Cap sterilization method and cap sterilizer

Abstract

To provide a cap sterilization method and a compact cap sterilizer that can sterilize caps in a short time with a simple process.SOLUTION: At least two vertical rows of wheels are installed so that caps are transported as they pass the upper ends of the wheels, and hydrogen peroxide gas is blown to the caps from below for sterilization as they are transported from top to bottom.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and device for sterilizing caps that seal bottles filled with contents in an aseptic filling machine. [Background technology]

[0002] A method and device for filling aseptic containers has been proposed, which comprises sterilizing a preform, heating the sterilized preform, molding the heated preform into a bottle, filling the molded bottle with a content sterilized in a sterile atmosphere, and sealing the bottle filled with the content with a sterilized cap (Patent Document 1). Also proposed is a method and device for filling aseptic containers, which comprises molding a preform into a bottle, sterilizing the molded bottle, filling the sterilized bottle with a content sterilized in a sterile atmosphere, and sealing the bottle filled with the content with a sterilized cap (Patent Document 2). Various methods and devices for sterilizing caps supplied to such aseptic filling machines have also been proposed.

[0003] Conventional cap sterilization devices are generally devices that spray sterilizing liquid onto the caps being transported in a chamber. For example, there is a device that sprays a mist of sterilant with the opening of the cap facing sideways (Patent Document 3), and a device that sprays sterilizing liquid with the opening of the cap facing downward (Patent Document 4). Also proposed is a device that sprays the chemical liquid toward the outer peripheral surface and top surface of the cap with the opening of the cap facing upward, and sprays the chemical liquid toward the inner surface, collecting the chemical liquid in the mouth and sterilizing the inner and outer surfaces of the cap (Patent Document 5).

[0004] In addition, a device has been proposed that does not use chemicals, but sprays hot water by turning the opening of the cap downward or sideways (Patent Document 6), and a device that sterilizes by spraying steam with the opening of the cap turned sideways (Patent Document 7). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-44902 [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-111295 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-293319 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-152115 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-139416 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-167386 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-193009 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In a sterile filling machine, sterilized bottles are filled with sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere, and the bottles filled with the contents are sealed with sterilized caps. Here, cap sterilization has been performed by spraying a sterilant or steam onto the caps or by immersing the caps in a sterilant. Spraying of the sterilant or steam is performed individually on relatively small caps, resulting in a large loss of sterilant or steam and being inefficient. In such cases, sterilant or steam is sprayed onto aligned caps, but not all of the sprayed sterilant or steam contributes to sterilization, and sterilant or steam that does not contribute to sterilization of the caps is exhausted and wasted. Sterilization by steam involves a large thermal load and may cause deformation of the caps. In addition, when immersing the caps in a sterilant, hot air is sprayed onto them after immersion to remove the sterilant attached to the complex threads formed inside the caps, but this process In both conventional methods, the caps require sterilization, cleaning, drying, and other processes, which requires a long processing time and requires large processing equipment.

[0007] The cap sterilization devices described in Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5 all use a disinfectant, and require processes such as hot air blowing, washing, and drying to remove the disinfectant and improve the sterilization effect, resulting in excessive processing time and equipment.

[0008] The cap sterilizer described in Patent Document 4 sterilizes the caps by sequentially spraying a sterilizing agent mist and hot air onto the caps that are lined up and transported in a row. Because the caps are lined up and transported in a row, the device is long and large, and the number of caps that are sterilized is small, resulting in poor productivity.

[0009] The cap sterilizer described in Patent Document 3 performs the steps of spraying a sterilizing liquid on caps transported by two rows of wheels installed horizontally, washing with sterile water, and drying by blowing hot air on them. Since the caps are transported horizontally, the area of ​​the cap sterilizer becomes large, and since sterilization with the sterilizing liquid requires washing and drying processes, the equipment becomes excessively large.

