Aseptic filling apparatus and method of decontaminating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11780719-B2
Application number	US-202117210694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Sep 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

In an aseptic filling apparatus, a CIP of the content filling station is performed after rotation of a wheel in the content filling station is stopped, a COP or SOP of the content filling station is performed while the wheel in the content filling station is rotating immediately after the CIP is completed, an SIP of the content filling station is performed with rotation of the wheel in the content filling station being stopped immediately after the COP or SOP is completed, and one or both of the COP and SOP of the other stations is performed in a predetermined order while wheels in the other stations are rotating in a period from the start of the CIP to the end of the SIP.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus, the aseptic filling apparatus comprising various kinds of stations including a content filling station arranged from an upstream side to a downstream side of a flow of a preform or container fed by rotation of wheels in a wheel train, and each of the various kinds of stations being covered by a chamber, wherein a CIP of the content filling station is performed after rotation of a wheel in the content filling station is stopped, the temperature of a cleaning liquid is raised to a temperature required for an SIP subsequent to the CIP from an early stage or a middle of the CIP, the SIP of the content filling station is performed to sterilize the content filling station and the cleaning liquid is removed with rotation of the wheel in the content filling station kept stopped, and one or both of a COP and an SOP of the content filling station is performed in a predetermined order while the wheel in the content filling station is rotating immediately after the SIP is completed.

2. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the SOP of the content filling station and the SOP of other stations are performed stepwise immediately after the SIP of the content filling station is completed.

3. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the SOP is performed by blasting of hot water or a sterilizer and blasting of aseptic water.

4. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the SOP of the content filling station and the SOP of other stations are performed in parallel with each other immediately after the SIP of the content filling station is completed.

5. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the SOP of other stations is performed while the CIP or SIP of the content filling station is being performed, and the SOP is performed by spraying of a sterilizer containing hydrogen peroxide or blasting of gas or mist of the sterilizer.

6. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein aseptic air is constantly blasted to the content filling station in the chamber.

7. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a clutch that connects and disconnects transmission of power between wheels is provided between the wheel in the content filling station and a wheel in another station, and the clutch is disconnected to stop rotation of the wheel in the content filling station.

8. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wheels in the wheel train are capable of being rotated independently of each other by a dedicated servo motor, and the dedicated servo motor is stopped to stop rotation of the wheel in the content filling station.

9. The method of decontaminating an aseptic filling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, of the various kinds of stations, the stations other than the content filling station include at least one selected from a container molding station, a container sterilizing station, a container sealing station and a lid sterilizing station.

Assignees

• Dainippon Printing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hayakawa Atsushi
• Tamagawa Ryuichi

Classifications

• B67C3/001 Primary

  Cleaning of filling devices · CPC title

• A61L2/04

  Heat (radiation A61L2/08) · CPC title

• A61L2/18

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• A61L2/208

  Hydrogen peroxide · CPC title

• B08B3/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title