Apparatus for sterilizing a succession of food containers or the like

An apparatus for sterilizing successive articles being fed along a predetermined path, comprising:

• means for feeding the articles along the predetermined path at least in one row;
• means defining two opposed sterilizing chamber members on the opposite sides of the predetermined path, the sterilizing chambers being defined by respective wall assemblies, each wall assembly including a wall member;
• means for supplying a sterilizing liquid in a fine spray into the sterilizing chambers whereby the successive articles traveling between the sterilizing chambers are sterilized, said supplying means comprising two spray nozzles for spraying the sterilizing liquid into the respective sterilizing chambers, each of said spray nozzles being mounted on each of said wall members for spraying sterilizing liquid therethrough;
• means for heating the sterilizing chambers and the supplying means;
• a spray retarder block mounted in each sterilizing chamber so as to provide air passages between itself and the wall member of the wall assembly dividing the sterilizing chamber;
• therebeing a spray channel extending through each spray retarder block for the passage therethrough of the spray expelled from one of the spray nozzles, each spray channel having and entrance end in direct communication with the air passages;
• therealso being at least one air supply chamber formed in each spray retarder block, the spray channel in each spray retarder block being laterally open to the air chamber, whereby the air chamber serves to reduce the velocity of the spray passing through the spray channel;
• and
• means for adjustably varying the rate at which air is drawn from the air passages into the entrance and each spray channel wall the spray is passing therethrough.

A sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing successive articles being fed along a predetermined path, comprising;

• means for feeding the articles along the predetermined path at least in one row;
• means defining two opposed sterilizing chambers on the opposite sides of the predetermined path;
• means for supplying sterilizing liquid as a fine spray into the sterilizing chambers, whereby the successive articles traveling between the sterilizing chambers are sterilized, the supplying means comprising:
• means for ultrasonicly atomizing the sterilizing liquid into mist;
• and
• means for directly the mist from the atomizing means into the sterilizing chambers.

A sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing successive articles being fed along a predetermined path, comprising:

• means for feeding the articles along the predetermined path at least in one row;
• means defining two opposed sterilizing chambers on the opposite sides of the predetermined path;
• means for supplying a sterilized liquid as a fine spray into the sterilizing chambers, whereby the successive articles traveling between the sterilizing chambers are sterilized;
• means for heating the sterilizing chambers and the supplying means;
• a light source for emitting a beam of light across at least one of the two opposing sterilizing chambers;
• means for receiving the light beam and generating electrical output representative of the density of the droplets of the sterilizing liquid in the sterilizing chambers;
• integrator means for integrating the output from the receiving and generating means during each of the successive prescribed period of time;
• and
• comparative means for comparing the output from the integrator means with a predetermined reference representative of the intergral, during one of the prescribed periods of time, of the output from the receiving and generating means in the case where a desired amount of the finely sprayed sterilizing liquid is supplied into the sterilizing chamber.

A sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing successive articles being fed along a predetermined path, comprising:

• means for feeding the articles along the predetermined path at least in one row;
• means defining two opposed sterilizing chambers on the opposite sides of the predetermined path;
• means for supplying a sterilizing liquid as a spray into the sterilizing chambers whereby the successive articles traveling between the sterilizing chambers are sterilized;
• means for heating the sterilizing chambers and the supplying means;
• a light source permitting a beam of light across at least one of the two opposed sterilizing chambers;
• means for receiving the light beam and generating an electrical output representative of the density of the droplets of the sterilizing liquid in the sterilizing chamber;
• sample-and-hold means for sampling the output from the receiving and generating means at the end of each of successive prescribed periods of time for holding the sample until the end of the next prescribed period of time;
• inverter means for inverting the output from the sample-and-hold means;
• adder means for adding the output from the receiving and generating means and the output from the inverter means;
• integrator means for integrating the output from the adder means during each of the successive prescribed periods of time;
• and
• comparator means for comparing the output from the integrator means with a predetermined reference.