JPH046027A - Sterilization method for metal container member and germfree filling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make an efficient germfree filling possible by a method wherein a metal container member is sterilized by forming a condition in which a heated sterilizing medium is in contact with the heated metal container member. CONSTITUTION:A can body 18 on a can holding member 24 which has reached a station B stops, and the can holding member 24 holding the can body 18 is raised by an actuator, and the can holding member 24 comes into contact with a can sterilizing device 55 through an O ring 102 and forms an airtight space inside. At the same time, magnetic induction current is fed to a spiral magnetic coil 98 and helical magnetic induction coil 58 from a high frequency power source P, and heating of the can body 18 is started. Then, a sterilizing medium is introduced to the inside of the can body 18 through a guiding tube 61. The sterilizing medium goes around the outer surface side of the can body 18 from the inner surface side. After discharging air remaining from the start, the opening/closing valve for a discharge port 62 is closed, and the internal pressure is adjusted. At a stage after the completion of sterilization, heating of the can body 18 is finished, and the sterilizing medium inside is discharged. Then, the sterilized can body 18 is sent to a station C in which the next filling process is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing metal container members and an aseptic filling device, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for sterilizing metal container members and an aseptic filling device. The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing metal container members in a filling method and an aseptic filling device.

[Prior art and its issues]

Conventionally, when producing canned goods, a retort is used in which after filling the canned container with contents such as food, the can lid is double-sealed and sealed, and the resulting canned goods are heated and sterilized in a pressure sterilizer. Sterilization methods are widely used.

This retort sterilization method requires a long time for the heat to reach the center of the can, so the process takes a long time, and the contents are heated for a long time, so there is a risk that the contents may deteriorate. In order to increase productivity, large-scale equipment is required.Containers must have sufficient strength, as large internal pressure is applied during heating during manufacturing, and external pressure is applied during storage after completion of the product. There are other problems.

Instead of this retort sterilization method, an aseptic filling method has been proposed in which the contents and container members are sterilized separately, the contents are filled into the container under aseptic conditions, and the container is sealed, omitting heat sterilization after forming the can. There is.

Methods for sterilizing container members in aseptic filling methods include physical methods, chemical methods, and combination methods thereof. Physical methods include heat sterilization, radiation sterilization, and ultraviolet sterilization, while chemical methods include chemical sterilization (hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite, alcohol, etc.) and gas sterilization (EO gas, etc.).
In the combined method, hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide/EO gas, ultraviolet light/alcohol, etc. are used.

If the container has some degree of heat resistance, heat sterilization is usually used.

As one of the heat sterilization methods, a sterilization method using hot air has been proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 163617/1983). In this method, sterilization is performed by exposing empty containers to hot air at about 140 to 204° C. for about 60 to 240 seconds.

This method using hot air has the problem that it takes a relatively long time to heat the container to a sufficiently high temperature, as described above.

Furthermore, it is known that the heat sterilization effect of microorganisms is significantly greater in a moist heat type in which moisture is present during heating than in a dry heat type in which moisture is not present during heating. Since the method using hot air as described above is a dry heat type, the sterilization effect is not good.

The use of superheated steam has been proposed as a moist heat type heat sterilization method. In this method, in order to obtain the necessary sterilization effect, for example, at least the can body is exposed to 220°C superheated steam for 45 seconds, and the can lid is exposed to 290°C superheated steam.
It is known that it is necessary to expose the material to superheated steam at °C for about 90 seconds.

The time of exposure to superheated steam as described above cannot be said to be short from the viewpoint of high-speed productivity required for can manufacturing, and it is required to shorten the heating time. Moreover, the long-time heating as described above is also unfavorable from the viewpoint of thermoeconomic efficiency. Furthermore, since superheated steam of 220°C or higher needs to be in contact with the container components for a long period of time, the container material must have sufficient heat resistance, which limits the freedom of choice of container material. There is a problem.

In sterilizing container members as described above, it is particularly problematic to sterilize a very narrow gap such as the one that exists at a sealed joint where the can body and one lid of a metal can are double-sealed.

For this reason, it has been proposed to sterilize the sealed joint of a metal can by heating it with high-frequency induction heating, and to sterilize the other parts by irradiating it with ultraviolet light (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-15027).

However, in this method, the sealed joint is sterilized by dry heat type heating as described above, so the sterilization effect is not good and shortening of the sterilization time cannot be expected.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As described above, the conventional aseptic filling method and apparatus for sterilizing container members have a problem in that the sterilization effect is not good and the process cannot be done quickly.

[Means for solving problems]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the problems as described above, the steps include: heating a metal container member by electromagnetic induction heating; supplying a sterilizing medium to the metal container member; By creating a state in which the heated sterilizing medium is in contact with the metal container member, the gold kr4
A method of sterilizing a metal container member is provided, the method comprising sterilizing the container member made of metal.

Further, according to the present invention, there are provided an electromagnetic induction heating means for heating a metal container member by electromagnetic induction, a supply means for supplying a sterilizing medium to a surface to be sterilized of the metal container member, and an electromagnetic induction heating means for heating a metal container member by electromagnetic induction. Aseptic filling of a metal container, characterized in that it is equipped with a removal means for removing a sterilizing medium supplied by the supply means to a surface of the metal container member to be sterilized from an induction-heated metal container member. A device is provided to do this.

(Metal container member) The metal container member is a member that constitutes a metal container,
Examples include a metal can body with one side open, a metal lid attached to the can body, a metal cup container, a film containing metal foil adhered to the cup container, and the like.

The metal container member includes metal at least in part,
Any material that can induction heat the area to be sterilized may be used.

Examples of metal can bodies include can bodies constituting two-piece cans, such as drawn or drawn-iron cans, or one end constituting three-piece cans, such as welded cans or bonded cans. This is a can body, etc., in which the lid is joined by a double wrap or other method.

Metal materials constituting such metal can bodies include, for example, surface-treated steel sheets such as tin-plated steel sheets (tinplate) and chrome-plated steel sheets (Tin7ly Steel), black plates, iron and its alloys such as stainless steel, Alum and its alloys can be used.

As the film, a metal foil, or a composite film in which both sides of a metal foil such as aluminum or steel are covered with plastic, paper, etc. can be used.

(Bactericidal medium) Sterilizing media include steam 1, gas such as ozone, water,
Aqueous solutions of various drugs, liquids such as alcohol can be used.

As the water vapor, wet steam, saturated steam, superheated steam, etc. can be used.