[0010] The cap sterilization device described in Patent Document 5 performs the processes of washing with sterile water, sterilization with chemicals, and finish washing on caps transported by a spiral transport device, and transports caps between spiral transport devices using wheels. Although it can handle a large amount of caps, the device is complicated and excessively large.

[0011] The cap sterilization device described in Patent Document 6 transports caps using wheels arranged in a vertical row, and the installation area of ​​the device is small. However, the caps are sterilized by spraying hot water onto their entire surfaces, which takes time for sterilization and requires a large amount of hot water.

[0012] The cap sterilization device described in Patent Document 7 sterilizes with steam without using a sterilizing agent. Sterilization with steam can be performed in a relatively short time, but there is a risk that the cap will be deformed by the heat of the steam. If the cap is deformed in aseptic filling, a fine gap will be created at the fitting part between the cap and the mouth of the container, and bacteria may enter through the gap and contaminate the contents. Therefore, deformation of the cap must be avoided. In addition, the caps are transported aligned in a line, which makes the device long and large.

[0013] Therefore, there is a demand for a cap sterilization method and a compact cap sterilization device that can sterilize caps in a short time with simple steps.

[0014] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a cap sterilization method and cap sterilization device in response to the demand for sterilizing caps in a short time using simple equipment, in which hydrogen peroxide gas is flowed from below onto caps that are transported from above to below using wheels arranged in at least two vertical rows to sterilize them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The method for sterilizing caps according to the present invention is characterized in that a recess in which a cap is stored is provided on the periphery of a wheel, the center of the upper wheel is higher than the upper end of the lower wheel in the vertical direction within a chamber that shields the wheels, and the upper and lower wheels are arranged in at least two vertical rows with close spacing between them, the caps are stored in the recess of the wheel provided at the top, the caps pass the upper ends of the wheels from the top to the bottom of the chamber, and the caps are transported between the wheels by passing them between the wheels with the closing surface of the cap parallel to the surface of the wheel, and hydrogen peroxide gas is flowed from the bottom of the chamber to sterilize the caps. In addition, a method for sterilizing caps according to another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a recess in which a cap is stored is provided on the periphery of a wheel, the center of the upper wheel is higher than the upper end of the lower wheel in the vertical direction within a chamber that shields the wheels, the distance between the center of the upper wheel and the upper end of the lower wheel is greater than 0 and up to 1 / 4 of the diameter of the upper wheel, the upper wheels and the lower wheels are closely spaced from each other in at least two vertical rows, the caps are stored in the recess of the wheel provided at the top, the caps are transferred from the top to the bottom of the chamber by passing between the wheels with the closing surface of the cap parallel to the surface of the wheel, and hydrogen peroxide gas is flowed from the bottom of the chamber to sterilize the caps.

[0016] In the method for sterilizing a cap according to the present invention, it is preferable to sterilize the cap by flowing the hydrogen peroxide gas and heated gas from below the chamber.

[0017] In the cap sterilization method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the heated gas is either heated air or heated steam, or both.

[0018] The cap sterilization device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises at least two vertical rows of wheels, the center of an upper vertical wheel having a recess on its peripheral portion for storing a cap being higher than the upper end of a lower wheel, the distance between the upper wheel and the lower wheel being close enough to enable the transfer of the caps, and the caps being transported while passing through the upper ends of the wheels, a chamber that shields the wheels, a cap supply device that supplies the caps to the uppermost wheel in the chamber, a cap discharge device that discharges the caps from the lowermost wheel in the chamber outside the chamber, and a hydrogen peroxide gas supply device that supplies hydrogen peroxide gas from the bottom of the chamber. In addition, a cap sterilization device according to another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the center of an upper vertical wheel having a recess for storing a cap on its peripheral portion is higher than the upper end of the lower wheel, the distance between the center of the upper wheel and the upper end of the lower wheel is greater than 0 and up to 1 / 4 of the diameter of the upper wheel, and the distance between the upper wheel and the lower wheel is close enough to enable the transfer of the caps, and the device comprises at least two vertical rows of wheels, a chamber that shields the wheels, a cap supply device that supplies the caps to the uppermost wheel in the chamber, a cap discharge device that discharges the caps from the lowermost wheel in the chamber outside the chamber, and a hydrogen peroxide gas supply device that supplies hydrogen peroxide gas from the bottom of the chamber.

