Lid sterilization method and lid sterilization device

Abstract

To provide a lid material sterilization method and a lid material sterilization apparatus that supply a pre-molded lid material to an aseptic filler, completely sterilize the supplied lid material in the aseptic filler, and smoothly deliver the lid material.SOLUTION: A pre-molded lid material to be supplied to an aseptic filler is placed on a lid material holder, and is sterilized by spraying hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or mixture of them, or irradiating electron ray on an entire surface of the lid material placed on the lid material holder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and device for sterilizing a lid material in an aseptic filling machine that fills sterilized contents into containers sterilized in a sterile atmosphere and seals the containers filled with the contents with a sterilized lid material. [Background technology]

[0002] In an aseptic filling machine that fills a container sterilized in a sterile atmosphere with sterilized contents and seals the container filled with the contents with a sterilized lid, various methods have been proposed for sterilizing the lid. When a sheet is supplied to the aseptic filling machine, the supplied sheet is sterilized, the sterilized sheet is heated, the heated sheet is thermoformed into a container shape, the thermoformed container is filled with contents, and the container filled with the contents is sealed, a film-like lid is sterilized in the aseptic filling machine, the sterilized film-like lid is heat-sealed to the container filled with the contents, and the container and the lid are punched out at the same time. In addition, in the case of a pre-formed container, the formed container is supplied to the aseptic filling machine, the supplied container is sterilized, and the sterilized film-like lid is heat-sealed to the container filled with the contents that is conveyed in multiple rows with narrow intervals in the aseptic filling machine, and then the lid is punched out.

[0003] As described above, when sealing a large number of containers by heat sealing the film-like lid material at the same time, the lid material is punched in a non-sterile atmosphere after sealing, so there is no need to maintain the punching device in a sterile state. A method has also been proposed in which the film-like lid material is sterilized in a sterile filling machine, the sterilized film-like lid material is punched into a desired shape in the sterile filling machine, and the punched lid material is heat-sealed to the container one by one (Patent Document 1). In this case, the lid material punching device must be maintained in a sterile state.

[0004] Also proposed is a method in which a film-like lid material is sterilized, the sterilized film-like lid material is thermoformed, the formed lid material is heat-sealed to a container filled with contents to seal the container, and then the lid material is punched out (Patent Document 2). In this case, the sterility of the lid material forming device must be maintained. Also, when the container is a bottle, the area of ​​the lid material film to be discarded after punching becomes large, which is not economical.

[0005] In the case of preformed lids that have rigidity, such as can lids, a method has been proposed in which the lids are conveyed one by one while standing vertically, and then sterilized by spraying a sterilizing agent onto both sides of the lids (Patent Document 3). However, this method cannot be used when the lids are not rigid enough or when the end faces of the lids have a shape that makes it impossible to stand the lids vertically.

[0006] Containers whose mouths are formed by injection molding, such as PET bottles, have good dimensional stability at the mouths, and are sealed with caps, so that the sterility of the containers filled with the contents can be maintained. Sterilization of such caps is generally performed by a device that sprays a sterilizing liquid onto the caps being transported in a chamber. For example, there is a device that sprays a mist of a sterilant with the opening of the cap turned sideways (Patent Document 4), and a device that sprays a sterilizing liquid with the opening of the cap turned downward (Patent Document 5). In addition, a device has been proposed that sprays a chemical solution toward the outer peripheral surface and top surface of the cap with the opening of the cap turned upward, and sprays the chemical solution toward the inner surface, collecting the chemical solution in the mouth and sterilizing the inner and outer surfaces of the cap (Patent Document 6). In addition, a method of sterilization using electron beams without using a sterilizing agent has also been proposed (Patent Document 7).

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-248608 [Patent Document 2] JP 2005-289425 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-40436 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-293319 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-152115 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-139416 [Patent Document 7] Special Publication No. 2011-514292 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Containers that are thermoformed in a sterile filling machine and cup-shaped containers that can be transported relatively tightly can be sealed by heat sealing a film-like lid material that is sterilized in a sterile filling machine. Even if the lid material is preformed, it is easy to sterilize if it is easy to transport, such as a plastic bottle cap. However, if the dimensional stability of the mouth is poor, such as in an extrusion blow bottle, a gap may occur at the fitting part between the mouth of the extrusion blow bottle and the cap, which may allow bacteria to enter, so it is necessary to seal the top of the mouth of the extrusion blow bottle with a lid material to maintain the sterility of the contents. In addition, if the contents are prone to oxidation, the top of the mouth of a container such as an extrusion blow bottle may be sealed with a lid material to protect the contents.

[0009] When sealing the top surface of the mouth of a container such as an extrusion blown bottle with a lid material, the cap is wound and tightened on a screw groove provided on the mouth of the container after sealing with the lid material. The end of the lid material is formed so as to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container so that the lid material does not peel off or break when the cap is wound and tightened. When sealing the mouth of a container such as an extrusion blown bottle with a lid material formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth after filling the contents in an aseptic filling machine using the container, there is a demand for using a lid material that is formed in advance or a lid material that is formed in the aseptic filling machine. The lid material is sealed by joining it to the top surface of the mouth of the container by heat fusion using a method such as heat sealing. Therefore, the surface of the lid material that is fused to the mouth is made of a material that is heat fused to the top surface of the container.

[0010] Before the formed lid material is sealed in the container, it must be sterilized to an LRV (Logarithmic Reduction Value) of >6, and the sterilization methods include the following: Sterilization with a radiation sterilizer before feeding the preformed lid material to the aseptic filling machine, or sterilization in the aseptic filling machine after feeding the preformed lid material to it.

[0011] When preformed lid materials are sterilized before being supplied to an aseptic filling machine, a large number of lid materials are packed in packaging materials and sterilized by a sterilization method suitable for each packaging form using gamma rays, EB, or a batch-type hydrogen peroxide gas sterilization device. A predetermined number of lid materials are sealed in a breathable interior bag or sterilization bag, and the sealed interior bag or sterilization bag is packed in a cardboard box and sterilized. The sterilized lid materials are distributed in a packaged state. When the packaged lid materials are supplied to an aseptic filling machine, the outer surface of the interior bag sealing the lid materials may be contaminated by microorganisms such as bacteria during distribution or immediately after opening. For this reason, after opening, the lid materials are supplied to the aseptic filling machine in a sealed state in the interior bag. The aseptic filling machine is provided with an antechamber for unpacking the lid materials from the interior bag. The interior bag transported to the antechamber is sterilized on the outer surface with a sterilizing gas such as hydrogen peroxide. The interior bag is then transported to the chamber of the aseptic filling machine, where an operator opens the interior bag through a glove port outside the chamber and supplies the lid materials to a parts feeder. In this case, in addition to the cost disadvantages of sterilization costs and transportation costs at the outsourced contractor, there are also time disadvantages such as increased equipment costs due to the addition of an antechamber for sterilizing the interior bags and additional time required to sterilize the interior bags in the aseptic filling machine.