Ozone has a concentration of 10,000 PP in gases such as air and nitrogen.
A gas containing ozone gas of about M or less can be used.

As the aqueous solution, hydrogen peroxide solution, ozone water, etc. can be used.

The above-mentioned sterilizing media include gases such as water vapor and alcohol vapor, liquids such as hot water and hot alcohol solution, which have an effective sterilizing effect at high temperatures, and sterilizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide and ozone. By decomposing them, nascent oxygen is generated, and the oxidizing action of that oxygen can be broadly classified into those that have an effective bactericidal action.

It is desirable to bring the sterilizing medium into contact with at least the entire area to be sterilized of the metal container member. For example, when using a liquid sterilizing medium, the liquid is made into droplets and brought into contact with the area to be sterilized. It is preferable to spray evenly.

(Electromagnetic Induction Heating) Electromagnetic induction heating is heating by wax current generated by bioacidification in a conductor due to changes in the magnetic field.

In the present invention, for example, a high frequency current is supplied to an electromagnetic induction coil disposed near a metal container member to generate a high frequency magnetic field, and an eddy current is generated in the metal container member to heat it.

(Temperature conditions) The higher the heating temperature of the metal container member is, the more the sterilization time can be shortened, which is preferable. However, when considering the heat resistance of the metal container member, it is recommended to use water, steam, or an aqueous solution as the sterilizing medium. When used, the heating temperature of the metal container member is
Usually, the temperature range is about 100 to 220°C. In this case, it is desirable to make the heating temperature of the part of the metal container member to be sterilized as uniform as possible.

When using water, an aqueous alcohol solution, etc., it is necessary to heat the metal member to a temperature at which the liquid can be sufficiently decomposed. As a result, preferable sterilization properties can be obtained due to the synergistic effect of the sterilization effect of high-temperature gases such as water vapor and alcohol vapor and the sterilization effect of high-temperature liquids such as hot water and hot alcohol solution.

When using a decomposable liquid sterilizing medium such as hydrogen peroxide or ozone water, it is necessary to heat the metal container member to a temperature that is sufficient to evaporate and decompose the liquid. be. As a result, the sterilizing medium completely evaporates and decomposes on the metal container member, and no liquid sterilizing medium remains on the metal container member.

For example, sterilization using a hydrogen peroxide solution is mainly performed using nascent oxygen at the time when the hydrogen peroxide solution decomposes into water and nascent oxygen. When hydrogen peroxide is used as a sterilizing medium, when it comes into contact with the surface of a metal container that has been heated above the decomposition temperature of hydrogen peroxide, it decomposes and the nascent oxygen produces a sterilizing effect. Effective sterilization is possible due to the synergistic effect of this and the sterilizing effect of the water vapor generated at the same time. Furthermore, since the hydrogen peroxide solution is heated to a temperature at which it can sufficiently evaporate and decompose, no hydrogen peroxide remains, ensuring safety. The same applies to the case of using ozonated water.

When using wet steam as a sterilizing medium, it is desirable to set the heating temperature of the metal container member to be slightly lower than the temperature of the wet steam. This is because if the temperature of the metal container member is made higher than the temperature of the wet steam, the wetness of the steam near the metal container member decreases, making it impossible to obtain the desired sterilizing effect of the wet steam. Of course, also in this case, it is preferable that the metal container member be heated to 100° C. or higher to prevent water from vapor depositing on the metal container member.

Furthermore, in gases that decompose, such as ozone gas,
By heating the surface of the metal container member to a temperature of about 80°C or higher, the decomposition of ozone into oxygen and nascent oxygen is promoted on the surface of the container. sterilization is carried out effectively.

(Sealed Space) When using a gaseous sterilizing medium such as wet steam, it is effective to arrange a metal container member in the sealed space to increase the steam pressure.

By doing this, steam can effectively enter areas that are relatively difficult to sterilize, such as extremely narrow gaps located at sealed joints such as the double-wrap choke of a bottomed can body. Can be sterilized in a short time,
Can be reliably sterilized.

Furthermore, even when a liquid sterilizing medium is used, as with wet steam, sterilization is performed in a closed space, so that it comes into contact with a heated container and the gas increases the pressure in the closed space. This results in an effect similar to that of wet steam.

On the other hand, especially for decomposed liquids such as hydrogen peroxide and ozone water, vaporization of hydrogen peroxide, ozone, etc. can be promoted by reducing the pressure in the sealed space surrounding the metal container member. Decomposition of hydrogen oxide, ozone, etc. on the surface of the container member is also promoted, and a favorable sterilizing effect can be obtained.

In addition, for decomposed gases such as ozone gas, by reducing the pressure in the sealed space surrounding the metal container member, the surface of the metal container can easily come into contact with the ozone gas, promoting the decomposition of the ozone gas on the surface of the container. be able to.

When using a closed space as described above, it is preferable that the closed space be as narrow as possible.

(Heating process and sterilizing medium supplying process) According to the present invention, the heating process of heating the metal container member by electromagnetic induction heating, and the sterilizing medium supplying process of supplying the sterilizing medium to the metal container member. .

The chronological order of these steps can be varied.

For example, a metal container member can be heated by electromagnetic induction heating, and then a sterilizing medium can be supplied to the metal container member, and the sterilizing medium can be heated by the heated metal container member.

Furthermore, the sterilizing medium can be supplied to the metal container member, and then the metal container member can be heated by electromagnetic induction heating, and the sterilizing medium can be heated by the heated metal container member.

Furthermore, heating the metal container member by Tltl induction heating and supplying the sterilizing medium to the metal container member may be performed simultaneously, and the sterilizing medium may be heated by the heated metal container member. can.

Furthermore, the sterilizing medium supplied to the metal container member can be heated in advance.

Preferably, the heating step and the sterilizing medium supply step are carried out at least partially overlappingly. By carrying out the operations at least partially overlapping each other, sterilization can be carried out effectively and in a short period of time.

Furthermore, the metal container member is heated in advance, and while the metal container member is heated, a sterilizing medium is sprayed onto the metal container member, and the temperature is maintained at a temperature at which the sterilizing medium does not adhere or at which the sterilizing medium evaporates and decomposes. It is preferable to do so.

Electromagnetic induction heating is heating from inside the metal container member.
Therefore, according to electromagnetic induction heating, the heating step and the sterilizing medium supply step can be performed in a temporally overlapping manner.

