JP4587420B2 - Gas replacement method for head space in cup container - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention replaces the air in the head space in the container with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas before the container is sealed with respect to the cup container that is continuously conveyed after the contents are filled. About how to keep it.
[0002]
[Prior art]
While the cup-shaped container made of paper or plastic is transported in a state where it is held at a predetermined interval by a transport conveyor (retainer) with holes for inserting the container, the container is filled with the contents and then the container When sealing the opening, the container after filling the contents is sent to the sealing process by the conveyor, whereas the long strip film continuously fed out from the supply coil is being fed. It has been conventionally performed that the sterilized film is thermally welded and sealed to the opening flange portion of the container filled with the contents in the sealing process by sending it to the sealing process after sterilization in advance.
[0003]
In addition, in sealing and filling such cup containers, in order to prevent the contents stored in the containers from being oxidized, the headspace air in the containers is removed before sealing the containers filled with the contents. Substituting with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas has also been conventionally performed, and a so-called gas replacement method for the head space in a container is a so-called injecting an inert gas after exhausting in a vacuum area. As a method for solving the problems of the vacuum chamber system, a method of replacing the air in the head space with an inert gas under atmospheric pressure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 56-23421 and 56-131119. Is conventionally known.
[0004]
That is, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-23421, a container filled with contents is introduced into a gas replacement chamber, and a jet of replacement gas (inert gas) is formed on the upper surface of the container in the gas replacement chamber. Then, the air in the head space in the container is discharged from the exhaust duct together with the jet of the replacement gas, so that the gas in the head space in the container is replaced, and then the cover film is put on the container and then the gas is discharged from the gas replacement chamber. A method of sealing the sealed container is described.
[0005]
In JP-A-56-131119, in a container sealing process, a container filled with contents is conveyed, and a plurality of gas outlets are formed on one side with the longitudinal direction parallel to the conveying direction. With respect to the gas injector, a film (gas impermeable film) for sealing the container opening and feeding the gas injector so that one side of the collar portion of the container is positioned below the gas injection port of the gas injector, After feeding the gas injector and the upper side of the container opening and heat-sealing the film to the container collar leaving the insertion part of the gas injection port, the gas is injected from the gas injection port, and the gap around the gas injection port By removing the air inside the container from the unsealed part outside the container, after performing gas replacement of the head space inside the container, the method of sealing the container by heat sealing the container collar and the unsealed part of the film Are listed.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, with respect to the gas replacement method performed under the above-described conventionally known atmospheric pressure, for example, according to the method described in JP-A-56-23421, a dedicated gas replacement chamber is required. This complicates the production line, and in the gas replacement chamber, gas is injected toward the upstream side of the container being transported, so gas replacement at the gas injection position is not possible. Even if it is sufficient, it is sent to the sealing process as it is, and even if the gas replacement at the gas injection position is sufficient, the head space is not enough to reach the sealing process downstream of the gas injection position. There is a risk that air will enter again.
[0007]
Further, according to the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-131119, gas replacement cannot be performed while the containers are being transported, and gas replacement is performed by transporting the containers in multiple rows. In this case, since it is necessary to install gas injectors for each column and perform gas replacement individually for each column, it is practical to perform gas replacement of many containers continuously and quickly. When gas replacement is performed on a multi-row transport container, the production line becomes complicated by installing a gas injector for each row.
[0008]
Therefore, for the gas replacement of the head space in the cup container after filling and before sealing, the container can be replaced quickly and efficiently while conveying a large number of containers continuously without complicating the production line. The direction of the downstream side of the conveyance of the inert gas sprayed from the diagonally upward toward the opening of the container in front of the location where the feeding direction of the film for sealing is substantially parallel to the conveyance conveyor above the container Prior to this application, the applicant has already proposed that an inert gas flow in the space between the container and the film that move together toward the sealing process by injecting toward the sealing process. (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-214 1 78).
[0009]
According to the method as described above, it is possible to continuously inject the inert gas from the injection nozzle without requiring a dedicated device such as a gas replacement chamber, and without complicating the production line. Gas replacement of a large number of containers being transported can be performed quickly, and the injected inert gas can always flow without diffusing into the transport path leading to the sealing process. Air is not mixed again into the head space from the position until it is transferred to the sealing process, and it is transferred to the sealing process even if gas replacement at the gas injection position is insufficient. Since the gas replacement is sufficiently performed until this time, the gas replacement rate can be increased.
