Apparatus and method for post-treating container products

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for post-treatment, in particular for cooling container products (12), which are produced by means of a blow-molding, filling and sealing method and which can be fed to a post-treatment zone (26), which exerts an influencing, in particular cooling effect on the respective container product (12), characterized in that the container products (12) are fed to the post-treatment zone (26). According to the invention, the container products (12) enter the post-treatment zone (26) separately from one another, individually or in groups (28), which are separate from one another and have a plurality of container products (12), and the post-treatment zone (26) is provided with at least one control device (30) which determines the residence time of the container products in the post-treatment zone (26) in such a way as to act on the container products (12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for post-processing, in particular for cooling, container products which are produced by means of a blow moulding, filling and sealing method (BFS) and can be conveyed to a post-processing area which exerts an influencing, in particular cooling, effect on the respective container product. Background Art

[0002] EP 3 099 467 B1 discloses a generic device for producing container products from plastic material, which are part of a continuous belt leaving a non-intermittent BFS production machine, which container products have previously been formed by means of a forming device, provided with a predeterminable container content by means of a filling device and sealed by means of a closing device, the forming device having individual mold parts that move toward and away from each other in pairs in order to close or open a production mold in which the respective container product is formed and the container content and the seal are provided. The finished container products are then conveyed in a sequential order as a continuous belt to a post-processing zone, in which the respective container product and / or the respective container content are acted upon, in particular temperature-influencing effects. In this way, a controlled temperature influence of the respective filled and sealed container product is achieved in the post-processing zone during the post-processing phase of the continuous belt, in order to achieve stability and in particular biological activity of the respective filling and at the same time to produce well-formed and sealed BFS containers. Thus, the filled container products, which are respectively located in a continuous belt in a sequential order, are conveyed to the post-processing area and cooled by convection cooling of the container products, preferably for at least 20 seconds. In the case of products for medical purposes, this is carried out under strictly controlled good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions, in particular with regard to the directional air flow in the clean room.

[0003] In the intermittent machine, small-volume containers (filling volume is usually less than 30ml) or their groups are manufactured as frame composites (Rahmenverbund). For this purpose, a plastic hose is extruded in the extrusion position of the BFS device, which is accommodated in a cooled multi-piece mold, and the lower part of the container, that is, the container body, is formed by negative pressure and cooled by being pressed against the mold. Then, the plastic hose is separated and transferred (in the cooled mold) to the filling position. This transfer usually lasts 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds. At this time, the container body also continues to cool by contacting with the cooled mold. The cooling of the container head area is intentionally avoided to a large extent. Then, the filling of the container body and the sealing of the container are carried out by closing the top jaws of the mold and welding the still hot container head. Compared with large-volume containers such as bottles with a filling volume of 30ml or more, a blowing process for forming is not required for such small-volume containers.

[0004] In US Pat. No. 11,027,862 B2, an additional cooling step for the respectively formed but unfilled containers is proposed for such a BFS machine, which consists in waiting an additional two to five seconds after forming the container before filling and thus delaying the filling process in time. In this way, heat is transferred from the empty container body to the cooled mold by contact; however, the container head must remain "hot" because otherwise it can no longer be reliably formed and welded or sealed after filling. In this regard, the container can only be partially cooled.

[0005] In both of the above solutions, it can be seen that the frame composite produced during the production of the corresponding container (which is described, for example, in EP 2 180 990 B1) Figure 1 The molded product (shown in FIG. 1 ) must be cooled together with the so-called waste edge region, which requires very high cooling powers and / or cooling times, considering that the waste region, especially in the case of cycled machines, often accounts for more than 30% of the total plastic used. As a result, the amount of heat acting on the filling material increases significantly compared to the heat from the actual container. This requires high cooling powers after demoulding, in particular large cooling air volume flows, which is disadvantageous because the direction of the air flow that occurs in the clean room can change in an uncontrolled manner.

