ARRANGEMENT FOR DISINFECTING CAN LIDS FOR CLOSING CANS

Abstract

An arrangement for disinfecting can lids and for closing cans includes a feed device which feeds a can closing unit. Receiving portions for individual can lids are arranged in the feed device. The feed device is situated in the feed region of the can closing unit. At least one sterilization device, for can lids received individually in the feed device, is arranged in a conveying region of the feed device.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. An arrangement for disinfecting can lids and for closing cans, the arrangement comprising: a feed device formed with receiving portions for holding individual can lids; said feed device being arranged in a feed region of a can closing unit; and at least one sterilization device for the can lids that have been received individually in said feed device arranged in a conveying region of said feed device.

18. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one sterilization device comprises a sterilizer disposed to sterilize a top and an underside of the individual can lids.

19. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said sterilization device comprises UV emitters for sterilizing the top and the underside of the individual can lids.

20. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said feed device comprises a transport star.

21. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the can closing unit is arranged in the conveying region of said feed device.

22. The arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said receiving portions are transport recesses for the individual can lids formed in a peripheral section of said transport star.

23. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said at least one sterilization device comprises at least one pulsed light device.

24. The arrangement according to claim 23, wherein a respective said pulsed light device is configured both above and below said feed device.

25. The arrangement according to claim 23, wherein said pulsed light device is a UV radiator.

26. The arrangement according to claim 17, further comprising a first stacker device for can lids arranged in an entry of the feed device.

27. The arrangement according to claim 26, further comprising a second stacker device disposed at an exit of said feed device and in the feed region of the can closing unit.

28. The arrangement according to claim 27, wherein said second stacker device forms an entry of the can closing unit.

29. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the can closing unit is disposed directly in or at an exit of said feed device.

30. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the can closing unit is disposed on said feed device and said feed device is configured to individually feed sterilized can lids to the can closing unit.

31. The arrangement according to claim 17, further comprising a sealed housing enclosing said feed device and said sterilization device, said sealed housing being formed with a gas feed and a gas discharge for a sterile gas, and with feed and discharge openings for the can lids.

32. The arrangement according to claim 31, wherein said feed opening for the can lids and said gas feed and/or said discharge opening for the can lids and said gas discharge are integrated.

33. The arrangement according to claim 17, further comprising a first stacker device for can lids arranged in an entry of the feed device, and a second stacker device disposed in said gas discharge at an entry to the can closing unit.

Description

[0020] The invention is now described by reference to an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the schematic drawings, in which

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive arrangement having a stacker device arranged between the feed device and the can closing unit;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a vertical section through the arrangement of FIG. 1, and

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a section III-III from FIG. 2.

[0024] According to FIGS. 1 to 3, the inventive arrangement 10 comprises a feed device 12 in the form of a transport star driven by a motor 28. The transport star 12 is arranged together with a first stacker device 14, a second stacker device 16, an upper UV emitter 18 and a lower UV emitter 20 in a substantially sealed housing 22. The first stacker device 14 is arranged in a feed opening 26 of the housing 22. The second stacker device 16 is arranged in an outlet pipe 38 which projects out of the housing 22. The outlet pipe 38 also forms a gas discharge for a process gas used in the housing 22, e.g. a sterile or sterilizing purging gas. A can closing unit 24 is arranged at the exit from the second stacker device 16.

[0025] Around its periphery, the transport star 12 has transport recesses 30 in which individual can lids 32 are accommodated. The direction of rotation of the transport star 12 is indicated by an arrow. The gas feed and the discharge 36, 38 can be provided optionally. The housing is preferably completely sealed except for the feed opening 26 for the can lids, the gas feed channel 36 and the outlet pipe 38 which forms both the can discharge opening and the gas discharge.

[0026] The inventive arrangement works as follows:

[0027] The can lids 32 are fed to the transport star 12 via the first stacker device 14 at the feed point 33. At the exit of the first stacker device 14 is arranged a descrambling device (not shown) which feeds the can lids 32 individually to the transport star, i.e. to the transport recesses of the transport star 12. The lids are then transported in the transport recesses 30 of the transport star 12, passing along beneath the upper UV emitter 18 and above the lower UV emitter 20 so that the can lids 32 are sterilized both on their upper and on their lower side. Finally, at the discharge point 34 the can lids are fed to the second stacker device 16 which forms the feed device for the closing unit 24 arranged beneath it. A gas, in particular a sterilizing gas, which is discharged at the outlet pipe 38 in which the second stacker device 16 is arranged, is also fed to the housing 22 through the gas feed channel 36. In this way, a sterile or sterilizing gas is washed over and around the can lids 32 during the entire descrambling, sterilization and feeding process so that the sterility produced by the UV emitters 18, 20 is maintained until the closing of a can with a sterilized can lid 32 in the can closing unit 24.

[0028] The dashed arrows in FIG. 2 indicate the path of the sterile gas which can be for example oxygen or CO.sub.2 or any desired sterilizing gas.

[0029] The invention is not confined to the depicted exemplary embodiment but is capable of variation within the scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0030] 10 Arrangement for disinfecting can lids and for closing cans

[0031] 12 Feed devicetransport star

[0032] 14 First stacker device

[0033] 16 Second stacker device

[0034] 18 Upper UV emitterfirst sterilization device

[0035] 20 Lower UV emittersecond sterilization device

[0036] 22 Housing

[0037] 24 Can closing unit

[0038] 26 Feed opening for can lids

[0039] 28 Drive motor

[0040] 30 Transport recess in the transport star for individual can lids

[0041] 32 Can lids

[0042] 33 Feed point of the conveyor path

[0043] 34 Discharge point of the conveyor path

[0044] 36 Gas feed channel

[0045] 38 Outlet pipe