Linear motor caps sterilizer with carriage provided with transversal channel

Abstract

It is described a caps sterilizer (1') comprising a motor group (4) which is positioned outside the sterilizing housing (2) for generating a movement ( M) of a carriage (3'') within a sterilizing chamber (21); 5 wherein each carriage (3'') comprises a respective at least one supporting channel for the caps (W); wher ein: said motor group (4) comprises a linear motor (41) and a motor housing (42) defining a motor chamber (421), the motor housing (42) defining a slot (422) through wh ich 10 said sterilizing chamber (21) and said motor chambe r (421) are in fluid communication and said linear motor (4 1) being positioned in said motor chamber (421); each carriage (3'') comprises a respective flange (39) a nd is structurally connected to said linear motor (41) by means 15 of said flange (39) passing through said slot (421) [Figure 13]

Description

[0001]LINEAR MOTOR CAPS STERILIZER WITH CARRIAGE PROVIDED WITH TRANSVERSAL CHANNEL TECHNICAL FIELD The presentinvention relates to a caps sterilizer which achieves a qualitative improvement and aproductivity improvement, and a carriage for transp ortingcaps which is configured for being used in the capssterilizer. BACKGROUND ART In the general field of packaging of pourableproducts, it is known to use an aseptic filling tec hniqueaccording to which the containers are filled with t heproduct in an aseptic environment. In case this tec hniqueis used, the capswhich will be used tocap thecon tainersneed to be sterilized before the application on therespective containers. Generally,in known caps sterilizers the caps aresterilized while being conveyed in a sterilizing ch amber.In a first type of caps sterilizer, the caps are pu shedin the conveying direction by an input wheel pushin g ona row the caps, so that the pushing action is axial lytransmitted from one cap to the next one. Therefore , alsodue to the caps heating effect, which is needed for thesterilization, there is a certain risk of having anexcessive deformation of the caps, which can lead t o astoppage of the caps sterilizer, and / or to a notcompletely correct operation of the caps sterilizer ,and / or to a reduction in the precision or quality o f thecapping operation. In a second type ofcaps sterilizer,the caps are transported being spaced from each other along theconveying direction, by means of a conveyor belt. I n thissecond type, it can be very difficult to obtain a c orrectand uniform contact between the caps and the steril izingagent over the entire external surface of each cap,therefore requiring a certain level of complexity o f thesterilizing means for obtaining a correct and unifo rmcontact between the caps and the sterilizing agent.DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION A carriage forconveying caps according to presentdescription and / or according to any one of the appe ndedcarriage claims, can be used in the context of a ca pssterilizer so as to achieve an improvement of the c apssterilizer in terms of production efficiency and qu ality,and in terms of simplicity of the sterilizing means .The features ofa caps sterilizer and a carriage accordingtopresentdescriptionwillbeclarified inthefollowing brief description of the drawings and det aileddescription of the invention, with respect to respe ctivepossible example embodiments of the caps sterilizer andthe carriage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following detailed description will be referre dto the accompanying drawings,in which: Figure 1 is perspective view ofa firstvariantof the capssterilizer; Figure 2 is a top view of the first variant, with acomponentremoved; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first variant o fthe carriage which can be used in the caps steriliz er, ina filled condition; Figure 4A and 4B are perspective views of the firstvariantofthe carriage during a loading operation for loading the capson the carriage; Figure 5A and 5B are perspective views of the firstvariant of the carriage during a caps unloading ope rationforunloading the capsfrom the carriage; Figure 6 is a perspective view ofa second variant ofthe carriage; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third variant o fthe carriage; Figure8A and 8B areaperspective viewandalater alview,respectively,ofa gate which can be partof the carriage,while the gate adoptsan open condition; Figures 9A and 9B are a perspective view and a lateralview,respectively,ofthegateadoptinga closed condition; Figure 10 is a sectioned view ofthe firstvariant ofthe capssterilizer; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a second variantofthe capssterilizer; Figure 12 is a top view of the second variant of th ecapssterilizer,with said componentremoved; Figure 13 is a sectioned view of the second variantofthe capssterilizer; Figure 14 is a perspective view ofa third variant ofthe capssterilizer; Figure 15 is a top view of the third variant of thecapssterilizer,with said componentremoved. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure11, 2, and 10 are referred to a first varian tofthecapssterilizer,whichisindicatedwith1. Figures11, 12 and 13 are referred to a second variant of t hecaps sterilizer, which is indicated with 1’. Figure s 14and 15 are referred to a third variant of the caps sterilizer,which isindicated with 1’’. The caps sterilizer comprises a sterilizing housing2 which defines within it a sterilizing chamber 21. Thesterilizing chamber is visible in Figures 2 and 12, in which a top roof of the housing 2 is removed. Thesterilizing chamber 21 is also visible in Figure 14 and15 through transparent windows which are positioned onthe top roof of the housing 21. The sterilizing cha mber21 is also visible in Figures 1 and 11 through atransparent window which is located on a lateral si de ofthe housing 21. The caps sterilizer is configured f orsterilizing caps W. Some caps W are indicated in Fi gures1-3.The caps sterilizeris configured so thatthe capsare sterilized while being conveyed within the cham ber21. The caps sterilizer comprises a plurality ofcarriages. Each carriage is configured for supporti ngcaps, so that the supported caps are conveyed by me ans ofa movementofthe carriage within the chamber21. Each carriage can be according to a firstvariant,according to a second variant, according to a thirdvariant, or according to a fourth variant. The firs tvariant of the carriage is shown in Figure 3 and isindicated with 3. The second variant of the carriag e isshown in Figure 6 and is indicated with 3’. The thi rdvariant of the carriage is shown in Figures 7 and 1 3 andis indicated with 3’’. The fourth variant of the ca rriageis shown in Figures 14 and 15 and is indicated with 3’’’.In the example ofthe Figures,each carriage whichis used in the first variant 1 of the caps steriliz er isaccording to the first variant 3 of the carriage. I n theexample of the Figures, each carriage which is used inthe second variant 1’ of the caps sterilizer is acc ordingto the third variant 3’’ of the carriage. In the ex ampleofthe Figures,each carriage which isused in the third variant1’’ofthe caps sterilizeris according to the fourth variant3’’’ofthe carriage. The caps sterilizer comprises a motor group 4 whichis positioned outside with respect to the sterilizi nghousing 2 for generating said movement M of each ca rriage3. Each carriage can be independently driven by the motorgroup 4 for generating said movement, so that the p itchofbetweenthecarriagesalongsaidmovementcanbe variedwith a great flexibility in case production speed n eedsto be varied, without impacting on the time of thesterilization phase. On the other hand, the time oftreatment can be varied without impacting on the production speed. Globally, an improvement in theflexibility related to the time of treatment and / or theproduction speed can be obtained. Each carriage comprises a respective atleastone supporting channelwhich is arranged transversally withrespect to said movement M. The movement is indicat ed inFigures2,12 and 15. Each supporting channel is adapted to receive arespective row of caps which is arranged transversa llywith respect to said movement M. In figures 2, 12 a nd 15,the rows are not indicated but are visible. It is v isiblethat the rows are transversally arranged with respe ct tothe movement. Each channel is arranged preferablyorthogonally with respect to said movement. Each ro w istherefore arranged preferably orthogonally with res pectto said movement. Inthisway,thetransversalwidthofthesterilizi ngchamber21 can be betterexploited forpositioning thecaps to be sterilized during the movement. Therefor e, atconstant number of caps per unit of length along th emovement M, there is less or also no need of having anyaxial pushing action of the caps on each other. Mor eover,the use of a carriage for conveying the caps allows tokeep the sterilizing means simple, in that no compl exsystems are needed to obtain a correct contact betw eenthe sterilizing agent and the whole