EP0062929A2 - Aseptic packaging method and apparatus - Google Patents
Aseptic packaging method and apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0062929A2 EP0062929A2 EP82103750A EP82103750A EP0062929A2 EP 0062929 A2 EP0062929 A2 EP 0062929A2 EP 82103750 A EP82103750 A EP 82103750A EP 82103750 A EP82103750 A EP 82103750A EP 0062929 A2 EP0062929 A2 EP 0062929A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- chamber
- cartons
- aseptic
- containers
- sterilizing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
- B65B55/02—Sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
- B65B55/027—Packaging in aseptic chambers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
- B65B3/10—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles by application of pressure to material
- B65B3/12—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles by application of pressure to material mechanically, e.g. by pistons or pumps
Definitions
- This invention relates to aseptic packaging methods and apparatus for performing the methods, particularly aseptic packaging of products, for example long-life milk, in cartons.
- an aseptic packaging system in which an aseptic chamber contains an endless chain conveyor which carries tub-form containers from a container supply station to a station at which the containers interiors are sprayed with sterilizing liquid.
- the chains carry the containers in an inverted condition along an underneath run along most of which the container interiors are exposed to drying air from perforated pipes. This drying is intended to evaporate away all of the residual sterilizing liquid.
- the containers are then carried along the upper run of the conveyor past a product filling station, a lidding station and a sealing station to a carton removal station.
- the perforated pipes can also be used for feeding sterilizing fluid therethrough, for example before the apparatus starts its operations, or in between such operations, for the purposes of cleaning or sterilization, followed by drying with sterile drying air.
- This latter cleaning or sterilization is of the interior of the chamber and of the items, such as the chains, therein, and is not of the interiors of the containers.
- United States Patent 3566575 discloses an aseptic packaging machine in which hydrogen peroxide is sprayed into a carton at an aseptic treatment station and evaporated away at a drying station.
- This system has the disadvantage that, unless the carton is to remain at the drying station for an appreciable length of time, which would obviously slow down the whole machine, the drying is inefficient and results in considerable residue of hydrogen peroxide at the filling station.
- the container top is protected by an aseptic atmosphere until it has.been filled, sealed and discharged from the machine.
- the sterile air is supplied from a tube.to a chamber bounded at its underneath by a directional screen which distributes the air over the length and width of the unit.
- Swiss Patent 197802 discloses the use of bactericidal radiation either in the form of an electron beam or in the form of ultra-violet radiation at an aseptic treatment station occupying only a small part of the length of the container path.
- an aseptic packaging method comprising introducing containers into an aseptic chamber . of an aseptic packaging machine of elongate form; conveying said containers along a path in said chamber including both an advance leg and a return leg each extending along the machine ; sterilizing the interiors of said containers to render said interiors aseptic, feeding a product into said containers and sealingly closing said containers , all while said containers are on said path ; characterised in that said sterilizing comprises irradiating said interiors with bactericidal radiation over at least a major portion of the length of said advance leg.
- an aseptic packaging machine of elongate form comprising an aseptic chamber introducing means arranged to introduce containers into said chamber ; conveying means arranged to convey said containers along a path in said chamber including both an advance leg and a return leg each extending along the machine ; sterilizing means arranged to render aseptic the interiors of said containers while said containers are on said path ; feeding means .
- said sterilizing means comprises bactericidal radiation emitting means extending over a section of said path forming at least a major portion of the length of said advance leg.
- the sterilization comprises irradiating the interiors with bactericidal radiation over at least a major portion of the advance leg, it is possible to have a relatively high speed of carton conveyance combined with sufficient sterilization of the carton interior.
- an aseptic packaging method comprising introducing into an aseptic chamber , pre-formed, open-topped cartons ; sterilizing the interiors of the cartons to render said interiors aseptic while the cartons are within the chamber ; feeding a product into the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; top-sealing the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; and removing the product-containing cartons from the chamber ; characterised in that a stream of aseptic air is passed through said chamber in the direction from the product-feeding location to the carton entry of the chamber during said sterilizing, said feeding, and said top-sealing.
