airtight container.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing a spiral transfer path in a closed container filled with a processing fluid, applying a vibration force to the spiral transfer path, and transferring the processing object from the processing object supply device to the processing object supplying device. The workpiece supplied to the upper end or lower end of the transfer path is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path, and during the transfer, the workpiece is subjected to a predetermined treatment with the processing fluid. In a continuous processing device in which a material to be processed is discharged to the outside from a lower end or an upper end of a transfer path through a material discharging device, at least one of the material supplying device and the material discharging device is elastically deformed. It consists of two pairs of rollers that are movable and in sliding contact and rotate in opposite directions; one of the two pairs provides a seal between the atmosphere and the enclosed space between the two pairs, and the other of the two pairs provides a seal between the atmosphere and the enclosed space between the two pairs. A seal is formed between the sealed space and the inside of the sealed container, the sealed space is filled with a compressed fluid having approximately the same pressure as the fluid in the sealed container, and the object to be processed is moved between each of the pair of rollers. This is achieved by a continuous processing apparatus characterized in that the material is supplied to the closed container or discharged to the outside from the closed container while being held between the containers.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the above object is achieved by:
A spiral transfer path is provided in an airtight container filled with processing fluid, and a vibration force is applied to the spiral transfer path to cause the processing object to be supplied from the processing object supply device to the upper end or the lower end of the transfer path. In the continuous processing apparatus, the material to be processed is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path and discharged to the outside from the lower end or the upper end of the transfer path through the object to be processed discharge device. and the to-be-processed material discharge device, at least one of which is comprised of a plurality of pairs of elastically deformable rollers that are in sliding contact with each other and rotate in opposite directions, and each pair of rollers seals between the spaces on both sides thereof. A compressed fluid having approximately the same pressure as the fluid in the closed container is supplied into a closed space between the pair of rollers closest to the closed container and the adjacent pair of rollers among the plurality of pairs of rollers. The pressure of the compressed fluid filling the sealed space between each pair of rollers is gradually decreased from approximately the same pressure as that of the fluid as it approaches each pair of rollers on the atmospheric side. This is achieved by a continuous processing apparatus characterized in that the object to be processed is fed to the closed container or discharged to the outside from the closed container while being held between the pairs of rollers.

〔Example〕

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the continuous sterilizer of this embodiment is indicated as a whole by 1, and a hollow cylindrical body 3 is disposed inside a closed container 2. A trough 4 is provided spirally on this peripheral wall.
is wrapped. A mounting frame 5 is fixed to the lower end of the hollow cylindrical body 3, and a pair of vibration electric motors 6 are attached to this. The other vibrating motor 6 on the back side with respect to the paper surface of FIG. 1 is installed so as to be inclined in the opposite direction to the vibrating motor 6 on the front side. A plurality of rods 7 are integrally fixed radially to the mounting frame 5 and are supported on a foundation 9 via springs 8. That is, the hollow cylindrical body 3, the trough 4, the vibrating electric motor 6, etc. constitute a known so-called vibrating spiral elevator, which is supported on the foundation 9 so as to be able to torsionally vibrate around the vertical central axis of the hollow cylindrical body 3.

The airtight container 2 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and its internal space is a sterilization space 1 with the lower end of the trough 4 as its boundary.
4 and a pneumatic space 15. A mounting ring 12 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the closed container 2 at this boundary, and a bellows-shaped flexible seal 13 is stretched between the mounting ring 12 and the mounting frame 5.

Furthermore, inspection windows 10 and 11 are formed in the closed container 2, and are normally closed with a lid. especially,
The upper inspection window 10 is hermetically closed. The inside of the sterilization space 14 of the closed container 2 is filled with high temperature and high pressure steam. This pressure is, for example, gauge pressure.
The water vapor is about 1.2 to 3 kg/cm ² and the temperature is 100° C. or more, but an injection port for supplying such water vapor into the sterilization space 14 is provided at an appropriate location in the airtight container 2 even though it is not shown. do. Alternatively, the inspection window 10 may be used in combination with this injection port.