[0006] These production methods, which are very advantageous in themselves, are more or less high-temperature methods, because for the plastic material to be used advantageously, the homogenization of the molten polymer mass, the distribution in the hose head of the BFS production machine, and the forming and especially the sealing welding of the container all require relatively high temperatures. Due to the high temperature levels in the forming stage, the BFS method, which is advantageous in itself, is not very suitable for temperature-sensitive fillings. For containers in the form of ampoules, preparations of drugs and diagnostic agents prepared by biotechnology are often used as fillings. Such substances include, for example, therapeutic proteins, coagulation factors, various hormones (such as insulin, ethylene oxide or growth hormone), monoclonal antibodies and vaccines prepared by biotechnology. Due to the problems caused by temperature, such substances are usually not sold in BFS containers, but in traditional glass vials.

[0007] In the professional field, this problem has been discussed and is the subject of current scientific discussion. In this regard, reference is made to an article by Wei Liu, Philippe Lam et al., which was published in Biopharmaceutical International in July 2011, pages 22 to 29. In order to prevent degradation of the fill, the authors recommend supplying their drug preparation very cold. However, within the scope of BFS technology, this can only be achieved with difficulty in a process that is carried out quickly for high discharge rates, because the temperature reduction leads to an increase in the viscosity of the fill, which requires an increased filling pressure at the same filling time, but due to the shear sensitivity of most proteins, the increased filling pressure will have an adverse effect on the stability of the fill. In addition, the disadvantage of cooling the supply line of the fill at a temperature below 15°C is that condensation of air humidity will occur in the BFS production machine and especially on its filling tube. This leads to the condensation water being wiped off at the container opening, which in turn leads to leaks when the container is welded. It is obvious that if low mold temperatures of less than 15° C. are set, condensation effects also occur, which in turn requires complex and expensive dry air conditioning of the mold surface and leads to temperatures in the head region of the mold and in the top jaws at which a tight weld is no longer reliably ensured. Reducing the container wall thickness is likewise rarely a rational and effective regulating parameter for minimizing the available heat acting on the filling, since the container wall thickness is determined by predetermined parameters, such as the permissible permeation losses (water loss by permeation during storage) and mechanical specifications (mechanical stability, opening properties, deformability for emptying, etc.). Summary of the invention

[0008] Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to further improve the known solution while retaining its advantages so as to enable energy-saving and economical post-processing, in particular cooling, of the filled and sealed BFS container products. The object of the present invention is achieved by a device having all the features of claim 1.

[0009] By allowing the container products to enter a post-processing zone provided with corresponding control means, which determine the residence time of the container products in the post-processing zone, separately from one another or in groups of a plurality of container products, a post-processing zone is provided for the filled and securely sealed container products, which allows the obtained containers to remain in the post-processing zone for a long time, independently of the cycle time of the actual BFS production machine, until a predeterminable post-processing step has been carried out, in particular until the desired temperature has been reached. In particular, the container products are no longer part of a continuous production chain in the form of an endless belt in a sequential order, so that the post-processing and its duration can be predetermined independently of the production cycle of the BFS machine, which allows a large number of degrees of freedom in the scope of post-processing, in particular cooling. In this way, even very temperature-sensitive fillers can be filled into BFS containers.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that in a production step prior to post-processing, the respective container products are at least partially, preferably completely, separated from the frame waste produced during production. As a result, the heat contained in the waste edge region no longer has to be dissipated by cooling. In this respect, the heat to be dissipated by the post-processing zone is only predetermined by the original container product including the filling. Overall, the device allows the implementation of a method for effectively cooling filled and sealed BFS container products, in particular BFS ampoules for medical purposes, in a clean room.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the container products pass through the post-treatment zone supported by gravity, preferably in free fall, until the control device temporarily acts on the container products. This shortens the time until the container products enter the post-treatment zone, so that the thermal effects on the filling are minimized and the quality of the filling is not significantly affected.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the post-treatment zone has at least one passage shaft for guiding the container products through, which passage shaft preferably allows or stops the discharge of the container products from the passage shaft by means of a control mechanism on the bottom side. In this way, the residence time of the respective container products in the post-treatment zone can be predetermined, and surprisingly it has been found that the container contents are advantageously mixed by the collision or impact of the container products on the bottom plate of the temporarily closed passage shaft, without significantly increasing the wetting of the inner surface of the container. In this way, the heat content of the container products is also homogenized, which helps to improve the cooling through the post-treatment zone.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the post-treatment zone has a plurality of passage shafts arranged in series along the falling line for the container products, with respective control means. Preferably, the respective passage shafts are designed as chambers, which are open upward and downward on their mutually opposite free end sides for guiding the container products through, the openings being closable by means of control means (preferably comprising a movable bottom part), and the mutually opposite container walls of the container products are guided through the adjacent chamber walls of the respective chambers at a predeterminable average spacing. In this way, the post-treatment zone is divided into at least two mutually separable sub-areas or chambers, which enables a step-by-step cooling. In this case, pre-cooling of the container products first takes place in the front chamber located in the front, and additional cooling takes place in the main chamber located in the rear, as seen in the guiding direction. In this case, the two chambers which at least partially define the passage shafts are temporarily separated from each other by a bottom plate or a movable bottom part which can be moved between them. By horizontally displacing the movable bottom part, the container products, individually or combined into individual container blocks, pass by gravity from the preceding antechamber directly into the spatially connected main chamber while maintaining the vertical container orientation (which is predetermined, for example, by the BFS production machine).