[0019] In addition, the cap sterilization device according to the present invention preferably includes a heated gas supply device that supplies heated gas from a lower portion of the chamber.

[0020] In the cap sterilization apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the heated gas supply device is configured to supply either heated air or heated steam, or both. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the cap sterilization method and cap sterilization device of the present invention, a recess in which the cap is stored is provided on the peripheral edge of the wheel, and two rows of the upper and lower wheels are arranged vertically in a chamber that shields the wheels, with the center of the upper wheel being higher than the upper end of the lower wheel and the upper and lower wheels being closely spaced apart, the caps are stored in the recess of the wheel provided at the top, and the caps are transported from the top to the bottom of the chamber by being transferred between the wheels with the closing surface of the cap parallel to the wheel surface, and hydrogen peroxide gas is flowed from the bottom of the chamber to sterilize the caps.

[0022] By supplying hydrogen peroxide gas from below to the caps being transported from above to below, the hydrogen peroxide gas comes into contact with all of the caps being transported through the chamber, which lengthens the time the caps are in contact with the hydrogen peroxide gas, resulting in a high sterilization effect. In addition, because the hydrogen peroxide gas can be kept in contact with the caps for a long period of time, the amount of oxygen used can be reduced.

[0023] The cap sterilizer has wheels arranged vertically, so it requires a small footprint. In addition, the caps are sterilized by supplying hydrogen peroxide gas from the bottom of the chamber, so the device is simple to use.

[0024] The sterilization effect can be enhanced by the simple operation of supplying heated gas from the bottom of the chamber together with hydrogen peroxide gas. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a cap supplying device that supplies caps to a cap sterilizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view showing an outline of a cap supplying device that supplies caps to a cap sterilizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]1 is a side view showing a state in which the cap is transported upward from the receiving tank according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 shows a cap sterilization device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 shows a state in which a cap is held in a cap sterilization device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] The cap 1 shown in Fig. 1 is supplied to the cap sterilizer 8 shown in Fig. 5 by the cap supply device 6 shown in Fig. 2 and sterilized. The sterilized cap 1 is discharged from the cap sterilizer 8 by the cap discharge rail 9 into the sterile atmosphere of the aseptic filling machine. The discharged cap 1 seals the container filled with the sterilized contents by a capper provided in the sealing section of the aseptic filling machine.

[0028] The cap 1 in this embodiment is used to seal a bottle, which has been sterilized in a sterile filling machine and filled with contents sterilized in a sterile atmosphere, using a seaming machine, and has a shape, for example, as shown in Fig. 1. The cap 1 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and is formed by injection molding or compression molding. A female thread and a concave-convex part for fitting with the top surface of the bottle mouth, which is flat in Fig. 1, are formed on the inside of the cap 1 at the same time as the cap 1 is molded.

[0029] After being molded, the cap 1 is placed in a container in a molding factory, sealed, and transported to, for example, a beverage factory. The cap 1 transported to the beverage factory is supplied to an aseptic filling machine installed in the beverage factory. The supplied cap 1 is sterilized, and the sterilized cap 1 is transported to a sealing section of the aseptic filling machine and handed over to a sealing wheel equipped with a capper, which then wraps and tightens the cap around the mouth of a bottle filled with the contents. The mouth of the bottle is formed with a male thread that fits with a female thread formed inside the cap 1. The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing the cap 1 in the process of supplying the cap 1 to a sealing section constituting a aseptic filling machine, and a cap sterilization device.

