Abstract:
A method ignites the combustion of fuel in a combustion chamber ( 5 ) of engine ( 2 ), by introducing microwave radiation into the combustion chamber ( 5 ). The microwave radiation is produced in a microwave source ( 7 ) on the outside of the combustion chamber ( 5 ). The introduced microwave radiation is absorbed by the fuel distributed in the combustion chamber ( 5 ). The supply of energy, in the fuel, arising from absorption, distributes combustion in a large-volume in the combustion chamber ( 5 ), preferably in the entire combustion chamber ( 5 ) and in a homogenous manner, and is essentially simultaneously ignited. An associated ignition device ( 1 ) and an associated engine ( 2 ) are also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method for producing and filling containers in which at least one tube made of a softened plastic material is extruded into an open mold. The tube is heat sealed at its projecting end when the mold is closed to form the bottom of the container. The tube is separated above the mold by a separating element to form a fill hole. The mold, along with the tube having the open fill hole, is moved into a filling position in which the container is filled and then sealed after being configured in the mold by generating a pressure gradient that acts upon the tube and expands the same. The fill hole of the tube is covered by a sterile barrier at least from the time the fill hole is formed to the time the container is filled in a sterile space. The present invention also relates to a device for application of such method. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A production method and production device have been disclosed in the relevant state of the art under the trade name Bottelpack®. The production method permits cost-effective automated molding (blowing and vacuum molding), filling, and sealing of containers. If the containers are to be filled with high-sensitivity products, such as pharmaceuticals for which international standards for aseptic packaging are to be met, the mold, when moved to the filling position, is closed in an area called the sterile filling space in which sterile air is blown over the uncovered fill opening of containers and provides effective protection from penetration by germs. Movable head jaws of the mold are closed until after completion of the filling process to effect the desired sealing of the end of the container by a combined vacuum and welding process. Such sterile filling areas and their devices for sterile filling of containers are of the state of the art and are disclosed, for example, in DE 196 48 087 A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,686. 
     While the fill opening is effectively protected by the sterile filling space in the filling position, the fill opening when open is not fully protected during movement of the mold from the extrusion position, in which the tube which has been formed is separated below the extruder nozzle and the fill opening is formed, until the filling position has been reached, even if the process is conducted in a clean space. In other words, the tube having the fill opening forms an open receptacle on the upper side during movement of the mold into the filling position. To increase the certainty of sterility, a process and a device are disclosed in DE 100 63 282 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,893) as state of the art, which take care to make certain that the fill opening of the tube is covered by a sterile barrier during movement of the mold into the filling position. The known sterile barrier is in the form of a heatable plate which may be moved together with the element separating the tube. The plate is heated to a germ-killing temperature, preferably one above 120° C. In the process, the sterile barrier is in such a position and provided with such dimensions that it is situated, when the separating element is in the operating position, above the path of movement leading to the filling position of the mold and covering the fill opening, until it has reached the sterile filling space. 
     Not only does this known solution prevent the danger of falling of alien bodies into the uncovered fill opening after separation of the tube before the mold has reached the sterile filling space, but the sterile barrier also prevents access of germs to the fill opening during this part of the process, so that the desired freedom from germs has been achieved to a very great extent. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for molding, filling and sealing containers with improved freedom from germs in the area of the filler opening of a container, to provide the possibility of introducing high-sensitivity products for the medical/pharmaceutical area of application into the containers. 
     This object is basically attained by a method and a device according to the present invention in which, by a sterile barrier, at least one sterile medium is moved by a medium conveying device in the direction of the filler opening of the tube, immediately after separation of the tube by the separating element (cutter blade). The sterility (high freedom from germs) is ensured in that the sterile medium sweeps at least over the fill opening and thus forces germs of any nature away from the fill opening or does not even allow such access in the direction of the fill opening. 
     The sterile media to be moved by the medium delivery device to the filler opening, can be sterile air and/or nitrogen and/or other media such as inert gases, hydrogen peroxide, etc. The medium delivery device may move the respective sterile medium in the direction of the fill opening under a specified excess pressure and/or, with the support of an exhaust device as part of the medium delivery device, may move excess sterile medium, but preferably non-viable particles, to the exterior from the site of the fill opening from the molding device. Sterile media such as steam or hydrogen peroxide are employed to sterilize the sterile barrier and the supply lines of the media delivery device. Sterilization of the barrier preferably is effected in advance of beginning of operation, but may be carried out at discrete time intervals during interruptions of production. Sterile medium, preferably in the form of an inert gas, may also be used for charging the container, for example, if the content of the product is oxygen-sensitive. 
