JP7796051B2 - Container manufacturing equipment with aseptic transfer zone - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an installation for the mass production of containers by molding preforms made of thermoplastic material, preforms and containers being equally designated by the term "hollow bodies", the production installation comprising:
a heating station for heating the preform to a temperature sufficient for molding the preform;
a molding station for forming a container by stretch blow molding each preform in a mold carried by a rotating carousel;
a filling station for filling the container;
a sterilization device for sterilizing the preforms, said sterilization device being arranged upstream of the forming station in the displacement direction of the hollow body;
a transfer device for transferring the heated preforms in a file along a first transfer path from an exit of the heating station to a loading point of the molding station;
a transfer device for transferring the containers in a file along a second transfer path of the containers from the forming station toward the filling station;
at least one source for the emission of a stream of sterile gas that immerses the hollow bodies along their transport path;
Equipped with.

The present invention is designed for use in equipment for producing containers made of thermoplastic materials, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET), by molding, in particular blow molding or stretch blow molding preforms. Such equipment makes it possible to produce containers on a very large scale at very high production rates.

In the remainder of the description, the preform or the container formed from the preform will equally be referred to by the term "hollow body".

Preforms are generally produced by injection at a first location and blown into the final shape of the container at a second location in the manufacturing facility. Such a technique allows the blow molding operation to be carried out as close as possible to the filling location, while the injection operation can be carried out at any location. More specifically, while transporting small-sized preforms is relatively simple and inexpensive, transporting containers after blow molding presents the disadvantage that their very large volume makes it economically disadvantageous.

To enable its shaping, the body of the preform is heated above its glass transition temperature, making the walls of the body malleable while substantially reducing the body's elastic limit. Conversely, the neck is kept at a temperature below the glass transition temperature to avoid its deformation. For this purpose, the manufacturing facility is equipped with a heating station that makes it possible to heat the body of the preform to the required temperature to perform the shaping step.

The preform, thus heated, is then transported to the molding station of the manufacturing facility. The hot preform is automatically placed into a mold cavity by gripping members such as grippers. Pressurized molding fluid is then injected into the preform, forcing the preform walls against the cavity walls and forming the preform into the final container. This molding operation is typically accompanied by a stretching operation, which consists of introducing a stretch rod into the preform through its body to stretch the preform walls axially.

Containers are generally filled immediately after they are formed. The filling station and blow molding station are located side by side to create a compact manufacturing facility that performs the entire process of producing a container until a filled container is obtained.

In such manufacturing facilities, the aim is to reduce by any means the risk of contamination of containers, which may be filled with products that are more or less susceptible to such risks.

As a result, it is known to use different actions solely to monitor and control the microbiological quality of the production environment, in particular to eliminate pathogenic agents such as germs, spores, bacteria, etc. that are liable to affect the products contained in the containers, in particular by rendering them unfit for consumption.

To achieve this, actions are not only aimed at decontaminating the container, but also the preforms from which the containers are manufactured, in addition to generally decontaminating the equipment itself.

In the manufacturing process, the operation of filling containers is usually recognized as the most sensitive in terms of the risk of contamination. Therefore, containers must be sterilized before they are transferred to the filling station.

Various methods are known for sterilizing containers, for example by spraying a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) onto the containers or preforms before they enter the filling station.

It is therefore known to spray a disinfectant, such as hydrogen peroxide, onto the preforms upstream of the forming station. Disinfectants such as hydrogen peroxide are particularly effective when heated. In this regard, it has already been proposed to spray such a disinfectant onto the preforms upstream of the heating station or even at the heating station as they are heated. In order not to compromise the sterility of the containers at the forming station, the forming of the containers is carried out by blowing a sterile gas, such as air, into the preforms. However, the containers introduced into the filling station are only one of the main vectors of contamination. More specifically, pathogenic agents, from the air to the equipment components, can contaminate the container's internal volume in particular as soon as they are present in the container's immediate environment.

This is why, apart from sterilization or disinfection treatments directed directly at the containers and the products designed to be introduced into the containers themselves, decontamination of filling stations is also carried out by chemical means, for example by spraying with disinfecting solutions such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ).

To maintain a sterile atmosphere at the filling station and avoid a situation in which it quickly becomes contaminated again, it is known to place the filling station in a walled, sterile enclosure, called a filling enclosure, in which the atmosphere is kept sterile by injecting sterile air. The filling enclosure therefore contains a sterile atmosphere at an overpressure relative to the atmosphere immediately outside the filling enclosure. This ensures that contaminants cannot be sucked in from the outside through gaps in the enclosure or even through openings for the passage of containers.

However, it is necessary to be able to guarantee that the hollow bodies remain sterile until they enter the filling enclosure. It is therefore known to arrange the molding station in a sterile enclosure, called a blowing enclosure, which is closed by walls, decontaminated and contains a sterile atmosphere. The interior of the blowing enclosure is therefore supplied with sterile air, and the sterile atmosphere is maintained at an overpressure relative to the exterior of the blowing enclosure. The blowing enclosure has an internal pressure that is lower than the internal pressure of the filling enclosure, and therefore the sterility of the filling station is guaranteed.

