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EP-3793931-B1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING CONTAINERS

EP3793931B1EP 3793931 B1EP3793931 B1EP 3793931B1EP-3793931-B1

Inventors

  • Krüger, Jochen
  • NEUBAUER, MICHAEL
  • Kammerl, Martin
  • VOTH, KLAUS
  • Handschuh, Eduard
  • AUMER, Robert
  • RAITH, Tobias

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20190930

Claims (20)

  1. Apparatus (1) for treating containers (10), having at least one transport device (2) for transporting the containers (10), having a handling apparatus (4a) for transferring a predefined number of containers (10) from the transport device (2) in a transfer area (Xa) and for discharging these containers (10) to the transport device (2) or a further transport device (20) in a discharge area (Ya), having at least one further handling apparatus (4b) for transferring a predefined number of containers (10) from the transport device (2) in a further transfer area (Xb) and for discharging these containers (10) to the transport device (2) or the further transport device (20) in a further discharge area (Yb), wherein the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) each have a movable carrier (6a, 6b) with which the removed containers (10) can be moved along a transport path (Pa, Pb), and wherein at least one treatment station (8a, 8b) is associated with each of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b), wherein the transport speed of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) can be controlled in such a way that the transport speed of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) can be synchronised with the transport speed of the transport device (2) and/or the further transport device (20) during transfer and/or discharge of the containers (10), characterised in that the transport speed of the handling apparatus (4a, 4b) can be reduced after the transfer of the containers, wherein after finishing he treatment process the handling apparatus is set in motion again and is synchronised with the outlet section of the transport device, and further wherein the outlet section is a part of the original or the further transport device, and further wherein at the discharge point the container or the containers are discharged to the transport device and the treated containers leave the apparatus via the transport device.
  2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the treatment station (8) is arranged downstream of the transfer area (X) and/or upstream of the discharge area (Y) relative to the transport path P of the containers (10).
  3. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the discharge area (Y) of a handling apparatus (4) spatially coincides with the transfer area (X) of this handling apparatus (4).
  4. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transport device (2) comprises a plurality of transport units (22) for transporting one container (10) in each case.
  5. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transport device (2) and/or the further transport device (20) is a linear transport device.
  6. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) are arranged laterally on the transport device (2).
  7. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axes of rotation (D) of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) are arranged in such a way that the axis of rotation (Da) of one handling apparatus (4a) is arranged in the pivoting circle of the axis of rotation (Db) of the further handling apparatus (4b).
  8. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the apparatus has at least one further handling apparatus (4) and/or treatment station (8) which would not be necessary to achieve a desired machine output.
  9. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the apparatus (1) has a second transport device (200) for transporting containers (10), which is an at least sectionally linear transport device, wherein the first transport device (2) can be switched off at least temporarily so that the supply of containers (10) to the treatment station (8) is interrupted, and the second transport device (200) is suitable for transporting the containers (10) from an inlet starwheel (30) to an outlet starwheel (32) even when the first transport device (2) is switched off.
  10. Apparatus according to claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the apparatus (1) comprises a second transport device (200) for transporting containers (10), which is at the same time a turning device for turning the containers (10) and turns the containers (10) by guiding the containers (10) along a curved portion of the second transport device (200).
  11. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handling apparatuses (4) and/or the treatment stations (8) can be switched off at least temporarily and the containers (10) can be transported along the transport device (2) without being taken over by the handling apparatuses (4).
  12. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handling apparatuses (4) comprise at least two handling units (40), each of which is suitable for receiving a container (10), wherein the handling units (40) being arranged on a common carrier and being interchangeable together with this carrier.
  13. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the treatment stations (8) have a container-independent receiving unit (1000) with a locking lever (3000), which can be connected to a container-specific process unit (1400) via an adapter (2000), wherein the adapter (2000) with the process unit (1400) arranged thereon can be inserted axially into the receiving unit (1000) and a guided supply movement of the adapter (2000) is possible by the locking lever (3000) and the adapter (2000) and the receiving unit (1000) can be fixed to one another, wherein seals of media conductors (9000) and/or electronic contacts (1010) are produced during the guided supply movement.
  14. Method for treating containers (10), in which a transport device (2) transports the containers (10) and in which a handling apparatus (4a) takes over a predefined number of containers (10) from the transport device (2) in a transfer area (Xa), moves them on a transport path (Pa) and discharges them to the transport device (2) or a further transport device (20) in a discharge area (Ya), wherein at least one further handling apparatus (4b) in a further transfer area (Xb) takes over a predefined number of containers (10) from the transport device (2), moves them on a transport path (Pb) and discharges them in a further discharge area (Yb) to the transport device (2) or to a further transport device (20), wherein the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) transport the containers (10) on the transport path (Pa, Pb) each to at least one treatment station (8a, 8b) associated with the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b), wherein the transport speed of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) is controlled in such a way that the transport speed of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) during transfer and/or discharge of the containers (10) is synchronised with the transport speed of the transport device (2) and/or the further transport device (20), characterised in that the transport speed of the handling apparatus (4a, 4b) is reduced after the transfer of the containers, wherein after finishing he treatment process the handling apparatus is set in motion again and is synchronised with the outlet section of the transport device, and further wherein the outlet section is a part of the original or the further transport device, and further wherein at the discharge point the container or the containers are discharged to the transport device and the treated containers leave the apparatus via the transport device.
