US 5,843,374 A · Method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging through irradiation with an excimer ultraviolet lamp which may be integrated on a packaging machine. The excimer ultraviolet lamp emits radiation at a substantially monochromatic wavelength within the ultraviolet band of the electromagnetic spectrum. The excimer ultraviolet lamp is composed of a quartz shell containing one of the following gaseous compounds: Ar.sub.2, Kr.sub.2, Xe.sub.2, ArCl, KrCl, KrF or XeCl. The KrCl gas excimer ultraviolet lamp which generates a wavelength of 222 nanometers is of particular interest for the present invention. In one embodiment, the lamp has a central aperture for flowing through a cooling fluid to remove heat from the lamp. If the excimer ultraviolet lamp is integrated on a form, fill and seal machine, the cooling fluid may be the desired contents filled into a container fabricated on the form, fill and seal machine. The materials sterilized by the present invention are fabricated into many different containers such as flexible pouches, stand-up pouches, parallelpiped containers and gable top cartons. The material may be subjected to a sterilant prior to irradiation by the excimer ultraviolet lamp. The sterilant may be hydrogen peroxide, peracid, ozone or the like. The concentration of the sterilant may have a range of between 1% to 55%.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for sterilizing the interior of a pre-formed transparent container, the pre-formed transparent container having an enclosed interior, an exterior surface and an opening for accessing the interior of the pre-formed transparent container, the apparatus comprising:

means for introducing a sterilant into the interior of the pre-formed transparent container, the sterilant selected from the group comprising ozone, peroxides and water;
an excimer ultraviolet radiation source for irradiating the exterior surface of the pre-formed transparent container, the radiation transmitting through the exterior surface to irradiate the sterilant in the interior of the pre-formed transparent container, the excimer ultraviolet radiation having a substantially monochromatic wavelength below 254 nanometers.

A method of sterilizing a transparent packaging material undergoing fabrication on a form, fill and seal packaging machine, the packaging machine having a continuous roll of transparent packaging material which is longitudinally sealed to form a tubular material, transversally sealed, filled with a flowable food product and then transversally sealed again, the transparent packaging material having an interior surface and an exterior surface and, the method comprising:

dispersing a sterilant onto the interior surface of the transparent packaging material subsequent to the transparent packaging material being unwound from the continuous roll on the form, fill and seal packaging machine, the sterilant selected from the group comprising peroxides, ozone and water;
irradiating the exterior surface of the transparent packaging material with ultraviolet radiation from an excimer ultraviolet radiation source, the radiation having a substantially monochromatic wavelength less than 254 nanometers, the step of irradiating the exterior surface occurring approximately simultaneously with the step of dispersing a sterilant onto the interior surface of the transparent packaging;
removing any excess sterilant from the interior surface of the transparent packaging material subsequent to irradiating the exterior surface thereby providing a sterilized transparent packaging material for formation into a partially formed package;
filling the partially formed package with a flowable food product;
and
sealing the filled partially formed package.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for sterilizing packaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19