(Removal of sterilizing medium) For example, the liquid sterilizing medium is vaporized by heating the metal container member and is removed from the metal container member.

Alternatively, for example, if a gaseous sterilizing medium is used, it is removed from the metal container member by moving the metal container member.

Preferably, the metal container member is blown with a sterile gas, such as sterile air, to remove the sterilizing medium from the metal container member.

When using a condensable gas such as steam, the sterilizing medium is removed until the sterilizing medium is completely removed from the metal container member.
It is preferable to maintain the temperature of the metal container member above the condensation temperature of the gas to prevent droplets from adhering to the metal container member.

[Effect]

According to the method for sterilizing a metal container member according to the present invention, the method includes heating the metal container member by electromagnetic induction heating and supplying a sterilizing medium to the metal container member. The metal container member is sterilized by creating a state in which the heated sterilizing medium is in contact with the container member. Therefore, sterilization can be performed effectively and quickly using the heated sterilizing medium.

Due to efficient electromagnetic induction heating, metal container members can be heated in a short time.For example, a highly sterilizing medium such as saturated steam is supplied and brought into contact with the metal container member. The sterilization time can be dramatically shortened compared to conventional methods, and sterilization can be performed reliably.

This sterilization time is the sum of the time required to heat the metal container member by electromagnetic induction and the time required for sterilization, and although it varies depending on conditions such as the form of the metal container member, the heating incident, and the type of sterilizing medium used, it is usually The time can be shortened to 20 seconds or less, and under favorable conditions, to about 10 seconds or less.

C. First Specific Example] Next, the aseptic filling device 10 according to the first specific example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

(Overview) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this aseptic filling device IO includes a first processing device 12 and a second processing device 14.

The vgl processing device 12 has six stations, station A to station F.

The processing device 14 of g2 has four stations, namely, station G to station! , and the first processing device! 2
It has a station D in common with 12.

The first treatment device 12 includes an intermittently driven first rotating plate 16 that positions the can body 18 at each station.

The second processing device 14 includes a second rotating plate 20 that is driven intermittently and positions the lid 22 at each station.

At station A, the can body 18 is connected to the first rotary plate 16
supplied to

At station B, the can bodies 18 are sterilized.

At station C, the can body 18 is filled with liquid contents.

At station G, the lid 22 is fed to the second rotary plate 20.

At station H, mainly the outer or upper surface of the lid 22 is sterilized.

station! In this step, mainly the inner surface, that is, the lower surface of the lid 22 is sterilized.

At station D, the can body 18 filled with contents
A lid 22 is placed on top.

At station E, the lid 22 is wrapped around the can body 18.

At station F, the finished canned goods are discharged.

(First Processing Device) The first rotary plate 16 of the first processing device J2 is intermittently driven via a shaft 28 by a drive device (not shown). At 8, the can body 18 is rotated clockwise by 60'' and then stopped for a predetermined period of time. As a result, the can body 18 is sequentially arranged at the six stations as described above.

The rotating plate 16 of Ml includes a rotating plate main body 23 and a can holding member 24.
and.

The can holding member 24 has a holding part having a shape complementary to the bottom of the can body 18, and holds the can body 18 thereon. The can holding member 24 can also be configured to hold the can body 18 by vacuum force or magnetic force.

As shown in FIG. 2, a support rod 30 passing through the rotating plate body 23 is fixed to the can holding member 24, and a support plate 32 is fixed to the lower end of this support rod 30. . A hole 36 is formed in the support plate 32, through which a guide rod 34 fixed to the rotating plate main body 23 passes.
Therefore, the support plate 32 can move up and down along the guide rod 34. Rotating plate main body 23 and support plate 32
A compression spring 38 is arranged between the support plate 3 and
2 is forced downward, so that the can holding member 24 is normally pressed against the upper surface of the first rotary plate 16. The first rotary plate 16 is mounted on the support plate 32 at stages a and B.
, station D and station E, an actuating device, for example pneumatically actuated, engages the support plate 32 and raises it, raising the can holding member 24 and the can body 18 held thereon to a predetermined height. cause it to rise.

The first processing device 12 further includes a stationary housing 40 that covers the first rotating plate 16 .

The housing 40 defines an annular space together with the first rotating plate 16, and the can body 18 is moved within this annular space.

In this annular space, there are four sterile gas inlets 42.4.
3.44.45 A sterile gas, e.g. sterile air, is introduced to produce a flow of sterile gas in the direction from station B to station A, from station D to station E, and from station D to station G. The sterilized parts are maintained in a sterile state.

(Second Processing Device) The second rotary plate 20 of the second processing device 14 is intermittently driven via a shaft 48 by a drive device (not shown). The operation of rotating 906 times counterclockwise and stopping for a predetermined time is repeated.

This places the lid 22 in sequence at the four stations as described above.

The second rotating plate 20 includes four lid holding members 26. The lid holding member 26 holds the lid 22 downward by vacuum force. Alternatively, it may be configured to be held by mechanical force or magnetic force.

The second processing device 114 includes a stationary housing 50 located under the second rotary plate 20, defines an annular space together with the first rotary plate I6, and the inside of this annular space is surrounded by a lid 22.
is forced to move.

In this annular space, there are three sterile gas inlets 52.
From 53.54, a sterile gas, e.g.
A flow of sterile gas is generated from station G in the direction of station G to maintain the sterilized components in a sterile condition.

(Station A) As shown in FIG. 2, at station A of the first processing apparatus 12, the can body 18 is placed on the can holding member 24.

(Station B) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, at station B, a can sterilizer 55 located at the top of the housing 40 is arranged.

The can sterilizer 55 includes a sterilizer main body 56, a spiral electromagnetic induction coil 58 for heating the side wall of the can body 18, which is built into the sterilizer main body 56, and an electrical connection device 60. do.

The sterilizer main body 56 has an inlet pipe 61 for introducing a sterilizing medium and a sterile gas, and an outlet 62, and together with the can holding member 24 forms a sealed space in which the can body 18 is accommodated.

The discharge port 62 is provided with an on-off valve and a pressure regulating valve (not shown), and by closing the on-off valve, the pressure in the sealed space can be increased, and the pressure in the sealed space can be adjusted by the pressure regulating valve. It is now possible to do so.

The electromagnetic induction coil 58 has one end connected to the electrical connection device 60 and the other end connected to the high frequency power source P.

