Patent ID: 8278632

Claim:
A vessel sterilization apparatus including a gripper ( 6 ) arranged in an outer periphery of a rotary body ( 14 ) so as to hold a vessel ( 8 ), drive means for rotating the rotary body ( 14 ), electron beam irradiating means having a flat electron beam irradiating surface ( 12 a ) and irradiating the vessel ( 8 ), conveyed with being held by the gripper ( 6 ), with the electron beam, and forward/rearward moving means ( 18 , 50 ) for moving the gripper ( 6 ) forward or rearward with respect to the irradiating surface ( 12 a ), wherein a distance between the irradiating surface ( 12 a ) and the surface of the vessel ( 8 ) to be irradiated is maintained to be substantially constant in an irradiation region “A” in which the electron beam is irradiated through the irradiating surface ( 12 a ).