Method and device for buffering containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643282-B2
Application number	US-202117355034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2021
Priority date	Jun 22, 2020
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A method and a device for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a filling system are described. For this purpose, the containers are entered into storage on at least one infeed conveyor belt in the infeed direction, moved in a single row onto a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to the infeed direction, and are removed from storage on at least one outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in the buffering direction. Due to the fact that the row pushers receive the containers in a single row in a guide channel formed/defined by an anterior row guide leading in the buffering direction and by a trailing posterior row guide, the groups of containers can be moved in the buffering direction and positioned precisely, quickly and secured against falling over without back pressure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a filling system, where said containers are entered into storage on at least a first infeed conveyor belt and a second infeed conveyor belt in an infeed direction onto a first end region of a transversely adjoining buffer area, where said containers are moved in the single row on the buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to said infeed direction, where said containers are removed from storage in a second end region of the buffer area, opposite to the first end region, on at least one outfeed conveyor belt adjoining transversely in said buffering direction without changing the same, said row pushers each receive said containers in the single row in a guide channel formed by an anterior row guide leading in the buffering direction and a trailing posterior row guide, and where said containers are separated into single-row groups of containers and are guided alternately on said first infeed conveyor belt and second infeed conveyor belt which are arranged consecutively in said buffering direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , where a clear width between said anterior and posterior row guide is each adapted to a width/a diameter of said containers.

3. The method according to claim 2 , where the width/the diameter of said containers is in a range from 40 mm to 150 mm.

4. The method according to claim 1 , where said shuttles each position said row pushers in a single row above an associated infeed conveyor belt for receiving said containers and said containers enter said guide channel between said anterior and posterior row guide in a manner standing on said infeed conveyor belt.

5. The method according to claim 1 , where said row pushers at said shuttles are moved in pairs.

6. The method according to claim 4 , where said row pushers being anterior ones of pairs, when seen in the buffering direction, are each fixedly associated with said first infeed conveyor belt, and said row pushers being posterior ones of the pairs are each fixedly associated with said second infeed conveyor belt arranged anterior of the first infeed conveyor belt, when seen in the buffering direction.

7. The method according to claim 5 , where said row pushers being the anterior ones of the pairs, when seen in the buffering direction, are each fixedly associated with said first infeed conveyor belt, and said row pushers being the posterior ones of the pairs are each fixedly associated with said second infeed conveyor belt arranged anterior of the first infeed conveyor belt, when seen in the buffering direction.

8. The method according to claim 1 , where said shuttles reach a speed of at least 0.4 m/s when approaching said infeed conveyor belts and/or when traversing unoccupied buffer regions of said buffer area.

9. The method according to claim 1 , where said containers are distributed in a single row to 3 to 12 transport aisles when removed from storage, where each transport aisle is associated with a separately controllable outfeed conveyor belt.

10. The method according to claim 1 , where said containers are furthermore treated in a treatment unit arranged in a region of said buffer area and a length of time the containers dwell in said buffer is set by advancing and/or stopping said shuttles with said row pushers there receiving said containers.

11. A device for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a filling system, comprising a buffer area and a transport system arranged thereabove for moving said containers on said buffer area in a buffering direction, from an infeed region with at least a first infeed conveyor belt and a second infeed conveyor belt arranged consecutively in said buffering direction and running transversely to said buffering direction adjacent to a first end of the buffer area, to an outfeed region with at least one outfeed conveyor belt running transversely to said buffering direction adjacent to a second end of the buffer area, opposite to the first end, where said transport system comprises shuttles guided on rails and driven independently with row pushers aligned transversely to said buffering direction for moving said containers in said single row, where said row pushers each comprise a guide channel running transverse to said buffering direction for receiving said containers in said single row, where said guide channel is defined by an anterior row guide leading said containers and a posterior row guide trailing said containers, and where said device further comprises a track switch for separating a flow with said containers into single-row groups of containers and their alternating allocation to said first infeed conveyor belt and said second infeed conveyor belt.

12. The device according to claim 11 , where said shuttles comprise actuating mechanisms for adjusting a clear width between said anterior row guide and said posterior row guide.

13. The device according to claim 11 , where said transport system comprises a stationary adjustment station for automated actuation of actuating mechanisms.

14. The device according to claim 11 , where said row pushers have a width of 3 m to 6 m that is transverse to said buffering direction.

15. The device according to claim 11 , where each shuttle comprises two row pushers arranged consecutively in said buffering direction.

16. The device according to claim 11 , where said infeed region comprises several infeed conveyor belts arranged consecutively in said buffering direction.

17. The device according to claim 11 , where the track switch is configured for separating a gapless flow with said containers into single-row groups of containers and alternating and temporally gapless allocation of said single-row groups of containers to said first infeed conveyor belt and said second infeed conveyor belt.

18. The device according to claim 17 , further with differently long and/or fast transport paths between said track switch and said infeed conveyor belts, where a length of said individual transport paths differs from one another and/or a transport speed of said individual transport paths is adjustable differently such that said groups of containers allocated consecutively to said transport paths at said track switch arrive substantially simultaneously on said infeed conveyor belts.

19. The device according to claim 11 , where at least one cleaning element for blowing onto, spraying onto, squeegeeing off, and/or brushing off said buffer area is arranged on at least one of said row pushers.

20. The device according to claim 11 , where said buffer area comprises mat chains which run transversely to said buffering direction and are arranged in a stationary manner.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Demel Alexander
• Holzer Christian
• Lautenschlager Franz
• Richter Christian
• Senn Konrad
• Muehlstein Peter
• Kilgenstein Torsten
• Schuesslburner Helmut

Classifications

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G47/715

  to a broader conveyor lane · CPC title

• B65G45/24

  comprising plural diverse cleaning devices · CPC title

• B65G45/22

  comprising fluid applying means · CPC title

• B65G54/02 Primary

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title