JP5991651B2 - Electrostatic removal method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a charge removal method and apparatus for removing the charge of a resin container generated during electron beam irradiation by an electron beam sterilizer.

It has been conventionally known that a resin container is charged when it is irradiated with an electron beam sterilizer before filling a resin container such as a PET bottle for filling a beverage or a pharmaceutical liquid. There are cases in which a container made of a container may have problems such as attracting surrounding dust due to static electricity.
For this reason, a technique for preventing charging of the resin container during electron beam irradiation has been proposed (Patent Document 1).
According to Patent Document 1, charging of the resin container is prevented by irradiating the resin container with the electron beam in a state where the ground electrode is inserted from the mouth of the resin container when the resin container is irradiated with the electron beam.

JP2011-26000A (FIG. 2)

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when an earth electrode (conductor) is inserted into the inside of the resin container from the mouth, the electron beam to be irradiated into the resin container is blocked by the earth electrode. There is a risk of reducing the electron beam absorbed dose for sterilizing the inside of the resin container. In particular, where the wall thickness is small and the diameter of the container is small, such as a PET bottle, etc., the amount of electron beam transmission is small, and the inside of the mouth is sterilized by the wrapping of the electron beam from the opening. A member such as an earth electrode that closes the opening may lead to a decrease in sterilizing power inside the mouth.

  The present invention is a charge removal method and apparatus for removing the charge of a resin container that is generated when an electron beam is sterilized by an electron beam sterilizer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a charge removal method and apparatus that can remove the charge of a container.

The present invention solves the above problems by the following means.
(1) The method of the electrostatic charge removing the first means, in a charging method of removing charge of the resin vessel which occurs during the electron beam irradiation with an electron beam sterilizer (sometimes hereinafter referred to as container.), Said container the has an inner diameter of the container is decreased by the container opening, and the container after the electron beam irradiation in an inverted state in which the container mouth portion is directed downward, conductor having electric conductivity into the space in the container Is inserted for a predetermined time, and an AC electrode is connected to the conductor, or the conductor is grounded to remove the charging of the container generated during the electron beam irradiation via the conductor. .

(3) The charge removal method of the third means is the same as the charge removal method of the first and second means, but the container after the electron beam irradiation is a downstream container in a shielding chamber which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. The container transfer path of the electron beam sterilizer until it is delivered to the transfer device, or the outside of the shielding chamber after the container after the electron beam irradiation is transferred to the container transfer device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer in the container transport path of the vessel conveying device until it is discharged into the said conductor, characterized in the predetermined time insertion child into the space inside the container.

(4) The charge removal method of the fourth means is the same as the charge removal method of the first and second means, but the container after the electron beam irradiation is a downstream container in a shielding chamber that is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. In the container transport path of the electron beam sterilizer until it is delivered to the transport device, the conductor is inserted into the space in the container for a predetermined time, and the container after the electron beam irradiation further includes the electron in the container transport path of the vessel conveying device from being passed to a downstream vessel conveying device lines sterilizer until discharged to the outside of the shielded room, inserting a predetermined time to the space of the conductor to the container and wherein a call.

(5) The charge removal method of the fifth means is the charge removal method of the first to fourth means, wherein the container is irradiated with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means provided in an electron beam sterilizer, and the final electron and wherein the predetermined time inserting child said conductor after irradiation at a linear illumination means into the space in the container.

(6) Charging apparatus for removing a sixth means, in the electrostatic charge removing unit for removing charge of the resin vessel which is generated during the electron beam irradiation with an electron beam sterilizer (sometimes hereinafter referred to as container.), Said container , the inner diameter of the container is smaller in the container opening, in the container the container after the electron beam irradiation to the vessel conveying path for transporting the container in the inverted state in which the container mouth portion is directed downward Conductor insertion means for inserting a conductor having electrical conductivity into the space for a predetermined time is provided, and an AC electrode is connected to the conductor, or the conductor is grounded, and the container generated during the electron beam irradiation It is characterized in that the charging is removed by inserting the conductor.

(7) The charge removal device of the seventh means is the same as the charge removal device of the sixth means, but the container after the electron beam irradiation is transferred to the downstream container transport device in the shielding chamber which is the influence area of the irradiation electron beam. The container transport path of the electron beam sterilizer until it is delivered, or the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the container transport device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer and then discharged outside the shielding chamber. the container transport path of the vessel conveying device to that, characterized in that the conductor insertion means has form set Keru structure.