surface of each cap.Consequently, an increase in efficiency and productivityofthe capssterilizerisobtained. In the first variant 3 of the carriage, the at leas tone channel comprises a plurality of supporting cha nnelswhich are arranged transversally and preferably orthogonally with respect to said movement M. The supporting channels are being spaced and separated from each other by means of barriers 37. Each carriage comprises the respective barriers 37. In this way,stability of the caps during movement is optimal, t ofurtherly improve also the contact with the sterili zationagent. In Figure 3, four channels are shown, which areindicated with 31, 32, 33, and 34, respectively. Th esefour channels receive four respective rows of caps, whichare indicated with F1, F2, F3 and F4, respectively.In this way,there is an increase in productivitywithout any negative impact on the quality of produ ction,inthat the number of caps perunitof length is fu rtherlyincrease without any axial pushing action between t hecaps. In the second variant3’ofthe carriage,there isonly one channel 31, and therefore only one row F1. Inthe third variant 3’’ of the carriage, there is onl y onechannel 31, and therefore only one row F1. In the fourthvariant 3’’’ of the carriage, there is only one cha nnel,and therefore only one row. In case the at least on echannelcomprisesonlyone channel,the expression “each channel”designatesthe onlyone channel. In each variant of the carriage, the carriagecomprises a respective frame 36. The frame 36 defin es the respective atleastone channel. In the first variant 3 of the carriage, the frame 3 6definesthe channelsand the barriers37. Inthefirstvariant 3ofthecarriage,in theseco ndvariant 3’ of the carriage, and in the fourth varia nt3’’’ of the carriage, the carriage comprises a resp ectivebase 35 for interacting with said motor group 4 to generate said movement. In the first variant 3 and in the second variant 3’of the carriage, the frame 36 is inclined obliquely withrespect to said base 35 so that said at least one c hannelis inclined obliquely with respect to said base 35. Inthisway,thespaceinsidethesterilizingchamber 21canbe better exploited for positioning the caps during themovement in such a way to increase the contact with thesterilizing agent. In the firstvariant1 ofthe caps sterilizer,themotor group 4 comprises a planar motor. The base 35 caninteract with the planar motor to generate the move ment.The configuration ofthe carriage with the base 35 andthe frame 36 is in particular useful in case the mo torgroup 4 comprises the planar motor, in that the bas e 35can interactwiththe planarmotorwiththeframe3 6 beingarranged obliquely to optimize the use of the space inthe sterilizing chamber21.In the second variant 1’ of the caps sterilizer, th emotor group 4 comprises a linear motor 41 and a mot orhousing 42 defining a motor chamber 421. The linear motor41 is positioned in said motor chamber 421. The mot orhousing 42 defines a slot 422 through which thesterilizing chamber 21 and the motor chamber 421 ar e influid communication. The slotis indicated in Figure 13,which shows asection of the second variant 1’ of the caps steril izerlying on a plane which is locally orthogonal to themovementofthe carriages. Also figure 10 shows a section of the first variant1 of the caps sterilizer, the section lying on a pl anewhich is locally orthogonal to the movement of the carriages. In the third variant 3’’ of the carriage, the carriage comprises a respective flange 39 and isstructurally connected to the linear motor 41 by me ans ofthe flange 39 passing through the slot 422. The fra me 36is inclined obliquely with respect to the flange 39 sothat said at least one channel is inclined obliquel y withrespect to the flange 39. In this way, the space insidethe sterilizing chamber21 can be betterexploited forpositioning the caps during the movement, in such a wayto increase the contact with the sterilizing agent, witha mechanically simple coupling of the carriage with thelinear motor. Therefore, an increase in efficiency is obtained with low manufacturing costs. In the second variant 1’ of the caps sterilizer, th ecaps sterilizer is configured so that the fluid pre ssureP1 in said motor chamber 421 is greater than the fl uidpressure P2 in said sterilizing chamber 21. In this way,the cleanliness of the linear motor can be kept hig herover the time, as this pressure barrier can make it verydifficultor impossible for materials which are to be used inside the sterilizing chamber21 