However, maintaining a sterile atmosphere within an insufflation enclosure of such volume is very costly. Furthermore, because an insufflation enclosure of such a large volume contains numerous potential sources of contamination, ensuring the sterility of the internal atmosphere of the insufflation enclosure for more than a few days or even hours is very complicated.

To remedy this problem, it has already been proposed to protect the interior of the hollow bodies from any risk of contamination only during their transfer from one station to another. More specifically, during transfer, the necks of the hollow bodies are open, as a result of which the interior of the hollow bodies is exposed to a possible risk of contamination. Conversely, once the hollow bodies are loaded into the forming station, they are less exposed to the risk of contamination, as their necks are covered in a sealed manner by nozzles for spraying sterile gas. Furthermore, due to its limited volume, it is easy to maintain a controlled sterile atmosphere in the heating station.

To protect the interior of hollow bodies during their transfer, it is known to spray a laminar flow of sterile gas that forms a curtain along the path of the hollow bodies between stations. It has therefore been proposed to arrange a first ramp of the nozzle for emitting a jet of sterile gas above the path of the preform between the outlet of the heating station and the inlet of the molding station, in addition to a second ramp of the nozzle for emitting a jet of sterile gas above the path of the container between the outlet of the molding station and the inlet of the filling station.

A jet of sterile gas is directed through the neck of the hollow body into its interior to prevent the ingress of contaminated air and maintain a sterile atmosphere within.

Such a device makes it possible to avoid contamination of the neck and the interior of the hollow body during its displacement. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to maintain a completely sterile atmosphere in the blow-in enclosure.

However, such a solution has the drawback of not effectively protecting the exterior of the hollow body from contamination. More specifically, the amount of contaminants in the filling enclosure can, over time, result in the development of a source of contamination for the filling station.

The forming station is generally in the form of a rotating carousel that carries the forming positions around its periphery. The very rapid rotation of the carousel creates a high level of air circulation.

A laminar jet of sterile air is exposed to this air circulation. The jet must be powerful enough so that the flow remains laminar up to the neck of the hollow body. Therefore, producing a curtain of sterile gas requires high flows of pressurized sterile gas, which consumes a lot of energy.

Furthermore, the laminar flow of the air jets emitted by the nozzles becomes turbulent very quickly after their passage along the neck of the hollow body. The sterile gas stream is dispersed and mixed with the ambient air. As a result, the exterior of the container body is exposed to an even greater risk of contamination.

The invention proposes an installation for the mass production of containers by molding preforms made of thermoplastic material, preforms and containers being equally designated by the term "hollow bodies", the production installation comprising:
a heating station for heating the preform to a temperature sufficient for molding the preform;
a molding station for forming a container by stretch blow molding each preform in a mold carried by a rotating carousel;
a filling station for filling the container;
a sterilization device for sterilizing the preforms, said sterilization device being arranged upstream of the forming station in the displacement direction of the hollow body;
a transfer device for transferring the heated preforms in a file along a first transfer path from an exit of the heating station to a loading point of the molding station;
a transfer device for transferring the containers in a file along a second transfer path of the containers from the forming station toward the filling station;
at least one source for the emission of a stream of sterile gas that immerses the hollow bodies along their transport path;
Equipped with
At least one transfer path is arranged in a transfer zone separated from a forming zone containing the forming stations by a partition wall, said partition wall being characterized in that it has at least one opening for the passage of the hollow bodies.

According to a further feature of the present invention,
the first transfer path for the preforms and the second transfer path for the containers are disposed in a transfer zone separated from the molding zone by said partition wall, said partition wall having an opening for passing the preforms and an opening for passing the containers;
The filling station is housed in a closed sterile enclosure called a filling enclosure, the heating station and the forming station are arranged outside the filling enclosure, the filling enclosure comprises an inlet opening for containers coming directly from the transfer zone, a first flow of sterile gas leaving the filling enclosure through the inlet opening under the influence of a pressure difference between the filling enclosure and the transfer zone, and a transfer device for transferring the containers, which transfers the containers to the inlet opening of the filling enclosure,
the manufacturing facility comprises a second closed aseptic enclosure called a transfer enclosure, one partition of which is formed by said partition, the transfer enclosure accommodating a transfer zone, the forming station being located outside the transfer enclosure in a forming zone having a pressure lower than the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure, the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure being lower than the internal pressure of the filling enclosure, and the inlet opening of the filling enclosure opening directly into the transfer enclosure;
the transfer path for the containers and the transfer path for the preforms are generally arranged in alignment with a first flow of sterile gas coming from the filling enclosure, and the preforms and containers are displaced in a direction opposite to said first flow of sterile gas;
The transfer device for transferring the containers comprises at least one downstream rotating transfer wheel that allows the containers to be transferred from the interior of the forming zone through an opening for the passage of the containers to the transfer zone, the downstream transfer wheel having members for individually holding the containers around its periphery, the central part of the downstream transfer wheel being separated from the transfer zone by a casing having a groove for the passage of the holding members;
The holding members of the downstream transfer wheel grip each container directly onto the mold of the forming station;
The transfer device for transferring the preforms comprises at least one upstream rotating transfer wheel that allows the preforms to be transferred from the interior of the transfer zone to the interior of the molding zone through openings for the passage of the preforms, the upstream transfer wheel having members for individually holding the preforms around its periphery, the central part of the upstream transfer wheel being separated from the interior of the transfer zone by a casing having grooves for the passage of the holding members;
The holding members of the upstream transfer wheel place each preform directly into the mold of the molding station;
the heating station is arranged in a third enclosure, called the heating enclosure, the internal pressure of which is lower than the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure, the heating enclosure opening directly into the transfer enclosure through a passage for the preforms, the passage for the preforms being arranged substantially opposite the inlet opening for the containers in the direction of the first flow of sterile gas;
The transfer enclosure is supplied with sterile gas directly by a second laminar flow of sterile gas directed perpendicularly to the neck of the hollow body.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the understanding of which is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view showing a schematic representation of a manufacturing facility for containers made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 2 is an axial cross-sectional view of a preform that can be incorporated by the manufacturing facility of FIG. 1; 2 is an axial section view of a container obtained from a preform by molding in the molding station of the installation of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view taken along section plane 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the preform received at the blow molding position of the molding station; 2 is a larger plan view of FIG. 1 showing the preform and container transfer apparatus in greater detail; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bulkhead from the inside of the transfer enclosure of the facility of FIG. 1; 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along section plane 7-7 of FIG. 1 showing a container being transported in a transport enclosure and exposed to a laminar flow of sterile gas coming from the ceiling of the transport enclosure.

