Filling and packaging machines

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a filling and packaging machine that can reliably and aseptically perform packaging work such as filling contents into containers while stably circulating clean air and maintaining positive pressure inside a sealed chamber. [Solution] A filling and packaging machine 1 that has a sealed chamber 2 in which are provided a filling unit 8 that fills contents into a plurality of containers C1 through upper openings at a prescribed location on a transport route R, a first clean air blowing port AB1 that is arranged above the filling unit and supplies clean air to the filling unit, a first clean air suctioning port AS1 that is arranged below the filling unit and removes clean air that has circulated through the filling unit 8, and a first upper rectification member UC1 and a first lower rectification member LC1 that are respectively arranged between the first clean air blowing port and the filling unit and the filling unit and the first clean air suctioning port and rectify the clean air that flows through the filling unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a filling and packaging machine, and more particularly to a filling and packaging machine used to fill and package contents such as beverages and food into containers under aseptic conditions. [Background technology]

[0002] As shown in Patent Document 1 below, for example, a conventional filling and packaging machine is known in which a downward-opening box-shaped clean booth is placed on the top surface of the bed, a group of devices such as a filling device is installed inside the clean booth along the container transport path, a clean air outlet is provided facing downward on the top wall of the clean booth, an air exhaust gap is formed between the top surface of the bed and the lower edge of the clean booth, the clean air outlet is covered with a straightening plate made of a perforated plate, and air that passes through the straightening plate flows downward around the filling nozzle of the filling device in a laminar flow.

[0003] Further, as another conventional filling and packaging machine, for example, as shown in Patent Document 2 below, a required section of the container conveying path is surrounded by a sterilization chamber, the outlet of a positive pressure air pipe and the inlet of an exhaust pipe are connected to the side wall of the sterilization chamber, and the outlet of the exhaust pipe is connected to the suction side of a blower. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4042002 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-119934 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the case of the filling and packaging machine described in Patent Document 1, in order for the clean air supplied from the clean air outlet to flow downward as a laminar flow around the filling nozzle, it is necessary to provide an air exhaust gap at the bottom of the clean booth.As a result, with the above filling and packaging machine, there is a risk that the packaging work, such as filling of contents, within the clean booth may not be carried out in a completely sterile environment.In addition, with the above filling and packaging machine, there is a risk that the downward flow of clean air may be disrupted due to the shape and operation of the group of devices such as the filling device, the influence of adjacent devices, the installation environment, etc.

[0006] Furthermore, in the case of the filling and packaging machine described in Patent Document 2, the outlet of the positive pressure air pipe and the inlet of the exhaust pipe are connected to the side wall of the sterilization chamber, so the air supplied into the sterilization chamber flows naturally rather than downward towards the containers. Furthermore, in the above filling and packaging machine, the pressure and air flow within the sterilization chamber are regulated only by restricting the opening area of ​​the outlet of the positive pressure air pipe and the inlet of the exhaust pipe, so there is a risk that the pressure and air flow within the sterilization chamber may become unstable.

[0007] As a means for solving the above problems, the object of this invention is to provide a filling and packaging machine that can perform packaging operations such as filling contents into containers under reliably sterile conditions while stably circulating clean air within a sealed box-shaped chamber to maintain positive pressure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

[0009] 1) In a sealed chamber, a sterilization unit that is disposed at a predetermined position on a conveyance path along which a plurality of containers having upper openings are conveyed in a horizontal direction and that sterilizes the plurality of containers; a filling unit that is disposed downstream of the sterilization unit on the conveying path and fills the contents into the plurality of containers through the upper openings; a first clean air outlet disposed above the filling section and configured to supply clean air to the filling section from outside the chamber; a first clean air suction port disposed below the filling section and configured to discharge clean air that has passed through the filling section to the outside of the chamber; A filling and packaging machine provided with a first upper straightening member and a first lower straightening member that are respectively arranged between the first clean air outlet and the filling section and between the filling section and the first clean air suction port and that straighten the clean air flowing through the filling section.

[0010] 2) The filling and packaging machine of 1) above, wherein the first upper flow rectifying member and the first lower flow rectifying member each comprise a perforated plate.

[0011] 3) The filling and packaging machine of 1) or 2) above, wherein the first clean air outlet is surrounded by a first flow straightening cover made of a perforated plate.

[0012] 4) A suction pipe connected to a clean air suction means is disposed below the first lower straightening member in a direction intersecting the conveying path, The filling and packaging machine of any one of 1) to 3) above, wherein the first clean air suction port comprises a plurality of through holes formed in the peripheral wall of the suction pipe.

[0013] 5) The filling and packaging machine of 4) above, wherein the plurality of through holes are formed in the lower part of the peripheral wall of the suction pipe.

[0014] 6) The filling section includes a filling pipe for supplying the contents, a filling nozzle provided at the tip of the filling pipe, and a CIP unit having a CIP adapter that is automatically attached to the filling nozzle when the filling pipe is cleaned, The filling and packaging machine of any one of 1) to 5) above, wherein a part of the first upper flow straightening member is provided integrally with the CIP unit.

[0015] 7) The sterilization unit comprises a preheating unit that preheats the plurality of containers, a spraying unit that sprays a sterilant onto the plurality of containers, and a drying unit that heats and dries the plurality of containers, which are provided in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path, A filling and packaging machine according to any one of 1) to 6) above, wherein the chamber is provided with a second clean air outlet that is arranged above the drying section and supplies clean air to the drying section from outside the chamber, a second clean air inlet that is arranged below the drying section and discharges clean air that has flowed through the drying section to the outside of the chamber, and a second upper straightening member and a second lower straightening member that are arranged between the second clean air outlet and the drying section and between the drying section and the second clean air inlet, respectively, and that straighten the clean air flowing through the drying section.

