DE102011106760A1 - Method and linear system for filling containers with a product - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for filling containers with a filling material and for subsequently closing the filled containers with container closures, wherein the container with a linear conveyor in a container transport direction clocked moves to a closing device, there closed in at least one standstill phase of the clocked movement with a container closure and in a subsequent movement phase of the clocked movement to be moved.

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a linear system according to the preamble of claim 7.

The metered introduction of liquid nitrogen into the headspace of filled containers is also known in the beverage industry in particular to displace the air present on the one hand by the evaporation or outgassing of nitrogen from the headspace and thus existing oxygen (oxygen reduction), but on the other hand an internal pressure in the To produce closed container, thereby also for thin-walled containers, d. H. For containers with low weight, achieved sufficient stability and thus the use of such containers is possible. The oxygen reduction in the headspace of the container, especially in oxygen-sensitive products or products whose durability and quality significantly improved, z. B. reduced the vitamin C degradation in corresponding drinks.

Also known is the sterile filling and sealing of containers, in particular also the sterilization of the closures used during sealing by exposure to a suitable sterilization medium, for example with aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of high concentration and with subsequent drying immediately before use of the respective container closure ( EP 1 741 666 A2 . EP 0 993 418 B1 . EP 1 175 343 B1 ).

The object of the invention is to provide a method by which a filling and closing of containers under pressure at least the headspace of the filled containers with nitrogen, preferably with liquid nitrogen, with optimal oxygen reduction and yet sufficient internal container pressure, preferably overpressure in each filled container possible is. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. A linear system for carrying out the method is the subject of claim 7.

In the invention, the loading of the container or of the contents of the container not occupied headspace of the container with the liquid nitrogen during a movement phase of the clocked movement of the container takes place, preferably in the application or placement of the respective container closure immediately preceding movement phase of the clocked movement , This will u. a. ensures that sufficient time remains for evaporation or outgassing of the nitrogen and thus sufficient time to displace air and oxygen from the headspace of the container, but at the same time after the final closure of the respective container, this has a sufficient nitrogen-generated internal pressure.

With the method according to the invention, an oxygen reduction is possible without any problems, so that far less than 1% of the original oxygen remains in the respective headspace.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, only a "loose" application of the container closure takes place after exposure of the respective container with liquid nitrogen, d. H. an application of the container closure in such a way that, although this is sufficiently secured to the respective container, between the container closure and container remain passages through which nitrogen and air displaced therefrom and in particular oxygen can flow outward. Only after expiry of a further time interval, which corresponds approximately to the duration of a movement step of the clocked movement, with which the containers are moved by the linear system, or an integer multiple thereof, does the final tight closure of the container with the respective container closure.

The closures are preferably cap-like closures, for example those which are fastened by deformation and / or screwing onto the containers or onto the container areas having the container mouth.

"Headspace" of the container is in the sense of that part of the container interior below the container opening, which is not occupied by the filling after filling.

The term "substantially" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5%, and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of an embodiment. Show it:

1 in a very simplified schematic representation and in plan view of a linear system for filling and closing of containers in the form of bottles under sterile conditions with oxygen reduction and with construction of a container internal pressure (eg overpressure) in the sealed container;

2 in a simplified partial view and in side view of the closure device having the section of the system 1 ;

3 in partial representation and in section one of the dosing heads of a nitrogen metering device with metering valve and nozzle opening;

4 in positions a) and b) in each case a partial container with a container closure, after a first, provisional placement of the container closure (position a)) and after the final fastening of the container closure (position b)).

The in the 1 generally with 1 designated linear system is used for filling and sterile sealing of containers 2 in the form of bottles. The containers to be filled and sealed 2 be the plant 1 via a container inlet 3 fed according to the arrow A and then in a multi-lane container stream or on multiple trajectories 4.1 with a transporter 4 through different sections of the plant 1 moves, in the illustrated embodiment by a section 5 for pretreating the containers 2 through a section 6 for filling the containers 2 and through a section 7 for closing the containers 2 under sterile conditions. The containers 2 stand, for example, with their soil on the conveyor 4 on and are in the area of their container mouth by synchronous with moving support elements 4.2 secured against falling over or the transporter 4 is for a hanging transport the container 2 educated.

The so filled and sealed containers 2 be via a container outlet 8th discharged according to the arrow C. The movement of the containers 2 through the sections 5 . 6 and 7 in the transport direction B is clocked, ie in a progressive transport movement, in the stoppage phases and phases of movement alternately follow each other. It is understood that for the particular treatment of the container 2 necessary facilities at every trajectory 4.1 are provided. Furthermore, the upright, ie oriented with their container axes in the vertical direction container 2 so through the sections 5 - 7 moves that at least the respective container opening or container mouth 2.1 in a sterile room 9 ( 2 ), which is at least during operation of the system 1 with a sterile gas and / or vapor medium, preferably with a slight overpressure, for example, with sterile air is applied.

The 2 shows the section 7 one of the trajectories 4.1 in the area of a closing device. Shown are the containers 2 with theirs in sterile or aseptic space 9 arranged container mouths 2.1 as well as a closure transfer station 10 and a closing station following in the direction of transport B. 11 coming from the lock transfer station 10 in the direction of transport B by a clock or movement step of the clocked transport movement or by an integral multiple of such a movement step is spaced. The for closing the container 2 or the container mouths 2.2 serving cap-like container closures 12 be in sterile form, for example after sterilization with a suitable sterilization medium, for example with H2O2 and after drying via a sliding guide 13 one in the sterile room 9 arranged shutter providing position of the shutter transfer station 10 fed and from there with a closure transfer element in the standstill phase of the clocked transport movement to a respective container mouth 2.1 placed. After another movement stroke of the clocked movement is the container in question 2 then under the capping station 11 at the container closure 12 in the standstill phase of the clocked transport movement finally at the container mouth 2 having the mouth region of the container in question 2 is fixed, for example by pressing and / or pressing and / or deformation and / or screwing and / or welding and / or sealing, etc.

Relative to the transport direction B of the closure transfer station 10 in advance, there is a nozzle opening in the sterile room 14 for the metered discharge of liquid nitrogen (N2) into the headspace of the filled containers 2 intended. The nozzle opening 14 that are part of a sterile room 9 obliquely from top to bottom reaching into the nozzle head 16 a nitrogen dosing unit 15 is, is in this sterile 9 arranged so that their distance from the closure transfer station 10 or from the area where the transfer of the respective container closure 12 on a container 2 takes place in the transport direction B is smaller than the distance between the closure transfer station 10 and the capping station 11 or smaller than a movement step of the clocked transport movement of the container 2 , Furthermore, the nozzle head 16 and the nozzle opening 14 arranged so that the axis DA of the nozzle opening 14 in a vertical or substantially vertical plane with the transport direction B an acute angle α, ie an angle α less than 45 °, which opens against the transport direction B ( 3 ). The nozzle opening 14 above the trajectory of the container mouths 2.1 is located at a level below the level of the shutter-providing position 14 and is generally oriented so that with its container mouth 2.1 below the nozzle 14 passing container 2 and in particular their headspace with the from the nozzle opening 14 be discharged metered liquid nitrogen.

For metered delivery of the liquid nitrogen is the nozzle opening 14 formed as a metering valve, using a plunger-like valve body 16 with its tapered end into the open end of the dosing head 15 trained channel 16 extends and thereby the annular nozzle opening 14 forms. By axial adjustment (double arrow D) of the valve body 17 the nozzle opening can be opened more or less.

Due to the described design and arrangement of the dosing 16 and the nozzle opening 14 Not only does that reach the headspace at the nozzle opening 14 passing container 2 is reliably acted upon by the liquid nitrogen, but in particular also ensures that sufficient time remains for the expansion or evaporation or outgassing of the liquid nitrogen in the respective headspace and thus for the displacement of oxygen in particular from the head space, yet applying the container closures 12 so promptly that after closing the respective container 2 still a sufficiently high nitrogen internal pressure in the closed container 2 is available.

After placing the respective container closure 12 on a container, this container closure 2 Although there temporarily fixed in its position, but only so loose that any further oxygen is displaced by further evaporation of liquid nitrogen, together with a certain proportion of nitrogen from the headspace of the container. The time available for this corresponds to the distance between the closure transfer station 10 and the capping station 11 , ie the duration of a movement phase of the clocked transport movement or a multiple thereof.

As the nozzle opening 14 in the manner described above at a level below the level of the shutter-providing position 10.1 the closure transfer station 10 located and the nozzle head 15 in the manner described above in the container transport direction B obliquely downward in the direction of the trajectory of the container mouths 2.1 is directed, with the out of the nozzle opening 14 discharged nitrogen or with the resulting and partially rising nitrogen mist also after closing on the container mouth 2.1 resting inside of the sliding guide 13 waiting or in the lock transfer station 10.1 the closing station 11 traveled closure 12 gaseous nitrogen trapped or displaced oxygen. Thus, the gas volume on the inside of the respective closure 12 which is located in the closure transfer element of the closure transfer station 10 is depleted of oxygen before or during this on a container 2 will be patched. As a result, the quality of the oxygen-free or oxygen-poor filling and sealing of the container 2 significantly improved.

The nozzle head 16 is further designed and arranged or inclined so that its channel 16.1 and the inner surface of this channel also has an inclination relative to the horizontal in all areas. The channel 16 can thus especially in the case of a full or large open nozzle opening 14 be completely emptied, namely z. B. at the end of a production phase or during a cleaning and sterilization phase, in which then not only the nozzle head 16 , but also all other components of the plant 1 be treated with a suitable cleaning and / or sterilization medium.

In the illustrated embodiment, at least the final filling of the containers takes place 2 with a filling station 18 a few bars, usually two to four bars, before putting on the closures 2 on the filled containers 2 ie in the stoppage phase of the timed movement, before the containers in the next movement phase of this movement to the closure transfer station 10 moved and in this phase of movement before the next standstill phase with the out of the nozzle opening 14 exiting nitrogen are applied.

Preferred are in the sterile room 9 only such functional elements, in particular also the closure transfer station 10 , the closing station 11 , the filling station 18 as well as the nitrogen dosage units 15 provided, which interact directly with the containers, while the remaining parts or elements of such stations outside the sterile room 9 , Preferably above this space are arranged, in particular also means for providing the at the nozzle opening 14 discharged liquid nitrogen.

In the section 7 be during the cleaning and sterilization phase in a cleaning and / or sterilization operation of the plant 1 the used cleaning and / or Sterilization media, which are, for example, vapor and / or gaseous and / or liquid media, such as H2O2 in aqueous solution with high concentration and as an aerosol or vapor, including through the channels 16.1 the nozzle heads 16 passed, wherein the at the respective nozzle opening 14 exiting cleaning and / or sterilization medium via a directly at the respective nozzle opening 14 arranged pipe section 19 is derived. Furthermore, during the cleaning and / or sterilization operation, the respective cleaning and / or sterilization medium, inter alia, also the sterile room 9 at appropriate areas for cleaning and / or sterilizing this room and the functional elements arranged there and fed out of the room 9 For example, at areas between the trajectories 4.1 the container 2 derived again. The functional elements serving for the introduction and discharge of the cleaning and / or sterilization media, in particular also pipe sections 19 are, so far as they interfere with the normal filling and sealing profile, designed so that they for this filling and closing operation of the plant 1 or at least from the movement space of the container 2 are movable out or swivel.

A special feature of the plant 1 consists inter alia in a metered treatment of the filled containers 2 with liquid nitrogen in a linear plant 1 or linear machine for cooling and closing the container 2 under aseptic conditions, with a relatively long outgassing phase for the nitrogen for oxygen reduction with yet secure nitrogen pressure build-up in the containers is achieved in close tolerances.

The invention has been described above by means of an embodiment. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Plant for filling and closing containers

2

container

2.1

container mouth

3

container inlet

4

carrier

4.1

conveyor belt

5, 6, 7

section

8th

container outlet

9

sterile room

10

Closure transfer station

10.1

Closure supply position

11

closing station

11.1

closing

12

container closure

13

Sliding guide for the closures 12

14

nozzle opening

15

dosing

16

channel

17

valve body

18

filler

19

pipe section

A, B, C

Container transport direction

D

axial adjustment

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1741666 A2 [0003]
• EP 0993418 B1 [0003]
• EP 1175343 B1 [0003]

Claims (15)

Method for filling containers ( 2 ) with a filling material, preferably with a liquid filling material, and for subsequent closing of the filled containers ( 2 ) with container closures ( 12 ), the containers ( 2 ) with a linear conveyor ( 4 ) in a container transport direction (B) clocked to a closing device ( 10 . 11 ), there in at least one standstill phase of the clocked movement with a container closure ( 12 ) are closed and moved on in a subsequent phase of movement of the clocked movement, characterized in that in a the placement of the respective container closure ( 12 ) to a container ( 2 ) preceding movement phase of the clocked movement of the headspace of the container ( 2 ) is metered with nitrogen, preferably with liquid nitrogen, for a displacement of air and in particular oxygen from the headspace and for obtaining a container internal pressure for each sealed container ( 2 ). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the metered admission of the headspace with nitrogen via at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ), wherein the metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) with its nozzle or opening axis (DA) is preferably arranged so that one of the metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) exiting nitrogen jet also has a directed in container transport direction (B) component. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when cap-like container closures ( 12 ) is also the interior of these closures for displacing air and oxygen with nitrogen, preferably with the from the at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) discharged nitrogen. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the admission of the headspace of the container ( 2 ) with nitrogen first on the respective container ( 2 ) a container closure ( 12 ) is placed in such a way that while this in the area of the container mouth ( 2.1 ), but allows further leakage of vaporized nitrogen and thus further displacement of air and oxygen from the head space, and that only after another movement phase of the clocked movement at a Verschließposition or station ( 11 ) the final fixing of the container closure ( 12 ) on the container ( 2 ) he follows. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the loading of the containers with nitrogen and the closing of the filled containers, preferably also the filling of the containers ( 2 ) in a sterile room ( 9 ) in which the containers ( 2 ) at least with their container mouths ( 2.1 ) are included. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling and closing of the containers ( 2 ) together with the supply of nitrogen to the headspace of the containers and, if appropriate, the container closures ( 12 ) with the nitrogen on several parallel trajectories ( 4.1 ) respectively. Linear installation for filling and closing containers ( 2 ) with a filling material, preferably with a liquid filling material, wherein the containers ( 2 ) on at least one trajectory ( 4.1 ) with a linear conveyor ( 4 ) in a clocked movement at least through sections ( 6 . 7 ) for filling and closing the containers ( 2 ), characterized in that above the trajectory of the container ( 2 ) or the container mouths ( 2.1 ) at least one trajectory ( 4.1 ) at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) for the metered introduction of nitrogen, preferably liquid nitrogen, into the headspace of the filled containers ( 2 ) and that the at least one nozzle is positioned so that the introduction of the nitrogen into the respective head space during the movement phase of the clocked movement of the container ( 2 ) he follows. Linear installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) at the trajectory ( 4.1 ) relative to the container transport direction (B) after a filling station ( 18 ) and in front of a closure transfer station ( 10 ) is provided, preferably at a distance from the closure transfer station ( 10 ), which is at most equal, but preferably smaller than the length of a movement step of the clocked movement of the transporter ( 4 ). Linear installation according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the axis (DA) of the metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) with the container transport direction (B) an acute angle (α), ie an angle (α) is less than 90 °, which opens against the container transport direction (B). Linear installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) from a nozzle head ( 16 ) of a nitrogen dosing station ( 15 ) and that the at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) forming channel ( 16.1 ) of the nozzle head ( 16 ) is also inclined with respect to the container transport direction (B). Linear installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) is disposed at a level below a level at which the container closures ( 12 ) at a closure providing position or station ( 10.1 ) the closure transfer station ( 10 ) are arranged. Linear installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure transfer station ( 10 ) for a loose placement or loose fixing the container closures ( 12 ) is trained. Linear installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a sterile room ( 9 ), in which the containers ( 2 ) at least with its container mouth ( 2.1 ) are moved. Linear installation according to claim 13, characterized in that during filling and closing of the containers ( 2 ) directly with the containers ( 2 ) cooperating functional elements as well as the at least one metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) or this metering nozzle or nozzle opening ( 14 ) having part of the dosing ( 16 ) in the sterile room ( 9 ) are housed, and that the remaining parts or functional elements of the closure transfer station ( 10 ), the capping station ( 11 ) and the nitrogen dosing station ( 15 ) outside the sterile room ( 9 ) are provided. Linear installation according to claim 13 or 14, characterized by means for cleaning and / or sterilizing at least the sterile room ( 9 ) and the functional element arranged in this space with at least one gaseous and / or vaporous and / or liquid cleaning and / or sterilizing medium, wherein means for supplying and / or discharging the at least one cleaning and / or sterilizing medium are provided, for example that they are movable after a cleaning and / or sterilization operation at least from a movement space in which the containers ( 2 ) during a filling and closing operation.

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