Transport device and method for transporting plastic containers or preforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969117-B2
Application number	US-201414482494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed are a device for reshaping preforms to plastic containers ( 2 ), a transport device ( 1 ), as well as a method for transporting plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms. The device ( 100 ) for reshaping preforms into plastic containers ( 2 ) comprises at least two blow moulds ( 81 ) in which the preforms are expanded into plastic containers, arranged on a circumferentially driven blowing wheel ( 80 ), a heater ( 50 ) for heating the preforms, and a transport device ( 1 ) for the plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms. The transport device ( 1 ) comprises a motor drive ( 5 ) having a drive shaft ( 15 ) that drives a support ( 17 ) with at least two gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) for the respective plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms to be transported in a rotary fashion, wherein the gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) are mounted with a linear bearing ( 21 ) so as to be movable relative to the support, wherein the linear bearing has at least one rail, which is surrounded at least in sections by a cage ( 71 ), and that a plurality of rollers ( 72 ), in particular more than 50 rollers, which roll on the rail ( 73 ), is arranged in the cage ( 71 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device ( 100 ) for reshaping preforms into plastic containers ( 2 ) having at least two blow moulds ( 81 ) in which the preforms are expanded into plastic containers, which are arranged on a circumferentially driven blowing wheel ( 80 ), a heater ( 50 ) for heating the preforms, and a transport device ( 1 ) for the plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms, said transport device ( 1 ) comprising:
a motor drive ( 5 ) with a drive shaft ( 15 ) that drives a support ( 17 ), with at least two gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) for the respective plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms to be transported, in a rotating fashion, wherein the gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) are mounted with a linear bearing ( 21 ) so as to be movable relative to the support; characterised in that the linear bearing has at least one rail, which is surrounded at least in sections by a cage ( 71 ), and that a plurality of rollers ( 72 ), which roll on the rail ( 73 ), is arranged in the cage ( 71 ).

2. The device according to claim 1 , comprising at least one substantially closed clean room ( 8 ), in which said at least two blow moulds, the support ( 17 ), the linear bearing ( 21 ), and said at least two gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) are completely received.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cage is arranged at least in sections within a guide ( 74 ), which surrounds at least sections of the cage ( 71 ), and wherein the rollers roll on the guide.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the length of the cage ( 71 ) in a longitudinal direction (L) of the linear bearing ( 21 ) is longer than the guide ( 74 ) and/or the rail ( 73 ), and thus areas of the cage (d, d′, d″, d′″) are at least occasionally exposed, and these areas (d, d′, d″, d′″) are accessible for sterilisation and/or cleaning.

5. The device according claim 1 , wherein a distance of an outer side of the cage ( 71 ) from the guide ( 74 ) and/or an inner side of the cage ( 71 ) from the rail ( 73 ) is greater than one twentieth of the distance (D′) from the inner side of the guide ( 74 ) to the outer side of the rail ( 73 ).

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance (D) of the outer side of the cage ( 71 ) from the inner side of the cage ( 71 ) is at least one tenth, preferably at least one fifth, of the distance (D′) from the inner side of the guide ( 74 ) to the outer side of the rail ( 73 ).

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the linear bearing ( 21 ) is formed without lubricants, wherein the cage ( 71 ) consists of a material that is PEEK, which is resistant to sterilising agents, in particular H 2 O 2 , and both the rail ( 73 ) and the guide ( 74 ) are made of stainless steel or a coated steel, the surface of which is resistant to the sterilising agent, in particular H 2 O 2 .

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the longitudinal direction (L) of the linear bearing ( 21 ), a stop ( 75 , 75 ′) for the guide ( 74 ) is arranged on at least one end, preferably both ends, of the cage ( 71 ).

9. The device according claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 71 ) is formed as a cylindrical sleeve, in which a plurality of holes, the longitudinal axes of which are arranged substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the linear bearing ( 21 ), is located both along the longitudinal direction (L) and the circumferential direction, and wherein, in particular stainless steel or ceramic, spheres are arranged as rollers ( 72 ) in the holes.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two linear bearings ( 21 ), in particular having cylindrical rails ( 73 ), are provided for each gripping and/or support element ( 4 ) to mount the gripping and/or support element ( 4 ).

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a valve is provided that is arranged between a reservoir with sterilisation and/or cleaning agent and the clean room ( 8 ), and which can be opened to let in the sterilisation and/or cleaning agent, and wherein a controller is designed such that at least substantially simultaneously the transport device ( 1 ) is driven in a rotating fashion via the drive ( 5 ) and the valve is kept open.

12. A transport device ( 1 ) for use in a device for reshaping preforms to plastic containers ( 2 ), comprising a motor drive ( 5 ) with a drive shaft ( 15 ) that drives a support ( 17 ), with at least two gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) for the respective plastic containers ( 2 ) or preforms to be transported, in a rotating fashion, wherein the gripping and/or support elements ( 4 ) are mounted with a linear bearing ( 21 ) so as to be movable relative to the support ( 17 ), characterised in that the linear bearing ( 21 ) has at least one rail ( 73 ), which is surrounded at least in sections by a cage ( 71 ), and that a plurality of rollers ( 72 ), which roll on the rail ( 73 ), is arranged in the cage ( 71 ).

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Hoellriegl Thomas
• Effenberger Harald

Classifications

• B29C49/42075

  with pivoting clamps · CPC title

• B65G47/847

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• F16C33/44

  Selection of substances (F16C33/40, F16C33/41 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29K2871/00

  Use of polyethers, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as mould material · CPC title

• B29C49/421

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic