JPH0825548B2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing a tubular blank such as a paper bell container for storing milk or juice called a Gobeltop type.

[Prior Art] FIG. 8 shows a Gobel-top type paper beverage container 1.
In the case of manufacturing this container 1, as shown in FIG. 6, after sterilizing a cylindrical blank 4 having a constant length with both ends opened, it is heated, temporarily folded, and sealed, and then the bottom portion 2 is formed as shown in FIG. Is molded into a flat bottom shape. After this, fill the required beverage,
As shown in FIG. 8, the upper portion 3 is formed into a gable shape, and the container 1
To complete.

The sterilization process of this container is generally performed by spraying a hydrogen peroxide solution as a sterilizing agent on the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the open blank, and then drying with hot air. Further, after the bottom of the blank is shaped into a flat bottom, a sterilizing solution is sprayed while it is transported on the chain and dried with hot air.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in sterilization by spraying a sterilizing solution, the spraying of the sterilizing solution may be non-uniform or the amount of spray may be insufficient, in which case sterilization failure may occur. . On the other hand, if the whole blank is immersed in the sterilizing solution, the fear of sterilization failure is eliminated, but it is difficult to remove the sterilizing agent by subsequent hot air drying, and the sterilizing agent may remain on the inner surface of the container.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizer that can completely sterilize a blank and efficiently remove a bactericide from the blank.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A sterilization apparatus according to the present invention is a sterilization station that horizontally circulates a hollow beverage container blank having open both ends and sequentially circulates in a sterilization tank disposed below the sterilization station. A cleaning station that receives the sterilized blank in the tank and sequentially circulates in the cleaning tank arranged below, and a plurality of mandrels with a sterile air jet nozzle opening at the tip and this cleaned blank is fitted on the outside. A sterilizing agent removing station for radially arranging and swirling intermittently to transfer the washed blank to a hot air drying station and spraying sterile air from the nozzle onto the inner surface of the blank to remove the sterilizing agent is provided. The sterilization station is an endless circulation device that is intermittently driven by a driving member arranged above the sterilization tank, and is attached to this circulation device. And a holding member that holds the blank in an inclined manner.

It is preferable that the cleaning station also has an endless circulation device that is intermittently driven by a drive member that is arranged above the cleaning tank, and a holding member that is attached to the circulation device and that holds the blank at an inclination. The drying station includes a drying tank in which a plurality of hot air jet nozzles are opened, and a circulation device for laterally holding the blank from which the sterilizing agent has been removed by the sterilizing agent removing station and circulating the blank. It is preferable to have a disinfectant detecting device for detecting the amount of disinfectant contained in the air in the drying tank.

[Operation] According to the sterilization apparatus of the present invention, the hollow blank is immersed in the sterilization tank while the hollow blank is held in the inclined state by the holding member by intermittently providing the circulation device in the sterilization station. Be lifted. Since the both ends of the blank are immersed in the sterilization tank in a state where both ends are open and inclined, the sterilizing agent completely spreads to the inner surface of the blank, and when the sterilizing tank is pulled out from the sterilization tank, the sterilizing agent flows down from the inside of the blank. The completely sterilized blank is then washed with a sterilizing agent at the washing station to dilute the sterilizing agent concentration. After this, at the disinfectant removal station, the disinfectant removal nozzle provided at the tip of the mandrel blows sterile air onto the inner surface of the blank to remove the diluted disinfectant from the blank before transferring to the hot air drying station. Blow away. At the hot air drying station, the entire blank is hot air dried and the germicide is also removed.

Further, by inclining the blank circulating in the sterilization tank, the surface of the blank comes into complete contact with the cleaning agent, and the blank is uniformly washed. Further, when the blank comes out of the cleaning tank, the cleaning liquid in the blank flows down, and it can be sent to the next step in a state where the residual amount inside the blank is reduced.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a sterilizer 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This sterilizing device is used in, for example, an aseptic filling and packaging machine for filling and packaging the Gobel top type container 1 shown in FIG.

The sterilizer 5 is wholly housed in a sterile chamber, and a hollow prismatic blank 4 having both ends opened is supplied from a supply station 6 on the right side of the drawing. The blank 4 is sterilized in the sterilization station 7, washed in the sterilization station 8, blown with the sterilizing agent in the sterilizing agent removal station 9, and finally dried in the hot air drying station 10 to be discharged from the discharging station 11 to the next step. Be shipped.

In the supply station 6 of this sterilizer, the blank 4 is placed in a flatly folded state, and the flattened blank 4 is sequentially drawn out by a suction cup to form a hollow prismatic shape. FIG. 2 shows an air cylinder 24 that operates this suction cup.
Is schematically shown. Then, the hollow prismatic blank 4 is sent to the sterilization station 7 by a horizontal feed chain 25a having laterally protruding claws.

