Apparatus for reducing presence of microorganisms on web material

Abstract

An apparatus (20) for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web of material (12), for example in a system for making packages, includes a housing (21) defining an interior space and a microorganism reduction device in the interior space. An inlet port and an outlet port (24) are disposed on the housing to allow a web of material (12) to move along a path of travel through an interior space between the inlet port and the outlet port. The inlet and outlet ports (24) are elongate and include respective seals (24 ') that define elongate slits (24' ') for flexible engagement with the web material (12). The apparatus further includes a spacer (201) disposed in the elongated slit (24 ") of one of the inlet and outlet ports (24) to reduce engagement between the seal (24 ') and the flat surface (12") of the web material (12) at one longitudinal edge (12') thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web material, in particular a web material for the production of packaging. Background Art

[0002] Reducing the presence of microorganisms is crucial when producing certain types of packaging, such as packaging containing food. This can be achieved by disinfection or sterilization.

[0003] A packaging is made from a web material which is cut and formed into the packaging and filled with food. The web material can be a fibrous laminate, for example comprising a core layer of paper or cardboard and one or more plastic barrier layers. The packaging is manufactured on a production line including one or more conventional filling machines.

[0004] Disinfection or sterilization can be carried out at different stages of the production line. It is a common practice to disinfect the incoming web material to prevent contamination of the equipment downstream of the production line. Disinfection can be carried out by feeding the web material through a disinfection device or unit in which the web material is disinfected. The ports on the disinfection device can be provided with flexible seals which engage the passing web material so that disinfection takes place within an effectively enclosed space within the housing. Alternatively or additionally, corresponding sterilization equipment can be arranged in the production line to sterilize the web material.

[0005] The industrial production of packaging is automated and designed for high-volume production. The cost of production downtime due to service and maintenance is high. One problem is the accumulation of dust inside or on the disinfection / sterilization equipment. The dust accumulated inside the equipment may prevent the disinfection / sterilization of the web material. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly disassemble and clean the equipment, which takes a lot of time and causes production downtime. It is desirable to reduce the need for cleaning the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The aim is to at least partially overcome one or more of the above limitations of the prior art.

[0007] One such aim is to provide an apparatus for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web material. Here, reducing the presence of microorganisms means reducing the presence of live microorganisms, which can include both disinfection and sterilization.

[0008] Another aim is to provide such an apparatus which requires less downtime for cleaning.

[0009] One or more of these aims and other aims which may emerge from the following description are at least partially achieved by an apparatus for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web material and a system for manufacturing packaging according to the independent claims, the embodiments of which are defined by the dependent claims.

[0010] A first aspect relates to an apparatus for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web material, the web material comprising opposing flat surfaces and longitudinal edges connecting the opposing flat surfaces. The apparatus includes a housing defining an internal space; and an inlet port and an outlet port disposed on the housing to permit the web material to pass through the internal space between the inlet port and the outlet port along a travel path. The inlet port and the outlet port are elongated and include respective seals that define elongated slits for flexible engagement with the web material. The apparatus further includes means for reducing the presence of microorganisms on the web material within the internal space. The apparatus further includes a spacer disposed in the elongated slit of the inlet port or the outlet port to reduce the engagement between the seal and the flat surface of the web material at one longitudinal edge of the web material.

[0011] In some embodiments, the seal includes a pair of opposing lips arranged to define the elongated slit, and the spacer is disposed between the opposing lips and abuts against the opposing lips.

[0012] In some embodiments, the spacer has opposing sides that extend along the elongated slit and abut against the opposing lips to locally separate the opposing lips from each other.

[0013] In some embodiments, the spacer has a surface arranged to face the one longitudinal edge, and the center point of the surface is aligned with the centerline of the elongated slit.

[0014] In some embodiments, the distance between the opposing sides of the spacer is at least about 70% of the thickness of the web material, or equal to or greater than the thickness of the web material.

[0015] In some embodiments, the web material includes a fibrous material.

[0016] In some embodiments, the fibrous material is exposed at the one longitudinal edge of the web material.

[0017] In some embodiments, the spacer is arranged to define the width of an elongated channel for the web material to pass through the elongated slit.

[0018] In some embodiments, the spacer is arranged to extend along the elongated slit away from the elongated channel to the end of the elongated slit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the distance between the spacer and the end of the elongated slit is 0 - 5 mm, preferably 0 - 3 mm.