[0030] The caps 1 molded in the molding factory are placed into polyethylene bags, and the polyethylene bags are placed into metal, cardboard, or plastic containers and sealed. Care is taken to ensure that the caps 1 are not contaminated by garbage, dust, etc. when they are transported from the molding factory to the beverage factory. The container transported to the beverage factory is opened and tilted above a receiving tank 2, so that the caps 1 inside the container are placed into the receiving tank 2. The receiving tank 2 is opened upwards, so that the caps 1 are placed from the container.

[0031] After the caps 1 are poured in, the receiving tank 2 is sealed. The caps 1 poured into the receiving tank 2 are stored in a random manner. The receiving tank 2 has a hopper shape formed so that the effective storage area decreases toward the bottom. The top of the receiving tank 2 is square in Figure 2, but it may also be circular. The receiving tank 2 is made of a durable, corrosion-resistant material such as stainless steel.

[0032] The caps 1 are transported by a conveyor 3 from the bottom of the receiving tank 2. In order to maintain the cleanliness of the inside of the receiving tank 2 while the caps 1 are being transported, sterile air that has been sterilized by passing the air through a sterilizing filter may be supplied into the receiving tank 2.

[0033] As the caps 1 are transported by the conveyor 3, the amount of caps 1 in the receiving tank 2 decreases, and when the amount reaches a certain level, the receiving tank 2 is opened and the caps 1 are dumped from the container into the receiving tank 2. The receiving tank 2 is equipped with a cap level sensor, and when the caps 1 no longer come into contact with the sensor, it detects the decrease in the amount of caps 1 and issues an alarm.

[0034] The caps 1 stored in the lower part of the receiving tank 2 are transported by the conveyor 3 as shown in Fig. 3. The conveyor 3 has bars 4 arranged at regular intervals perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor 3, and the caps 1 hanging on the bars 4 are transported by the conveyor 3. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, a curtain board 10 is provided on the wall surface of the receiving tank 2 in the conveying direction, which is long enough not to come into contact with the bars 4, and it removes the caps 1 that are above the bars 4. Due to the removing effect of the curtain board 10, the caps 1 are transported by the conveyor 3 so that multiple caps 1 do not overlap. The curtain board 10 is suitable to be made of a material that is flexible enough not to damage the caps 1 and does not deteriorate. For example, silicone rubber, fluororubber, perfluoroelastomer, fluorosilicone rubber, etc. are suitable.

[0035] The width of the bottom opening of the receiving tank 2 is set narrower than the width of the conveyor 3 and the crosspiece 4. This is to prevent the caps 1 from falling off the conveyor 3 and the crosspiece 4. The height of the crosspiece 4 is preferably 0.8 to 1.5 times the height of the caps 1. This is the height at which the caps 1 can be blocked by the crosspiece 4 and placed on the conveyor 3. If it is less than 0.8 times, there is a risk that the caps 1 will be removed by the curtain board 10, and if it exceeds 1.5 times, there is a risk that two caps 1 will overlap and get caught on the crosspiece 4. The conveyor 3 needs to be flexible, and is preferably made of the same material as the curtain board 10. Also, the crosspiece 4 is preferably made of plastic so as not to damage the caps 1.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, the conveyor 3 transports the caps 1 upward. The correct position is when the closed surface 1b of the cap 1 contacts the conveyor 3. The position when the open surface 1a of the cap 1 contacts the conveyor 3 is called a back cap and is an incorrect position. As shown in Figure 4, the conveyor 3 is placed in a slightly tilted position from the upright position so that the conveyor 3 surface faces upward. The lower end of the conveyor 3 is placed at the bottom of the receiving tank 2. The interval between the bars 4 is slightly wider than the diameter of the caps 1, and when the conveyor 3 is driven, the caps 1 stored in the receiving tank 2 are scooped up by the bars 4. At this time, there are caps 1 in the correct position and caps 1 in the incorrect position. However, the center of gravity of the caps 1 in the incorrect position is outside the bars 4, so they fall from the bars 4 to the bottom end of the conveyor 3. The fallen caps 1 are scooped up by the bars 4 until they are in the correct position.

