Blow moulding apparatus with clean room and inspection of containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577444-B2
Application number	US-201816637037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2018
Priority date	Aug 16, 2017
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for processing containers and in particular for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, including a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein this transport device has a movable support, on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which in each case are suitable and intended for processing the plastic preforms, with a clean room, which surrounds at least portions of the transport path of the plastic preforms and which is delimited by at least one wall relative to the environment. Further, the apparatus has at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers, wherein this inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein this image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall of the clean room.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing containers with a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein this transport device has a movable support, on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which in each case are suitable and intended for processing the plastic preforms, with a clean room, which surrounds at least portions of the transport path of the plastic preforms and which is delimited by means of at least one wall relative to the environment, wherein the apparatus has at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers, wherein the at least one inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall, wherein the at least one inspection device has an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the containers, wherein the illumination device is arranged in such a way that the containers are transported between the image capturing device and the illumination device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination device illuminates the containers through at least one wall of the clean room.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image capturing device is arranged in such a way that it monitors the containers along their longitudinal direction.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has an application device which puts the clean room under an overpressure at least for a while.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inspection device and the image capturing device is or are movable relative to at least one of the clean room and at least one wall delimiting the clean room.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an apparatus for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination device is arranged in a way that a base is illuminated from below and subsequently monitored by means of a camera.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination device is arranged in a way such that it illuminates the containers through at least one wall of the clean room, wherein the illumination device is also arranged at least in part outside the clean room or outside the clean room boundary.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection device and/or the image capturing device is/are movable relative to the clean room, wherein a movability may also be provided in a longitudinal direction of the containers to be monitored.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has a cleaning device which serves for automatic cleaning of at least a region or window through which the containers are monitored.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has protective glasses installed obliquely with respect to the image recording device in order on the one hand to deflect disruptive reflections from the image capturing device and on the other hand to take structural precautions to allow any spray water to flow off.

12. A method for processing containers for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein at least one of the plastic preforms and plastic containers are transported by means of a transport device along a predetermined transport path, wherein this transport device has a movable support on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which process the at least one of the plastic preforms and plastic containers while they are being transported, and wherein the at least one of the plastic preforms and plastic containers are transported through a clean room which surrounds at least portions of the transport path thereof which is delimited by at least one wall relative to the environment, wherein the plastic containers are inspected by means of an inspection device, wherein the at least one inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall of the clean room, wherein the at least one inspection device has an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the containers, wherein the illumination device is arranged in such a way that the containers are transported between the image capturing device and the illumination device.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the plastic containers are inspected after they have been reshaped.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the containers are illuminated through a further wall of the clean room.

15. An apparatus for processing containers with a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device has a movable support, on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which in each case are suitable and intended for processing the plastic preforms, with a clean room, which surrounds at least portions of the transport path of the plastic preforms and which is delimited by means of at least one wall relative to the environment, wherein the apparatus has at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers, wherein the at least one inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall, wherein the image capturing device is configured for monitoring a base region of the finished containers, wherein the at least one inspection device has an illumination device which illuminates at least a portion of the containers, wherein the illumination device is arranged in such a way that the containers are transported between the image capturing device and the illumination device, wherein the illumination device illuminates the containers through at least one wall of the clean room.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Höllriegl Thomas
• Schmitt Robert
• Frankenberger Günter
• Eichenseher Andreas

Classifications

• B29C2049/7867

  of the heating or cooling means · CPC title

• B29C49/42093

  Transporting apparatus, e.g. slides, wheels or conveyors · CPC title

• B29C49/80

  Testing, e.g. for leaks · CPC title

• B29C49/46 Primary

  characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air · CPC title

• B29C2049/7876

  Defects · CPC title