Method and device for aseptic feed of great amount of fluid portions. RU patent 2508245.

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to feeders of fluid kept in container with branch pipe and flexible feed pipe with inlet and outlet. Said inlet is tightly communicated with container branch pipe while viscoelastic valve is fitted in pipe outlet. Proposed method comprises compression step and compression end step. Besides, this method comprises extra step to be executed after compression end step and consisting in pressure relief at pipe length between pipe first section and valve.

EFFECT: higher rate and reliability of valve closure, decreased susceptibility to microbial contamination.

18 cl, 6 dwg

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the filing of certain portions of a fluid that is sensitive to agents, safe aseptic conditions.

The level of technology

One way aseptic filing of fluid sensitive to agents, with the help of the filling system is storing of fluid in the container of the type of bag-in-box (BIB) on the discharge tube is fitted with outlet aseptic valve. One type of aseptic valve is the so-called «» valve with a case, having the form of a cylinder or a truncated cone, with the valve body is made inner channel, which is connected to one or more holes for the filing of the fluid. Valve also contains also highly elastic cylinder, having an internal cross-section less than the cross section of the valve body, due to which the highly elastic cylinder tightly to the outside of the holes for the filing of the fluid and to the seat.

Such a valve is described, for example, in the US patent documents 7243682, US 5836484 or WO 2006/063000. Flow of fluid is carried out using a pump, which exert pressure on the flexible tube and is the fluid in the tube, and, therefore, creates pressure in the inner channel and outlet available in the valve body. When the pressure exceeds the pressure of the fluid acting outside of the valve, it forces the elastic cylinder to move away from the valve body and venting. At the termination of operation of the pump the pressure on the outside of the pump housing exceeds the pressure of the fluid and elastic cylinder tightly pressed at specified position to the valve body, thus preventing the reverse flow through the valve. Accordingly, the flow of fluid is allowed only in one direction.

However, bottling machines, equipped with this valve, it was found that, in the interval of time between two flows of fluid aseptic condition is not supported by the system. Depending on the design of viscoelastic valves after stopping the pump can withstand a certain back pressure, and it may take several minutes before the pressure of the fluid decreases essentially to lower values. For this reason, when appropriate valve closes, its status is uncertain, since he is too close to the position of the opening, in order to ensure a complete and reliable closing it.

If in the initial position, the valve open and gives a certain amount of fluid, reducing the pressure of the fluid leads to a decrease in consumption, and further flow decreases, there is a situation in which when reaching valve pressure, called closing pressure, flow becomes equal to zero. At this stage, the non-return valve is not very stable: it is close to the open position, although it is closed. The valve is normally slowly lets a few drops of fluid, thereby possibly worsening the aseptic condition (sterility) the remainder of the fluid. At the stage of closing of the valve, in the case of a typical valve made from highly flexible sheath placed over solid valve seat, the shell is adjacent to the seat and is in contact with him. However, this fit is too tight, which is manifested in the growth of droplets of fluid or their dripping from valve within a short period of time (up to one minute). After a minute or nearly minutes of such dripping supply pressure upstream of the valve reaches a different value, and then valve maintains a constant time pressure, called pressure, which keeps the valve. When in this state, non-return valve susceptible to microbial contamination. This was observed in particular in situations where they dosaged viscous fluid environment or fluid environment, containing solid particles.

The essence of the invention

The advantage of the invention consists in that the proposed method of submission of the fluid and the appropriate filling machine provide reliable closing of the valve immediately after stopping the pump.

According to one variant of implementation of the invention refers to the method of supplying a large number of servings of the fluid, which is stored in a container, containing the tube and supplied with flexible delivery tube, having inlet and outlet, and the input of the tube tightly connected with a pipe container and outlet tubes installed valve-containing

site submission, having inlet for the reception of the fluid flowing from the outlet tube, and the internal channel beginning at the inlet opening and ending on at least one outlet

and shell, covering site submission so that the area was highly elastic shell overlaps the outlet of the unit to supply, and the end of the highly elastic shell, located downstream, forms the outlet valve

the proposed method includes two successive stages:

stage of compression, during which compress the first section of flexible supply pipe, resulting in a fluid is compressed and injected with downstream through the inner channel unit to supply valve, then under the action of compression fluid removes the highly elastic shell from the outlet of the unit to supply and can leak between the highly elastic shell and a host of filing in and out through the outlet valve; the stage of completion of compression;

the method includes the additional step undertaken after the end of the stage of the compression, during which relieve pressure on the section of the tube between the first section of the tube and valve.

