US 12,144,901 B2
Treatment method for radiation sterilization of containers made from thermoplastic material
Véronique Bernard, Octeville-sur-Mer (FR); Nicolas Chomel, Octeville-sur-Mer (FR); and Anthony Le Pechour, Octeville-sur-Mer (FR)
Assigned to SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS, Octeville-sur-Mer (FR)
Appl. No. 17/292,424
Filed by SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS, Octeville-sur-Mer (FR)
PCT Filed Oct. 30, 2019, PCT No. PCT/FR2019/052577
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 7, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/094948, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1860356 (FR), filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0008573 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. A61L 2/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/087 (2013.01) [A61L 2202/23 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A treatment method for the sterilization by irradiation of containers (10) made of thermoplastic material of the type having a main axis (O) and comprising a body (12) provided with a neck (14) and closed by a bottom (16), wherein the containers (10) forming a flow (fx) are transported by a conveying system (200) along a given path, with a determined separation, called initial pitch (P), corresponding to the distance between the axes (O) of two consecutive containers (10), and wherein an initial speed of displacement of the containers (10) forming said flow (fx) is constant, the treatment method comprising at least:
modifying the pitch consisting in varying said initial pitch (P) between two consecutive containers (10) to increase the irradiation time of each container (10);
irradiating each container (10) of the flow (fx) from the outside with an electron beam (F) emitted by at least one emitter (110, 120, 130) of a sterilization device (100) which is arranged on a section of said path so as to form a zone (Z1, Z2, Z3) of irradiation of the containers (10).