[0020] In some embodiments, the spacer includes an edge surface that is arranged to face one longitudinal edge of the web material at a distance of 0.1 - 5 mm (preferably 0.5 - 3 mm).

[0021] In some embodiments, the spacer is part of a releasable unit that includes a mounting portion for releasably attaching to the housing.

[0022] In some embodiments, the releasable unit is included in a kit of releasable units, and the spacers of the releasable units in the kit differ in at least one of thickness, width, or position relative to the mounting portion, where the thickness defines the extent of the spacer transverse to the elongate slit, and where the width defines the extent of the spacer along the elongate slit.

[0023] In some embodiments, the mounting portion is attached to the housing such that an end portion of the spacer projects through the elongate slit.

[0024] In some embodiments, the end portion has a rounded edge as viewed perpendicular to the flat surface of the web material.

[0025] In some embodiments, the spacer is disposed in the elongate slit of the outlet port, and the device includes another spacer disposed in the elongate slit of the inlet port to reduce the engagement between the seal of the inlet port and the flat surface of the web material at the one longitudinal edge of the web material.

[0026] In some embodiments, the device can reduce the presence of microorganisms on the web material by providing one or more of: heat, disinfectant, sterilant, ultraviolet radiation, or electron beam.

[0027] A second aspect relates to a system for manufacturing a package. The system includes: a supply device for a web material; a device according to the first aspect or any of its embodiments, the device being arranged to receive the web material from the supply device and operable to reduce the presence of microorganisms on the web material; and a filling machine configured to receive the web material from the device and process the web material into a package.

[0028] Other objects, embodiments, and aspects, as well as additional features and advantages, will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying schematic drawings. Description of the Drawings

[0029] Figure 1A is a schematic view of an operating system for manufacturing a package, and Figure 1B is for Figure 1A a perspective view of a rolled-up web material in the system for.

[0030] Figure 2Yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of an exemplary disinfection device in an operating system.

[0031] Figure 3A Is a side view towards the outlet port of the exemplary disinfection device before installing the spacer, Figure 3B Is after installing the spacer and during operation of the disinfection device towards Figure 2 A side view of the outlet port in A, and Figure 3C Is Figure 3B An enlarged view of a part of.

[0032] Figures 4A - 4B Is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary disinfection device with a narrow spacer, and Figure 4C Is Figure 4A An enlarged view of a part of.

[0033] Figure 5A Is a perspective view of an exemplary disinfection device with an extended spacer, Figure 5B Is Figure 5A An enlarged view of a part of, and Figure 5C Is Figure 5A A cross-sectional view of the disinfection device in.

[0034] Figure 6A Is Figure 5A A side view of the operating disinfection device towards the outlet port, Figures 6B - 6C Is Figure 6A An enlarged view of a part in, and Figure 6D Is Figure 6A A perspective view of the disinfection device in. Detailed Description

[0035] The embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments are shown. In fact, the subject matter of the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.

[0036] To the extent possible, any advantages, features, functions, devices, and / or operational aspects of any embodiment described and / or contemplated herein may be included in any other embodiment described and / or contemplated herein, and vice versa. Additionally, to the extent possible, any term expressed in the singular herein shall mean also the plural and / or vice versa, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, the terms “a” and / or “an” shall mean “at least one” or “one or more,” although the phrases “one or more” or “at least one” are also used herein. The terms “several,” “multiple,” and “plural” are intended to imply the provision of two or more elements. The term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements. Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0037] For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0038] Like reference numerals throughout the text denote like elements.

[0039] Figure 1A is a schematic view of an exemplary system 1 for manufacturing a package 50. The package 50 can accommodate any type of product. Below, it is assumed that the package 50 is filled with food. In the example shown, the manufacturing system 1 includes a web supply device 10, a device 20 for reducing the presence of microorganisms, and a filling machine 30. The web supply device 10 includes a roll 11 of web material 12, which is fed through the device 20 into the filling machine 30. The filling machine 30 is configured to form a portion of the web material 12 into a container, fill the container, and seal the filled container to produce the package 50. Generally, the filling machine 30 is configured to cut, fold, and form the incoming web material into a container. The filling machine 30 can be of any conventional type and can be a single structure or a combination of physically separated units.

