Method for filling and sealing liquid content in spouted pouch and apparatus therefor

Abstract

[Problems] To obtain a spouted pouch package having a high degree of deoxidation by a method in which even a liquid content which is easily foamable can be filled while being inhibited from foaming. [Means for Solving Problems] A pre-filling deoxidation step ( 1 ) is performed before a liquid content is filled into a pouch. The pre-filling deoxidation step ( 1 ) comprises: a vacuum step ( 1 - 1 ) in which a gas is evacuated from the pouch; an inert gas blowing step ( 1 - 2 ) in which an inert gas is blown into the pouch after the vacuum step; and a gas-reduction vacuum step ( 1 - 3 ) in which the gas in the pouch after the inert gas blowing step is discharged under vacuum to reduce the gas in the pouch to a predetermined amount. Thereafter, the pouch is evacuated in a pre-filling second degassing step ( 2 - 1 ) and then filled with a content. After filling, gas replacement is implemented.

1 . A method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch which is deoxidized, filled with the liquid content and sealed, comprising: a pre-filling deoxidation step of removing air from the spouted pouch prior to content filling; a pre-filling degassing step of degassing the spouted pouch immediately prior to content filling; a filling step of filling the spouted pouch with the liquid content; and a post-filling gas replacement step of blowing an inert gas into the pouch filled with the content and performing gas replacement. 
   
   
       2 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the pre-filling deoxidation step comprises a vacuum step of evacuating the air from the pouch, an inert gas blowing step of blowing the inert gas into the pouch after the vacuum step, and a gas-reduction vacuum step of evacuating the gas inside the pouch after the inert gas blow step and reducing the amount of gas inside the pouch to a predetermined amount. 
   
   
       3 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the gas-reduction vacuum step is carried out in an inert gas atmosphere by injecting the inert gas in the vicinity of the spout. 
   
   
       4 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 1 , comprising a post-filling degassing step of pressurizing the pouch filled with the content and pressing out the gas and bubbles contained in the pouch, before the post-filling gas replacement step. 
   
   
       5 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the filling step includes a residual liquid discharge step of pushing out with a rod a residual liquid that has adhered to a nozzle after the liquid content has been filled and causing the residual liquid to fall down inside the pouch. 
   
   
       6 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the pre-filling degassing step includes pressurizing the pouch from outside and degassing the inside of the pouch. 
   
   
       7 . The method for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 1 , further comprising a washing step of washing an outer peripheral portion of the spout after the filling step, wherein the washing step and the post-filling gas replacement step are performed simultaneously in the same station. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch, comprising: pouch conveying means for conveying a pouch by grasping a spout portion of the pouch; pre-filling deoxidation means for discharging air from the spouted pouch prior to content filling; pre-filling degassing means for discharging gas in the pouch immediately prior to content filling, this means being disposed downstream of the pre-filling deoxidation means; filling means for filling a content into the pouch via the spout; and post-filling gas replacement means for blowing inert gas into the pouch. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the pre-filling deoxidation means comprises vacuum means for evacuating the air inside the pouch, inert gas blow means for blowing an inert gas into the pouch after the vacuum step, gas-reduction vacuum means for evacuating the gas in the pouch after the inert gas blowing step and reducing the amount of gas inside the pouch to a predetermined amount, and inert gas injection means for supplying the inert gas to the vicinity of a joint portion of the gas-reduction vacuum means and the pouch and obtaining an inert gas atmosphere in the vicinity of the spout. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 8 , further comprising, downstream of the filling means, post-filling degassing means for pressurizing the pouch filled with the content and pushing out the gas and bubbles contained in the pouch. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 8 , further comprising washing and post-filling gas replacement means for washing the spout and also blowing an inert gas into the pouch, and spout drying means for blowing an inert gas or air to dry the spout. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the filling means comprises an outer tube having a filling nozzle, an outer rod in which the lower end portion serves as a valve body and closes the filling nozzle by seating on a valve seat, and an inner rod that is slidably fitted into the outer rod, has an outer diameter that enables mating with the filling nozzle, and pushes out a residual liquid contained in the filling nozzle. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the filling means comprises an outer tube having a filling nozzle, a rod in which the lower end portion serves as a valve body and closes the filling nozzle by seating on a valve seat, and a mesh nozzle that is provided at the lower end portion of the filling nozzle and has a mesh screen in a discharge path thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the washing and post-filling gas replacement means comprises a nozzle body that has a washing water spraying port that sprays washing water toward the outer peripheral portion of the spout of the pouch, and a gas replacement nozzle that is positioned in the axial center of the nozzle body, covers an opening end of the spout of the pouch, and injects an inert gas into the spout. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus for filling and sealing a liquid content in a spouted pouch according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the post-filling degassing means and the washing and post-filling gas replacement means are disposed in the same station, and the degassing means is provided below the washing and post-filling gas replacement means.