Furthermore, compressed air having approximately the same pressure as the water vapor in the sterilization space 14 is supplied into the lower pneumatic space 15 within the closed container 2 . It is assumed that this supply port is provided at a suitable location in the closed container 2 even though it is not shown in the drawings. Alternatively, the inspection window 11 may be used together with this supply port.

A part of a sterilized material supply device 16 according to the present invention is airtightly inserted near the upper end of the closed container 2, and a part of a sterilized material discharge device 17 is located near the lower end of the trough 4. is inserted airtight.
Since the supply device 16 and the discharge device 17 have the same configuration, only one of the supply devices 16 will be described in detail later.

The supply device 16 is disposed on a pedestal 18 and supplies the pouches sent by a belt conveyor 19 to the trough 4 inside the closed container 2. Furthermore, the pouches discharged from the lower end of the trough 4 are discharged to the outside by a discharge device 17 and sent to a required location by a belt conveyor 20. The ejection device 17 is arranged on the foundation 9.

Next, details of the sterilized material supply device 16 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

The main body 21 has a substantially rectangular shape and has a closed structure, and is arranged to be inclined downward toward the closed container 2. Two pairs of semi-cylindrical protrusions 22a, 22b, 23a, 23b are formed on the upper and lower walls, and two pairs of rollers 2 are in sliding contact with these inner wall surfaces.
4 and 25 are arranged.

One pair of rollers 24 are rollers 24 that are in sliding contact with each other.
The other pair of rollers 25 similarly consists of rollers 25a and 25b. Rollers 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b of main body 21
The inner wall surfaces 26 and 27 that come into sliding contact with the inner wall surfaces 26 and 27 are mirror-finished. These rollers seal the spaces 47, 48, 49 on either side of each other.

A pouch P as an object to be sterilized is supplied from a chute 28 to one roller pair 24, and the roller 24
an intermediate chute 30 sandwiched between the rollers a and 24b and disposed within the sealed space 48 between the pair of rollers 24 and 25;
It is conveyed upward and supplied to the other pair of rollers 25. The pouch P is conveyed to the chute 31 while being held between the rollers 25a and 25b. The chute 28 on the inlet side is inserted through the center hole of the lid 29 which was originally attached to the opening 21 in an airtight manner. The chute 31 on the exit side is also connected to the main body 2 in a similar manner.
It is attached to 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, a hole 51 is originally formed in 21, and compressed air is supplied into the space 48 through a pipe 50 (partially shown) connected thereto. The pressure of this compressed air is approximately the same as the pressure of water vapor within the closed container 2. A space 47 on the right side of one pair of rollers 24 communicates with the atmosphere,
Further, the space 49 on the left side of the other pair of rollers 25 communicates with the sterilization space 14 inside the closed container 2.

Both ends of the rotating shafts 41a, 41b, 42a, 42b of each roller 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b are provided with a bearing member 32a, as shown in FIGS.
32b, 33a, 33b, 52a, 52b, 53
It is supported by a and 53b. It is assumed that these bearing members are attached to the main body 21 in an airtight manner. The roller pairs 24, 25 are driven by gears 35, 36, 37 and pulley 3 by an externally disposed electric motor 34.
9, 40, and a belt 38, each of which is rotationally driven in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG.

Although the rollers 24a, 24b, 25a, and 25b have the same configuration, the details of one roller 24a will be explained with reference to FIG. 5.

The roller 24a has a sponge 4 attached to a cylindrical body 43 made of steel.
4, and rubber rings 45, 46 are attached to both ends of the rubber rings 45, 46.
It is made by fitting. The sponge 44 is made of a material whose trade name is "Dyuraboa", and when it contains moisture, its porosity decreases and it becomes slightly hard, but it is suitable for this embodiment. Also, the rubber rings 45, 4 at both ends
At 6, the roller 24b receives a test load against the inner wall of the main body 21, and the roller 24a comes into sliding contact with the roller 24b.
The structure is such that it can be stably rotated with the same.

