Aseptic filling machine and aseptic filling method

Abstract

This invention discloses an aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method incorporating the aseptic filling machine. The aseptic filling machine includes a bottle inlet chamber, a sterilization chamber, a bottle washing chamber, a filling and capping chamber, and a bottle outlet chamber, all connected sequentially. The aseptic filling machine also includes an air inlet device and an air outlet device. The air outlet device is connected to the bottle inlet chamber and is used to discharge gas. The bottle inlet chamber, sterilization chamber, bottle washing chamber, filling and capping chamber, and bottle outlet chamber all maintain positive pressure, and the air pressures satisfy the following conditions: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber > air pressure in the sterilization chamber > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber, and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber. External contaminants (such as unfiltered air or microorganisms carried by operators) cannot enter the core aseptic area against the airflow direction, significantly improving the aseptic assurance level of the filling and capping area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of filling equipment, and in particular to an aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method. Background Technology

[0002] Aseptic filling machines are widely used in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries to disinfect, clean, fill, and cap bottles, and to complete the packaging process in a sterile environment to extend product shelf life and ensure food safety.

[0003] In the prior art, Japanese Patent JP7563341B2 discloses an aseptic filling machine, which includes: a conveying device for transporting containers, a sterilization device for sterilizing containers, a filling device for filling the sterilized containers with contents in an aseptic environment, and a sealing device for sealing the filled containers with aseptic capping material. The machine also includes a container exterior cleaning device for cleaning the outer surface of the sealed containers. To maintain an aseptic environment, this aseptic filling machine houses the sterilization device, filling device, and sealing device in separate chambers. However, the prior art does not disclose the lack of effective pressure differential isolation between the multiple chambers. Unpurified air from outside or contaminants from adjacent areas (such as disinfectant residue or cleaning mist) may enter the core filling area during container transport or personnel operation, leading to a failure of aseptic protection. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an aseptic filling machine that can significantly improve the aseptic assurance level of the filling and capping area.

[0005] The present invention also proposes an aseptic filling method having the above-mentioned aseptic filling machine.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an aseptic filling machine includes a plurality of sequentially separated and connected cavities, the plurality of cavities including a bottle inlet cavity, a sterilization cavity, a bottle washing cavity, a filling and capping cavity, and a bottle outlet cavity, which are sequentially connected; the bottle inlet cavity is used to input bottles; the sterilization cavity is used to sterilize bottles from the bottle inlet cavity; the bottle washing cavity is used to wash bottles from the sterilization cavity; the filling and capping cavity is used to fill and cap bottles from the washing cavity; and the bottle outlet cavity is used to transport bottles from the filling and capping cavity to the next process. The aseptic filling machine is also equipped with an air inlet device and an air outlet device. The air inlet device is used to supply clean air to the bottle inlet chamber, the sterilization chamber, the bottle washing chamber, the filling and capping chamber, and the bottle outlet chamber. The air outlet device is connected to the bottle inlet chamber and is used to discharge gas. The bottle inlet chamber, the sterilization chamber, the bottle washing chamber, the filling and capping chamber, and the bottle outlet chamber all maintain positive pressure, and the air pressures satisfy the following conditions: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber > air pressure in the sterilization chamber > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber, and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber.

[0007] The aseptic filling machine according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: by setting up sequentially separated and interconnected inlet, sterilization, washing, filling and capping, and outlet chambers, and configuring an air inlet device and an exhaust device connected to the inlet chamber, each chamber maintains positive pressure and satisfies the following conditions: filling and capping chamber pressure > washing chamber pressure > sterilization chamber pressure > inlet chamber pressure, and filling and capping chamber pressure > outlet chamber pressure. This pressure gradient ensures that clean air flows stepwise from the highest pressure filling and capping area to the lowest pressure inlet and outlet chambers, opposite to the direction of bottle transport from low pressure to high pressure, forming a "countercurrent air curtain isolation." External contaminants (such as unfiltered air and microorganisms carried by operators) cannot enter the core aseptic area against the airflow direction, significantly improving the aseptic assurance level of the filling and capping area.