[0040] The web material 12 (“web”) is a flat sheet made of any suitable material. The present disclosure is not limited to a web 12 of any particular composition. However, in many systems for manufacturing packaging, the web 12 includes a cellulose-based material, such as paper or cardboard, which may or may not be laminated with one or more plastic materials and / or metal layers on one or both sides. Cellulose-based materials contain fibers. In the context of the present disclosure, any material containing any type of fiber is a “fiber material”. The web 12 is typically provided to the web supply device 10 in a rolled-up form. Figure 1B Such a roll 11 of the web material is shown in Figure 1B . The web 12 withdrawn from the roll 11 has two opposite flat surfaces 12” connected by longitudinal edges 12'. In other words, the flat surfaces 12” are bounded by the edges 12' along the web 12.

[0041] The device 20 is configured to receive and process the web 12 to reduce the presence of microorganisms thereon. As used herein, the term “microorganism” refers to any microorganism including but not limited to bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, viruses, prions, etc. Depending on the implementation, the device 20 may be configured to disinfect or sterilize the web 12. As used herein, “disinfection” is the process of inactivating or destroying many but not necessarily all microorganisms, while “sterilization” refers to the process of removing, killing, or inactivating all microorganisms. For simplicity, the device 20 will be referred to hereinafter as the “disinfection device” although it can also be used for sterilization.

[0042] One reason for installing the disinfection device 20 is to mitigate the spread of microorganisms to downstream devices in the manufacturing system 1. This is particularly important for food packaging where high hygiene requirements exist. The disinfection device 20 does not have to be located upstream of the filling machine 30, as Figure 1A shown, but can be installed at any location within the filling machine 30. It should also be noted that the disinfection device 20 can be supplemented by additional disinfection or sterilization devices within the filling machine 30.

[0043] The manufacturing system 1 is operated by one or more controllers (schematically shown as the control unit 40 in Figure 1A ). The control unit 40 is configured to provide control signals and receive feedback signals. These signals are schematically labeled S1, S2, and S3 in Figure 1A and are represented by double-headed arrows (dashed lines). Figure 1A Figure 1A Figure 1A Figure 1A

[0044] As shown by the arrow 100, the web 12 is fed from the supply device 10 through the disinfection device 20 and into the filling machine 30. It should be understood that the system 1 includes one or more web feeding mechanisms, such as within the filling machine 30 and / or as separate components.

[0045] Figure 2is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary disinfection device 20 during operation. The disinfection device 20 includes a housing 21 that defines an internal space 22 in which a web 12 is disinfected or sterilized. An inlet port 23 and an outlet port 24 are arranged on the housing 21 to receive the web 12. The respective ports 23, 24 are elongate and adapted to pass the web 12 therethrough. The web 12 enters the device 20 through the inlet port 23, traverses the space 22 along a travel path, and exits the device 20 through the outlet port 24. Generally, during operation of a filling machine 30, the web 12 is continuously fed through the device 20 in a feed direction 100. The device 20 also includes means 25 for reducing the presence of microorganisms on the web 12. For simplicity, the means 25 is hereinafter referred to as the "microorganism reduction means" or MMA. In Figure 2 , the MMA 25 is represented by two treatment units, one located above the travel path of the web 12 within the space 22 and one located below the travel path. The respective treatment units may be radiation emitters or ports for injecting a disinfection / sterilization substance. Any number of treatment units may be provided within the space 22. In some embodiments, the MMA 25 is configured to expose the web 12 to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, electron beam radiation, one or more disinfectants, one or more sterilants, or heat, or any combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of commonly used disinfectants and sterilants include hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide, peracetic acid, formaldehyde, ozone, chlorine dioxide, etc.

[0046] Although Figure 2 not shown, a web guiding unit may be positioned on the upstream side and / or downstream side of the disinfection device 20 to accurately position the web 12 relative to the inlet port 23 and the outlet port 24. Such web guiding units are well known in the art.

[0047] It should also be noted that the travel path of the web 12 through the disinfection device 20 need not be horizontal, but may have any orientation relative to the direction of gravity. Thus, Figure 2 the disinfection device 20 in

