Patent Publication Number: US-8968672-B2

Title: Apparatus for disinfecting container closures

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit to U.S. Ser. No. 12/233,685 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,449,819 filed on Sep. 19, 2008 which relies for priority upon German Patent Application No. 10 1007 045 142.5, filed on Sep. 20, 2007, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for disinfecting closures and in particular container closures. In beverage production, it is customary to sterilise and to clean not only the containers themselves prior to filling but also the closures for the containers. Such cleaning may take place for example via a cleaning liquid, with the closures being guided into an appropriate liquid bath. 
     An apparatus for cleaning and/or sterilising closure caps is known from DE 297 08 145 U1. In said document, the closure caps are transported through a channel and in the process are acted upon by liquid. This channel is designed in the form of a substantially horizontal spiral which extends through an immersion bath. 
     In many sectors, however, it is desirable to carry out the cleaning of these closures in a dry process, i.e. to omit such an immersion bath. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for cleaning container closures which allows dry cleaning or cleaning without using a liquid cleaning agent. This is achieved according to the invention by the subject matters of independent claims  1 ,  12  and  15 . Advantageous embodiments and further developments form the subject matter of the dependent claims. 
     An apparatus according to the invention for disinfecting container closures comprises a housing and also a transport path or transport channel which is arranged inside this housing and along which the closures are transported. Here, this transport path has at least partially a spiral configuration. According to the invention, the apparatus comprises a supply device for supplying to the housing a gaseous medium for disinfecting the closures, and a displacement device is provided which can move with respect to this housing and which transports the closures along the spiral transport path. Preferably, the housing is designed in a gas-tight manner, at least in the region in which the transport path runs. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the housing has a housing wall which surrounds the transport path and in which a large number of supply devices in the form of nozzles are arranged. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the displacement device comprises a large number of displacement bodies which are arranged such that they can rotate around a common axis. By means of these displacement bodies, the individual container closures are guided along the aforementioned transport path. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the transport path is designed in such a way that the closures are transported along the spiral from the outside towards the inside. In such an embodiment, an inlet star wheel may with particular advantage be arranged at the outer circumference of the spiral, which inlet star wheel feeds the individual closures to the spiral path. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the displacement bodies are arranged on a common support. Advantageously, the displacement bodies have an outer section which is curved in the movement direction, and particularly preferably also a region which is inclined with respect to the radial direction of the displacement bodies. In this way, the individual container closures are urged slightly radially inwards during the displacement movement, so that it is possible to prevent any jamming of the container closures within the transport path. 
     Preferably, the displacement bodies are arranged on a common support. This common support is in turn arranged such that it can rotate with respect to a rotation axis, which particularly preferably runs substantially in the centre of the spiral transport path. 
     This means that all the displacement bodies move at the same speed of rotation with respect to the housing. It is possible here for the transport path to be delimited by the displacement bodies in such a way that in each case one container closure is guided between two displacement bodies. However, it would also be possible for a plurality of container closures to be guided by one displacement body. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the apparatus comprises a support device along which the closures are displaced, and the transport path is formed by this support device and a spirally curved guide device. Preferably, the support device is a base on which the closures rest and along which they are moved. The spirally curved guide device is preferably a wall which extends perpendicular to this base and which runs in a spiral manner in order to be able to guide the container closures along this Preferably, the guide device is arranged at a distance from the support device in a direction perpendicular to the support device, and with particular preference this distance lies in a range of 4-6 mm. 
     Preferably, the housing also has an inlet region, via which the container closures are fed in, and an outlet region, via which the container closures are discharged. Preferably, an aspirating device for the gaseous medium is provided at least in the outlet region or in the inlet region. With particular preference, an aspirating device for the gaseous medium is arranged both in the outlet region and in the inlet region. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the displacement bodies are arranged in such a way that they contact the closures on a base body thereof. Conversely, therefore, the closure bodies are not contacted on their tops. In this way, the apparatus is suitable also for container closures of different heights. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, the transport path is adjoined by a transport chute with preferably an S-shaped profile. Via this transport chute, the container closures are conveyed out of the apparatus. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, a pivotable cover is arranged on the housing and above the housing. This cover can be opened in order to give the user access to the individual container closures. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment, a large number of cleaning nozzles for cleaning the housing are arranged inside the housing. These may be cleaning nozzles which allow internal cleaning of the housing outside normal operation, for example even with liquids. Preferably, a heating device for the gaseous medium is provided on the housing. In this case, the container closures are preferably transported through the housing in which gaseous hydrogen peroxide at temperatures of between 40° and 50° C. acts on the container closures for approx. 20-30 seconds. As mentioned above, the outlet of this housing is already located in a cleanroom. The heating device causes the gaseous medium, i.e. in particular the hydrogen peroxide, to be heated before entering the housing. 