[0008] It is worth mentioning that by installing independently operating air intake fans on the side walls of the sterilization chamber, bottle washing chamber, and filling and capping chamber, and independently operating exhaust fans on the side walls of the bottle inlet and bottle outlet chambers, the pressure difference between the multiple chambers can be adjusted according to real-time pressure difference feedback to ensure that the pressure difference between the multiple chambers meets the preset size relationship.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air intake device includes a plurality of air intake fans, which are respectively installed on the side walls of the sterilization chamber, the bottle washing chamber, and the filling and capping chamber, and the air intake fans are in communication with the chambers; the exhaust device includes two exhaust fans, which are respectively disposed on the side walls of the bottle inlet chamber and the bottle outlet chamber, and the exhaust fans are in communication with the chambers; wherein, the plurality of air intake fans operate independently, and the two exhaust fans operate independently.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air intake device further includes an air intake main pipe and multiple air intake branch pipes. The air intake main pipe is connected to a clean air source. One end of each air intake branch pipe is connected to the air intake main pipe, and the other end extends into the cavity. Each air intake branch pipe is equipped with a regulating valve.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the exhaust fan includes a main exhaust fan and a secondary exhaust fan; the main exhaust fan is disposed on the side wall of the bottle inlet chamber, and the inlet of the main exhaust fan is connected to a pressure stabilizing chamber, and the inlet of the pressure stabilizing chamber is provided with a filter; the secondary exhaust fan is disposed on the side wall of the bottle outlet chamber, and the secondary exhaust fan is connected to an adjustable exhaust throttle valve, the adjustable exhaust throttle valve being used to adjust the exhaust volume of the bottle outlet chamber.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a controller and a plurality of differential pressure sensors are further included. The plurality of differential pressure sensors are respectively disposed in the bottle inlet chamber, the sterilization chamber, the bottle washing chamber, the filling and capping chamber, and the bottle outlet chamber. The controller is electrically connected to the differential pressure sensors, the air inlet device, and the air outlet device. The controller is configured to adjust the air inlet device and / or the air outlet device according to the feedback signal of the differential pressure sensor, so that the air pressure satisfies the following conditions: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber > air pressure in the sterilization chamber > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber, and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a partition plate and a throttling plate are further included. The partition plate is disposed between two adjacent cavities to isolate the two adjacent cavities. The partition plate is provided with a through hole for bottle transport. The throttling plate is movably connected to the through hole and is used to adjust the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, both sides of the partition plate are provided with linear slide rails, and the two sides of the throttling plate are respectively embedded in two linear slide rails and slidably connected with the linear slide rails. The throttling plate can slide up and down in the vertical direction to change the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a driving mechanism is further included, which corresponds one-to-one with the throttle plate. The driving mechanism includes a positioning hole, a guide sleeve, a positioning pin, and a return spring. The positioning holes are disposed on both sides of the throttle plate, with multiple positioning holes disposed on one side edge. The multiple positioning holes are equidistantly spaced along the vertical direction, and the positioning holes are perpendicular to the sliding direction of the partition plate. Two guide sleeves are disposed symmetrically on both sides of the partition plate, and the guide sleeves are coaxially disposed with the positioning holes. The positioning pin is slidably embedded in the guide sleeve, and the positioning pin can protrude outside the guide sleeve and be inserted into the positioning hole, or be completely embedded in the guide sleeve. The return spring is disposed between the positioning pin and the guide sleeve, and the return spring is used to drive the positioning pin to move toward the positioning hole.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a double-layer sealing silicone layer is provided above the through hole, and the double-layer sealing silicone layer abuts and adheres to the side of the throttling plate facing the partition plate.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an aseptic filling method applied to an aseptic filling machine according to a first aspect embodiment includes the following steps: S1: Clean air is supplied to each cavity through the air inlet device, and gas is discharged through the exhaust device connected to the bottle inlet cavity, so that each cavity maintains positive pressure and satisfies: filling capping cavity air pressure > bottle washing cavity air pressure > sterilization cavity air pressure > bottle inlet cavity air pressure, filling capping cavity air pressure > bottle outlet cavity air pressure. S2: Allow the bottle to enter the sterilization chamber from the inlet chamber for sterilization; S3: Allow the sterilized bottle to enter the bottle washing chamber from the sterilization chamber for cleaning; S4: The cleaned bottle is moved from the bottle washing chamber into the filling and capping chamber for filling and capping; S5: Allow the filled and capped bottle to enter the bottle outlet cavity for output from the filling and capping cavity; The airflow direction formed in S1 is opposite to the conveying direction of the bottle in the bottle inlet chamber, the sterilization chamber, the bottle washing chamber and the filling and capping chamber in S2 to S6.

