Beverage crate with centring function for bottles and additional recess for serialisation application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139344-B2
Application number	US-202218081203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2022
Priority date	Dec 14, 2021
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for inspecting bundles, wherein receiving containers equipped with containers are transported by a first transport device and wherein the containers each have a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers, wherein an image recording device records at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and at least one information is output which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for inspecting bundles, wherein receiving containers equipped with containers are transported by a first transport device and wherein the containers each have a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers,
wherein
an image recording device records at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and at least one information is output which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers, and
wherein
the receiving containers are gripped by a gripping device and are brought into an image receiving area of the image receiving device.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the image recording device is arranged stationary and the receiving containers are transported past the image recording device.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the receiving containers are transported by a second transport device, which differs from the first transport device, for the purpose of image recording.

4. The method according to claim 3 ,
wherein
the second transport device removes the receiving containers from the first transport device.

5. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein
a movement of the receiving containers is stopped at least temporarily in order to take an image of the bottom regions.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the containers are positioned in predetermined positioning relative to the receiving containers.

7. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein
at least a portion of the containers is removed from the receiving container.

8. The method according to claim 7 ,
wherein
at least one container or the portion of containers is removed in response to an image captured by the image recording device.

9. A receiving container for receiving containers, wherein the receiving containers having a plurality of receiving areas for receiving the containers separately from one another and in the same orientation, wherein one container is received in each receiving area, and wherein the receiving container having at least one wall delimiting this receiving container, and wherein each of these receiving areas having a bottom in order to support the containers via their bottom regions,
wherein
each of these bottoms has a recess through which a bottom of a container located in this receiving area can be observed, and wherein
the receiving containers are gripped by a gripping device and are brought into an image receiving area of the image receiving device.

10. The receiving container according to claim 9 ,
wherein
at least one of the receiving areas comprises a positioning device and/or centring device which centres a container relative to said receiving area.

11. An apparatus for inspecting bundles, having a first transport device configured to transport receiving containers fitted with containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein the containers each having a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers and/or which is characteristic of at least one property of the containers,
wherein
the apparatus has an image recording device configured to record at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and to output at least one information which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers, and wherein
the apparatus comprises a second transport device configured to transport the receiving containers to the image receiving device and/or to transport the receiving containers away from the image receiving device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein
the apparatus comprises a container removal device which is configured to remove individual containers from the receiving container.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Pilney Elisabeth
• Mehringer Katarina
• Rupp Eduard

Classifications

• G01N21/90

  in a container or its contents (G01N21/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B08B9/46

  Inspecting cleaned containers for cleanliness · CPC title

• B65G2203/041

  Camera · CPC title

• B65G2203/0216

  Codes or marks on the article · CPC title

• B65G2201/0258

  Trays, totes or bins · CPC title