- aseptic packaging apparatus comprising an aseptic chamber ; introducing and removing means arranged to introduce pre-formed, open-topped cartons into said chamber and to remove product-containing cartons therefrom; sterilizing means arranged to render aseptic the interiors of the open-topped cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; feeding means . arranged to feed a product into the open-topped cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; and top-sealing means arranged to seal the tops of the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber , characterised in that means is arranged to pass a stream of aseptic air through said chamber in the direction from said feeding means towards a carton entry of said chamber
- the machine 1 for carrying out aseptic packaging includes at one end of the machine a conventional device 2 for pre-forming (including bottom-sealing) gable-topped cartons.
- the open-topped, pre-formed cartons are taken to the other end of the machine through a closed channel 3 by means of a chain system.
- the channel 3 is bounded by covers 4 individually liftable about hinges to give access to the channel interior.
- the open-topped cartons are advanced stepwise and in a vertically upright condition by means of conveying chains 5 along a hairpin-shaped path P of which an advance leg extends along the machine towards the device 2 and a return leg extends along the machine 1 back towards its front end.
- the cartons exit from the channel 3 directly into an aseptic chamber 6 which totally encloses the chains 5 and which is provided with access covers 6"'.
- the chains 5, which are arranged coextensively one above another, have projecting therefrom outwardly of the path P long lugs 5' which extend beyond guide strips extending along the path P, the cartons being received among and advanced along the path P by the long lugs 5' and being supported at one side by the chains 5 and at the other side by the guide strips.
- the chains 5 carry the cartons first of all to a top pre-breaking device 7, where the open top of each carton is pre- broken.
- the cartons are passed beneath high-intensity ultra-violet germicidal lamps 8 which extend over a section of the hairpin-shaped path P which forms at least a major portion, in the present case in fact a major portion, of the length of the advance leg of the path P.
- This means comprises a nozzle arrangement 7' incorporated in the pre-breaker 7 and serving to spray particularly the inside of the carton with H 2 0 2 .
- the combined effect on the interiors of the cartons of the ultraviolet radiation and the hydrogen peroxide has a synergistic sterilizing action which is highly germicidal.
- the chains 5 carry the cartons round through 180° to start the return leg of the path P.
- the cartons first arrive at a filling device 9 where the cartons are filled with an aseptic product, for example long-life milk, the cartons then proceeding to a top heating device 10 where thermoplastics surfaces of the top of each carton are heated to a tacky condition, and the cartons are then advanced to a top sealing device 11 where the gable tops are sealed.
- the cartons leave the aseptic chamber 6 at an exit hole 6" therefrom at the front end of the machine.
- aseptic air is fed from a main sterile air filter to aseptic air inlets 13 and 13' of the chamber 6, in which chamber the aseptic air flows from the inlet 13 relatively smoothly to the front end of the chamber 6, where the aseptic air leaves via an aseptic air outlet 14.
- the aseptic air act as a scavenging gas removing microbes and hydrogen peroxide from the chamber 6, particularly tending to prevent the microbes and the hydrogen peroxide from being carried up to the filling device 9, but the aseptic air also maintains the interior of the chamber 6 at a pressure slightly above atmospheric and thus discourages the entry of ambient air into the chamber.
- the top pre-breaker 7 is in two sections 71 and 72 which are carried by a common horizontal support 73 itself carried by two horizontal arms 74 fixed to a vertically reciprocating plunger 75.
- the section 71 comprises two substantially triangular flaps 76 turnable about respective substantially horizontal parallel pivots 77 by respective oscillatory cranks 78. Betueen.each two advances of the stepwise-advanced cartons, the pre-breaking device 7 is lowered onto the two cartons beneath it, and performs its pre-breaking and simultaneously the H202 is sprayed into the carton immediately beyond the section 72 by the nozzle device 7'.
- the filling device 9 is particularly designed to prevent microbes obtaining access to the aseptic liquid product being supplied to the chamber 6.
- the filling device includes a mounting frame 20 which mounts four stainless steel reciprocatory bellows 21 having bottom walls which are reci- procatorily driven by respective reciprocatory plungers 22 and having top flanges fixed to respective lower limbs of T-unions 23.
- Respective upper limbs of the unions 23 contain respective spring-loaded, non-return, inlet valves which open to allow downward flow through the linbs.
- the chamber 30 is set at a substantially constant pressure owing to the provision of a pressure-regulated air supply to the chamber 30 via a port 33 in a removable end wall 34 of the device 26.
- a rod 35 which is fixed at one end to the plate 32.