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that each chamber has at least one inlet for a temperature control medium, such as a cooling fluid. Cooling takes place in the respective chamber by means of a cooling fluid, for example in the form of a liquid, a gas or a gas mixture, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, etc., but preferably with normal ambient air. The heated exhaust air generated during cooling escapes in the upper region of the respective chamber and can be discharged.

[0015] It is preferably provided that a plurality of inlet nozzles are mounted parallel to the respective chamber wall of the chamber, which inlet nozzles penetrate the chamber wall with their outlet side and thus introduce the temperature control medium into the guide passage space of the chamber, preferably at a position in which the container product in the chamber is held by means of a control device in such a way that the temperature control medium preferably strikes the container product and / or the container contents at a vertical angle. Preferably, the temperature control medium strikes the container product near the bottom, and particularly preferably the temperature control medium is guided in such a way that it strikes substantially below the liquid level of the container product. The step-cooling according to the invention results in a total cooling time of significantly less than 20 seconds, so that in the double chamber arrangement a cooling time of less than about 10 seconds is produced for each chamber. This cooling time is achieved even when using relatively low cooling powers. As a result, the production cycle of the container does not need to be unfavorably extended and the high efficiency or economy of the BFS production process itself is maintained in the area of ​​post-processing.

[0016] Staged cooling need not be limited to two stages with two chambers; rather, cooling may be performed with only one stage of cooling or three or more stages of cooling may be achieved by using additional other chambers.

[0017] Particularly preferably, the corresponding chamber volume is not greater than 30 times the corresponding container product volume, preferably less than 20 times the corresponding container product volume. Accordingly, it is advantageous for temperature control or cooling to keep the volume of each treatment chamber of the post-treatment zone as small as possible.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the respective channel shaft can be moved back and forth by means of a displacement device between a receiving position for feeding in the containerized products and a transfer position for discharging the containerized products. As a result, the containerized products received in each case can be moved during the actual treatment process by means of the post-treatment zone, which forms a further possibility for decoupling the production machine, which preferably produces the containerized products continuously, and the post-treatment zone, which conditions the temperature of these containers, in particular cools them.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for post-processing container products, which are produced in particular by blow molding, filling and sealing methods, using an apparatus as described above. In this way, the container products are fed individually or in groups into a post-processing zone after at least partial removal of the frame waste, and the residence time of the respective container products in the post-processing zone is predetermined by means of a control device. The post-processing does not have to be limited to a temperature control process, in particular a cooling or additional heat treatment process. Other post-processing processes that can be combined with each other are also possible, such as irradiating the filled container with high-energy radiation (visible light, ultraviolet light, beta rays, gamma rays or X-rays, microwaves) to reduce the number of bacteria or performing sensory inspections, such as optical inspections of the container products and / or the contents. Thus, for example, cooling can be carried out in a first chamber, irradiation can be carried out in a second chamber and inspection can be carried out in another chamber. Accordingly, the individual chambers of the post-processing zone do not need to be arranged in direct sequence, but can also have a predeterminable axial distance from each other with intermediate spaces.

[0020] The method is particularly preferably carried out by discontinuously feeding a temperature control medium, in particular a cooling fluid, into the post-treatment zone, preferably reducing the feeding of the temperature control medium during the feeding of the corresponding container product into the post-treatment zone. In this way, the desired post-treatment can be carried out in a particularly controlled manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The device of the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to an embodiment according to the drawings.

[0022] The drawings are schematic and not to scale.

