Device for removing extraneous air from a clean room

Abstract

A device eliminating extraneous air, which is imported by open containers ( 3 ), from a clean room ( 1 ) enclosing a bottle processing machine ( 14, 20; 24 ). The, clean room is constantly replenished with clean gas to compensate for gas losses. The device includes a discharge cell ( 9 ) mounted in the clean room ( 1 ) and communicating with ambient via a discharge cell conduit ( 12, 17 ) and with the clean room via an aperture ( 11 ). Mutually oppositely situated slit nozzles (A, B) are mounted at the edge of the aperture ( 11 ) and blow clean gas at each other in the plane of the aperture ( 11 ). The discharge cell ( 9 ) is configured so as to enclose at least the container mouth zone at least at the filling site of the container ( 3 ).

1 . A device to eliminate extraneous air, which was introduced by open containers ( 3 ), from a clean room ( 1 ) that is filled with clean gas and encloses container processing machines ( 14 ,  20 ;  24 ), the clean room being constantly supplied with clean gas to compensate for gas losses, said device comprising: 
 a discharge cell ( 9 ) mounted in the clean room ( 1 ) and communicating, via an exhaust conduit ( 12 ,  17 ), which runs out of the clean room ( 1 ), with ambient and, via an aperture ( 11 ), with the clean room ( 1 ), and,    mutually oppositely blowing slit nozzles (A, B) being disposed at an edge of the aperture ( 11 ) and blowing clean gas at each other in a plane of the aperture ( 11 ), the discharge cell ( 9 ) being configured such that, at least at the filling site of the containers ( 3 ), the discharge cell at least encloses mouth zones of the containers.    
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the discharge cell ( 9 ) encloses at least an upper zone of the container ( 3 ).  
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the discharge cell ( 9 ) is bell-shaped and comprises a circular aperture ( 11 ).  
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the discharge cell ( 9 ) is elongated and tunnel-like and comprises a slot-shaped aperture ( 11 ).  
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the discharge cell conduit is a slot ( 17 ).  
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 4  used to process containers ( 3 ) revolving at the periphery of a rotary machine ( 7 ,  14 ,  20 ;  26 ), wherein the discharge cell ( 9 ) is split longitudinally, with one part of the discharge cell ( 10   a   1 ,  10   b ;  28   a ,  28   b ) revolving jointly with the machine ( 14 ), another part ( 10   a   2 ,  10   b   2 ;  29   a ,  29   b ) of the discharge cell being connected to the stationary housing ( 2 ) of the clean room ( 1 ).  
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 6  for use with neck-flange bottles ( 3 ′) held by neck supports ( 41 ), wherein the neck supports ( 41 ) are mounted on the revolving part ( 10   b   1 ;  28   b ) of the discharge cell ( 9 ).