Method and container conveyor for rearranging a container flow, and device having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809396-B2
Application number	US-201415021392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A method for separating containers in a densely packed container flow from each other so that they are spaced by a defined distance includes using a compartment star to place the containers on a rearrangement portion and then sweeping the containers forward using catch elements that move along the rearrangement portion so that they arrive at an inlet star with a separation that enables them to be picked up by a waiting inlet-star receptacle.

First claim

Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what we claim as new, and secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of processing containers, said method comprising, at a compartment star, receiving a first container-flow of containers over a conveying segment, causing said compartment star to place containers one-by-one on a rearrangement portion between said compartment star and an inlet star to form a second container-flow, driving a pocket chain that carries catch elements in an endless loop, wherein, as a result of being driven by said pocket chain toward said inlet star, said catch elements rearrange said containers along said rearrangement portion, loading containers on said rearrangement portion into inlet-star receptacles of an inlet star, and conveying said containers onward via said inlet star, wherein said first container-flow is a single-track container-flow that comprises containers standing upright, wherein said second container-flow is a single track container-flow in which said containers are separated from each other by a constant separation, wherein said constant separation is selected such that, when a container arrives at said inlet star, an inlet-star receptacle is positioned to receive said container, and wherein said catch elements are configured to cause said containers to be separated from each other by said separation distance prior to arrival of said containers at said inlet star.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a first container-flow comprises receiving a densely-packed container-flow.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a first container-flow comprises receiving containers in said first container-flow at a speed that is greater than a speed at which said compartment star places containers on said rearrangement portion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a first container-flow comprises receiving a container at a compartment-star receptacle that opens in a circumferentially outward direction, causing said compartment star to rotate about an axis parallel to an axis of said container by a circumferential distance equal to said constant separation, advancing said container by said constant separation, and releasing said container at said rearrangement portion, wherein said compartment star is disposed beside said conveying segment.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving said catch elements at a speed that is the greater than or equal to a conveying speed of containers along said rearrangement portion.

6. An apparatus comprising a container conveyor for rearranging a single-track container-flow conveyed via a conveying segment into a rearranged container-flow that is then further conveyed via an inlet star, wherein, in said rearranged container-flow, a gap between containers is selected to correspond to a spacing between inlet-star receptacles of said inlet star, said apparatus comprising a compartment star, a rearrangement portion, a pocket chain, and catch elements, wherein said compartment star is disposed beside said conveying segment, wherein said compartment star is configured to convey containers to said rearrangement portion one after another and individually separated from each other, wherein said rearrangement portion is between said inlet star and said compartment star, wherein said pocket chain is at said rearrangement portion, wherein said pocket chain comprises a chain drive that circulates in an endless loop, wherein said pocket chain carries said catch elements, wherein said catch elements are separated by said gap, wherein said catch elements project into said rearrangement portion, and wherein said catch elements are configured to convey containers to said inlet star.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said compartment star rotates about an axis that is parallel to axes of said containers, wherein said compartment star comprises, at a circumference thereof, a plurality of compartment-star container-receptacles, each of which is open on a circumference side of said compartment star, wherein each compartment-star container-receptacle accommodates a container, wherein said compartment star is disposed beside said conveying segment, wherein, when said compartment star rotates by an amount equal to one gap measured at said circumference, a first compartment-star container receptacle picks up a container from said conveying segment and a second compartment-star container receptacle discharges a container on said rearrangement portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said pocket chain is arranged to extend beside said rearrangement portion in such a way that said catch elements extend into said rearrangement portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said chain drive that circulates in an endless loop is arranged in a plane that is perpendicular to axes of said containers.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said endless loop extends along said rearrangement portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said compartment star comprises pairs of compartment-star container-receptacles separated by a pointed compartment-star projection.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a container inlet formed from said container conveyor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a container-processing machine upstream of said container conveyor.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a bundling machine downstream from said inlet star for producing container bundles from container groups, said container bundles comprising at least two rows, wherein said bundling machine comprises first and second handling segments to which containers are conveyed via said container conveyor, wherein said bundling machine comprises an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesive spot to a container, and a conveying segment following said first and second handling segments for carrying an at least two-track container-flow in a conveying direction, and pressing heads disposed along said conveying segment for separating container groups out of said container flow and for compacting said container groups by connecting said containers of each container group at said adhesive spots to form a bundle.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Joehren Thomas
• Nitsch Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/088

  cylindrical articles · CPC title

• B65B27/04

  Bundling groups of cans or bottles · CPC title

• B65G47/28 Primary

  during transit by a single conveyor · CPC title

• B65G47/846

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

• B65B17/02

  Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling · CPC title