In the sterilization station 7, for example, a sterilization tank 12 containing 35% by weight of hydrogen peroxide solution heated to about 80 ° C. as a sterilizing agent is provided below, and the sterilization tank 12 has an endless circulation. The blank 4 is laterally held and circulated by the device 17.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, this circulation device 17 is formed, for example, in the form of two parallel chains in which a plurality of link plates are connected endlessly, and is held outside the running surface at a predetermined interval. Member 30 is attached via attachment link 17a. The holding member 30 is formed by four guide rails 31 having an L-shaped cross section for slidingly guiding the corners of the blank 4, and a pair of brackets 32 for fixing the guide rails. The mounting holes 32a and 32b for fixing to the mounting link 17a of the chain are respectively formed in the. These mounting holes 32a and 32b are, for example, 2 to 5 ° with respect to the horizontal axis when the holding member 30 is fixed to the corresponding mounting links 17a.
It is arranged so as to be inclined and hold the blank 4.
It is preferable that the guide rail 31 of the holding member 30 be widened on the right inlet side as shown in FIG. 4 so that it can be smoothly fed by the transverse feed chain 25a.

Then, the circulation device 17 drives the drive shaft 22 above the sterilization tank 12.
When it is intermittently rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 by an appropriate drive sprocket 16 mounted on the blank 4, the blank 4 is successively immersed in the sterilization tank 12 and pulled up from this sterilization tank. Since the blank 4 is immersed in the sterilization tank 12 in a state where both ends are open and inclined with respect to the horizontal axis, the bactericide is completely spread to the inner surface of the blank 4, and uneven sterilization due to adhesion of bubbles and the like does not occur. , The bactericide flows from the inside of the blank, and the remaining amount inside becomes small.

The sterilized blank 4 is passed through the fixed guide rails 21 by the transverse feed chains 25b and 25c to the washing station 8
Sent to

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning station 8
A cleaning tank 13 containing a cleaning liquid is arranged in the drive shaft, and a circulation device 17 for holding the blank 4 in a tilted state by a holding member is used as a drive shaft as in the sterilization station 7.
When intermittently rotated by the 22 and the sprocket 16, the blank 4 is successively dipped in the cleaning tank 13 and then pulled up, and the germicide attached to the surface flows down together with the cleaning liquid.

A certain amount of sterile water completely sterilized by an aseptic filter is stored in the cleaning tank 13 as a cleaning agent. This sterile water should be kept above 60 ° C for more complete removal of germicide.
It may be maintained at about 80 ° C.

Blank 4 washed with disinfectant at washing station 8
Is sent to the disinfectant removal station 9 by the lateral feed churn 25d while the circulation device 17 is stopped. The blank inlet and outlet in this washing station 8 are preferably arranged at different heights to prevent germicide from entering the subsequent stations. Further, it is preferable to provide a sterile water nozzle for ejecting aseptic water on the transverse feed chain 25d to wash away the germicide attached to the traverse chain and minimize the germicide to be carried into the subsequent stations.

The disinfectant removal station 9 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, four mandrels 18 to which the blank 4 is fitted are radially arranged at equal intervals, and the mandrels are arranged along a plane parallel to the lower traveling surface of the circulation device 17 of the cleaning station 8. It turns intermittently in synchronization with this circulation device. At this stop position, the mandrel 18 is tilted so that the tip end of the mandrel 18 is aligned with the outlet side of the cleaning station 8 to facilitate the mounting of the blank 4.

As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the mandrel 18 has a rectangular tip portion 28, and the blank 4 fitted from this tip portion is held by a guide rail 26 at the peripheral portion. And this tip
A sterile air jet nozzle 18a is continuously opened on the outer periphery of 28, and is ejected from the sterile air jet nozzle when the blank 4 is fitted onto the mandrel 18 by being entrained by the claw 23 of the transverse feed chain 25d. Drops of bactericide are blown off from the inner surface of the blank by the air.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, aseptic air is blown on the outer surface of the blank 4 between the sterilization station 7 and the cleaning station and between the cleaning station 8 and the sterilizing agent removal station 9. A nozzle device 19 having the same structure for blowing off the bactericide attached to the outer surface of the blank is provided.

As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle device 19 includes a three-sided nozzle 19a whose one side is opened so as not to get in the way of the transverse feed chain, and a one-sided nozzle 19b arranged on the opening side. 19a and 19b are fixed at predetermined positions by columns 29a and 29b, respectively. Blank 4 traverse chain
During transfer by 25c, 25d, sterile air is blown from the nozzle openings 27a, 27b that are continuously opened on the inner surfaces of these nozzles 19a, 19b to remove the germicide from the outer surface of the blank.

A blank 4 from which the outer surface of the disinfectant is removed by the nozzle device 19 and the inner surface of the disinfectant is removed at the disinfectant removing station 9.
Is sent to the hot air drying station 10 by a horizontal feed chain 25e.

This hot air drying station 10 is a sterilization station 7
The circulating device 17 similar to the cleaning station 8 circulates the blank 4 in the hot air drying tank 14, and the hot air sent from the supply pipe 20 is ejected from the hot air nozzle 15 arranged along the traveling path of the circulating device 17. dry. An appropriate detection device for detecting the amount of hydrogen peroxide contained in the air in the tank is provided in the drying tank 14.
35 is provided, and it is confirmed whether or not the bactericide is efficiently removed by the bactericide removal station 9.