[0018] The aseptic filling method according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: by setting up sequentially separated and interconnected inlet, sterilization, washing, filling and capping, and outlet chambers, and configuring an air inlet device and an exhaust device connected to the inlet chamber, each chamber maintains positive pressure and satisfies the following conditions: filling and capping chamber pressure > washing chamber pressure > sterilization chamber pressure > inlet chamber pressure, and filling and capping chamber pressure > outlet chamber pressure. This pressure gradient ensures that clean air flows stepwise from the highest pressure filling and capping area to the lowest pressure inlet and outlet chambers, opposite to the direction of bottle transport from low pressure to high pressure, forming a "countercurrent air curtain isolation." External contaminants (such as unfiltered air or microorganisms carried by operators) cannot enter the core aseptic area against the airflow direction, significantly improving the aseptic assurance level of the filling and capping area.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the partition plate and the throttling plate of the aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention from one direction; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the aseptic filling machine and the throttling plate from another direction according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an aseptic filling method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] 101. Bottle inlet chamber; 102. Sterilization chamber; 103. Bottle washing chamber; 104. Filling and capping chamber; 105. Bottle outlet chamber; 210. Intake fan; 220. Main intake pipe; 230. Intake branch pipe; 231. Control valve; 310. Main exhaust fan; 311. Pressure stabilizing chamber; 320. Secondary exhaust fan; 400, partition plate; 410, through hole; 420, linear guide rail; 500, throttle plate; 610. Positioning hole; 620. Guide sleeve; 630. Positioning pin; 640. Return spring; 700. Double-layer sealing silicone layer; Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0025] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 The aseptic filling machine of this invention includes multiple sequentially separated and connected cavities, including a bottle inlet cavity 101, a sterilization cavity 102, a bottle washing cavity 103, a filling and capping cavity 104, and a bottle outlet cavity 105, which are sequentially connected. The bottle inlet cavity 101 is used to input bottles; the sterilization cavity 102 is used to sterilize bottles from the bottle inlet cavity 101; the bottle washing cavity 103 is used to wash bottles from the sterilization cavity 102; the filling and capping cavity 104 is used to fill and cap bottles from the washing cavity; and the bottle outlet cavity 105 is used to transport bottles from the filling and capping cavity 104 to the next process. The aseptic filling... The machine is also equipped with an air intake device and an air exhaust device. The air intake device is used to supply clean air to the bottle inlet chamber 101, the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103, the filling and capping chamber 104, and the bottle outlet chamber 105. The air exhaust device is connected to the bottle inlet chamber 101 and is used to exhaust gas. The bottle inlet chamber 101, the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103, the filling and capping chamber 104, and the bottle outlet chamber 105 are all maintained under positive pressure, and the air pressures satisfy the following conditions: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber 103 > air pressure in the sterilization chamber 102 > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber 101, and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber 105.

[0027] After the aseptic filling machine is started, the air intake device continuously supplies filtered clean air into each chamber, while the exhaust device extracts gas from the bottle inlet chamber 101. Since the chambers are sequentially connected, and the air intake and exhaust volumes are configured to satisfy the aforementioned pressure relationship, air flows sequentially from the filling and capping chamber 104 (where the pressure is highest) to the washing chamber 103, the sterilization chamber 102, and the bottle inlet chamber 101. Simultaneously, another portion of air flows from the filling and capping chamber 104 to the bottle outlet chamber 105. The bottles move in the opposite direction: entering from the bottle inlet chamber 101, undergoing sterilization and washing, entering the filling and capping chamber 104, and finally exiting from the bottle outlet chamber 105. This pressure gradient ensures that clean air always flows unidirectionally from the core filling area to the outer area, preventing external air or contaminants from flowing back into the filling and capping chamber 104. This creates a dynamic airflow barrier along the bottle transport path, guaranteeing a sterile environment within the filling and capping chamber 104. To further elaborate, a positive pressure differential drives the air to flow in a predetermined direction. The filling and capping chamber 104 is designated as the highest-pressure zone, making it the source of clean air, which naturally diffuses from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone. The bottle transport direction is opposite to the airflow direction, ensuring that when bottles enter areas with higher cleanliness requirements, they are met with clean air from within that area, thus preventing trace contaminants carried by the bottles from spreading to cleaner areas.

[0028] In summary, by setting up sequentially separated and interconnected inlet chamber 101, sterilization chamber 102, bottle washing chamber 103, filling and capping chamber 104, and bottle outlet chamber 105, and configuring an air intake device and an exhaust device connected to inlet chamber 101, each chamber maintains positive pressure and satisfies the following conditions: air pressure in filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in bottle washing chamber 103 > air pressure in sterilization chamber 102 > air pressure in inlet chamber 101, and air pressure in filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in bottle outlet chamber 105. This pressure gradient ensures that clean air flows stepwise from the highest pressure filling and capping area to the lowest pressure inlet chamber 101 and bottle outlet chamber 105, opposite to the direction of bottle transport from low pressure to high pressure, forming a "counter-current air curtain isolation." External contaminants cannot enter the core sterile area against the airflow direction, significantly improving the sterility assurance level of the filling and capping area.

