Device for conveying containers and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384633-B2
Application number	US-202318206424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2023
Priority date	Jun 8, 2022
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates, inter alia, to a device for conveying containers for a container processing facility. The device has a first, preferably continuous, container conveyor, a second, preferably continuous, container conveyor, which has multiple preferably plate-shaped carriers for transporting the containers, and a transfer station by use of which the containers can be removed from the first container conveyor and positioned on the multiple carriers of the second container conveyor. Advantageously, the device allows unstable containers to be transported securely and these containers to be buffered by use of the carriers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for conveying containers for a container processing facility, comprising:
a first container conveyor;
a second container conveyor which has multiple carriers for transporting the containers; and
a transfer station configured to remove the containers from the first container conveyor and to position the containers on the multiple carriers of the second container conveyor,
wherein the device comprises at least one of the following features:
the multiple carriers are configured as pucks;
the second container conveyor is configured to buffer the multiple carriers;
the second container conveyor is configured to accumulate the multiple carriers;
the second container conveyor is configured as a buffer conveyor for selectively accumulating the multiple carriers and relieving congestion in the multiple carriers;
the second container conveyor has a buffer section; and
a length of a transport section of the second container conveyor is greater than a length of a transport section of the first container conveyor.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the multiple carriers each have multiple container holders for accommodating multiple of the containers.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the multiple container holders have one or more first container holders and one or more second container holders; and
the one or more first container holders are configured to be different from the one or more second container holders.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the multiple container holders are configured as depressions or recesses in an upper side of the respective carrier.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second container conveyor has a continuous conveying element; and
the multiple carriers are borne on the conveying element.

6. The device according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one of the following features:
the device comprises from 2 to 10 of the multiple container holders;
the one or more first container holders are grouped;
the one or more second container holders are grouped; and
the one or more first container holders have different dimensions than the one or more second container holders; and
the one or more first container holders have different shapes than the one or more second container holders.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the multiple carriers are movable independently of one another; and
the second container conveyor is configured as a long-stator linear motor conveyor, a short-stator linear motor conveyor or a planar motor conveyor, and the multiple carriers are configured as movement devices moved by the long-stator linear motor conveyor, the short-stator linear motor conveyor or the planar motor conveyor which are movable independently of one another.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the multiple carriers are exchangeable without tools;
the multiple carriers can be removed from the second container conveyor by use of the transfer station; and
the multiple carriers can be positioned on the second container conveyor by use of the transfer station.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the first container conveyor is configured as a long-stator linear motor conveyor, a short-stator linear motor conveyor or a planar motor conveyor; and
the first container conveyor is configured to adjust a relative distance of the container transported by the first container conveyor.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the transfer station has at least one robot device, preferably an articulated robotic arm device, a delta robot device, or a SCARA robot device for removing the containers from the first container conveyor and for positioning the containers on the multiple carriers of the second container conveyor; and optionally
the at least one robot device has a grabber for grabbing one or more of the containers from the first container conveyor.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one robot device has multiple robot devices arranged next to one another.

12. The device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a controller configured to operate the multiple robot devices such that at least one of:
at least two of the multiple robot devices each position at least one container on a common carrier from among the multiple carriers; and
in one work cycle, the multiple robot devices each remove multiple of the containers from the first container conveyor and position the removed containers on multiple of the carriers.

13. The device according to claim 10 , further comprising at least one of the following features:
the at least one robot device is a member selected from the group consisting of an articulated robotic arm device, a delta robot device, and a SCARA robot device;
the at least one robot device has multiple robot devices arranged next to one another parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first container conveyor and/or to a longitudinal axis of the second container conveyor; and
the multiple robot devices each remove multiple of the containers simultaneously from the first container conveyor and position the removed containers simultaneously on multiple of the carriers.

14. A container processing facility comprising a device for conveying containers according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a labeling device for labeling the containers, which is arranged upstream of the first container conveyor; and
a packing device for packing the containers, which is arranged downstream of the second container conveyor.

15. The container processing facility according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of:
the labeling device is arranged directly upstream of the first container conveyor; and
the packing device is arranged directly downstream of the second container conveyor and configured to pack the containers in groups in a format predetermined by the multiple carriers.

16. A method of conveying containers, said method comprising:
providing the device according to claim 1 ;
providing containers each having a footprint which is elongate; and
conveying the containers between at least two different locations by use of the device.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the footprint of each of the containers has a length at least 50% greater than a width of the footprint of each of the containers.

18. A device for conveying containers for a container processing facility comprising:
a first container conveyor;
a second container conveyor which has multiple carriers for transporting the containers; and
a transfer station configured to remove the containers from the first container conveyor and to position the containers on the multiple carriers of the second container conveyor,
wherein at least one of:
the transfer station is configured to grab the containers from the first container conveyor and position grabbed containers on the carriers;
the transfer station is configured to reorient the containers removed from the first container conveyor in a predefinable orientation; and
the transfer station is configured to remove multiple of the containers from the first container conveyor in one work cycle, and to position the removed containers on multiple of the carriers.

19. A device for conveying containers for a container processing facility, comprising:
a first container conveyor;
a second container conveyor which has multiple carriers for trans

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Neubauer Michael

Classifications

• B65G2201/0261

  Puck as article support · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G47/90

  Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials · CPC title

• B65G47/52

  Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices (loading or unloading by means not incorporated in, or not operatively associated with, conveyors B65G65/00; transfer of workpieces during metal rolling B21B41/00) · CPC title

• B65G47/24

  orientating the articles · CPC title