Electron beam sterilization unit for processing food packaging material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016251099-A1
Application number	US-201415032922-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electron beam sterilization unit for processing food packaging material, the unit having a frame; at least one electron beam emitter fitted to the frame, along the path of the material for processing, and having a flange for connection to the frame; and a locking device, which is fitted to the frame, and has thrust devices for exerting a lock force on the flange in a given first direction, and for locking the emitter, with respect to the frame, in a given work position, and actuating devices for activating the thrust devices and which are defined by toggle devices.

First claim

1 . An electron beam sterilization unit for processing food packaging material, the unit comprising a frame; at least one electron beam emitter fitted to the frame, along the path of the material for processing, and having a flange for connection to the frame; and a locking device fitted to the frame to lock the emitter, with respect to the frame, in a given work position; the locking device comprising thrust means for exerting a lock force on said flange in a given first direction, and actuating means for activating the thrust means; the actuating means comprising toggle actuating means.

2 . A unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises at least one fixed guide extending in a second direction crosswise to said first direction; and a channel along which the material for processing travels, and which communicates with the outside through at least one opening bounded outwards by a flat rim crosswise to said first direction; the flange comprising connecting means for engaging said guide in sliding manner, and allowing the emitter to translate in the second direction to and from an idle position, in which the flange is positioned facing said opening and a given distance from said rim.

3 . A unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the flange comprises a centre portion and two end portions; said connecting means being designed so that, when the emitter is in the idle and work positions, the flange rests on the guide solely by said end portions.

4 . A unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, when the emitter is in the idle position, the connecting means engage the guide in transversely sliding manner, so as to allow the flange to translate, parallel to itself, in the first direction, and to move the emitter from the idle position to the work position, in which the flange is sealed to said rim.

5 . A unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thrust means comprise a number of pressure members; and the toggle actuating means comprise a number of toggle mechanisms, each associated with a respective pressure member and movable between a rest position, in which the pressure member does not engage the flange, and a work position, in which the pressure member exerts a force in the first direction on the flange.

6 . A unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the toggle mechanisms are divided into two groups located on opposite sides of the flange to cooperate, in use, with respective peripheral portions of the flange; the actuating means comprising, for each group, a control member for activating the respective toggle actuating means.

7 . A unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each toggle mechanism comprises a crank which rotates about a fixed first axis crosswise to the first direction; and a rocker arm, which is interposed between the crank and the frame, comprises a first and second arm arranged in a ‘V’, and is hinged about a second axis, parallel to the first axis, to oscillate in a plane parallel to the first direction; the first arm being connected by a hinge pin to the free end of the crank to define a toggle with the crank, and to oscillate about a third axis parallel to the first axis; and the second arm having a free end portion, which extends towards the frame and defines said pressure member for the respective toggle mechanism.

8 . A unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each control member is defined by a respective shaft coaxial with the second axis; the rocker arm comprising a centre hub connected angularly to said shaft with a given amount of rotational slack.

9 . A unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the rest position and work position of the toggle mechanism are located on either side of a dead centre position, in which said toggle is extended and the pressure member exerts maximum thrust.

10 . A unit as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the pressure member and the first axis are located on opposite sides of the second axis; and the crank is hinged on a pin rotatable about the first axis, and comprises at least one lever, which has a first end portion engaging in axially sliding manner a radial hole through said pin, and a second end portion connected to the first arm by said hinge pin; elastic means being interposed between said first and second end portion to exert on said hinge pin a preselected amount of thrust directed perpendicularly to the third axis.

11 . An electron beam sterilization unit for processing food packaging material, the unit comprising:
a frame; at least one electron beam emitter fitted to the frame along a path of the food packaging material, the at least one electron beam emitter comprising: a casing housing a gun that accelerates electrons; a flange connectable to the frame; and a foil extending across a window in the flange; and a locking device fitted to the frame to lock the emitter relative to the frame in a work position, the locking device comprising an arm mounted on a rotatable shaft to rotate together with the shaft, the arm possessing an end adjacent the flange, the arm including a pressure finger at the end of the arm adjacent the flange to contact the flange as the shaft and flange are rotated and to urge the flange of the emitter into sealing contact with the frame.

12 . A unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking device comprises a plurality of arms mounted on the shaft to rotate together with the shaft, each arm possessing an end adjacent the flange, each arm including a pressure finger at the end of the arm adjacent the flange to contact the flange and urge the flange of the emitter into sealing contact with the frame.

13 . A unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the flange includes two sides and comprises a pair of runners, each runner being positioned along one of the sides of the flange, each flange being fitted in and movable along a respective guide on the frame.

14 . A unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking device includes a crank mounted to oscillate about an axis, the arm being a first arm of a rocker arm, the rocker arm also including a second arm, the crank including an end portion that directly contacts the second arm.

15 . A unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the locking device comprises a plurality of arms mounted on the shaft to rotate together with the shaft, the plurality of arms constituting a first group of arms located along one side of the flange, the locking device further comprising a second group of arms located on an opposite side of the flange and each including a pressure finger to contact the flange and urge the flange of the emitter into sealing contact with the frame.

16 . A unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking device includes a rod mounted to oscillate about an axis and a head at one end of the rod, the rod being slidingly fitted in a pin so that the rod can slide relative to the pin, and a spring surrounding the rod and positioned between the head and the pin, the arm being a first arm of a rocker arm, the rocker arm also including a second arm, the head directly contacting the second arm.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Poppi Luca
• Fontanesi Roberto
• Lavalle Marco
• Ferrari Eros

Classifications

• A61L2103/23

  Containers other than laboratory or medical, e.g. bottles or mail · CPC title

• B65B55/08 Primary

  by irradiation · CPC title

• G21K5/02

  having no beam-forming means · CPC title

• A61L2/087 Primary

  Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation · CPC title