[0016] 8) The filling and packaging machine of 7) above, wherein the second clean air outlet is surrounded by a second flow straightening cover made of a perforated plate.

[0017] 9) A filling and packaging machine according to 7) or 8) above, wherein a third clean air suction port is provided within the chamber, the third clean air suction port being positioned below the spray section and discharging the clean air that has passed through the spray section to the outside of the chamber.

[0018] 10) A filling and packaging machine according to any one of 1) to 9) above, wherein the chamber is provided with a top seal section that is positioned downstream of the filling section on the conveying path and that forms a plurality of content-filled containers by sealing the top openings of the plurality of containers filled with contents, and a third upper straightening member that is positioned above the top seal section and that straightens a portion of the clean air blown out from the first clean air outlet so that it flows toward the top seal section.

[0019] 11) A filling and packaging machine according to claim 10, wherein the chamber is provided with a bottom forming section which is arranged upstream of the sterilization section and which forms the plurality of containers by sealing one opening of the plurality of cylindrical blanks to form the bottom, and a discharge section which is arranged downstream of the top sealing section and which discharges the plurality of content-filled containers out of the chamber. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] In the filling and packaging machine of 1) above, in the filling section within the chamber, the clean air blown out from the first clean air outlet flows downward around the container through the first upper straightening member, and then passes through the first lower straightening member without disrupting the flow, before being discharged outside the chamber through the first clean air suction port. That is, according to the filling and packaging machine of 1) above, clean air flows steadily through the filling section where the contents are filled into the containers, so that the sterility of the containers is maintained more reliably.

[0021] According to the filling and packaging machine of 2) above, the first upper flow rectifying member and the first lower flow rectifying member are made of perforated plates, which reduces costs and makes it easier to maintain sanitary conditions.

[0022] According to the filling and packaging machine of 3) above, the straightening action of the first straightening cover causes clean air to be evenly supplied to the space between the first clean air outlet and the first upper straightening member within the chamber, allowing clean air to circulate stably as a downward flow throughout the entire filling section.

[0023] According to the filling and packaging machine of 4) above, even when multiple containers are transported side by side along the conveying path, clean air can be uniformly sucked in through the multiple through holes in the suction pipe, so that clean air can be circulated stably as a downward flow throughout the entire filling section.

[0024] According to the filling and packaging machine of 5) above, the clean air is sucked uniformly through the multiple through holes at the bottom of the peripheral wall, going around the peripheral wall of the suction pipe, thereby making it possible to further stabilize the downward flow of clean air in the filling section.

[0025] According to the filling packaging machine of 6) above, even if a CIP unit is provided in the filling section, the first upper straightening member can be positioned within the movable range of the CIP adapter, thereby stabilizing the downward flow of clean air around the filling nozzle.

[0026] In the filling and packaging machine of 7) above, in the drying section of the sterilization section within the chamber, the clean air blown out from the second clean air outlet flows downward around the containers through the second upper straightening member, and then passes through the second lower straightening member without disrupting the flow, before being discharged outside the chamber from the second clean air suction port. That is, according to the filling and packaging machine of 7) above, clean air flows steadily through the drying section where the containers sprayed with the disinfectant are dried, so that the sterilized state of the containers is maintained more reliably.

[0027] According to the filling and packaging machine of 8) above, the straightening action of the second straightening cover causes clean air to be evenly supplied to the space between the second clean air outlet and the second upper straightening member within the chamber, thereby enabling clean air to circulate stably as a downward flow throughout the entire drying section.

[0028] According to the filling and packaging machine of 9) above, the sprayed sterilant flows smoothly along the sidewall of the container in the spraying section, so that the container is sterilized more reliably. Furthermore, according to the filling and packaging machine of 9) above, the sprayed disinfectant can be sucked in and collected together with the clean air from the third clean air suction port, thereby preventing the disinfectant from leaking into other sections.

[0029] According to the filling and packaging machine of 10) above, the straightening action of the third upper straightening member ensures that clean air is steadily supplied to the top seal portion as a downward flow, thereby more reliably maintaining the containers in the top seal portion in a sterile state. Furthermore, with the filling and packaging machine of 10) above, the downward flow of clean air in the filling section upstream of the top seal section becomes even more stable.

[0030] According to the filling and packaging machine of 11) above, the entire process from forming the bottom of the container to sterilizing the container, filling the container with the contents, sealing the top opening of the container, and discharging the filled container is carried out within a sealed chamber, so there is no risk that the flow of clean air supplied into the chamber will be affected by the installation environment of the filling and packaging machine, and the flow of clean air within the chamber is stable. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of a filling and packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a part of the transport conveyor of the filling and packaging machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 2(a) is a plan view showing a part of the transfer conveyor, and FIG. 2(b) is a front view showing a part of the transfer conveyor. [Figure 4] 4(c) shows a first holding plate and a second holding plate used in the transport conveyor, where (a) is a front view of the first holding plate, (b) is a side view of the first holding plate, (c) is a side view of the second holding plate, and (d) is a front view of the second holding plate. In Fig. 4(c), the part surrounded by the two-dot chain circle E is an enlarged cross-section of the part surrounded by the two-dot chain circle e. [Figure 5] 1 shows the sterilization section, filling section and top sealing section of the filling and packaging machine, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the clean air flow structure in the filling section. [Figure 7]5A is a view from the arrow A in FIG. 5 showing the clean air circulation structure in the top seal section, (b) is a view from the arrow B in FIG. 5 showing the clean air circulation structure in the upper part of the filling section, (c) is a view from the arrow C in FIG. 5 showing the clean air circulation structure in the upper part of the filling section, and (d) is a view from the arrow D in FIG. 5 showing the clean air circulation structure in the upper part of the drying section in the sterilization section. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B show a filling section of the filling and packaging machine, with FIG. 1A being a plan view and FIG. 1B being a front view. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B show the top seal portion of the filling and packaging machine, with (a) being a plan view and (b) being a side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] A filling and packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the right side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "front" and the left side as the "rear," and left and right refer to the left and right when viewed from the front. 1, 2, 5(b) and 9(b) show the side of the entire or part of the filling and packaging machine, with the front side wall of the chamber omitted.

