Sterile closed metering conveying device and method

Abstract

The invention provides a sterile closed metering and conveying device and method, belongs to the field of biological fermentation, and aims to solve the problem that bacterial liquid pollution is easily caused in the filling and metering process of biological fermentation products in related technologies. According to the metering and conveying device, the interior of the metering pump body can be sterilized before the metering and conveying device is used, and the space in the metering pump body can be isolated from the external atmospheric environment in the using process of the metering and conveying device, so that biological fermentation products can be effectively prevented from being polluted in the filling and metering process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of biological fermentation, and in particular to an aseptic closed metering and conveying device and method. Background Art

[0002] Generally speaking, fermentation products obtained through fermentation need to be packaged (e.g., bagged, barreled, etc.) before they can enter the market. In the process of packaging fermentation products, they need to be metered. For high value-added biological live bacteria products, the filling and metering stage has high requirements for the sterility of the environment.

[0003] During the filling and metering stage, it is easy for the metering device to fail to be sterilized or for the sterilized metering device to exchange air with the external environment during the filling process, which may cause the product packaging to be contaminated with bacteria, thereby causing great economic losses.

[0004] Based on the above, it is necessary to find a method that can complete aseptic filling metering as much as possible as soon as possible. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present application provides an aseptic closed metering and conveying device and method. The above device can be applied to the filling and metering stage of biological fermentation products, which is beneficial to the aseptic filling of biological fermentation products and avoids contamination of fermentation products.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a sterile closed metering and delivery device. The device comprises a metering pump body, a piston, a piston connecting rod and an elastic isolation structure; The piston is disposed in the metering pump body and is in sliding sealing cooperation with the inner wall of the metering pump body; One end of the piston connecting rod is fixedly connected to the piston, and the other end passes through the other end of the metering pump body, and the part of the piston connecting rod passing through the metering pump body is slidably matched with the metering pump body; One end of the elastic isolation structure is fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod connected to the piston, and the other end is used to form a position where the piston connecting rod and the metering pump body are slidably matched, and the elastic isolation structure is used to form a pressure balance that can ensure the metering pump body and the outside when the piston moves; The end of the metering pump body away from the piston connecting rod passing through the metering pump body is respectively connected to the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and one end of the first steam pipeline; the other end of the material inlet pipe is used as a feed inlet, the other end of the material outlet pipe is used as a discharge outlet, and the other end of the first steam pipeline is used as a first input port for high-temperature sterilization steam input.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the metering pump body can be sterilized before the metering and conveying device is used, and the space inside the metering pump body can be isolated from the external atmospheric environment during the use of the metering and conveying device, thereby effectively preventing the biological fermentation product from being contaminated during the filling and metering process.

[0008] Furthermore, the elastic isolation structure includes a sliding bearing and a plurality of corrugated sealing tubes; the sliding bearing is arranged in the metering pump body and the piston connecting rod passes through the sliding bearing, the sliding bearing is annularly fixedly connected to the inner wall of the metering pump body and is slidingly and sealingly connected to the piston connecting rod; The bellows sealing tube is arranged in the metering pump body, one end of the bellows sealing tube is closed, and the other end is connected to the sliding bearing bush, and the bellows sealing tube is connected to the outside.

[0009] Furthermore, one end of the corrugated sealing tube away from the sliding bearing is detachably fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod close to the piston through a first locking clamp.

[0010] Furthermore, one end of the corrugated sealing tube close to the sliding bearing is detachably fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod away from the piston through a second locking clamp.

[0011] Furthermore, the device also includes a second steam pipeline; one end of the metering pump body passing through the piston connecting rod is also fixedly connected to one end of the second steam pipeline, and the other end of the second steam pipeline is used as a second input port for high-temperature sterilization steam.

[0012] Furthermore, the device further comprises a sterilization isolation structure; the sterilization isolation structure comprises a first port and a second port, and is used to realize gas exchange between the first port and the second port and sterilize the exchanged gas; One end of the metering pump body passing through the piston connecting rod is also fixedly connected to the first port of the sterilization isolation structure, and the second port of the sterilization isolation structure is used to connect to the external atmospheric environment.

[0013] Furthermore, the sterilization isolation structure includes a U-shaped sealed tube for containing disinfectant.