[0029] It should be mentioned that by installing independently operating air intake fans 210 on the side walls of the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103 and the filling and capping chamber 104, and independently operating exhaust fans on the side walls of the bottle inlet chamber 101 and the bottle outlet chamber 105, the pressure difference between the multiple chambers can be adjusted according to the real-time pressure difference feedback to achieve the preset pressure difference relationship.

[0030] Among them, reference Figure 4 The aseptic filling method applied to aseptic filling machines includes the following steps: S1: Clean air is supplied to each cavity through the air intake device and the gas is discharged through the exhaust device connected to the bottle inlet cavity 101, so that each cavity maintains positive pressure and satisfies the following conditions: air pressure of filling and capping cavity 104 > air pressure of bottle washing cavity 103 > air pressure of sterilization cavity 102 > air pressure of bottle inlet cavity 101, and air pressure of filling and capping cavity 104 > air pressure of bottle outlet cavity 105. S2: Allow the bottle to enter the sterilization chamber 102 from the inlet chamber 101 for sterilization; S3: Allow the sterilized bottle to enter the bottle washing chamber 103 from the sterilization chamber 102 for cleaning; S4: The cleaned bottle is moved from the bottle washing chamber 103 into the filling and capping chamber 104 for filling and capping; S5: Allow the bottle after filling and capping to enter the bottle outlet chamber 105 from the filling and capping chamber 104 for output; The airflow direction formed in S1 is opposite to the conveying direction of the bottle in the bottle inlet chamber 101, sterilization chamber 102, bottle washing chamber 103 and filling and capping chamber 104 in S2 to S6.

[0031] By establishing a pressure gradient before initiating bottle transport, it is ensured that the core area is protected by clean air before the bottles enter each chamber. As the bottles move from the low-pressure zone to the high-pressure zone, they are subjected to the oncoming airflow at each step, thus ensuring the aseptic nature of disinfection, cleaning, filling, and capping. It is important to emphasize that establishing the pressure in step S1 before the bottle transport in steps S2-S5 ensures that a stable pressure gradient is achieved in each chamber before the bottles enter. The design, with the airflow direction opposite to the bottle flow direction, utilizes the carrying and isolating effect of the reverse airflow to prevent contaminants from spreading with the bottle flow.

[0032] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 The air intake device includes multiple air intake fans 210, which are respectively installed on the side walls of the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103, and the filling and capping chamber 104, and are connected to the chambers. The exhaust device includes two exhaust fans, which are respectively installed on the side walls of the bottle inlet chamber 101 and the bottle outlet chamber 105, and are connected to the chambers. The multiple air intake fans 210 and the two exhaust fans operate independently. During operation, the air intake fans 210 installed on the side walls of the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103, and the filling and capping chamber 104 independently supply clean air to their respective chambers. The exhaust fan installed on the side wall of the bottle inlet chamber 101 extracts the gas from the bottle inlet chamber 101 and discharges it outside the machine, while the exhaust fan installed on the side wall of the bottle outlet chamber 105 extracts the gas from the bottle outlet chamber 105. Each fan can work independently according to a preset speed or start / stop time, without interfering with each other, ensuring that the airflow flows smoothly from the filling and capping chamber 104 to both ends.

[0033] Furthermore, the side-wall installation method avoids the risk of condensate dripping from the top fan, while the independent air supply and exhaust in each zone, with each intake fan 210 responsible for maintaining the positive pressure of only one cavity, avoids the problem of uneven distribution of total air volume by a single fan.

[0034] As a further optimization of the above embodiments, refer to Figure 1 The air intake device also includes a main air intake pipe 220 and multiple branch air intake pipes 230. The main air intake pipe 220 is connected to a clean air source. One end of each branch air intake pipe 230 is connected to the main air intake pipe 220, and the other end extends into the cavity. Each branch air intake pipe 230 is equipped with a regulating valve 231. While the side wall intake fan 210 provides a basic air intake volume to each cavity, a clean air source (such as a sterile air system with high-efficiency filtration) delivers clean air into the main air intake pipe 220. The air in the main air intake pipe 220 is then delivered to each cavity through the multiple branch air intake pipes 230. The regulating valve 231 on each branch air intake pipe 230 can be independently adjusted to allow for fine-tuning of the air intake volume to each cavity. The opening of regulating valve 231 can further fine-tune the airflow into each cavity based on the operation of the intake fan 210, so that the air pressure in each cavity accurately reaches the target value. This achieves precise pressure correction in each cavity without changing the fan speed, avoiding excessively high or low air pressure caused by the limited adjustment accuracy or lag of the intake fan itself. (This is in conjunction with the intake fan.) In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 The exhaust fans include a main exhaust fan 310 and a secondary exhaust fan 320. The main exhaust fan is installed on the side wall of the bottle inlet chamber 101, and the inlet of the main exhaust fan is connected to a pressure stabilizing chamber 311, and a filter is installed at the inlet of the pressure stabilizing chamber 311. The secondary exhaust fan is installed on the side wall of the bottle outlet chamber 105, and the secondary exhaust fan is connected to an adjustable exhaust throttle valve, which is used to adjust the exhaust volume of the bottle outlet chamber 105.