The electrical connection device 60 is a first
a connecting rod 63, a second connecting rod 64 connected to one end of the electromagnetic induction coil 58, and a first connecting rod 63.
and compression springs 66, 68 for forcing the second connecting rod 64 downward, respectively.

The first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64 each have an upper head 70.72, an intermediate portion 74.76 having a smaller diameter than the head 70.72, and a lower portion 78.80.
and has.

The intermediate portions 74.76 of the first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64 are located in holes provided in the upper shelf 82 of the sterilizer body 56, and the lower portions 78.80 are located in the holes provided in the upper shelf 82 of the sterilizer body 56. The first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64 are located in the holes provided in the holes 88 and are arranged to be movable in the vertical direction within these holes.

The first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64 are forced downwardly by compression springs 66.68 and normally have their heads 70.72 in contact with the upper surface of the upper shelf 82. . Then, as described below, when the can holding member 24 moves upward, the first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64 are raised against the compression springs 66, 68.

The connecting end of the high-frequency power source P and one end of the electromagnetic induction coil 58 fixed to the upper surfaces of the heads 70 and 72 are elastically deformable, and the first connecting rod 63 and the second connecting rod 64
allows vertical movement.

If necessary, a means for heating the inner wall of the sterilizer 56 is provided to prevent droplets from adhering to the inner wall, and the sterilizer main body 5
To prevent droplets remaining on the inner wall of the can body 18 from falling onto the can body 18.

At station B, the can holding member 24 is attached to the support plate 3
2 (FIG. 2), the can sterilizer 55 is raised into a position forming a sealed space with the can sterilizer 55, as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the can holding member 24 includes a can holding member main body 94 and a spiral electromagnetic induction coil 96 for heating the bottom of the can body 18, which is incorporated into the can holding member main body 94. and fixed rods 98 and 100 connected to both ends of the electromagnetic induction coil 96, respectively, and an O-ring 102 disposed in a circular groove provided on the upper surface of the can holding member main body 94.

The electromagnetic induction coil can be selected from one with good heating efficiency depending on the shape and form of the object to be heated, and as mentioned above, for example, a helical coil is used for the side wall of the can body. For example, a spiral coil is used for the bottom of the can body.

The can holding member 24 can also be configured to support the can body 18 while rotating so that the can body 18 is heated uniformly. In this case, it is preferable to slightly deviate the center of the can body bottom from the center of the heating spiral coil, thereby making it possible to uniformly heat the can body bottom.

When the can holding member 24 is raised and moved to a position where it forms a sealed space together with the can sterilizer 55, the fixing rods 98 and 100 contact the connecting rods 63 and 64, respectively, and the high frequency power source P1 first Connecting rod 63, fixed rod 98, spiral electromagnetic induction coil 96, fixed rod 10
0, second connecting rod 64, spiral electromagnetic induction coil 5
8 and the high frequency power source P form a closed circuit. Then, the high frequency power supply P supplies electromagnetic induction current to these at a predetermined timing.

At station B, the can body 18 is processed as follows.

Arrives at station B; can body 1 on can holding member 24;
8 stops, and the can holding member 24 holding the can body 18 is raised by an actuating device (not shown), and the can holding member 24 comes into contact with the can sterilizer [55] through the O-ring 102, and the inside of the can holding member 24 is raised. Form a sealed space. At the same time, the connecting rods 63, 64 and the fixed rods 98, 100 come into contact, and an electromagnetic induction current is supplied from the high frequency power source P to the spiral electromagnetic coil 98 and the spiral electromagnetic induction coil 58, and the can body 18
heating begins.

A sterilizing medium, for example saturated steam, is then introduced into the can body 18 via the inlet pipe 61 . The sterilizing medium flows from the inner surface to the outer surface of the can body 8. Due to the sterilizing medium, the air initially present is evacuated through an outlet 62 provided at the bottom of the sterilizer. After the air that has been present from the beginning is discharged, the on-off valve of the discharge port 62 is closed to increase the internal pressure, and the internal pressure is adjusted by the regulating valve of the discharge port 62.

When sterilization is completed, the supply of current from the high-frequency power source P is stopped, and the on-off valve of the discharge port 62 that finishes heating the can body 18 is opened to discharge the sterilizing medium inside.

Thereafter, a sterile gas, such as sterile air, is blown through the inlet pipe 61 to expel the sterilizing medium and promote cooling of the can body 18.

Then, the can holding member 24 descends, the can sterilizer 55 and the can holding member 24 are uncoupled, and the sterilized can body I8
The fuel then heads to station C where the next filling process will take place.

(Station C) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the filling device 104 located at the upper part of the housing 40 is disposed at the station C.

The filling device 104 includes a tank 106 that holds the contents to be filled into the can body 18, a solenoid valve 108 connected to the tank 106, and a nozzle 110 connected to the solenoid valve 108 and fixed to the upper surface of the housing 40. Equipped with.

A pre-sterilized content is placed in the tank 106, and a predetermined amount of the content is pumped into the can body 1 through a nozzle 110 at a predetermined timing by the operation of a solenoid valve 108.
8 is filled.

In the stage l117C, the can holding member 24 is in contact with the upper surface of the rotating plate main body 23.

At station C, when filling the contents into the can body 18 as described above, the temperature of the can body 18 is cooled to 100° C. or less, preferably 80° C. or less, so that the filled contents It is designed to prevent deterioration.

After being filled with contents in this manner, the can body 18 heads to station D.

(Station G) As shown in FIG. 1, at station G of the second processing device 14, the lid 22 is introduced into the housing 50 and held under the lid holding member 26.

The structure of the lid holding member 26 will be explained in detail later.

(Station H) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the first lower member 112 disposed within the housing 50 and the sterilizing medium supply device 114 are disposed on the stage station H.

A support rod 113 is fixed to the first lower member 112, and an actuating device 115 (FIG. 2) is connected to the support rod 113.
3 and moves the support rod 113 up and down, for example by air pressure, thereby moving the first lower member 12 up and down.

The first lower member 112 includes a first lower member main body 116, a spiral electromagnetic induction coil 118 disposed within the first lower member main body 116, and a circular groove provided on the upper surface of the first lower member main body 116. and an O-ring 119 disposed within.

The first lower member main body 116 has a discharge port 120 and four pins 122 that support the lid 22, and forms a sealed space together with the lid holding member 26.

The discharge port 120 is provided with an on-off valve and a pressure regulating valve (not shown), which regulate the pressure in the sealed space.