[0037] The caps 1 are lined up at irregular intervals along the bars 4 in the correct position. The caps 1 raised by the conveyor 3 are moved horizontally by sterile air sprayed from the nozzle 7, aligned by the alignment device 5, and introduced into the cap sterilization device 8. The nozzle 7 is a device for sending the caps 1 transported by the bars 4 to the alignment device 5 with high-pressure sterile air, and is arranged parallel to the bars 4 so as to spray high-pressure sterile air between a pair of bars 4 corresponding to the alignment device 5. The high-pressure sterile air may be air produced by a blower that has been passed through a sterilization filter, or high-pressure air produced by a compressor that has been passed through a sterilization filter.

[0038] The cap supply rail 11 that supplies the caps 1 to the cap sterilizer 8 is inclined downward, and the caps 1 are transported while rotating on their sides due to their own weight. When the caps 1 are introduced into the cap sterilizer 8, the caps 1 are held by the cap supply rail 11 in a position such that the opening surface 1a of the caps 1 faces to the side. The caps 1 are held by multiple rails. The caps 1 are held by two rails on the opening surface 1a of the caps 1, two rails on the closed surface 1b, and two rails each on the top and bottom of the sides. There may be only one rail for each side. The cross section of the rails is circular, but it may be polygonal or elliptical.

[0039] The caps 1 are supplied to the cap sterilizer 8 by a cap supply device 6 which includes a receiving tank 2, a conveyor 3 having rails 4, an aligning device 5 and a cap supply rail 11.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 5, the cap 1 supplied to the cap sterilizer 8 is carried by its own weight from the cap supply rail 11 to be stored in a recess provided on the periphery of the wheel A12. The cap 1 stored in the recess of the wheel A12 is transported by the rotation of the wheel A12. The cap 1 is supplied to the cap sterilizer 8 by the cap supply rail 11 with the closed surface 1b oriented horizontally and parallel to the surface of the wheel A12, and the supplied cap 1 is transported in the cap sterilizer 8 with the closed surface 1b oriented horizontally and parallel to the surface of the wheel A12.

[0041] The cap 1 is held by the wheel A12 as shown in Figure 6. One of the sides of the cap 1 is stored in a recess in the wheel A12, and the cap 1 is transported as the wheel A12 rotates by the cap support rails 17 that support the side on the opposite side, and by the cap support rails 17 that support two opening faces 1a and two closing faces 1b on the sides of the cap 1.

[0042] The cap 1 is transferred from wheel A12 to wheel B13. It is further transferred from wheel B13 to wheel C14 and then to wheel D15 while being transported. Wheel A12, wheel B13, wheel C14, and wheel D15 are shielded by chamber 16. Although four wheels are shown in FIG. 5, two or more wheels may be used. With one wheel, the residence time in chamber 16 cannot be sufficiently secured, resulting in insufficient sterilization.

[0043] The recesses provided in each wheel may be of any size and shape as long as they can accommodate the caps 1. The depth of the recesses is preferably at least 1 / 2 and less than 1 / 1 the diameter of the caps 1. If it is less than 1 / 2 the diameter of the caps, it may not be possible to support the caps 1 during transportation, and if it is more than 1 / 1 the diameter of the caps 1, it may not be possible to transfer the caps 1 between wheels. The shape of the bottom of the recesses is preferably semicircular to match the diameter of the caps 1.

[0044] The wheels A12, B13, C14 and D15 are arranged vertically, and the caps 1 are transported in sequence from the wheel A12 arranged at the top in the chamber 16 to the wheel D15 arranged below. The center of the wheel A12 arranged at the top is arranged to be located above the upper end of the wheel B13 arranged below. If the center of the wheel A12 is arranged below the upper end of the wheel B13, the chamber 16 becomes large in the horizontal direction, and the cap sterilization device 8 cannot be made compact. In addition, the wheels A12 and B13 are arranged close enough to each other to allow the transfer of the caps 1. The distance between the center of the wheel A12 and the upper end of the wheel B13 is preferably more than 0 and up to 1 / 4 of the wheel diameter. If the distance is made large, the residence time of the caps 1 in the chamber 16 cannot be extended.