[0033] The filling and packaging machine (1) of this embodiment is for filling a container (C1) made of a carton with a content such as a beverage or food and sealing it to form a content-filled container (C2). As shown in Figure 1, the filling and packaging machine (1) has a long, sealed (box-shaped) chamber (2) in the front-to-rear direction. A carton blank inlet (201) is provided in the front end wall (23) of the chamber (2), and a content-filled container outlet (202) is provided at the rear end of the top wall (21) of the chamber (2).

[0034] The front end (2a) of the chamber (2) is provided with a bottom forming section (3) that seals one opening of the cylindrical carton blank (CB) and forms the bottom, thereby forming a bottomed rectangular cylindrical container (C1). The bottom forming section (3) has a turret (30) having a plurality of radial carton holders (30a) that are rotatable around a horizontal axis. Along the rotation direction of the turret (30) (counterclockwise in FIG. 1), the following are provided in order: a receiving section (31) that sets the carton blank (CB) introduced from the carton blank inlet (201) into the carton holder (30a); a bottom heating section (32) that heats one end of the carton blank (CB); a bottom breaker section (33) that folds one end of the carton blank (CB) to create a crease; a bottom sealing section (34) that seals one end of the carton blank (CB); and a transport section (35) that transports the container (carton) (C1) with its bottom formed to the next process by a carton unloader (35a). The carton blanks (CB) picked up by a picker from the carton magazine are fed to the receiving section (31) through a carton blank entrance (201) by a carton loader (36). In the case of the filling and packaging machine 1 shown in the figure, the front end 2a of the chamber 2, where the bottom forming section 3 is provided, has a double-roofed shape that slopes diagonally upward and forward when viewed from the side. This shape reduces the height of the front end 2a of the chamber 2.

[0035] Also, within the chamber (2), a conveying device (4) is provided in a tunnel-shaped section (2b) extending from the rear (downstream) side of the bottom forming section (3) to the rear end, which conveys multiple containers (C1) along a horizontal conveying path (R) extending rearward with their openings facing upward. On the conveying path (R), from the upstream (front) to the downstream (rear) are provided a preliminary breaker section (5) that preliminarily folds the top of the container (C1), a top breaker section (6) that folds the top of the container (C1) to create a crease, a sterilization section (7) that sterilizes the container (C1), a filling section (8) that fills the container (C1) with contents, a top seal section (9) that seals the top of the container (C1), a flap seal section (10) that folds a flap formed on the top of the content-filled container (C2) to seal it to the surface of the container (C2), and a discharge section (11) that discharges the content-filled container (C2) out of the chamber (2). The sterilization section (7) is comprised of a preheating section (7a), a spray section (7b), and a drying section (7c), which are provided downstream of the conveying path (R), as will be described in detail later (see FIG. 5, etc.).

[0036] In filling and packaging machine (1) having the above basic configuration, clean air is blown out and supplied from a plurality of predetermined locations into chamber (2), and the clean air that has circulated within chamber (2) is sucked out and discharged from a plurality of predetermined locations. As a result, almost the entire interior of chamber (2), except for the clean air suction and discharge area, is maintained at a positive pressure by the clean air, and a sterile state is maintained. The chamber 2 is configured so that it can be washed entirely. During washing, the carton blank inlet 201 and the content-filled container outlet 202 of the chamber 2 are closed, and a cleaning agent such as an alkaline solution or an acid solution is sprayed from the washing nozzles 12 provided at a plurality of predetermined locations, followed by rinsing.

[0037] As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 4, the transport device is made up of a transport conveyor (4). The illustrated transport conveyor (4) has a four-row, one-pitch feed configuration and includes two endless conveyor chains (42) on the left and right sides of the transport path (R) and wound around front and rear sprockets (41) (the rear sprocket is not shown), four bottom rails (43) arranged parallel to each other along the transport path (R) between the left and right conveyor chains (42) and supporting the bottoms of the containers (C1), and a large number of container holders (44) installed between the links (421) facing each other on the left and right of both conveyor chains (42) and holding the containers (C1) on the four bottom rails (43) with their openings facing upward. At the front end of the transfer conveyor 4, the containers C1 are sequentially transferred from the transfer section 35 of the bottom forming section 3 to the container holders 44 by the carton unloader 35a (see FIG. 1).

