WO2002062666A1

WO2002062666A1 - Connector for the aseptic insertion of liquid and/or semi-liquid and/or powdered materials to the medium in flow

Info

Publication number: WO2002062666A1
Application number: PCT/PL2001/000075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adam Glowacki; Urszula Garstka; Krzysztof Czaplicki; Wojciech Karczewski; Krzysztof Lazicki
Original assignee: Zentis Polska Sp Z Oo
Current assignee: Zentis Polska Sp Z Oo
Priority date: 2001-02-07
Filing date: 2001-08-29
Publication date: 2002-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2003-08-07
Also published as: EA200300858A1; EA004814B1; PL194828B1

Abstract

The head for the aseptic insertion of liquid and/or semi-liquid and/or powdered materials to the medium in flow which connects the liquid and/or semi liquid and/or powdered bag of these materials to the processing line and is characterised in that, it contains the part of the pipe (4) which one end is sealingly connected the outlet of the double membrane valve (3) closing the aseptic bag of the liquid and/or semi-liquid and/or powdered material and the second end is matched with the butterfly valve (8) where inside the pipe (4) is the knife (9) located in order to cut the interior membrane (2) of the double membrane valve (3), where in the area between the double membrane valve (3) and the final position of the knife (9) there are the steam inlet (15) and the downward directed the condensate outlet (17) where in the knife (9) has the cross bar (13) at its end opposite to the blade (10) cooperating with the flap (14) of the butterfly valve (8). The knife (9) is the cylindrical shape and has the blade edge (10) in the sloping plain inclined at given angle to the cylinder generating line (11) where it has recess (12) without the cutting edge which is made in the wall area of the shortest section of the cylinder.

Description

CONNECTOR FOR THE ASEPTIC INSERTION OF LIQUID AND/OR SEMI-LIQUID AND/OR POWDERED MATERIALS TO THE MEDIUM IN FLOW

The subject of the invention is the head for the aseptic insertion of liquid and/or semi-liquid and/or powdered materials to the medium in flow. The head is useful particularly in these branches of the industry where there are special demands concerning hygiene such as industrial food-processing, pharmaceutical industry etc. In order to provide the hygienic demands which should guarantee lack of the infection of food products caused by micro organisms, it is very important to sterilise the machines, components and the final product while producing the food. Above mentioned demands are vital in food - processing and in producing pharmaceutical products. The sterilisation process is performed while manufacturing the product, and the quality as well as economical effect of the final product depends on the sterilisation process.

According to the invention the head for the aseptic connection and continous doseing of liquid and/or semi-liquid and/or powdered materials to the medium from the liquid and/or semi liquid and/or powdered bag of these materials to the processing line. It contains the part of the pipe which one end is sealingly connected to the outlet of the double membrane valve and closing the aseptic bag of the liquid and/ or semi - liquid and /or powdered material. The second end is matched with the butterfly valve where the knife is located inside the pipe in order to cut the interior membrane of the double membrane valve. In the area between the double membrane valve and the final position of the knife there are inlet for the steam and the downward directed the condensate outlet . The knife has got the cross bar at its end opposite to the blade cooperating with the flap of the butterfly valve. The knife is of the cylindrical shape and has got the blade edge in the sloping plain inclined at given angle to the cylinder generating line and it has recess without the cutting edge which is made in the wall in the area of the shortest section of the cylinder. There is at least one throughout longitudinal incision in the wall of the knife. The knife could be in the form of the cross knife.

The subject matter of the invention as well as its use is presented in the drawings where fig 1 shows the head partly crossed in the side view wherein the head is connected to the semi- liquid material bag , and fig 2 shows the same head in the top view, fig 3 shows the schematic diagram of the cylindrical knife.