to enterin the motorchamber421. The sterilizing housing 2 is inclined obliquely wit hrespect to the motor group 4, so that also saidsterilizing chamber 21 is inclined obliquely with r espectto said motor group 4. In this way, the exploitatio n ofthe space inside the sterilizing chamber 21 is furt herlyimproved. The sterilizing chamber 21, alternatively , canbe orthogonallyinclined with respectto the motor group 4. Each of the bottom wall 311 of each channel of eachcarriageisatleastpartiallyopenedtoallow the passageof a sterilizing agent. The lateral wall 312 of eac hchannel of each carriage is at least partially open ed toallow the passage of a sterilizing agent. The botto m wall311 and the lateral wall 312 are indicated in Figur es 4Aand 8A. The top wall 313 of each channel of each ca rriageis at least partially opened to allow the passage o f asterilizingagent.Thetopwall313isindicatedin Figure4A. the top wall is preferably completely opened, i n thesense that the channel is completely opened or unco veredon the top. In this way,the contactbetween each cap and the sterilizing agentisincreased. In all the variants of the caps sterilizer, the cap ssterilizercomprisesa loading channel6 which can be in communication with the chamber 21 to load the caps in each supporting channel of each carriage when therespective supporting channel is in communication w ithsaid loading channel 6. Figures 4A shows the carria ge 3during loading of a first row F1 of caps in the fir stchannel31.Figures4B showsthecarriage3during loadingof a second row F2 of caps in the second channel 32 .In all the variants of the caps sterilizer, the cap ssterilizer comprises an unloading channel 7 which c an bein communication with the chamber21 to unload the caps from each supporting channelofeach carriage when therespective supporting channel is in communication w ithsaid unloading channel7. Figures 5A shows the carriage 3 during unloading ofa third row F3 of caps from the third channel 33. F igures4B shows the carriage 3 during unloading of a fourt h rowF4 ofcapsfrom the fourth channel34. In this way,the system forloading and unloadingthe caps can be very simple from a mechanical point ofview. In the first variant 1 and in the second variant 1’of the caps sterilizer, the loading channel 6 and t heunloading channel 7 are positioned on respective an dopposite lateral sides 2a and 2b of the sterilizinghousing 2, with respect to the movement M of thecarriages. In this way, the movement during which t heprocess occurs can cover at least two stretches inrespective opposite directions, to better exploit t hewidth of the sterilizing chamber, at constant dista ncerequired for the sterilization phase. This in parti cularleads to an optimization of the space to reduce themanufacturing costs of the motor group, in particul ar incase the motorgroup comprisesa planarmotor. In the third variant 1’’ of the caps sterilizer, th eloading channel 6 and the unloading channel 7 arepositioned on respective and opposite axial sides 2 c and2d of the sterilizing housing 2, with respect to sa idmovement M.In this way,the loading channel6 and theunloading channel 7 can be positioned on the same l ateralside of the housing 21, to improve the caps sterili zerfrom an ergonomicpointofview. In the firstvariant3,in the second variant3’,andin the thirdvariant3’’ ofthecarriage,thec arriageis configured so that each channel can be loaded an dunloaded by gravity by means of the loading channel 6 andthe unloading channel7,respectively. To this end, each carriage comprises, for eachchannel, a gate 38 which can adopt a closed positio n forloading the caps from the loading channel 6 and forconveying the caps, in the sense that the gate 38 i sclosed during loading and during the movementM of thecarriage. The gate 38 can adopt an open condition f orunloading the caps into the unloading channel 7. InFigures 8A and 8B, the gate adopts the open conditi on. InFigures 9A and 9B, the gate 38 adopts the closed condition. The oblique inclination of the at least one channelwith respect to the base 35 or to the flange 39 mak es iteasier the loading and unloading by gravity, and al lowsa more simple mechanicalconfiguration ofthe gate 38. The gate 38 is movable between the open conditionand the closed condition translationally or rotatio nally.Figures 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B, are referred to a situat ion inwhich the gate 38 ismovable rotationally. In the fourth variant3’’’ofthe carriage,and inthe third variant 1’’ of the