[0038] Each container holder (44) has a pair of front and rear first holding plates (441) made of long vertical plate material extending in the left-right direction and connected to the links (421) of both conveyor chains (42), and a total of four pairs of second holding plates (442) made of short vertical plate material extending in the front-back direction and fixed at multiple points along a predetermined length of the front and rear first holding plates (441), each pair consisting of two left and two right plates. The front and rear side walls of the four containers (C1), the bottoms of which are supported by the four bottom rails (43), are held by two front and rear first holding plates (441), and the left and right side walls of each of the four containers (C1) are held by four pairs of two left and right second holding plates (442). In other words, the pair of front and rear first holding plates (441) and the four pairs of two left and right second holding plates (442) form a holding portion (440) that surrounds and holds the container (C1) from the front, rear, left and right. If the container holder (44) is configured with the first holding plates (441) and second holding plates (442) as described above, the vertical flow of clean air within the chamber (2) is not impeded, and a rectifying effect that stably directs the clean air downward is easily achieved. The left and right ends of the pair of front and rear first holding plates (441) are attached to the inner surfaces of the mutually facing links (421) of the left and right conveyor chains (42) via vertical plate-shaped blocks (45). The pitch of the links (421) of the conveyor chains (42) corresponds to the transport pitch (P) of the containers (C) by the transport conveyor (4) (see Figure 2). Each of the first holding plate 441 and each of the second holding plates 442 has a hemispherical protrusion 441a, 442a formed thereon to be brought into point contact with the outer surface of the side wall of the container C1. The presence of these hemispherical protrusions 441a, 442a prevents the outer surface of the side wall of the container C1 from coming into close contact with the inner surfaces of the first holding plate 441 and each of the second holding plates 442, thereby ensuring that the outer surface of the side wall of the container C1 is sterilized by spraying a sterilant in the sterilization section 7, which will be described later. The upper edge of each first holding plate (441) is provided with an upper protrusion (441b) that protrudes higher than the other portions in the portion that holds the container (C1). These upper protrusions (441b) enable the container (C1) to be held more stably. Furthermore, by reducing the height of the upper edge of the first holding plate (441) other than the upper protrusions (441b), processing of the upper portion of the container (C1) by the top breaker section (6) and the like can be performed smoothly. The tip of each upper protrusion (441b) is inclined obliquely upward and outward in the front-rear direction so as to serve as a guide when the carton unloader (35a) transfers the container (C1) to the holding section (440). The rear first holding plate (441) of the pair of front and rear first holding plates (441) has rear convex portions (441c) bent horizontally rearward at the upper edge between the upper convex portions (441b). These rear convex portions (441c) close the gaps between the adjacent container holders (44) in the front and rear direction where no container (C1) is present, thereby concentrating the flow of clean air around the container (C1).

[0039] Figures 5 to 7 show the structures of the sterilization section (7), filling section (8) and top seal section (9) in the chamber (2), and in particular the structure for controlling the flow of clean air in these sections (7), (8) and (9).

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, the space between the top wall (21) of the tunnel-shaped portion (2b) of the chamber (2) and the transport conveyor (4) is partitioned by vertical first to fifth partition plates (PA1), (PA2), (PA3), (PA4), and (PA5) between the preheating section (7a) and the top breaker section (6) upstream thereof, between the spraying section (7b) and the drying section (7c), between the drying section (7c) and the filling section (8), between the filling section (8) and the top seal section (9), and between the top seal section (9) and its downstream portion. The lower part of each of the partition plates (PA1), (PA2), (PA3), (PA4), and (PA5) is appropriately provided with notches for allowing the upper part of the container (C1) and the container holder (44) to escape (see FIGS. 6 and 7, etc.). The transport of the containers C1 by the transport conveyor 4 is stopped for a short period of time every one pitch, during which each process is carried out. When the transport of the containers C1 is stopped, one of the pair of front and rear first holding plates 441 of the container holder 44 is positioned approximately directly below each of the partition plates PA1, PA2, PA3, PA4, and PA5. According to the above embodiment, the partition plates PA1, PA2, PA3, PA4, and PA5 and the first holding plates 441 can more effectively separate the preheating section 7a, the spraying section 7b, the drying section 7c, the filling section 8, and the top sealing section 9. This restricts the flow of clean air between adjacent sections, which can contribute to stabilizing the downflow of clean air described below.

[0041] The sterilization section (7) is a section where the containers (C1) are sterilized before being filled with the contents, and is composed of a preheating section (7a), a spraying section (7b), and a drying section (7c) arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path (R). A hot air outlet (71) is disposed above the preheating section (7a) facing downward. Clean air heated to a predetermined temperature is blown out from the hot air outlet (71) to preheat the containers (C1) on the transfer path (R). The hot air outlet (71) is formed from the tip of a hot air blowing pipe that extends downward and penetrates the top wall (21) of the chamber (2). A sterilant spray nozzle (72) is disposed above the spray section (7b) facing downward. The illustrated spray section (7b) has the sterilant spray nozzles (72) spaced apart over three conveying pitches. The sterilant is sprayed downward from the sterilant spray nozzles (72) to sterilize the containers (C1) on the conveying path (R). More specifically, the sterilant sprayed downward from the sterilant spray nozzles (72) into the containers (C1) sterilizes the inner surfaces of the containers (C1), and the sterilant spilling out of the top opening of the containers (C1) also sterilizes the outer surfaces of the containers (C1). The sterilant spray nozzle (72) is the tip of a sterilant spray pipe that extends downward through the top wall (21) of the chamber (2). A hot air outlet (73) is disposed above the drying section (7c) facing downward. In the illustrated drying section (7c), the hot air outlets (73) are provided at four conveying pitches. Clean air heated to a predetermined temperature is blown out from the hot air outlets (73) to heat and dry the containers (C1) on the conveying path (R). The hot air outlet (73) is formed from the tip of a hot air blowing pipe that extends through the top wall (21) of the chamber (2) and hangs down.