Preferably when conducting additional stages of pressure on the area between the first section of the tube and valve is less than 0,068 ATM.

According to one embodiment stage of compression is carried out by means of rotation of a rotor of the peristaltic pump. In this variant the implementation stage pressure relief may be in the rotation of the rotor peristaltic pump in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation for compression.

An additional step may also include the implementation of short-term compression second section of the tube, located downstream below the first section of the tube. Preferably short-term compression creates a force sufficient to release the fluid plot tube, situated between the second plot tube and valve. During this additional stages of the short-term compression force can be created in less than one second. This compression can be achieved with a pinch valve.

The last stage pressure relief exercise at the end of the stage of compression of a tube, preferably less than one second after the end of the stage of compression.

Way according to one of the options for the implementation of the present invention are used for feeding fluid with a viscosity of less than 0.1 PA·s (100 SDRs). The present invention provides values of viscosity, measured at ambient temperature, i.e. 21 degrees C.

Method according to the present invention may be, in particular, used for the filing of fluids containing solids. Preferably, these solid particles have a size of no more than 200 microns.

According to other variant of implementation of the invention refers to the submission of a large number of servings of the fluid contained in the container, provided with a pipe and delivery tube, having inlet and outlet, and the input of the tube tightly connected to the pipe, and the outlet tube is installed valve, containing

site submission, having inlet for the reception of the fluid flowing from the outlet tube, and the inner channel, starting at the intake hole and ending on at least one outlet

and shell, covering site submission so that the area was highly elastic shell overlaps the outlet of the unit to supply, and the end of the highly elastic shell, located downstream, forms the outlet valve;

the device contains

pump to compress the first section of the tube, as well as a means of pressure relief on a site tube between the first section of the tube and valve.

Under variant of the implementation of the present invention pump is a peristaltic pump.

Means of pressure relief in the tube can be a compression tool that puts short-term contraction of the second section of the tube, located downstream below the first section of the tube. Such a method of compression can be the pinch element. Preferably device contains a controller is configured for approval serial move the pinch of the element and the pump.

When using a peristaltic pump tool designed to relieve pressure in the receiver, controller can be configured for continuous control of the direction of rotation, the peristaltic pump.

According to yet another variant of implementation of the invention refers to a machine for making beverages containing feeder large number of servings concentrated drink ingredient, such as described above, as well as the outline of the filing of the diluent, and a camera to dilute the concentrate, intended for mixing with diluent at least part of concentrated ingredient drink, infused through the submission of a large number of servings.

Machine for making beverages may also contain tools for foam mixture of concentrated ingredient drink and diluent. These tools can be built into the camera to dilute the concentrate, or can be separated from the latter.

The machine can be used for filing, for example, liquid concentrated ingredient drink, for example, concentrate ingredient on the basis of milk and concentrate ingredient on the basis of cocoa.

Other features and benefits, except for those disclosed here will be apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.

Brief description of drawings

On fig.2 and 2b illustrates the operation of a valve used in the present invention.

On fig.3, 3b, and 3C shows a device for submission of a large number of servings of fluid on each of the three stages, carried out in the process of filing of the fluid.

Realization of the invention

Figure 1 shows the machine 7 for the beverage, which includes the device 14 aseptic filing of a large number of servings of fluid the invention.

Machine 7 for preparation of drinks also contains a path for the filing of the diluent, including capacity 8 diluent and pump 9. Usually diluent 12 is water. The specified path can also contain heater diluent (not shown). The contour of the filing of the diluent provides diluent in camera 10 to dilute the concentrate, which serves also concentrated ingredient drink. Camera 10 to dilute the concentrate is usually used to improve the mixing of diluent 12 and concentrate in order to do effective dilution of concentrated ingredient drink. This can also be achieved by a specific orientation jet diluent inside the camera to dilute the concentrate.

