UV-LED Sterilization of Opening Devices with Protruding Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to effectively sterilize the interior surfaces of opening devices with protruding features before they are attached to food packages, which is crucial for maintaining food safety and shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor-based UV-LED sterilization system with adjustable UV-LED patterns and diameters is used to sterilize the inner top surfaces of opening devices, followed by a sterilizing module that treats the package interior and attachment flange using UV-light or peroxide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sterilization methods are used on opening devices with protruding features, then the sterilization process becomes incomplete, but using more complex sterilization methods increases process complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The UV-LED sterilization system is divided into multiple independent modules, each equipped with adjustable UV-LED arrays that can be individually positioned and oriented. This segmentation allows each module to target specific protruding features (sealing lips, membranes, knives) separately, ensuring complete sterilization coverage while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The sterilization system incorporates dynamically adjustable UV-LED arrays that can be positioned and oriented to match the specific geometry of different opening device protruding features. The adjustable positioning mechanisms allow the UV-LEDs to be optimized for each feature type, ensuring effective sterilization adaptation without requiring a completely different system for each feature configuration
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the interior surface of opening devices is thoroughly sterilized, then food safety is improved, but the sterilization time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional mechanical or thermal sterilization methods with UV-LED photonic sterilization. UV-LEDs emit ultraviolet light that directly inactivates microorganisms on the interior surfaces and protruding features of opening devices, achieving thorough sterilization without the time-consuming heating or mechanical processing required by conventional methods
Solution Approach 2:
The sterilization process utilizes UV-LEDs with specific wavelength parameters optimized for microbial inactivation. By controlling the UV light intensity, exposure duration, and wavelength, the system achieves effective sterilization of complex geometries in reduced time compared to traditional methods, balancing thoroughness with efficiency
3Reliability
If UV-LEDs are arranged to cover all protruding features, then sterilization coverage is improved, but the energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UV-LED arrays are strategically positioned and oriented to provide localized sterilization coverage specifically targeted at protruding features (sealing lips, membranes, knives) rather than uniformly illuminating the entire opening device. This localized approach ensures complete coverage of critical areas while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary illumination of non-critical surfaces
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
Ensures thorough sterilization of opening devices and package interiors, enhancing food safety and shelf life by eliminating microorganisms on these surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a first set of UV-LEDs configured to, during operation, emit UV-light towards the inner top surface of the opening devices
Implementation Method 2
a sterilizing module configured to sterilize an interior of the package as well as a bottom surface of the attachment flange of the opening device applied onto the package
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an opening device sterilizer for sterilizing opening devices having an inner top surface comprising a circular protruding feature. The opening device sterilizer comprising a sterilizing unit arranged in a conveyor line configured to transport opening devices along a conveyance path. The sterilizing unit comprises a first set of UV-LEDs configured to, during operation, emit UV-light towards the inner top surface of the opening devices. The first set of UV-LEDs are arranged in a first pattern forming one or more rings of UV-LEDs, wherein a diameter of each ring of UV-LEDs in the first pattern corresponds to a diameter of the circular protruding features of the opening devices. Also a system comprising the opening device sterilizer and a method for sterilizing opening devices are presented.