(8) The charge removing device of the eighth means is the same as the charge removing device of the sixth means, but the container after the electron beam irradiation is transferred to the downstream container transport device in the shielding chamber which is the influence area of the irradiation electron beam. The conductor insertion means is provided in the container conveyance path of the electron beam sterilizer until it is delivered, and the container after the electron beam irradiation is further delivered to a container conveyance device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer. characterized in that said form the conductor insertion means set Keru structure to the vessel conveying path of the vessel conveying device until it is discharged to the outside of the shielded room from.

(9) A ninth aspect of the destaticizing apparatus is the same as the sixth to eighth aspect of the destaticizing apparatus, wherein the electron beam sterilizer is provided with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means, downstream, characterized in that the conductor insertion means has form set Keru structure.

  The present invention according to claims 1 and 6 is an electrification removing method and apparatus for removing the charge of a resin container generated at the time of electron beam irradiation by an electron beam sterilizer. By inserting a conductor provided with a predetermined time to remove the charging of the container generated during the electron beam irradiation via the conductor, the conductor exists in the space in the container during the electron beam irradiation. Therefore, there is an effect that the charge of the resin container generated at the time of electron beam irradiation can be removed without hindering the sterilizing performance.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for removing charge according to the first aspect, the conductive material is removed from the lower side of the inverted container by removing the charge in the inverted state with the container mouth portion facing downward. It has the effect that it can insert and it can prevent that a foreign material accumulates in a container.

  The present invention according to Claims 3 and 7 is the charge removal method and apparatus according to any one of Claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein the electron beam irradiation is performed in a shielding chamber that is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. The container transport path of the electron beam sterilizer until the container is delivered to the downstream container transport device, or the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the container transport device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer. In the container transport path of the container transport device until it is discharged from the shielding chamber to the outside, the conductor is inserted into the space in the container for a predetermined time, so that secondary irradiation is performed during electron beam irradiation. The X-ray generated in the container ionizes the air in the container after the electron beam irradiation, and the positive ions generated by the ionization neutralize with the negative ions on the inner surface of the container, and the ionized negative ions remaining in the container pass through the conductor. To the outside Te has the effect that the charging of the resin vessel which occurs during the electron beam irradiation may be removed.

  The present invention according to claims 4 and 8 is the charge removal method and apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein the electron beam irradiation is performed in a shielding chamber that is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. In the container transport path of the electron beam sterilizer until the container is delivered to the downstream container transport device, the conductor is inserted into the space in the container for a predetermined time, and then the electron beam irradiation In the container transport path of the container transport device from the time when the subsequent container is delivered to the container transport device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer to the outside of the shielding chamber, the conductor is placed inside the container. By inserting into the space for a predetermined time, the container is recharged by the irradiation electron beam in the shielding chamber while being transported by the downstream container transport device after the electron beam is irradiated in the electron beam sterilizer. Even if recharging It has the effect that indeed can be removed.

  The present invention according to claims 5 and 9 is the charge removal method and apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and claims 6 to 8, wherein the container is provided with a plurality of electrons provided in an electron beam sterilizer. By irradiating with the electron beam irradiation means and after the irradiation with the final electron beam irradiation means, the conductor is inserted into the space in the container for a predetermined time, so that the container can be reliably irradiated with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means. After sterilization, the container after irradiation with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means has the effect of being able to be efficiently charged and removed at once.

It is the top view which showed typically the line incorporating the charge removal apparatus concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is II-II sectional drawing of FIG. 1, and is a figure which shows the state by which the container received the electron beam irradiation and is sterilized. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1 and shows a charge removal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is the top view which showed typically the line incorporating the charge removal apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and is a figure equivalent to FIG. It is IV-IV sectional drawing of FIG. 4, and is a figure which shows the charge removal apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a line incorporating a plurality of electron beam irradiation means according to the third embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to FIG. 4.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art or that are essentially the same.

