Aseptic filling machine and aseptic filling method

Abstract

An aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method are provided with which a petaloid-shape bottle or an unstable bottle which is filled with sterilized content and sealed with a sterilized cap in an aseptic atmosphere is discharged without a delay from an aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone. Further, even if a petaloid-shape bottle or an unstable bottle falls over on a discharging conveyor when being discharged from an aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone, a stopping time of the aseptic filling machine can be shortened. A barrier chamber into which air containing a gas of a sterilizer is supplied is provided downstream of a sealing portion that fills content into the bottle and seals the bottle with a cap. Further, a discharge portion chamber that shields a discharge portions provided downstream of the sealing portion that fills content into the bottle and seals the bottle with a cap.

1 . An aseptic filling machine for bottles that comprises at least a sterilizing portion, a filling portion and a sealing portion,
 wherein a discharge portion chamber that shields a discharge portion including a discharging apparatus that discharges bottles after sealing from an aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone is provided downstream of the sealing portion.   
     
     
         2 . The aseptic filling machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharging apparatus comprises a discharging conveyor that circulates at least from the aseptic zone to the non-aseptic zone, and comprises a sterilizer tank in which the discharging conveyor is immersed in a sterilizer. 
     
     
         3 . The aseptic filling machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge portion chamber comprises a sterilizer spraying nozzle that sprays sterilizer into the discharge portion chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The aseptic filling machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge portion chamber comprises an aseptic air supplying apparatus that supplies aseptic air into the discharge portion chamber. 
     
     
         5 . An aseptic filling method comprising at least a sterilization step of sterilizing a preform or a bottle, a filling step of filling sterilized content into the bottle in an aseptic atmosphere, and a sealing step of sealing the bottle in which the content is filled with a sterilized cap in an aseptic atmosphere,
 wherein, after the sealing step, the bottle that is sealed is conveyed inside a discharge portion chamber that is shielded and maintained in an aseptic atmosphere, and is discharged from the discharge portion chamber to a non-aseptic zone.   
     
     
         6 . The aseptic filling method according to  claim 5 , wherein the bottle is discharged from the discharge portion chamber to the non-aseptic zone by conveying the bottle by means of a discharging conveyor that circulates through inside of the discharge portion chamber and the non-aseptic zone, and the discharging conveyor is immersed in a sterilizer. 
     
     
         7 . The aseptic filling method according to  claim 5 , wherein the inside of the discharge portion chamber is sterilized by sequentially spraying a sterilizer, water and aseptic heated air into the inside of the discharge portion chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The aseptic filling method according to  claim 5 , wherein the inside of the discharge portion chamber is maintained in an aseptic atmosphere by supplying aseptic air into the inside of the discharge portion chamber.