In the remainder of the description, elements having the same structure or similar function are designated by the same reference numerals.

The longitudinal orientation, directed from rear to front, the vertical orientation, directed from bottom to top, and the lateral orientation, directed from left to right, indicated by the tripod "L, V, T" in the figure, are adopted in the remainder of the description in a non-limiting manner. Horizontal planes extending at right angles to the vertical directions are also adopted.

For the remainder of the description and in the claims, the term "enclosure" is defined as a space physically enclosed by walls.

An installation 10 for mass-producing containers 12B made of thermoplastic material from preforms 12A is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. In the remainder of the description, the term "hollow body" is used to refer equally to the preform 12A, the finished container 12B, or the preform in the process of being molded. In a non-limiting manner, in this case, the container 12B is a bottle. The thermoplastic material, in this case, is formed from polyethylene terephthalate, denoted hereinafter by its acronym "PET."

An example of a preform 12A is shown in FIG. 2, and an example of a container 12B obtained from said preform 12A is shown in FIG. 3. Such a hollow body is made from a thermoplastic material, in this case polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The hollow body has a major axis "Z1" shown vertically in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hollow body comprises a body 14 having a closed axial end, shown at the bottom of FIGS. 2 and 3. The body 14 opens through its opposite end, shown at the top of FIGS. 2 and 3, into an open neck 16. The neck 16 has a tubular shape, and its major axis defines the major axis "Z1" of the hollow body.

Container 12B formed from preform 12A has a neck 16 identical to the neck of preform 12A, but has a body 14 of larger volume, which is formed by stretch blow molding, particularly biaxial stretching, of body 14 of preform 12A.

In FIG. 2, the body 14 of the preform 12A in this case has the axisymmetric shape of an elongated tube along its major axis, with a diameter substantially the same as that of the neck 16. Alternatively, the body 14 has a diameter smaller than that of the neck 16.

In FIG. 3, the body 14 of the container 12B also has an axisymmetric shape. However, in this case, the body 14 has a much larger volume than the body 14 of the preform 12A from which it is made. In particular, the body 14 of the container 12B has a height that is much greater than the height of the body 14 of the preform 12A. The body 14 of the container 12B is, for example, two to five times as tall as the body 14 of the preform 12A.

The neck 16 of the preform also includes a radially protruding annular flange 18.

The hollow bodies, first in the form of preforms 12A and then in the form of containers 12B, are displaced successively in a single file through the manufacturing facility 10 along a manufacturing path "T" indicated by the thick arrowed line in FIG. 1. Each hollow body is transferred from an individual holding element of the transfer device to an individual holding element of a subsequent transfer device, by which the hollow bodies are successively held along the entire path.

Referring to FIG. 1, the installation 10 includes a heating station 20 for heating the preform 12A. As a non-limiting example, the heating station 20 is formed by a tunnel in which a heating means 22 is arranged, said heating means emitting heating electromagnetic radiation, e.g., infrared radiation, such as a halogen lamp or a laser emitter.

The conveying means 24 for conveying the preforms 12A are arranged to pass the preforms through the heating means from the entrance to the exit of the tunnel. The direction of the previously filled hollow bodies is indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The conveying means 24 is formed, for example, by a closed chain with members for individually holding the preforms, here formed by a mandrel for gripping the preforms 12A by their necks 16.

In a variant not shown, the invention can also be applied to a transport means comprising independent shuttles displaced along rails. Each shuttle, together with the rail, forms, for example, a linear electric motor. Each shuttle carries an individual holding member.

Upon exiting the heating station 20, the body 14 of the preform 12A is made malleable by heating it above its glass transition temperature sufficient for its forming, while the neck 16 is held at a temperature low enough to maintain its original shape.

The machine 10 also includes a molding station 26 for molding the containers 12B from the preforms 12A thus heated. The molding station 26 is located downstream of the heating station 20 in the direction of displacement of the hollow bodies of the machine 10 along their production path "T."