[0012] On the other hand, when sterilizing the lid material in the aseptic filling machine, the formed lid material is fed to a parts feeder installed in a non-sterile atmosphere of the aseptic filling machine, and the lid material is conveyed to the sterilization section via an aligner. Currently, sterilization of the lid material is generally performed using hydrogen peroxide gas. In this case, the overlapping lid materials are not as rigid as can lids, and it is difficult to separate them one by one, so a parts feeder or aligner must be added to separate them, which increases costs. In addition, in sterilization on a conveying guide, such as for caps that are easy to convey, it is not easy to attach hydrogen peroxide to the lid material being conveyed evenly in a short time. In this case, the amount of hydrogen peroxide used is inevitably large. In addition, it is very difficult to stably blow hot air onto the lightweight lid material while conveying it without stopping it. In most cases, the formed lid material is conveyed by receiving a propulsive force by blowing sterile air onto it, so if hydrogen peroxide adheres to the lid material, the slipperiness is deteriorated, the conveyance of the lid material becomes unstable, and there is a risk of the lid material clogging on the conveying line.

[0013] When lid materials are die-cut and press molded or thermoformed in a sterile filling machine, the lid material to be molded may be sterilized in film form before molding, or the lid material may be sterilized after it has been molded.

[0014] When the film-shaped lid material is sterilized before molding, there are a method of sterilization by immersion in a hydrogen peroxide solution, a method of spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist on the front and back of the raw roll and drying with hot air, and a method of sterilization by irradiation with electron beams. In this case, the sterilized film-shaped lid material is supplied to various molding machines installed in the aseptic filling machine. Although the film-shaped lid material to be used can be easily sterilized, in order to mold the sterilized film-shaped lid material into a lid material in the aseptic filling machine, it is necessary to make the molding machine aseptic. In this case, the cost of the aseptic filling machine increases. In addition, dust is generated when punching the molded lid material, which may adhere to the lid and cause foreign matter to be mixed into the product, and it is necessary to sterilize every detail of the molding machine and punching machine when starting up the aseptic process, so it is necessary to make the structure easy to sterilize the fine gaps and sliding parts. In addition, the punching blade for punching also needs to be chemically resistant to the disinfectant.

[0015] When a preformed lid material is supplied to an aseptic filling machine and the lid material is sterilized in the aseptic filling machine, a method is adopted in which the lid material is sterilized using hydrogen peroxide gas while being conveyed by a conveying guide. However, hydrogen peroxide water adheres to the lid or the conveying guide, which deteriorates the slipperiness between the lid material and the conveying guide, and the lid material may become clogged. In addition, in the drying section where the hydrogen peroxide water is removed, the conveying is disturbed by dry air, and the lid material may become clogged. Furthermore, when the aseptic filling machine stops, a discharge mechanism for discharging the lid material clogged in the sterilization section is required in the conveying guide, which makes the configuration of the conveying guide complicated. For the above reasons, it is difficult to sterilize the entire surface of the preformed lid material evenly, and there is a risk of problems such as clogging on the conveying guide, so it is not easy to sterilize and convey the preformed lid material in the aseptic filling machine. Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for sterilizing lid materials that can supply preformed lid materials to an aseptic filling machine, completely sterilize the supplied lid materials within the aseptic filling machine, and allow smooth transport.

[0016] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a lid material sterilization method and apparatus in which a pre-formed lid material to be supplied to an aseptic filling machine is placed on a lid material holder and the placed lid material is sterilized, in response to the demand for sufficient sterilization of pre-formed lid materials in a short time using simple equipment and for smooth transport. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] The lid sterilization method of the present invention is a method for sterilizing a lid in a sterile filling machine which fills a sterilized container with a sterilized content in a sterile atmosphere and seals the container by heat-sealing a sterilized lid to a top surface of the mouth of the container filled with the content, the lid formed to cover at least the outer surface of the mouth of the container is placed on a lid holder which moves horizontally while holding the heat-sealed surface of the lid which is heat-sealed to the top surface of the mouth of the container as it falls by a gravity fall chute and moves approximately horizontally, and the lid which is placed on the lid holder and transported is then sterilized. By spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture of these from above, and then spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture of these from below, Sterilize the entire surface When the lid material is sprayed with hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof from below, a guide rail is provided on the upper surface of the lid material to prevent the lid material from coming off the lid material holder. The present invention is characterized by the above.

[0018] In the method for sterilizing a lid material according to the present invention, it is preferable that the lid material holder holds a part of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed in contact therewith.

[0019] In addition, in the method for sterilizing a lid material according to the present invention, it is preferable that the lid material holder is formed from a plurality of pins, and the tips of the pins contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

[0020] In addition, in the method for sterilizing a lid material according to the present invention, it is preferable that the lid material holder has a plurality of serrated tips, and that the serrated tips contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

[0021] In addition, in the method for sterilizing a lid material according to the present invention, it is preferable that the lid material holder has a plurality of arc-shaped tips, and that the arc-shaped tips contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

[0024] In addition, the method for sterilizing a lid material according to the present invention preferably comprises spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, onto the lid material, and then spraying heated sterile air onto the lid material.

[0028] Furthermore, in the method for sterilizing lid materials according to the present invention, it is preferable that the sterilized lid material is detached from the lid material holder by blowing sterile air or by pushing with a pusher, transferred to a gravity drop chute, and then covered onto the top surface of the mouth of the container as it falls by the gravity drop chute.

[0029] The lid sterilization device of the present invention is an aseptic filling machine that fills sterilized containers with sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere and seals the containers by heat-sealing a sterilized lid to the top surface of the mouth of the container filled with the contents, and includes a lid holder that moves horizontally while holding the lid, which is formed to cover at least the outer surface of the mouth of the container, substantially horizontally while holding the heat-sealed surface of the lid that is heat-sealed to the top surface of the mouth of the container as the lower surface, and a gravity drop chute along which the lid falls and is placed on the lid holder, and sterilizes the entire surface of the lid placed on the lid holder and transported. The device is equipped with a sterilizing agent spray nozzle that sprays hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture of these, from the top and bottom. Equipped with a lid sterilizer The lid material sterilization device has a guide rail on the upper surface of the lid material so that the lid material does not come off the lid material holder when the lid material sterilization device sprays hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof from the lower part of the lid material. It is characterized by the above.

