US 7,536,839 B2 · Method and machine for closing bottle with sterile caps

Abstract

For closing bottles with sterile caps, the caps are placed in a non-sterile environment in a vertical arrangement and are supplied vertically to a first sterile area. The interior of the caps is arranged to be accessible horizontally. The caps are sterilized in the first sterile area and transferred to a second sterile area where the caps are placed onto bottles. Subsequently, the bottle is closed with the cap. The machine for sterile closing of bottles with caps has a sterilization device with an individualization device for picking up caps and a vertical transport path feeding the caps to the sterilization chamber. A placing device receives the caps from the sterilization device and places the caps onto bottles. A closing device closes the bottles with the cap placed thereon. The sterilization device, the placing device, and the closing device operate as synchronized modules of a linear machine.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A method for closing bottles with sterile caps, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the caps adjacent to one another in a non-sterile environment in a vertical arrangement;
supplying the caps in a substantially vertical transport direction to a first sterile area, wherein an interior of the caps faces in a horizontal direction;
sterilizing the caps in the first sterile area while the interior of the caps faces in the horizontal direction;
transferring the caps from the first sterile area into a second sterile area;
feeding filled bottles linearly to the second sterile area;
placing the caps by a placing device onto the bottles to produce a bottle-cap unit in the second sterile area;
conveying the bottle-cap unit to a third sterile area;
and
subsequently closing the bottle with the cap by a closing device, wherein the closing device is not the placing device.

6 more elements

A machine for sterile closing of bottles with caps, the machine comprising:

a sterilization device, defining a first sterile area and comprising an individualization device for picking up caps and a vertical transport path feeding the caps, orientated with an interior of the cans facing in a horizontal direction, in a downward vertical direction from the individualization device to a sterilization chamber of the sterilization device, wherein the sterilization device is adapted to sterilize the caps in the sterilization chamber while the interior of the cans faces in the horizontal direction;
a linear horizontal bottle supply;
a placing device receiving the caps from an exit of the sterilization device and placing the caps onto bottles supplied by the linear horizontal bottle supply to the placing device;
a closing device arranged at a distance from the placing device and having at least one closing member for closing the bottles with the cap placed thereon, respectively;
a conveying path extending from the placing device to the closing device and conveying the bottles with the can placed thereon from the placing device to the closing device;
and
wherein the sterilization device, the placing device, and the closing device are configured as synchronized modules of a linear machine.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and machine for closing bottle with sterile caps

Life of this patent

Method and machine for closing bottle with sterile caps

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37