Apparatus and method for sterilizing receptacle closures

A sterilization apparatus for sterilizing receptacle closures, comprising:

• a treatment chamber having an inlet station and an outlet station;
• a feeding device configured to feed a succession of receptacle closures to the inlet station;
• a conveyor configured to convey the receptacle closures through the treatment chamber from the inlet station to the outlet station;
• an air shielding device disposed in the vicinity of the outlet station and configured to hinder entrance of air from an outside space into the treatment chamber through the area of the outlet station;
• an outlet unit configured to receive the receptacle closures from the conveyor and having a plurality of outlet rails, each outlet rail being configured to receive the receptacle closures from one respective guide rail, and wherein the air shielding device includes a shielding plate arranged within the outlet unit and the outlet rails extend through the shielding plate;
• a sterilization agent injection device configured to inject a sterilization agent into the treatment chamber, wherein:
• the conveyor includes a plurality of adjacent guide rails, each guide rail being configured to receive, carry, and guide a succession of receptacle closures from the inlet station to the outlet station;
• the feeding device is configured to feed the receptacle closures to at least one active guide rail of the plurality of guide rails;
• and
• the sterilization agent injection device includes a plurality of injection devices, each injection device being associated with one of the guide rails;
• and
• a controller configured to selectively actuate the injection devices according to a first and second operative mode;
• wherein in the first operative mode, the controller s configured to actuate an injection device associated with the active guide rail;
• and
• wherein in the second operative mode, the controller is configured to actuate the injection device associated with the active guide rail and an injection device associated with one or more guide rails adjacent to the active guide rail.

A method for sterilizing caps, comprising:

• feeding a succession of caps to an inlet station of a treatment chamber;
• conveying the succession of caps through the treatment chamber from the inlet station to an outlet station of the treatment chamber, wherein a conveyor configured to convey the succession of caps through the treatment chamber includes:
• a plurality of substantially horizontal guide rails, including:
• at least one first guide rail configured to carry and guide caps having a first format;
• and
• at least one second guide rail located adjacent to the first guide rail and configured to carry and guide caps having a second format different from the first format;
• and
• a plurality of pushing devices, each pushing device being selectively activatable for pushing the caps along one of the first and second guide rails toward the outlet station;
• and
• sterilizing the succession of caps while being advanced from the inlet station to the outlet station, wherein:
• during the step of sterilizing the caps, a plurality of injection devices are configured to inject a sterilization agent into the treatment chamber to apply the sterilization agent to the caps during the step of conveying along one of the first and second guide rails from the inlet station to the outlet station, wherein each one of the injection devices is configured to cooperate with one of the first and second guide rails for injecting the sterilization agent into the treatment chamber and toward one of the first and second guide rails;
• and
• actuating the injection devices according to a first and second operative modes, wherein:
• in the first operative mode, the controller is configured to actuate one of the injection devices cooperating with the first guide rail filled with the caps having the first format during conveying of the caps from the inlet station to the outlet station;
• and
• in the second operative mode, the controller is configured to actuate one of the injection devices cooperating with the first guide rail during conveying of the caps having the first format from the inlet station to the outlet station, and actuate another one of the injection devices cooperating with the second guide rail, when the second guide rail is empty during conveying of the caps on the first guide rail.

A cap sterilization apparatus for sterilizing caps, comprising:

• a treatment chamber having an inlet station;
• a cap feeder configured to feed a succession of caps to the inlet station;
• a conveyor configured to convey the caps through the treatment chamber from the inlet station to an outlet station, the conveyor including:
• a plurality of substantially horizontal guide rails, including:
• at least one first guide rail configured to carry and guide caps having a first format;
• and
• at least one second guide rail located adjacent to the first guide rail and configured to carry and guide caps having a second format different from the first format;
• and
• a plurality of pushing devices, each pushing device being selectively activatable for pushing the caps along one of the first and second guide rails toward the outlet station;
• a plurality of sterilization agent injection devices configured to inject a sterilization agent into the treatment chamber to apply the sterilization agent to the caps during conveying along one of the first and second guide rails from the inlet station to the outlet station, wherein:
• each one of the injection devices is configured to cooperate with one of the first and second guide rails for injecting the sterilization agent into the treatment chamber and toward one of the first and second guide rails;
• a deflector arranged within the area of the inlet station and configured to restrict the flow of air feeding the receptacle closures to the inlet station within the area of the inlet station:
• and
• a controller configured to actuate the injection devices according to a first and second operative mode;
• wherein in the first operative mode, the controller is configured to actuate one of the injection devices cooperating with the first guide rail filled with the caps having the first format during conveying of the caps from the inlet station to the outlet station;
• and
• wherein in the second operative mode, the controller is configured to actuate one of the injection devices cooperating with the first guide rail during conveying of the caps having the first format from the inlet station to the outlet station, and actuate another one of the injection devices cooperating with the second guide rail, when the second guide rail is empty during conveying of the caps on the first guide rail.

A sterilization apparatus for sterilizing receptacle closures, comprising:

• a treatment chamber having an inlet station and an outlet station;
• a feeding device configured to feed a succession of receptacle closures to the inlet station by a flow of air;
• a conveyor configured to convey the receptacle closures through the treatment chamber from the inlet station to the outlet station;
• a sterilization agent injection device configured to inject a sterilization agent into the treatment chamber;
• and
• a deflector arranged within the area of the inlet station and configured to restrict the flow of air feeding the receptacle closures to the inlet station within the area of the inlet station,
• wherein the conveyor includes at least one guide rail adapted to receive the receptacle closures and to guide the receptacle closures from the inlet station to the outlet station, and wherein the deflector includes a deflector plate positioned adjacent to the guide rail and configured to swirl the flow of air within the area of inlet station.