Treatment device and container treatment machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524850-B2
Application number	US-201816606661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 26, 2017
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for treating containers includes a transporter that moves containers along a transport direction, a displacer, and a treatment device with two treatment positions. The displacer has three arms that move transverse to the transport direction. The arms are driven independently such that two of the three arms contact bearing points on opposite sides of a container. These two arms move synchronously to displace the container between the transporter and one of the treatment positions.

First claim

Having described the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new and secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for treating containers, among which is a first container, wherein said apparatus comprises a treatment device, a transporter, and a displacer, wherein said displacer comprises first, second, and third arms, wherein said treatment device comprises first and second treatment positions disposed on either side of said transporter, wherein said transporter defines a transport direction along which said containers are transported, wherein said displacer is provided in a region of said treatment device and configured to be driven by a motor to displace containers from said transporter to said treatment positions and from said treatment positions back to said transporter, wherein said arms are configured to be displaced transverse to said transport direction, wherein said arms are driven independently of one another such that two of said arms contact bearing points on opposite sides of said first container and move synchronously to displace said first container, and wherein said first container is selected from the group consisting of a can, a barrel, and a keg.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said arms are configured to be displaceable independently of one another in a controlled manner by corresponding motors.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, a controller recognizes that said first arm has sustained a load and wherein said recognition is used as a basis for controlling a first motor in driving said first arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at points at which said first arm contacts said bearing points, said first arm comprises a centering element, wherein said centering element is brought into contact with said container during displacement thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a pressure sensor disposed at said centering element.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a position sensor disposed at said centering element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first container is at said first treatment position, said apparatus further comprising an inspector at said first treatment position for optically monitoring said first container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first container has been displaced into said second treatment position, said apparatus further comprising an optical sensor disposed at said second treatment position, wherein said optical sensor is configured to determine a dimension of said first container.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said optical sensor is configured to determine an outer diameter of said first container.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said optical sensor is configured to determine a height of said first container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lock-type access point at said first treatment position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a rail guide, wherein said arms are arranged at said rail guide.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a carriage and holding sections, wherein each holding section couples a corresponding one of said arms to said carriage, wherein said rail guide guides said carriage, and wherein a motor drives said carriage along said transport direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said transporter is a constituent part of said treatment device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a container-treatment machine comprising a treatment section, wherein said treatment device is disposed along said treatment section and wherein said treatment device extends transverse to said transport direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of treatment devices along said treatment section, wherein said treatment device is one of said plurality of treatment devices.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Eckes Sebastian
• Krähenbiel Kai

Classifications

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G2203/0233

  Position of the article · CPC title

• B65G47/82 Primary

  Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} · CPC title

• B08B9/0826

  the containers being brought to the cleaning device · CPC title

• B65G2201/0241

  Barrels, drums · CPC title