[0042] The front end portion of the drying section (7c) is an interval section that does not have a hot air outlet (73), and a second clean air outlet (AB2) is provided above the front end portion and faces downward. Two second clean air outlets (AB2) are provided at a distance from each other on the left and right as shown in Figure 7(d), but one or three or more second clean air outlets (AB2) may be provided depending on the size of the filling and packaging machine (1), etc. Clean air is supplied to the second clean air outlet (AB2) by a blower or other air sending device (not shown) through an air intake pipe (P1) equipped with an air purification means consisting of a ULPA filter (F) in the piping (see FIG. 1). Here, the ULPA filter (F) refers to "an air filter having a particle collection efficiency of 99.9995% or more for particles with a particle size of 0.15 μm at a rated flow rate and an initial pressure loss of 245 Pa or less," as specified in JIS Z8122:2000. Similarly, the heated clean air blown out from the hot air outlets of the preheating section (7a) and the drying section (7c) is also purified by the ULPA filter (F). A third clean air suction port (AS3) is disposed below the preheating section (7a) and the spraying section (7b), and discharges the clean air that has passed through these sections to the outside of the chamber (2). The third clean air suction port (AS3) is formed by the lower opening of an inverted pyramidal exhaust cover (14) disposed below the bottom rail (43), and this lower opening is connected to one end of an exhaust pipe (151) extending to the outside of the chamber (2). The other end of the exhaust pipe (151) is connected to a clean air suction means (not shown), such as an exhaust fan. The sterilant contained in the clean air discharged through the exhaust pipe (151) is separated and recovered by an appropriate separation and recovery means and reused. The third clean air suction port (AS3) may be configured to draw in and discharge only the clean air that has passed through the spraying section (7b). However, if the third clean air suction port (AS3) is configured to draw in the clean air that has passed through a wide area, including the preheating section (7a), as described above, the sterilant can be more reliably recovered. A second clean air suction port (AS2) is disposed below the drying section (7c) to discharge the clean air that has passed through the drying section (7c) to the outside of the chamber (2). The second clean air suction port (AS2) also comprises a lower opening of an inverted pyramidal exhaust cover (14) disposed below the bottom rail (43), and this lower opening is connected to one end of an exhaust pipe (152) extending to the outside of the chamber (2). The other end of the exhaust pipe (152) is connected to a clean air suction means (not shown), such as an exhaust fan. In the drying section (7c), a second upper flow straightening member (UC2) is horizontally disposed between the second clean air outlet (AB2) and the plurality of containers (C1) on the conveying path (R). A second lower flow straightening member (LC2) is horizontally disposed between the second clean air suction port (AS2) and the plurality of containers (C1) on the conveying path (R). The clean air blown out from the second clean air outlet (AB2) is straightened as it passes through the second upper flow straightening member (UC2), and flows downward around the sidewalls of the containers (C1). The clean air then passes through the second lower flow straightening member (LC2) without substantial disruption, and is discharged out of the chamber (2) through the second clean air suction port (AS2). In other words, the flow of clean air in the drying section (7c) is stabilized downward, and the sterility of the containers (C1) is more reliably maintained. The second upper rectifying member (UC2) and the second lower rectifying member (LC2) are each made of a horizontal perforated plate with a large number of holes drilled in a metal plate such as stainless steel. Materials other than the perforated metal plate include perforated plastic plates and mesh materials such as wire mesh, but the perforated metal plate is more preferable in terms of hygiene and cost. The second clean air outlet (AB2) is surrounded by a second rectifying cover (CC2). The second rectifying cover (CC2) is a box-shaped member with a U-shaped cross section and an upward opening, attached to the underside of the top wall (21) of the chamber (2) so as to surround the second clean air outlet (AB2). The second rectifying cover (CC2) is formed of a perforated plate having a large number of holes drilled in a metal plate such as stainless steel. The second rectifying cover (CC2) may also be formed of a plastic perforated plate or a mesh material. The rectifying (diffusing) effect of the second rectifying cover (CC2) diffuses and uniformly supplies clean air in the space between the second clean air outlet (AB2) and the second upper rectifying member (UC2) in the chamber (2). This allows clean air to stably flow downward throughout the entire drying section (7c).

[0043] The filling section (8) is a section where sterilized containers (C1) are filled with contents such as beverages and food through their top openings. In this embodiment, the filling section (8) spans over 10 conveying pitches, and the contents are filled into the containers (C1) in two separate steps at the middle position. The filling section (8) is provided with a filling pipe (81) for supplying the contents, a filling nozzle (82) provided at the tip of the filling pipe (81), and a CIP (cleaning in place) unit (83) having a CIP (cleaning in place) adapter (83c) that is automatically attached to the filling nozzle (82) when the filling pipe (81) is cleaned. In this embodiment, a total of eight filling pipes (81) are provided, with four pipes arranged in each of two rows, one in front and one in back, in the left-right direction. The upper ends of the filling pipes (81) are connected to a filling tank (84) disposed above the top wall (21) of the chamber (2). A total of eight filling nozzles (82) are provided corresponding to the filling pipes (81). Although not shown in detail, each filling nozzle (82) has a cylindrical nozzle body and a spool inserted into the nozzle body so as to be slidable up and down. When the spool descends and its tip is exposed below the nozzle body, the contents supplied from the filling tank (84) through the filling pipe (81) are discharged from the discharge port at the tip of the spool, thereby filling the container (C1) with the contents. As shown in detail in FIG. 8, two CIP units (83) are provided side by side, one on the left and one on the right, and each CIP unit (83) automatically cleans the four filling nozzles (82) and filling pipes (81) arranged side by side. Each CIP unit (83) includes a shaft (83a) that extends downward through the top wall (21) of the chamber (2) and is movable up and down and rotatable about its central axis; four horizontal arms (83b) that are radially attached to the lower end of the shaft (83a); and a CIP adapter (83c) that is attached to the tip of each arm (83b) and can be attached to the tip of the filling nozzle (82) from below. During cleaning, cleaning liquid is supplied from the filling tank (84) in place of the contents (filling liquid). The cleaning liquid flows through the filling pipe (81) and the filling nozzle (82), and then flows from the CIP adapter (83c) through a communication passage formed in the arms (83b) and the shaft (83a) to be collected. When the filling packaging machine 1 is manufacturing content-filled containers C2, the CIP unit 83 is kept on standby at a required upper level and rotated position so as not to interfere with the containers C1 and filling nozzle 82 being transported, as shown on the right side of Figures 8(a) and 8(b). When the filling pipes 81 and the like are to be cleaned, the CIP unit 83 is moved to a required lower level and rotated position so that the CIP adapters 83c can be attached to the tips of the filling nozzles 82, as shown on the left side of Figures 8(a) and 8(b).