[0010]
However, even in such a method, in order to make the length of the production line as compact as possible, when the transport distance from the gas replacement position to the sealing process is shortened, the process from the gas replacement position to the sealing process is performed. In order to obtain a high gas replacement rate, it is necessary to increase the gas replacement rate at the time when the inert gas is injected from the injection nozzle.
[0011]
However, if the inert gas is injected toward the downstream side of the transfer so that the injected inert gas can always flow without diffusing into the transfer path leading to the sealing step, FIG. As shown in the figure, when the inert gas is jetted from the jet nozzle, there is a high possibility of leaving air in the corner (portion indicated by hatching) on the upstream side of the transport of the head space in the container. If the conveyance distance to the sealing step is short, the air remaining in the head space in the container cannot be sufficiently replaced by the time of sealing.
[0012]
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-described problems. Specifically, the air in the head space of the cup container being transported is replaced with an inert gas. In the gas replacement method, the gas replacement rate at the time when the inert gas is injected from the injection nozzle can be quickly and efficiently replaced while continuously conveying a large number of containers without complicating the production line. It is an object of the present invention to increase a gas exchange rate so that a high gas replacement rate can be finally obtained.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention reduces the air in the head space in the container to the inert gas with respect to the filled cup container that is continuously conveyed from the filling process to the sealing process. In the method for replacing with, by an injection nozzle that injects an inert gas obliquely from above the opening of the container, before the position where the film being fed for the lid is made substantially parallel to the upper part of the container Injecting an inert gas in the direction of the transport downstream side to the vicinity of the transport upstream end of the opening of the container, and the above-mentioned spray nozzle for the container immediately before it Also, by another jet nozzle arranged on the upstream side of the conveyance, the air in the head space in the container is expelled from the upper side to the upstream side of the conveyance so that it is near the end on the downstream side of the conveyance of the opening of the container, Upstream direction It is characterized in that it has to advance inject inert gas toward.
[0014]
According to the gas replacement method for the head space in the cup container as described above, the inert gas is jetted in the direction toward the downstream side of the conveyance, just before the position where the film is made substantially parallel above the container. The injected inert gas can always flow without diffusing in the transport path leading to the sealing process, and the air is re-introduced into the head space from the gas injection position until it is transported to the sealing process. Since it is not mixed, it is not necessary to use a dedicated device such as a gas replacement chamber. By simply injecting an inert gas from the injection nozzle, gas replacement of a large number of containers being continuously conveyed can be performed. Can be done quickly.
[0015]
In addition, a separate injection nozzle is arranged on the upstream side of the transfer with respect to the injection nozzle that discharges toward the downstream side of the transfer, and the inertness is such that the air in the head space in the container is expelled by this injection nozzle. By injecting the gas in advance, when the cup container is sent from the gas injection position toward the sealing process, the gas can be replaced with almost no air remaining in the head space in the container, and then sealed as described above. A high gas replacement rate can be finally obtained in connection with the fact that air is not mixed again in the head space before the process is completed.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a gas replacement method for a head space in a cup container of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, about one Embodiment of this invention, FIG. 1 shows roughly the whole aseptic filling line of a cup container, FIG. 2 shows the arrangement | positioning state of the nitrogen gas replacement apparatus with respect to the sealing process of an aseptic filling line, FIG. 3 shows the injection directions of the two injection nozzles in the nitrogen gas replacement device, and FIG. 4 shows the inside of the container when the inert gas (nitrogen gas) is injected from the injection nozzle toward the downstream side of the conveyance. This shows the residual state of air in the head space.
[0017]
In this embodiment, aseptic filling lines for cup containers, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of containers (not shown) separated from the stacked state and supplied to the lines are conveyed by a conveyer (retainer) 3. A device 4 for separating and removing overlapping containers by detecting overlap of containers while continuously conveying in rows (for example, 7 rows), and a device for removing static electricity from the containers and removing dust adhering to the containers by vacuum 5, and then paste the sterilizing agent on the inner surface side of the container and then dry with hot air and cool with aseptic air, and attach the sterilizing agent to both the inner and outer surfaces of the container and then dry with hot air. After sequentially passing through the inner and outer surface sterilizer 7 that is cooled with aseptic air, the sterilized empty container is filled with the contents by the filling device 8.