[0014] Furthermore, the disinfectant is a chlorine-containing disinfectant or a peroxide disinfectant.

[0015] In the second aspect, the present application provides a method for aseptic closed metered delivery. The method uses any one of the devices described in the first aspect above; the method comprises: Pull the piston connecting rod to place the piston in the metering pump body close to the end of the piston connecting rod that passes through the metering pump body; Opening the first steam pipeline, the material inlet pipeline and the material outlet pipeline, and inputting high-temperature sterilization steam into the first input port for a certain period of time; Close the first steam pipeline and the material outlet pipeline, and push the piston connecting rod so that the piston is located at the end of the metering pump body away from the end of the piston connecting rod passing through the metering pump body; The material filling and metering is achieved by cooperatively controlling the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and the piston connecting rod.

[0016] In summary, this application at least has the following beneficial effects: The present application provides an aseptic closed metering and conveying device and method. The above device can be applied to the filling and metering stage of biological fermentation products, which is beneficial to the aseptic filling of biological fermentation products and avoids the biological fermentation products from being contaminated during the filling and metering process.

[0017] It should be understood that the contents described in the Summary of the Invention are not intended to limit the key or important features of the embodiments of the present application, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present application. Other features of the present application will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present application will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sterile closed metering and delivery device in an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure numerals: 1. metering pump body; 2. first locking clamp; 3. second locking clamp; 4. piston; 5. corrugated sealing tube; 6. sliding bearing; 7. piston connecting rod; 8. disinfectant U-shaped sealing tube. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] In addition, the term "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship between the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0022] The present application provides a sterile closed metering and conveying device and method, which can sterilize the metering and conveying space before use and can ensure that the metering and conveying space is isolated from the external atmospheric environment during use, thereby effectively preventing the metered and conveyed material from being contaminated.

[0023] In a first aspect, the present application provides a sterile closed metering and conveying device, which comprises a metering pump body 1, a piston 4, a piston connecting rod 7 and an elastic isolation structure.

[0024] The piston 4 is disposed in the metering pump body 1 and is slidably and sealingly matched with the inner wall of the metering pump body 1 .

[0025] One end of the piston connecting rod 7 is fixedly connected to the piston 4 , and the other end passes through the other end of the metering pump body 1 . The portion of the piston connecting rod 7 passing through the metering pump body 1 is slidably matched with the metering pump body 1 .

[0026] One end of the elastic isolation structure is fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod 7 connected to the piston 4, and the other end is used to form a position where the piston connecting rod 7 and the metering pump body 1 are slidably matched, and the elastic isolation structure is used to form a pressure balance between the metering pump body 1 and the outside when the piston 4 moves; One end of the metering pump body 1 away from the piston connecting rod 7 and passing through the metering pump body 1 is respectively connected to the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and one end of the first steam pipeline, the other end of the material inlet pipe is used as the feed port, the other end of the material outlet pipe is used as the discharge port, and the other end of the first steam pipeline is used as the first input port for high-temperature sterilization steam input.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the metering pump body 1 can be sterilized before the metering and conveying device is used, and the space inside the metering pump body 1 can be isolated from the external atmospheric environment during the use of the metering and conveying device, thereby effectively preventing the biological fermentation product from being contaminated during the filling and metering process.

[0028] Furthermore, the elastic isolation structure includes a sliding bearing 6 and a plurality of corrugated sealing tubes 5; the sliding bearing 6 is arranged in the metering pump body 1 and allows the piston connecting rod 7 to pass through, the sliding bearing 6 is annularly fixedly connected to the inner wall of the metering pump body 1 and is slidingly and sealingly connected to the piston connecting rod 7; The bellows sealing tube 5 is arranged in the metering pump body 1 , one end of the bellows sealing tube 5 is closed, and the other end is connected to the sliding bearing bush 6 , and the bellows sealing tube 5 is connected to the outside.

[0029] Furthermore, the device also includes a second steam pipeline; one end of the metering pump body 1 passing through the piston connecting rod 7 is also fixedly connected to one end of the second steam pipeline, and the other end of the second steam pipeline is used as a second input port for high-temperature sterilization steam.