The molding station 26 in this case comprises a carousel 28 carrying a plurality of molding positions 30. The carousel 28 is mounted so as to be rotatable about a central axis "Z2" in the direction indicated by arrow "F" in FIG. 1. Each molding position 30 can therefore be displaced about the axis "Z2" of the carousel 28 between a loading point 32 for a hot preform 12A and an unloading point 34 for a container 12B obtained from said preform 12A before starting a new cycle.

Referring to FIG. 4, each molding station 30 includes a mold 36 defining a mold cavity 38. The mold 36 is typically fabricated in two or three pieces that are movable relative to one another to allow for the introduction of a hot preform 12A into the mold cavity 38 and the removal of the resulting container 12B from the mold 36 after the preform 12A has been molded therein. As shown in FIG. 4, when the mold 36 is assembled, the mold 36 has a generally flat upper surface 40 traversed by a through orifice 42 having a vertically oriented axis "Z3" that opens into the cavity 38. When the preform 12A is received in the cavity 38, its neck 16 protrudes beyond the upper surface 40 of the mold 36, and the flange 18 abuts against the upper surface 40 of the mold 36.

Each molding station 30 also includes a device 44 for injecting pressurized molding fluid into the hollow body 12 received in the mold 36. In this case, the molding station is a stretch blow molding station 30. In this regard, the molding fluid is a sterile gas such as air. The pressure of the molding fluid is, for example, in the order of 40 bar.

However, it will be understood that the present invention can also be applied to other types of molding positions, particularly molding positions, by injecting pressurized liquid into the preform. The injection device 44 is designed to inject pressurized molding fluid through the neck 16 of the hollow body 12, thereby forcing the malleable wall of the body 14 of the preform 12A against the wall of the mold cavity 38, thereby giving the hollow body the final shape of the container 12B. To this end, the injection device 44 also comprises a movable nozzle 46. The movable nozzle 46 is in the form of a tubular conduit for supplying molding fluid, having a major axis "Z3". The nozzle axis "Z3" coincides with the major axis "Z1" of the preform 12A received in the mold 36.

The movable nozzle 46 has a lower end in the form of a bell that sealingly abuts the upper surface 40 of the mold 36, thereby covering the neck 16 of the hollow body. In this case, the seal is provided by an annular gasket 48 abutted by the lower end of the bell.

The movable nozzle 46 is slidably controlled between an operating position and an inoperative position, in which it sealingly covers the neck 16 of the hollow body, as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 4, and in which it is positioned a fixed distance above the mold 36, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 4, to allow lateral displacement of the neck 16 to allow removal of the completed container 12B and subsequent introduction of a new hot preform 12A.

The installation 10 also includes a filling station 50 for the containers 12B thus formed by the forming station 26. The filling station 50 includes a filling wheel 52 mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis "Z4". The filling wheel 52 enables the containers 12B to be transported along an arcuate path along which they are filled with their final contents by means of filling means, such as valves, not described below.

The filling station 50 is housed in a first enclosure, referred to as the filling enclosure 54. The molding station 26 and the heating station 20 are located outside the filling enclosure 54. The volume of the filling enclosure 54 is therefore small enough to maintain a sterile atmosphere therein and limit sources of contamination. The filling enclosure 54 may also include a capping station 55 for capping the containers. Thus, containers 12B exiting the filling enclosure 54 no longer need to be maintained in a sterile state.

The filling enclosure 54 is delimited on all sides by walls. The filling enclosure is delimited longitudinally at the rear by a wall 56 which, in this case, has an inlet opening 58 for the container 12B coming from the forming station 26. In this case, the filling enclosure 54 has an outlet opening 60 in the opposite wall, which is for the filled, and possibly capped, container 12B.

The filling enclosure 54 contains a sterile gas atmosphere at an overpressure relative to the atmosphere surrounding it on all sides. This makes it possible to ensure that contaminants cannot be aspirated through gaps present in the walls of the filling enclosure 54, through the inlet opening 58, or through the outlet opening 60. The pressure in the filling enclosure 54 is regulated by injecting sterile gas at a controlled flow rate by known means (not shown). In this case, the sterile gas is formed by air that has been sterilized by different known means, in particular by filtration and/or by exposure to chemical decontamination agents and/or by exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

Due to the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the filling enclosure 54, a first flow of sterile gas "G1", indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, continuously exits the filling enclosure 54 through the inlet opening 58.

The manufacturing facility 10 also includes a transfer device 62 for transferring the hot preform 12A along a first transfer path from the exit of the heating station 20 to the loading point 32 of the molding station 26. Similarly, the manufacturing facility 10 includes a transfer device 64 for transferring the container 12B along a second transfer path from the unloading point 34 of the molding station 26 to the entrance opening 58 of the filling enclosure 54.

In this case, the transfer device 62 for transferring the preforms 12A includes an upstream transfer wheel 66 that rotates about a vertical axis "Z5." The upstream transfer wheel 66 includes members 68 around its periphery for individually holding the preforms 12A. As shown in more detail in Figure 5, the holding members 68 in this case are formed by grippers arranged at the ends of support arms 70.