Both ends of the electromagnetic induction coil 118 are connected to a high frequency power source P, and the high frequency power source P supplies a high frequency current to the electromagnetic induction coil 118 at a predetermined timing.

The sterilizing medium supply device 114 is movable from side to side in FIG. 5 so as to be connected to and disconnected from the fluid conduit 130 of the lid holding member 26, and supplies a predetermined sterilizing medium.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lid holding member 26 includes a suction recess 126 provided at the bottom, a suction conduit 128 that communicates the suction recess 126 with a vacuum source (not shown), and a sterilizing medium supply device 114. It has a fluid conduit 130 that communicates with the suction recess 126 .

In the lid holding member 26, a peripheral shoulder 132 forming the suction recess 126 contacts the top surface of the lid 22, and suctions and supports the lid 22 by a vacuum formed in the suction recess 126. By controlling the pressure in the suction recess 126 via the suction conduit 128, the lid retaining member 26
2 can be held and the lid 22 can be released.

Fluid conduit 130 has a control valve 134 and a supply port 136 to which sterilizing medium supply device 114 is connected. The control valve 134 is opened and closed at predetermined timing by a control means (not shown).

At station H, the lid 22 is processed as follows.

As described above, the lid holding member 26 that supported the lid 22 at station G is moved to station H,
When at rest, the first lower member 112 is raised by the actuating device 115, and the lid holding member 26 and the first lower member 112 form a sealed space.

Then, the lid holding member 26 releases the lid 22. Thereby, the lid 22 is supported by the four pins 122 of the first lower member 112. Electric current is supplied to the electromagnetic induction coil 118 of the first lower member 112 to heat the lid.

On the other hand, the sterilizing medium supply device 114 moves to the left in FIG. 5 and connects to the supply port 136 of the fluid conduit 30, and the control valve 134 of the fluid conduit 130 is opened. The sterilizing medium supply device 114 then supplies a sterilizing medium, such as saturated steam, to the top surface of the lid 22 via the fluid conduit 130.

The sterilizing medium passes from the top surface of the lid 22 through between the pins 122 and into the bottom surface of the lid 22, and enters the first lower member main body! It is discharged through 16 discharge ports 120.

Thereafter, the control valve 134 is closed, the supply of the sterilizing medium from the sterilizing medium supply bag [114 is terminated, and the sterilizing medium supply device 114 is moved to the right in FIG. The connection with the port 136 is disconnected. Then, suction is resumed via the suction conduit 128 of the lid holding member 26,
The lid 22 is again supported by the lid holding member 26, and the first
Lower member 112 is lowered.

Then, the second rotary plate 14 rotates, and the lid holding member 26
heads to station ■.

(Station ■) As shown in FIG. 6, Station ■ is provided with a second lower member ■ 40 disposed within the housing 50. As shown in FIG.

The second lower member 140, like the first lower member 112,
It is moved up and down by an actuator (not shown).

The second lower member 140 includes a second lower member main body 142, a spiral electromagnetic induction coil 144 disposed within the second lower member main body 142, and a circular groove provided on the upper surface of the second lower member main body 142. and an O-ring 145 disposed at.

The second lower member main body 142 has a fluid port 146 and a discharge port 1.
48, and forms a sealed space together with the roof holding member 26.

The fluid port 146 is connected to a sterilizing medium supply device (not shown), which supplies the sterilizing medium to the sealed space.

The discharge port 148 is provided with an on-off valve and a pressure regulating valve (not shown), which regulate the pressure within the sealed space.

Both ends of the electromagnetic induction coil 144 are connected to a high frequency power source P, and the high frequency power source P supplies a predetermined high frequency current to the electromagnetic induction coil 144 at a predetermined timing.

The lid holding member 26 holding the lid 22 is on stage 9I.
When the lid holding member 26 and the second lower member 140 come to rest, the second lower member 140 is raised by an actuating device (not shown), and the lid holding member 26 and the second lower member 140 form a sealed space.

Then, current is supplied to the electromagnetic induction coil 144 of the second lower member 140, and the lid is heated.

On the other hand, a sterilizing medium, such as saturated steam, is supplied to the underside of the lid 22 via the fluid port 146 and is discharged via the outlet 148 .

After sterilization is completed, a non-uniform gas such as sterile air is blown from the fluid port 146, thereby promoting discharge of the sterilizing medium and cooling of the lid 22.

After that, the second lower member 140 descends.

Then, the second rotary plate 14 rotates, and the lid holding member 26
heads for station D.

(Station D) As shown in FIG. 7, at station D, the can holding member 24 holding the can body 22 filled with contents is raised by an actuating device t (not shown).
It fits into the lid 22 held by the lid holding member 26.

Then, the suction of the lid 22 by the lid holding member 26 is finished,
The can holding member 26 is lowered, and the can body 26 and the lid 22 are supported on the can holding member 26 in a fitted state.

(Station E) As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, station E is provided with an actuating device (not shown) that raises the double choking device 150 and the can holding member 24 on the upper part of the housing 40. ing.

The double person choking device 150 includes a frame member 152 and a frame member 15.
2, a fixture 154 for fixing the can body 18 and the lid 22, a rotating part 156 rotatably arranged around the fixture 154, a first cam device 158, and a second cam device 158.
cam device 160.

Frame member 152 is fixed above housing 40 .

Fixture 154 has an upper portion 162, a central shaft portion 164, and a lower portion 166.

The upper m162 is fixed to the frame member 152, thereby fixing the central shaft portion 164 and the lower portion 166 to the frame member 152.

The lower part 166 is disc-shaped, and the can body is raised.]
8 and the top surface of the lid 22 to fix them so that they do not rotate.

The rotating part 156 includes a hollow shaft M168 disposed around the shaft part 164 of the fixed part 54, a lower rotary plate 170 integral with the hollow shaft part 168, and a first rotating plate rotatably installed on the rotary plate 170. lever 172 and second lever 174;
A first cam roll 178 and a first tightening roll 180 are rotatably supported on a shaft 176 fixed to a lever 172 of 2 cam roll 184 and the second
It has a winding and tightening roll 186.

The axial position of the hollow shaft 168 is controlled by a spacer 188 disposed between the hollow shaft 168 and the upper part 162 of the fixture 154, and by shoulders 190, 191 of the hollow shaft 168 that engage the frame member 152. , that is, the vertical position is defined.

The upper part of the hollow shaft part 168 is a gear 192, and a rotational driving force from a drive mechanism (not shown) is applied to this gear 192, and the rotating part 156 including the hollow shaft part 168 is rotated.