[0030] In the lid material sterilization device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the lid material holder has a contact portion that contacts and holds a part of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

[0031] In the lid material sterilization device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the contact portion is a tip of a pin, and the lid material holder has a plurality of the pins.

[0032] In the lid material sterilization device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the contact portion is a sawtooth tip, and the lid material holder has a plurality of sawtooth tips.

[0033] In the lid material sterilization device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the contact portion is an arc-shaped tip, and the lid material holder has a plurality of arc-shaped tips.

[0036] In addition, the lid material sterilization device of the present invention is preferably equipped with a sterile air spraying nozzle that sprays hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, onto the lid material, and then sprays heated sterile air onto the lid material.

[0040] In addition, the lid material sterilization device of the present invention preferably includes a sterile air injection device or pusher which detaches the sterilized lid material from the lid material holder, and a gravity drop chute which places the detached lid material on the top surface of the mouth of the container. Effect of the Invention

[0041] According to the present invention, when a preformed lid material is supplied to an aseptic filling machine, and when a molding device is connected to an aseptic filling machine and an in-line formed lid material is supplied to the aseptic filling machine, the lid material is placed on a lid material holder that moves horizontally while holding the surface to be heat-sealed to the top surface of the container substantially horizontal, and hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed from the top and bottom of the lid material placed on the lid material holder and transported, or electron beams are irradiated, thereby sterilizing the entire surface of the lid material to LRV (Logarithmic Reduction Value)>6 or more. The lid material holder is a simple device, and can reduce the initial capital investment of an aseptic filling machine that seals containers with a formed lid material. Furthermore, the lid materials are separated one by one and sterilized while being transported reliably, thereby preventing the aseptic filling machine from stopping due to clogging of the lid material. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1] 1 shows the process of a sterile filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing examples of a covering material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a sterilization process of the lid material in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing another example of the sterilization process of the lid material in accordance with embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B show a state in which hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof is sprayed from below the lid material during the sterilization process of the lid material in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, where (C) is a side view and (D) is a plan view. [Figure 6]1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing lid material holders according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (E) shows a lid material holder having multiple pins, (F) shows a lid material holder having multiple saw-tooth tips, and (G) shows a lid material holder having multiple arc-shaped tips. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a sterilization process of a lid material in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view showing another example of the sterilization process of the lid material in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views showing the shutter of the electron beam irradiation window in accordance with embodiment 2 of the present invention, in which (H) shows the state in which the shutter is stored, and (I) shows the state in which the shutter is blocking the irradiation window of the electron beam irradiation device. [Figure 10] This shows the process of separating the contacting portion of the lid material and the lid material holder when the lid material in embodiment 2 of the present invention is irradiated with an electron beam from below, (J) is a side view of the lid material holder with a notch to allow the separation jig to pass through, (K) shows the state in which the front end of the lid material has been lifted up by the separation jig, and (L) shows the state in which the rear end of the lid material has been lifted up by the separation jig. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0044] (Aseptic filling machine process) FIG. 1 shows the process of an aseptic filling machine equipped with the sterilization device for lid materials of the present invention and carrying out the sterilization method for lid materials of the present invention. The aseptic filling machine is supplied with a lid material film to be formed into a lid material and a container to be filled with contents. The supplied lid material film is formed into a lid material in the lid material forming section. Forming is performed by cold forming or by thermoforming after heating. Cold forming is performed by sandwiching a lid material film containing a relatively thick metal foil such as aluminum between two pressurized molds. Thermoforming is performed by heating the lid material film and then by a method such as vacuum forming, pressure forming, or vacuum pressure forming. The formed lid material film is punched out at the portion to be used as a lid material by a punching blade. The punched-out residual lid material film is wound up.

[0045] The punched lids are transported by air to a gravity drop chute, where they are received one by one by a lid holder, and then placed on the lid holder for transport. The lids are sterilized all over as they are transported. The sterilized lids are transported by sterile air or the like to the gravity drop chute. The lids are received one by one by a container from the gravity drop chute and placed on the mouth of the container.

[0046] On the other hand, the container is fed to a sterile filling machine, where it is de-electrified, and clean air is blown onto the outer and inner surfaces of the container to remove dust and foreign matter adhering to the container surface, and the removed dust and foreign matter is collected. Through this dust collection process, the inner and outer surfaces of the container are sterilized. Sterilization is performed by spraying a sterilizing gas or mist containing hydrogen peroxide, or a mixture thereof, followed by spraying heated sterile air. Sterilization may also be performed by spraying a sterilizing agent containing peracetic acid, or by irradiating with ultraviolet light, electron beams, plasma, or the like.

[0047] The containers supplied are containers formed by extrusion blow molding. In extrusion blow molding, a thermoplastic resin is melt-kneaded by an extruder, extruded into a tube, and the molten tube is sandwiched between dies and air is blown into the inside of the tube. The dimensional stability of the mouth of a container formed by extrusion blow molding is poorer than that of a PET bottle that is stretch-blowed after injection molding or a container that is blown immediately after injection molding. Therefore, a gap is generated at the fitting portion between the mouth and the cap, and bacteria may enter, so that the top surface of the mouth must be sealed with a lid material to maintain the sterility of the contents. Instead of melt-kneading a thermoplastic resin by an extruder and extruding it into a tube to form a container, a container may be formed by heating a pre-manufactured sheet while fusing the ends of the sheet to form a cylindrical shape, heating the cylinder until it softens, sandwiching it between dies, and blowing air into it.

[0048] Sterile nitrogen is blown into the inside of the sterilized container to prevent the contents from oxidizing and deteriorating due to the oxygen remaining in the container. After the oxygen in the container is removed by blowing in sterile nitrogen, the sterilized contents are filled.

[0049] In order to remove oxygen from the head space of the container filled with the content, the head space is replaced with nitrogen by blowing sterile nitrogen into the head space. A lid is placed on the mouth of the container whose head space has been replaced with nitrogen.

[0050] The container covered with the lid is sealed by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or high frequency sealing, which heat seals the top surface of the container and the inner surface of the sterilized lid. A cap is then wrapped around the mouth of the sealed container to cap it. The cap is not airtight, but can be resealed after the lid is peeled off and opened. The capped container is weighed to see if it is filled with the specified amount of contents, and containers that pass the weighing are packaged in packaging materials such as cardboard by a caser.