[0023] Figure 1 and 2 A frame assembly shown in an end view, comprising an ampoule block and a frame waste; or an ampoule block with the frame waste removed, in which individual container products are detachably connected to one another by means of partition wall webs to form a commercial unit;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a perspective top view of the main components of the post-processing equipment;

[0025] Figure 4 is an end view from above; partly in cross-section and partly in view according to Figure 3 The device is arranged below the separation / punching device; and

[0026] Figure 5 is based on Figure 4 Partial side view in the direction of the arrow; without separation / punching device and without conveying device in the form of a conveyor belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Figure 1 The frame composite part 10 shown in the figure is made of a plastic material, for example, a polyolefin material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. However, materials containing cyclic olefin materials such as COP or COC or aromatic polyester materials such as PET, PEN or PEF (polyethylene furanate) can also be used.

[0028] The frame composite 10 is basically composed of the original container product 12 and the so-called frame waste 14, which can be at least partially separated from the original container product 12 by means of a separating or punching device 16, a part of which is Figure 4 The technical solution shown in and specifically in EP 2 180 990 B1 is shown in and is, for example, specifically in EP 2 180 990 B1.

[0029] If the container product 12 is separated from the majority of the frame waste portion 14, then a Figure 2 The ampoule block shown has been largely removed from the frame waste 14, wherein the individual container products 12 or individual ampoules are connected to one another via the remaining partition wall webs 18 of the frame waste 14, which allow the respective container product 12 to be separated from the other containers remaining in the block in the form of a twisting movement.

[0030] The corresponding container product 12 is known in the prior art and is described, for example, in DE 38 31957 C1. It is already prior art to produce the described ampoule block product within the scope of the blow molding, filling and sealing method (BFS). In this regard, Figure 1 and 2The basic shape shown in the figure is only one embodiment and in particular the container geometry can be predetermined by the user within a very wide range and implemented in the BFS method. To release the container content, which is usually in the form of a prefilled fluid, a rotary closure 20 is usually used, which can be separated from the rest of the container product 12 at a corresponding predetermined breaking point by means of a handle 22, also in the form of a twisting movement, so that the fluid can then be extracted through the released container opening (usually for medical purposes). Other container opening concepts, including dropper caps or inserts, as known from EP 3 151 807 B1, can also be implemented.

[0031] according to Figure 2 The ampoule block shown is Figure 4 As viewed in the viewing direction of FIG. 1 , the punching device 16 is vertically downwardly removed and thus reaches the inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone, which is denoted overall by the reference numeral 26 . Figure 2 The ampoule block shown, from which the frame waste 14 has been largely removed, thus forms a group 28 with a plurality of container products 12, which enter the post-processing zone 26 in combination via the inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone. Each group 28 leaving the punching device 16 reaches the inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone 26 in such a way that the respectively entering group 28 is processed in a sequential order, in particular cooled within the scope of temperature control. However, it is also possible for the individual container products 12 to arrive directly at the inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone 26 from the BFS production machine side, without the punching device 16. It is also conceivable to, if necessary, transfer the container products 12 to the inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone 26 according to the method of the invention. Figure 1 The frame composite shown is delivered individually to the post-processing area 26 in this way. Even with the frame composite or the frame waste part 14, an improved cooling effect is still obtained for the container fluid to be temperature-controlled. Figure 4 It can be further seen that the post-processing zone 26 is provided with some control mechanisms 30 , which act on the container products 12 to determine the residence time of the container products in the post-processing zone 26 .

[0032] Figure 4 The punching device 16, which is partially shown in the middle, is located below the filling station of the BFS production machine, which is not shown in detail, and thus receives Figure 1 The product shown in the figure consists of containers 12 which are embedded in a frame waste part 14 surrounding it, where, due to the plastic molding process associated with it, the plastic material is still correspondingly "hot", which may have an adverse effect on the filling in the corresponding container product 12 if the filling is correspondingly temperature-sensitive.