(First embodiment of the present invention)
A charge removing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a line incorporating a charge removing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1 and shows a state in which the container is sterilized by electron beam irradiation.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1 and shows a charge removing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a resin container P (hereinafter also referred to as container P) that is carried in from the upstream in the direction of arrow F1 rotates in the direction of arrow 12a and the star wheel 11 that rotates and conveys in the direction of arrow 11a. The star wheel 12 to be transported, the electron beam sterilizer 3 in which the container P is sterilized by receiving the electron beam irradiation from the electron beam irradiation means 3E during the rotational transport in the direction of the arrow 3a, and the star to be rotated and transported in the direction of the arrow 14a. The wheel (container transport device) 14 and the star wheel 15 that is rotated and transported in the direction of the arrow 15a are sequentially delivered, transported, and transported in the direction of the arrow F2.

The star wheel 11, star wheel 12, electron beam sterilizer 3, star wheel 14, star wheel 15 are configured to be operated synchronously, and the star wheel 12, electron beam sterilizer 3, star The wheel 14 is installed in a shielded room (a region affected by the irradiated electron beam) 5 so that the irradiated electron beam does not leak outside.
Further, a charge removing device 1 described later is provided at a predetermined position between the illustrated point R and the illustrated point S on the container conveyance path of the electron beam sterilizer 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the container P conveyed by the electron beam sterilizer 3 is an inverted state with the mouth Pm facing downward, and is a container gripper provided on a rotating disk (not shown) in a circumferentially equal arrangement. The electron beam irradiation unit EB shown in FIG. 1 receives the electron beam irradiation from the electron beam irradiation means 3E attached to the window of a predetermined size in the shielding chamber 5. Sterilized.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the charge removing device 1 is attached to a rotary disc 1p provided in the electron beam sterilizer 3 and moving up and down in the M direction in the figure at a position corresponding to the container gripper 3g. The conductive material 1b is inserted into or extracted from the space in the container P held by the container gripper 3g, and the container P is placed at a predetermined position between the point R and the point S shown in FIG. It is configured to be extracted from the space in the container P after being inserted into the inner space and inserted for about 1 second. Here, the insertion time of the conductor 1b into the container is set to about 1 second, but it may be set to a time necessary for the charge removal performance. The operation of this conductor insertion means is controlled by a control means (not shown). That is, the control means controls the insertion timing and extraction timing of the conductor 1b with respect to the space in the container P.

The conductor 1b and the rotating disk 1p are made of a conductive material such as a metal, and as shown in FIG. 3, an earth, a positive electrode, or an alternating current electrode is formed so that electrons are conducted (energized) to the outside. It is configured to be connected to.
The insertion depth L of the conductor 1b from the mouth portion Pm of the container P to the inner space is preferably longer than the portion from the mouth portion Pm to the shoulder portion Ps where the thickness of the container P is thick.

Next, the operation of the charge removal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
During sterilization by electron beam irradiation from the electron beam irradiation means 3E of the electron beam sterilizer 3, a negative charge is attracted and stays on the inner surface of the wall of the container P, and a positive charge stays on the outer surface of the wall. May be charged.
The air in the space in the container P is ionized into positive ions and negative ions by X-rays that are secondarily generated by the electron beam irradiated from the electron beam irradiation unit EB in the shielding chamber 5, and after the R point, The ionized positive ions are neutralized with the negative ions on the inner surface of the wall of the container P after the electron beam irradiation, and the ionized negative ions remaining in the space in the container P are formed on the conductor 1b inserted in the space in the container P. Then, it is removed to the outside, and the charging of the container P is smoothly removed.
During insertion of the conductor 1b into the space in the container P, if the electron beam irradiation is continued, secondary X-rays are generated, so that the container P after sterilization by the conductor 1b described above is used. Charge removal is effectively performed.

  In the above description, the case where the conductor inserting means is provided at a predetermined position between the point R and the point S in the container conveyance path of the electron beam sterilizer 3 has been described. However, the shielding chamber 5 which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam is described. The star wheel from when the container P after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the star wheel (container transporting device) 14 downstream of the electron beam sterilizer 3 to when the container P is discharged to the outside of the shielding chamber 5 Although it may be provided between the illustrated S point and T point of the 14 container transport paths, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In addition, since the container P is held in an inverted state by the container gripper 3g and is rotated and conveyed, it is possible to prevent foreign substances such as dust from entering and collecting in the container P during the conveyance of the container P and during the charge removal. However, when the atmosphere in the shielding chamber 5 is in a clean state, it is needless to say that the container P need not be limited to being transported while being inverted.