[0051] In the process of the aseptic filling machine shown in Figure 1, the process from lid sterilization and container sterilization to sealing is carried out in a sterile atmosphere. Therefore, the area where the process from lid sterilization and container sterilization to sealing is carried out is covered with a chamber, COP (Cleaning Out of Place) and SOP (Sterilizing Out of Place) are carried out before the operation of the aseptic filling machine, and then sterile air is supplied to maintain the sterile atmosphere.

[0052] The processes related to the present invention in the aseptic filling machine are a process in which the lid materials are received one by one from the gravity drop chute and placed on the lid material holder, a process in which the lid materials placed on the lid material holder are sterilized as they are transported, a process in which the sterilized lid materials are transported to the gravity drop chute by sterile air, and a process in which the lid materials are received one by one from the gravity drop chute by a container and placed over the mouth of the container.

[0053] (Embodiment 1 of the present invention) A first embodiment in which the lid is sterilized by spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, onto the entire surface of the lid is described below with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 2, lid material 1 is adhered to the top surface 2a of the mouth of container 2 by heat fusion to seal container 2 filled with contents. As shown in Fig. 2(A), lid material 1 is formed so that its edge covers the outer surface of the mouth of container 2. This is to determine the position of lid material 1 when it is placed over top surface 2a of the mouth of container 2. If the edge of lid material 1 is not formed, it cannot be placed over container 2, and even if lid material 1 is placed so as to cover top surface 2a of the mouth of container 2, it may move during the transport process until lid material 1 and container 2 are sealed by heat fusion, and container 2 may not be sealed by lid material 1.

[0055] FIG. 2(A) shows an example in which the top surface of the lid material 1 is flat. The top surface of the lid material 1 may be formed in a concave shape on the inside of the container 2 as shown in FIG. 2(B). When the lid material 1 is placed over the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2, the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 and the groove-shaped molded portion at the end of the lid material 1 fit together to fix the position of the lid material 1, making it easy to heat seal. In addition, when heat sealing is performed by heat sealing, the heating body that performs heat sealing heats the surface of the lid material 1 that is not heat-sealed, with the shape of FIG. 2(A), and there is a risk that the heated lid material will shrink or deform. Furthermore, by making it into a shape as shown in FIG. 2(B), the head space of the container 2 in which the contents are filled can be reduced.

[0056] When the lid material 1 is peeled off from the heat-sealed top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2, the non-heat-sealed portion of the lid material 1 is pinched and pulled off. For this reason, a pull tab is provided on the lid material 1. It is desirable that the pull tab be large enough not to come into contact with the threads of the container 2.

[0057] The covering material film formed into the covering material 1 is preferably configured to include a metal foil such as aluminum. A film laminated with a relatively thick aluminum foil can be formed by cold forming. Even if formed without heating, aluminum foil has low elasticity and can maintain the formed shape without returning. However, high pressure is required for clamping during forming. Examples of the covering material film configuration include PET 12 μm / Al 40 μm / PE 50 μm, printing / Al 20 μm / PE 25 μm, etc. Here, PET is a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film, Al is aluminum foil, and PE is a polyethylene film. PET, Al, and PE are laminated by a dry lamination method.

[0058] Instead of using aluminum foil, a covering film using a thermoplastic resin such as PP (polypropylene), PS (polystyrene), or PC (polycarbonate) that is easy to thermoform may be used. For example, OPP 30μm / printing / PS 140μm / thermal adhesion layer, PP 90μm / EVOH 20μm / PP 90μm / thermal adhesion layer, PC 30μm / PP 40μm / thermal adhesion layer, etc. Lamination is performed by dry lamination method, extrusion lamination method, etc. Covering films made of thermoplastic resins that do not contain aluminum foil are formed by thermoforming. When barrier properties are required, a thermoplastic resin with high oxygen barrier properties such as EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) is provided as a layer.

[0059] The portion of the lid material 1 that is fused to the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 must be easily peeled off when a portion of the lid material 1 that is not heat-fused, such as a pull tab, is pinched and pulled off. Therefore, the surface of the lid material 1 facing the container 2 must be made of a material that is heat-fused to the material of the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 and that can be easily peeled off by hand after cooling. For example, if the top surface of the container 2 is made of PE or PP, the material configuration may be such that an acrylic resin containing an acid component is coated on the aluminum foil surface of the lid material 1, or in the case of PE, a layer of PE blended with polybutene is provided, or in the case of PP, a layer of PP blended with high-density polyethylene is provided.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, the formed lid material 1 is supplied to a gravity drop chute 3 and is placed on a lid material holder 4 while falling under its own weight. The lid material holder 4 is fixed to an endless chain or endless belt and moves horizontally while holding the surface to be heat-sealed to the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 approximately horizontally until sterilization of the lid material 1 placed thereon is completed. The upper end of the lid material holder 4 in the moving direction pulls the end of the lid material 1 formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1 falling from the gravity drop chute 3, causing the lid material 1 to fall from the gravity drop chute 3 and be placed on the lid material holder 4. Therefore, the location where the lid material holder 4 comes into contact with a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed and holds the lid material 1 is closer to the center of the lid material 1 than the end of the lid material 1 formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1.

[0061] The location where the lid material holder 4 comes into contact with a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed and holds the lid material 1 may be any location as long as the lid material 1 can be moved horizontally while being held approximately horizontally. The shape of the lid material holder 4 may be, for example, a shape as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6(E) shows a pin-type. The number of pins may be any number as long as it is three or more and can hold the lid material horizontally. The tip of the pin comes into contact with a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed on the center side of the lid material 1 rather than the end of the lid material 1 formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1, and holds the lid material 1 approximately horizontally. The tip of the pin is preferably spherical, but may be a surface.

[0062] FIG. 6(F) shows a cylindrical sawtooth type, in which the lid material holder 4 has a plurality of sawtooth tips, and the sawtooth tips come into contact with a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed to hold the lid material 1 approximately horizontally. The sawtooth is provided at the tip of the cylinder, and the cylinder is sized to be located closer to the center of the lid material 1 than the end of the lid material 1 formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1. The side of the cylindrical part may be perforated by punching or the like. It is desirable to make holes because the disinfectant also flows into the outside of the sawtooth in the sterilization process described later. In addition, if the sawtooth is provided at the tip, the part below the tip may be only a skeleton as long as it can hold the tip. The tip of the sawtooth is preferably arc-shaped so as not to damage the lid material 1, but it may be angular, either acute or obtuse.