[0045] Wheel A12 and wheel B13 are provided at different positions in the vertical direction. Therefore, at least two rows of wheels are provided in the vertical direction in chamber 16. Three or more rows of wheels may be provided in the vertical direction. In FIG. 5, wheel C14 is provided vertically below wheel A12, and wheel D15 is provided vertically below wheel B13, but a wheel may be provided further below. Although the wheels have the same diameter, the diameters of the wheels may be different.

[0046] Hydrogen peroxide gas is flowed from below chamber 16 to sterilize caps 1 being transported within chamber 16. A hydrogen peroxide gas supply device 18 is provided in cap sterilizer 8 to flow hydrogen peroxide gas into chamber 16. The hydrogen peroxide gas supplied by hydrogen peroxide gas supply device 18 is supplied to the below of chamber 16 as shown in FIG.

[0047] The hydrogen peroxide gas supplying device 18 is a device that gasifies hydrogen peroxide and supplies hydrogen peroxide gas to the chamber 16. The hydrogen peroxide gas supplying device 18 is provided with a hydrogen peroxide gas generator that generates hydrogen peroxide gas. The hydrogen peroxide gas generator includes a hydrogen peroxide supplying section, which is a two-fluid spray nozzle that supplies hydrogen peroxide in droplet form, and a vaporizing section that heats the hydrogen peroxide supplied from the hydrogen peroxide supplying section to a temperature below the decomposition temperature to vaporize it. The hydrogen peroxide supplying section introduces hydrogen peroxide and compressed air from a hydrogen peroxide supplying passage and a compressed air supplying passage, respectively, to spray hydrogen peroxide into the vaporizing section. The vaporizing section is a pipe with a heater sandwiched between the inner and outer walls, and heats and vaporizes hydrogen peroxide injected into the pipe. The vaporized hydrogen peroxide gas is sprayed out of the vaporizing section from a hydrogen peroxide gas spraying nozzle. The sprayed hydrogen peroxide gas is supplied to the lower part of the chamber 16.

[0048] As operating conditions for the hydrogen peroxide supply unit, for example, the compressed air pressure is adjusted in the range of 0.05 MPa to 0.6 MPa. At this time, a suitable supply rate of compressed air is 50 L / min to 300 L / min. The hydrogen peroxide may fall by gravity or may be pressurized, and the supply rate of the hydrogen peroxide can be freely set; for example, the hydrogen peroxide is supplied to the hydrogen peroxide supply path in the range of 1 g / min to 100 g / min. The inner surface of the vaporization unit is heated to 120°C to 450°C, causing the sprayed sterilant to vaporize.

[0049] Although a hydrogen peroxide gas generator that sprays hydrogen peroxide onto a heated vaporizer to gasify it has been exemplified, any type of hydrogen peroxide gas generator may be used as long as it is a device that generates hydrogen peroxide gas. Hydrogen peroxide gas supply device 18 includes a hydrogen peroxide gas generator and a supply pipe for supplying the generated hydrogen peroxide gas to chamber 16. In addition, a pressure device, a valve, a hydrogen peroxide concentration meter, etc. for supplying hydrogen peroxide gas may be provided.

[0050] The hydrogen peroxide content in the hydrogen peroxide solution is suitably in the range of 0.5% by mass to 65% by mass. If it is less than 0.5% by mass, the sterilizing power may be insufficient, and if it exceeds 65% by mass, handling becomes difficult from a safety standpoint. More preferably, it is 0.5% by mass to 40% by mass, and if it is 40% by mass or less, handling is easier, and the amount of residual sterilant after sterilization can be reduced because the hydrogen peroxide concentration is low. In addition, it may contain one or more of alcohols such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, normal propyl alcohol, and butyl alcohol, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and acetylacetone, and glycol ethers. In addition, it may contain additives such as organic acids such as peracetic acid and acetic acid, inorganic acids such as nitric acid, basic compounds such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, compounds having a sterilizing effect such as sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, and ozone, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and phosphoric acid compounds.

