DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING ANTISEPTIC SOLUTION

Abstract: A device for transferring an antiseptic solut ion comprising a tube extending from a tank containing the solution to a nozzle for spraying the solution and at least partially made of an elastic material, and a liquid feeder for successively collapsing the elastic part of the tube over a required length from portion to portion in a direction from the tanktoward the nozzle to thereby send the solution through the tube in the same direction.

Description: The present invention relates to a device for spraying hydrogen peroxide water-solution on food packaging containers to be sterilized comprising a tank for containing the hydrogen peroxide water-solution and a tube for feeding the water-solution from the tank to a spray nozzle. From WO/01074 there is known a device for sterilization of containers wherein hydrogen peroxide is supplied to a spray nozzle from a tank by means of a nebulizing chamber. In said nebulizing chamber there has been mounted a tranducer for producing vibrational energy in order to nebulize the liquid. Pressurized air is fed to the nebulizing chamber in order to carry over the automized particles of hydrogen peroxide to the nozzle. By the applicant devices are experimented which comprises a tube, and a gear pump, diaphragm pumps or the like disposed at an intermediate portion of the tube. These pumps also encounter difficulty in transferring the antiseptic solution at a constant rate since the efficiency of the pump varies with the amount of oxygen bubbles formed by decomposition of the hydrogen oxide. Furthermore, the negative pressure produced in the vicinity of the suction port of the pump permits formation of a larger amount of bubbles, consequently lowering the pump efficiency. In the case of the diaphragm pump which requires a chech valve, oxygen is liable to remain in the form of bubbles at the location of the check valve. The pump is then likely to forward bubbles only. The main object of the present invention is to provide a device for transferring a hydrogen peroxide water-solution free of the foregoing problems. According the invention this can be obtained by a device as described in claim 1. In using the device according this invention the hydrogen peroxide water-solution is transferred from the tank to the nozzle through the tube by the tube pump which successively collapses the tube from portion to portion in a direction from the tank toward the nozzle, so that even when the solution contains bubbles, the solution can be sent forward irrespective of the bubbles. Since the operation of the tube pump does not produce a large amount of bubbles within the tube while transporting the solution, the solution can be transferred at a constant flow rate with good stability unlike the test wherein the above mentioned pump was used. The solution does not evolve a large quantity of bubbles within the tube presumably because the suction pressure for drawing the solution into the tube is produced by the tube when it acts to elastically restort itself to the original shape, and therefore vary smoothly. Moreover, no bubbles remain in the tube pump since the feeder does not require any check valve unlike the aforementioned pump. It is noted that from Ullman Enzyklopädi vol.3 page 169/vol.5 page 887/888 the use of tube pumps for the forwarding of liquids is known. The drawings shows the construction of an embodiment of the invention. The illustrated device for transferring an antiseptic solution comprises a tube 13 extending from a tank 11 containing the antiseptic solution to a nozzle 12 for spraying the solution, and a liquid feeder 14 for sending the solution from the tank 11 toward the nozzle 12 through the tube 13. In addition to the tube 13, a pressurized air supply tube 15 is connected to the nozzle 12. The tube 13 is made entirely of an elastic material such as vinyl chloride or silicone rubber and is 4 to 5 mm in outside diameter and about 1 mm in wall thickness. The liquid feeder 14 comprises a rectangular parallelepipedal main body 21, a tube case 22 mounted on the top of the main body and having a recessed portion 28, the recessed portion being circular when seen from above and having an open upper end, a cover 23 provided over the upper surface of the tube case, a main roller 24 disposed at the center of the recessed portion 28, and six press rollers 25 arranged on a circumference centered about the axis of rotation of the main roller 24 and surrounding the main roller 24. Although not shown, the main body 21 houses therein a gear mechanism for coupling the main roller 24 to the press rollers 25, a motor for driving the mechanism, etc. A start switch 26, a flow controller knob 27, etc. are mounted on the outer side of the main body 21. Formed between the peripheral surface of the recessed portion 28 and the press rollers 25 is a clearance which is not larger than the combined thickness of the lapping wall portions of the tube 13 produced when the tube 13 is collapsed flat to eliminate its hollow portion. Formed in the upper surface of the case 22 are two grooves 29 extending in parallel to each other tangentially of the circle of the peripheral surface of the recessed portion 28. A portion of the tube 13 is inserted in these grooves 29 and extends through the above-mentioned clearance. The press rollers 25 revolve around the main roller 24 while rotating each about its own axis. The peripheral speed of rotation of the press rollers 25 is equal to the peripheral speed thereof due to the revolution. Th direction of the rotation is opposite to that of the revolution. The speed is adjustable by the flow controller knob 27. When the start switch 26 is turned on to drive the press rollers 25, the press rollers 25 move along the tube 13 while partially collapsing the tube 13, whereby the antiseptic solution is sent in a direction from the tank 11 toward the nozzle 12 through the tube 13.

Claims: A device for spraying a hydrogen peroxide water-solution on food packaging containers to be sterilized comprising : a tank (11) containing the hydrogen peroxide water solution, and a tube (13) for feeding the water-solution from the tank (11), to a spray nozzle (12) characterised in that a suction-type spraying nozzle (12) has been disposed at a front end portion of the water-solution feeding tube (13), and a pressurized air feeding means (15) for feeding pressurized air for spraying to the spraying nozzle, has been connected to the spray nozzle, whilst a tube pump (14), has been arranged in the vicinity of the water-solution feeding tube (13) for successively collapsing a part of the tube (13) made of elastic material over a required length from portion to portion in a direction from the tank (11) toward the nozzle (12) to thereby send the water-solution through the tube (13) in the same direction. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the tube pump (14) comprises: a tube case (22) formed in its upper surface with a recessed portion (28) having an open upper end and at least two tube insertion grooves (29), the recessed portion (28) having a peripheral surface of circular horizontal section, each of the tube insertion grooves (29) extending from a portion of the peripheral surface tangentially thereof, each tube insertion groove (29) having one end communicating with the interior of the recessed portion (28) and the other end left open at one side of the tube case (22), a plurality of press rollers (25) each having a vertical axis of rotation and arranged within the recessed portion (28) on a circumference concentric with the peripheral surface thereof, the press rollers (25) being spaced from the peripheral surface by a clearance not larger than the combined thickness of the lapping wall portions of the tube (13) produced when the part of the tube (13) made of the elastic material is collapsed flat to eliminate its hollow portion, and press roller drive means for revolving the press rollers (25) on the circumference and rotating the press rollers (25) each about its own axis at a peripheral speed equal to that of the press rollers (25) due to the revolution, in a direction opposite to the direction of the revolution.

Inventors: HAYASHI, KOJIRO C/O SHIKOKU CO. LTD.
Applicants: SHIKOKU KAKOKI CO., LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A61L2
IPC codes: F04C5, A23L3, A61L2, B05B7