U.S. patent application number 09/378588 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-04 for apparatus and method for sterilizing an aseptic web.
Invention is credited to BROLLIER, BRIAN W., SHOWLER, MICHAEL F..
Application Number | 20010025468 09/378588 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23493730 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010025468 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BROLLIER, BRIAN W. ; et
al. |
October 4, 2001 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STERILIZING AN ASEPTIC WEB
Abstract
The present invention teaches apparatus and method for an
improving the sterilizing of paperboard web material within the
typical form, fill, and seal machines currently being used in the
aseptic packaging of liquid drinks. By the present invention an
anilox roll, typically used in the printing industry, has a
sterilant, such as hydrogen peroxide, imbedded within the
microscopic pores formed on the cylindrical surface of the roll
after which the paperboard material subjected to rolling contact
with the roll whereby the sterilant is uniformly applied to the
paperboard thereby sterilizing the surface of the paperboard.
Inventors: |
BROLLIER, BRIAN W.;
(CINCINNATI, OH) ; SHOWLER, MICHAEL F.; (LOVELAND,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PAUL E. HODGES
PITTS & BRITTIAN, P.C.
P.O. BOX 51295
KNOXVILLE
TN
37950-1295
US
|
Family ID: |
23493730 |
Appl. No.: |
09/378588 |
Filed: |
August 20, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/426 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 55/103
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/426 |
International
Class: |
B65B 017/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of sterilizing a paperboard material comprising the
steps of: a) providing a reservoir of sterilant fluid, b) providing
an anilox roller at least partly submerged in said fluid whereby a
portion thereof is exposed above said fluid reservoir, c) rotating
said anilox roller within said fluid such that the pores of said
anilox roller receive therein a quantity of said fluid, d) passing
said paperboard material over the exposed portion of said anilox
roller such that the fluid contained within said pores is wettingly
transferred to the surface of said paperboard material.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step wherein a
doctor blade is provided in sliding contact with the surface of
said exposed portion of said anilox roll thereby removing any
excess portion of fluid adhered to the surface of said anilox roll
prior to said anilox surface contacting said paperboard.
3. A method of sterilizing a paperboard material comprising the
steps of: a) providing a reservoir of sterilant fluid, b) providing
an anilox roller at least partly submerged in said fluid whereby a
portion thereof is exposed above said fluid reservoir, c) rotating
said anilox roller within said fluid such that the pores of said
anilox roller receive therein a quantity of said fluid, d)
Providing a pressure roll having its axis parallel to the axis of
said anilox roll whereby the surface of said pressure roll is in
rolling contact with the surface of said anilox roll, e) passing
said paperboard material through said nip whereby the fluid
contained within said anilox pores is wettingly transferred to one
surface of said paperboard material.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein pressure is applied by
said pressure roll to said paperboard material as it passes between
said pressure roll and said anilox roll thereby removing excess
fluid from the surface of said paperboard material.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3 including the step wherein a
doctor blade is provided in sliding contact with the surface of
said exposed portion of said anilox roll thereby removing any
excess portion of fluid adhered to the surface of said anilox roll
prior to said anilox surface contacting said paperboard.
6. Apparatus for applying a sterilant fluid to at least one surface
of paperboard material comprising: a) a reservoir for containing a
supply of sterilant fluid therein, b) an anilox roll partially
submerged within said sterilant fluid whereby a free portion of the
anilox roll surface extends above said fluid, c) a pressure roll
having its axis parallel to the axis of said anilox roll and
whereby said pressure roll is in rolling contact with the surface
of said anilox roll forming a nip therebetween.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 including a doctor blade in
sliding contact with the free surface of said anilox roll surface
and positioned between the reservoir fluid surface and the nip
formed between said pressure roll and said anilox roll.