     In another advantageous configuration of the method and the device of the present invention, the sterile barrier is in the form of a plate-shaped cover element moving back and forth with the separating element for separation of the plastic tubes or moves simultaneously with parts of the production mold. 
     Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure: 
         FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c  are diagrammatic, not to scale, perspective views of the essential parts of a production device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are diagrammatic, not scale, perspective views of the essential parts of a production device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1   a - c  and  2   a - c  show parts of devices for production of plastic containers in the blow molding process. A tube  12  of melted plastic material is extruded by an extruding means or extruder  10  between the two mold halves  14  of a mold  16 . Mold  16  is shown in the opened position in  FIG. 1   a  and in the closed position in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c . After extrusion of the tube  12  into the opened mold  16 , the tube  12  is separated by cutter  28  between the mouth of the nozzle of the extruding device  10  and the upper side of the mold  16 .  FIGS. 1   b ,  1   c  show the mold  16  in the closed position, the parts making up the majority of the parts of the container to be formed from the tube  12 . The mold halves  14  are brought together so that the bottom-side welding edges on the lower end of the tube  12  effect a welding process to seal the tube  12  along a welding seam (not shown). 
       FIG. 1   c  shows the mold  16  in a filling position in which the mold has been displaced sideways from the position shown in  FIGS. 1   a,b  oriented toward the extruder means  10 . In this filling position, the container (not shown) which was previously formed by blowing of blast air through the open fill or filler opening  18  is filled with the desired filling material via the fill opening  18 .  FIG. 1   c  illustrates the end of the charging mandrel  20  to be introduced into the respective fill opening  18  for this purpose. The vertical reciprocating movement of the charging mandrels  20  is indicated in  FIG. 1   c  by a double arrow  22 . The lateral back-and-forth movement of the mold  16  is indicated by a double arrow  24 . The potential opening and closing movement of the two jaws  14  of the mold  16  is indicated by a double arrow  26 . Molding and charging of the container may also be effected by a combined blowing-charging mandrel in place of the charging mandrels  20  and a previously introduced blowing mandrel (not shown). The mold  16  shown is not restricted to production of one or two containers. On the contrary, a plurality of containers positioned side by side in a row is customarily produced. The process of producing only a single container is explained for the sake of greater simplicity of presentation. 
     In the filling position shown in  FIG. 1   c , the mold is positioned below an area called the sterile filling space (not shown in the figures), which effects aseptic shielding of the fill opening  18  formed by the preceding process of separation of the tube  12 . After the container has been charged, the filling mandrel is moved away upward and the still open movable upper welding or head jaws (not shown) of the mold  16  are brought together to effect shaping of container neck and/or simultaneously to seal this neck by welding. The respective production steps are customary up to this point and are elements of the Bottelpack® system referred to in the foregoing. 
       FIG. 1   a  shows the status of operation before separation of the respective tube  12 . A heatable blade serves as separating element  28  mounted at a specified distance or also at zero distance on the front side of a plate-shaped cover element  30  serving as a sterile barrier. The separating element  28  and cover element  30  are moved back and forth in the directions indicated by the double arrow  32 , from a base position as shown in  FIG. 1   a  to an operating position as shown in  FIG. 1   b  and vice versa. 
     By the sterile barrier in the form of a plate-shaped cover element  30 , a sterile medium  34  may be transported in the direction of the fill opening  18  by media delivery device  36 . Sterile air and/or nitrogen and/or other media such as other inert gases, hydrogen peroxide, etc. qualify as sterile media  34  moved to the filler opening  18  by the media delivery device  36 . For the purpose of transporting the sterile medium  34 , the plate-shaped cover element  30  has, in the direction of the fill opening  18 , medium discharge points or ports  38  as part of the media delivery device. Points  38  are configured as perforations in the plate  30 , and permit delivery of the medium by entry points or ports  40  in the direction of the filler opening. The sterile medium  34  is blown in the direction of the filler opening  18 . The entry points or ports  40 , which are also a component of the media delivery device, are present in the rear area of the cover element  30 , on the side opposite the narrow front side of the cover element  30  with the separating element or blade  28 . Conveyance of the sterile medium  34 , especially in the form of sterile air, to the cover plate  30  and through the media exit points  38  in the direction of the fill opening  18  is effected by excess or overpressure, i.e., a pressure greater than ambient air pressure. 
