Adjustable container handling device for handling containers, such as beverage bottles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856094-B2
Application number	US-201715652360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Dec 2, 2013
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

An adjustable container handling device for handling containers, such as beverage bottles, comprising at least a turntable, format parts, and a star wheel conveyor comprising pockets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Device for the transport of containers, in a rotary manner, the device comprising a turntable which has format parts, which in turn comprise at their respective external circumferences a plurality of pocket-type cut-out apertures, jointly forming star wheel pockets for receiving in each case one container per star wheel pocket, wherein at least one of the format parts is rotatable in the circumferential direction relative to at least one other, the star wheel pockets are jointly adjustable in respect of their amount of opening, wherein in each case two format parts disposed above one another comprise at least one control element, wherein the control elements of the format parts are arranged directly above one another and exhibit an orientation, inclination, or deflection radius which is different to the radial direction, wherein at least one movable adjustment element is provided, which engages both into the control element of the one format parts and into the control element of the other format part, wherein the adjustment element can be connected to at least one actuation element, by means of which the adjustment element can be driven, directly or indirectly.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the respective control element is configured in each case as a slide block, which in each case is arranged in an extension, which is arranged at an inner circumference of the respective format part.

3. Device according to claim 2 , wherein the respective control elements, seen in the radial direction, are oriented differently in the direction towards a middle point of the turntable.

4. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the respective control elements, seen in the radial direction, exhibit a curved or straight course.

5. Device according to claim 4 , wherein the control elements of two format parts, disposed above one another, intersect.

6. Device according to claim 5 , wherein the adjustment element comprises a bolt, arranged on which are slide blocks, of which one slide block engages into the one control element and the other slide block engages into the other control element.

7. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the adjustment element can be connected to an actuation element with an outer thread which engages into a threaded hole of the adjustment element, wherein the actuation element is mounted on a rigid retention element.

8. Device according to claim 7 , wherein a spindle drive is formed.

9. Device according to claim 8 , wherein a rigid retention element, arranged on which are two actuation elements, such that two planes of format parts can be rotated.

10. Device according to claim 8 , wherein only one single actuation element is provided, which exhibits outer threads at both its ends, and wherein one is formed as a left-hand thread and the other as a right-hand thread.

11. Device according to claim 10 , wherein, arranged above a first plane with star wheel pockets, is a second plane with container clamps.

12. Device according to claim 11 , wherein each container clamp comprises two clamp arms, in each case with a clamp jaw rotatable about a rotation axis oriented in the longitudinal axial direction of the clamp arms.

13. Device according to claim 12 , wherein each clamp jaw comprises at least one gripping limb for engaging around the container and a supporting limb for supporting the container.

14. Device according to claim 13 , wherein the supporting limb is shortened in relation to the gripping limb.

15. A rotary container transport device comprising:
a turntable being rotatable about a machine axis;
said turntable comprising a plurality of container pockets disposed about the periphery of said turntable, and being configured to receive and hold containers;
said turntable comprising a first format part and a second format part, disposed one above the other, each of which comprises a plurality of pocket openings disposed about the periphery thereof;
each of said container pockets being formed by a pair of said pocket openings, one from each of said format parts;
at least one of said first and second format parts being rotatable with respect to the other;
said first format part comprising a first control element, and said second format part comprising a second control element;
said first and second control elements being disposed one above the other and being oriented at a transverse angle or curvature with respect to a radius of said machine axis;
an adjustment element being configured and disposed to engage both said first and second control elements; and
an actuation element being configured and disposed to move said adjustment element to thereby engage said first and second control elements and cause a rotational movement of at least one of said first and second format parts, to thereby adjust the relative position of said pocket openings, and to thereby adjust the width and/or depth of said container pockets.

16. The rotary container transport device according to claim 15 , wherein each of said first and second format parts, when viewed along said machine axis, have essentially similar profiles, and said pocket openings are of similar size and shape.

17. The rotary container transport device according to claim 15 , wherein:
said first control element comprises a first elongated slot, and said second control element comprises a second elongated slot; and
said adjustment element comprises:
a first engagement portion disposed in said first elongated slot;
a second engagement portion disposed in said second elongated slot; and
a body portion disposed between and to connect said first engagement portion and said second engagement portion.

18. The rotary container transport device according to claim 17 , wherein each of said format parts is essentially ring-shaped, and each of said control elements is disposed on an extending portion that extends into the interior of said ring-shaped format part.

19. The rotary container transport device according to claim 18 , wherein said adjustment element comprises a clamping device configured to be engaged to exert a force on said engagement portions to lock said engagement portions in place by frictional resistance with said slots, and configured to be disengaged to permit movement of said adjustment element and permit a rotational movement of at least one of said first and second format parts.

20. A method of transporting containers using a rotary container transport device comprising a turntable, which turntable comprises first and second format parts disposed one above the other and each comprises a plurality of pocket openings disposed about the periphery thereof, said method comprising the steps of:
positioning said first format part and said second format part with respect to one another, and thereby forming a plurality of container pockets from pairs of said pocket openings;
actuating an actuation element and thereby moving an adjustment element;
engaging, with said adjustment element, both a first control element of said first format part and a second control element of said second format part, which control elements are disposed one above the other and are oriented at a transverse angle or curvature with respect to a radius of said machine axis;
causing a relative rotational movement of said first and second format parts, and thereby adjusting the relative position of said pocket openings, and thereby adjusting the width and/or depth of said container pockets to form different-sized container pockets; and
receiving and holdi

Assignees

• Fahldieck Andreas
• Krieg Andreas
• Mallitzki Nils
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Fahldieck Andreas
• Krieg Andreas
• Mallitzki Nils

Classifications

• B65G2201/0241

  Barrels, drums · CPC title

• B65G2207/08

  Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size · CPC title

• B65G2201/0244

  Bottles · 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

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title