[0048] The disinfection or sterilization performed in the device 20 typically involves substances that are potentially harmful to humans. These substances may be provided by the MMA 25 or generated during the disinfection / sterilization process. Thus, it is necessary to mitigate the uncontrolled release of substances from the space 22 in the device 20 into the surrounding environment. To this end, the ports 23, 24 are provided with flexible sealing elements. Figure 3A An example of such a port is shown in Figure 3A and is Figure 2 a partial side view of the device 20 in Figure 3AThe web is not shown. The outlet port 24 is formed by an inlet opening 124 in the housing 21. An assembly seal 24' is fitted to cover the inlet opening 124. The seal 24' defines an elongated slit 24" extending between two slit ends 124". In the example shown, the slit 24" has a linear (straight) shape to conform to the planar shape of the web 12. The slit 24" is defined between an upper lip 24A and a lower lip 24B. At least one of the lips 24A, 24B is flexible to accommodate the web 12 within the slit 24". In one embodiment, the seal 24' is integral and made of a flexible material (such as rubber or silicone), and the slit 24" is provided as a through-cut in the flexible material. In the embodiments described below, it is assumed that both the lips 24A, 24B are flexible.

[0049] Figure 3B is a side view corresponding to Figure 3A but in which the web 12 is arranged to extend through the seal 24'. The seal 24' is flexibly engaged with the web 12 by the flexibility of the lips 24A, 24B. The applicant has found that this structure of the disinfection device 20 has a potential problem, namely that a large amount of dust accumulates inside the housing 21 (such as inside the seal 24'). The accumulated dust affects the performance of the device 20 and needs to be removed regularly by manual cleaning. Manual cleaning is very time-consuming because the housing 21 needs to be disassembled and then reassembled. To reduce the downtime of the manufacturing system 1, the dusty device 20 can be replaced with the same device 20 and cleaned offline. However, the replacement operation is also quite time-consuming and causes the manufacturing system 1 to stop. The applicant has also observed a similar dust accumulation outside the inlet port 23. Since this dust is located outside the housing 21, it is easier to remove. The applicant has concluded that the dust is mainly caused by wear, which is generated due to the closing of the slit 24" at the edge 12' of the web 12. When the web 12 includes a fibrous material, especially when the fibrous material is exposed at the edge 12', wear will generate dust. In Figure 3B the example of

[0050] After a large number of experiments, the applicant has found a simple and effective solution. As Figure 3B shown, the solution involves installing a spacer 201 in the slit 24" near the longitudinally vulnerable edge 12' to reduce the engagement between the seal 24' and the flat surface 12" of the web 12 at this longitudinally edge 12'. The spacer 201 is fixed and serves as a separating element, spacer or spacing element. In Figure 3B the example of Figure 3BThe left side of the intermediate spacer 201 defines an elongated channel. Figure 3C Yes Figure 3B An enlarged view of the circled portion 3C in. In the illustrated example, the spacer 201 is arranged to abut against the lip surfaces 24A', 24B' that define the slit 24". The spacer 201 urges the lips 24A, 24B apart to relieve Figure 3B the forces acting on the web 12 within the circled area (dashed line) in, specifically at the end portion 12'" of the flat surface 12" adjacent to the edge 12'. In the illustrated example, the spacer 201 is configured to separate the lips 24A, 24B to effectively eliminate the contact between the seal 24' and the end portions 12'" on both sides of the web 12.

[0051] In the illustrated example, the spacer 201 has opposite sides 201" configured to face the lips 24A, 24B, and an edge surface 201' configured to face the elongated channel. Thus, the edge surface 201' faces the edge 12' of the web 12 when the web 12 is located in the channel, as Figures 3B - 3C shown. In the illustrated example, the opposite sides 201" are flat and parallel to each other, which can reduce the stress on the seal 24" because the forces acting on the lips 24A, 24B are distributed along the sides 201". However, other shapes and arrangements of the opposite sides 201" are also conceivable. For example, the sides 201" can be curved or inclined, away from the edge surface 201'. Regardless of the shape, the spacer 201 can be arranged such that its opposite sides 201" extend along the slit 24" and abut against the lips 24A, 24B to locally separate the lips 24A, 24B from each other.

[0052] It is also advantageous for the center point CP of the edge surface 201' to be aligned with the center line C1 of the slit 24”. The center point CP is located at the middle between the opposite sides 201”. When the seal 24' is slack or removed, the center line C1 is located at the middle between the lip surfaces 24A', 24B'. The center line C1 generally coincides with the symmetry line of the web 12. The symmetry line extends at the middle between the edges 12' of the web 12 and between the flat surfaces 12". By aligning the center point CP with the center line C1, the separating effect of the spacer 201 is evenly distributed between the flat surfaces 12" of the web 12, resulting in an approximately equal relaxation of the forces at the end portion 12”. In the context of the present disclosure, if the offset between CP and C1 is less than 25% of the thickness of the web 12, then CP and C1 are considered to be aligned.