[0033] After the container product 12 is punched out, the frame waste portion 14 is removed according to the Figure 2The product 12 in the container leaves the punching device 16 when viewed in the falling direction from top to bottom in order to subsequently reach the funnel-shaped inlet side 24 of the post-processing zone 26. The container products 12 thus enter the post-processing zone 26 supported by gravity, preferably in free fall, and pass through it until the corresponding control device 30 acts on the corresponding container product 12. In this regard, the processing zone 26 includes a control device for guiding the corresponding Figure 2 The first channel well 32 through which the container product 12 passes has a horizontally movable bottom plate 34 as a control mechanism 30, and the bottom plate can be moved horizontally by means of a matching drive 36. Figure 4 In the viewing direction of FIG. , the outlet side 38 of the first channel shaft 32 is thus released. Figure 4 As shown, the bottom plate 34 is in its closed or shut-off position and according to Figure 2 The container products 12 combined in one card stand with their container bodies on the upper side of the bottom plate 34. By falling onto the bottom plate 34 via the inlet side 24, an advantageous mixing of the container contents occurs from a thermal point of view, which improves cooling.

[0034] If Figure 4 It can be further seen that the post-processing area 26 has a plurality of channel shafts 32, 40, 42 arranged in series along the imaginary vertical falling line of the container product 12, each of which has a separate control mechanism 30, more precisely from 32 to 40 and from 40 to 42. The corresponding channel shafts 32, 40, 42 are constructed as box-shaped chambers 44 with a rectangular free cross section inside, each chamber 44 is open upward and downward on its two mutually opposite end sides to guide the container product 12 through, as long as the corresponding bottom plate 34 does not close the corresponding channel shaft 32, 40. As shown by Figure 4 As can be further seen from the figure, the mutually opposite container walls of the container product 12 are guided through the adjacent chamber walls 46 of the corresponding chamber 44 at a predeterminable small interval. In addition, each chamber 44 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal sides 43 ( Figure 3 ) Closed design.

[0035] according to Figure 4 As shown, the container products 12 connected to form a card are located in a channel shaft 32 arranged at the top, which is closed on the bottom side by a matching bottom plate 34. Figure 2 The container product 12 is located in the second channel shaft 40, which is closed downward by a bottom plate 34, so that the intermediate chamber 44 is closed upward and downward by a bottom plate 34 at its free end side. In the last third channel shaft 42, according to Figure 2The containerized products 12 are located on the outlet side 38 and are placed on a drivable conveyor belt 48 to be transported away from the post-processing area 26. The bottom plate 34 between the second passage shaft 40 and the third passage shaft 42 is also arranged to be movable back and forth in the post-processing area 26 by means of a matching drive 36 in the same direction as the bottom plate 34 arranged at the top.

[0036] Once the conveyor belt 48 is Figure 2 After the ampoule product is transported away and the temperature control, especially cooling, of the container product 12 in the post-processing area 26 is completed, the two bottom plates 34 can be moved to an open position that releases the outlet side of the corresponding channel shafts 32, 40, so that the ampoule block located in the second channel shaft 40 reaches the conveyor belt 48 after passing through the third channel shaft 42, and the ampoule block with the container product 12 arranged above it reaches the second channel shaft 40 from the first channel shaft 32. Then, the punching device 16 can release another ampoule product, which reaches the first channel shaft 32 via the funnel-shaped inlet side 24 when the bottom plate 34 is closed. Of course, the bottom plate 34 for the second channel shaft 40 must also be closed in order to be able to receive the released ampoule product arranged above it. In this way, according to Figure 4 In an embodiment, two-stage cooling of the container product 12 is achieved by means of two channel shafts 32 , 40 , wherein the length of the first channel shaft 30 is preferably shorter than the subsequent channel shaft 40 .

[0037] If Figure 4 It can further be seen that at least one inlet 50 for a temperature control medium, such as a cooling fluid, is provided above the respective base plate 34 and is associated with each chamber 44. Figure 5 As shown, seven slot nozzles are provided as respective inlets 50 for each chamber 44, which are preferably arranged oppositely on the chamber wall 46 at the same height on opposite sides. Accordingly, a plurality of inlet nozzles as respective inlets 50 are installed extending parallel to the respective chamber wall 46 of the chamber 44, which pass through the chamber wall 46 with their outlet sides and thus introduce the temperature control medium into the interior space of the respective chamber 44 or guide it through the space. Here, the temperature control medium preferably hits the container product 12 with its container contents at a vertical angle. The cooling fluid is preferably a gas or a gas mixture, carbon dioxide, nitrogen or preferably air. The inflow time of the cooling fluid in each chamber 44 is less than 0.6 minutes, preferably less than 0.4 minutes, and particularly preferably less than 0.3 minutes.

