EP-4741301-A1 - CONTENT FILLING SYSTEM AND CONTENT FILLING METHOD

Abstract

[Object] To provide a content filling system having a compact overall configuration. [Solution] Sterilant is blown from a first sterilization part 193A onto a container 10 molded by a blow molding machine 112, and a label 40 is affixed to the outer periphery of the container 10 in a labeling unit 210. Sterilant is blown from a second sterilization part 193 to the container 10 to which the label 40 has been affixed.

Inventors

• HAYAKAWA, ATSUSHI

Assignees

• Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240704

Claims (14)

1. A content filling system comprising: a first sterilization part configured to sterilize at least an outer surface of a container or at least an inner surface of a label; a labeling unit configured to affix the label to the outer surface of the container sterilized by the first sterilization part; a second sterilization part configured to sterilize the container to which the label has been affixed in the labeling unit; a content filling unit configured to fill the container sterilized by the second sterilization part with content; and a sealing unit configured to seal the container.
2. The content filling system according to claim 1, wherein an air rinse unit configured to blow hot air onto the container is provided between the second sterilization part and the content filling unit.
3. The content filling system according to claim 1, wherein the second sterilization part blows sterilant onto an inner surface and the outer surface of the container.
4. The content filling system according to claim 1, wherein the first sterilization part, the labeling unit, and the second sterilization part are enclosed by a first sterilization part chamber, a labeling unit chamber, and a second sterilization part chamber, respectively, so as to be partitioned from each other, and the labeling unit chamber for the labeling unit is at a positive pressure relative to the first sterilization part chamber for the first sterilization part and/or the second sterilization part chamber for the second sterilization part.
5. The content filling system according to claim 4, wherein the labeling unit includes: a label feeder configured to feed a band-shaped label; a rotary cutter configured to cut the band-shaped label fed from the label feeder to produce the label; a label transport drum that holds by suction the label produced by the rotary cutter; and a star wheel that conveys the container, receives the label held by the label transport drum, and affixes the label to the container, and wherein the star wheel, the label transport drum, and the rotary cutter are housed in the labeling unit chamber.
6. The content filling system according to claim 5, wherein an adhesive application device configured to apply an adhesive or glue to the label held on the label transport drum is provided.
7. The content filling system according to claim 5, wherein the label feeder is disposed outside the labeling unit chamber, and the band-shaped label is fed from the label feeder into the labeling unit chamber through an opening in the labeling unit chamber.
8. A content filling method comprising: a first sterilization step of sterilizing, with a first sterilization part, at least an outer surface of a container; a labeling step of affixing, in a labeling unit, a label to the outer surface of the container sterilized by the first sterilization part; a second sterilization step of sterilizing, with a second sterilization part, the container to which the label has been affixed in the labeling unit; a content filling step of filling, in a content filling unit, the container sterilized by the second sterilization part with content; and a sealing step of sealing the container in a sealing unit.
9. The content filling method according to claim 8, wherein hot air is blown onto the container by an air rinse unit provided between the second sterilization part and the content filling unit.
10. The content filling method according to claim 8, wherein the second sterilization part blows sterilant onto an inner surface and the outer surface of the container.
11. The content filling method according to claim 8, wherein the first sterilization part, the labeling unit, and the second sterilization part are enclosed by a first sterilization part chamber, a labeling unit chamber, and a second sterilization part chamber, respectively, so as to be partitioned from each other, and the labeling unit chamber for the labeling unit is at a positive pressure relative to the first sterilization part chamber for the first sterilization part and/or the second sterilization part chamber for the second sterilization part.
12. The content filling method according to claim 11, wherein the labeling step includes: a step of feeding a band-shaped label from a label feeder; a step of cutting, with a rotary cutter, the band-shaped label fed from the label feeder to produce the label; a step of holding by suction and transporting, with a label transport drum, the label produced by the rotary cutter; and a step of conveying the container, receiving the label held by the label transport drum, and affixing the label to the container with a star wheel, and wherein the star wheel, the label transport drum, and the rotary cutter are housed in the labeling unit chamber.
13. The content filling method according to claim 12, wherein an adhesive is applied to the label held on the label transport drum by an adhesive application device.
14. The content filling method according to claim 12, wherein the label feeder is disposed outside the labeling unit chamber, and the band-shaped label is fed from the label feeder into the labeling unit chamber through an opening in the labeling unit chamber.

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a content filling system and a content filling method. Background Art In recent years, containers made of plastic have been widely used as containers for liquid content, such as food or beverage, and such plastic containers are filled with liquid content. Such plastic containers to be filled with liquid content are manufactured by inserting a preform into a mold and blow-molding the preform. The containers obtained by blow molding are filled with liquid content in an aseptic state. In a conventionally developed sterilization technique, sterilant is blown onto a preform and a blow-molded container. After filling, a label indicating the details of the liquid content is affixed to the outer periphery of the container. However, typically, because the label is affixed to the outer periphery of the container after the container is filled with the liquid content in an aseptic state, the overall structure of the aseptic content filling system is large. Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-116814PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-133130 Summary of Invention Technical Problem The present disclosure has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides a content filling system having a compact overall configuration, and a content filling method. Solution to Problem The present disclosure provides a content filling system including: a first sterilization part configured to sterilize at least an outer surface of a container or at least an inner surface of a label; a labeling unit configured to affix the label to the outer surface of the container sterilized by the first sterilization part; a second sterilization part configured to sterilize the container to which the label has been affixed in the labeling unit; a content filling unit configured to fill the container sterilized by the second sterilization part with content; and a sealing unit configured to seal the container. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, an air rinse unit configured to blow hot air onto the container is provided between the second sterilization part and the content filling unit. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, the second sterilization part blows sterilant onto an inner surface and the outer surface of the container. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, the first sterilization part, the labeling unit, and the second sterilization part are enclosed by a first sterilization part chamber, a labeling unit chamber, and a second sterilization part chamber, respectively, so as to be partitioned from each other, and the labeling unit chamber for the labeling unit is at a positive pressure relative to the first sterilization part chamber for the first sterilization part and/or the second sterilization part chamber for the second sterilization part. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, the labeling unit includes: a label feeder configured to feed a band-shaped label; a rotary cutter configured to cut the band-shaped label fed from the label feeder to produce the label; a label transport drum that holds by suction the label produced by the rotary cutter; and a star wheel that conveys the container, receives the label held by the label transport drum, and affixes the label to the container. The star wheel, the label transport drum, and the rotary cutter are housed in the labeling unit chamber. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, an adhesive application device configured to apply an adhesive or glue to the label held on the label transport drum is provided. In the content filling system according to the present disclosure, the label feeder is disposed outside the labeling unit chamber, and the band-shaped label is fed from the label feeder into the labeling unit chamber through an opening in the labeling unit chamber. The present disclosure provides a content filling method including: a first sterilization step of sterilizing, with a first sterilization part, at least an outer surface of a container; a labeling step of affixing, in a labeling unit, a label to the outer surface of the container sterilized by the first sterilization part; a second sterilization step of sterilizing, with a second sterilization part, the container to which the label has been affixed in the labeling unit; a content filling step of filling, in a content filling unit, the container sterilized by the second sterilization part with content; and a sealing step of sealing the container in a sealing unit. In the content filling method according to the present disclosure, hot air is blown onto the container by an air rinse unit provided between the second sterilization part and the content filling unit. In the content filling method according to the present disclosure, the second sterilizat