[0053] In Figure 3C the edge surface 201' of the spacer 201 is flat and perpendicular to the sides 201”. In fact, the edge surface 201' can have any shape and inclination.

[0054] As Figure 3C shown, the edge surface 201' of the spacer 201 is disposed at a distance D1 from the (nearest) edge 12' of the web 12. If the edge surface 201' has an irregular shape and / or is inclined, the distance D1 is the shortest distance between the edge surface 201' and the edge 12'. In some embodiments, D1 ranges from 0.1 - 5 mm. This will enable the spacer 201 to relieve the force exerted by the seal 24' on the end portion 12''' of the web 12. In a commercial installation, D1 can range from 0.5 - 3 mm. For example, from a tolerance perspective, if D1 is about 0.5 mm or greater, the deployment of the device 20 will be more convenient. It is currently believed that an upper limit of about 3 mm enables a spacer 201 of reasonable thickness to sufficiently relieve the force while also limiting the gap size between the spacer 201 and the web 12. The gap size should be kept small to contain potential harmful substances within the internal space 22 of the device.

[0055] It can be noted that regardless of the shape and thickness, the spacer 201 will cause a relaxation of the force at the end portion 12'''. Thus, if the spacer 201 is thinner than the web 12, relaxation will also be achieved. In Figure 3C FIG., T1 represents the thickness of the web 12, given as the distance between the flat surfaces 12'' of the web 12, while T2 represents the thickness of the spacer 201, given as the distance between the opposing sides 201''. If the spacer 201 has an irregular shape, the thickness T2 is the distance between the opposing sides 201'' at the edge surface 201'. It is currently believed that when T2 ≥ α·T1, where α is about 0.70, sufficient relaxation of the force at the end portion 12''' can be achieved. In some embodiments, for more effective relaxation, α is about 1.0 or greater, such as at least 1.1 or 1.2.

[0056] Figures 4A - 4Bis a perspective view of an exemplary disinfection device 20 according to an embodiment. The perspective view is a cutaway view and is taken from two different angles. The housing 21 of the device 20 includes wall portions, some of which are part of a fixed frame structure and some of which are releasably attached to the frame structure. In the example shown, the frame structure includes an inlet wall 21A and an outlet wall 21B, which define an inlet access opening 123 and an outlet access opening 124, respectively. The top cover 21C is releasably attached to the frame structure by bolts with knob handles 27', which are configured to facilitate manual operation. Thus, the knob handles 27' form quick-release connectors that can be easily removed when it is necessary to disassemble the device 20 for cleaning or other maintenance. Any other type of quick-release connector can be used. The inlet seal 23' is arranged to cover the inlet access opening 123 and extend into the housing 21. The inlet mounting plate 28' defines an opening that corresponds in shape and position to the inlet access opening 123. The inlet seal 24' is sandwiched between the inlet mounting plate 28' and the inlet wall 21A. The inlet mounting plate 28' is attached to the inlet wall 21A by fasteners 27", which in this example are nuts that are screwed onto threaded ends (not shown) that project from the inlet wall 21A through mounting holes (not shown) in the mounting plate 28' and the seal 23'. The outlet seal 24' is arranged to cover the outlet access opening 124 and project outside the housing 21. The outlet mounting plate 28" defines an opening that corresponds in shape and position to the outlet opening 124. The outlet seal 24' is sandwiched between the mounting plate 28" and the outlet wall 21B. The outlet mounting plate 28" is attached to the outlet wall 21B by fasteners, which in this example are bolts with knob handles 27'. The bolts extend through mounting holes (not shown) in the mounting plate 28", the seal 24', and the outlet wall 21B and engage nuts (see Figure 5C 27'" in

[0057] The inlet seal 23' and the access opening 123 are part of the inlet port 23, while the outlet seal 24' and the access opening 124 are part of the outlet port 24. The corresponding seals 23', 24' include elongated slits 23", 24".