[0051] Supplying heated gas to the chamber 16 improves the sterilization effect of the hydrogen peroxide gas on the cap 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the cap sterilizer 8 is provided with a heated gas supply device 19 that supplies heated gas from below the chamber 16.

[0052] The heated gas supplied by the heated gas supply device 19 is either heated air or heated steam, or a combination thereof. The gas to be heated may be nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, or the like, other than air or steam. The heated gas is supplied from the lower part of the chamber 16. do.

[0053] The heated air is obtained by heating compressed air by a compressor or air sent out by a blower with a heating device such as a heater or a burner. The temperature of the obtained heated air is suitably 40°C to 170°C. If the temperature is less than 40°C, an improvement in the sterilization effect cannot be expected, and if the temperature exceeds 170°C, the cap 1 may be deformed. It is preferable that the air before being heated is sterilized air that has passed through a sterilization filter. This is because although it is assumed that bacteria in the air are sterilized by the hydrogen peroxide gas, there is a possibility that unsterilized bacteria may remain. A device for supplying air, a sterilization filter, and a heating device for heating the air are provided as a heated gas supply device 19.

[0054] The heated steam is generated by a heated steam generator that heats water with electricity or fuel. The water used may be purified through a reverse osmosis membrane. A boiler body that converts water into steam is used with boiler compounds and condensate treatment agents, but food additive grade is used. The boiler body and conveying piping are preferably made of stainless steel. The heated steam may be passed through a filter, activated carbon, or an ultrafiltration membrane to remove foreign matter, ions, medicines, etc. from the heated steam. Furthermore, the heated steam supplying device is preferably a reboiler that uses the heated steam as a heat source and exchanges heat with water that has passed through a reverse osmosis membrane to generate heated steam. The temperature of the heated steam is preferably 105°C to 170°C. There is a risk of the steam liquefying at a temperature below 105°C, and there is a risk of the cap 1 deforming at a temperature above 170°C. A device for supplying water and a heated steam generator that converts water into heated steam are provided as the heated gas supplying device 19.

[0055] The heated gas is supplied to chamber 16 separately from the hydrogen peroxide gas, but a conduit from heated gas supply device 19 may be connected to the conduit supplying hydrogen peroxide gas to chamber 16, and the hydrogen peroxide gas and heated gas may be mixed in the conduit and supplied to the lower part of chamber 16. The heated gas can increase the temperature of the hydrogen peroxide gas, improving the sterilization effect.

[0056] The hydrogen peroxide gas supplied into the chamber 16 flows from bottom to top, contacting the caps 1 being transported from top to bottom of the chamber 16 and sterilizing bacteria and the like present on the surface of the caps 1. The sterilization effect is improved by having the hydrogen peroxide gas and the caps 1 flow in opposite directions. When flowing in the same direction, the air currents generated by the flow of the transported caps 1 will flow in the same direction, which is thought to reduce the opportunities for the hydrogen peroxide gas to come into contact with the caps 1.

[0057] In order to allow hydrogen peroxide gas to flow from the bottom to the top of the chamber 16, an exhaust device 20 is preferably provided on the top surface of the chamber 16. The exhaust device 20 exhausts an amount of gas equal to or greater than the amount of hydrogen peroxide gas and heated gas supplied to the chamber 16, and may set the pressure inside the chamber 16 to atmospheric pressure or lower. Even if outside air flows in from the opening through which the cap 1 is supplied, it is sterilized by the hydrogen peroxide gas. The exhaust device 20 is a blower, and it is preferable to provide a filter between the chamber 16 and the blower that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

[0058] It is preferable that the inside of the chamber 16 of the cap sterilizer 8 is sterilized before operation. At this time, the inside of the chamber 16 can be sterilized by supplying hydrogen peroxide gas into the chamber 16 by the hydrogen peroxide gas supply device 18. It is not necessary to provide a device for sterilizing the inside of the chamber 16.

