JP5818501B2 - Static eliminator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a static eliminator for a container used when a container filled with food, beverage, medicine, etc. is sterilized with an electron beam.

In the filling step of filling a container with a filling such as food, beverage or pharmaceutical, the container is sterilized prior to filling the container with the filling.
In order to sterilize containers, chemicals such as peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet irradiation are often used. However, in recent years, sterilization technology using electron beam irradiation, which has superior sterilizing power than ultraviolet rays, has attracted attention and has been developed intensively. Yes.

  When a resin container is sterilized by irradiation with an electron beam, there are cases in which electric charges remain inside the resin forming the container. In addition, electric charges stay in the internal space of the container. As a result, the container is charged, and problems such as attracting surrounding dust due to static electricity occur.

  Therefore, after sterilizing the container by electron beam irradiation, the container is charged with X-rays to reduce electrification (for example, refer to Patent Document 1), or after sterilizing the container by electron beam irradiation, the ionizer accumulates the container. There has been proposed a technique for eliminating charging by irradiating the outer surface of the container with negative ions having the same polarity as the charged electric charge (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  In addition, a technique has been proposed in which a rod-shaped metal ground electrode is inserted into a container during electron beam irradiation, and electrons and ions are allowed to flow out of the container (for example, see Patent Document 3).

JP 2000-68093 A JP 2011-11775 A JP2011-26000A

However, it is always desired to solve the problem that the container is charged by electron beam irradiation more reliably and at a lower cost.
The techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2 can only remove charges near the surface of the container, and there is room for improvement in terms of reliably eliminating charging.
Moreover, in the technique described in Patent Document 3, there is room for improvement in order to further increase the reliability in that electrons and ions are allowed to flow out of the container.
The present invention has been made based on such a technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a static eliminator capable of reliably eliminating charging of a container due to electron beam irradiation.

The static eliminator of the present invention made for this purpose includes a container holder for holding a container that has undergone a sterilization process by electron beam irradiation, and a rod-like material that is inserted and disposed inside the container that has undergone a sterilization process and is made of a conductive material. And a heating unit that heats the container that is held by the container holder and in which the electrode is inserted .
When the container is heated by the heating unit, the resistance value of the material forming the container after electron beam irradiation decreases. As a result, the charge remaining in the material forming the container can be easily discharged.

Here, the heating unit may have any configuration, but the heating unit may include an ultraviolet irradiation unit that irradiates the container held by the container holder with ultraviolet rays.
Further, the static eliminator of the present invention is a container holder that holds a container that has undergone a sterilization process by electron beam irradiation, a rod-shaped electrode that is inserted and arranged inside the container, and is held by the container holder. A heating unit for heating the container, the heating unit has an ultraviolet irradiation unit for irradiating the container held by the container holder with ultraviolet rays, and the ultraviolet irradiation unit is disposed in the vicinity of the mouth of the container. And a mirror that reflects the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation source and irradiates the inside of the container from the mouth portion . In that case, the electrode is preferably provided integrally with the mirror.

Moreover, a heating part can also be set as the structure which has a nozzle which injects a heating medium to the container hold | maintained at the container holder. Here, high-temperature steam, hot air, hot water, or the like can be used as the heating medium.
At this time, the nozzle can inject the heating medium onto the outer peripheral surface of the container held by the container holder. Further, the nozzle can be inserted into the container held by the container holder, and the heating medium can be sprayed onto the inner peripheral surface of the container. In this case, the nozzle may be made of a conductive material and function as an electrode.

  According to the present invention, when the container is heated by the heating unit, the resistance value of the material forming the container after the electron beam irradiation is lowered. As a result, the charge remaining in the material forming the container can be easily discharged. Then, it becomes easy to remove an electric charge with an electrode, and it becomes possible to eliminate the charge of a container reliably.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the drink filling equipment in this Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the static elimination apparatus using an ultraviolet irradiation device. It is a figure which shows the temperature-electrical resistance characteristic of PET resin which forms a container. It is a figure which shows the other example of a static elimination apparatus. It is a figure which shows the further another example of a static elimination apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the static elimination apparatus provided with the heating fluid supply part. It is a figure which shows the other example of a static elimination apparatus.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a beverage filling facility in the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, in a beverage filling facility, a sterilization process for sterilizing a supplied container by electron beam irradiation in a sterilization apparatus 10, and a static elimination process for neutralizing a container sterilized in a sterilization process in the static elimination apparatus 20. The container is filled with a beverage by sequentially performing a filling process in which the container is filled with a liquid in the filling device 30 and a capping process in which a cap is attached to the container filled with the liquid in the capper 40. In addition, a container is conveyed by the star wheel 50 or the conveyance conveyor 60 between the apparatuses which mutually follow.