[0030] Furthermore, the device also includes a sterilization isolation structure, which includes a first port and a second port, and is used to achieve gas exchange between the first port and the second port and sterilize the exchanged gas; One end of the metering pump body 1 passing through the piston connecting rod 7 is also fixedly connected to the first port of the sterilization isolation structure, and the second port of the sterilization isolation structure is used to connect to the external atmospheric environment.

[0031] Furthermore, the sterilization isolation structure includes a U-shaped sealed tube 8 for containing disinfectant.

[0032] Furthermore, the disinfectant is a chlorine-containing disinfectant or a peroxide disinfectant.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a sterile closed metering and delivery device in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 As a specific example, the device includes a metering pump body 1, a piston 4, a piston connecting rod 7, a material inlet pipeline, a material outlet pipeline, a first steam pipeline, a sliding bearing 6 and a bellows sealing tube 5.

[0035] The metering pump body 1 and the piston 4 are both cylindrical, the piston is coaxially arranged in the metering pump body 1, and the side wall of the piston 4 is slidingly sealed with the inner wall of the metering pump body 1. The piston connecting rod 7 is a round rod, coaxially arranged with the piston 4, one end of the piston connecting rod 7 is fixedly connected to the center of one side of the piston 4, and the other end passes through the end of the metering pump body 1 facing the one side of the piston 4, and the piston connecting rod 7 and the metering pump body 1 are slidingly matched with clearance.

[0036] The other end of the metering pump body 1 is respectively connected to the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and one end of the first steam pipeline. The other end of the material inlet pipe is used as the material feed port, the other end of the material outlet pipe is used as the material discharge port, and the other end of the first steam pipeline is used as the first input port for high-temperature steam input.

[0037] As a supplement to the above example, a sterile air pipeline is further arranged between the metering pump body 1 and the material inlet pipeline, the material outlet pipeline and the first steam pipeline.

[0038] The sliding bearing 6 is a circular ring structure, which is fixedly connected to the metering pump body 1 and cooperates with the piston connecting rod 7 for sliding sealing, so as to realize the gap between the metering pump body 1 and the piston connecting rod 7 to close the gap, and isolate the sterile space in the metering pump body 1 from the external atmospheric environment; the bellows 5 is a spiral tube, and the bellows 5 is spirally arranged in the metering pump body 1, one end of the bellows 5 is closed and fixedly connected to the piston 4 to set one end of the piston connecting rod 7, and the other end is connected to the sliding bearing 6, and the aforementioned other end of the bellows 5 is specifically connected to the external atmospheric environment through the sliding bearing 6. Due to the existence of the bellows 5, the external atmospheric environment enters or discharges the bellows 5 during the movement of the piston 4, which can ensure the balance of the air pressure inside and outside the metering pump body 1 on the basis of isolating the space inside the metering pump body 1 from the external atmospheric environment.

[0039] As a supplement to the above example, the end of the bellows sealing tube 5 away from the sliding bearing 6 is detachably fixedly connected to the end of the piston connecting rod 7 close to the piston 4 through the first locking clamp 2; the end of the bellows sealing tube 5 close to the sliding bearing 6 is detachably fixedly connected to the end of the piston connecting rod 7 away from the piston 8 through the second locking clamp 3.

[0040] In actual use, the piston connecting rod 7 can be pulled out as far as possible to pull the piston 4 to the inner end of the metering pump body 1, the first steam pipeline, the material inlet pipeline and the material outlet pipeline are opened, and high-temperature sterilization steam is introduced at the first input port to sterilize the metering pump body 1 at high temperature. Specifically, 120° steam is introduced for 30 minutes. After sufficient sterilization, the first steam pipeline and the material outlet pipeline are closed, and the piston 4 is pushed in as far as possible to push the piston 4 to the other end of the metering pump body 1. Then, the quantitative metering program can be configured to carry out the metering and delivery of materials (generally bacterial liquid) normally. During the operation of the piston 4, the elasticity of the corrugated sealing tube 5 can ensure the balance of air pressure inside and outside the metering pump body 1, and can isolate the internal and external environments of the metering pump body 1 to avoid contamination during the metering and delivery process.