The bag 1 which contains the semi - liquid medium ( in this example it is fruit preparation ) is closed by the membrane 2 of the double membrane valve 3 which is sold as a "INTASEPT". The bag 1 is hermetically closed and the fruit preparation, which is inside, is aseptic . The outlet of the double membrane valve 3 is connected to the inlet of the pipe 4. The connection is sealed by gasket 5, and is closed by clamp ( The collar 7 , which is the end of the butterfly valve 8 , is welded to the other end of the pipe 4. Inside the pipe 4 the knife 9 is located along the axis and, it is used for cutting the membrane 2. Details of the knife 9 are shown in the fig 3. The shape of the knife is cylindrical and it has got a blade edge JO which is located in the sloping plain at given angle to the cylinder generating line JJL . In the side wall of the cylinder 1_1 is the recess 12 the blade edge is removed . The recess 12 exists in the shortest part of the wall. On the opposite side to the blade 10 exists the cross bar 13 cooperating with the flap _.14 of the butterfly valve 8. In the wall of the knife are two throughout longitudinal incisions. The outlet of the butterfly valve 8 is connected to the processing line for milk cultured products production. The pipe 4 is equiped with two inlets with mutually perpendicular axes , which means that the steam inlet 1_5 connects the interior of the pipe 4 to the source of the steam via the valve 16 and the steam condensate outlet 17. The steam condensate is evacuated from the head area via the valve 18. Inside the pipe 4 there is situated the guiding element 19 in order to maintain correct direction of the knife 9.

The operation of the head is as follows: The collar of the double membrane valve 3 spikes out of the wall of the bag 1 and the inlet of the pipe 4 is connected to the collar of the double membrane valve 3 by the gasket 5 and pressed by clamp 6. The cylindrical knife is located in the pipe 4 and its cross bar 1_3 touches the flap JL4. The situation is shown in the fig 1. The valve 16 of the steam inlet JL5 and the valve 18 of the condensate outlet 17 are simultaneously opened for supplying the steam and evacuating the condensate . The steam is supplied and steaming process is performed inside the head. After closing the steam inlet T5 by valve 16 and the valve 18 of outlet steam condensate !Z in aseptic conditions, the butterfly valve 8 is opened and its flap 14 is pushing the knife 9 which is cutting the hole in the membrane 2. The precision of the knife's motion is obtained by the fitting the guiding element 19 of the knife into recesses in the wall of the knife 9. The situation is shown in the fig 2. The bag 1 (which was previously hermetically closed) could be emptied. The part of the membrane 2 which was cut by the knife 9 is still connected to the bag 1 because the hole has not got a closed perimeter. It was obtained by the recess 12 in the wall of the knife 9. It protects against falling the part of the cut membrane into the processing line. The semi-liquid material , which is fruit preparation , could be aseptically dosed through the pomp, it depends on the method of manufacturing the process. The invention also covers the process of production where some heads are used (two for example) working alternatively. It could be obtained by typical methods of production process controlling. There could be also supplied at the same time various components as additives to the medium comprising the content of the processing line. By using the head , according to the invention , the liquid and /or semi -liquid and /or powdered material could be pumped to the processing line after steaming in aseptic conditions. That is why the final product does not require to be additionally heat treated.

Claims

1. The head for the aseptic insertion of liquid and /or semi-liquid and /or powdered materials to the medium in flow which connects the liquid and/or semi liquid and/or powdered bag of these materials to the processing line and is characterised in that, it contains the part of the pipe (4) which one end is sealingly connected the outlet of the double membrane valve (3J closing the aseptic bag of the liquid and /or semi - liquid and /or powdered material and the second end is matched with the butterfly valve (8) where inside the pipe (4) is the knife (8) located in order to cut the interior membrane (2) of the double membrane valve (3) , where in the area between the double membrane valve (3) and the final position of the knife (9) there are inlet (15) for the steam and the downward directed the condensate outlet (17) where in the knife (9) has the cross bar (13) at its end opposite to the blade ( 10) cooperating with the flap (14) of the butterfly valve (8).

2. The head according to claim 1 characterised in that, the knife (9) is of the cylindrical shape and has the blade edge (JO) in the sloping plain inclined at given angle to the cylinder generating line (JJJ where it has recess (12) without the cutting edge which is made in the wall in the area of the shortest section of the cylinder .

3. The head according to claim 1 and 2 characterised in that, there is at least one throughout longitudinal incision in the wall of the knife.

4. The head according to claim 1 characterised in that, the knife is in the form of the cross knife.