[0044] A first clean air outlet (AB1) is provided facing downward above the filling section (8). More specifically, the first clean air outlet (AB1) is provided above the front end and the rear end of the filling section (8). As shown in Figures 7(b) and 7(c), two first clean air outlets (AB1) are provided at each end, spaced apart laterally, but one or three or more may be provided depending on the size of the filling and packaging machine (1), etc. Like the second clean air outlets (AB2) described above, each first clean air outlet (AB1) receives clean air purified by a ULPA filter (F) by a blower or other air source (not shown) through an air supply pipe (P1) (see FIG. 1). A first clean air suction port (AS1) is disposed below the filling section (8) to discharge the clean air that has flowed through the filling section (8) to the outside of the chamber (2). More specifically, a suction pipe (13) is disposed horizontally below the bottom rail (43) so as to extend in the left-right direction intersecting with the transfer path (R), and the first clean air suction port (AS1) is constituted by a plurality of through holes (131) formed in the peripheral wall of the suction pipe (13) (see FIGS. 5(b) and 6). As shown in FIG. 5(b), the suction pipes (13) are provided at two locations, one at the front and one at the back, below the filling section (8). Each suction pipe (13) is connected to a clean air suction means (not shown), such as an exhaust fan, installed outside the chamber (2), and sucks in and discharges clean air through a plurality of through-holes (131). As shown in FIG. 6, the through-holes (131) are preferably formed in the lower part of the peripheral wall of the suction pipe (13). According to this embodiment, the clean air flows around the peripheral wall of the suction pipe (13) and is uniformly sucked through the plurality of through-holes (131) in the lower part of the peripheral wall, thereby further stabilizing the downward flow of clean air in the filling section (8). An exhaust cover (16) having an inverted trapezoidal cross section is provided below the bottom rail (43) in the filling section (8) so as to guide the clean air flowing downward in the filling section (8) to the through holes (131) of the front and rear suction pipes (13). The exhaust cover (16) is composed of a horizontal plate (161) and two front and rear inclined plates (162) that are secured between the left and right side walls (22) of the chamber (2). In the filling section 8, a first upper rectifying member (UC1) is horizontally disposed between the first clean air outlet AB1 and the plurality of containers C1 on the transfer path R. Therefore, a partial chamber 2c (the hatched portion in FIG. 5(b)) is formed in the upper part of the filling section 8, the partial chamber 2c being surrounded by the top wall 21 and left and right side walls 22 of the chamber 2, the first upper rectifying member UC1, the third partition plate PA3, and the fourth partition plate PA4. In addition, a first lower straightening member (LC1) is horizontally arranged between the first clean air suction port (AS1) (the through hole (131) of the suction pipe (13)) and the plurality of containers (C1) on the conveying path (R). The clean air blown out from the first clean air outlet (AB1) passes through the first upper rectifying member (UC1) and is rectified, so that it flows downward around the side wall of the container (C1), and then passes through the first lower rectifying member (LC1) without any substantial disturbance to its flow, before being discharged from the first clean air suction port (AS1) to the outside of the chamber (2). In other words, the flow of clean air in the filling section (8) becomes a stable downward flow, and the sterility of the container (C1) is more reliably maintained. The first upper flow rectifying member (UC1) and the first lower flow rectifying member (LC1), like the second upper flow rectifying member (UC2) and the second lower flow rectifying member (LC2), are each made of a horizontal perforated plate formed by drilling a large number of holes in a metal plate such as stainless steel. Materials other than metal perforated plates include plastic perforated plates and mesh materials such as wire mesh, but metal perforated plates are preferred in terms of hygiene and cost. The two front and rear first clean air outlets (AB1) are each covered with a first rectifying cover (CC1). The first rectifying cover (CC1) is a box-shaped member with a U-shaped cross section and an upward opening, attached to the underside of the top wall (21) of the chamber (2) so as to surround the first clean air outlets (AB1). The first rectifying cover (CC1) is made of a perforated plate with a large number of holes drilled in a metal plate such as stainless steel. The first rectifying cover (CC1) may also be made of a plastic perforated plate or mesh material. The rectifying (diffusing) effect of the first rectifying cover (CC1) diffuses and uniformly supplies clean air in the space between the first clean air outlets (AB1) and the first upper rectifying member (UC1) in the chamber (2), thereby enabling a stable downward flow of clean air to circulate throughout the entire filling section (8).