First cam roll 178 and first winding roll 180
are rotatably supported on the same shaft 176 as described above, and are located above and below the J-th lever 172, respectively, as shown in FIG. A tension spring 198 is provided between a pin 194 installed on the first lever 172 and a pin 196 installed on the rotary plate 170 (FIG. 9), which causes the first cam roll 78 and the ] The winding and tightening roll 180 is forced outward. Then, it is forced inward by the first cam device R158 as described below.

Second cam roll 184 and second winding lock 186
are the first cam roll 17B and the I-th winding tightening roll 1
80 and is forced inward by a second cam device 160.

The first cam device 158 includes a plurality of drive devices 200,
The first cam 202 has a substantially cylindrical shape.

The drive device 200 moves the drive rod 20 at a predetermined timing.
4 to move the first cam 202 up and down.

When the first cam 202 is moved downward, the first cam roll 178 comes into contact with it, and the first cam roll 1
78 and the first winding roll 180 are moved inward, thereby effecting a first stage winding as described below.

Like the first cam device 158, the second cam device 160 includes a plurality of drive devices 206 and a substantially cylindrical first cam 2.
08, and the second cam roll 184 and the second winding and tightening roll 186 are moved inward by the second cam 208, thereby performing the second stage of winding and tightening as described below.

At station E, the can body I8 and lid 22 are processed as follows.

First, the can body 18 and lid 22 that have reached stage 3E are
The raised can holding member 24 and fixture 154 hold the can so that it does not rotate.

Next, the rotating part 156 is rotated, and the first cam 20
2 is lowered by the drive device 200, and the first winding and tightening roll 180 is moved inward to contact the lid 22 and perform the first winding and tightening.

After the first stage winding is finished, the first cam 202 rises and the first
The winding and tightening roll 180 is separated from the can, the second cam 208 descends in its place, and the second winding and tightening roll 186 performs the second stage of tightening.

After the second stage of wrapping is completed, the second cam rises, the rotation of the rotating part 156 is completed, the wrapping and tightening process is completed, and the canned food is completed.

The can held by the can holding member 24 then heads to station F.

(Station F) At Station F, the finished canned food is taken out.

[Second Specific Example] Next, a sterile filling device 310 according to a second specific example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1θ to 14.

(Overview) This aseptic filling device 310 has stations a to h as described below, and aseptically fills a cup-shaped container with liquid contents.

At station a, cup 312 is inserted into cup holder 314.

At station b, cup 312 is sterilized by cup sterilizer 316 .

At station C, the cup 312 placed on the chain conveyor device 320 is filled with previously sterilized contents by the filling device 31g.

At station h, composite film 322 is sterilized by film sterilizer 321 .

At station d, a lid material made of a composite film 322 is thermally bonded to the filled cup 312 by a thermal bonding device 324 .

At station e, the trimming device 326 trims the lid material according to the shape of the cup.

At station f, cup product 422 is removed from cup holder 314.

At station g, chain conveyor device 320
The cup holder 314 is recovered from the cup holder 314 and returned to the station a position.

(Station a) At station a, the cup 312 is inserted into the cup holder 314 as shown in FIG.

Then, by the first conveyor 330, the station b
sent to.

As shown in FIG. 12, the cup holder 314 has a substantially cylindrical shape having a flange 332 at the center and a recess 334 at the center of the top.

The upper part 336 of the cup holder 314 is formed of a heat resistant insulator and has an induction coil 338 therein. The lower peripheral portion 340 of the cup holder 3]4 is
The lower central part 342 is made of a cylindrical ferrite core and has a secondary power supply coil 344 therein.

(Station b) At station b, the empty cup 312
It is sterilized by a sterilizer 316 as shown in FIGS. 13 to 13.

The sterilizer 316 includes a rotating device 346 and a power supply device 348.
(FIG. 13) and a housing 350 provided with spray devices 384 and 385.

The rotation device 346 includes a rotation shaft 352 (FIG. 13) driven by a drive device (not shown), and a rotation shaft 352 (FIG. 13).
The rotating plate 354 is fixed to the rotary plate 354, and these rotate continuously as a unit.

Rotating plate 354 has, for example, eight grooves 356 that accommodate cup holders 314, as shown in FIG.

This groove 356 is connected to the flange portion 33 of the cup holder 314.
It has a shoulder 358 that supports 2.

The power supply device 348 is fixed and stationary, and as shown in FIG. 13, the power supply device 348 extends about 180° around the rotation axis 352 under the groove 356 of the rotation plate 354 in which the cup holder 314 moves. ing.

The power supply device 348 includes two primary power supply coils 360.3.
61 and ferrite cores 362 and 363 arranged around the primary feeding coil 360 and 361. The two primary side power feeding coils 360 and 36] are each connected to a high frequency power source P, and are supplied with a high frequency current. The ferrite cores 362 and 363 are the negative side power feeding coil 36
The high frequency electromagnetic field generated by the 0.361
44.

Housing 350 has an inlet portion 364, a central portion 366, and an outlet portion 368, as shown in FIG.

The bottom of the introduction part 364 is the first conveyor 330, and the cup 312 and the cup holder 31 are mounted on the rotary plate 354.
4 are supplied sequentially.

The central portion 366 of the housing 350 includes the outer cylindrical portion 3
70, an inner cylindrical portion 372, and an annular top portion 374.
and the cup 312 and cup holder 314 to the central part 36.
6 to the discharge part 368 and an inner upper surface part 37 arranged inside the inner cylindrical part 372.
8 and an exhaust conduit 380 installed on the inner top surface portion 378.
and has.

The outer cylindrical portion 370 has a guide portion 382 on its inner wall. The cup holder 314 is introduced into the groove 356 of the rotating plate 354 from the introduction part 364, and the seven rungs 332 are supported by the groove 356. The rotating plate 354 is the 11th
Since the cup holder 314 is rotated at a constant speed in the clockwise direction in the figure, it receives an outward force and moves while contacting the guide portion 382 of the outer cylindrical portion 370.

Therefore, the cup holder 314 is moved while revolving around the rotational axis of the rotary plate 354 and rotating around its own central axis. When the cup holder 314 reaches the guide portion 376, it is forced outward by the guide portion 376 and moved to the ejection portion 368.

