ACTIVE STERILIZATION ZONE FOR CONTAINER FILLING

An apparatus comprising a transfer wheel (162) configured to transfer open filled containers from a filler assembly (46) to a capping assembly (48), the transfer wheel having an air management system (164), wherein the system has a conduit for the supply of air in a downward direction past the containers on the transfer wheel; and/or an apparatus for receiving a sterile container and delivering the sterile container to a filler assembly, the apparatus comprising a housing (82,102) having a container inlet opening (104) and a container outlet opening (106), the housing further having an air inlet opening (110); a shroud (76) positioned around the container inlet opening, the shroud having an open bottom end (94); an intake conveyor (78,80) positioned in the housing, the conveyor adapted to receive the sterile container through the container inlet opening and pass the sterile container to the container outlet opening; and an air source in communication with the air inlet opening wherein the housing receives the air wherein the air passes from the open bottom end. L'invention concerne un appareil pour le remplissage stérile de contenants de boisson ayant un premier module et un second module. Le premier module rince et stérilise des contenants vides et délivre les contenants stérilisés au second module. Le second module remplit et bouche les contenants avec un produit de boisson à température ambiante dans une zone de stérilisation active en utilisant une unité de stérilisation à faisceau d'électrons.