8. In a paperboard aseptic packaging machine wherein said
paperboard is sterilized using a fluid sterilant prior to forming a
package the improvement comprising: a) a fluid bath of sterilant,
b) an anilox roll having a multiplicity of porous cavities about
the cylindrical surface thereof, said anilox roll being partially
submerged within said bath of sterilant whereby rotation of said
anilox roll about its longitudinal axis causes said porous cavities
to fill with said sterilant fluid, d) a pressure roll having its
axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said anilox
roll and having its cylindrical surface in rolling contact with the
cylindrical surface of said anilox roll forming a nip there between
for receipt therein of a paperboard web whereby said paperboard web
passing through said nip and between said pressure roll and said
anilox roll is wetted by said fluid sterilant.
9. The improvement as claimed in claim 8 wherein a doctor blade is
positioned between the fluid bath and said nip such that said
doctor blade is in sliding contact with the cylindrical surface of
said anilox roll whereby surplus sterilant fluid is removed from
said anilox roll prior to entering said nip.
10. In a paperboard aseptic packaging machine wherein said
paperboard is sterilized using a fluid sterilant prior to forming a
package the improvement comprising: a) an anilox roll having a
multiplicity of porous cavities about the cylindrical surface
thereof, b) Means for applying a liquid sterilant upon the
cylindrical surface of said anilox roll whereby said pores of said
anilox roll are caused to fill with said sterilant, d) a pressure
roll having its axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation
of said anilox roll and having its cylindrical surface in rolling
contact with the cylindrical surface of said anilox roll forming a
nip therebetween for receipt therein of a paperboard web whereby
said paperboard web passing through said nip and between said
pressure roll and said anilox roll is wetted by said fluid
sterilant.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for
applying said sterilant to said anilox roll comprises spray means
whereby said liquid sterilant is sprayed upon the cylindrical
surface of said anilox roll.
12. A method of sterilizing a paperboard material comprising the
steps of: a) providing a fluid reservoir of sterilant fluid, b)
providing an anilox roller at least partly submerged in said fluid
whereby a portion thereof is exposed above the fluid surface, c)
providing a transfer roller in rolling contact with said anilox
roller, d) rotating said anilox roller within said fluid such that
the pores of said anilox roller receive therein a quantity of said
fluid and wettingly transfer said fluid on to said transfer roller,
e) passing said paperboard material over said transfer roller
whereby the fluid transferred on to said transfer roller is
transferred on to the surface of said paperboard material.
13. Apparatus for applying a sterilant fluid to at least one
surface of paperboard material comprising: a) a reservoir for
containing a supply of sterilant fluid therein, b) an anilox roll
partially submerged within said sterilant fluid whereby a free
portion of the anilox roll surface extends above said fluid, c) a
transfer roll having its axis parallel to the axis of said anilox
roll and whereby said transfer roll is in rolling contact with the
surface of said anilox roll whereby the pores of said anilox roll
are filled with fluid as the anilox roll is rotated within said
fluid and subsequently transferred to said transfer roll by rolling
contact therewith, d) a pressure roll having its axis parallel to
the axis of said transfer roll and in rolling contact with said
transfer roll forming a nip therebetween for receipt therein said
paperboard material whereby said fluid is transferred to said
paperboard surface as said paper board passes between said transfer
roll and said pressure roll.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional
patent application Ser. No. 60/0974,462, filed on Aug. 21,
1998.
INTRODUCTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a new improved method and
apparatus for sterilizing paperboard material used for aseptic
liquid containers commonly used for beverages. The method and
apparatus, as taught herein, is especially useful for, but not
necessarily limited too, gable top containers having a fitment
attached thereto for pouring the liquid contents from the
container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The paperboard container having a fitment, or pour spout,
from which the liquid inside may be easily poured therefrom is fast
becoming a standard in the milk and juice carton industry. In order
to place a fitment on the typical paperboard container a hole must
first be punched or cut out of the carton's surface. The presence
of this hole increases the complexity of the sterilization
process.
