Apparatus and method for treating containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939200-B2
Application number	US-201917253015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

Apparatus for treating containers includes a handling device for the containers wherein the handling devices has a movable carrier with which the containers can be moved on a transport path, and wherein the handling devices is assigned at least one handling station, wherein the transport speed of the handling device can be controlled in such a way that the transport speed of the handling device can be synchronised with the transport speed of the transport device and/or a further transport device during transfer and/or discharge of the containers and the transport speed of the handling device can be reduced after the transfer of the containers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating containers, having at least one transport device for transporting the containers, having a handling device for transferring a predefined number of containers from the transport device in a transfer area and for discharging these containers to the transport device or a further transport device in a discharge area, having at least one further handling device for transferring a predefined number of containers from the transport device in a further transfer area and for discharging these containers to the transport device or a further transport device in a further discharge area, wherein the handling devices each have a movable carrier with which the removed containers can be moved along a transport path, and wherein at least one treatment station is associated with each of the handling devices, wherein
the transport speed of the handling devices can be controlled in such a way that the transport speed of the handling devices can be synchronised with the transport speed of the transport device and/or the further transport device during transfer and/or discharge of the containers and the transport speed of the handling device can be reduced after the transfer of the containers, and wherein each treatment station is arranged stationary and is located downstream of the transfer area and/or upstream of the discharge area in relation to the transport path of the container, which as a result containers in the transfer area are first transferred to a handling device, fed to a downstream treatment station and, after treatment in the discharge area, discharged from the handling device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment station is arranged downstream of the transfer area and/or upstream of the discharge area relative to the transport path of the containers.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge area of a handling device spatially coincides with the transfer area of a handling device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport device comprises a plurality of transport units for transporting one container in each case.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport device and/or a further transport device is a linear transport device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the handling devices are arranged laterally on the transport device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the axes of rotation of the handling devices are arranged in such a way that the axis of rotation of one handling device is arranged in the pivoting circle of the axis of rotation of a further handling device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has at least one additional handling device and/or treatment station which would not be necessary to achieve a desired machine output.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has a second transport device for transporting containers, which is an at least sectionally linear transport device, wherein the first transport device is configured to be switched off at least temporarily so that the supply of containers to the treatment station is interrupted, and the second transport device is configured for transporting the containers from an inlet starwheel to an outlet starwheel even when the first transport device is switched off.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a second transport device configured for transporting containers, which is at the same time a device for turning the containers and turns the containers by guiding the containers along a curved portion of the transport device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the handling devices and/or the treatment stations is/are configured to be switched off at least temporarily so that the containers can be transported along the transport device without being taken over by the handling devices.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the handling devices comprise at least two handling units, each of which is suitable for receiving a container, wherein the handling units being arranged on a common carrier and being interchangeable together with the carrier.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment stations have a container-independent receiving unit with a locking lever, configured to be connected to a container-specific process unit via an adapter, wherein the adapter with the process unit arranged thereon is configured to be inserted axially into the receiving unit and a guided feed movement of the adapter is possible by the locking lever and the adapter and the receiving unit are configured to be fixed to one another, wherein seals of media conductors and/or electronic contacts are produced during the guided feed movement.

14. A method for treating containers, in which a transport device transports the containers and in which a handling device takes over a predefined number of containers from the transport device in a transfer area, moves them on a transport path and discharges them to the transport device or a further transport device in a discharge area, wherein at least one further handling device in a further transfer area takes over a predefined number of containers from the transport device, moves them on a transport path and discharges them in a further discharge area to the transport device or to a further transport device, wherein the handling devices transport the containers on the transport path each to at least one treatment station associated with the handling device,
wherein
the transport speed of the handling devices is controlled in such a way that the transport speed of the handling devices during transfer and/or discharge of the containers is synchronised with the transport speed of the transport device and/or the further transport device and the transport speed of the handling device is reduced after the transfer of the containers, and
wherein each treatment station is arranged stationary and is located downstream of the transfer area and/or upstream of the discharge area in relation to the transport path of the container, which as a result containers in the transfer area are first transferred to a handling device, fed to a downstream treatment station and, after treatment in the discharge area, discharged from the handling device.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the containers are moved at a constant speed on the transport device and/or a further transport device.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the speed of the handling devices is reduced to a standstill and the treatment stations treat the containers when they are stopped.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
not every transport unit transports a container.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the transport units which transport the containers before the containers are transferred to the handling devices are transport units which are different from the transport units which transport the containers after the containers have been discharged from the handling devices.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the containers are transported to the discharge area immediately after completion of the treatment process by the handling device assigned to this treatment station.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein
the handling device performs a lifting movement of the containers in addition to the transport movement.

21. The method accor

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Raith Tobias
• Kammerl Martin
• Voth Klaus
• Handschuh Eduard
• Aumer Robert
• Krueger Jochen
• Neubauer Michael

Classifications

• B67C7/0013 Primary

  Synchronising · CPC title

• B65G47/841

  Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements · CPC title

• B65G47/846

  Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements · CPC title

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B65G29/00

  Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones (mechanical projectors B65G31/00; screw or rotary spiral conveyors B65G33/00) · CPC title