US 12,097,987 B2 · Filling machine with a sterilization station

Abstract

A filling machine configured to form, fill, and seal individual packages is provided. The filling machine comprises a sterilization station configured to provide a flow of gaseous sterilizing agent towards open ends of ready-to-fill packaging containers passing through said sterilization station. The filling machine comprises at least one clean air supply and at least one baffle plate arranged above the at least one clean air supply, wherein the air supply is configured to direct a stream of clean air towards the ready-to-fill packaging containers. The clean air supply in turn comprises at least one distribution pipe and wherein the distribution pipe extends in a horizontal direction, the horizontal direction being in the direction of the flow of packages through the filling machine.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A filling machine configured to form, fill, and seal individual packages, comprising a sterilization station configured to provide a flow of gaseous sterilizing agent towards open ends of ready-to-fill packaging containers passing through said sterilization station,

the filling machine further comprising:
a conveyor that conveys the ready-to-fill packaging containers through said sterilization station;
at least one clean air supply and at least one baffle plate arranged above the at least one clean air supply, wherein the air supply is configured to direct a stream of clean air towards the ready-to-fill packaging containers;
the conveyor being movable relative to the baffle plate;
and
wherein the clean air supply comprises at least one distribution pipe and wherein the distribution pipe extends in a horizontal direction, the horizontal direction being in the direction of the flow of packages through the filling machine.

3 more elements

A method for sterilizing a ready-to-fill package having an open upper end, comprising supplying a gaseous sterilization agent towards the interior of the ready-to-fill package as the ready-to-fill package is being conveyed in a direction of flow, and providing a flow of clean air towards an exterior surface of the ready-to-fill package, wherein providing the flow of clean air towards the exterior surface of the ready-to-fill package comprises directing a plurality of clean air jets towards a baffle plate in order to provide a planar jet of clean air, the ready-to-fill package moving relative to the baffle plate while the plurality of clean air jets are directed towards the baffle plate, the open upper end of the ready-to-fill package being located above the baffle plate while the plurality of clean air jets are directed towards the baffle plate.

A filling machine configured to form, fill, and seal individual packages, the filling machine comprising:

a movable conveyor configured to convey ready-to-fill packaging containers with open ends through the interior of the sterilization station in a direction of flow so that a flow of gaseous sterilizing agent introduced into the interior of the sterilization station while the ready-to-fill packaging containers are conveyed through the interior of the sterilization station is directed towards the open ends of the ready-to-fill packaging containers;
two baffle plates spaced apart from one another in a direction transverse to the direction of flow so that the baffle plates are positioned on opposite sides of the ready-to-fill packaging containers passing through the interior of the sterilization station during operation of the filling machine, each of the baffle plates extending in a horizontal direction, the horizontal direction being the direction of flow of packages through the filling machine;
and
at least one clean air distribution tube provided with a plurality of through holes to direct a stream of clean air towards at least one of the horizontal baffle plates and ultimately the ready-to-fill packaging containers, the at least one clean air distribution tube extending in a horizontal direction, the horizontal direction being in the direction of flow of the ready-to-fill packaging containers, the two baffle plates being arranged above the at least one clean air distribution tube.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Filling machine with a sterilization station

Life of this patent

Filling machine with a sterilization station

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20