     The present invention also relates to an arrangement for disinfecting container closures, comprising an apparatus of the type described above and also a feed device which feeds the closures to the transport path. According to the invention, the feed device comprises a transport wheel which feeds the closures individually to the transport path. As a result, the closures are delivered to the displacement device or to the individual displacement bodies in a precisely defined manner. 
     Preferably, the transport wheel is accommodated in the housing of the apparatus. 
     In further advantageous embodiments, the gaseous medium is at least temporarily at a higher pressure in the region of the housing in which the transport path is provided than in the region of the housing in which the transport wheel is arranged. A pressure drop thus takes place from the region of the transport path towards the region of the transport wheel, as a result of which the gaseous medium can be discharged from the housing in a defined manner. 
     The present invention also relates to a method for cleaning container closures, wherein the containers during the cleaning operation are guided along a transport path arranged inside a housing, and wherein the transport path has at least partially a spiral configuration. According to the invention, a gaseous medium is supplied to the container closures for sterilisation purposes during transport on the transport path inside the housing. 
    
    
     
       Further advantages and embodiments will emerge from the appended drawings: 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows an overall view of an arrangement according to the invention for disinfecting container closures; 
         FIG. 2  shows a view in partial cross section of the arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a plan view of an apparatus according to the invention for disinfecting container closures, and 
         FIG. 4  shows an enlarged view of a sub-region of the view shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows an arrangement  20  according to the invention for disinfecting container closures. This arrangement  20  comprises a frame  56  on which there is arranged a housing  2  for the apparatus  1  for disinfecting container closures. Reference  14  denotes a cover, by means of which the housing can be covered or closed in a gas-tight manner. This cover  14  is arranged pivotably on the housing  2  and has viewing windows  14   a . It is preferably also possible that individual viewing windows  14   a  can be opened separately. The opening and closing of the cover  14  takes place pneumatically. Opening by means of a cable winch is also conceivable. 
     A gaseous medium, such as hydrogen peroxide for example, is supplied to the housing  2  from a reservoir  42 . The container closures can be fed to the housing  2  via a feed device  25 . Inside the housing  2 , the container closures are transported along a transport path (discussed in more detail below) and specifically from the outside towards the inside in the embodiment shown in the figures, and finally pass out of the arrangement via a discharge channel  35 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a view in partial cross section of the arrangement  20  of  FIG. 1 . It can be seen that the feed device  25  comprises a closure feed chute  27  which delivers the container closures to an inlet star wheel  32 . This feeding of the closures may take place in an air-assisted manner. This inlet star wheel  32  transports the closures horizontally to a spiral track which is denoted in its entirety by  30  and which forms the transport path  4 . In the region of this spiral track  30 , a displacement device  21  in the form of a rotor takes over the movement and guidance of the closures. Here, a driven shaft is provided which rotates the displacement device, the latter being denoted in its entirety by  21 . Provided on this displacement device are displacement bodies (explained in detail below) which displace the container closures. The housing  2  has a circumferential wall  40  in which a large number of supply openings  12  are arranged, via which the gas can be guided into the housing  2 . 
     The inlet star wheel  32  likewise has a drive shaft  18  which drives this inlet star wheel  32  in rotation. In this embodiment, a drive device, such as a motor  28 , drives both the shaft  38  and also the shaft  18  in synchronism. In the inlet region between the inlet star wheel  32  and the transport path  4 , the container closures are guided on all sides. 
     Reference  17  denotes a support device in the form of a base plate. On the spiral track  30 , the container closures rest on this preferably slotted base plate  17 , and reference  16  denotes a guide device which is designed here as a spiral plate and which is arranged at a predefined distance, for example 5 mm, above the support device  17 . Reference  22  denotes an individual displacement body, with a large number of such displacement bodies  22  being provided which extend in each case in the radial direction, as mentioned above. The guide device  16  thus defines the movement direction. The support or rotor  24  comprising the displacement bodies  22 , which is arranged above the guide device, performs the actual displacement of the container closures. The container closures are in each case contacted on their base body for the displacement. This configuration has the advantage, that the closure moves horizontally here on a spiral track towards the centre of the machine; the closure is free at the top. 
     In this way, closures with differently designed dust caps or even without dust caps can be transported by the guide device  16 , without the units having to be changed for this purpose. The only requirement in each case is an identical or at least similarly designed base body of the container closures. 
     These aforementioned transport units, that is to say both the inlet star wheel  32  and the displacement device  21 , are accommodated inside the gas-tight housing  2 . The shafts  18  and  38  are preferably equipped in each case with overload clutches. The motor  28  is preferably a centrally arranged geared motor. 