[0063] FIG. 6(G) shows a cylindrical arc type, in which the lid material holder 4 has multiple arc-shaped tips, and the arc-shaped tips come into contact with a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed to hold the lid material 1 approximately horizontally. The arcs are provided at the tip of the cylinder, and the cylinder is sized to be located closer to the center of the lid material 1 than the end of the lid material 1 formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1. The side of the cylindrical part may be perforated by punching or the like. It is desirable to make holes because the disinfectant will flow to the outside of the sawtooth in the sterilization process described later. Also, if the arcs are provided at the tip, the part below the tip may be only a skeleton as long as it can hold the tip.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 3, the lid material 1 placed on the lid material holder 4 and conveyed horizontally is sterilized by spraying hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof from the top of the lid material 1, and then spraying hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof from the bottom. The hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof may be sprayed simultaneously as shown in FIG. 3, or may be sprayed from the top and then from the bottom as shown in FIG. 5. When the lid material 1 seals the container 2, the bottom of the lid material 1 faces the contents of the container 2, so it is necessary to sterilize the bottom of the lid material 1 more completely, and it is preferable to sterilize the top and then the bottom. That is, it is preferable to spray hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof from the top of the lid material 1, and then spray hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof from the bottom.

[0065] The hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, sprayed onto the lid material 1 also flows to the edge of the lid material 1 that is formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1, and the edge of the formed lid material 1 is also sterilized. The lid material holder 4 is in contact with part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed, but the contact area is small, and hydrogen peroxide gas also gets in between the lid material 1 and the lid material holder 4, which are in contact, and the contacting area can also be sterilized.

[0066] The sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 is fixed so that the nozzle hole at the tip of the nozzle faces directly to the upper or lower surface of the traveling lid material 1. The nozzle hole may be slit-shaped or cylindrical. The sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 may be one or more.

[0067] The sterilant gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, is hydrogen peroxide gasified by a sterilant gas generator, or a mist formed by condensation of the gasified sterilant, or a mixture thereof. The sterilant gas generator includes a sterilant supply unit, which is a two-fluid spray nozzle that supplies hydrogen peroxide in droplet form, and a vaporization unit that heats the hydrogen peroxide supplied from the sterilant supply unit to a temperature below its decomposition temperature to vaporize it. The sterilant supply unit introduces the sterilant and compressed air from a sterilant supply path and a compressed air supply path, respectively, to spray the sterilant into the vaporization unit. The vaporization unit is a pipe with a heater sandwiched between its inner and outer walls, and heats and vaporizes the sterilant blown into the pipe. The vaporized sterilant gas is sprayed out of the vaporization unit from the sterilant gas spray nozzle 5. The vaporization unit may be heated by dielectric heating instead of a heater. The hydrogen peroxide gas vaporized in the vaporization unit may be mixed with heated air and sprayed from the sterilant spray nozzle 5.

[0068] As for the operating conditions of the sterilant supplying section, for example, the pressure of the compressed air is adjusted in the range of 0.05 MPa to 0.6 MPa. The sterilant may fall by gravity or may be pressurized, and the supply amount can be freely set; for example, the sterilant is supplied to the sterilant supply path in the range of 1 g / min. to 100 g / min. The inner surface of the vaporizing section is heated to 140°C to 450°C, causing the sprayed sterilant to vaporize.

[0069] Sterilant gas is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from a sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 as shown in FIG. 3. The amount of hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, sprayed is arbitrary, but is determined by the amount of sterilant supplied to the sterilant gas generator and the spraying time. A plurality of sterilant gas generators may be provided. The amount of sprayed also varies depending on the size of the lid material 1. The hydrogen peroxide concentration of the hydrogen peroxide gas sprayed onto the lid material 1 is preferably 2 mg / L to 20 mg / L, and more preferably 5 mg / L to 10 mg / L.

[0070] The hydrogen peroxide content of 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. Furthermore, 0.5% by mass to 40% by mass is more suitable, and if it is 40% by mass or less, handling is easier.

[0071] The hydrogen peroxide solution 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.

[0072] Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide solution may contain additives such as organic acids such as peracetic acid and acetic acid, chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorite, compounds having a bactericidal effect such as ozone, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and phosphate compounds.

[0073] When hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from above, the lid material 1 does not move from the lid material holder 4. However, when hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from below, the force of the spraying of the hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof may cause the lid material 1 to detach from the lid material holder 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from below, a guide rail 7 is provided on the upper surface of the lid material 1 to prevent the lid material 1 from floating up from the lid material holder 4 and detaching. The guide rail 7 is provided so that the lowest part of the guide rail 7 is located within a range of 1 mm to 5 mm above the lid material 1. The guide rail 7 is made of a material resistant to hydrogen peroxide, such as stainless steel or Teflon (registered trademark). The shape of the guide rail 7 may be cylindrical or polygonal.

[0074] Fig. 5(C) shows a side view in which a guide rail 7 is provided above the lid material 1 when hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture of these, is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from below. The guide rail 7 is provided at a location where hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture of these, is sprayed onto the lid material 1 from below. Fig. 5(D) shows a plan view in which two guide rails 7 are provided parallel to each other in the conveying direction of the lid material 1 at a location where a slit-shaped sterilant spray nozzle 5 is provided below. Although one guide rail 7 may be used, two or more are effective and preferable in preventing the lid material 1 from floating up.

[0075] The lid material 1 onto which the hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof has been sprayed has sterile air sprayed from above and below it by sterile air spray nozzles 6. This is to remove the hydrogen peroxide adhering to the surface of the lid material 1. The sterile air may be at room temperature, but is preferably at 40°C or higher. By heating, the removal rate of the hydrogen peroxide on the surface of the lid material 1 is increased, and by heating, the hydrogen peroxide remaining on the surface of the lid material 1 is activated, which is expected to provide a further sterilization effect. Sterile air is obtained by passing air from a blower or compressed air through a sterile filter, and the sterile air can be heated by providing a heater.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 3, sterile air blowing nozzles 6 may be provided at the same positions on the top and bottom of the lid material 1, and sterile air may be blown onto the lid material 1 at the same time. Alternatively, sterile air blowing nozzles 6 may be provided at different positions on the top and bottom, and sterile air may be blown onto the lid material 1 in sequence. When sterile air is blown only from the bottom, a guide rail is provided above the lid material 1, as in the case where hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is blown onto the lid material 1 from below, so that the lid material 1 does not detach from the lid material holder 4. It is preferable that sterile air is blown simultaneously from the top and bottom of the lid material 1 to enhance the effect of removing hydrogen peroxide from the surface of the lid material 1.