The upstream transfer wheel 66 is positioned and designed so that the holding members 68 place each preform directly into the mold 36 associated with the molding station 26. To this end, the trajectory of the holding members 68 is tangent to the circular trajectory of the mold 36 at the placement point 32 of the preform 12A. Furthermore, the various rotating elements of the manufacturing facility 10 are synchronized.

In this case, the support arm 70 is mounted so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis on the upstream wheel 66 so as to be able to change the pitch between the two preforms 12A, particularly when the pitch between two successive mandrels in the heating station 20 differs from the pitch between two successive molds 36 in the molding station 26.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 62 for transferring the preforms includes only an upstream transfer wheel 66 that directly grips the hot preform 12A at the heating station 20.

In a variant not shown, the transfer device 62 for transferring the preforms 12A includes, apart from the upstream transfer wheel 66, one or more further transfer wheels, such as notched wheels, that allow the hot preforms 12A to be transferred from the heating station to the upstream transfer wheel 66.

The transfer device 64 for transferring the containers 12B in this case comprises a downstream transfer wheel 72 that rotates about a vertical axis "Z6". The downstream transfer wheel 72 is provided around its periphery with members 74 for individually holding the containers 12B. As shown in more detail in Figure 5, the holding members 74 in this case are formed by grippers arranged at the ends of support arms 76.

The downstream transfer wheel 72 is positioned and designed so that its retaining members 74 grip each container 12B directly onto the associated mold 36 of the molding station 26. To this end, the trajectory of the retaining members 74 is tangent to the circular trajectory of the mold 36 at the ejection point 34 of the container 12B.

In this case, the support arm 76 is mounted so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis on the downstream wheel 72 so as to be able to change the pitch between two containers 12B, particularly when the pitch between two successive molds 36 at the molding station 26 is different from the pitch between two holding members of successive containers at the filling station 50.

1 and 5, the transfer device 64 for transferring containers comprises, apart from the downstream transfer wheel 72, a further transfer wheel 78 that allows the containers 12B to be transferred from the downstream transfer wheel 72 to a transfer wheel 80 located inside the filling enclosure 54. The transfer wheel 78 comprises, on its periphery, members 82 for individually holding the containers 12B, which in this case are formed by grippers.

6 and 7, the grippers forming the holding members 68 of the upstream transfer wheel 66 grip the preforms 12A by their necks 16 above the flanges 18 in this case so that they can directly position the preforms 12A by their flanges 18 against the upper surface 40 of the mold 36 when the mold is closed at the rest point 32. Similarly, the grippers forming the holding members 74 of the downstream transfer wheel 72 grip the containers 12B by their necks 16 above the flanges 18 in this case so that they can grip the containers 12B by their necks 16 before opening the mold 36 at the rest point 32.

The manufacturing equipment 10 further includes a sterilization device 102 for sterilizing the interior of the preform 12A, which is positioned upstream of the molding station 26 in the displacement direction of the preform 12A along the manufacturing path "T".

In this case, for example, it is a sterilization device 102 for spraying a decontaminating agent such as hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) onto the interior of the preform 12A for sterilization, the exterior of the preform 12A also being exposed to an atmosphere impregnated with the decontaminating agent. In a known manner, such a decontaminating agent is more effective when heated.

The sterilizer 102 is in this case positioned upstream of the outlet of the heating station 20. The decontamination agent is therefore heated by the heating means 22 of the heating station in order to achieve a high degree of effectiveness.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the sterilization device 102 is more specifically located upstream of the heating station 20.

In a variant of the invention not shown, the sterilizer 102 is arranged in the heating station 20. According to a further variant of the invention not shown, the sterilizer 102 is arranged downstream of the oven. The decontamination agent is then heated directly by the heat stored in the preform 12A.

This sterilization device 102 can optionally be complemented by a further decontamination device (not shown), for example by exposing the preforms to ultraviolet light.

It is known to expose the containers to a flow of sterile gas on the path from the outlet from the forming station 26 to the inlet to the filling enclosure 54 so that the containers remain sterile until filled.

The installation therefore comprises a source of sterile gas flow that bathes the transfer path. Within the context of the present invention, in this case the source is formed by:
By means of the filling enclosure 54, the flow of sterile gas is formed by a first flow of sterile gas "G1" and/or by a nozzle positioned along the transfer path to emit a second flow of sterile gas "G2", as described below.

A first flow of sterile gas "G1" is introduced into the pre-sterilized filling enclosure 54. More specifically, the first flow of sterile gas "G1" is obtained by filtering the air through a high-efficiency air filter, e.g., an "ULPA" filter, capable of stopping particles having dimensions on the order of microns. After filtering, the air is introduced into the filling enclosure 54 by a sterile conduit. At the outlet of the filling enclosure 54, the first flow of sterile gas "G1" therefore remains sterile. A second flow of sterile gas "G2" is introduced directly in the direction of the transport path of the preforms 12A, i.e., without passing through any further enclosures. The second flow of sterile gas "G2" is obtained by filtering the air through a high-efficiency air filter, e.g., an "ULPA" filter, capable of stopping particles having dimensions on the order of microns. After filtering, the air is directed towards the preforms by a sterile conduit.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the transport path for containers 12B and/or the transport path for preforms 12A are located in a transfer zone 83 separated from a molding zone 86 containing molding stations 26 by a partition wall 87. The partition wall 87 extends vertically. The partition wall has dimensions sufficient to avoid a situation in which the flow of sterile gas directed at containers 12B and/or preforms 12A along their transport paths is interrupted by air circulation caused by rotation of carousel 28 of molding station 26.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the transfer path for container 12B is located in transfer zone 83.