     To sterilize the barrier in advance of production proper with the device, provision has been made for conduction of steam or other suitable means such as hydrogen peroxide through the barrier with its openings, in addition to the delivery lines. The sterile medium may then be conducted by the sterile barrier to the fill openings for commencement of production proper. If an inert gas such as nitrogen is employed as sterile medium for use of the sterile barrier, this gas may also be used to keep the container filled with the inert gas. This selection is a logical step if the specific product with which the container is to be filled is oxygen-sensitive. 
     Protection is provided for the fill opening  18  itself when, as shown in  FIG. 1   b , the tube  12  has been separated by the separating element  28 . The cover element  30  has been moved to the front position, and covers the point of separation of the two mold halves  14  at least in the area of the fill opening. Consequently, when the media delivery device  36  has been actuated, the sterile medium is blown by excess pressure in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container toward and into the filler opening. If appropriate removal points are provided in the cover element  30 , the possibility also exists of washing the interior of the container and accordingly the filler opening  18  by blowing the sterile medium  34  in and immediately exhausting it over other parts of the media delivery device  36 . However, delivery of sterile medium may be made completely independent of the exhaust output of the respective parts of the media delivery device  36 . 
     The media delivery device  36  may have an exhaust device  42 , preferably one in the form of a vacuum device. By a specified negative pressure, exhaust device  42  carries the respective sterile medium  34  away from the filler opening  18  by central evacuation points  44 . The evacuation device, as part of the media delivery device  36 , is used chiefly for the purpose of evacuating the non-viable particles generated during separation of the tube. In the process, overflowing sterile medium may be evacuated with the non-viable particles and be removed from the device. By preference, equilibrium exists between the amount of medium flowing out of the perforation as a result of excess pressure and the amount of medium evacuated from the evacuation device  42 . 
     The possibility of removal by the central evacuation points  44  is correspondingly indicated in the figures by arrows. In addition, the exhaust or vacuum device  42  surrounds the plate-shaped cover element  30  as a frame in the form of frame components  46  positioned relative each other to form a rectangle, but allowing entry into and departure of the sterile barrier in the form of the cover element  30 . 
     To achieve an especially good germicidal effect, the sterile medium is conducted at a temperature meeting the sterility requirements. For example, the medium  34  is at a temperature above 120° C., preferably at a temperature in the range of 150° C. to 200° C. In addition or as an alternative, the sterile barrier or the cover element  30 , preferably is made of stainless steel materials, may be heated to that temperature range. If the evacuation device  42  has sufficient output potential, the medium  34  need not be delivered by a pumping or blowing device. In some instances, the exhaust output is sufficient to ensure conduction of the medium and accordingly flow through the respective filler opening  18 . 
     If, as is illustrated in  FIG. 1   b , the tube section is separated by the separating element  28  to form the filler opening, the closed mold  16  comes to the charging station as shown in  FIG. 1   c . Sterile safety is ensured by the sterile filling space (ASR), as has already been pointed out. After the mold has been returned to the initial position as shown in  FIG. 1   a , a tube section may then be extruded into the shaping components of the mold halves  14  to form the container. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2   a,b,c  to a great extent resembles the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1   a,b,c , and will be explained only to the extent that it differs substantially from the first exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . In the modified solution, the sterile barrier in the form of the cover element  30  is spatially separated from the separating element  28  and may be moved independently of the latter. By preference, the cover element  30  is associated with at least one of the mold halves and, as is illustrated in  FIG. 2   b , the two mold halves  14  are moved to be positioned under the sterile barrier. The movement of the cover element  30  may be synchronized with that of the mold halves  14 . In an association of elements such as this, when the mold  16  is moved to the charging station as shown in  FIG. 2   c , the sterile barrier in the form of the cover element  30  logically is moved along with it. However, as in the case of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2   a,b,c , the possibility also exists of carrying out the following process sequence, specifically, one in which the mold is moved to the separating element  28  (cutter), which cuts and simultaneously moves the plate up as sterile barrier (precisely as in the illustration in  FIG. 1 ). The mold with the plate-shaped cover element  30  then moves into the filling position. After it has arrived, the plate moves backward so that the blowing and charging mandrel may move into the opening  18 . After the container has been closed along its head side, the open mold together with the plate as sterile barrier moves back to the respective initial tube position. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the separating element  28  is in addition positioned vertically at the same height, but by preference below the cover element  30 . 
     The method claimed for the present invention is preferably applied for simultaneous production of several containers, preferably ones in the form of low-volume containers such as ampoules. The containers may be formed by blow molding or, especially in the case of very low-volume containers, also by vacuum molding. 
     While various embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.