[0045] As shown in Fig. 8, the first upper flow rectifying member (UC1) has large circular holes (UC10) formed in positions corresponding to the two left and right CIP units (83). A circular perforated plate (UC11) capable of covering the hole (UC10) of the first upper flow rectifying member (UC1) is provided below each of the left and right CIP units (83). That is, the circular perforated plates (UC11) integrally provided with each of the left and right CIP units (83) form part of the first upper flow rectifying member (UC1). Each circular perforated plate (UC11) has an insertion hole (UC110) formed between adjacent arms (83b) for inserting a filling nozzle (82). While the filling and packaging of contents is being performed by the filling and packaging machine (1), the CIP unit (83) is positioned in a standby position above the lower end of the filling nozzle (82), with the filling nozzle (82) inserted through the insertion hole (UC110) of the circular perforated plate (UC11). At this time, the circular perforated plate (UC11) is at approximately the same height as the perforated plates that form the other parts of the first upper flow straightening member (UC1), and functions as part of the first upper flow straightening member (UC1). On the other hand, when the CIP unit (83) is used to clean the filling pipe (81), etc., the CIP unit (83) is lowered from the standby position, rotated a predetermined angle so that the CIP adapter (83c) is positioned directly below the filling nozzle (82), and then slightly raised again to attach the CIP adapter (83c) to the filling nozzle (82). In this state, cleaning liquid is supplied from the filling tank (84) in place of the contents (filling liquid), and the cleaning liquid flows through the filling pipe (81) and the filling nozzle (82), automatically cleaning them. The cleaning liquid flows from the CIP adapter (83c) through the communicating passages in the arm (83b) and shaft (83a) and is then collected.

[0046] As shown in detail in Figure 9, the top seal section (9) is a section that seals the top opening of a container (C1) filled with contents. In the filling and packaging machine (1) of this embodiment, the top seal section (9) is provided over two conveying pitches, with the first pitch being an interval section. The top seal section (9) is separated from the upstream filling section (8) by the fourth partition plate (PA4) and from the downstream side of the flap seal section (10) and the like by the fifth partition plate (PA5). The top seal section (9) is equipped with an ultrasonic sealing device (90) having four sets of ultrasonic horns (91) and anvils (92). The rim of the top opening of the container (C1) is clamped from the front and back with the ultrasonic horns (91) and anvils (92) to ultrasonically seal the top opening of the container (C1), thereby forming a content-filled container (C2). Note that the tip of the ultrasonic horn (91) is not shown in Figure 9(a). At required locations on the anvil (92) and the fourth partition plate (PA4), when the anvil (92) is lowered during ultrasonic sealing, their tip ends overlap, and an inclined paper dust cover (92a) (PA41) is provided to prevent paper dust generated from the upper end surface of the container (C1) due to vibrations during ultrasonic sealing from entering the container (C1) before top sealing. A third upper rectifying member (UC3) is provided above the top seal portion (9) to rectify a portion of the clean air blown out from the rear first clean air outlet (AB1) so that the clean air flows toward the top seal portion (9). The third upper rectifying member (UC3) is a box-shaped member with a U-shaped cross section and an upward opening, attached to the underside of the top wall (21) of the chamber (2) so as to be adjacent to the rear side of the second rectifying cover (CC2), and is formed from a perforated plate with many holes drilled in a metal plate such as stainless steel. The third upper rectifying member (UC3) may also be formed from a plastic perforated plate or mesh material. The interior of the third upper rectifying member (UC3) is connected to the interior of the second rectifying cover (CC2), and functions to stably supply a portion of the clean air blown out from the first clean air outlet (AB1) as a downward flow to the top seal portion (9). In other words, the rectifying action of the third upper rectifying member (UC3) can more reliably maintain the container (C1) in the top seal portion (9) in a sterile state, and also further stabilize the downward flow of clean air in the filling portion (8) upstream of the top seal portion (9). 9(b), the porous lower plate portion (UC31) of the third upper flow straightening member (UC3) is inclined obliquely downward and forward. Therefore, the clean air supplied to the top seal portion (9) through the porous lower plate portion (UC31) of the third upper flow straightening member (UC3) flows obliquely downward and rearward. According to the above-described embodiment, even if paper dust is generated from the upper end surface of the container (C1) due to vibrations during ultrasonic sealing, the paper dust is entrained by the obliquely downward and rearward flow of clean air and moves in a direction away from the upper opening of the container (C1) before top sealing, thereby effectively preventing the paper dust from entering the container (C1).

[0047] Clean air is blown out and supplied from a number of predetermined locations within the chamber 2, in addition to the sterilization section 7, filling section 8, and top sealing section 9. Specifically, heated clean air is supplied from, for example, a hot air outlet 101 (see FIG. 1) provided in the flap sealing section 10 and a hot air outlet (not shown) provided in the bottom forming section 3. As mentioned above, clean air that has passed through a ULPA filter (F) is supplied to the sterilization section (7), filling section (8) and top seal section (9). However, the clean air supplied to other sections does not require such high levels of cleanliness, so it may be purified by a HEPA filter, i.e., an air filter that has a particle collection efficiency of 99.97% or more for particles with a particle size of 0.3 μm at the rated flow rate and an initial pressure loss of 245 Pa or less, as specified in JIS Z8122:2000. Furthermore, the clean air supplied into the chamber 2 is sucked and exhausted from a number of other locations in addition to the first through third clean air suction ports (AS1), (AS2), and (AS3) below the filling section 8 and the sterilization section 7. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a fourth clean air suction port (AS4) and a fifth clean air suction port (AS5) are provided on the top wall 21 above the bottom forming section 3 and the flap seal section 10, respectively. These suction ports (AS4) and (AS5) are connected to a clean air suction means such as an exhaust fan E through an exhaust pipe P2. This clean air exhaust structure allows a positive pressure to be maintained throughout almost the entire chamber 2, except for the clean air suction and exhaust area, more reliably maintaining a sterile environment. A flow control valve such as a butterfly valve (V) is provided in the exhaust pipe (P2) so that the flow rate of the clean air discharged from the chamber (2) can be adjusted (see FIG. 1). Although not shown, flow control valves such as butterfly valves may also be provided in the exhaust pipes connected to the first to third clean air inlets (AS1), (AS2), and (AS3) to adjust the exhaust flow rate.