[0041] In this device, the space where the piston connecting rod 7 moves in the metering pump body 1 needs to be sterilized in advance to ensure the whole process of the metering pump body 1 is sterile. Of course, an independent sterilization structure can also be set for the space where the piston connecting rod 7 moves in the metering pump body 1.

[0042] As a supplement to the above example, condensate discharge pipelines can be provided at both ends of the metering pump body 1, respectively or selectively, for discharging condensate after steam sterilization.

[0043] As a supplement to the above example, the device may further include a second steam pipeline. One end of the second steam pipeline is connected to the end of the metering pump body 1 and the piston connecting rod 7, and the other end is used as a second input port for high-temperature sterilization steam. The second input port is used to input high-temperature sterilization steam to sterilize the active space of the piston connecting rod 7 in the metering pump body 1.

[0044] After sterilizing the space where the piston connecting rod 7 moves in the metering pump body 1, the metering pump body 1 can be guaranteed to be sterile throughout the process. Of course, in order to achieve low-cost continuous sterilization of this part of the space, another sterilization structure can be set for this part of the space.

[0045] As a supplement to the above example, the device may also include a U-shaped sealed tube 8 for disinfectant containing disinfectant, one end of which is connected to the node connecting the metering pump body 1 and the second steam pipeline, and the other end is connected to the external atmospheric environment. The U-shaped tube can realize gas exchange between the space inside the metering pump body 1 and the external atmospheric environment, and the exchanged gas will be sterilized by the disinfectant. In this example, the disinfectant can be a chlorine-containing disinfectant such as 84 disinfectant, hypochlorous acid, or a peroxy disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid.

[0046] As a supplement to the above example, steam pipelines can be provided at two ports of the disinfectant U-shaped sealed tube 8 respectively or selectively, so as to sterilize the liquid in the disinfectant U-shaped sealed tube 8 by steam.

[0047] As a supplement to the above example, a condensate discharge pipeline can be provided at the bottom of the disinfectant U-shaped sealed tube 8 for discharging condensate after steam sterilization.

[0048] As other implementations of the embodiments of the present application, the device may also be configured with only a U-shaped tube for containing disinfectant without a second steam pipeline for introducing high-temperature sterilizing steam, or the U-shaped tube for containing disinfectant may be configured as a breathing filter with an isolation function, etc.; one or more corrugated sealing tubes 5 may be used to stabilize the pressure, or the sliding bearing 6 may be directly set to be elastic, and the sliding bearing 6 may be used to stabilize the pressure. When the sliding bearing 6 is elastic, it may also be fixedly connected to the piston connecting rod 7, or even directly when the piston connecting rod 7 and the metering pump body 1 are slidingly sealed, and other pressure stabilizing structures such as balloons connected to the space inside the metering pump body 1 are used to ensure... Other implementation forms of the embodiments of the present application are not disclosed one by one, and the solutions implemented by those skilled in the art under the guidance of the present application without any creative premise belong to the scope disclosed in the embodiments of the present application.

[0049] In a second aspect, the present application provides a method for aseptic closed metered delivery. The method uses any one of the devices described in the first aspect above. The method specifically comprises: S1: Pull the piston connecting rod 7 to place the piston 4 in the metering pump body 1 close to the end of the piston connecting rod 7 that passes through the metering pump body 1; S2: Open the first steam pipeline, the material inlet pipeline and the material outlet pipeline, and input high-temperature sterilization steam to the first input port for a certain period of time; S3: Close the first steam pipeline and the material outlet pipeline, push the piston connecting rod 7 so that the piston 4 is located at the end of the metering pump body 1 away from the piston connecting rod 7 passing through the metering pump body 1; S4: Material filling and metering are achieved by collaboratively controlling the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and the piston connecting rod (7).

[0050] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working process of the described method can refer to the corresponding process in the aforementioned device embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0051] It should be noted that, for the aforementioned method embodiments, for the sake of simplicity of description, they are all expressed as a series of action combinations, but those skilled in the art should be aware that the present application is not limited by the described order of actions, because according to the embodiments of the present application, certain steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Secondly, those skilled in the art should also be aware that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily required by the present application.