[0077] The lid material 1 onto which the sterile air has been sprayed is transported from a horizontal direction to a vertical direction as shown in Fig. 3, and by injecting sterile air onto the underside of the now vertical lid material 1 by a sterile air injector 8 or by pushing the underside with a pusher 9, the lid material 1 is detached from the lid material holder 4 and transferred to a gravity drop chute 10, and while falling down the gravity drop chute 10, it is placed on the top surface 2a of the mouth of a container 2 filled with sterilized contents. The lid material holder 4 from which the lid material 1 has been detached is reversed and transported horizontally upside down by an endless chain or endless belt, and then rises vertically to the horizontal direction in which the lid material 1 is placed.

[0078] The top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 is covered with the lid material 1 by pulling the end of the lid material 1, which is formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 as it falls from the gravity drop chute 10, and the lid material 1 is placed over the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 which has been filled with sterilized contents and has had its headspace replaced with nitrogen.

[0079] Fig. 4 shows another method for removing the lid material 1 from the lid material holder 4. Fig. 3 shows a method for removing the sterilized lid material 1 while transporting it from a horizontal to a vertical direction, but Fig. 4 shows a method for transporting the lid material 1 horizontally, in which sterile air is sprayed from below the lid material 1 onto the underside of the lid material 1, and sterile air is sprayed onto the sides of the lifted lid material 1 to move the lid material 1 horizontally and transfer it to the gravity drop chute 10. The sterilized lid material may be transferred to the gravity drop chute 10 by either the method shown in Fig. 3 or Fig. 4.

[0080] The container 2 covered with the lid material 1 is sealed by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, high frequency sealing, etc., to thermally fuse the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 to the inner surface of the sterilized lid material 1. The sealed container 2 is transported to a sterile atmosphere, and a cap is wrapped around the mouth to cap it. EXAMPLES

[0081] The device shown in Figure 3 was fabricated and the following evaluations were carried out. A lid film with a layer structure of PET 12μm / Al 40μm / PE 50μm was cold-formed to produce lid 1. Lid 1 is circular with a flat top surface, a top surface diameter of 40mmφ, and an edge formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of container 2, with a side height of 5mm and a bending angle of 92° to 95°.

[0082] The lid material holder 4 is a type shown in Figure 6 (E) in which the tips of the pins come into contact with and hold the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed, and there were eight pins. The pins are located within a circumference of 38 mmφ and hold the lid material 1 horizontally. The pins are cylinders with 2 mmφ and spherical tips. The length of the pins was 15 mm. The lower part of the pins was cylindrical, and both sides were joined to an endless belt for transport. The transport speed was 15 m / min.

[0083] The sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 and the sterile air spray nozzle 6 were "high blow nozzles" (slit length 150 mm, slit width 1 mm) manufactured by Kansai Dennetsu Co., Ltd. The distance between the sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 and the sterile air spray nozzle 6 and the lid material was 30 mm. The distance between the sterilant gas spray nozzle 5 and the sterile air spray nozzle 6 provided at the bottom of the lid material 1 and the underside of the top surface of the lid material 1 was 30 mm.

[0084] A sterilant gas generator with a vaporization tube heated to 300°C was supplied with 7 g / min. of hydrogen peroxide solution containing 35% by mass of hydrogen peroxide together with air at a pressure of 0.4 MPa, and the resulting hydrogen peroxide solution gas was sprayed onto the lid 1 from both the top and bottom of the lid 1 through one sterilant gas spray nozzle 5. Then, sterilized air heated to 140°C was sprayed onto the lid 1 at 1 m3 / min. through three sterilized air spray nozzles 6 provided on the top of the lid 1.

[0085] In advance, 1 μl of spore suspension of Bacillus atrophaeus (ATCC9372) was attached as an indicator bacterium to one place where the lid material 1 contacted the lid material holder 4, so that the concentration was 2.2 × 103, 104, and 105 cfu / spot. After drying the bacterial liquid, the above-mentioned sterilization was performed with n = 5. The inner surface of the lid material 1 was filled with culture liquid, and after culturing at 35 ° C for 7 days, the number of positive tubes of the culture liquid was confirmed, the number of surviving bacteria was estimated by the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, and the bactericidal effect LRV was calculated. The effect was calculated by subtracting the logarithm of the number of live bacteria after culturing from the logarithm of the number of live bacteria in the initial bacterial liquid. The bactericidal effect was LRV > 6.

[0086] (Embodiment 2 of the present invention) In the first embodiment of the present invention, the lid material 1 is sterilized by spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof onto the lid material 1, while in the second embodiment, the lid material 1 is sterilized by irradiating it with an electron beam. As shown in Fig. 7, the lid material 1, which is formed so as to cover at least the outer side surface of the mouth of a container 2, is placed on a lid material holder 4 which moves horizontally while holding the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed to the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 substantially horizontally and is transported. The entire surface of the lid material 1 is sterilized by irradiating it with an electron beam.

[0087] The lid material 1 and the lid material holder 4 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the lid material 1 is placed on the lid material holder 4 as in the first embodiment. The placed lid material 1 is transported substantially horizontally and, as shown in FIG. 7, is transported into a shielding device 12 that has an inclined transport path and shields the electron beam so that it does not leak to the outside. After passing through the inclined part of the shielding device 12, the lid material holder 4 is returned to a substantially horizontal state, and in a state in which the lid material 1 is substantially horizontal, electron beams are irradiated from the electron beam irradiation devices 11 provided on the upper and lower parts of the lid material 1. The lid material 1 irradiated with the electron beam passes through an inclined part that further inclines downward and is made horizontal. The inclined part is provided in the shielding device 12 in order to prevent the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiation device 11 from leaking to the outside. If the inclined part is not provided in the shielding device 12, the opening is large, and there is a risk that the electron beam and the X-rays generated when the electron beam collides with a metal surface may leak to the outside. Even if the electron beams and X-rays traveling in a straight line hit metal and change their angle, the possibility of the electron beams and X-rays leaking to the outside from the opening can be reduced by providing an inclined portion in the shielding device 12. The shielding device 12 is made of a high-density metal, which prevents the electron beams from penetrating and leaking to the outside.

[0088] The electron beam irradiation device 11 uses a device with a relatively low acceleration voltage of 80 kev to 200 kev. Since the purpose is to sterilize the surface of the lid material 1, an electron beam irradiation device with a low acceleration voltage is sufficient and is also safe. The appropriate electron beam irradiation dose is 10 kGy to 25 kGy. A dose of less than 10 kGy is insufficient for sterilization, and a dose of more than 25 kGy is useless for sterilizing the surface of the lid material 1.