  15. Method according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the containers (10) are moved at a constant speed on the transport device (2) and/or a further transport device (20).
  16. Method according to at least one of the two preceding claims, characterised in that the speed of the handling apparatuses (4a, 4b) is reduced to a standstill and the treatment stations (8a, 8b) treat the containers (10) when they are stopped.
  17. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transport device (2) comprises a plurality of transports unit (22) and not every transport unit (22) transports a container (10).
  18. Method according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the transport units (22A) which transport the containers (10) before the containers (10) are transferred to the handling apparatuses (4) are transport units which are different from the transport units (22B) which transport the containers (10) after the containers (10) have been discharged from the handling apparatuses (4).
  19. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the containers (10) are transported to the discharge area (Ya, Yb) immediately after completion of the treatment process by the handling apparatus (4a, 4b) assigned to this treatment station (8a, 8b).
  20. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handling apparatus (4a, 4b) performs a lifting movement of the containers (10) in addition to the transport movement.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for treating containers. Such container treatment machines are predominantly designed as rotary machines in the prior art. This design has several advantages. For example, high machine outputs are possible with rotary machines. Rotary machines also have some disadvantages. Firstly, they have large moving masses. Secondly, the treatment stations are located on the rotating part of the machine. Both the treatment stations themselves and the process media (e.g., filling medium in filling machines, ink in printing presses, etc.) are therefore subjected to high centrifugal forces. Furthermore, a complex rotary feedthrough is required for the power and media supply. Additionally, rotary machines are relatively inflexible. Expanding the system is difficult. Moreover, the entire system must be shut down if only a single treatment station needs maintenance. The DE 41 14 889 A1 The figure shows a system according to the preamble of claim 1, which fills and seals containers, in particular bottles, designed for different closure systems. These are sorted accordingly and fed to the appropriate closure mechanisms. The containers are filled before sorting, then separated and fed to the appropriate mechanisms. They can be identified by the shape of their openings and by a unit that controls the sorting mechanism. This unit It can be integrated into the conveyor system and consist of rotating locking gears. The identification unit can be located between the filling and sorting mechanisms. The DE 22 44 858 A1 This concerns a container treatment plant, in particular for cleaning, filling, closing and labeling bottles and the like, with conveyors leading from a container cleaning machine to the individual treatment machines. The EP 0 860 385 A1 Figure 1 shows a device consisting of at least two concentric shafts, each of which is rotated independently of the others about its axis by a motor. Each shaft is vertically stiffened at its end in a sector whose free end has recesses, each of which can come into contact with one of the products fed by a conveyor, so that each sector forms a batch of products. The parameters for the speed and acceleration of each of the successively moving sectors are determined by the control system depending on the different phases of batch formation and separation. The two concentric shafts are set in rotation independently of each other by an electric motor via a pulley and an electronic control system. FR 3 064 614 A1 Figure 1 shows a system for treating a sequence of containers, comprising: - at least one machine for the initial treatment of the sequence of containers, in which the sequence of containers undergoes initial treatment between an entry point and an exit point of the initial treatment machine; - at least one first machine for further treatment and a second machine for further treatment of the sequence of containers, each arranged such that at least a portion of the sequence of containers that has undergone initial treatment is subjected to additional treatment in the first machine for further treatment and/or in the second machine for further treatment, the additional treatment being applied between an entry point and an exit point of each of the first and second additional treatment machines; - at least one first transfer device arranged such that it receives the sequence of containers at the exit point of the initial treatment machine and selectively distributes them at the entry point of the first and/or the second additional treatment machine. The system further comprises a second transfer device that is operable between an inactive and an active configuration, wherein the second transfer device is in the active configuration. The configuration is arranged so that it receives the sequence of containers at the exit point of the first processing machine and passes them on to the second processing machine. The EP 2 689 933 A2 Figure 1 shows a system comprising equipment devices, including a mounting device and a pressure device. A distribution device serves to transport and distribute the containers. The distribution device serves to distribute the containers to the equipment devices. An independent claim relates to a method for equipping containers. The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a device and a method that does not have these aforementioned disadvantages. These objectives are achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims. A device according to the invention for treating containers comprises at least one transport device for transporting the containers. The device according to the invention includes a handling device for transferring a predefined number of containers from the transport device in a transfer area and for dispensing these containers to the transport