In the hot air drying station 10, the circulation device 17 circulating in the drying tank 14 may hold the blank 4 horizontally to circulate it, and as shown in FIG.
In addition to this, a two-tank type in which a drying tank 14a is provided in parallel may be used. In the case of the two tank type, it is preferable to arrange the hot air nozzles 15 of the respective drying tanks in opposite directions.

And, the blank 4 that has been dried is the transverse feed chain 25
It is carried out from the blank discharge station 11 to the next process by f and 25g.

The circulation device 17 of the sterilization station 7, the washing station 8 and the drying station is intermittently rotated by the drive shaft 22, and the mandrel 18 and each transverse feed chain of the sterilizing agent removal station 9 are driven in synchronization with each other. The blank 4 is smoothly transferred at the station.

According to the sterilization device of this embodiment, the blank 4 passed through the sterilization tank 12 of the sterilization station 7 by the circulation device 17.
Is completely sterilized. After that, while removing the sterilizing agent on the outer surface by the nozzle device 19, it is sent out to the cleaning station 8 by the transverse feed chain 25b, and in the cleaning station 8, the blank 4 is inclined and circulated in the cleaning tank 13 The germicide attached to the surface is washed off. Further, from the cleaning station 8, water droplets on the outer surface are removed by the nozzle device 19, and the water is sent out to the sterilizing agent removal station 9 by the lateral feed chain 25d. In this transfer station 9, as the blank 4 is mounted on the mandrel 18 from the tip portion 28, sterile air from the nozzle 18a is blown to the inner surface, and water droplets on the inner surface of the blank are also completely removed. Since the mandrel 17 is slightly tilted with respect to the horizontal axis and stopped, the water droplets are completely removed by the action of the jetted air and the action of the weight.

In the drying station 10, since the water droplets on the blank 4 have been removed, the blank 4 is quickly dried by the hot air from the hot air nozzle 15. As a result, the sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide solution is completely removed, and the drink can be filled.

When an experiment was conducted to actually sterilize a blank with this sterilizing device to prepare a beverage container, the residual amount of hydrogen peroxide solution used as a sterilizing agent was 10 ppb or less per 1 liter capacity container.

[Effect] As is apparent from the above, according to the present invention, the blank is completely sterilized by immersing it in the sterilization tank in an inclined state and pulling it up, and the sterilizing agent is allowed to flow from inside the blank. Since the disinfectant is removed at the washing station and the disinfectant removal station, the blank can be completely sterilized, and the disinfectant can be efficiently removed from the blank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the whole sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the arrangement state of the sterilization apparatus, and FIG.
The figure is an exploded perspective view of a part of a circulation device for holding a blank.
FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view of a part thereof, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the cleaning station and the disinfectant removal station. 6 to 8 show a beverage container to be sterilized by the sterilizing apparatus of this embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the blank, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lower portion thereof, and FIG. 8 is a completed state. It is a perspective view. 1 ... Beverage container, 4 ... Blank, 5 ... Sterilizer, 6
... Supply station, 7 ... Sterilization station, 8 ...
… Cleaning station, 9 …… Bactericide removal station,
10 …… Hot air drying station, 11 …… Discharge station, 15 …… Hot air nozzle, 17 …… Circulation device, 18 …… Mandrel, 22 …… Drive shaft, 30 …… Holding member, 35 …… Detecting device.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-63-67224 (JP, A) JP-A-62-260636 (JP, A) JP-A-50-49080 (JP, A) JP-B-62- 7049 (JP, B2)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sterilization station for horizontally circulating a hollow beverage container blank having open both ends and sequentially circulating it in a sterilization tank disposed below, and receiving a sterilized blank in this sterilization tank, A cleaning station that sequentially circulates through the arranged cleaning tank, and a plurality of mandrels with a sterile air jet nozzle opened at the tip and to which the cleaned blank is fitted are radially arranged and intermittently rotated. It is equipped with a sterilizing agent removing station that removes the sterilizing agent by blowing sterile air from the nozzle onto the inner surface of the blank while transferring the washed blank to the hot air drying station, and the sterilizing station is located above the sterilizing tank. Endless circulating device that is intermittently driven by a driving member that is disposed in the holding device, and a holding member that is attached to the circulating device and that holds the blank in an inclined manner Sterilization device having a. 2. The cleaning station comprises an endless circulating device intermittently driven by a driving member arranged above the cleaning tank, and a holding member attached to the circulating device for holding the blank in an inclined manner. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises: 3. The drying station laterally holds a drying tank in which a plurality of hot air jet nozzles are opened, and a blank from which the germicide has been removed by the germicide removing station, and circulates in the drying tank. The sterilizer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a circulation device and a sterilizer detection device that detects the amount of the sterilizer contained in the air in the drying tank.