The annular top part 374 has two spray devices 384,385
It is equipped with

These spray devices 384, 385, as shown in FIG. 11, have a central hole 386 to which a liquid sterilizing medium, ie, sterilizing liquid, is supplied and a peripheral hole 388 to which sterile air is supplied.
and a sterilizing liquid is sprayed onto the cup 312 held by the cup holder 314.

The bottom of the discharge section 368 of the housing 350 is a second conveyor 390 that conveys the sterilized cups 312 and cup holders 314 to the chain conveyor device 320.

Since the configuration is as described above, the cup 312 and the cup holder 3]4 are connected to the first conveyor 3 of the introduction section 364.
30 disposed within the groove 356 of the rotating plate 354;
be forced to move. And the power supply! ! A high frequency current is induced in the induction coil 338 by the primary feeding coils 360 and 361 of the 348 and the secondary feeding coil 344 of the cup holder 314, and the cup 312 in the recess 334 of the cup holder 314 is heated by induction. heated cup 31
A sterilizing liquid is sprayed onto the inner surface of No. 2 and the No. 7 rung by a spraying device 384 for sterilization. The sterile air and heated vaporized sterile liquid supplied from the two atomizing devices 384 and 385 are sucked and discharged by the discharge conduit 380, as well as the inlet 364 and the discharge 368.
is discharged from. The electromagnetic induction heating continues even after the spraying of the sterilizing liquid is finished, and the temperature of the cup 312 is maintained above the evaporation or decomposition temperature of the sterilizing liquid until the sterilizing liquid in contact with the cup 312 is completely evaporated and decomposed. . In this manner, after the sterile liquid has dissipated on the cup 312, the cup 312 and cup holder 314 are removed from the guide portion 376.
is guided to the discharge section 368 by the second conveyor 39
0 to the chain compare device R320.

(Station C) At station C, as shown in the M2O diagram, the cup holder 3 supported by the chain conveyor device 320
14 into the cup 312 by the filling device 318.
Filled with pre-sterilized contents.

The chain conveyor device 320 has two wheels 392
．． 394, a chain conveyor 396 hung on these wheels 392, 394, and a chain conveyor 39
The plurality of supports mounted on the holder 6 are provided with a pedestal 398.

One of the two wheels 392, 394 is a drive wheel, the other is an idler wheel, and the drive wheel is
It is connected to a drive device (not shown) and drives the chain conveyor 396 intermittently.

The filling device 318 has a similar structure to the filling device 104 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and fills the cup 312 with previously sterilized contents.

As described above, in the stage sink b, the sterilized cup 312 and the cup holder 314 are transported to the second conveyor 39.
0, the receiver sent to the chain conveyor device 320 and attached to the chain conveyor 396 is placed in the platform 398.

The cup 312 and cup holder 314 are then placed under the filling device 318, filled with contents, and sent to station d, which is the next thermal bonding process.

(Station h) At station h, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 14, the film 322 is sterilized by the film sterilizer 321.

The film sterilization bag ff321 includes a pair of drive rolls 400 that drive the film 322 and two electromagnetic induction coils 40.
2.404, a sterile liquid supply device 406, two guide rolls 408.409 and a tension roll 410.

The film 322 is driven by a supply roll 412 and a drive roll 400, and is fed through a guide roll 413.
It is wound up with a constant tension by a winding roll 414.

Drive roll 400 continuously drives film 322.

The two electromagnetic coils 402 and 404 are each connected to a high frequency power source P, thereby causing the film 322
is heated by electromagnetic induction (Fig. 14).

The sterilizing liquid supply device 406 includes three nozzles 416.4.
18.420, and the sterilizing liquid is applied to the film 32.
2 over the entire width of the film 322.

The tension roll 410 adjusts the tension so that the continuously driven film 322 moves synchronously with the intermittently driven cup 312.

In this way, at station h, the film 322
The film 322 is sterilized by being heated by electromagnetic induction and sprayed with a sterilizing liquid.

(Station d) At station d, the film 322 sterilized at station h is thermally bonded to the cup 312 filled with the contents at station C by a thermal bonding device 324 .

This thermal bonding includes a hot plate method in which a hot plate is pressed from above the film 322 and heat is supplied to the joint between the film 322 and the cup 312 through the film 322 to thermally bond the film 322 and the cup 312;
Alternatively, an electromagnetic induction heating method or the like may be used in which the joint between the film 322 and the cup 312 is heated by electromagnetic induction heating.

(Station e) At station e, the film 322 thermally bonded to the cup 312 by station d is trimmed by a trimming device 326 to match the shape of the cup, separating the lid from other parts, and removing the contents. A cup product 422 filled aseptically is completed.

(Station f) At station f, the cup product 422 is separated from the cup holder 314 and collected.

(Station g) At station g, the cup holder 314 is separated from the chain conveyor 396.

The separated cup holder 314 is cleaned and sterilized;
It is returned to station a.

[Example 1] Aseptic filling was performed using the aseptic filling apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 9.

The can body is a welded can (inner diameter 52.3 mm) made of tinplate with a thickness of 0-23 mm and painted on the inside and outside.

An easy-open lid made of aluminum alloy and having a tab at a height of 32.8 mm was used. After filling the contents,
The lid that wraps around the other end of the can body has a thickness of 0-2.
It was molded from a 2 mm tin-free steel plate with painted inner and outer surfaces, and a rubber-like sealing material was applied to the seaming part and dried.

The evaluation method for determining the sterilization time of the can body described above is shown below.

A can body to be evaluated was prepared, and Bacillus and Stearosaphyllus spores were sprayed onto the inner surface of the can in an amount of 106 spores per can body, and the spores were left to dry for 24 hours.

At station B of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, saturated steam (pressure 4 kg/
cm"), the can body is heated by electromagnetic induction before and after the introduction of the saturated steam, and the temperature reaches approximately 135° during sterilization.
C, and the steam pressure in the space including the can body was approximately 4 kg/cm" during sterilization. At that time, the introduction time of saturated steam was varied.

The sterilized can body was filled with a culture medium that had been sterilized in advance, and a lid that had been sufficiently sterilized was rolled up.

After storing these evaluation mortars at 45°C for 5 days, the cans are opened aseptically and the presence or absence of the above-mentioned surviving spores is examined, and the limit of the introduction time of saturated steam at which the number of viable spores in the can body becomes zero is determined. I found the value.

From the above test results, the limit value for the introduction time of saturated steam into the can body was 5 seconds. The electromagnetic induction heating time of the can body at that time was 1 second before the introduction of saturated steam, and the total time was 7 seconds.

As a comparative example, a test similar to the above except that the can body was not heated by electromagnetic induction was conducted, and the limit value of the introduction time of saturated steam into the can body was 30 seconds.

As another comparative example, in the steam example, sterilization was carried out in a dry heat state using only electromagnetic induction heating without introducing saturated steam into the can. The heating temperature of the can body was approximately 135°C, and the limit value of the heating time for sterilizing the can body was determined.
It was 400 seconds.

The same evaluation as above was carried out by replacing the lid and can body, and the sterilization conditions for the lid at stations H and I were the same as the sterilization conditions for the can body at station B. The limit value of the steam introduction time was determined.

From the test results, the limit value for the introduction time of saturated steam into the lid is 4.
At that time, the electromagnetic induction heating time of the lid in each step is 1 second before introducing saturated steam, and the total heating time is 6 seconds.
It was seconds.

[Example 2] A drawn and ironed can (inner diameter 65.3 mm, internal volume 350 m (2)) whose inner and outer surfaces were painted and made of tin was used for the can body. After filling with the contents, the end of the can body was The lid to be rolled up was made of tin-free steel with a thickness of 0 to 22 mm and painted on the inside and outside.

Aseptic filling was performed using the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, and the limit of the sterilization time of the can body was determined using the same evaluation method as in Example 1.

At station B of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, saturated steam (pressure 6 kg/c
The can body was heated by electromagnetic induction before and after the introduction of the saturated steam, and the temperature reached approximately 155℃ during sterilization.
Sterilization was carried out so that the steam pressure in the space including the can body was approximately 6 kg/cm" during sterilization. At that time, the introduction time of saturated steam was varied.

From the above test results, the limit value for the introduction time of saturated steam into the can body is 1 second, and the electromagnetic induction heating time of the can body at that time is 1 second before introducing saturated steam, and the total time is 3 seconds. there were.

As a comparative example, a test similar to the above except that the can body was not heated by electromagnetic induction was conducted, and the limit value of the introduction time of saturated steam into the can body was 12 seconds.

As another comparative example, sterilization was carried out in the above example in a dry heat state using only electromagnetic induction heating without introducing saturated steam into the can body. The heating temperature of the can body was set at approximately 150°C, and the limit value of the heating time for sterilizing the can body was determined.
It was 240 seconds.

[Example 3] A cup-shaped container (inner diameter 65 mm) having 7 rung parts was obtained by drawing a material made by laminating polypropylene films on both sides of a 0.075 mm thick tin-free steel foil via an adhesive. .

height 30mm) and 0.02mmn as the lid material.

A composite film was prepared by adhering a polyolefin film to both sides of aluminum foil.

An aseptic filling test was conducted using the aseptic filling apparatus shown in FIGS. 10 to 14.

Bacillus and stearothermophilus spores were sprayed onto the inner surface of the cup-shaped container in an amount of 10' per cup, and the spores were left to dry for 24 hours.

In the cup sterilizer shown in FIG. 1O, hydrogen peroxide solution with a concentration of 35% was used as the sterilizing liquid, and this was atomized with sterile air and sprayed onto the cup-shaped container described above. The cup-shaped container was heated by electromagnetic induction before and after that, so that the temperature of the cup was about 125° C. when the sterilizing liquid was sprayed. At that time, the sterilization properties were evaluated by varying the moving speed of the cup in the cup sterilizer.

The above sterilized cup was filled with a culture medium that had been sterilized in advance, and a lid material that had been sufficiently sterilized was thermally bonded using a hot plate method to form a cup-shaped container.

After storing the above cup-shaped container at 45°C for 5 days, it is opened aseptically, the presence or absence of the above-mentioned living spores is examined, and the cup is sterilized in a cup sterilizer until the number of living spores in the cup becomes zero. The limit value of processing time was determined. As a result, sterilization was possible in a cup passing time of 3 seconds or more through the sterilizer.

As a comparative example, a cup similar to the above was heated to 125° C. and sterilized in a dry heat state, and the limit value of the sterilization time of the cup was determined to be 360 seconds.

[Effect] In the present invention, by heating the metal container member and bringing it into contact with a sterilizing medium, the container member can be reliably sterilized in a short time, thereby enabling efficient aseptic filling. .

Further, in the present invention, the container to be filled with the contents is sterilized, filled, and the lid is joined while being adhered to the holder, so that the present invention can be applied to even very thin-walled containers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional plan view of an aseptic filling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of station B of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of station C of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of station H of the apparatus of FIG. The 6th flash is a cross-sectional view of station ① of the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of station D of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the stage gin E of the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line ■--E in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a partially sectional side view of the aseptic filling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a partially sectional plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 at stage a>7). FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 at station b. FIG. 13 is another partially sectional plan view at station b of the apparatus of FIG. 1; 14 is a partially sectional plan view of station h of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. IO... Aseptic filling device 12... First processing device J4... Second processing device 16... First rotating plate 18... Can body 20... Second rotating plate 22 ... Lid 24 ... Can holding member 26 ... Lid holding member 55 ... Can sterilizer 58 ・ 61 ・ 62 ・ 96 ・ 104 ・ 114 ・ 118 ・ 144 ・ 150 ・ 3 IO ・ 312 ・ 314・ 316 ・ 318 ・ 320 ・ 322 ・ 324 ・ 326 ・ 328 ・ 336 ・ ・Electromagnetic induction coil・Introduction pipe・Discharge pipe・Electromagnetic induction coil・Filling device・Sterilizing fluid supply device・Electromagnetic induction coil・Electromagnetic induction coil・2 Heavy wrapping device, aseptic filling device, cup, cup holder, cup sterilizing device, filling device, chain conveyor device, thermal bonding device, dark composite film, trimming device, film sterilizing device, induction coil 422...Cup product division / Figure 13 Figure 14

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Heating a metal container member by electromagnetic induction heating; and supplying a sterilizing medium to the metal container member, whereby the heated metal container member is heated. A method for sterilizing a metal container member, characterized in that the metal container member is sterilized by creating a state in which the metal container member is in contact with a sterilizing medium. 2. An electromagnetic induction heating means for heating a metal container member by electromagnetic induction; a supply means for supplying a sterilizing medium to the surface of the metal container member to be sterilized; and a metal heated by electromagnetic induction by the electromagnetic induction heating means. An apparatus for aseptically filling metal containers, comprising a removing means for removing from the container member the sterilizing medium supplied by the supplying means to the surface of the metal container member to be sterilized.