[0048] In filling and packaging machine (1) of the above embodiment, the air direction and pressure were measured at various points in chamber (2) to check the state of clean air flow within chamber (2). As a result, in the drying section (7c) of the sterilization section (7), the filling section (8) and the top sealing section (9), clean air was flowing steadily downward, i.e., downflow, at all measurement points. Regarding pressure, the drying section (7c) of the sterilization section (7), the upper part of the filling section (8), and the top seal section (9) were all under positive pressure. Furthermore, the pressure was highest at the upper part of the filling section (8) within the chamber (2), and the pressure decreased upstream in the drying section (7c) and bottom forming section (3) order. Meanwhile, the pressure decreased downstream in the upper part of the filling section (8), the top seal section (9), and the discharge section (11) order. Here, in the filling section (8), the clean air is adjusted to have a positive pressure and a stable downflow mainly by balancing the opening areas of the first upper flow straightening member (UC1) and the first lower flow straightening member (LC1). Similarly, in the drying section (7c) of the sterilization section (7), the clean air is adjusted to have a positive pressure and a stable downflow mainly by balancing the opening areas of the second upper flow straightening member (UC2) and the second lower flow straightening member (LC2). [Industrial Applicability]

[0049] The present invention is suitably used as a filling and packaging machine for filling and packaging contents such as beverages and foods into containers under sterile conditions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] (1): Filling and packaging machine (2): Chamber (3): Bottom molding part (4): Conveyor (transport device) (7): Sterilization department (7a): Preheating section (7b): Spray part (7c):Drying section (8): Filling section (81): Filling piping (82): Filling nozzle (83): CIP unit (83c): CIP adapter (9): Top seal (11):Discharge section (13): Suction pipe (131):Through hole (AB1): First clean air outlet (AS1): First clean air intake (AB2): Second clean air outlet (AS2): Second clean air intake (AS3): Third clean air intake (UC1): First upper straightening member (LC1): First lower straightening member (UC2): Second upper straightening member (LC2): Second lower rectifier (UC3): Third upper straightening member (CC1): First rectifier cover (CC2): Second rectifier cover (R):Transportation route (C1): Container (C2): Container filled with contents

Claims

1. In a sealed chamber, a sterilization unit that is disposed at a predetermined position on a conveyance path along which a plurality of containers having upper openings are conveyed in a horizontal direction and that sterilizes the plurality of containers; a filling unit that is disposed downstream of the sterilization unit on the conveying path and fills the contents into the plurality of containers through the upper openings; a first clean air outlet disposed above the filling section and configured to supply clean air to the filling section from outside the chamber; a first clean air suction port that is disposed below the filling section and connected to a clean air suction means installed outside the chamber, and that sucks in the clean air that has flowed through the filling section using the clean air suction means and discharges it to the outside of the chamber; A filling and packaging machine provided with a first upper straightening member and a first lower straightening member, which are respectively arranged between the first clean air outlet and the filling section and between the filling section and the first clean air suction port, and which straighten the clean air flowing through the filling section.

2. 2. The filling and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein said first upper flow rectifying member and said first lower flow rectifying member each comprise a perforated plate.

3. 3. A filling and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the first clean air outlet is surrounded by a first flow straightening cover made of a perforated plate.

4. a suction pipe connected to the clean air suction means is disposed below the first lower straightening member in a direction intersecting the conveying path; 4. The filling and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the first clean air suction port comprises a plurality of through holes formed in a peripheral wall of the suction pipe.

5. 5. The filling and packaging machine according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of through holes are formed in a lower portion of a peripheral wall of the suction pipe.

6. the filling section includes a filling pipe for supplying the contents, a filling nozzle provided at the tip of the filling pipe, and a CIP unit having a CIP adapter that is automatically attached to the filling nozzle when the filling pipe is cleaned; 6. A filling and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said first upper flow straightening member is provided integrally with said CIP unit.

7. The sterilization unit comprises a preheating unit that preheats the plurality of containers, a spraying unit that sprays a sterilant onto the plurality of containers, and a drying unit that heats and dries the plurality of containers, which are provided in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path, 7. The filling and packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the chamber is provided with a second clean air outlet that is arranged above the drying section and supplies clean air to the drying section from outside the chamber, a second clean air inlet that is arranged below the drying section and discharges clean air that has flowed through the drying section to the outside of the chamber, and a second upper straightening member and a second lower straightening member that are arranged between the second clean air outlet and the drying section and between the drying section and the second clean air inlet, respectively, and that straighten the clean air flowing through the drying section.

8. 8. A filling and packaging machine according to claim 7, wherein the second clean air outlet is surrounded by a second flow straightening cover made of a perforated plate.

9. 9. A filling and packaging machine according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a third clean air suction port disposed below the spray section within the chamber for discharging the clean air that has passed through the spray section to the outside of the chamber.

10. A filling and packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the chamber is provided with a top seal section that is positioned downstream of the filling section on the conveying path and that forms a plurality of content-filled containers by sealing the top openings of the plurality of containers filled with contents, and a third upper straightening member that is positioned above the top seal section and that straightens a portion of the clean air blown out from the first clean air outlet so that it flows toward the top seal section.

11. 11. A filling and packaging machine according to claim 10, wherein the chamber is provided with a bottom forming section arranged upstream of the sterilization section, which forms the plurality of containers by sealing one opening of the plurality of tubular blanks and forming the bottom, and a discharge section arranged downstream of the top seal section, which discharges the plurality of content-filled containers out of the chamber.

Images