Device for aseptic or sterile treatment of packaging elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9434592-B2
Application number	US-201013497860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2010
Priority date	Nov 24, 2009
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for treating a packaging element having a sub-area that includes a packaging-element opening includes an enclosure having an outer load-bearing structure having load-bearing elements and a wall structure held in the load-bearing structure and isolated by the load-bearing structure from loads. It also has two subsections, one on and moving with a conveyor and the other on a device frame and not moving with the conveyor. The enclosure defines a sterile interior that contains the packaging-element opening. The conveyor moves the packaging element along a transport route in a transport direction. Supports of the load-bearing structure extend transversely to the transport direction and connect to a longitudinal chord oriented along the transport direction. Either the load-bearing structure is disposed outside the enclosure and spaced apart from the enclosure or the transport route includes a circular conformation and a ring forming the longitudinal chord.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating a packaging element having a sub-area that includes a packaging element opening, said apparatus comprising: an enclosure, a conveyor forming a transport route along which said packaging element is moved along a transport direction with said sub-area that includes said packaging element opening being disposed inside a sterile interior defined by said enclosure, said enclosure including an outer load-bearing structure having load-bearing elements, and a wall structure held in said load-bearing structure and isolated by said load bearing structure from loads, wherein said load-bearing structure includes supports oriented transversely to said transport direction, said supports being connected to a longitudinal chord oriented along said transport direction to form said load-bearing structure, wherein a first subsection of said enclosure is provided on and moved with said conveyor, and wherein a second sub-section of said enclosure is provided on a device frame and not moved with said conveyor, and wherein said load-bearing structure is disposed outside said enclosure and spaced apart from said enclosure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a seal disposed at an interface between said first and second sub-sections, said seal being provided outside said wall structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a labyrinth seal disposed at an interface between said first and second sub-sections, said labyrinth seal being provided outside said wall structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a siphon seal disposed at an interface between said first and second sub-sections, said siphon seal being provided outside said wall structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a seal disposed at an interface between said first and second sub-sections, said seal being provided outside said wall structure on said load-bearing structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a seal disposed at an interface between said first and second sub-sections, said seal being provided outside said wall structure on said device frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said load-bearing elements are connected to each other and to said device frame by mechanical connections.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said load-bearing elements are connected to each other and to said device frame by at least one of a screw and a bolt.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said load-bearing elements are connected to each other and to said device frame by a rivet.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of wall sections and wall elements forming said wall structure are welded to said load-bearing structure.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said wall structure forms a smooth inner surface of said enclosure.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said load-bearing structure comprises a cage formed by said load-bearing elements.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said transport route includes a circular conformation and a ring forming said longitudinal chord.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said longitudinal chord forms part of a seal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said longitudinal chord is formed by a U-shaped section open at a top thereof and extending along said transport direction of said conveyor, and connected by mechanical connectors to said load-bearing elements.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , said apparatus further comprising a filling device for aseptic filling of said packaging elements with a filling material.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , said apparatus further comprising a cleaning device for cleaning said packaging elements.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , said apparatus further comprising a sealing device for sealing filled packaging elements.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said transport route provides transport for said packaging element between two machines, one following the other in a transport direction.

20. An apparatus for treating a packaging element having a sub-area that includes a packaging element opening, said apparatus comprising: an enclosure, a conveyor forming a transport route along which said packaging element is moved along a transport direction with said sub-area that includes said packaging element opening being disposed inside a sterile interior defined by said enclosure, said enclosure including an outer load-bearing structure having load-bearing elements, and a wall structure held in said load-bearing structure and isolated by said load bearing structure from loads, wherein said load-bearing structure includes supports oriented transversely to said transport direction, said supports being connected to a longitudinal chord oriented along said transport direction to form said load-bearing structure, wherein a first subsection of said enclosure is provided on and moved with said conveyor, and wherein a second sub-section of said enclosure is provided on a device frame and not moved with said conveyor, wherein said load-bearing structure comprises a cage formed by said load-bearing elements, and wherein said transport route includes a circular conformation and a ring forming said longitudinal chord.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said longitudinal chord forms part of a seal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said longitudinal chord is formed by a U-shaped section open at a top thereof and extending along said transport direction of said conveyor, and connected by mechanical connectors to said load-bearing elements.

Assignees

• Niehr Thomas
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Niehr Thomas

Classifications

• B67B3/2033

  comprising carousel co-rotating capping heads · CPC title

• B67C3/22 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• B67C2003/2694

  by enclosing a set of containers in a chamber · CPC title

• B67C2003/228

  Aseptic features · CPC title

• B65B31/022

  the chambers moving in an endless path · CPC title