[0035] In actual operation, the secondary exhaust fan 320 experiences pressure pulsations due to the periodic cutting of airflow by its blades. The pressure stabilizing chamber 311 eliminates these pulsations caused by the rotation of the secondary exhaust fan 320, resulting in more stable pressure in the bottle inlet chamber 101 and helping to maintain the accuracy of the entire pressure differential gradient. The inlet filter prevents backflow contamination from outside air when the machine is stopped. The bottle outlet chamber 105 uses an adjustable throttle valve to regulate the exhaust volume, allowing the air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber 105 to be adjusted independently and sensitively, ensuring that it is always lower than that in the filling and capping chamber 104.

[0036] As a further optimization of the above embodiments, the aseptic filling machine also includes a controller and multiple differential pressure sensors. The multiple differential pressure sensors are respectively disposed in the bottle inlet chamber 101, the sterilization chamber 102, the bottle washing chamber 103, the filling and capping chamber 104, and the bottle outlet chamber 105. The controller is electrically connected to the differential pressure sensors, the air inlet device, and the air outlet device. The controller is configured to adjust the air inlet device and / or the air outlet device according to the feedback signal of the differential pressure sensor so that the air pressure meets the following requirements: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber 103 > air pressure in the sterilization chamber 102 > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber 101, and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber 104 > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber 105.

[0037] Each differential pressure sensor detects the air pressure value in its corresponding cavity in real time and transmits the signal to the controller. The controller compares the detected value with the preset target air pressure gradient. If the air pressure in a certain cavity deviates from the target range, the controller automatically outputs a control signal to adjust the speed of the intake fan 210, the opening of the regulating valve 231 of the intake manifold 230, or the speed / throttle valve opening of the exhaust fan corresponding to that cavity, until the air pressure in each cavity is restored and stabilized within the preset gradient relationship.

[0038] Specifically, the controller has pre-stored the target air pressure values ​​of each chamber and the target pressure difference range between adjacent chambers. Specifically, the pressure difference between the filling capping chamber 104 and the bottle washing chamber 103 should be stable at 8Pa±0.5Pa, the pressure difference between the bottle washing chamber 103 and the sterilization chamber 102 should be 7Pa±0.5Pa, the pressure difference between the sterilization chamber 102 and the bottle inlet chamber 101 should be 5Pa±0.5Pa, and the pressure difference between the filling capping chamber 104 and the bottle outlet chamber 105 should not be less than 15Pa. The control method between the controller, differential pressure sensor, intake device, and exhaust device includes the following steps: Step 1: The controller collects data from the differential pressure sensors of each cavity in real time to obtain the current air pressure values ​​of the bottle inlet cavity 101, sterilization cavity 102, bottle washing cavity 103, filling and capping cavity 104 and bottle outlet cavity 105.

[0039] Step 2: The controller compares the current air pressure value of each chamber with the preset target range, and calculates the deviation between the actual pressure difference and the target pressure difference between adjacent chambers.

[0040] Step 3: Determine if a deviation has occurred. If the air pressure in all chambers is within the target range and the adjacent pressure difference does not exceed the threshold, return to Step 1 to continue monitoring; if the air pressure in any chamber deviates or any adjacent pressure difference exceeds the threshold, proceed to Step 4.

[0041] Step 4: Determine the type of deviation. If the absolute pressure of a single cavity is too high or too low, proceed to step 5; if the pressure difference between adjacent cavities exceeds the threshold but the absolute pressure is normal, proceed directly to step 8; if both deviations exist simultaneously, prioritize addressing the absolute pressure deviation, and address the pressure difference deviation only after it has recovered.

[0042] Step 5: Locate the position of the cavity in the entire pressure gradient. Determine whether the cavity belongs to the highest pressure zone (filling and capping cavity 104), the intermediate pressure zone (bottle washing cavity 103 or sterilization cavity 102), or the lowest pressure zone (bottle inlet cavity 101 or bottle outlet cavity 105).