The first embodiment of the present invention is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained next.

When the vibration electric motor 6 is powered on, the trough 4 performs torsional vibration around the central axis of the hollow cylindrical body 3. When the electric motor 34 is powered on, each roller 24a, 24b, 25a,
25b rotates in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. Similarly, in the sterilized material discharging device 17, when the electric motor for this device is powered on, each roller rotates, but the direction of rotation is the direction in which the material to be sterilized is discharged from the closed container 2 to the outside.

One pouch P is sent from belt 19, chute 2
8 into the feeding device 16. The pouch P is connected to rollers 24a and 24b in the roller pair 24.
The roller pair 2 is held between the rollers 24a and 24b while deforming the outer peripheral wall (sponge) of the roller pair 2.
4 and 25 into a closed space 48. At this time, some of the compressed air filling this space 48 is released into the atmosphere through the gap widened by the pouch P between the rollers 24a and 24b, but there is no pipe 50 in the space 48. Since compressed air from a compressor or a compressed air tank is supplied through the compressor, a substantially predetermined pressure is maintained.

The pouch P slides on the intermediate chute 30 and reaches the other pair of rollers 25, and the rollers 25a, 25
These rollers 2 are deformed while deforming the outer peripheral wall of b.
The space 4 on the closed container 2 side is sandwiched between 4a and 24b.
Moved to 9. The pouch P slides through the chute 31 and is guided to the upper end of the trough 4 inside the closed container 2.

The pouch P is conveyed downward along the trough 4 by the torsional vibration of the trough 4. During this process, the food in the pouch P (for example, curry) is heated by high-temperature, high-pressure steam and is sufficiently sterilized, then discharged from the lower end of the trough 4 to the outside by the discharge device 17, and transported to the desired location by the belt conveyor 20. is sent.

In addition, in the feeding device 16, when the pouch P is held and transferred by the pair of rollers 25, a gap is created between the rollers 25a and 25b, and the high-pressure water vapor inside the closed container 2 tends to leak into the space 48. Since the space 48 is filled with compressed air at approximately the same pressure, there is almost no leakage into the space 48. The same applies to the lower discharge device 17. Therefore, in this embodiment, the water vapor in the closed container 2 hardly leaks from the devices 16 and 17 into the atmosphere.

In addition, in this embodiment, the pouch P has rollers 24a, 24b, 25a, 25 whose outer peripheral wall portions are elastically deformable.
Since it was designed to be transferred while being held between
Unlike conventional rotary valve mechanisms, the pouch P can be supplied into and discharged from the closed container 2 without being damaged.

FIG. 6 shows a sterilized material supply device 54 in a second embodiment of the present invention. The object to be sterilized discharge device is also constructed in the same manner, and the rest is completely the same as in the first embodiment.

Although the main body 55 is shown horizontally in this embodiment, it is assumed that it is inclined downward toward the closed container 2 side, as in the first embodiment. The main body 55 has three pairs of semi-cylindrical protrusions 56a, 56b, 57a, 57.
b, 58a, 58b are formed, and pairs of rollers 59, 60, 61 are disposed in sliding contact with the inner walls. Each roller constituting each roller pair is constructed in exactly the same manner as in the first embodiment. In addition, a pouch P is attached to each roller pair.
Chutes 66, 67, 68, and 69 for supplying and discharging water are arranged as shown. The leftmost space 65 communicates with the space inside the closed container 2. The spaces 64 and 65 on both sides are sealed by a pair of rollers 61, and compressed air having approximately the same pressure as the water vapor in the closed container 2 is introduced into the space 64. By the roller pair 60,
The spaces 63 and 64 on both sides are sealed, and compressed air is introduced into the space 63 at a pressure lower by a predetermined amount than the pressure of the compressed air in the adjacent space 64 on the left, for example, by 0.5 atmospheres. The rightmost space 62 communicates with atmospheric pressure, and the leftmost space 63
It has dropped by 0.5 atmospheres. That is, the pressure in the space is configured to gradually decrease toward the atmosphere.