[0038] If Figure 4 It is further known that the corresponding chamber volume of the chamber 44 is not greater than thirty times the volume of the corresponding container product 12. Preferably, the volume is less than twenty times the container product 12. Figure 3It can be seen that the entire post-processing device is arranged to be reciprocatingly movable relative to the punching device 16 and the conveyor belt 48 by means of the moving device 52. Figure 3 As shown, the post-processing zone 26 is located in the rear displacement position. Figure 3 In this way, the feeding of the container products 12 into the post-processing zone 26 in the rear area and the discharge of the container products onto the conveyor belt 48 in the front area can be at least partially decoupled from the predetermined machine cycle of the BFS production machine and / or the punching device 16.

[0039] It has proven to be advantageous to avoid relative movements of the liquid relative to the container product 12 as much as possible, at least until the container product leaves the respective chamber 44. This is achieved by a clocked flow of the cooling fluid, in particular by interrupting the flow through the respective inlet 50 during the entry or exit of the container product 12 into the respective chamber 44. This reliably avoids shaking or vibrations of the container product 12 and an undesirable increase in the heat transfer from the plastic to the temperature-sensitive container contents.

[0040] The cooling fluid is guided in the main chamber formed by the second channel shaft 40 in a similar manner as in the antechamber 44 formed by the first channel shaft 32, but preferably with a delayed time cycle of the cooling flow through the corresponding inlet 50. It has surprisingly been found that, in particular, by means of the step-cooling according to the invention, a total cooling time of significantly less than 20 seconds can be achieved, i.e. less than approximately 10 seconds per chamber 44, so that effective cooling is achieved even at low cooling power. As a result, the production cycle of the container product 12 does not have to be extended unfavorably and the high efficiency, i.e. the economy, of the BFS production process is maintained.

[0041] Furthermore, it has proven to be advantageous if the corresponding container product 12 (which can also be combined into Figure 2 The gap between the container block (shown) and the inner wall or chamber wall 46 of the corresponding chamber 44 is selected in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, which improves the cooling effect on the one hand and reliably prevents scratches on the container surface on the other hand. The gap between the container product 12 and the corresponding longitudinal side 43 of the chamber 44 is less than 0.5 cm, preferably less than 0.3 cm.

[0042] Alternatively, a three-stage cooling can also be implemented if this is necessary in terms of the product, in which case an additional main chamber with a cooling device like the second channel shaft 40 must be added in a similar manner along the predetermined vertical drop line.

[0043] As already explained, the entire post-treatment zone 26 with its individual chambers 44 is guided linearly movable in a horizontal operating position and the product containers 12 are guided while maintaining their spatial orientation in which the container heads are arranged at the top, during their movement in the individual cooling shafts 32, 40 from the position below the punching device 16 further downwards in the direction of the conveyor belt 48 with interruptions in cooling to the outlet side 38. In the transfer position, the floor 34 of the main chamber 44 in the form of the second passage shaft 40 is open in any case, so that the cooled containers can be transferred via the third passage shaft 42 to a conveyor device in the form of a conveyor belt 48.

[0044] In other embodiments not described in detail, a plurality of chambers 44 can also be arranged side by side in the well and be correspondingly displaced by a linear movement.

[0045] In a further embodiment not described in detail, the chamber wall 46 can be designed as a cooling water jacket, for example by a double-wall design and a liquid cooling medium between the walls.

[0046] The device and method according to the invention not only make it possible to use the BFS method for temperature-sensitive filling materials. Another advantage of the invention is that - when using partially crystalline materials such as LDPE, HDPE, PP or PET - the crystallization of these materials can be influenced in a targeted manner in order to thereby influence the optical, mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of the container product.

[0047] In other embodiments not described in detail, the container product 12 can also be optionally treated with high-energy radiation (e.g. in the form of beta radiation, UV rays, light or light pulses) in the device according to the invention to reduce microbial contamination of the contents. Instead of cooling, a heat treatment can also be carried out at least temporarily in the post-treatment zone 26, for example by hot air, microwaves and / or infrared radiation, in order to homogenize the container contents or reduce the bacteria therein.