  The sterilizer 10 used in the sterilization process sterilizes the container by irradiating the container with an electron beam while conveying the container. Here, the sterilization apparatus 10 itself is not intended to be limited in any way in the present invention, and any configuration may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the static eliminator 20 is provided with a gripper (container holder) that holds the supplied container 100 that is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the disc-shaped rotating body 21 (see FIG. 1) at intervals in the circumferential direction. ) 22 and a plurality of rod-like electrodes 23 inserted into the container 100 held by the gripper 22 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction.
Further, the static eliminator 20 is provided with an ultraviolet irradiation unit (heating unit) 24 that irradiates the container 100 held by the gripper 22 that irradiates the container 100 held by the gripper 22 with ultraviolet rays.

  The gripper 22 holds the empty containers 100 that are delivered one by one from the container conveying means such as the star wheel 50 that rotates at the same speed as the rotating body 21 by sandwiching the neck portion 100c thereof.

The electrode 23 is inserted into the container 100 held by the gripper 22 by a cylinder mechanism or the like (not shown).
The electrode 23 is made of, for example, a conductive material made of stainless steel, tungsten, or the like, and has a rod shape. When the electrode 23 is inserted into the container 100, the electrode 23 is positioned from the mouth 100a to the vicinity of the bottom 100b. Is set.

The electrode 23 can be grounded. In addition, a voltage can be applied to the electrode 23 from a DC power supply.
Furthermore, an AC power supply can be connected to the electrode 23 to apply an AC voltage. At this time, the alternating current to be applied preferably has a frequency that provides a sufficient loss action and current conduction action to the container 100 that is a dielectric, and 100 Hz or more is necessary.

  The ultraviolet irradiating unit 24 irradiates the ultraviolet light source in a circular arc in plan view on both sides (inner and outer peripheral sides) along a conveyance path that draws an arc shape of the container 100 that is conveyed as the rotating body 21 rotates. 25 is provided. Further, the ultraviolet irradiation unit 24 is covered with a metallic enclosure 26 such as an aluminum alloy in order to prevent scattering of ultraviolet rays to the surroundings. Further, a mesh plate 27 made of a conductive material and grounded is provided in the vicinity of the container 100 in order to positively release electrons excited by ultraviolet rays and coming out of the container 100 into the air.

  In such a static eliminator 20, while rotating the rotating body 21, empty containers 100 after electron beam irradiation are delivered one by one from container transport means such as the star wheel 50 and held by the gripper 22. The container 100 held by the gripper 22 is transported along the arc-shaped transport path along with the rotation of the rotating body 21, and is transferred from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 24 to the post-process side star wheel 50. The container 100 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

When the container 100 after the electron beam irradiation is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the temperature of the PET film forming the container 100 rises.
Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the PET resin forming the container 100 is a dielectric, and it is known that its electrical resistance decreases as the temperature increases. When the resistance value R of the PET film forming the container 100 decreases, the discharge time constant τ = CR (C: capacitance, R: resistance) decreases, so that the inside of the PET film forming the container 100 is charged. Charges easily flow out of the PET film.
As a result, it is possible to easily remove charges by the electrode 23 and to eliminate the charge.

In addition, electrons existing in the PET film forming the container 100 can be activated to increase the electrical conductivity. This also facilitates the removal of charges by the electrode 23 and eliminates the charge.
In addition, ultraviolet rays generate ozone by irradiating the air inside and outside the container 100, and the neutralization effect makes it easy to draw out electrons existing in the PET film forming the container 100. Charges can be easily removed and charging can be eliminated.

  In the above-described embodiment, the ultraviolet light source 25 is provided on both sides (inner peripheral side and outer peripheral side) along a transport path that draws an arc shape of the container 100 transported with the rotation of the rotating body 21. However, it is good also as a structure which provides in either one side, as shown in FIG. In that case, it is preferable to provide the ultraviolet light source 25 on one side and provide a mirror 28 that reflects the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 25 on the opposite side across the container 100.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a mirror 29 that reflects the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 25 and irradiates the inside from the mouth 100 a of the container 100 may be provided in the vicinity of the mouth 100 a of the container 100. good.
The portion near the mouth 100a of the container 100 is a portion having a complicated shape such as a screw groove for screwing the cap, and having a large thickness, and the container 100 is held by the gripper 22. Is hard to hit. Further, since the rod-shaped electrode 23 is inserted into the container 100, it is further difficult to irradiate the vicinity of the mouth 100a of the container 100 with ultraviolet rays. On the other hand, by providing the mirror 29, it is possible to reliably irradiate the vicinity of the mouth portion 100a of the container 100 with ultraviolet rays, and to reliably exhibit the charge removal effect.
The mirror 29 and the electrode 23 may be provided integrally.