(Second embodiment of the present invention)
Next, a charge removing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a line incorporating a charge removing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 4 and shows a charge removal apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 4, the same structure as that in FIG. 1 is denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant description is omitted. However, instead of the star wheel 14 in FIG. 1, a star wheel that rotates and conveys the container P in the direction of the arrow 4 a ( Container transport device) 4 is disposed, and the star wheel 4 is provided with a charge removing device 2.
The electron beam sterilizer 3 is provided with the charge removing device 1 described in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the charge removing device 2 is attached to a rotating disc 4P provided on the star wheel 4 and vertically moving in the N direction in the figure at a position corresponding to a container gripper 4g, which will be described later. Conductor 2b inserted into or extracted from the space in the container P held in an inverted state by a container gripper 4g provided on a rotating disk (not shown) of the star wheel 4 in a circumferentially equal arrangement. The insertion means is configured to be inserted into the space in the container P at a predetermined position between the point S and the point T shown in FIG. 4 for about 1 second and then extracted from the space in the container P. Here, the insertion time of the conductor 2b into the space in the container is set to about 1 second, but it may be set to a time necessary for the charge removal performance.

The conductor 2b and the rotating disk 4p are made of a conductive material such as metal, and are connected to a ground, a positive electrode, or an AC electrode as shown in FIG. 5 so that electrons are conducted to the outside. It is comprised so that.
The insertion depth of the conductor 2b into the space in the container P is the same as the content described in the first embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted.

Next, the operation of the charge removing device 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
After the container P charged at the time of electron beam irradiation by the electron beam sterilizer 3 is removed by the conductor 1b inserted into the space in the container P through the container transport path from the point R to the point S in the figure, While being transferred to the star wheel 4 and being transported, the container may be recharged due to the influence of the irradiation electron beam in the shielding chamber 5. The recharging is removed by the conductor 2b inserted into the space in P, and the charging of the container P is reliably performed.
The action of removing the charge by the conductor 2b is the same as the action of removing the charge by the conductor 1b described in the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

(Third embodiment of the present invention)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing a line incorporating a plurality of electron beam irradiation means according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG.
In FIG. 6, the same structure as that in FIG. 4 is denoted by the same reference numeral, and a duplicate description is omitted, but the electron beam sterilizer 13 is a container gripper provided on a rotating disc (not shown) equally around the circumference. The container P held by 13g has a plurality (two in this case) of electron beam irradiation means 13E1 (electron beam irradiation part EB1) and electron beam irradiation means 13E2 (electron beam irradiation part) during the rotational conveyance in the direction of the arrow 13a. It is configured to be sterilized by receiving electron beam irradiation from EB2).
The container gripper 13g corresponds to the container gripper 3g described in the first embodiment, and redundant description is omitted.

In addition, a charge removal device 1 is provided downstream of the final electron beam irradiation means 13E2 of the plurality of electron beam sterilizers 13, and the configuration thereof is the same as that described in the first embodiment. The conductor 1b is inserted into the space in the container P along the transport path from the point R1 to the point S in the drawing, but the overlapping description is omitted.
Further, although the star wheel 4 is provided with the charge removing device 2, since it overlaps with the contents described in the second embodiment, a detailed description is omitted.

The star wheel 11, the star wheel 12, the electron beam sterilizer 13, the star wheel 4, and the star wheel 15 are configured to be operated synchronously. The star wheel 12, the electron beam sterilizer 13, the star wheel 4 is installed in the shielding room 51 enclosed so that the irradiated electron beam may not leak outside.
The electron beam irradiation means 13E1 and the electron beam irradiation means 13E2 are attached to a window having a predetermined size in the shielding chamber 51.

Next, the operation of the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The container P is subjected to electron beam irradiation from a plurality (two in this case) of the electron beam irradiation means 13E1 and the electron beam irradiation means 13E2 and is securely sterilized by the electron beam, and then between the R1 point and the T point. Thus, by inserting the conductor 1b and the conductor 2b of the charge removing device 1 and the charge removing device 2, the container P charged at the time of electron beam irradiation is charged and removed.