[0043] Step 6: Determine the priority adjustment target based on the cavity location. If it is the highest pressure zone, prioritize adjusting the corresponding air intake device (air intake fan speed 210 or air intake manifold 230 regulating valve 231 opening); if it is the lowest pressure zone, prioritize adjusting the corresponding exhaust device (main exhaust fan speed in bottle inlet cavity 101 or adjustable exhaust throttle valve opening in bottle outlet cavity 105); if it is an intermediate pressure zone, proceed to step 7.

[0044] Step 7: For deviations in the intermediate pressure zone, simultaneously monitor the air pressure status of the upstream and downstream chambers. If the upstream pressure is normal and the downstream pressure is low, increase the air intake of this chamber; if the upstream pressure is high and the downstream pressure is normal, prioritize issuing a command to the upstream chamber to reduce air intake, rather than directly adjusting this chamber; if the upstream pressure is low and the downstream pressure is normal, prioritize issuing a command to the downstream chamber to increase exhaust; for other combinations, prioritize maintaining the pressure gradient and select to adjust either the upstream air intake or the downstream exhaust.

[0045] Step 8: For deviations where the pressure difference between adjacent chambers exceeds the threshold, perform pressure difference correction. If the upstream chamber pressure is relatively high while the downstream pressure is normal, reduce the upstream air intake or increase the upstream exhaust; if the downstream chamber pressure is relatively low while the upstream pressure is normal, increase the downstream air intake or decrease the downstream exhaust; if both upstream and downstream deviate, adjust simultaneously but primarily change the downstream exhaust.

[0046] Step 9: The controller outputs an adjustment signal to execute the adjustment action. The adjustment adopts a gradual step strategy, outputting a small adjustment amount each time (such as a 1% change in the speed of the intake fan 210 or a 2% change in the valve opening of the regulating valve 231) to avoid large sudden changes that could cause system oscillation.

[0047] Step 10: Wait for the preset stabilization time (usually 2 to 5 seconds) to allow the system to reach equilibrium under the new operating conditions.

[0048] Step 11: Read the differential pressure sensor feedback value again to determine if the deviation has been eliminated. If it has been eliminated, return to Step 1 to continue normal monitoring; if it has not been eliminated or a new deviation has appeared, return to Step 4 to continue adjustment.

[0049] Throughout the adjustment process, the controller maintains a strict constraint on the pressure relationship between the chambers: once a reverse pressure differential is detected, such as the pressure in the filling capping chamber 104 being lower than that in the bottle washing chamber 103, or the pressure in the bottle washing chamber 103 being lower than that in the sterilization chamber 102, the controller immediately triggers the emergency adjustment mode, and simultaneously increases the air intake of the filling capping chamber 104 and the air exhaust of the bottle inlet chamber 101 until the correct pressure differential gradient is restored.

[0050] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The aseptic filling machine also includes a separator plate 400 and a throttling plate 500. The separator plate 400 is disposed between two adjacent chambers to isolate them. The separator plate 400 has a through-hole 410 for bottle transport. The throttling plate 500 is movably connected to the through-hole 410 and is used to adjust the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through-hole 410. Installing the separator plate 400 between two adjacent chambers physically separates them, leaving only the through-hole 410 on the separator plate 400 as the sole channel for bottle transport. The throttling plate 500 is installed at this through-hole 410, and the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through-hole 410 can be changed by adjusting the position of the throttling plate 500. When a bottle passes through the through-hole 410, airflow also flows through it simultaneously. The size of the flow cross-sectional area determines the resistance to airflow.

[0051] Preferably, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The partition plate 400 has linear slide rails 420 on both sides. The two edges of the throttling plate 500 are respectively embedded in the linear slide rails 420 and slidably connected to them. The throttling plate 500 can slide up and down vertically to change the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole 410. When the operator or drive mechanism pushes the throttling plate 500 upwards along the slide rails, the distance between the bottom of the throttling plate 500 and the bottom of the through hole 410 increases, thus increasing the flow cross-sectional area; when the throttling plate 500 is pulled downwards, the flow cross-sectional area decreases. Specifically, the throttling plate 500 can stop and be fixed at any position in the slide rail. The aseptic filling machine also includes a drive mechanism, which corresponds one-to-one with the throttling plate 500. The drive mechanism includes positioning holes 610, guide sleeves 620, positioning pins 630, and return springs 640. The positioning holes 610 are located on both sides of the throttling plate 500, with multiple positioning holes 610 on each side. These positioning holes 610 are equidistant from each other in the vertical direction and are perpendicular to the slide rail of the partition plate 400. The direction of movement; two guide sleeves 620 are provided, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the partition plate 400, and the guide sleeves 620 and the positioning holes 610 are coaxially arranged; the positioning pin 630 is slidably embedded in the guide sleeve 620, and the positioning pin 630 can protrude out of the guide sleeve 620 and be inserted into the positioning hole 610, or be completely embedded in the guide sleeve 620; the return spring 640 is arranged between the positioning pin 630 and the guide sleeve 620, and the return spring 640 is used to drive the positioning pin 630 to move toward the positioning hole 610.

