Package making – Methods – Sterilizing cover only
Patent
1999-04-29
2000-11-14
Moon, Daniel B.
Package making
Methods
Sterilizing cover only
53167, 422 24, 422 28, B68B 5504
Patent
active
061452769
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the sterilization of containers. More particularly, the present invention concerns a method of sterilizing food packaging containers that are filled with food and sealed, and a sterilizing device for sterilizing such packaging containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 2 shows a conventional food packaging system of the type generally described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 255128/1987. As shown in FIG. 2, this packaging system 51 forms packaging containers 53 folded in a plate-like shape into bottomed containers having a bottom 53a. After the containers have been filled with liquid food, a seal is provided on the respective containers. The system includes a transfer conveyor that intermittently and continuously transfers the packaging containers 53 and a forming device 55 that forms folded packaging containers 53 into bottomed containers to feed them onto the transfer conveyor. A filling device 57 fills food product from above into the packaging containers 53 moving on the transfer conveyor, and a sealing device 59 seals the top of the packaging containers 53 filled with the food product. With this packaging system 51, packaging containers 53 can be continuously filled with liquid food and packaged in the sealed state.
To maintain the quality of the packaged food for a long period of time, it is known to sterilize the inside of the packaging container 53 before it is filled with food. The sterilizing agent can be hydrogen peroxide. In these systems, the hydrogen peroxide is used only for sterilization. Thus, after the hydrogen peroxide is deposited inside the packaging container 53, the hydrogen peroxide must be thoroughly removed before commencing the filling of the food product so that residual hydrogen peroxide in the container is kept below a specified value.
However, with the above packaging system 51 that forms packaging containers 53 into bottomed containers and continuously fills the container interior with food product, to increase or maximize productivity, the food product must be filled into the container in as short a time period as possible after depositing the hydrogen peroxide. Thus, a sterilizing agent removing method that can rapidly and reliably remove the deposited hydrogen peroxide is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a sterilizing method and device which makes it possible to thoroughly and reliably remove the hydrogen peroxide in a short period of time by using a simple approach and configuration.
One aspect of the invention involves a method of sterilizing food packaging containers. The method includes depositing a hydrogen peroxide-containing solution having a concentration in the range of 0.05-0.20 wt. % into the interior of a packaging container before the container is filled with food product, irradiating the interior of the container with ultraviolet light after the hydrogen peroxide-containing solution is deposited in the interior of the container, and removing hydrogen peroxide from the interior of the container by blowing compressed hot air into the interior of the container.
Another aspect of the invention involves a sterilizing device for food packaging containers that includes a sterilizing agent depositing device for depositing a hydrogen peroxide-containing solution having a sterilizing affect into the interior of a packaging container before the interior of the container is filled with food product, an ultraviolet light irradiation device for irradiating the interior of the container with ultraviolet light after the hydrogen peroxide-containing solution has been deposited into the interior of the container, and a sterilizing agent removing device for removing hydrogen peroxide from the interior of the container by blowing compressed hot air into the interior of the container.
In accordance with the present invention, the compressed hot air is blown into the container interior to which a hydrogen peroxide-containing solution is deposited. The compressed
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patent: 4979347 (1990-12-01), Shibauchi et al.
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Goto Michio
Palm Magnus
Sugiura Masayoshi
Yoshiyasu Shunsuke
Moon Daniel B.
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
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