Concentrated ingredient drink served in the chamber of 10 to dilute the concentrate with the help of the device 14 for the submission of a large number of servings of the fluid. The device contains a body 15, in which a container is located 1 for the storage and supply of concentrated ingredient drink. Container preferably is a flexible container that can be at the discretion placed in a rigid sheath-like system «bag-in-box (BIB). The container has a socket 2, to which hermetically attached to a flexible dosing tube 3, having inlet and outlet. Flexible dosing tube 3 is made of a material that can be compressed. In the outlet tube is a check valve 4.

Device 14 for the submission of a large number of servings of fluid may produce some amount of fluid from flexible container at discrete points in time, while preserving the rest of the fluid in the elastic container in aseptic conditions. The device contains 14 pump 6, serves for periodic compression of the first section 31 of the tube to the filing of several portions of a fluid medium, and then her feeding ceases. Pump preferably is a peristaltic pump. During the stage of compression fluid is compressed and inspired to move to a tube down the stream, then it passes through the valve 4 and when the pump stops, within the fluid in the tube and through the valve stops. However, peristaltic pump keeps the residual pressure in the tube 3, which prevents the effective closure of the valve.

Device 14 for the submission of a large number of servings of fluid also contains a tool 5 compression, used for short-term compression second section 32 tube, located downstream below the first section 31 of the tube. Preferably such a pinch element pinches the handset for less than 1 second, even more preferably less than 0.5 sec. Preferably a compression tool is a pinch element that can linearly to move forward and backward to over-pressing it tubes. Linear temporal compression tools are preferred, as they may apply to the tube of the great effort of compression in a short period of time. This compression pushes some amount of fluid inside the tube, through the non-return valve and pressure of the fluid in the tube after compression is significantly reduced to a value less than the pressure at the end of the considered stage of compression, and many smaller size of a pressure valve closing and held valve pressure. Thus, inside the tube is supported by the residual pressure of the fluid lower pressure value of the closing of the valve and pressure, held valve that guarantees aseptic valve closure. Machine 7 preferably include a block of 16 management to coordinate interrelated actions pump 6 and equipment 5 compression. Stage pressure relief may also be made through a reverse rotating element peristaltic pump in opposite direction of rotation for discharge.

Machine 7 for preparation of drinks also contains device 11 for foam mixture of concentrated ingredient drink and diluent such as Frother, located downstream below the camera 10 to dilute the concentrate. The specified device 11 for foam can also be integrated inside the camera 10 to dilute the concentrate. It can be a device for injection of water vapour or air.

Finally, the machine 7 for preparation of drinks usually contains an area of 17 of the beverage in which drink is served in a Cup of 13.

Further, with reference to fig.2 and 2b is described in further detail valve, which is used in the device according to the present invention. Valve 4 contains a host of submission 41, having an inlet hole 42 to which you connected the flexible tube 3 container for the filing of the fluid flowing from the outlet tube. Inlet 42 openly in the internal channel 43, beginning at the inlet opening and ending on at least one outlet 44. Valve contains shell 45, covering node 41 feed that part of this shell overlaps outlets 44 feed unit.

On fig.2 shows the valve in the closed position, i.e. when the pump 6 or medium 5 compression do not create pressure of the fluid in the channel 43. In this position, highly elastic shell 45 hermetically closes the outlet 44 feed unit.

On fig.2b shows the valve in the open position, i.e. when the pump 6 or medium 5 compression pressure of the fluid in the channel 43, enough to have a fluid pushed shell 45 from the vents 44 feed unit. As a result of a fluid can leak out through the outlet opening 44 site submission and passing between the highly elastic shell 45 and node 41 filing out through the outlet 46 valve. Preferably highly elastic shell 45 contains the ledge 48, which mates with the deepening of 47 in the outer part of the site 41 submission, not allowing this shell 45 slide along the node 41 filing.

On fig.3-3C shows a device 14 for the submission of a large number of servings of fluid on each of the three stages, carried out in the process of filing of the fluid. The pump is a peristaltic pump, containing the fixed element 62, which is sent to the flexible pipe, and a movable element 61, capable of rotating and pressing the first section 31 of flexible tubes to fix its position stationary item 62.

On fig.3 movable element 61 rotates. As a result of fluid inside - flexible tube 3 is compressed and is motivated to move downstream inside the valve 4) opened under the action of efforts, created under the pressure of the fluid medium.

During this stage, the Contracting element 5 remains untapped.