As shown in FIG. 6, the partition 87 has an opening 88 for the passage of the container 12B from the forming zone 86 to the transfer zone 83. Thus, the downstream transfer wheel 72 allows the container 12B to be transported from the forming zone 86 to the inside of the transfer zone 83 through the opening 88 for the passage of the container 12B. The opening 88 for the passage of the container 12B has dimensions suitable for the container 12B, i.e., dimensions sufficient to allow the passage of a container 12B of the maximum volume that can be manufactured by the manufacturing equipment 10, but sufficiently restricted to restrict the passage of air between the transfer zone 83 and the forming zone 86.

It is advantageous to exclude sources of contamination or components that can form contaminants from the transfer zone 83. It is also advantageous to reduce sources of turbulence due to air circulation caused by the downstream transfer wheel 72.

For this purpose, the central part of the downstream transfer wheel 72 is separated from the interior of the transfer zone 83 by a casing 90 provided with a horizontal groove 92 for the passage of the retaining members 74. The term "central part" should be understood to mean a cylindrical space extending from a plane located above the retaining members 74 to a plane located below the retaining members 74, and includes in particular the drive shaft, the means for rotating and guiding the downstream transfer wheel 72, and any other components of the downstream transfer wheel 72. Only the retaining members 74 and parts of their support arms 76 protrude into the interior of the transfer zone 83 through the groove 92 in a part of their circular trajectory corresponding to the transfer trajectory of the container 12B to the transfer wheel 78. The retaining members 74 perform the remainder of their circular trajectory outside the transfer zone 83.

In this case, the casing 90 is part of the partition wall 87 so that the central portion of the downstream wheel 72 is positioned inside the forming zone 86.

In this case, the transfer wheel 78 is positioned entirely inside the transfer zone 83 to limit the number of openings leading to the forming zone 86.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the transport path for the preforms 12A is also located inside the transfer zone 83. Therefore, the flow of sterile gas that immerses the preforms 12A along their transport path is also protected from air circulation caused by the molding station 26. To this end, as shown in FIG. 6, the partition 87 includes an opening 93 for allowing the preforms 12A to pass from the transfer enclosure 84 toward the molding zone 86. The opening 93 for allowing the preforms 12A to pass has dimensions suitable for the preforms 12B, i.e., sufficient to allow the passage of the maximum volume of preforms 12A that can be accommodated by the manufacturing facility 10, but sufficiently restricted to limit the passage of air between the transfer zone 83 and the molding zone 86.

In this case, the opening 88 for passing the container 12B and the opening 93 for passing the preform 12A are separate and are separated by a portion of the partition wall 87 to limit the opening toward the forming zone 86.

The upstream transfer wheel 66 allows the preforms 12A to be transported from the interior of the transfer zone 83 to the molding zone 86 through an opening 93 for passing the preforms 12A. For the reasons described above, in contrast to the downstream transfer wheel 72, the central portion of the upstream transfer wheel 66 is separated from the interior of the transfer zone 83 by a casing 94 that includes a horizontal groove 96 for passing the retaining members 68. Only the retaining members 68 and portions of their support arms 70 protrude into the interior of the transfer zone 83 through the groove 96 for a portion of their circular orbit corresponding to the transfer path of the preforms 12A. The retaining members 68 perform the remainder of their circular orbit outside the transfer zone 83.

In this case, the casing 94 is part of the partition wall 87, so the center of the upstream wheel 66 is positioned inside the forming zone 86.

To effectively protect the containers 12B along their transfer path, the manufacturing facility 10 in this case includes a second enclosure, referred to as transfer enclosure 84, which includes a transfer zone 83 so that the sterile gas flow "G1" coming from the filling enclosure 54 can be recovered and used. The transfer enclosure 84 contains a sterile atmosphere. The containers 12B are therefore protected from any contamination along their transfer path by the sterile atmosphere of the transfer enclosure 84.

The transfer zone 83 is separated from the forming zone 86 by the partition 87, which in this case forms a wall separating the transfer enclosure 84. The forming station 26 is therefore located outside the transfer enclosure 84. The forming zone 86 has an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure 84.

The transfer enclosure 84 is therefore generally bounded laterally by a partition wall 87 on one side and an opposing wall 89 on the other side. The transfer enclosure is also bounded longitudinally by an end wall 91, in this case adjacent the enclosure wall 56, and an opposing wall 97, in this case adjacent the heating station 20, as shown in FIG. 1. The heating station 20 is therefore external to the transfer enclosure 84. The transfer enclosure 84 is further bounded vertically by a floor 95 and a ceiling 101.

The inlet opening 58 of the filling enclosure 54 opens directly into the transfer enclosure 84. Therefore, the transfer wheels 78 of the transfer device 64 for transporting the container 12B allow the container to be transported directly to the inlet opening 58.

