Abstract: A joint apparatus that joins a pouch body to a spout, including: a spout holding unit that holds the spout; a positioning mechanism that positions the pouch body with respect to the spout; and a joint mechanism that joins a pouch mouth of the pouch body to the spout. The positioning mechanism has a pouch-body moving unit that moves the pouch body toward the spout a contact member having a contact part that comes into contact with an end of the pouch mouth, and an absorption mechanism that absorbs a part of a force acting on the pouch body when the end of the pouch mouth comes into contact with the spout or the contact member.

Abstract: A spout holding device for holding a spout part having a communication hole, includes an elastic part capable of elastically deforming in a direction orthogonal to a first direction when compressive force or tensile force is applied to the elastic part in the first direction, wherein the elastic part applies elastic force to the spout part in three or more different directions orthogonal to the first direction to hold the spout part.

Abstract: A spout holding device for holding a spout part having a communication hole, includes an elastic part capable of elastically deforming in a direction orthogonal to a first direction when compressive force or tensile force is applied to the elastic part in the first direction, wherein the elastic part applies elastic force to the spout part in three or more different directions orthogonal to the first direction to hold the spout part.

Abstract: Steam from a steam supply source is heated in a heating device, supplied to a nozzle through a secondary steam supply passage and injected from a spout. The temperature of steam at the outlet of the heating device is measured by a first sensor, and a cartridge heater constituting the heating device is controlled on the basis of the difference between the measured temperature and a target value. Steam temperature at the nozzle spout is measured by a second sensor, and a difference between the measured temperature and a target value is obtained. The target value of steam temperature at the heating device outlet is changed to a set value predetermined according to the magnitude of the difference obtained.

Abstract: A steam-replacement deaeration method uses a nozzle having a double-tube structure of an inner first nozzle member and an outer second nozzle member. An insert part of the first nozzle member that is to be inserted into a bag has a flat cross-sectional configuration. The body of the second nozzle member has a circular cross-section and surrounds the insert part of the first nozzle member. At a first stage of steam injection, both the first and second nozzle members are inserted into the bag, and steam is injected from the spouts of both of them. Next, only the second nozzle member is removed from the bag, and the steam injection therefrom is stopped. While the steam injection from the first nozzle member being continued, the bag mouth is brought into a tensed state. Next, the first nozzle member is removed from the bag, and the bag is moved to the subsequent step with the bag mouth kept in the tensed state.

Abstract: Steam from a steam supply source is heated in a heating device, supplied to a nozzle through a secondary steam supply passage and injected from a spout. The temperature of steam at the outlet of the heating device is measured by a first sensor, and a cartridge heater constituting the heating device is controlled on the basis of the difference between the measured temperature and a target value. Steam temperature at the nozzle spout is measured by a second sensor, and a difference between the measured temperature and a target value is obtained. The target value of steam temperature at the heating device outlet is changed to a set value predetermined according to the magnitude of the difference obtained.