Appliance for sterilizing containers

In apparatus for sterilizing containers, the apparatus utilizing a liquid sterilizing agent and comprising an aerosol generator for producing droplets of the sterilizing agent, the apparatus further comprising a deposition head assembly in which the produced droplets, entrained in a stream of carrier gas, are directed to and charged by a corona discharge and are subsequently electrostatically deposited onto the surfaces of a container, the deposition head assembly comprising a deposition head which extends into the container, the deposition head defining a first flow passage for the carrier gas with entrained droplets, the first flow passage having an inlet which communicates with the exterior of the deposition head, the deposition head also comprising a centrally disposed point electrode energized by a high voltage to thereby produce the corona discharge and an auxiliary electrode which is provided on the end portion of the deposition head, said first flow passage extending linearly between said inlet and the region of the corona discharge, the head assembly further comprising an outer electrode which at least in part surrounds the container, a potential difference which produces an electrostatic field for causing the deposition of the charged droplets of sterilizing agent being established between the outer electrode and the auxiliary electrode and point electrode, the improvement comprising:

• means defining a chamber disposed upstream of an in communication with said first flow passage inlet, said chamber being provided at its lower point and along the outer wall thereof with a circumferentially continuous trap bead for collecting liquid;
• and
• nozzle means for discharging the stream of carrier gas with entrained sterilizing agent droplets into said chamber along an axis which is not aligned with the first flow passage.