[0058] In Figures 4A - 4B corresponding spacers 201 are arranged to extend through the slit 23" and the slit 24". For clarity of presentation, Figures 4A - 4B the web is omitted in Figure 4B) As part of it, the releasable unit 200 includes a mounting portion 202 for releasably attaching to the housing. In the illustrated example, the mounting portion 202 is plate-shaped, and the spacer 201 extends from the mounting portion 202 at a right angle. At the inlet port 23, the mounting portion 202 is attached to the outside of the housing, and the spacer 201 extends into the housing through the slit 23”. The mounting portion 202 includes mounting holes for receiving the threaded ends protruding through the mounting plate 28', and the mounting portion 202 is firmly attached to the housing by the engagement of the nut 27” with the threaded ends. At the outlet port 24, the mounting portion (not shown) is attached to the inside of the housing, and the spacer 201 extends out of the housing through the slit 24”. It should be understood that Figures 4A - 4B These are merely examples, and the releasable unit 200 can be attached to the housing by any suitable fastener or equivalent element.

[0059] According to Figure 3B It should be understood that the spacer 201 is disposed in the slits 23”, 24” to define an available (open) passage for the web 12 to pass through the slits 23”, 24”. In some installations, the disinfection device 20 may need to accommodate webs 12 of different widths, which requires adjusting the position of the edge surface 201' along the slits 23”, 24”. Such adjustment can be achieved by providing a kit of different releasable units 200, all having similar mounting portions 202 and different spacers 201. The mounting portion 202 can be configured to attach to the same fastening structure on the housing, such as threaded pins, guide pins, mounting holes, etc. Between the different releasable units 200 in the kit, the spacer 201 can differ in width, or the position of the spacer 201 relative to the mounting portion 202, or a combination thereof. The width is the extent of the spacer 201 along the slits 23”, 24”. An increase in width may result in a decrease in the extent of the passage. Similarly, the extent of the passage can be adjusted by providing a releasable unit 200 that, when mounted on the housing, positions the spacer 201 along the slits 23”, 24” at different locations. Such a kit increases the versatility of the disinfection device 20.

[0060] It can then also be envisioned that the kit includes a releasable unit 200 having spacers 201 of different thicknesses, such as for use with webs 12 of different thicknesses ( Figure 3C T1 in it) and / or different wear sensitivities.

[0061] As Figure 4AAs shown, the distal end 201A (“end portion”) of the corresponding spacer 201 protrudes from the seals 23”, 24”. When the spacer 201 is installed in the device 20, this distal end 201A is pressed through the slits 23”, 24”. To reduce the risk of damaging the seals 23', 24', the distal end 201 has a rounded edge 201'” as viewed along the wall portions 21A, 21B, which are perpendicular to the slits 23”, 24”, that is, perpendicular to the flat surface 12” of the web 12 when the web 12 is arranged to extend through the ports 23, 24.

[0062] The applicant has found Figures 4A - 4B room for further improvement in the disinfection device 20. The use of the finger-like spacer 201 facilitates the installation of the spacer 201 in the slits 23”, 24” and makes the releasable unit 200 relatively compact and lightweight. Figure 4C is Figure 4A an enlarged view of the rectangular portion 4C in. As Figure 4C shown, the spacer 201 will not only serve to separate the lips 23A, 23B from the web, but also form a gap G1 between the lips 23A, 23B on the side of the spacer 201 facing away from the web. The gap G1 is formed because the lips 23A, 23B will remain separated outside the spacer 201 until they can flexibly spring back to the center line of the slit 23” (see Figure 3C C1 in). The size of the gap G1 depends, for example, on the thickness of the spacer 201 and the flexibility of the lips 23A, 23B. If the gap G1 is too large, unacceptable potential leakage of harmful substances may occur during operation of the device 20. The spacer 201 forms a similar gap in the slit 24”.

[0063] The risk of leakage can be reduced by increasing the width of the spacer 201 along the slit. Figures 5A - 5C depicts an exemplary disinfection device 20 provided with such a spacer 201. Figures 5A - 5C shows the disinfection device 20 without the web installed. Figures 6A - 6D shows the same disinfection device 20, during operation at this time the web 12 is fed through the device 20. The basic structure and configuration of the disinfection device 20 are the same as those of the device 20 in Figures 4A - 4B To avoid unnecessary repetition, the following description will focus on the differences and details not mentioned in Figures 4A - 4B Therefore, the details not described below are the same as those in Figures 4A - 4B

[0064] As Figure 5A shown in the perspective view of, the disinfection device 20 is elongated and has a housing generally in the shape of a cuboid. The frame structure of the housing is at two end walls 21D, 21E ( Figure 6A ​) extends between and includes an inlet wall 21A and an outlet wall 21B. The top of the housing is closed by a top plate 21C. The mounting plate 28' on the inlet side is attached to the frame structure by a plurality of fasteners 27" (here nuts) distributed along the extent of the housing. The mounting plate 28" on the outlet side is attached to the frame structure by four bolts with knob handles 27', and the knob handles 27' form a quick-release connector. Although spacers 201 are provided, some dust will still be generated when the device 20 operates for a long time (such as one week or several weeks). Since dust is more likely to accumulate inside the outlet seal 24', it may be beneficial to provide a quick-release connector on the outlet side of the device 20 to easily access the inside of the outlet seal 24". By releasably attaching the top cover 21C to the frame structure by four bolts with knob handles 27', further quick access to the inside of the housing is achieved.