- The. rod 35 carries abutment flanges 36 which limit the degree of movement of the vall 32 relative to the wall 34.
- the rod 35 also carries a pointer 37 which moves over a scale 38 to indicate the position of the wall 32 in the device 26.
- the filling system is always absolutely full of long-life milk, so that there are no voids or air spaces, which would possibly allow microbes to obtain access to the milk.
- Another advantage of the present filling system is that all of the internal surface area of the system which in use is in contact with the long-life milk can itself easily be sterilised by simply passing a very hot liquid, chemical cleaning fluid or steam through the filling system, so that all of that internal surface area comes into contact with the very hot liquid, the fluid, or the steam.
- a carton C is shown being filled from one of the nozzles 25. It will be noted that, in this modified manner of filling, the carton C is in a position inclined to the vertical, so that the milk flowing from the nozzle 25 falls dovn onto an internal face of the carton C which face is inclined to the vertical and is directly below the nozzle 25.
- the arrangement shown in Figure 10 has the advantage of minimising the production of foam on the top of the milk.
- the cartons C move along the path P in upright positions, except in the region of the filling device 9, where they are in a tilted condition. It will be appreciated that movement of the carton from its upright condition to its tilted condition and then back to its upright condition can be produced in various ways, particularly by suitable design of the chains 5 and/or the guide'strips for the cartons.
- the machine 1 also includes automatically controlled means for cleaning the internal surface of the aseptic chamber 6, this means consisting of spray nozzles 41 distributed centrally along the length of the chamber. These nozzles serve to supply a cleaning fluid, e.g. a hot detergent solution or steam, to the interior of the chamber 6 in such a manner that the whole of the interior of the chamber 6 receives the cleaning fluid, which can then be drained off through a drain (not shown).
- a cleaning fluid e.g. a hot detergent solution or steam
- the machine 1, particularly the aseptic chamber 6 and the associated machine parts, such as the items 5 to 11, are so designed that the only non-aseptic matter deliberately introduced into the chamber 6 is the preformed cartons C.
- the entry 3' where the empty cartons enter theaseptic chamber 6 and the exit 6" where the filled cartons leave the aseptic chamber can be sealed off outside the chamber 6 by respective air curtains of aseptic air at higher pressure.
- air curtains are established by slotted tubes 81 and 82 seen in Figures 4 and 3, respectively.
- the aseptic air for the curtains is taken from a separate sterile air filter giving higher pressure than the main sterile air filter for the chamber 6 itself.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
- Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
- Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
- Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to aseptic packaging methods and apparatus for performing the methods, particularly aseptic packaging of products, for example long-life milk, in cartons.
- Federal German Specification 2214080 discloses an aseptic packaging system in which an aseptic chamber contains an endless chain conveyor which carries tub-form containers from a container supply station to a station at which the containers interiors are sprayed with sterilizing liquid. The chains carry the containers in an inverted condition along an underneath run along most of which the container interiors are exposed to drying air from perforated pipes. This drying is intended to evaporate away all of the residual sterilizing liquid. The containers are then carried along the upper run of the conveyor past a product filling station, a lidding station and a sealing station to a carton removal station. The perforated pipes can also be used for feeding sterilizing fluid therethrough, for example before the apparatus starts its operations, or in between such operations, for the purposes of cleaning or sterilization, followed by drying with sterile drying air. This latter cleaning or sterilization is of the interior of the chamber and of the items, such as the chains, therein, and is not of the interiors of the containers.
- United States Patent 3566575 discloses an aseptic packaging machine in which hydrogen peroxide is sprayed into a carton at an aseptic treatment station and evaporated away at a drying station. This system has the disadvantage that, unless the carton is to remain at the drying station for an appreciable length of time, which would obviously slow down the whole machine, the drying is inefficient and results in considerable residue of hydrogen peroxide at the filling station. Also in this machine, from the aseptic treatment stage, the container top is protected by an aseptic atmosphere until it has.been filled, sealed and discharged from the machine. At an aseptic fogging and drying unit, the sterile air is supplied from a tube.to a chamber bounded at its underneath by a directional screen which distributes the air over the length and width of the unit. The air flows downwards through the screen and exits downwards through the gaps between the cartons and a split bottom cover of an air control housing. However, such an arrangement has the disadvantage that the slot in the bottom cover and receiving the tops of the cartons does not in practice always have a continuous, smooth outward flow of air, but various suction and other effects, caused by external draughts, carton movement, etc. result in air flowing inwards through the slot and thus carrying in bacteria from outside.