[0018]
Next, for each container filled with the contents by the filling device 8, the air in the head space of the container is replaced with nitrogen gas by the nitrogen gas replacement device 9, and then the film 12 is linearly welded to the opening flange portion of the container. The lid wire welding device 10 and the lid welding and cutting device 11 that cuts the film 12 in a planar shape after being welded to the opening flange portion of the container are sequentially passed through, so that the film is fed out from the film supply coil 13 and sterilized. After the opening of the container is sealed with a film-like lid (lid) by the sterilized film 12 immersed in the sterilizing solution and dried with hot air in the drying device 15, the used film with the lid portion punched out is sealed. The container which is collected in the film take-up coil 16 and the container sealed with the lid is passed through the lid seal sealing inspection device 17, and then the container discharge device 1. Has been carried out of the line is discharged from the conveyor 3 by.
[0019]
The aseptic filling line 1 as described above is installed in the interior of a clean room (a room having a higher air cleanliness than class 10,000) including an unillustrated accessory part, and most of the main parts (Fig. 1 is a part of a clean booth (a room with higher air cleanliness than class 100) whose air cleanliness is in a high level region.
[0020]
In addition, as for the transport of the cup container in the aseptic filling line, it may be a single-row transport in some cases, but it is efficient to use a multi-row transport in which a plurality of containers are advanced simultaneously in the width direction as described above. , Filling and sealing may be performed one by one in the width direction (one in the case of single row conveyance), or plural in the conveyance direction and in the width direction (in the single row conveyance, multiple in the conveyance direction). However, in any case, in order to temporarily stop the conveyance of the container when filling or sealing, the cup container is conveyed so as to progress intermittently.
[0021]
Moreover, about the conveyance conveyor used for conveyance of a cup container, it is a thing of the structure known widely conventionally, and has the function of the retainer (holding tool) which hold | maintains each cup container at predetermined intervals, Although not shown, the cup container is fitted into a plurality of holes provided at predetermined intervals in the width direction and the length direction of the transfer conveyor, and the opening flange portion at the upper end of the cup container is transferred to the transfer conveyor. The belt conveyor is configured to convey a large number of cup containers at predetermined intervals while being placed on a surface.
[0022]
By the way, in the aseptic filling line 1 for the cup container as described above, in order to prevent the contents stored in the container from being oxidized, the lid wire welding apparatus 10 is used for each container filled with the contents by the filling device 8. And the air in the head space in the container is replaced with nitrogen gas by the nitrogen gas replacement device 9 before being sent to the sealing process by the lid welding / cutting device 11, and as such a nitrogen gas replacement device 9, FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, two injection nozzles 21 and 22 are arranged along the conveyance direction of the container 2 in front of the location where the film 12 is brought close to the upper side of the container 2, respectively (two for each conveyance row). Yes.
[0023]
As for the two injection nozzles 21 and 22 of the nitrogen gas replacement device 9, as shown in FIG. 3, in the injection nozzle 21 on the downstream side of the conveyance, from the obliquely upward direction to the downstream side of the conveyance with respect to the opening of the container 2 Nitrogen gas is sprayed toward the container, and the sprayed nitrogen gas passes through the head space of the container 2 and then passes between the film 12 and the container 2 (and the conveyor 3) without being diffused. It will flow along the transport path leading to the process.
[0024]
In addition, the jet nozzle 22 disposed on the upstream side of the transport from the jet nozzle 21 directly below the transport downstream side of the opening of the container 2 so that the air in the head space of the container 2 can be expelled without any problem. Nitrogen gas is jetted in a direction slightly toward the upstream side of conveyance, and the jetted nitrogen gas spreads throughout the head space of the container 2 and fills the head space. Is almost completely expelled and replaced with nitrogen gas.
