SAFETY CHAMBER

• US 20120036814A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Original Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Inventors: Lindström, Gert, Pjanic, Damir, Lagus, Tomas, Carlsson, Rune
• Granted Patent: US 9,156,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/426
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/103 Sterilising flat or tubular webs
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/186 by applying or incorporating rigid fittings, e.g. discharge spouts

Abstract

An arrangement is provided to prevent emissions of hydrogen peroxide from a packaging machine forming sealed packaging containers from a packaging material web. The packaging machine has a sterilization portion comprising an inlet chamber, a peroxide bath and an aseptic chamber. The aseptic chamber is held at an overpressure while the inlet chamber is held at an underpressure during normal operation of the packaging machine. The peroxide bath functions as a seal between the inlet chamber and the aseptic chamber. A safety chamber placed in front of the inlet chamber is held at an underpressure to avoid peroxide emissions to the environment. The packaging material web will pass the safety chamber before going into the inlet chamber.

Claims

1. A packaging machine forming sealed packaging containers from a packaging material web which packaging material web is led through a sterilization portion comprising an inlet chamber having an inlet, a peroxide bath and an aseptic chamber, whereby the packaging material web is led from the inlet chamber through the peroxide bath and then into the aseptic chamber, wherein the packaging material web is led into the inlet chamber by way of a lip seal and wherein the aseptic chamber is held at an overpressure and the inlet chamber is held at an underpressure during normal operation of the packaging machine, a safety chamber is placed in front of the inlet to the inlet chamber, whereby the packaging material web passes the safety chamber before going into the inlet chamber.

2. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the packaging material web goes into the safety chamber by way of a lip seal.

3. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein a suction pipe opens into the safety chamber, holding the safety chamber at an underpressure.

4. The packaging machine of claim 3, wherein a check valve is placed in the suction pipe controlling the pressure of the safety chamber.

5. The packaging machine of claim 3, wherein the suction pipe opening into the safety chamber is connected to a main suction pipe.

6. The packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the size of the safety chamber is adapted to the packaging material web in such a way that possible necks or spouts on the packaging material web are not placed in the lip seal of the inlet chamber and the lip seal of the safety chamber at the same time.

7. The packaging machine of claim 2, wherein a suction pipe opens into the safety chamber, holding the safety chamber at an underpressure.

8. The packaging machine of claim 4, wherein the suction pipe opening into the safety chamber is connected to a main suction pipe.

9. A packaging machine forming sealed packaging containers from a packaging material web that is being conveyed in a conveying direction, the packaging machine comprising:

an inlet chamber having an inlet and a lip seal at the inlet of the inlet chamber, the inlet chamber being held at an underpressure during normal operation of the packaging machine, the packaging material web passing through the lip seal to enter the inlet chamber as the packaging material web is being conveyed in the conveying direction;

a peroxide bath downstream of the inlet chamber in the conveying direction of the packaging material web so that the packaging material web being conveyed in the conveying direction enters the peroxide bath after exiting the inlet chamber;

an aseptic chamber downstream of the peroxide bath in the conveying direction of the packaging material web so that the packaging material being conveyed in the conveying direction enters the aseptic chamber after exiting the peroxide bath, the aseptic chamber being held at an overpressure during normal operation of the packaging machine;

a safety chamber upstream of the inlet chamber in the conveying direction of the packaging material web so that the packaging material web being conveyed in the conveying direction passes through the safety chamber before passing through the lip seal at the inlet of the inlet chamber; and

a suction pipe communicating with the safety chamber and configured to be connected to a suction source to create an underpressure in the safety chamber.

10. The packaging machine of claim 9, wherein the suction pipe is connected to a main suction pipe that is also in communication with the inlet chamber to create the underpressure in the inlet chamber.

11. The packaging machine of claim 9, wherein the safety chamber includes an inlet at which is located a lip seal, the packaging material web being conveyed in the conveying direction passing through the lip seal at the inlet of the safety chamber before entering the safety chamber.

12. A method of conveying a packaging material web in a packaging machine, which forms sealed packaging containers from the packaging material web, to sterilize the packaging material web, the method comprising:

conveying the packaging material web into a safety chamber while the safety chamber is in an underpressure state;

conveying the packaging material web, which has passed through the safety chamber, through a lip seal at an inlet of an inlet chamber while the inlet chamber is in an underpressure state;

conveying the packaging material web, which has passed through the inlet chamber, through a peroxide bath; and

conveying the packaging material web, which has passed through the peroxide bath, through an aseptic chamber while the aseptic chamber is in an overpressure state.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising draining the peroxide bath while maintaining the safety chamber in the underpressure state and while maintaining the aseptic chamber in the overpressure state.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the packaging material web passes through a lip seal at an inlet of the safety chamber before entering the safety chamber in the underpressure state.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising draining the peroxide bath while maintaining the safety chamber in the underpressure state and while maintaining the aseptic chamber in the overpressure state.