  In the above description, the case where the two sets of the charge removing device 1 and the charge removing device 2 are provided has been described, but it is needless to say that either one of the charge removing device 1 or the charge removing device 2 may be provided. Can be selected according to the level of charge removal.

  In order to ensure electron beam sterilization, the container P may be sterilized by a plurality of electron beam irradiation means. However, after receiving the electron beam irradiation from the electron beam irradiation means 13E1, the container P is discharged into the space in the container P. Instead of being charged and removed by inserting a conductor and then receiving an electron beam from the electron beam irradiation means 13E2 and then removing the charge by inserting a conductor into the space in the container P, as described above, the electron beam If the conductor is inserted into the space in the container P after receiving the electron beam irradiation from the irradiation unit 13E1 and the electron beam irradiation unit 13E2, the charge removal can be performed sufficiently and is efficient.

1, 2 Charge removal device 1b, 2b Conductor 1p, 2p Rotating disk 3, 13 Electron sterilizer 3E, 13E1, 13E2 Electron beam irradiation means 3g, 4g, 13g Container gripper 4, 11, 12, 14, 15 Star Wheel (container transport device)
5, 51 Shielding room P Container Pm Container mouth Ps Container shoulder

Claims (8)

In a charge removal method for removing the charge of a resin container (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a container) generated during electron beam irradiation by an electron beam sterilizer,
The container has a small inner diameter at the container mouth,
And the container after the electron beam irradiation in an inverted state in which the container mouth portion is directed downward, a conductor having electric conductivity into the space in the container by inserting a predetermined time, to connect the AC electrode to the conductor Alternatively, the charge removal method is characterized in that the electrical charge of the container generated during the electron beam irradiation is removed via the conductor by grounding the conductor.   2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container of the electron beam sterilizer is transported until the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to a downstream container transport device in a shielding chamber which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. In the container transport path of the container transport apparatus from the time when the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the container transport apparatus downstream of the electron beam sterilizer to the outside of the shielding chamber, A charge removing method, wherein the conductor is inserted into a space in the container for a predetermined time.   2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container of the electron beam sterilizer is transported until the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to a downstream container transport device in a shielding chamber which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. After inserting the conductor into the space in the container for a predetermined time by a path, the container after the electron beam irradiation is further delivered to the container transport device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer, and A charge removing method, wherein the conductor is inserted into a space in the container for a predetermined time through a container transport path of the container transport device until the container is discharged to the outside.   4. The charge removal method according to claim 1, wherein the container is irradiated with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means provided in an electron beam sterilizer, and the conductive material is irradiated after irradiation with the final electron beam irradiation means. 5. An electrification removing method comprising inserting a body into the space in the container for a predetermined time. In a charge removing device for removing the charge of a resin container (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a container) generated during electron beam irradiation by an electron beam sterilizer,
The container has a small inner diameter at the container mouth,
Conducting said container opening said container after the electron beam irradiation is inserted a predetermined time a conductor having electric conductivity into the space within the container to the container transport path for transporting the container in the inverted state facing downward A body insertion means is provided, and an AC electrode is connected to the conductor, or the conductor is grounded, and the charging of the container generated during the electron beam irradiation is removed by inserting the conductor. A charge removal device.   6. The charge removal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the container of the electron beam sterilizer is transported until the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to a downstream container transport device in a shielding chamber which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. The path, or the container transport path of the container transport apparatus from when the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the container transport apparatus downstream of the electron beam sterilizer to the outside of the shielding chamber, An electrification removing apparatus comprising the conductor inserting means.   6. The charge removal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the container of the electron beam sterilizer is transported until the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to a downstream container transport device in a shielding chamber which is an affected area of the irradiation electron beam. The conductor insertion means is provided in the path, and further, the container after the electron beam irradiation is delivered to the container transfer device downstream of the electron beam sterilizer and discharged to the outside of the shielding chamber. An electrification removing apparatus characterized in that the conductor insertion means is provided in a container transport path of a container transport apparatus.   8. The charge removal device according to claim 5, wherein the electron beam sterilizer is provided with a plurality of electron beam irradiation means, and the conductor insertion means is disposed downstream of the final electron beam irradiation means. An electrification removing device characterized by being provided.

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