- Swiss Patent 197802 discloses the use of bactericidal radiation either in the form of an electron beam or in the form of ultra-violet radiation at an aseptic treatment station occupying only a small part of the length of the container path. Thus, again there is the disadvantage that, if sufficient sterilization is to be obtained, the speed of advance of the containers, and thus the rate of production of the machine, is undesirably limited.
- According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aseptic packaging method, comprising introducing containers into an aseptic chamber . of an aseptic packaging machine of elongate form; conveying said containers along a path in said chamber including both an advance leg and a return leg each extending along the machine ; sterilizing the interiors of said containers to render said interiors aseptic, feeding a product into said containers and sealingly closing said containers , all while said containers are on said path ; characterised in that said sterilizing comprises irradiating said interiors with bactericidal radiation over at least a major portion of the length of said advance leg.
- According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aseptic packaging machine of elongate form, comprising an aseptic chamber introducing means arranged to introduce containers into said chamber ; conveying means arranged to convey said containers along a path in said chamber including both an advance leg and a return leg each extending along the machine ; sterilizing means arranged to render aseptic the interiors of said containers while said containers are on said path ; feeding means . arranged to feed a product into said containers while said containers are on said path downstream of said sterilizing means ; and sealing means arranged sealingly to close said containers while said containers are on said path downstream of said feeding means ; characterised in that said sterilizing means comprises bactericidal radiation emitting means extending over a section of said path forming at least a major portion of the length of said advance leg.
- By providing that the sterilization comprises irradiating the interiors with bactericidal radiation over at least a major portion of the advance leg, it is possible to have a relatively high speed of carton conveyance combined with sufficient sterilization of the carton interior.
- According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aseptic packaging method, comprising introducing into an aseptic chamber , pre-formed, open-topped cartons ; sterilizing the interiors of the cartons to render said interiors aseptic while the cartons are within the chamber ; feeding a product into the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; top-sealing the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; and removing the product-containing cartons from the chamber ; characterised in that a stream of aseptic air is passed through said chamber in the direction from the product-feeding location to the carton entry of the chamber during said sterilizing, said feeding, and said top-sealing.
- According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided aseptic packaging apparatus, comprising an aseptic chamber ; introducing and removing means arranged to introduce pre-formed, open-topped cartons into said chamber and to remove product-containing cartons therefrom; sterilizing means arranged to render aseptic the interiors of the open-topped cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; feeding means . arranged to feed a product into the open-topped cartons while the cartons are within the chamber ; and top-sealing means arranged to seal the tops of the cartons while the cartons are within the chamber , characterised in that means is arranged to pass a stream of aseptic air through said chamber in the direction from said feeding means towards a carton entry of said chamber
- Because the cartons are within the chamber and the air flow is along the chamber from the feeding station to the carton entry, the possibility of bacteria travelling to the feeding location and to the sterilized cartons is considerably reduced.
- In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
- Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic top plan view of an aseptic packaging machine,
- Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic side elevation of the machine,
- Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic end elevation of the machine in the direction of the arrow III in Figure 2,
- Figure 4 shows a sectional plan view of the left-hand end of the machine in Figure 1,
- Figure 5 shows a sectional end elevation of a top pre-breaking device of the machine,
- Figure 6 shows a side elevation of part of a dosaging filling device of the machine,
- Figure 7 shows a partly sectional end elevation of that part of the filling device,
- Figure 8 shows a sectional side elevation of an expansion device of the filling device,
- Figure 9 shows a sectional end elevation of the expansion device, and
- Figure 10 shows diagrammatically a modified manner of filling a carton by means of the filling device.