[0089] The shape of the lid material holder 4 is the same as that of the first embodiment. The lid material holder 4 holds a part of the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed by contacting it. The part where the lid material holder 4 and the lid material 1 are in contact is not irradiated with the electron beam, and there is a risk that the part of the lid material 1 in contact with the lid material holder 4 will not be sterilized. Therefore, when the lid material 1 is irradiated with the electron beam from below, the part where the lid material 1 and the lid material holder 4 are in contact is separated so that the part where the lid material 1 and the lid material holder 4 are in contact is irradiated with the electron beam. FIG. 10(J) is a side view of the lid material holder 4 with a cut for the separation jig 13 to pass through, FIG. 10(K) shows the state where the front end of the lid material 1 is lifted by the separation jig 13, and FIG. 10(L) shows the state where the rear end of the lid material 1 is lifted by the separation jig 13.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 10(J), the lid material holder 4 that holds the lid material 1 is provided with a notch 14 so that it can pass through the fixed separation jig 13. The upper view of FIG. 10(J) shows the case where the lid material holder 4 is cylindrical, and the lower view shows the case where the contact part of the lid material holder 4 with the lid material is sawtooth-shaped. In either case, the notch 14 is provided on the side of the lid material holder 4 so that the lid material holder 4, which is transported approximately horizontally by the endless chain, can pass through the separation jig 13, which is fixed and installed on the transport path. As shown in FIG. 10(K), the separation jig 13 is thick enough to pass through the notch 14 provided in the lid material holder 4, and is shaped to lift up the lid material 1 by riding up the tip of the side in the traveling direction, which is formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 of the lid material 1 held by the lid material holder 4 being transported. 10(K) and (L), the separating jig 13 is shaped to be formed by two arcs of different sizes, and is made of resin such as high-density polyethylene or Teflon (registered trademark) or metal such as stainless steel so that the lid member 1 can slide easily and is not easily scratched. It may also be made of a shape-retaining metal wire of φ0.5 mm to φ1.0 mm.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 10(K), the large arc portion of the separation jig 13 gradually lifts the end side of the lid material 1 as it advances, and the lid material 1 floats up with the intersection of the arcs as the maximum height. The part of the lid material 1 that contacts the lid material holder 4 separates, and the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiator 11 is also irradiated to the contacting part. The lid material 1 that has passed through the separation jig 13 comes into contact with the lid material holder 4 and is held there. Then, the rear end of the side of the lid material 1 in the traveling direction, which is formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2, rides up on the large circular portion of the separation jig 13, and the lid material 1 floats up again. The part of the lid material 1 that contacts the lid material holder 4 separates, and the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiator 11 is also irradiated to the contacting part. In this way, the lid material 1 floats up twice, and the lower surface of the lid material 1 is also completely sterilized by irradiating the electron beam to the part of the lid material 1 that contacts the lid material holder 4.

[0092] In the process of the aseptic filling machine shown in FIG. 1, the process from lid sterilization and container sterilization to sealing is performed in a sterile atmosphere. Therefore, the area where the process from lid sterilization and container sterilization to sealing is performed is covered with a chamber, and COP (Cleaning Out of Place) and SOP (Sterilizing Out of Place) are performed before the aseptic filling machine is operated, and then sterile air is supplied to maintain the sterile atmosphere. COP and SOP are also performed inside the shielding device 12 where the electron beam is irradiated, but since no bactericide is used inside the shielding device 12, COP is usually not necessary. However, SOP must be performed. SOP is performed by blowing hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof used for sterilizing the lid material 1 in the first embodiment into the inside of the shielding device 12, and then drying with sterile air. The irradiation window through which the electron beam of the electron beam irradiation device 11 is irradiated is made of titanium foil, which is a material that easily transmits electron beams. However, titanium foil deteriorates due to hydrogen peroxide, so repeated SOP may damage the titanium foil. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, when performing the SOP, the electron beam irradiation device 11 is moved back, and the space of the shielding device 12 and the electron beam irradiation device 11 are shielded by the shutter 15.

[0093] FIG. 9(H) shows a state in which the electron beam irradiation device 11 irradiates the lid material 1 held by the lid material holder 4 from above and below and transported. At this time, the shutter 15 is stored near the electron beam irradiation device 11 without blocking the electron beam irradiation device 11. When the production in the aseptic filling machine is completed and the aseptic filling machine is operated again, the inside of the shielding device 12 is put into SOP. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9(I), the stored shutter 15 moves to shield the electron beam irradiation device 11 and prevents hydrogen peroxide from contacting the irradiation window made of titanium foil of the electron beam irradiation device 11. Sterile nitrogen is supplied into the shielding device 12 under SOP to maintain a sterile atmosphere. The oxygen contained in the sterile air becomes ozone due to the electron beam, which may damage the equipment, and since there is a problem in terms of occupational hygiene if gas containing ozone leaks to the outside, sterile nitrogen is supplied into the shielding device 12.

[0094] Lidding material 1 sterilized by irradiation with an electron beam is transported from horizontal to vertical as shown in Fig. 7, as in the first embodiment, and by injecting sterile air onto the underside of lid material 1 by sterile air injector 8 or by pushing the underside with pusher 9, lid material 1 is detached from lid material holder 4 and transferred to gravity drop chute 10, and while dropping down gravity drop chute 10, it is placed on the mouth top surface 2a of container 2 filled with sterilized contents. Lidding material holder 4 from which lid material 1 has been detached is inverted and transported horizontally upside down by an endless chain or endless belt, and then rises vertically to the horizontal direction in which lid material 1 is placed.

[0095] The top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 is covered with the lid material 1 by pulling the end of the lid material 1, which is formed to cover the outer surface of the mouth of the container 2 as it falls from the gravity drop chute 10, and the lid material 1 is placed over the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 which has been filled with sterilized contents and has had its headspace replaced with nitrogen.

[0096] Fig. 8 shows another method for removing the lid material 1 from the lid material holder 4. Fig. 7 shows a method for removing the sterilized lid material 1 while transporting it from a horizontal to a vertical direction, but Fig. 8 shows a method for transporting the lid material 1 horizontally, spraying sterile air from below the lid material 1 onto the underside of the lid material 1, spraying sterile air onto the sides of the lifted lid material 1, and moving the lid material 1 horizontally to transfer it to the gravity drop chute 10. The sterilized lid material may be transferred to the gravity drop chute 10 by either the method shown in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8.

