STERILIZATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTAINER, AND PROCESSING TANK FOR STERILIZATION USED FOR THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sterilize the inner and outer surfaces of a container simultaneously using atmospheric plasma. SOLUTION: A processing tank 3 has a housing space S, at least the inside of which is enclosed with a dielectric, and the container 2 to be sterilized is arranged in the housing space S so that the outer peripheral surface 2a and the bottom surface 2b of the container 2 are enclosed with the dielectric. A discharge electrode 4 is inserted in the container 2, and the outer peripheral surface 2a of the container 2 is surrounded by an outer peripheral counter electrode 5 via the dielectric while the bottom surface 2b of the container 2 is set counter to a bottom counter electrode 6 via the dielectric. A prescribed gas is introduced into the housing space S. In this arrangement, high-voltage pulses are applied across the discharge electrode 4 and the outer peripheral counter electrode 5, and the bottom counter electrode 6 under normal temperature and pressure to generate atmospheric plasma inside/outside of the container 2. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI