Method for cleaning and/or disinfecting sealing elements, sealing machine, and sealing element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10640350-B2
Application number	US-201615749852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2016
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

Cleaning a sealing element includes pausing a rotor that bears the sealing elements at an angle from a set of discrete angles such that a sealing element is brought to a cleaning station. The station's coupling piece connects to the sealing element and allows cleaning medium to flow into it.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising cleaning a first sealing element from a plurality of sealing elements, wherein cleaning said first sealing element comprises cleaning said sealing element with a first cleaning medium, wherein cleaning with said first cleaning medium comprises, during a cleaning mode, feeding a first cleaning medium through a first coupling piece so that said first cleaning medium flows through an interior chamber of said first sealing element, around a functional element located in said interior chamber, and around a sealing tool used to apply a closure to a container, wherein cleaning said first sealing element comprises, causing a rotor that bears said sealing elements to pause during rotation thereof at an angle from a set of discrete angles such that said rotor rotates step-by-step until said first sealing element has been brought to a cleaning station that comprises said first coupling piece, causing said first coupling piece to connect to said first sealing element, and, upon completion of treatment, mechanically removing said first coupling piece from said first sealing element.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discharging said first cleaning medium out of said first sealing element through a second coupling piece of said cleaning station, wherein said discharging comprises mechanically coupling said second coupling piece to said first sealing element and mechanically removing said second coupling piece after having completed treatment of said first sealing element with said first cleaning medium.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, while said first and second coupling pieces are coupled to said first sealing element, one of said coupling pieces forms a rinsing chamber that accommodates said sealing tool.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein cleaning said first sealing element further comprises causing said rotor to rotate to a subsequent angle from said discrete set of angles and to pause at said subsequent angle, thereby bringing said first sealing element to said subsequent angle, and, after having done so, cleaning said first sealing element with a second cleaning medium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein cleaning said first sealing element comprises causing an electronic controller to execute a stored program that controls said cleaning mode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of causing said first coupling piece to connect to said first sealing element, and, upon completion of treatment, mechanically removing said first coupling piece from said first sealing element comprises causing said first coupling piece to move along an axial direction thereof, wherein causing said first coupling piece to move along said axial direction comprises causing said axial direction to move in a direction that is radial to a sealing-element axis of said sealing element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of causing said first coupling piece to connect to said first sealing element, and, upon completion of treatment, mechanically removing said first coupling piece from said first sealing element comprises causing said movement to be effected by a structure selected from the group consisting of a robot, a manipulator, and a linear-motor drive.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein feeding said first cleaning medium comprises causing said first cleaning medium to flow through a connection port and using said first coupling piece to open said connection port and to close said connection port.

9. An apparatus comprising a sealing assembly, wherein said sealing assembly comprises a plurality of sealing elements mounted on a rotor and a cleaning station, wherein said cleaning station is disposed on a trajectory of said sealing elements, wherein said cleaning station does not rotate with said rotor, wherein said cleaning station comprises a first coupling piece, wherein said first coupling piece is arranged at said cleaning position, wherein said first coupling piece is configured to be mechanically coupled to said sealing element prior to cleaning said sealing element, wherein said first coupling piece is configured to be mechanically decoupled from said sealing element after said sealing element has been cleaned, wherein each sealing element comprises a sealing tool, wherein said sealing assembly operates in a cleaning mode and in an operating mode, wherein, in operating mode, said sealing assembly seals containers with closures and said rotor is driven continuously about a vertical machine-axis, and wherein, in cleaning mode, said rotor is configured to be driven to rotate step-by-step about said vertical machine-axis when said sealing assembly such that said rotor pauses at each angle in a discrete set of angles and said first coupling piece feeds a first cleaning medium into said sealing element.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising, at said cleaning station, a second coupling piece, wherein said second coupling piece discharges said first medium, wherein said second coupling piece is mechanically moved for coupling and uncoupling.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said cleaning station comprises a structure for causing movement of said first coupling piece, said structure selected from the group consisting of a robot, a manipulator, and a linear-motion drive.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said closing station further comprises a second coupling piece, wherein said discrete set of angles at which said rotor pauses comprises a first angle and a second angle, wherein said first coupling piece is disposed at a first angle within said set of angles, and wherein said second coupling piece is disposed at a second angle within said set of angles.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a machine controller that autonomously controls all sequences of the cleaning mode, wherein said machine controller controls said step-by-step rotation of said rotor, wherein said machine controller controls coupling and uncoupling said first coupling piece, and wherein said machine controller controls opening and closing of a feed line for said cleaning medium.

14. An apparatus comprising a sealing element of a sealing assembly for sealing containers with closures, said sealing element comprising a housing, a sealing tool, a first connection port, and a functional element, wherein said sealing element defines a sealing-element axis, wherein said housing defines an interior chamber, wherein cleaning medium flows through said first connection port into said interior chamber, wherein said sealing tool is disposed in said interior chamber, wherein said functional element comprises a hollow shaft, wherein said hollow shaft rotates about said sealing-element axis, wherein said hollow shaft lifts along said sealing-element axis for fixing a closure to a container, wherein said housing accommodates at least a partial length of said hollow shaft, wherein said hollow shaft comprises flow channels and openings, wherein said openings permit fluid to flow between an interior and exterior of said hollow shaft, and wherein said flow channels and openings define a branched flow path for said cleaning medium.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said sealing element is configured to process crown-cap closures and wherein said functional element comprises a pressure cylinder.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said connection port is sealed and opened automatically when said sealing assembly operates in cleaning mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a second connection port for feeding a different cleaning medium, wherein said fir

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Härtel Manfred
• Beisel Michael
• CLüSSERATH LUDWIG

Classifications

• B67B2201/08

  Aseptic features · CPC title

• B67B1/04

  by inserting threadless stoppers, e.g. corks · CPC title

• B67B3/003 Primary

  Pretreatment of caps, e.g. cleaning, steaming, heating or sterilizing · CPC title

• B67B3/10 Primary

  Capping heads for securing caps {(B67B3/023 takes precedence)} · CPC title