- Referring to the drawings, the
machine 1 for carrying out aseptic packaging includes at one end of the machine aconventional device 2 for pre-forming (including bottom-sealing) gable-topped cartons. The open-topped, pre-formed cartons are taken to the other end of the machine through a closedchannel 3 by means of a chain system. Thechannel 3 is bounded by covers 4 individually liftable about hinges to give access to the channel interior. At this front end of the machine, the open-topped cartons are advanced stepwise and in a vertically upright condition by means of conveying chains 5 along a hairpin-shaped path P of which an advance leg extends along the machine towards thedevice 2 and a return leg extends along themachine 1 back towards its front end. The cartons exit from thechannel 3 directly into anaseptic chamber 6 which totally encloses the chains 5 and which is provided with access covers 6"'. The chains 5, which are arranged coextensively one above another, have projecting therefrom outwardly of the path Plong lugs 5' which extend beyond guide strips extending along the path P, the cartons being received among and advanced along the path P by thelong lugs 5' and being supported at one side by the chains 5 and at the other side by the guide strips. The chains 5 carry the cartons first of all to a top pre-breaking device 7, where the open top of each carton is pre- broken. Then the cartons are passed beneath high-intensity ultra-violetgermicidal lamps 8 which extend over a section of the hairpin-shaped path P which forms at least a major portion, in the present case in fact a major portion, of the length of the advance leg of the path P. In the region of the beginning of this section of the path P, there is arranged some means for introducing into the interior of the carton a fine spray of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This means comprises a nozzle arrangement 7' incorporated in the pre-breaker 7 and serving to spray particularly the inside of the carton with H202. The combined effect on the interiors of the cartons of the ultraviolet radiation and the hydrogen peroxide has a synergistic sterilizing action which is highly germicidal. Where the degree of sterilisation required is not very great, it is possible to omit use of hydrogen peroxide. At the downstream end of this path section, the chains 5 carry the cartons round through 180° to start the return leg of the path P. On this leg, the cartons first arrive at afilling device 9 where the cartons are filled with an aseptic product, for example long-life milk, the cartons then proceeding to atop heating device 10 where thermoplastics surfaces of the top of each carton are heated to a tacky condition, and the cartons are then advanced to atop sealing device 11 where the gable tops are sealed. The cartons leave theaseptic chamber 6 at anexit hole 6" therefrom at the front end of the machine. Throughout the operation of the machine, aseptic air is fed from a main sterile air filter toaseptic air inlets 13 and 13' of thechamber 6, in which chamber the aseptic air flows from theinlet 13 relatively smoothly to the front end of thechamber 6, where the aseptic air leaves via anaseptic air outlet 14. Not only does the aseptic air act as a scavenging gas removing microbes and hydrogen peroxide from thechamber 6, particularly tending to prevent the microbes and the hydrogen peroxide from being carried up to thefilling device 9, but the aseptic air also maintains the interior of thechamber 6 at a pressure slightly above atmospheric and thus discourages the entry of ambient air into the chamber. - Referring particularly to Figures 4 and 5, the top pre-breaker 7 is in two
sections horizontal support 73 itself carried by twohorizontal arms 74 fixed to a verticallyreciprocating plunger 75. Thesection 71 comprises two substantiallytriangular flaps 76 turnable about respective substantially horizontalparallel pivots 77 by respectiveoscillatory cranks 78. Betueen.each two advances of the stepwise-advanced cartons, the pre-breaking device 7 is lowered onto the two cartons beneath it, and performs its pre-breaking and simultaneously the H202 is sprayed into the carton immediately beyond thesection 72 by the nozzle device 7'. - The
filling device 9 is particularly designed to prevent microbes obtaining access to the aseptic liquid product being supplied to thechamber 6. Referring to Figures 6 to 9, the filling device includes amounting frame 20 which mounts four stainless steelreciprocatory bellows 21 having bottom walls which are reci- procatorily driven byrespective reciprocatory plungers 22 and having top flanges fixed to respective lower limbs of T-unions 23. Respective upper limbs of theunions 23 contain respective spring-loaded, non-return, inlet valves which open to allow downward flow through the linbs. Intermediate limbs of therespective unions 23 are connected to respectivearcuate pipes 24 which curve downwardly and which at their lower ends are connected torespective outlet nozzles 25 which contain respective spring-loaded, non-return, outlet valves. The chains 5 advance the cartons stepwise directly below the line ofnozzles 25 and a selected number of thebellows 21 are operated each to deliver a predetermined dosage of long-life milk to.the vertically upright cartons, the number ofbellows 21 operated being dependent upon the nominal capacity of the cartons. Thus, with eachbellows 21 being pre-set to deliver a halfpint at each reciprocation, all four bellous 21 are operated for cartons which can each hold one quart. On eachbellows 21 performing a pressure stroke, because the inlet valve in itsunion 23 is held closed by its spring and by the milk pressure, the inlet valve is automatically opened against the action of its spring so that thebellows 21 can draw in milk from anexpansion device 26 shown in Figures 8 and 9: Thedevice 26 is connected to the upper limbs of all of the T-unions 23 by way of itsoutlet 27. A pump (not shown) continuously pumps long-life milk into thedevice 26 through itsinlet 28. The interior of thedevice 26 is divided into anexpansion chamber 29 and a constant-pressure chamber 30 by anannular bellows 31 and a rigid, movable,end closure wall 32 thereof. Thechamber 30 is set at a substantially constant pressure owing to the provision of a pressure-regulated air supply to thechamber 30 via aport 33 in aremovable end wall 34 of thedevice 26. There extends through thewall 34 in a fluid-tight manner arod 35 which is fixed at one end to theplate 32. The.rod 35 carriesabutment flanges 36 which limit the degree of movement of thevall 32 relative to thewall 34. Therod 35 also carries apointer 37 which moves over ascale 38 to indicate the position of thewall 32 in thedevice 26. In use of the machine, when the instantaneous rate of delivery of the pump to theinlet 28 exceeds the rate of drawing of the milk into thebellows 21 via theoutlet 27, thewall 32 is moved by the pressure of the milk to the right in Figure 9 against the action of the air pressure in thechamber 30, so that theexpansion device 26 acts temporarily as a reservoir until the rate of drawing of the milk into thebellows 21 exceeds the rate of delivery by the pump, in which case theplate 32 moves to the left in Figure 9 under the action of the air pressure in thechamber 30. It will thus be appreciated that, at least between the pump (not shown) and the outlet valves in thenozzles 25, the filling system is always absolutely full of long-life milk, so that there are no voids or air spaces, which would possibly allow microbes to obtain access to the milk. Another advantage of the present filling system is that all of the internal surface area of the system which in use is in contact with the long-life milk can itself easily be sterilised by simply passing a very hot liquid, chemical cleaning fluid or steam through the filling system, so that all of that internal surface area comes into contact with the very hot liquid, the fluid, or the steam. - Referring to Figure 10, a carton C is shown being filled from one of the
nozzles 25. It will be noted that, in this modified manner of filling, the carton C is in a position inclined to the vertical, so that the milk flowing from thenozzle 25 falls dovn onto an internal face of the carton C which face is inclined to the vertical and is directly below thenozzle 25. Compared to a conventional arrangement in which a nozzle pours milk down into a carton arranged in a substantially exactly upright position directly below the nozzle and thus the milk leaving the nozzle virtually always pours directly onto a body of milk in the carton, the arrangement shown in Figure 10 has the advantage of minimising the production of foam on the top of the milk. In the present case, the cartons C move along the path P in upright positions, except in the region of thefilling device 9, where they are in a tilted condition. It will be appreciated that movement of the carton from its upright condition to its tilted condition and then back to its upright condition can be produced in various ways, particularly by suitable design of the chains 5 and/or the guide'strips for the cartons. - The
machine 1 also includes automatically controlled means for cleaning the internal surface of theaseptic chamber 6, this means consisting ofspray nozzles 41 distributed centrally along the length of the chamber. These nozzles serve to supply a cleaning fluid, e.g. a hot detergent solution or steam, to the interior of thechamber 6 in such a manner that the whole of the interior of thechamber 6 receives the cleaning fluid, which can then be drained off through a drain (not shown). - The
machine 1, particularly theaseptic chamber 6 and the associated machine parts, such as the items 5 to 11, are so designed that the only non-aseptic matter deliberately introduced into thechamber 6 is the preformed cartons C. - The entry 3' where the empty cartons enter
theaseptic chamber 6 and theexit 6" where the filled cartons leave the aseptic chamber can be sealed off outside thechamber 6 by respective air curtains of aseptic air at higher pressure. Thus the lower-pressure aseptic air inside thechamber 6 is prevented from escaping. These air curtains are established by slottedtubes chamber 6 itself.
Claims (8)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB4911378 | 1978-12-19 | ||
GB7849113 | 1978-12-19 | ||
AU23900/84A AU2390084A (en) | 1978-12-19 | 1984-01-27 | Aseptic packaging |
Related Parent Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP79302970A Division EP0013132B1 (en) | 1978-12-19 | 1979-12-19 | Apparatus comprising a dosaging device for a liquid product and a method for it |
EP79302970.3 Division | 1979-12-19 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0062929A2 true EP0062929A2 (en) | 1982-10-20 |
EP0062929A3 EP0062929A3 (en) | 1983-03-09 |
Family
ID=25619177
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP79302970A Expired EP0013132B1 (en) | 1978-12-19 | 1979-12-19 | Apparatus comprising a dosaging device for a liquid product and a method for it |
EP82103750A Withdrawn EP0062929A3 (en) | 1978-12-19 | 1979-12-19 | Aseptic packaging method and apparatus |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP79302970A Expired EP0013132B1 (en) | 1978-12-19 | 1979-12-19 | Apparatus comprising a dosaging device for a liquid product and a method for it |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (2) | EP0013132B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2390084A (en) |
DE (1) | DE2966863D1 (en) |
MX (1) | MX149758A (en) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0180540B1 (en) * | 1984-10-12 | 1987-12-16 | Ingko GmbH Industrieanlagenbau | Apparatus and method for obtaining and controlling the aseptic conditions in a filling machine |
WO1990009926A2 (en) * | 1989-03-03 | 1990-09-07 | Fbi Brands Ltd. | Packaging perishable liquids in gable top cartons |
US5242701A (en) * | 1988-10-24 | 1993-09-07 | Fbi Brands Ltd. | Method for shelf stable packaging of liquid food in hermetically sealed easy-to-open gable top cartons |
WO2015044512A1 (en) * | 2013-09-26 | 2015-04-02 | Lamican Oy | Ultrasonic defoaming apparatus for a packaging machine and a packaging machine |
WO2020173787A1 (en) * | 2019-02-26 | 2020-09-03 | Å&R Carton Lund Aktiebolag | A method for the manufacture of composite cans and a composite can made by the method |
CN112078862A (en) * | 2020-10-19 | 2020-12-15 | 深圳市美星未来科技有限公司 | Food vacuum packaging machine with sterilization function |
US11878840B2 (en) | 2019-07-02 | 2024-01-23 | Gpi Systems Ab | Method of producing a packaging container and a packaging container |
US12006098B2 (en) | 2018-08-31 | 2024-06-11 | Gpi Systems Ab | Composite container with separable top, a body blank, and a method of separating a top end portion from a main body of the container |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS5749453A (en) * | 1980-09-05 | 1982-03-23 | Jujo Paper Co Ltd | Method of removing hydrogen peroxide from food instrument material |
DE3134182C2 (en) * | 1981-08-28 | 1985-05-02 | Jagenberg-Werke AG, 4000 Düsseldorf | Outlet nozzle on filling devices for liquids |
AU1292483A (en) * | 1982-03-30 | 1983-10-06 | Liquipak International B.V. | Valve device |
EP0092966B1 (en) * | 1982-04-22 | 1987-01-28 | Daiwa Can Company, Limited | Method of manufacturing gas-sealed containered food |
EP0162968B1 (en) * | 1984-05-26 | 1987-12-02 | Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. | Packaging machine |
DE3808058C2 (en) * | 1988-03-11 | 1995-05-24 | Tetra Pak Ab | Device for the sterile packaging of flowable filling goods |
GB9307136D0 (en) * | 1993-04-06 | 1993-05-26 | Total Process Containment Ltd | Continuous sanitisation system |
EP2405947A1 (en) * | 2009-03-11 | 2012-01-18 | Sidel S.p.A. | Apparatus and method for sterilizing objects |
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US3566575A (en) * | 1968-02-26 | 1971-03-02 | Ex Cell O Corp | Aseptic packaging machine |
CH530307A (en) * | 1970-08-06 | 1972-11-15 | Hoffmann Ag Geb | System for sterile packaging of a product in containers |
DE2214080A1 (en) * | 1972-03-23 | 1973-10-04 | Hamba Maschf | DEVICE FOR THE STERILE FILLING OF FOOD AND TOURISM |
CH572415A5 (en) * | 1974-04-10 | 1976-02-13 | Aluminiumwerke Ag Rorschach | |
GB1531139A (en) * | 1974-12-11 | 1978-11-01 | Alcan Res & Dev | Aseptic packaging |
WO1980001457A1 (en) * | 1979-01-11 | 1980-07-24 | J Peel | Method of sterilisation |
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CH540478A (en) * | 1971-04-06 | 1973-08-15 | Sig Schweiz Industrieges | Dosing device for liquids and pasty products |
US4014158A (en) * | 1973-08-24 | 1977-03-29 | Ab Ziristor | Apparatus for filling and sealing preformed packaging containers under aseptic conditions |
-
1979
- 1979-12-19 EP EP79302970A patent/EP0013132B1/en not_active Expired
- 1979-12-19 DE DE7979302970T patent/DE2966863D1/en not_active Expired
- 1979-12-19 EP EP82103750A patent/EP0062929A3/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1980
- 1980-01-02 MX MX180598A patent/MX149758A/en unknown
-
1984
- 1984-01-27 AU AU23900/84A patent/AU2390084A/en not_active Abandoned
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US3566575A (en) * | 1968-02-26 | 1971-03-02 | Ex Cell O Corp | Aseptic packaging machine |
CH530307A (en) * | 1970-08-06 | 1972-11-15 | Hoffmann Ag Geb | System for sterile packaging of a product in containers |
DE2214080A1 (en) * | 1972-03-23 | 1973-10-04 | Hamba Maschf | DEVICE FOR THE STERILE FILLING OF FOOD AND TOURISM |
CH572415A5 (en) * | 1974-04-10 | 1976-02-13 | Aluminiumwerke Ag Rorschach | |
GB1531139A (en) * | 1974-12-11 | 1978-11-01 | Alcan Res & Dev | Aseptic packaging |
WO1980001457A1 (en) * | 1979-01-11 | 1980-07-24 | J Peel | Method of sterilisation |
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THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED BACTERIOLOGY, vol. 47, no. 2, October 1979, London, New York, San Francisco C.E. BAYLISS AND W.M. WAITES "The Combined Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide and Ultraviolet Irradiation on Bacterial Spores" pages 263-269 * |
Cited By (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0180540B1 (en) * | 1984-10-12 | 1987-12-16 | Ingko GmbH Industrieanlagenbau | Apparatus and method for obtaining and controlling the aseptic conditions in a filling machine |
US5421512A (en) * | 1988-03-11 | 1995-06-06 | Fbi Brands Ltd. | System for packaging perishable liquids in gable top cartons |
US5242701A (en) * | 1988-10-24 | 1993-09-07 | Fbi Brands Ltd. | Method for shelf stable packaging of liquid food in hermetically sealed easy-to-open gable top cartons |
WO1990009926A2 (en) * | 1989-03-03 | 1990-09-07 | Fbi Brands Ltd. | Packaging perishable liquids in gable top cartons |
WO1990009926A3 (en) * | 1989-03-03 | 1990-11-29 | Fbi Brands Ltd | Packaging perishable liquids in gable top cartons |
WO2015044512A1 (en) * | 2013-09-26 | 2015-04-02 | Lamican Oy | Ultrasonic defoaming apparatus for a packaging machine and a packaging machine |
US12006098B2 (en) | 2018-08-31 | 2024-06-11 | Gpi Systems Ab | Composite container with separable top, a body blank, and a method of separating a top end portion from a main body of the container |
WO2020173787A1 (en) * | 2019-02-26 | 2020-09-03 | Å&R Carton Lund Aktiebolag | A method for the manufacture of composite cans and a composite can made by the method |
US11878840B2 (en) | 2019-07-02 | 2024-01-23 | Gpi Systems Ab | Method of producing a packaging container and a packaging container |
CN112078862A (en) * | 2020-10-19 | 2020-12-15 | 深圳市美星未来科技有限公司 | Food vacuum packaging machine with sterilization function |
CN112078862B (en) * | 2020-10-19 | 2021-04-06 | 深圳市美星未来科技有限公司 | Food vacuum packaging machine with sterilization function |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE2966863D1 (en) | 1984-05-03 |
AU2390084A (en) | 1984-05-17 |
MX149758A (en) | 1983-12-15 |
EP0062929A3 (en) | 1983-03-09 |
EP0013132A1 (en) | 1980-07-09 |
EP0013132B1 (en) | 1984-03-28 |
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