On fig.3b rotation of the moving element 61 terminated and the Contracting element 5 directly driven and compresses the fluid inside the second situated downstream of the site 32 tube. After that, the fluid inside the plot moves quickly down the stream, putting pressure on all the fluid located between the second plot and the valve and the opening through this valve 4. Preferably Contracting element is driven for less than 1 second after stopping the pump, even more preferably within less than 0.5 sec.

On fig.3 pump 6 still not put into action, at the same time compressing element 5 transferred to the off position, resulting in a second section 32 tube, located downstream, expands and again filled with fluid medium flowing from the polling station located upstream. The final pressure acting on the inside of that part of the tube, which is located downstream below the second section 32, has a low magnitude, preferably in the range from 0 up to 0,068 ATM, quite suitable for highly elastic shell 45, covering the openings 44, was entirely to him tightened. The material is flexible tube can be chosen such that the deformed tube itself acted as a damper and slowly rigid.

The advantage of the invention consists in improvement of aseptic conditions for the fluid. The valve closes right after the termination of operation of the pump. After the termination of the pump, no dripping not happening.

The advantage of the invention consists in the fact that it can be used in already existing aseptic machines, equipped with valve to improve aseptic filing of the fluid.

It should be understood that for specialists in a given field of technology will be obvious various changes and modifications in relation to the described implementation of the preferred options. Such changes and modifications may be made without going beyond the extent and nature of the present invention and without reducing its intended benefits. Thus, it is assumed that these changes or modifications to be covered by the attached paragraphs of the claims.

1. The way of presenting a large number of servings of fluid stored in the container, containing the tube and flexible feed tube inlet and outlet ports, and the input of the tube tightly connected to the pipe, and the outlet tube is installed valve, containing a site submission has inlet for the reception of the fluid flowing from the outlet tube, and the internal channel beginning at the inlet opening and ending on at least one outlet, and shell, covering site feed way that the area was highly elastic shell overlaps the outlet of the unit to supply, and the end of the highly elastic shell, located downstream, forms the outlet valve, which includes the stage of compression, during which compress the first section of flexible supply pipe, resulting in a fluid is compressed and injected with downstream through the inner channel unit to supply valve, then under the action of compression fluid postpones shell from the outlet of the unit to supply and can leak between the highly elastic shell and a host filing in and out through the outlet valve; the stage of completion of compression; and additional step undertaken after the end of the stage of the compression, during which relieve pressure on the section of the tube between the first section of the tube and valve.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stage of compression is implemented by the rotation of the rotor peristaltic pump.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional step is realized by means of peristaltic pump rotor rotation in the direction opposite to the direction of discharge.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further stage involves the short-term compression second section of the tube, located downstream below the first section of the tube.

5. The method according to claim 4, which at the time of the additional stages of the short-term compression creates a force sufficient to release the tube from the fluid located between the second plot tube and valve.

6. The method according to claim 4, which at the time of the additional stages of the short-term compression creates a force in less than a second.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the additional stages of the short-term compression is achieved with a pinch valve.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional step of exercise less than one second after the end of the stage of compression of a tube.

9. The method according to claim 1 in which the fluid has a viscosity of more than 0.1 PA·S.

10. The method according to claim 1 in which the fluid contains solid particles.

11. Feeding device of a large number of servings of fluid stored in the container, containing the tube and feed tube with inlet and outlet ports, and the input hole tube tightly connected to the pipe, and the outlet tube is installed valve, containing a site submission has inlet for the reception of the fluid flowing from the outlet tube, and the internal channel beginning at the inlet opening and ending on at least one outlet, and shell, covering site submission so that the area was highly elastic shell covers at least one outlet feed unit, and the end of the highly elastic shell, located downstream, forms the outlet valve pump to compress the first section of the tube, as well as a means of pressure relief on a site tube between the first section of the tube and valve.

12. The device according to claim 11, in which the pump is a peristaltic pump.

13. The device according to claim 11, in which the pressure relief represents a compression tool, designed for short-term compression second section of the tube, located downstream below the first section of the tube.

14. The device according to claim 11, in which the compact represents a pinch element.

15. The device according to claim 11, in which the device is a controller that is configured to coordinate the move sphincter element and pump.

16. The device para.12 containing controller configured for continuous control of the direction of rotation, the peristaltic pump.