Thermal treatment device and method for operating the thermal treatment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344486-B2
Application number	US-202118254354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermal treatment device, such as a pasteurizer, cooler or heater, having at least one container feed device for feeding containers each to one mass flow conveyor comprised by the thermal treatment device. The treatment device adjoins the at least one container feed device. The container feed device comprises: an at least one-track infeed conveyor; a first group of a plurality of parallel first conveyors; a second group of a plurality of parallel second conveyors which are arranged so as to be parallel and adjoining the first group. The containers can be transferred from the second group to a mass flow conveyor transversely to the second direction, in the direction. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating the thermal treatment device with the at least one container feed device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Thermal treatment device comprising at least one treatment deck and the thermal treatment device comprising per treatment deck a mass flow conveyor and a container feed device for feeding containers to a first mass flow conveyor,
wherein the mass flow conveyor adjoins the container feed device, and
wherein the container feed device comprises:
an infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked which are driveable in a first direction and are designed to convey containers in the first direction,
a first group of a plurality of parallel first conveyors which are arranged so as to be parallel and adjoining the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked and which are driveable in the first direction and are designed to convey containers in the first direction,
a second group of a plurality of parallel second conveyors which are arranged so as to be parallel and adjoining the first group of a plurality of parallel first conveyors and which are driveable in a second direction and are designed to convey containers in the second direction which is counter to the first direction,
wherein the containers of the second group of a plurality of parallel second conveyors are transferable transversely to the second direction in the direction to the mass flow conveyor.

2. Thermal treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein a transfer region, in which containers of the second group of a plurality of parallel second conveyors are transferable, transversely to the second direction in the direction, to the mass flow conveyor, has a length which is at least twice as large as a conveying width of the container feed device.

3. Thermal treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein a further single-tracked inlet conveyor is provided so as to be parallel and adjoining the second group of a plurality of parallel second conveyors, or a plurality of further single-tracked inlet conveyors is provided, wherein the further single-tracked inlet conveyor or the plurality of further single-tracked inlet conveyors are driveable in the first direction and is/are designed to convey containers in the first direction.

4. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein the further single-tracked inlet conveyor or the plurality of further further-tracked inlet conveyors comprise(s) a feed length region along which containers are supplyable from the further single-tracked inlet conveyor or the plurality of further single-tracked inlet conveyors to the mass flow conveyor, wherein the feed length region has a length that is at least twice as large as a conveying width of the container feed device.

5. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein above a transport surface of the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked and above at least some of the transport surfaces of the plurality of parallel first conveyors, a rail with deflectors is provided.

6. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein at the end of at least some of the plurality of parallel first conveyors and at the beginning of at least some of the plurality of parallel second conveyors, above the transport surfaces, a concavely designed rail is provided, wherein the concavely designed rail comprises a curve that describes an angle lying within a range of angles of 165° to 195°, wherein the rail with the deflectors passes over into the concavely designed rail.

7. Thermal treatment device according to claim 6 , wherein above a transport surface at the end of the further single-tracked inlet conveyor, a further concave rail is provided, wherein the further concavely designed rail passes over into the concavely designed rail, wherein the further concave rail comprises a curve which describes an angle that is within a range of angles of 75° to 105°.

8. Thermal treatment device according to claim 5 , wherein above the transport surfaces between the first group and the second group, a straight rail is provided which is designed such that a transition region for containers is provided between the first group and the second group.

9. Thermal treatment device according to claim 8 , wherein above the transport surfaces of the plurality of parallel second conveyors, a rail with steps is provided, wherein the rail with the steps leaves the transition region free for containers, wherein the straight rail passes over into the rail with the steps.

10. Thermal treatment device according to claim 8 , wherein the transition region, seen along the first direction or the second direction, has a length whose value is greater by a factor of 1.8 to 3 than a value of a conveying width of the first group or the second group.

11. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked and/or the plurality of parallel first conveyors, and/or the plurality of parallel second conveyors, and/or the further single-tracked inlet conveyor, or the plurality of further single-tracked inlet conveyors each comprise transport surfaces which are arranged in a coplanar manner in a plane, wherein the plane includes an angle of 0.5° to 14° with a plane perpendicular to the direction of action of the force of gravity.

12. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein the container feed device furthermore comprises a control device for controlling drive speeds, wherein a control is provided wherein the mathematical amount of drive speeds each decreases, starting from the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked to the plurality of parallel first conveyors in the first direction, wherein the mathematical amount of drive speeds of the plurality of parallel second conveyors initially increases in the second direction and then decreases again.

13. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein the container feed device furthermore comprises a control device for controlling drive speeds, wherein a control is provided wherein the mathematical amount of drive speeds each decreases, starting from the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked to the plurality of parallel first conveyors in the first direction, wherein the mathematical amount of a drive speed of the further single-tracked inlet conveyor in the first direction is the smallest one of the mathematical amounts.

14. Thermal treatment device according to claim 3 , wherein the container feed device furthermore comprises a control device for controlling drive speeds, wherein a control is provided wherein the mathematical amount of drive speeds each decreases, starting from the infeed conveyor being at least single-tracked to the plurality of parallel first conveyors in the first direction, wherein the mathematical amounts of drive speeds of the plurality of further single-track inlet conveyors in the first direction are each smaller than an amount of the drive speed of the slowest one of the plurality of parallel second conveyors.

15. Thermal treatment device according to claim 1 , further comprising a further control device for controlling a speed of the mass flow conveyor.

16. Thermal treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein exactly one infeed conveyor being single-tracked is provided.

17. Thermal treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein two or more infeed conveyors being single-tracked are provided.

18. Method for operating the thermal treatment device according to claim 15 , wherein a control of the container feed device is accomplished by means of the control device, and/or wherein a control of the mass flow conveyor is accomplished by means of the further control device.

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Depner Christian
• Luecke Jens
• Clausen Niels
• Ledderer Johannes

Classifications

• A23B2/22

  with packages on endless chain or band conveyors {(with packages moving on the spot while being transported A23B2/203)} · CPC title

• A23B2/001

  Details of apparatus, e.g. pressure feed valves or for transport, or loading or unloading manipulation · CPC title

• B65G2203/0291

  Speed of the load carrier · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G47/763

  Fixed ploughs or transverse scrapers · CPC title