[0065] Figure 5B is Figure 5A An enlarged view of the circled part 5B in. As shown, compared with Figures 4A - 4B the spacer 201 in, the extension of the spacer 201 along the slit 24" is significantly greater. The shape of the spacer 201 is closer to a blade shape rather than a finger shape. Compared with Figures 4A - 4B similar, the spacer 201 has a rounded edge 201'" at the distal end 201A that protrudes through the slit 24". Although not shown, the spacer 201 inside the slit 23" has a distal end of a similar shape. As Figure 5C shown in the cross-sectional view of, the corresponding spacer 201 is part of a releasable unit 200, which is mounted to the housing as described above with reference to Figures 4A - 4B stated. The releasable unit 200 can be included in a kit of releasable units, where the width and / or thickness of the spacer 201 are different.

[0066] Turning to Figure 6A (which is a front view of the outlet port 24), it can be seen that the elongated slit 24" extends between two slit ends 124", and the spacer 201 is arranged to extend all the way to the right slit end 124". Thus, the spacer 201 defines the width of the channel for the web 12 in the slit 24" and blocks the rest of the slit 24". Figure 6C is Figure 6A An enlarged view of the circled part 6C in. By arranging the spacer 201 to apply pressure towards the slit end 124", the gap G2 between the edge surface 201' of the spacer 201 and the slit end 124" can be reduced or even eliminated. As Figure 6C shown, the edge surface 201' of the spacer 201 is arranged at a distance D2 from the slit end 124". The distance D2 is set such that the area of the gap G2 is smaller than the area of the gap G1 of the finger-shaped spacer 201 (see Figure 4C)。In some embodiments, D2 is in the range of 0 - 5 mm. In some embodiments, the upper limit of D2 is set to 3 mm to further reduce the release of substances. By deforming the slit end 124" and the adjacent lip surfaces 24A', 24B' to contact the edge surface 201', a distance D2 close to zero can be achieved. It should be noted that the edge surface 201' does not have to be planar and right-angled as shown in the figure, but can be shaped to roughly match the triangle of the gap G2 shown in Figure 6C to reduce the stress on the seal 24' and the seal end 124".

[0067] Figure 6B is Figure 6A an enlarged view of the circled part 6B in, showing how the spacer 201 achieves the forced separation of the lips 24A, 24B, such that the lip surfaces 24A', 24B' are spaced apart from the flat surface 12" at the edge 12' of the web 12. Figure 6B includes a distance parameter D1. The above discussion regarding D1 and other design parameters equally applies to the embodiments in FIGS. 5 - 6.

[0068] Returning to Figure 5C the cross-sectional view of, it can be seen that the seals 23', 24' are configured to project through the entry openings 123, 124 of the housing 21. The inlet seal 23' is configured to project into the housing, while the outlet seal 24' is configured to project out of the housing. Thus, the seals 23', 24' are arranged to project in the feed direction of the web 12 along a travel path TP through the housing. The projecting shape of the seals 23', 24' enables guide surfaces 23”', 24”' to be configured for the respective seals 23', 24', and the guide surfaces 23”', 24”' extend along the seals 23', 24' and taper towards the slits 23”, 24”. The guide surfaces 23”', 24”' face in a direction opposite to the feed direction of the web 12 through the housing. This configuration of the seals 23', 24' can facilitate the insertion of the web 12 into the respective slits 23', 24'. The web 12 will be guided to and through the respective slits 23', 24' by contact with the guide surfaces 23”', 24”'. It should be understood that due to twisting and bending, the web 12 can be very wide and difficult to handle.