     Due to the evenly spaced arrangement of the supply openings  12 , it is possible to distribute the gaseous medium evenly over the entire housing  2 . Also provided in the housing are a large number of cleaning nozzles (not shown in detail) which serve for internal cleaning of the housing. The cleaning agent is drained via an opening  34  or a drainage pipe, which can be closed by flap valves. In total, the housing  2  has three such openings  34  and a (preferably rectangular) discharge opening  37  for the container closures. 
     Provided on the outer circumference of the housing are gas inlet chambers  15 , via which the H 2 O 2 /air mixture is introduced into the treatment chamber, i.e. the housing  2 . The gas speed itself and also eddies generated by the rotation of the displacement device  21  bring about an even distribution of the gas inside the chamber and also in the interior of the individual closures. This is advantageous for disinfection purposes. The inflowing gas can be aspirated via an aspiration tube  11  in the inlet region or in the feed device  25  and also via a tube  19  in the discharge device  35 . 
     During operation, a slight overpressure prevails in the treatment chamber, i.e. in the region of the housing  2  in which the transport path  4  is arranged as a spiral track, and any escape of H 2 O 2  into the environment is prevented by means of a vacuum in the inlet region, i.e. in the region of the housing in which the inlet star wheel  32  is arranged. A counterpressure in the region of the downstream filling device (not shown) prevents any penetration of H 2 O 2  into the filling region. The required treatment temperature of the H 2 O 2 /air mixture is maintained by the temperature of the inflowing H 2 O 2 /air mixture and also by means of heating blankets (not shown) which are arranged on the housing  2 . Also preferably provided are pressure and temperature sensors which continuously monitor the operating states. 
       FIG. 3  shows a plan view of an apparatus  1  according to the invention. The respective drive shafts for the inlet star wheel  32  and for the displacement device  21  are not shown here. The container closures  10  are fed to the inlet star wheel  32  via the abovementioned chute  27 . The inlet star wheel  32  has a large number of sawtooth-shaped recesses  33  which serve for guiding the container closures  10 . The inlet star wheel  32  delivers the container closures  10  to the displacement device  21 , which is likewise shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The displacement device  21  has, as mentioned above, a large number of displacement bodies  22  which in each case extend radially outwards. These displacement bodies  22  have the shape of a triangle which tapers radially inwards. In this way, the distances between individual guide edges  22   a  and  22   b  in each case remain substantially constant from the outside towards the inside, and thus in each case one container closure  10  can be received between the individual displacement bodies  22  with a defined amount of play. Furthermore, on the radially inner side, the displacement bodies have tapered portions or angled faces  22   c  which are inclined in such a way that the container closures are also urged inwards in the interior of the transport path  4 . 
     Reference  4  thus denotes, in its entirety, the transport path which runs in a spiral manner from the outside towards the inside and along which the container closures  10  are guided. Provided at the end of this transport path  4  is a region  4   a  along which the container closures  10  are guided as far as the rectangular discharge opening  37 , via which they are discharged from the housing  2 . At the end of the transport path  4 , the containers  10  will pass through an s-shaped transfer chute  36  (cf.  FIG. 2 ). Via this chute, the container closures slide towards the closing device (not shown), optionally in an air-assisted manner. 
     Reference  8  denotes a first pivot lever which is arranged such that it can pivot with respect to a pivot point S 1 , and reference  9  denotes a second pivot lever which is arranged such that it can pivot with respect to a pivot point S 2 . These two pivot levers  8  and  9  serve for eliminating jams and can be operated manually from outside. The outer circumference of the first pivot lever  8  serves as a guide for the container closures  10 . If a jam of the container closures occurs, this first pivot lever  8  can be tilted in the clockwise direction about the pivot axis S 1  and thus frees the path radially inwards for the container closures. 
     If this does not yet cause all the container closures  10  to accumulate in the central region of the housing  2 , a second pivot lever  9  can likewise be pivoted in the clockwise direction, this time about the pivot point S 2 , so that its tip enters the transport path  4 . The inner wall  9   a  of this second pivot lever  9  then serves as a guide for the container closures  10 , so that the container closures  10  are also in this way urged into the centre of the housing  2 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a more detailed view of the diagram from  FIG. 3 . It is again possible to see here the transport path  4 , which extends in a spiral manner from the outside towards the inside. There can also be seen on the support device  17  a guide chute  29  for the container closures  10 . It is also possible to see once again the tips  22   c  of the displacement bodies  22 , which in the inner region likewise urge the container closures radially inwards, that is to say in the direction of the first pivot lever  8 . At their radially outer region, the displacement bodies  22  have a portion  22   d  which is curved in the direction of rotation of the displacement bodies  22 , and also a correspondingly curved region  22   e  on the next displacement body in each case. 
     All of the features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as essential to the invention in so far as they are novel individually or in combination with respect to the prior art.