PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make electron beam irradiation means 8 compact and to irradiate the whole cap 4 uniformly with an electron beam.SOLUTION: A cap 4 conveyed by a cap chute 6 in a clean room 12 is irradiated with an electron beam from an electron beam irradiation means 8 to be sterilized. The cap chute 6 includes a free conveying section 6c in which the cap 4 is conveyed while rotated and a restricting conveying section 6b upstream from the free conveying section 6c, in which the cap 4 is conveyed while restricted by a star wheel 24, and the cap 4 is conveyed in the restricting conveying section 6b at a speed slower than a conveyance speed in the free conveying section 6c. A deflecting means 28 for deflecting the irradiation electron beam toward the cap 4 being conveyed is provided on the opposite side of a direction in which the electron beam is irradiated from the electron beam irradiation means 8, of the free conveying section 6c.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】電子線照射手段8の小型化を図るとともに、キャップ4全体に均一に電子線を照射できるようにする。【解決手段】無菌室12内をキャップシュート6によって搬送されるキャップ4に、電子線照射手段8から電子線を照射して殺菌する。キャップシュート6は、キャップ4が回転しつつ搬送される自由搬送区間6cと、その上流側のスターホイール24によって規制されつつキャップ4を搬送する規制搬送区間6bを有しており、規制搬送区間6bでは、前記自由搬送区間6cでの搬送速度よりも遅い速度でキャップ4を搬送する。また、自由搬送区間6cの、電子線照射手段8から電子線を照射される方向と逆側に、照射された電子線を搬送されているキャップ4に向けて偏向させる偏向手段28を設けた。【選択図】図1
