Apparatus and method for sterilizing containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457114-B2
Application number	US-201314107505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2012
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for sterilizing plastic preforms, comprises a transport device that transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, each plastic preform extending in a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of actuation devices. Each actuation device inputs a flowable medium into interiors of the plastic preforms, respectively. The actuation devices travel with the plastic preforms in a transport direction along the transport device. The actuation devices at least one of inject the flowable medium into the plastic preforms at a predefined angle α relative to the longitudinal directions of the plastic preforms, or include longitudinal directions, respectively, that are offset relative to the longitudinal directions of the plastic preforms.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for sterilizing plastic preforms, comprising:
a transport device that transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, each plastic preform extending in a longitudinal direction;
a plurality of actuation devices, each actuation device inputting a flowable medium into interiors of the plastic preforms, respectively, wherein the actuation devices travel with the plastic preforms in a transport direction along the transport device, and wherein the actuation devices inject the flowable medium into the plastic preforms at a predefined angle α and a longitudinal direction of the actuation devices is offset eccentrically from a longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms by a predetermined distance, wherein an actuation device of the actuation devices is above a mouth of a preform of the plastic preforms, which provides a sterilization agent to an interior of the preform, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of fixing devices that attaches the actuation device to a carrier; and
the carrier having a nozzle section fully protruding through the carrier in a direction being inclined towards the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, wherein an aperture of the actuation device is mounted in the longitudinal direction above the carrier so that the sterilizing medium can pass from the actuation device through the nozzle section and into the interior of the preform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuation devices are arranged such that they inject the flowable medium into the plastic preforms at a predefined angle α that is different from 0° along which the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms extend, such that a direction of injection has a component which is oriented opposite to the transport direction of the plastic preforms.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the distance between the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms and the longitudinal direction of the actuation devices is between 2 mm and 12 mm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the distance between the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms and the longitudinal direction of the actuation devices is between 4 mm and 10 mm.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the distance between the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms and the longitudinal direction of the actuation devices is between 5 mm and 9 mm.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal direction of an actuation device of the actuation devices in a direction of movement of the plastic preforms is offset in relation to the longitudinal directions of the plastic preforms with respect to the transport direction of the plastic preforms.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a gap between mouths of the plastic preforms and the actuation devices, the gap extending in the transport direction of the plastic preforms.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuation devices are arranged on a carrier.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined angle α is between 5° and 50°.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined angle α is between 10° and 30°.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined angle α is between 10° and 20°.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined angle α is between 12° and 18°.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the predefined angle, the offset between the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms and longitudinal directions of the actuation devices, or a height of the gap between the plastic preforms and the actuation device is adjustable.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a deflection device which deflects a sterilization agent emerging from a plastic container of the plastic preforms onto an outer region of the plastic container.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 ; wherein the carrier is arranged adjacent to the mouth of the plastic preforms, wherein the carrier has at least one recess on a mouth of a plastic container of the plastic preforms, wherein the recess extends beyond a mouth edge of the plastic container in a radial direction thereof.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the sterilization agent emerging from the plastic container is deflected by at least one recess of the carrier onto an outer face of a thread of the plastic container for sterilization.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one recess has a curved profile which causes a corresponding deflection of a sterilization medium.

18. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the actuation devices are arranged to be spaced apart from edges of the mouths of the plastic preforms.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plastic preforms are rotated about their longitudinal direction during sterilization.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein during sterilization of the plastic preforms, each actuation device is arranged at a precisely defined position in relation to the plastic preform or a holding device of the plastic preform allocated to the actuation device, and wherein the position does not change during sterilization of the plastic preforms.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flowable medium includes a gaseous sterilization agent.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the actuation has a longitudinal direction, and a channel has a longitudinal direction via which the sterilization agent is supplied, and wherein the channel is formed in the interior of a base body of the actuation device or a respective nozzle device.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier can move together with the transport device so that the actuation device is always arranged in a position above the plastic preforms.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the nozzle section is tangential to, or at an acute direction relative to, the longitudinal direction.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle section is fully integrated into the carrier.

Assignees

• Krones Ag
• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Loy Michael

Classifications

• B29C49/42087

  holding outside the neck · CPC title

• A61L2103/23

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

• B29C49/4252

  Auxiliary operations prior to the blow-moulding operation not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61L2/16

  using chemical substances · CPC title

• A61L2/20

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title