[0052] In summary, this application at least has the following beneficial effects: Provided is a sterile closed metering and conveying device and method. The device can be applied to the filling and metering stage of biological fermentation products, which is beneficial to the sterile filling of biological fermentation products and avoids the biological fermentation products from being contaminated during the filling and metering process.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and an explanation of the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of disclosure involved in the present application is not limited to the technical solution formed by a specific combination of the above technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the aforementioned disclosed concept. For example, the above features are replaced with the technical features with similar functions disclosed in this application (but not limited to) by each other to form a technical solution.

Claims

1. A sterile closed metering and conveying device, characterized in that: It comprises a metering pump body (1), a piston (4), a piston connecting rod (7) and an elastic isolation structure; The piston (4) is arranged in the metering pump body (1) and is slidably and sealingly matched with the inner wall of the metering pump body (1); One end of the piston connecting rod (7) is fixedly connected to the piston (4), and the other end passes through the other end of the metering pump body (1); the portion of the piston connecting rod (7) passing through the metering pump body (1) is in sliding engagement with the metering pump body (1); One end of the elastic isolation structure is fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod (7) connected to the piston (4), and the other end is used to form a position where the piston connecting rod (7) and the metering pump body (1) are slidably matched, and the elastic isolation structure is used to form a pressure balance that can ensure the air pressure inside the metering pump body (1) and the outside when the piston (4) moves; One end of the metering pump body (1) away from the piston connecting rod (7) and passing through the metering pump body (1) is respectively connected to a material inlet pipe, a material outlet pipe and one end of a first steam pipeline; the other end of the material inlet pipe is used as a material feed port; the other end of the material outlet pipe is used as a discharge port; and the other end of the first steam pipeline is used as a first input port for high-temperature sterilization steam input.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The elastic isolation structure comprises a sliding bearing (6) and a plurality of corrugated sealing tubes (5); the sliding bearing (6) is arranged in the metering pump body (1) and allows the piston connecting rod (7) to pass through; the sliding bearing (6) is annularly fixedly connected to the inner wall of the metering pump body (1) and is slidingly and sealingly connected to the piston connecting rod (7); The bellows sealing tube (5) is arranged in the metering pump body (1); one end of the bellows sealing tube (5) is closed and the other end is connected to the sliding bearing bush (6); and the bellows sealing tube (5) is connected to the outside.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that One end of the corrugated sealing tube (5) away from the sliding bearing bush (6) is detachably fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod (7) close to the piston (4) via a first locking clamp (2).

4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that One end of the corrugated sealing tube (5) close to the sliding bearing bush (6) is detachably fixedly connected to one end of the piston connecting rod (7) away from the piston (4) via a second locking clamp (3).

5. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The device also includes a second steam pipeline; one end of the metering pump body (1) passing through the piston connecting rod (7) is also fixedly connected to one end of the second steam pipeline, and the other end of the second steam pipeline is used as a second input port for high-temperature sterilization steam.

6. The device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The device further comprises a sterilization isolation structure; the sterilization isolation structure comprises a first port and a second port, and is used to realize gas exchange between the first port and the second port and sterilize the exchanged gas; One end of the metering pump body (1) that passes through the piston connecting rod (7) is also fixedly connected to a first port of the sterilization isolation structure, and a second port of the sterilization isolation structure is used to connect to the external atmospheric environment.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that The sterilization isolation structure comprises a U-shaped sealed disinfectant tube (8) for containing disinfectant inside.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that The disinfectant is a chlorine-containing disinfectant or a peroxide disinfectant.

9. A sterile closed metering and delivery method, characterized in that: Using the device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; the method comprises: Pulling the piston connecting rod (7) to place the piston (4) in the metering pump body (1) close to the end of the piston connecting rod (7) passing through the metering pump body (1); Opening the first steam pipeline, the material inlet pipeline and the material outlet pipeline, and inputting high-temperature sterilization steam into the first input port for a certain period of time; The first steam pipeline and the material outlet pipeline are closed, and the piston connecting rod (7) is pushed so that the piston (4) is located at an end of the metering pump body (1) away from the end of the piston connecting rod (7) passing through the metering pump body (1); By collaboratively controlling the material inlet pipe, the material outlet pipe and the piston connecting rod (7), material filling and metering are achieved.

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