Container transport machine for transporting containers, such as beverage bottles, cans, and similar containers, and packages of containers or other products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639270-B2
Application number	US-202117175908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 16, 2018
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A container transport machine for transporting containers, such as beverage bottles, cans, and similar containers, and packages of containers or other products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage bottle transport device being configured and disposed to transport beverage bottles in a transport direction from a first beverage bottling device to a second beverage bottling device, said beverage bottle transport device comprising:
a support frame and at least one support rail structure being mounted thereon;
said at least one support rail structure being elongated and disposed with its length essentially parallel to the transport direction;
at least one transport element being configured and disposed to be driven in a circulating manner in a loop around a first deflection device and a second deflection device disposed at opposite ends of the loop;
said at least one transport element being configured to form a beverage bottle transport surface configured to support beverage bottles thereon and transport beverage bottles in the transport direction between said first deflection device and said second deflection device;
said at least one transport element being supported on said at least one support rail structure between said first deflection device and said second deflection device and being configured to slide on said at least one support rail structure;
at least one sliding rail structure being connected to said at least one support rail structure between said at least one support rail structure and said at least one transport element;
said at least one sliding rail structure being configured and disposed to provide a sliding surface to permit said at least one transport element to slide along said at least one support rail structure; and
said at least one sliding rail structure being connected to said at least one support rail structure by an interlocking or form fit at least in sections along the length of said at least one support rail structure;
said at least one sliding rail structure having a U-shaped cross section with a first limb section, a second limb section, and a first web section disposed to connect said first and second limb sections;
said first and second limb sections being disposed transverse to and extending from said first web section inwardly at an angle, such that a gap distance between the ends of said first and second limb sections is less than a cross-sectional width of said first web section; and wherein:
said at least one support rail structure has a U-shaped cross section and comprises a third limb section, a fourth limb section, and a second web section disposed to connect said third and fourth limb sections;
said third and fourth limb sections are disposed transverse to and to extend from said second web section inwardly at an angle, such that the gap distance between the ends of said third and fourth limb sections is less than the cross-sectional width of said second web section;
said first and second limb sections are elastically deformable to permit said at least one sliding rail structure to be snap fit onto an upper exterior portion of said at least one support rail structure, such that said at least one sliding rail structure is held onto said at least one support rail structure by an interlocking design and by a clamping force; and
said first and second limb sections are elastically deformable to permit said first and second limb sections:
to be temporarily displaced away from one another by an external displacement force to increase the gap distance between said first and second limb sections to be greater than the cross-sectional width of said second web section to permit said at least one sliding rail structure to be pressed onto said at least one support rail structure, and
to be displaced inwardly toward one another by an elastic return force to permit said first and second limb sections to contact said at least one support rail structure to create said form fit and said clamping fit.

2. The beverage bottle transport device according to claim 1 , wherein:
upon installation of said at least one sliding rail structure onto said at least one support rail structure, an inner surface of said first limb section is in contact with an outer surface of said third limb section, and an inner surface of said second limb section is in contact with an outer surface of said fourth limb section; and
the cross-sectional width of said at least one support rail structure, from said outer surface of said third limb section to said outer surface of said fourth limb section, is greater than the gap distance between the ends of said first and second limb sections prior to installation, such that said first and second limbs are subject to a pressing force to increase said the strength of said clamping fit.

3. A transport device being configured and disposed to transport products, such as bottles, cans, boxes, pouches, and similar containers, individually or in groups or packages, in a transport direction from a first product handling device to a second product handling device, said transport device comprising:
a support frame and at least one support rail structure being mounted thereon;
said at least one support rail structure being elongated and disposed with its length essentially parallel to the transport direction;
at least one transport element being configured and disposed to be driven in a circulating manner in a loop around a first deflection device and a second deflection device disposed at opposite ends of the loop;
said at least one transport element being configured to form a product transport surface configured to support products thereon and transport products in the transport direction between said first deflection device and said second deflection device;
said at least one transport element being supported on said at least one support rail structure between said first deflection device and said second deflection device and being configured to slide on said at least one support rail structure;
at least one sliding rail structure being connected to said at least one support rail structure between said at least one support rail structure and said at least one transport element;
said at least one sliding rail structure being configured and disposed to provide a sliding surface to permit said at least one transport element to slide along said at least one support rail structure; and
said at least one sliding rail structure being connected to said at least one support rail structure by an interlocking or form fit at least in sections along the length of said at least one support rail structure;
said at least one sliding rail structure having a substantially U-shaped cross-section with first and second limb sections and a central web section between said first and second limb sections; and
said first and second limb sections being elastically deformable to permit said first and second limb sections:
to be temporarily displaced away from one another by a displacement force to permit said at least one sliding rail structure to be pressed onto said at least one support rail structure, and
to be displaced inwardly toward one another by a return force to permit said first and second limb sections to contact said at least one support rail structure to create said interlocking or form fit;

wherein:
said first and second limb sections are disposed transverse to and to extend from said web section;
said first and second limb sections of said at least one sliding rail structure, upon connection of said at least one sliding rail structure to said at least one support rail structure, are configured and disposed to contact, in both a form fit and a friction fit, outer surfaces of said first and second limb sections of said at least one support rail structure; and
said first and second limb sections of said at least one sliding rail structure exert a pressing or clamping force on said first and second limb sections of said at least one support rail structure to create said

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Grävingholt Stefan
• Greiving Thomas
• Paroth Berthold
• Sarajlija Zlatko

Classifications

• B65G21/2054 Primary

  comprising elements movable in the direction of load-transport · CPC title

• B65G2201/025

  Boxes · CPC title

• B65G21/16

  for conveyors having endless load-carriers movable in curved paths · CPC title

• B65G15/60

  Arrangements for supporting or guiding belts, e.g. by fluid jets · CPC title

• B65G2201/0252

  Cans · CPC title