[0004] FIG. 1 presents a schematic crossection of typical prior art
apparatus for sterilizing paperboard material used for liquid
containers. An application roller rotatingly dips into a reservoir
of sterilant, typically hydrogen peroxide. The paper board stock to
be sterilized is passed through a nip between the application
roller and the back up roller thereby flooding the hydrogen
peroxide upon the surface of the paperboard. The flooded paperboard
is then passed through a nip between the back up roller and doctor
roller whereby excess hydrogen peroxide is removed from the
paperboard and drips back into the reservoir.
[0005] Although this process has worked well for paperboard having
a continuous surface without holes therein, for the receipt of a
fitment, the doctor roller/backup roller combination is unable to
remove the excess sterilant that collects within the gap, or
opening, presented between the doctor roll and the backup roller by
the presence of the fitment hole. Thus as the sterilized paperboard
is discharged from the doctor roller/backup roller nip the
accumulated sterilant, within the fitment hole flows across the
paperboard leaving an undesired residual of sterilant upon the
board. Similarly, for paper board having surface irregularities
such as score lines etc. the prior art method of sterilization
causes a build up of sterilant in the areas of surface area height
differentials thereby leaving globules or droplets of sterilant
upon the paperboard surface. Subsequently the, system used to dry
the sterilant from the board is unable to dry the residual
sterilant and many times producing a sterilized paperboard having a
hydrogen peroxide residual greater than 0.5 parts per million, the
industry standard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the
present invention. By the apparatus and method of the present
invention an anilox roller is submerged in a bath of sterilant. As
the surface of the anilox roller rotates upward out of the
sterilant, excess sterilant is removed from the surface by a
typical doctor blade. The paperboard web is then passed through a
nip between the anilox roller and a backup or pressure roller. The
sterilant retained within the pores of the anilox roller are thusly
transferred from the anilox roller, in a printing like manner, as
the paperboard web passes through the nip, and is deposited upon
the paperboard thereby sterilizing the paperboard.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a schematic crossection of a typical prior art
machine.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a schematic crossection of the apparatus for
practicing the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 presents a pictorial view of a typical anilox roll
suitable for practicing the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the surface of the
anilox roll as shown in FIG. 3.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a crossectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
4.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Referring now to FIG. 2, a crossectional schematic is shown
of the apparatus 10 suitable for the practice of the present
invention. An anilox printing roller 12 is rotatingly submerged and
passed through a bath of sterilant 14 where the micro pores on the
cylindrical surface of the anilox roll fill with sterilant. A
trailing edge doctor blade 16 wipes excess sterilant from the
surface of roll 12. Paper board 20 is continuously passed through
the nip between anilox roll 12 and pressure roll 18 whereby the
sterilant contained within the pores 11 of roll 12 is deposited
upon paperboard 20 thereby sterilizing the paperboard surface. The
wetted paperboard is then passed through a drying apparatus (not
shown) and on to the filling machine.
[0013] Anilox roll 12 is similar to the anilox roll as used in the
rotogravure printing process. We have found that a anilox roll
comprising a laser engraved, plasma coated, ceramic covered metal
roll having a uniform distribution of micro cells or pores about
its cylindrical surface has performed well. The surface of roll 12
has 100 percent of its cylindrical surface engraved with a uniform
array of pores having a 300 line count and 6 billion cubic microns
per square inch (BCM).
[0014] An alternate method may, in addition, include a rubber
transfer roll (not shown) whereby the transfer roll would rollingly
engage the anilox roller whereby the sterilant would be deposited
upon the transfer roll. The transfer roll would then deposit the
sterilant upon the paperboard web.
[0015] Also an alternate embodiment may be structured whereby the
sterilant is sprayed upon anilox roller as opposed to submerging
the roll in the sterilant.
[0016] By use of the method and apparatus disclosed above the
sterilant is uniformly deposited upon the paperboard surface only.
Thus none of the sterilant is floodingly deposited in hole cut outs
intended for fitment application thereby eliminating the
undesirable collection of residual sterilant upon the
paperboard.
[0017] Having described the preferred embodiments of the present
invention, and several of its benefits and advantages, it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the foregoing
description is merely for the purpose of illustration and that
numerous substitutions, rearrangements, and modifications may be
made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit
of the appended claims.
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