The internal pressure of the transfer enclosure 84 is lower than the internal pressure of the filling enclosure 54. This is because the first flow of sterile gas "G1" exiting through the inlet opening 58 penetrates directly into the inside of the transfer enclosure 84. Thus, the transfer enclosure 84 is supplied with sterile gas at least partially through the filling enclosure 54. Thus, the containers 12B are exposed to this first flow of sterile gas "G1" along their transfer path.

The internal pressure of the transfer enclosure 84 is maintained higher than the internal pressure of the forming zone 86. As a result, at least a portion of the first flow of sterile gas "G1" exits the transfer enclosure 84 through the opening 88 for passage of the container 12B and through the groove 92 in the direction of the forming zone 86.

When the transfer zone 83 also includes a transfer path for the preforms 12A, as is the case here, the preforms 12A are also received inside the transfer enclosure 84 along those transfer paths.

The transfer path for the containers 12B and the transfer path for the preforms 12A are positioned substantially aligned with the first flow "G1" of sterile gas coming from the filling enclosure 54, and the preforms 12A and the containers 12B are displaced in the opposite direction to the first flow "G1" of sterile gas. This configuration has the advantage of reducing the footprint of the manufacturing facility 10, and the advantage of being able to expose the preforms 12A to the first flow "G1" of sterile gas.

Furthermore, the heating station 20 is arranged inside a third enclosure, referred to as the heating enclosure 98, whose internal pressure is lower than that of the transfer enclosure 84. The heating enclosure 98 more specifically defines a tunnel through which the preforms 12A circulate. The heating enclosure 98 opens directly into the transfer enclosure 84 through a passage for the preforms 100 formed in the wall of the transfer enclosure 84. The passage for the preforms 100 is positioned substantially opposite the inlet opening 58 of the container in the direction of the first flow "G1" of sterile gas in the region of the inlet opening 58. Due to the pressure difference between the transfer enclosure 84 and the heating enclosure 98, part of the first flow "G1" of sterile gas leaves the transfer enclosure 84 via the passage for the preforms 100.

When the flow rate of the first flow "G1" of sterile gas coming from the filling enclosure 54 is insufficient to maintain the required overpressure in the transfer enclosure 84, sterile gas is supplied directly to the transfer enclosure 84 via at least one second source to supplement the first flow "G1" of sterile gas coming from the filling enclosure 54. As shown in FIG. 7, in this case, the transfer enclosure 84 is supplied with sterile gas directly via a second laminar flow "G2" of sterile gas emitted by the device 104. The second flow "G2" of sterile gas falls from a nozzle located in the ceiling 101 of the transfer enclosure 84. The second flow "G2" of sterile gas is directed vertically toward the bottom, in the direction of the necks 16 of the preforms 12A and containers 12B. The sterile gas is thus formed by sterile air.

Due to the presence of the partition 87, which protects the second laminar flow "G2" from air circulation from the forming station 26, the flow rate and output of the second laminar flow "G2" are less critical than in prior art devices in which various flows of gas are subject to air circulation.

Furthermore, the presence of the transfer enclosure 84 makes it possible to recover the first flow of sterile gas "G1" coming from the filling enclosure 54. This allows for a further reduction in the flow rate of the second laminar flow "G2" required to maintain the containers 12B and preforms 12A in a sterile environment along their transfer path.

During operation of the installation, the preforms 12A are first decontaminated by the sterilizer 102 before entering the heating station 20, where the bodies are heated to the temperature required for molding. At the exit of the heating station 20, the preforms 12A, thus heated, are directly received by the upstream transport wheel 66 of the first transport device 62. The preforms 12A are then transported along their transport path within the transport enclosure 84. Leaving this transport enclosure, they pass through the outlet opening 93. Once in the molding zone 86, the preforms are placed in the mold 36 that closes around them, and the associated nozzle 46 is controlled to its operating position. During their stretch-blow molding operation, the hollow bodies, first in the form of the preforms 12A and then in the form of the containers 12B, are protected from external contaminants by the bell of the nozzle 46 and the mold 36. After forming, the containers 12B are grasped by the retaining members 74 of the downstream transfer wheel 72 and rapidly transported through the entrance opening 88 inside the transfer enclosure 84. The containers are transported along their transfer path to the entrance opening 58 of the filling enclosure 54, where they are picked up by the transfer wheel 80.

On their transfer path within the transfer enclosure 84, the preforms 12A and containers 12B are exposed to a first flow "G1" of sterile gas and, optionally, a second laminar flow "G2" of sterile gas. Overpressure forces the sterile gas to naturally flow through the openings 88, 93, through the grooves 92, 96, through the passage for the preforms 100, and out of the transfer enclosure 84.

The presence of the septum 87 makes it possible to protect the flow of sterile gas to which the container 12B and/or preform 12A are exposed, whatever its source. The presence of the septum 87 advantageously allows the preform 12A and container 12B to be exposed to the flow of sterile gas without having to maintain the same high flow rates as in prior art equipment in which the transfer path is physically open to the molding zone.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the first flow "G1" of sterile gas exiting the filling enclosure 54 is used to maintain a sterile atmosphere around the containers 12B and/or preforms 12A. This is made possible, inter alia, by the presence of the transfer enclosure 84, which allows for separation from the molding station 26.

