Sterilizing Container Closures with Insertable Electron Beam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sterilizing container closures often rely on chemical agents, and electron beam sterilization techniques struggle to effectively reach internal threaded areas due to shadowing issues, leading to incomplete sterilization.
Innovation Solution
A device that uses a sterilization device with a charge carrier source and radiation device, including tubular or rod-shaped beam fingers that can be inserted into the interior of container closures, allowing for complete sterilization of internal areas and peripheral walls using electron beams, with a transport system that ensures reliable irradiation over the entire circumference without shadowing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If electron beam sterilization is used from outside the container closure, then chemical agents can be avoided, but internal threaded areas cannot be effectively sterilized due to shadowing effects
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation device is inserted into the interior space of the container closure, nesting the sterilization source within the object to be sterilized. This allows the electron beam to directly irradiate internal threaded areas without being blocked by external shadowing, achieving complete sterilization while maintaining chemical-free operation
2Reliability
If the radiation device is inserted into the interior of container closures, then complete sterilization of internal areas is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sterilization system is divided into modular components: a transport device for moving container closures and a separate sterilization device with insertable radiation elements. The radiation device can be inserted and removed as needed, and multiple radiation devices can be used in sequence, allowing the system to achieve complete sterilization while maintaining operational simplicity through modularity
3Reliability
If multiple radiation devices are used to sterilize container closures without shadowing, then sterilization reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to sequential processing
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device continuously moves container closures through the sterilization zone, while radiation devices are sequentially inserted into each closure's interior. This continuous transport combined with sequential radiation insertion maintains high productivity while ensuring each closure receives complete sterilization without shadowing effects
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables thorough and efficient sterilization of container closures, including internal threads, by immersing the radiation source within the closure, ensuring complete disinfection without the need for chemical agents and minimizing shadowing effects.
Implementation Method 1
a charge carrier source (42) which generates charge carriers and a radiation device (44) which radiates the charge carriers onto a surface of container closures (10) to be sterilized
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A device (1) for sterilizing container closures (10) comprising a transport device (2) which transports the container closures (10) along a predetermined transport path (T) and a sterilization device (4) which is suitable and intended for sterilizing the container closures (10) at least section by section. According to the invention, the sterilization device (4) has a charge carrier source (42) which generates charge carriers and a radiation device (44) which radiates the charge carriers onto a surface of the container closures to be sterilized, wherein at least one element of the sterilization device can be inserted into an inner region (10a) of the container closures (10).