[0048] In a specific embodiment, very good cooling results can be achieved if blocks formed from 15 container products 12 connected to each other are used respectively and the blocks have block dimensions of width×height×depth (BHT) of approximately 184 mm×53 mm×10 mm.

[0049] The respective cooling wells formed by the channel wells 32, 40 and, if appropriate, 42 should preferably have dimensions of width×height×depth of approximately 210 mm×250 mm×13 mm, wherein the height of the antechamber in the form of the first channel well 32 is approximately 59 mm and the height of the main chamber in the form of the second channel well 40 is approximately 105 mm.

[0050] A multi-channel flat nozzle "Whisperblatt" manufactured by Lechler GmbH in Metzingen is used as nozzle or as corresponding cooling inlet 50. As cooling air generator, the Colder type from Karger GmbH in Dietzenbach has proven to be effective.

[0051] Preferably, the cooling air should reach the container products 12 in the block via nozzles or corresponding inlets 50 at a volume flow of about 400 standard liters / minute at about -10° C. This results in a very short residence time of about 8 seconds in each chamber 44 for the product to be cooled.

[0052] With the solution described above, in addition to a method for post-processing, in particular cooling, filled and sealed BFS container products 12 , in particular BFS ampoules for medical purposes, in a clean room, an energy-saving and economically advantageous device is provided.

Claims

1. A device for post-processing, in particular for cooling, container products (12), which are produced by means of a blow-molding, filling and sealing method and can be fed to a post-processing zone (26), which exerts an influencing, in particular cooling, action on the respective container product (12), characterized in that The container products (12) enter the post-processing zone (26) separately from one another, individually or in groups of a plurality of container products (12) separated from one another. The post-processing zone is provided with at least one control mechanism (30) which determines the residence time of the container products in the post-processing zone (26) in a manner that acts on the container products (12).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that In a production step prior to post-processing, the respective container product (12) is at least partially separated from the frame waste (14) produced during production by means of a separating or punching device (16).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The container product (12) passes through the post-treatment zone (26) supported by gravity, preferably in free fall, until a corresponding control mechanism (30) acts on the container product (12).

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The post-processing area (26) has at least one passage shaft (32) for guiding the container product (12) through, and the passage shaft preferably allows or stops the discharge process of the container product (12) from the passage shaft (32) on the bottom side with the help of a corresponding control mechanism (30).

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The post-processing zone (26) has a plurality of channel shafts (32, 40, 42) arranged in series and having respective control mechanisms (30) along a falling line for the containerized products (12).

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The corresponding channel shafts (32, 40, 42) are constructed as chambers (44), which are open at their mutually opposite free end sides for guiding the container product (12) through, and the opening on the bottom side can be closed by means of a control mechanism (30) - preferably including a movable bottom plate (34), and the container walls of the container product (12) that are mutually opposite to each other are guided through along the adjacent chamber walls (46) of the corresponding chamber (44) at a predeterminable average spacing.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that Each chamber (44) has at least one inlet (50) for a temperature control medium, such as a cooling fluid.

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A plurality of inlet nozzles (50) are mounted parallel to the corresponding chamber wall (46) of the chamber (44), which penetrate the chamber wall (46) with their output side and introduce a temperature control medium into a guide passage space of the chamber (44), preferably at a position in which the container product (12) in the chamber (44) is stopped by means of a control mechanism (30) so that the temperature control medium preferably hits the container product (12) and / or the container contents near the bottom of the container product (12) and preferably at a vertical angle.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The corresponding chamber volume of the chamber (44) is not greater than 30 times the volume of the corresponding container product (12), and preferably less than 20 times the volume of the corresponding container product.

10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The corresponding passage shafts (32, 40, 42) can be reciprocated between a receiving position for feeding in container products (12) and a transfer position for discharging the container products by means of a moving device (52).

11. Method for post-processing container products (12) using an apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, the container products being produced, in particular, by a blow-molding, filling and sealing method, characterized in that The container products (12) are fed individually or in groups (28) into a post-processing zone (26) and the residence time of the respective container products (12) in the post-processing zone (26) is predetermined by means of at least one control device (30).

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that A temperature control medium, in particular a cooling fluid, is fed discontinuously into the post-treatment zone (26), preferably the feed is reduced while the corresponding container product (12) is being fed into the post-treatment zone (26).

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