With the above configuration, the pouch P is introduced from the chute 66 as in the first embodiment, and is sequentially fed into the closed container 2 by the roller pairs 59, 60, 61 without being damaged. However, in this embodiment, less compressed air is released into the atmosphere than in the first embodiment. That is, the leftmost space 65
As in the first embodiment, the leakage of water vapor from the roller pair 59 to the next space 64 is suppressed by compressed air of approximately the same pressure, but the amount of compressed air leaking from the rightmost roller pair 59 to the atmosphere is It can be less than one embodiment. This is because the pressure difference between the spaces on both sides of the roller pair 59 can be reduced.

Although the present embodiment shows the case of three pairs of rollers, the number of roller pairs may be further increased to reduce the pressure difference in each space stepwise to further reduce the pressure difference. In this case, the amount of compressed air leaking into the atmosphere can be further reduced.

FIG. 7 shows a sterilized material supply device 70 in a third embodiment of the present invention. The object to be sterilized discharge device is also constructed in the same manner, and the rest is completely the same as in the first embodiment.

Although the main body 71 is illustrated horizontally in this embodiment, it is assumed that it is inclined downward toward the closed container 2 side, as in the first embodiment. A pair of semi-cylindrical protrusions 72a and 72b are formed on the main body 71, and a roller pair 73 is disposed in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of the protrusions 72a and 72b.
The configuration of each roller is the same as in the first embodiment. This pair of rollers 73 also seals the spaces 74 and 75 on both sides. The pouch P is held between rollers in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and can be transported without being damaged. The space 74 communicates with the inside of the closed container 2,
Space 75 communicates with the atmosphere. Therefore space 7
The pressure difference between the rollers 4 and 75 is larger than in the above embodiment, and more water vapor leaks, but if the rotational speed of the rollers is increased to increase the transport speed of the pouch P, this will not be such a problem. This embodiment has the effect that the structure can be made simpler than the above embodiment. FIG. 8 shows details of the trough 4 inside the closed container 2 in FIG. Small holes 77 are formed in 76, and water vapor passes through these from the top to the bottom or from the bottom to the top. Therefore, this transfer bed 76
The pouch P transferred above can receive the heat of steam evenly from above and below, and can receive a more effective sterilization effect as well as a sterilization promotion effect due to vibration.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of FIG. 8,
In this modification, the transfer bed of the trough 4' consists of a plurality of helically formed strips 78, with a predetermined gap formed between them. Such a trough 4'
It is clear that the same effect as the trough 4 in FIG. 8 can be obtained by using the trough 4 shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a further modification of the trough 4, in which an electric heater 80 is embedded in the transfer bed 81 of the trough 79. In this case, the pouch P transferred on the transfer bed 81 is heated by water vapor from above, although the flowability of water vapor is inferior to that in FIGS. 8 and 9, but it is also heated by electric heat from below. , which can also be effectively heated and promote the bactericidal action. Furthermore, the electric heater 80 can also perform the function of keeping water vapor warm.

Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above,
Of course, the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the fifth roller
The structure shown in the figure was used, but the sponge 4
4 may be replaced by flexible rubber. Note that the rubber rings 45 and 46 fitted on both ends are preferably hard in order to receive thrust loads. Further, instead of the rubber rings 45 and 46, rings made of synthetic resin may be used.

Further, in the above embodiments, pouches have been described as objects to be sterilized, but flat canned or bottled objects to be sterilized can also be applied to the feeding device and the discharge device of the present invention.

Further, in the above embodiments, the present invention was applied to both the supply device and the discharge device, but it may be applied to only one of them, and the other has a different configuration. Even in this case, damage to the bagged objects to be sterilized can be greatly reduced compared to any device that uses a rotary valve mechanism.