  Furthermore, instead of the mirror 29, an ultraviolet light source 25S that irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the mouth portion 100a of the container 100 may be provided. Also by this, it is possible to reliably irradiate the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 25S to the vicinity of the mouth 100a of the container 100, thereby reliably exhibiting the charge eliminating effect.

[Other forms]
In the above-described embodiment, the container 100 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 24, but instead, as shown in FIG. 6, the gripper 22 is used as a heating fluid supply unit (heating unit) 80. A nozzle 81 that injects high-temperature steam, hot air, or hot water may be provided for the container 100 held in the container.
By spraying a heating fluid such as high-temperature steam, hot air, or hot water from the nozzle 81 toward the outer peripheral surface of the container 100, the PET film constituting the container 100 is heated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a cylindrical nozzle 82 is inserted into the container 100 held by the gripper 22 as the heating fluid supply unit 80, and a high temperature is supplied from the nozzle 82 to the inner peripheral surface of the container 100. It is also possible to inject a heating fluid such as steam, hot air or hot water.
The nozzle 82 has a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of holes (not shown) are formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The heating fluid can be ejected from the holes to the inner peripheral surface of the container 100.
Alternatively, the nozzle 82 may be cylindrical and an opening may be formed at the tip 82b, and the heated fluid may be ejected from the opening toward the inner peripheral surface of the bottom 100b of the container 100.

  Furthermore, the nozzle 82 can be made to function as the electrode 23 by being formed of a conductive material.

In this manner, the nozzle 100 is sprayed with a heating fluid such as high-temperature steam, hot air, or hot water onto the outer peripheral surface or inner peripheral surface of the container 100 by the nozzles 81 and 82, thereby raising the temperature of the container 100. The movement of electrons in the PET film to be formed can be increased. As a result, it is possible to easily remove charges by the electrode 23 and to eliminate the charge.
Note that the configurations shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be used in combination.

  Note that the configuration shown in the above embodiment is merely an example, and the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration without departing from the gist of the present invention. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Sterilizer 20 Static elimination apparatus 21 Rotating body 22 Gripper (container holder)
23 Electrode 24 UV irradiation part (heating part)
25, 25S UV light source 27 Mesh plate 28 Mirror 29 Mirror 30 Filling device 40 Capper 50 Star wheel 60 Conveyor 80 Heating fluid supply unit (heating unit)
81 Nozzle 82 Nozzle 82b Tip 100 Container 100a Mouth 100b Bottom 100c Neck

Claims (8)

A container holder for holding a container that has been sterilized by electron beam irradiation;
A rod-shaped electrode that is inserted and arranged inside the container that has undergone the sterilization step, and made of a conductive material;
A heating section for heating the container in a state where the electrode is inserted and held by the container holder;
A static eliminator characterized by comprising:   The static eliminator according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes an ultraviolet irradiation unit that irradiates the container held by the container holder with ultraviolet rays.   The static eliminator according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes a nozzle that injects a heating medium into the container held by the container holder. 4. The static eliminator according to claim 3 , wherein the nozzle ejects the heating medium onto an outer peripheral surface of the container held by the container holder. 4. The static eliminator according to claim 3 , wherein the nozzle is inserted into the container held by the container holder and sprays the heating medium onto an inner peripheral surface of the container. The neutralization device according to claim 5 , wherein the nozzle is made of a conductive material and functions as the electrode. A container holder for holding a container that has been sterilized by electron beam irradiation;
A rod-like electrode inserted and arranged inside the container and made of a conductive material;
A heating unit for heating the container held by the container holder,
The heating unit has an ultraviolet irradiation unit that irradiates the container held by the container holder with ultraviolet rays,
The ultraviolet irradiation unit includes a mirror that is disposed in the vicinity of the mouth portion of the container and reflects the ultraviolet ray irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation source and irradiates the inside of the container from the mouth portion. Static eliminator. The static eliminator according to claim 7 , wherein the electrode is provided integrally with the mirror.

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