[0052] In the initial state, the locating pin 630, pushed by the return spring 640, is inserted into one of the locating holes 610 on the edge of the throttle plate 500, locking the throttle plate 500 at the corresponding height position. When the height of the throttle plate 500 needs to be adjusted, the operator directly pushes the throttle plate 500 upwards or downwards. During the pushing process, the hemispherical head of the locating pin 630 contacts the edge guide slope of the locating hole 610. The lateral force generated by the movement of the throttle plate 500 forces the locating pin 630 to overcome the elastic force of the return spring 640 and retract along the guide sleeve 620 until it is completely out of the locating hole 610. At this time, the throttle plate 500 is unlocked and can slide freely. As the throttle plate 500 continues to slide, the hemispherical head of the locating pin 630 rolls or slides close to the side edge of the throttle plate 500, and the return spring 640 always presses it against the surface of the throttle plate 500. When the throttle plate 500 slides to the position of the next positioning hole 610, the positioning pin 630 is aligned with the positioning hole 610, and the return spring 640 immediately pushes the positioning pin 630 into the hole. This achieves a "push-pull" quick adjustment of the height of the throttle plate 500. The operator does not need to use tools or perform any additional manual unlocking action. Simply pushing the throttle plate 500 will automatically complete the unlocking, sliding, and relocking, significantly improving adjustment efficiency and convenience.

[0053] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 A double-layer sealing silicone layer 700 is provided above the through hole 410, and the double-layer sealing silicone layer 700 abuts against the side of the throttling plate 500 facing the partition plate 400. The double-layer sealing silicone layer 700 effectively prevents airflow from flowing through the gap between the top of the throttling plate 500 and the partition plate 400, ensuring that all airflow must pass through the through hole 410 below the throttling plate 500, thereby ensuring the accuracy of throttling adjustment and the controllability of pressure drop.

[0054] It is worth mentioning that the bottom of the throttle plate 500 has a rounded transition structure. Specifically, on the side of the throttle plate 500, the bottom of the throttle plate 500 smoothly transitions from top to bottom along the airflow direction. On the surface of the throttle plate 500, the bottom end of the throttle plate 500 slopes upward from the center to both sides, and the surface of the throttle plate 500 is finished with a stainless steel mirror polish. When airflow passes under the throttle plate 500, the rounded bottom shape guides the airflow smoothly through the through hole 410, reducing sudden changes in cross-section. The design of the bottom sloping upward from the center to both sides creates a shape where the bottom of the throttle plate 500 is low in the middle and high on both sides, which helps to converge or disperse the airflow towards the center. The stainless steel mirror polished surface makes the surface of the throttle plate 500 extremely smooth, making it difficult for residues to adhere, while also reducing the generation of eddies and turbulence, resulting in a more stable pressure drop.

[0055] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aseptic filling machine, comprising a plurality of sequentially separated and connected cavities, wherein the plurality of cavities include a bottle inlet cavity (101), a sterilization cavity (102), a bottle washing cavity (103), a filling and capping cavity (104), and a bottle outlet cavity (105) that are sequentially connected. The bottle inlet chamber (101) is used to input bottles; the sterilization chamber (102) is used to sterilize bottles from the bottle inlet chamber (101); the bottle washing chamber (103) is used to wash bottles from the sterilization chamber (102); the filling and capping chamber (104) is used to fill and cap bottles from the washing chamber; and the bottle outlet chamber (105) is used to transport bottles from the filling and capping chamber (104) to the next process. Its features are, The aseptic filling machine is also equipped with: An air intake device is used to supply clean air to the bottle inlet chamber (101), the disinfection chamber (102), the bottle washing chamber (103), the filling and capping chamber (104), and the bottle outlet chamber (105); An exhaust device is connected to the bottle inlet chamber (101) and is used to exhaust gas. The bottle inlet chamber (101), the sterilization chamber (102), the bottle washing chamber (103), the filling and capping chamber (104), and the bottle outlet chamber (105) all maintain positive pressure, and the air pressures satisfy the following: air pressure in the filling and capping chamber (104) > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber (103) > air pressure in the sterilization chamber (102) > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber (101), and air pressure in the filling and capping chamber (104) > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber (105).

2. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake device includes multiple air intake fans (210), which are respectively installed on the side walls of the disinfection chamber (102), the bottle washing chamber (103) and the filling and capping chamber (104), and the air intake fans are connected to the chambers. The exhaust device includes two exhaust fans, which are respectively disposed on the side walls of the bottle inlet chamber (101) and the bottle outlet chamber (105), and the exhaust fans are connected to the chambers. Among them, multiple intake fans (210) operate independently, and two exhaust fans operate independently.

3. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air intake device also includes an air intake main pipe (220) and multiple air intake branch pipes (230). The air intake main pipe (220) is connected to a clean air source. One end of each air intake branch pipe (230) is connected to the air intake main pipe (220), and the other end extends into the cavity. Each air intake branch pipe (230) is equipped with a regulating valve (231).

4. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust fans include a main exhaust fan (310) and a secondary exhaust fan (320); the main exhaust fan is located on the side wall of the bottle inlet chamber (101), and the inlet of the main exhaust fan is connected to a pressure stabilizing chamber (311), and the inlet of the pressure stabilizing chamber (311) is equipped with a filter; the secondary exhaust fan is located on the side wall of the bottle outlet chamber (105), and the secondary exhaust fan is connected to an adjustable exhaust throttle valve, which is used to adjust the exhaust volume of the bottle outlet chamber (105).

5. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a controller and multiple differential pressure sensors, which are respectively disposed in the bottle inlet chamber (101), the sterilization chamber (102), the bottle washing chamber (103), the filling and capping chamber (104) and the bottle outlet chamber (105). The controller is electrically connected to the differential pressure sensors, the air inlet device and the air outlet device. The controller is configured to adjust the air intake device and / or the exhaust device according to the feedback signal of the differential pressure sensor so that the air pressure meets the following requirements: air pressure in the filling capping chamber (104) > air pressure in the bottle washing chamber (103) > air pressure in the sterilization chamber (102) > air pressure in the bottle inlet chamber (101), and air pressure in the filling capping chamber (104) > air pressure in the bottle outlet chamber (105).

6. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A partition plate (400) is disposed between two adjacent cavities to isolate the two adjacent cavities, and the partition plate (400) is provided with a through hole (410) for bottle transport. A throttling plate (500) is movably connected to the through hole (410), and the throttling plate (500) is used to adjust the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole (410).

7. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The partition plate (400) is provided with linear slide rails (420) on both sides. The two sides of the throttling plate (500) are respectively embedded in the two linear slide rails (420) and are slidably connected to the linear slide rails (420). The throttling plate (500) can slide up and down in the vertical direction to change the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole (410).

8. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a drive mechanism, which corresponds one-to-one with the throttle plate (500), and the drive mechanism includes: Positioning holes (610) are provided on both sides of the throttle plate (500). Multiple positioning holes (610) are provided on one side edge. The multiple positioning holes (610) are equidistantly spaced in the vertical direction. The positioning holes (610) are perpendicular to the sliding direction of the partition plate (400). Two guide sleeves (620) are provided, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the partition plate (400), and the guide sleeves (620) are coaxially arranged with the positioning hole (610); The positioning pin (630) is slidably embedded in the guide sleeve (620). The positioning pin (630) can protrude out of the guide sleeve (620) and be inserted into the positioning hole (610), or be completely embedded in the guide sleeve (620). A return spring (640) is disposed between the positioning pin (630) and the guide sleeve (620), and the return spring (640) is used to drive the positioning pin (630) to move toward the positioning hole (610).

9. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, A double-layer sealing silicone layer (700) is provided above the through hole (410), and the double-layer sealing silicone layer (700) abuts against and adheres to the side of the throttling plate (500) facing the partition plate (400).

10. An aseptic filling method, characterized in that, The aseptic filling machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is characterized by comprising the following steps: S1: Clean air is supplied to each cavity through the air inlet device, and gas is discharged through the exhaust device connected to the bottle inlet cavity (101), so that each cavity maintains positive pressure and satisfies: air pressure of filling capping cavity (104) > air pressure of bottle washing cavity (103) > air pressure of sterilization cavity (102) > air pressure of bottle inlet cavity (101), and air pressure of filling capping cavity (104) > air pressure of bottle outlet cavity (105); S2: The bottle is brought into the disinfection chamber (102) from the inlet chamber (101) for disinfection; S3: The sterilized bottle is moved from the sterilization chamber (102) into the bottle washing chamber (103) for cleaning; S4: The cleaned bottle is moved from the bottle washing chamber (103) into the filling and capping chamber (104) for filling and capping; S5: The bottle after filling and capping is output from the filling and capping cavity (104) into the bottle outlet cavity (105); The airflow direction formed in S1 is opposite to the conveying direction of the bottle in the bottle inlet chamber (101), the sterilization chamber (102), the bottle washing chamber (103), and the filling and capping chamber (104) in S2 to S6.

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