In addition, in the above example, the hot pouches can be cooled by filling the sealed container with water up to a certain level, or by blowing out water (shower) from the bottom of the sealed container, before discharging it outside the sealed container. You may also do so.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the continuous processing apparatus of the present invention, even if the object to be sterilized is packaged in bags, it can be processed with less damage than before.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway elevational view of a continuous sterilizer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway enlarged elevational view of the main parts of the same device, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. is a front view of the same, FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the roller used in the device, FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of the main part of the continuous sterilization device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 8 is a partially cutaway side view of the main parts of the continuous sterilizer according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a modification of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial sectional side view showing another modification. In the figure, 1... continuous sterilizer, 2...
Sealed container, 4... Spiral trough, 6... Vibrating electric motor, 16... Sterilized material supply device, 17... Sterilized material discharge device, 24, 25, 59, 60, 61,
73...Roller pair, 24a, 24b, 25a, 2
5b... Laura.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A spiral transfer path is provided in a closed container filled with a processing fluid, and a vibration force is applied to the spiral transfer path to cause a process from the processing object supply device to the upper end or lower end of the transfer path. The supplied object to be processed is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path, and during the transfer, the object to be processed is subjected to a predetermined treatment with the processing fluid, and the object is transferred to the lower end or upper end of the transfer path. In the continuous processing apparatus, at least one of the to-be-processed material supply device and the to-be-processed material discharge device is elastically deformable, is in sliding contact with each other, and is opposite to the to-be-processed material. The pair of rollers seals between the atmosphere and the inside of the sealed container, and the workpiece is fed into the sealed container while being held between the pair of rollers. A continuous processing device characterized by discharging to the outside from a closed container. 2 A spiral transfer path is provided in an airtight container filled with processing fluid, and a vibration force is applied to the spiral transfer path to supply the processing object to the upper end or lower end of the transfer path from the processing object supply device. is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path, and during this transfer, the processed material is subjected to a predetermined treatment with the processing fluid, and the processed material discharge device is operated from the lower end or upper end of the transfer path. In the continuous processing apparatus, at least one of the to-be-processed material supply device and the to-be-processed material discharge device is elastically deformable, is in sliding contact with each other, and rotates in opposite directions. consisting of rollers, one of the two pairs performs a seal between the atmosphere and the closed space between the two pairs, and the other of the two pairs performs a seal between the closed space and the inside of the closed container. , the closed space is filled with a compressed fluid having approximately the same pressure as the fluid in the closed container, and the workpiece is fed to the closed container side while being held between the pair of rollers, or the compressed fluid is supplied to the outside from the closed container. A continuous processing device characterized in that the continuous processing device discharges water at 3 A spiral transfer path is provided in an airtight container filled with a processing fluid, and a vibrating force is applied to the spiral transfer path to supply the processing object to the upper end or lower end of the transfer path from the processing object supply device. is transferred downward or upward along the transfer path, and during this transfer, the processed material is subjected to a predetermined treatment with the processing fluid, and the processed material discharge device is operated from the lower end or upper end of the transfer path. In the continuous processing apparatus, at least one of the to-be-processed material supply device and the to-be-processed material discharge device is elastically deformable, is in sliding contact with each other, and has a plurality of pairs rotating in opposite directions. Each pair of rollers is configured to seal between the spaces on both sides thereof, and between the pair of rollers closest to the closed container and the pair of rollers adjacent thereto among the plurality of pairs of rollers. The sealed space is filled with compressed fluid having approximately the same pressure as the fluid in the sealed container, and as it moves towards each pair of rollers on the atmospheric side,
The pressure of the compressed fluid filled in the sealed space between each pair of rollers is gradually reduced from approximately the same pressure as that of the fluid, and the workpiece is held between each pair of rollers while 1. A continuous processing device characterized by supplying to a closed container or discharging to the outside from the closed container.