Claims (10)

An installation (10) for the mass production of containers (12B) by molding preforms (12A) made of thermoplastic material, the preforms (12A) and the containers (12B) being equally designated by the term "hollow bodies", the manufacturing installation (10) comprising:
a heating station (20) for heating the preform (12A) to a temperature sufficient for molding thereof;
a molding station (26) for forming a container (12B) by stretch blow molding each preform (12A) in a mold (36) carried by a rotating carousel (28);
a filling station (50) for filling the containers (12B);
a sterilization device (102) for sterilizing the preforms (12A), said sterilization device (102) being arranged upstream of the forming station (26) in the displacement direction of the hollow bodies;
a transfer device (62) for transferring the heated preforms (12A) in a line along a first transfer path from an exit of the heating station (20) to a placement point (32) of the forming station (26);
a transfer device (64) for transferring the containers (12B) in a file along a second transfer path for the containers (12B) from the forming station (26) toward the filling station (50);
at least one source (54, 104) for the emission of a stream (G1, G2) of sterile gas that immerses the hollow bodies along their transport path;
Equipped with
at least one transfer path is arranged in a transfer zone (83) separated from a forming zone (86) containing the forming stations (26) by a partition (87), said partition (87) comprising at least one opening (88, 93) for the passage of hollow bodies;
A manufacturing facility (10), characterized in that a first transfer path for the preforms (12A) and a second transfer path for the containers (12B) are arranged in a transfer zone (83) separated from a molding zone (86) by a partition wall (87), the partition wall (87) having an opening (93) for passing the preforms (12A) and an opening (88) for passing the containers (12B ). 2. The installation (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling station (50) is housed in a closed sterile enclosure, called filling enclosure (54), the heating station (20) and the forming station (26) are arranged outside the filling enclosure (54), the filling enclosure (54) comprising an inlet opening (58) for the containers (12B) coming directly from the transfer zone (83), a first flow (G1) of sterile gas leaving the filling enclosure (54) through the inlet opening (58) under the effect of a pressure difference between the filling enclosure (54) and the transfer zone (83), and a transfer device (64) for transferring the containers (12B) to the inlet opening (58) of the filling enclosure (54). 3. The manufacturing installation (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a second closed aseptic enclosure called a transfer enclosure (84), one of whose partition walls is formed by said partition wall (87), the transfer enclosure (84) accommodating the transfer zone (83), the forming station (26) comprising a forming zone (86) having a pressure lower than the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure (84) and being arranged outside the transfer enclosure (84), the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure (84) being lower than the internal pressure of the filling enclosure (54), and the inlet opening (58) of the filling enclosure ( 54 ) opening directly into the transfer enclosure (84). 4. The manufacturing installation (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the transfer paths of the containers (12B) and the transfer paths of the preforms (12A) are generally arranged in alignment with a first flow (G1) of sterile gas coming from the filling enclosure (54), and the preforms (12A) and the containers (12B) are displaced in a direction opposite to said first flow (G1) of sterile gas. The manufacturing facility (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transfer device (64) for transferring the containers comprises at least one downstream rotating transfer wheel (72) that enables the transfer of the containers from the inside of the forming zone (86) to the transfer zone (83) through an opening (88) for passing the containers (12B), the downstream transfer wheel (72) having members (74) for individually holding the containers around its periphery, and the central part of the downstream transfer wheel (72) is separated from the transfer zone (83) by a casing (90) that houses a groove ( 92 ) for passing the holding members (74). 6. The manufacturing facility (10) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the holding members (74) of the downstream transfer wheel (72) directly grip each container (12B) on the mold (36) of the forming station (26). 7. The manufacturing facility (10) according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device (62) for transferring the preforms (12A) comprises at least one upstream rotating transfer wheel (66) that enables the preforms (12A) to be transported from the interior of the transfer zone (83) to the interior of the molding zone (86) through an opening (93) for passing the preforms (12A), the upstream transfer wheel (66) having members (68) for individually holding the preforms around its periphery, and a central portion of the upstream transfer wheel (66) being separated from the interior of the transfer zone (83) by a casing (94) having a groove (96) for passing the holding members ( 68 ). 8. The manufacturing facility (10) according to claim 7 , characterized in that the holding members (68) of the upstream transfer wheel (66) place each preform (12A) directly into the mold (36) of the forming station (26). 10. A manufacturing installation (10) according to claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 8 which directly or indirectly cite claim 3, characterized in that the heating station (20) is arranged inside a third enclosure, called a heating enclosure (98), the internal pressure of which is lower than the internal pressure of the transfer enclosure (84), and the heating enclosure (98) opens directly into the transfer enclosure ( 84 ) through a passage for the preforms (100), the passage for the preforms (100) being arranged approximately opposite the inlet opening ( 58 ) for the containers (12B) according to the direction of the first flow (G1) of sterile gas. A manufacturing installation (10) according to claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 9 which directly or indirectly cites claim 3, characterized in that the transfer enclosure (84) is supplied with sterile gas directly by a second laminar flow (G2) of sterile gas directed perpendicularly to the neck ( 16 ) of the hollow body.