[0069] In the example of FIGS. 4-6, the disinfection device 20 has a spacer 201 in the inlet port 23 and a spacer 201 in the outlet port 24, and both spacers 201 are arranged to reduce the engagement with the same edge 12' of the web 12. In some installations, one of the spacers 201 can be omitted. For example, if dust mainly accumulates on the outer side of the inlet port 23 and is thus easy to clean, the spacer 201 in the inlet port 23 can be omitted. It is conceivable to omit the spacer from the outlet port 24. It is also conceivable to have two spacers on both sides of the web 12 in the inlet port 23 and / or the outlet port 24. For example, this may be relevant if both longitudinal edges 12' of the web 12 are sensitive to wear.

[0070] The present disclosure is not limited to webs including fibrous materials or having longitudinal edges with exposed fibrous materials, but can be used for any type of web to reduce wear of one or both longitudinal edges of the web and / or reduce the risk of jamming, entanglement, tearing, etc. due to increased frictional engagement between one (or more) longitudinal edges of the web and the elongated seal of the inlet or outlet port.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing the presence of microorganisms on a web material (12), the web material (12) including opposite flat surfaces (12”) and longitudinal edges (12') connecting the opposite flat surfaces (12”), the apparatus comprising: A housing (21) defining an internal space (22); An inlet port (23) and an outlet port (24) arranged on the housing (21) to allow the web material (12) to move along a travel path (TP) through the internal space (22) between the inlet port (23) and the outlet port (24), wherein the inlet port (23) and the outlet port (24) are elongated and include respective seals (23', 24') that define elongated slits (23”, 24”) for flexible engagement with the web material (12); A device (25) for reducing the presence of microorganisms on the web material (12) within the internal space (22), The apparatus further comprising: A spacer (201) arranged in the elongated slit (23”; 24”) of the inlet port (23) or the outlet port (24) to reduce the engagement of the seal (23'; 24') with the flat surface (12”) of the web material (12) at one longitudinal edge (12') of the web material (12).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the seal (23'; 24') includes a pair of opposite lips (23A, 23B; 24A, 24B) arranged to define the elongated slit (23"; 24"), and wherein the spacer (201) is arranged between the opposite lips (23A, 23B; 24A, 24B) and abuts against the opposite lips (23A, 23B; 24A, 24B).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spacer (201) has opposite sides (201”) that extend along the elongated slit (23"; 24") and abut against the opposite lips (23A, 23B; 24A, 24B) to locally separate the opposite lips (23A, 23B; 24A, 24B) from each other.

4. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (201) has a surface (201') arranged to face the one longitudinal edge (12'), and wherein the center point (CP) of the surface (201') is aligned with the center line (C1) of the elongated slit (24”).

5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance (T2) between the opposite sides (201”) of the spacer (201) is at least about 70% of the thickness (T1) of the web material (12), or equal to or greater than the thickness (T1) of the web material (12).

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the web material (12) includes a fibrous material.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the fibrous material is exposed at the one longitudinal edge (12') of the web material (12).

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (201) is arranged to define the width of an elongate channel for the web material (12) to pass through the elongate slit (23”; 24”).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the spacer (201) is arranged to extend along the elongate slit (24”) away from the elongate channel to the end (124”) of the elongate slit (24”).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the distance (D2) between the spacer (201) and the end (124”) of the elongate slit (24”) is 0 - 5 mm, preferably 0 - 3 mm.

11. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (201) comprises an edge surface (201'), which is arranged to face the one longitudinal edge (12') of the web material (12) at a distance (D1) of 0.1 - 5 mm, preferably 0.5 - 3 mm.

12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer (201) is part of a releasable unit (200), which comprises a mounting part (202) for releasably attaching to the housing (21).

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the releasable unit (200) is included in a kit of releasable units, wherein the spacers (201) of the releasable units (200) in the kit differ in at least one of thickness, width or position relative to the mounting part (202), wherein the thickness defines the extent of the spacer (201) transverse to the elongate slit (23”; 24”), and wherein the width defines the extent of the spacer (201) along the elongate slit (23”; 24”).

14. The device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the mounting part (202) is attached to the housing (21) such that an end part (201A) of the spacer (201) projects through the elongate slit (23”; 24”), and wherein the end part (201A) has a rounded edge (201'”) as viewed perpendicular to the flat surface (12”) of the web material (12).

15. A system for manufacturing a package, the system comprising: a supply device (10) for a web material (12); a device (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, which is arranged to receive the web material (12) from the supply device (10) and is operable to reduce the presence of microorganisms on the web material (12); and a filling machine (30), which is configured to receive the web material (12) from the device (20) and process the web material (12) into a package (50).

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