[0097] The container 2 covered with the lid material 1 is sealed by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, high frequency sealing, etc., to thermally fuse the top surface 2a of the mouth of the container 2 to the inner surface of the sterilized lid material 1. The sealed container 2 is transported to a sterile atmosphere, and a cap is wrapped around the mouth to cap it. EXAMPLES

[0098] The device shown in Fig. 7 was fabricated, and the following evaluations were carried out. A lid film with a layer structure of PET 12μm / Al 40μm / PE 50μm was molded in the same manner as in Example 1 to produce lid 1. Lid 1 is circular with a flat top surface, a top surface diameter of 40mmφ, and an end portion is molded to cover the outer surface of the mouth of container 2, with the side height being 5mm and the bending angle being 92° to 95°.

[0099] The lid material holder 4 is a type shown in Figure 6 (E) in which the tips of the pins come into contact with and hold the surface of the lid material 1 to be heat-sealed, and there were eight pins. The pins are located within a circumference of 38 mmφ and hold the lid material 1 horizontally. The pins are cylinders with 2 mmφ and spherical tips. The length of the pins was 15 mm. The lower part of the pins was cylindrical, and both sides were joined to an endless belt for transport. The transport speed was 15 m / min.

[0100] A 2 mm wide cut 14 was provided in the lower part of the pin extending 3 mm below the tip of the pin so that a separation jig 13 formed by two different sized circular arcs of 10 mmφ and 7 mmφ as shown in Fig. 10 could pass through in order to lift the lid material 1 from the lid material holder 4. In addition, two cuts 14 were provided at positions 12.5 mm from the center point of the lid material holder 4. The separation jig 13 was made of a 1 mm thick Teflon (registered trademark) plate.

[0101] An electron beam irradiation device 11 having an acceleration voltage of 90 kev was used to irradiate the entire surface of the lid material 1 with an electron beam of 10 kGr from the top and bottom of the lid material 1. The distance from the electron beam irradiation window to the top and bottom surfaces of the lid material 1 was 20 mm.

[0102] In advance, 1 μl of spore suspension of Bacillus pumilus (ATCC27142) was attached as an indicator bacterium to one point where it contacted the lid holder 4, so that the spores would be 2.2×103, 104, and 105 cfu / spot. After drying the bacterial liquid, the above-mentioned sterilization was performed with n=5. The inner surface of the lid 1 was filled with culture liquid, and after culturing at 37°C for 7 days, the number of positive tubes in the culture liquid was confirmed, and the number of surviving bacteria was estimated by the most probable number method. The effect was calculated by subtracting the logarithm of the number of live bacteria after culturing from the logarithm of the number of live bacteria in the initial bacterial liquid. The sterilization effect was LRV>6.

[0103] 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]

[0104] 1…Lid material 2…Container 4…Lid material holder 5…Disinfectant spray nozzle 6…Sterile air nozzle 7...Guide rail 11...Electron beam irradiation device 13…Separation jig

Claims

1. In a sterile filling machine, a sterilized container is filled with a sterilized content in a sterile atmosphere, and a sterilized lid material is heat-sealed to a top surface of a mouth of the container filled with the content, thereby sealing the container. The lid material formed to cover at least the outer surface of the mouth of the container is placed on a lid material holder which moves horizontally while holding the heat-sealed surface of the lid material, which is to be heat-sealed to the top surface of the mouth of the container, approximately horizontally as the lower surface while falling by a gravity drop chute, and hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed from above the lid material which is placed on the lid material holder and transported, and hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is further sprayed from below to sterilize the entire surface, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that when the lid material is sprayed with hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof from below, a guide rail is provided on the upper surface of the lid material to prevent the lid material from detaching from the lid material holder.

2. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to claim 1, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that the lid material holder contacts and holds a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

3. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to claim 2, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that the lid material holder is formed from a plurality of pins, and the tips of the pins contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

4. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to claim 2, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that the lid material holder has a plurality of serrated tips, and the serrated tips contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

5. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to claim 2, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that the lid material holder has a plurality of arc-shaped tips, and the arc-shaped tips contact and hold a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

6. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A method for sterilizing a lid material, comprising spraying hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, onto the lid material, and then spraying heated sterile air onto the lid material.

7. The method for sterilizing a lid material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A method for sterilizing a lid material, characterized in that the sterilized lid material is detached from the lid material holder by blowing sterile air onto it or by being pushed by a pusher, transferred to a gravity drop chute, and then falls down the gravity drop chute to cover the top surface of the mouth of the container.

8. In a sterile filling machine, a sterilized container is filled with a sterilized content in a sterile atmosphere, and a sterilized lid material is heat-sealed to a top surface of a mouth of the container filled with the content, thereby sealing the container. The lid material is molded to cover at least the outer surface of the mouth of the container, and the lid material holder moves horizontally while holding the lid material substantially horizontally with the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed to the top surface of the mouth of the container as a lower surface, A gravity drop chute is provided along which the lid material falls and is placed on the lid material holder, A lid material sterilization device is provided with a sterilizing agent spraying nozzle that sprays hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof from above and below to sterilize the entire surface of the lid material placed on the lid material holder and transported, A lid material sterilization device characterized in that the lid material is provided with a guide rail on the upper surface of the lid material to prevent the lid material from detaching from the lid material holder when hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof is sprayed from below the lid material.

9. The sterilization device for a lid material according to claim 8, A lid material sterilization device characterized in that the lid material holder has a contact portion that contacts and holds a portion of the surface of the lid material to be heat-sealed.

10. The sterilization device for a lid material according to claim 9, A lid material sterilization device characterized in that the contact portion is the tip of a pin, and the lid material holder has a plurality of the pins.

11. The sterilization device for a lid material according to claim 9, A lid material sterilization device characterized in that the contact portion is a sawtooth tip, and the lid material holder has a plurality of sawtooth tips.

12. The sterilization device for a lid material according to claim 9, A lid material sterilization device characterized in that the contact portion is an arc-shaped tip, and the lid material holder has a plurality of arc-shaped tips.

13. The sterilization device for a lid material according to any one of claims 8 to 12, The lid material sterilization device is characterized in that it is equipped with a sterile air spraying nozzle that sprays hydrogen peroxide gas or mist, or a mixture thereof, onto the lid material, and then sprays heated sterile air onto the lid material.

14. The sterilization device for a lid material according to any one of claims 8 to 13, A lid material sterilization device comprising a sterile air injection device or pusher which detaches the sterilized lid material from the lid material holder, and a gravity drop chute which places the detached lid material over the top surface of the mouth of the container.

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