[0025]
In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the position of the injection port of the injection nozzle 21 is set on the upstream side of the conveyance of the opening of the container 2 so as not to widen the interval between the gas injection positions of the injection nozzles 21 and 22. In the vicinity of the end portion, and the position of the injection port of the injection nozzle 22 is set to the vicinity of the end portion on the downstream side of the opening of the container 2, the injection angle from each of the injection nozzles 21 and 22 in such a case ( With respect to the angle between the horizontal plane upstream of the injection position and the injection direction, from the viewpoint of the gas replacement rate, the injection nozzle 21 has an angle of about 45 ° (the gas replacement rate is 90%). Then, about 135 ° (the gas replacement rate is 95.1%) is preferable.
[0026]
According to the gas replacement method of the head space in the cup container of the present embodiment, which is implemented using the nitrogen gas replacement device 9 with the two injection nozzles 21 and 22 as described above, a dedicated gas replacement chamber or the like is used. Even if no apparatus is provided, the injected nitrogen gas is injected by the injection nozzle 21 in the direction toward the downstream side of the conveyance before the location where the film 12 is made substantially parallel to the upper side of the container 2. The film 12 and the container 2 (and the transport conveyor 3) can be flown along the transport path up to the sealing process without being diffused, and are transported from the gas injection position by the spray nozzle 21 to the sealing process. In the meantime, it is possible to further enhance gas replacement without causing air to enter the head space of the container 2 again.
[0027]
In addition, before the gas replacement by the injection nozzle 21, the injection nozzle 22 and the injection nozzle 21 are preliminarily injected with nitrogen gas in such a direction that the air in the head space of the container 2 is completely expelled by the injection nozzle 22. Since the head space of the container 2 sent out toward the sealing process at the time of passing through the gas has been replaced with gas with almost no air left, the flow of nitrogen gas injected from the injection nozzle 21 thereafter A high gas replacement rate can finally be obtained in connection with preventing the air from being mixed again in the head space until the sealing process.
[0028]
As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the gas replacement method of the head space in the cup container of the present invention was described, the present invention is not limited only to the specific example shown in the above embodiment, for example, The aseptic filling line of the cup container to which the method is applied is not necessarily limited to the line by each device as shown in the above embodiment, and the specific injection nozzle itself in the nitrogen gas replacement device is specific. It is needless to say that the structure is not particularly limited, and the inert gas to be injected is not limited to the nitrogen gas as shown in the above embodiment, and can be appropriately changed.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
According to the gas replacement method for the head space in the cup container of the present invention as described above, the inert gas is simply injected by the injection nozzle without complicating the production line by installing a dedicated gas replacement chamber. The gas replacement can be performed quickly and efficiently while continuously conveying a large number of containers, and the gas replacement rate at the time when the inert gas is injected from the injection nozzle can be increased. Since the air is not mixed again into the head space until the end, a high gas replacement rate can be finally obtained .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view showing an outline of an aseptic filling line of a cup container according to an embodiment of a gas replacement method for a head space in a cup container of the present invention.
2 is an explanatory side view showing an arrangement state of a nitrogen gas replacement device in a sealing process of the aseptic filling line of the cup container shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a cross-sectional side view showing respective injection directions of two injection nozzles in the nitrogen gas replacement device of the aseptic filling line of the cup container shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating the remaining state of air in the head space in the container when the inert gas is ejected from the ejection nozzle toward the conveyance downstream side.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Cup container aseptic filling line 2 Cup container 9 Nitrogen gas replacement device 21 (Nitrogen gas replacement device) injection nozzle 22 (Nitrogen gas replacement device) injection nozzle

Claims (1)

For a filled cup container that is continuously transported from the filling process to the sealing process, in the method for replacing the air in the head space in the container with an inert gas, it is fed as a lid. In front of the location where the film is almost parallel to the upper side of the container, an injection nozzle that injects an inert gas from obliquely above the opening of the container against the vicinity of the upstream end of the container opening Te, while injecting the inert gas in the direction of conveyance downstream, with respect to one before the vessel than by separate injection nozzles arranged in the transport upstream side of the injection nozzle, the upper In order to expel the air in the head space in the container from the upstream side to the upstream side, the inert gas is pre-injected in the direction toward the upstream side of the opening of the container toward the upstream side of the transfer. To keep Gas replacement method of a cup container headspace, characterized in that.

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