Conveyor for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862547-B2
Application number	US-201415038178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2013
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A multi-track conveyor for transporting containers includes two transport elements adjacent to one another to form a common transport surface on which the containers stand upright on their container bases. Each transport element has a dedicated electric drive motor. The drive motors are external-rotor motors with an internal stator connected in a torsion-resistant manner to a machine frame and with an external rotor, which forms an offset drive driving the respective transport element. The drive motors of at least two transport elements are coaxial with their motor axles oriented perpendicular to the transport direction. The stators of which are connected via a common support in a rotation-resistant manner to the machine frame.

First claim

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

1. An apparatus comprising a conveyor for transporting containers in a transport direction with at least two transport elements forming a closed loop and capable of being driven in an endless circulating manner, which are arranged as multi-track and perpendicular to the transport direction adjacent to one another to form a common transport surface, on which the containers stand upright with their container bases, wherein each transport element comprises a dedicated electric drive motor, wherein the drive motors are external-rotor motors with an internal stator connected in a torsion-resistant manner to the machine frame and with an external rotor, which forms an offset drive driving the respective transport element, that the drive motors of at least two transport elements are arranged coaxially with their drive or motor axles oriented perpendicular to the transport direction, and the stators of which are connected via a common support in a rotation-resistant manner to the machine frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for a plurality of drive motors allocated in each case to one transport element a common support in the form of a support axle is provided, which engages through openings or passage apertures in the stators of the drive motors and on which these stators are held in a torsion-resistant manner by non-positive or positive fit connection.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the support axle presents, at least at a part length engaging through the respective passage aperture, a cross-section deviating from circular, to which the cross-section of the respective passage aperture is matched.

4. An apparatus on which containers stand on their respective bases while being conveyed along a transport direction, said apparatus comprising a multi-track conveyor comprising a machine frame, a common support, transport elements, drive units, drive motors, internal stators, and external rotors, said transport elements, drive units, drive motors, internal stators, and external rotors comprising a first transport element, a second transport element, a first drive unit, a second drive unit, a first drive motor, a second drive motor, a first internal stator, a second internal stator, a first external rotor, and a second external rotor, wherein each of said first and second transport elements defines a track of said conveyor, wherein each of said first and second transport elements forms a closed loop, wherein each of said first and second transport elements is capable of being driven in an endlessly circulating manner, wherein each of said first and second transport elements extends in a transport direction, wherein said first and second transport elements are arranged adjacent to each other along a direction perpendicular to said transport direction, wherein said first and second transport elements collectively define a common transport surface on which said containers stand upright on their container bases while being conveyed along said transport direction, wherein said first transport element comprises said first drive unit, wherein said first drive unit comprises said first drive motor, said first drive motor being a dedicated electric drive motor, wherein said first drive motor comprises said first internal stator and said first external rotor, wherein said first internal stator is connected in a torsion-resistant manner to said machine frame, wherein said first external rotor forms an offset drive for driving said first transport element, wherein said second transport element comprises said second drive unit, wherein said second drive unit comprises said second drive motor, said second drive motor being a dedicated electric drive motor, wherein said second drive motor comprises said second internal stator and said second external rotor, wherein said second internal stator is connected in a torsion-resistant manner to said machine frame, wherein said second external rotor forms an offset drive for driving said second transport element, wherein said first and second drive motors are arranged coaxially with motor axles thereof oriented along a direction that is perpendicular to said transport direction, wherein said first and second stators are connected in a rotation-resistant manner to said machine frame, and wherein said first and second stators connect to said machine frame via said common support.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said drive motors comprise torque motors.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising motor housings, each of which comprises one of said external rotors.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said motor axles of said first and second drive motors are offset from each other along said transport direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said common support comprises a support axle, wherein said first and second stators comprise passage apertures through which said support axle extends, wherein, as a result of engagement between said stators and said support axle, said stators are held in a torsion-resistant manner.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said stators are held by a positive fit connection.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said stators are held by a non-positive fit connection.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said support axle has a non-circular cross section, and wherein said passage aperture matches said non-circular cross section.

12. The apparatus of any one of claim 8 , wherein said drive motors comprise first and second groups, wherein said first group comprises said first and second motors, wherein said first and second motors are arranged on said common support, and wherein motors of said first and second groups are offset from each other.

13. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of said drive units comprises a control device, wherein each control device is dedicated to controlling one drive motor.

14. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said drive units comprise a control device for controlling said first and second drives.

15. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said drive units comprise control devices, each of said control devices being dedicated to controlling a subset of two or more of said drive motors.

16. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said drive motors are arranged beneath said transport common transport surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said transport elements comprise transport bands.

18. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said transport elements comprise transport chains.

19. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said transport elements comprise transport belts.

20. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said transport elements comprise hinge band chains.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Backhaus Martin
• Paroth Berthold

Classifications

• B65G15/50

  Endless load-carriers consisting of a series of parallel ropes or belt strips · CPC title

• B65G23/00

  Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• B65G23/22 Primary

  Arrangements or mountings of driving motors {(B65G23/08 takes precedence)} · CPC title