caps sterilizer, the c apssterilizer and each carriage are configured so that eachchannelofthe carriage can be loaded and unloaded bymeans of a relative motion of the carriage with res pectto the loading channel 6 and unloading channel 7,respectively. Said motion is transversal with respe ct tosaid movement M. A motion for unloading the caps isindicated with Q in Figure 15. This motion is prefe rablyhorizontal.In this way,the verticalfootprintof the capssterilizerisreduced,asthe loading channel 6 andthe unloading channel 7 can be less inclined with r espectto the horizontal direction, with respect to the ot hervariantsofthecapssterilizer.Intheexampleof Figures 14and15,theloadingchannel6andtheunloading channel 7 are horizontal. In all the variants of the caps sterilizer, the cap ssterilizer comprises sterilizing means 5 which areconfigured for injecting a sterilization agent in s aidsterilizing chamber 21. This sterilizing means cancomprise for example sterilizing tubes which are in sidethe sterilizing chamber 21 or in fluid communicatio n withthe sterilizing chamber 21. The sterilization agent maybe for example hydrogen peroxide. Other sterilizati ontechniques may be used alternatively or in addition , forexample sterilization by UV radiation and / or lamps.In each variantofthe caps sterilizer,the layout ofthe caps sterilizeris configured forimproving the qualityofproduction and / orthe efficiency. Each variant of the carriage defines a tray fortransporting the caps which is in particular config uredfor having the improvements of the caps sterilizer. Thetraycorrespondsto the frame 36. In the third variant1’’ofthe caps sterilizer,there is a return stretch which each carriage follo wsafter having unloaded the sterilized caps and befor eloading the new caps to be sterilized, as shown forexample in Figure 14 and 15.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.-Capssterilizer(1’)comprising: a sterilizing housing (2) defining within it asterilizing chamber (21), the caps sterilizer (1; 1 ’)beingconfiguredsothatthecaps (W)aresterilize dwhilebeing conveyed within the chamber(21); aplurality of carriages, each carriage (3’’) beingconfigured for supporting caps (W), so that the sup portedcaps (W) are conveyed by means of a movement (M) of thecarriage within the chamber(21); a motorgroup (4)which is positioned outside thesterilizing housing (2) for generating said movemen t (M)of each carriage (3’’), the motor group (4) being configured fordriving each carriage independently fromthe others for generating the respective movement ( M);wherein each carriage (3’’)comprises a respective at least one supporting channel which is arrangedpreferablytransversallyandmore preferably orthog onallywithrespecttosaidmovement(M),eachsupporting channel(31; 32; 33; 34) being adapted to receive a respect iverow (F1; F2; F3; F4) of caps which is arranged pref erablytransversally and preferably orthogonally with resp ect tosaid movement(M); wherein: said motorgroup (4)comprises a linearmotor(41)and a motor housing (42) defining a motor chamber ( 421),themotorhousing(42)definingaslot(422)throug hwhichsaidsterilizingchamber(21)andsaidmotorchambe r(421)are in fluid communication and said linear motor (4 1)being positioned in said motorchamber(421); each carriage (3’’) comprises a respective flange(39) and is structurally connected to said linear m otor(41) by means of said flange (39) passing through s aidslot(422). 2.Capssterilizer(1’)accordingtoClaim1,where insaid sterilizing housing (2)is inclined obliquely with respect to said motor group (4), so that also saidsterilizing chamber (21) is inclined obliquely withrespectto said motorgroup (4). 3.Caps sterilizer(1’)according to Claim 1 or2,wherein the caps sterilizer (1’) is configured so t hatthe fluid pressure (P2) in said motor chamber (421) isgreater than the fluid pressure (P1) in said steril izingchamber(21). 4.Caps sterilizer (1’’) according to any oftheprevious Claims, wherein each carriage (3’’) compri ses arespective frame (36) defining the respective at le astone supporting channel. 5.Capssterilizer(1’)accordingtoClaim4,where insaid frame (36) is inclined obliquely with respect tosaid flange (39) so that said at least one supporti ngchannelisinclinedobliquelywithrespecttosaid flange (39).

6. Caps sterilizer (1’) according to any of theprevious Claims, comprising sterilizing means (5) w hichare configured for injecting a sterilization agent in said sterilizing chamber(21).

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