[0059] The sterilized caps 1 are discharged from the chamber 16 by a cap discharge device. The cap discharge device is, for example, a cap discharge rail 9 shown in FIG. 5. The caps 1 are delivered from the wheel D15 to the cap discharge rail 9 by their own weight. The cap discharge rail 9 has the same structure as the cap supply rail 11 and is inclined downward, so that the caps 1 are discharged by their own weight. The cap 1 is conveyed while rotating the side of the cap 1. The conveyed cap 1 is conveyed by the cap discharge rail 9 to a sterilized sealing section of the aseptic filling machine adjacent to the chamber 16. The cap discharge device may be a device that blows sterile air onto the cap 1 to discharge it.

[0060] The caps 1 are used to seal containers in the sealing section of the aseptic filling machine. The amount of hydrogen peroxide remaining in the caps 1 sterilized in the chamber 16 is extremely small, so there is no need to rinse the sterilized caps 1.

[0061] However, sterile air may be blown onto the sterilized cap 1. This is to remove hydrogen peroxide and foreign matter that may remain in the cap 1. The sterile air may be air from a blower that has been sterilized by passing it through a filter, or compressed air that has been sterilized. The sterile air is generated by a sterile air supply device and supplied to a sterile air blowing nozzle. The sterile air blowing nozzle is provided on the opening surface 1a side and the closing surface 1b side of the cap 1.

[0062] Although the present invention is configured as described above, it is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Cap 6…Cap supply device 8…Cap sterilizer 9…Cap ejection rail 11…Cap supply rail 12…Wheel A 16…Chamber 17…Cap support rail 18...Hydrogen peroxide gas supply device 19…Heated gas supply device

Claims

1. A recess is provided on the periphery of the wheel to accommodate the cap, In the vertical direction of the chamber that shields the wheels, the center of the upper wheel is higher than the upper end of the lower wheel, and the upper wheel and the lower wheel are closely spaced from each other in at least two vertical rows; The cap is stored in the recess of the wheel provided at the top, While passing the cap from above to below the chamber over the upper end of the wheel, the cap is transferred between the wheels with the closed surface of the cap parallel to the surface of the wheel; A method for sterilizing a cap, comprising flowing hydrogen peroxide gas from below the chamber to sterilize the cap.

2. The method for sterilizing a cap according to claim 1, A method for sterilizing a cap, comprising flowing the hydrogen peroxide gas and heated gas from below the chamber to sterilize the cap.

3. The method for sterilizing a cap according to claim 2, A method for sterilizing a cap, wherein the heated gas is either heated air or heated steam, or both.

4. At least two vertical rows of wheels are installed such that the center of an upper wheel in the vertical direction, which has a recess on the periphery for receiving a cap, is located above the upper end of the lower wheel, and the distance between the upper wheel and the lower wheel is close enough to allow the transfer of the cap, and the cap is transported while passing by the upper end of the wheel; a chamber for shielding said wheel; a cap feeder for feeding the cap to the uppermost wheel within the chamber; a cap ejection device that ejects the cap from the lowest wheel in the chamber to the outside of the chamber; A cap sterilization device comprising a hydrogen peroxide gas supply device for supplying hydrogen peroxide gas from below the chamber.

5. The cap sterilization device according to claim 4, A cap sterilization apparatus comprising a heated gas supply device for supplying heated gas from a lower portion of the chamber.

6. The cap sterilization device according to claim 5, A cap sterilization apparatus, characterized in that the heated gas supply device is configured to supply either heated air or heated steam, or both of them.

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