EP-4739603-A1 - A SYSTEM FOR HANDLING INDIVIDUAL PRIMARY PACKAGING CONTAINERS

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a primary container handling system for being installed adjacent a primary container transporting unit or processing unit, said system comprising a closed loop transportation unit transporting a plurality of container handling units each mounted on an independently motion controlled mover, each container handling unit comprising a pivoting claw coupled to the mover by a pivot driven by a pivot driving mechanism, wherein the pivot driving mechanism and the pitch and pace of the motion-controlled movers is adapted for moving the claw relative to a plurality of moving primary containers on said primary container transporting unit or processing unit such as to drive the claw between two moving consecutive individual primary containers.

Inventors

• DUPERRAY, PHILIPPE

Assignees

• Forspective

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240703

Claims (14)

1. 1. A primary container handling system for being installed adjacent a primary container transporting unit or processing unit, said system comprising a closed loop transportation unit transporting a plurality of container handling units each mounted on an independently motion controlled mover, each container handling unit comprising a pivoting claw coupled to the mover by a pivot driven by a pivot driving mechanism, wherein the pivot driving mechanism and the pitch and pace of the motion-controlled movers is adapted for moving the claw relative to a plurality of moving primary containers on said primary container transporting unit or processing unit such as to drive the claw between two moving consecutive individual primary containers.
2. 2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said claws, each having a concave and convex side, are mounted with its concave side facing opposite the direction of movement of the container handling units.
3. 3. A system according to claim 1 wherein each container handling unit consists of the pivoting claw coupled to the mover by the pivot and at least part of the pivot driving mechanism.
4. 4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot driving mechanism is constituted by cam and follower mechanism, wherein each pivot located on each container handling unit is coupled to a follower.
5. 5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the cam is stationary and wherein the followers are located on the independently motion controlled movers or on the container handling units.
6. 6. A system according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the cam is a single disc-shaped cam and wherein the followers are a plurality of rollers in rolling contact with the cam, and wherein each pivot located on each container handling unit is coupled to one of said plurality of rollers.
7. 7. A system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pivot driving mechanism of at least one container handling unit and the pitch and pace of its respective motion-controlled mover is adapted for driving the claw between two touching and moving primary containers to enable separating individual primary containers or separating groups of primary containers.
8. 8. A system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pivot driving mechanism of at least one container handling unit and the pitch and pace of its respective motion-controlled mover is adapted to drive the claw in a pulling movement for pulling an individual primary container.
9. 9. A system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pivot driving mechanism of at least one container handling unit and the pitch and pace of its respective motion-controlled mover is adapted to drive the claw in a pushing movement for pushing an individual primary container.
10. 10. A system according to claims 8 or 9, wherein said pulling or pushing movement may occur in the direction of movement of the primary containers on the adjacent primary container transporting unit or processing unit, or opposite the direction of movement, or in an angle relative to said direction of movement, or in any possible combination thereof.
11. 11 . A system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pivot driving mechanisms of at least two consecutive container handling units and the pitch and pace of its respective motion-controlled movers are adapted for driving its respective claws between three moving consecutive individual primary containers such as to clamp the second container of said individual primary containers.
12. 12. A system according to any of the above claims, wherein said transportation unit is a closed loop linear drive.
13. 13. A system according to any of the foregoing claims, further comprising a control system enabling control of the pitch and pace of the motion-controlled movers relative to the adjacent primary container transportation unit or processing station.
14. 14. A primary container processing system comprising a primary container handling system in accordance with any of the above claims and further comprising at least one adjacent primary container transportation unit and/or at least one primary container processing station.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR HANDLING INDIVIDUAL PRIMARY PACKAGING CONTAINERS FIELD OF INVENTION [001] The present invention generally relates to a system comprising a transportation unit equipped with container handling units for processing primary containers, and in particular for cans and bottles. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [002] For handling, treating, loading/unloading and performing processing steps such as filling, rinsing, capping, labelling, inspecting, on primary packaging containers, many processing methods, systems and related architectures have been conventionally used. Such processing systems generally include one or more transportation units equipped with conventional means of handling the primary containers, and thereby moving the primary containers with a certain pitch and pace from one place to another, or one machine to another, or one conveyor to another conveyor etc. [003] A general problem of the conventional architectures for primary containers is that they repeatedly switch between buffer, bulk (en-mass), multi-lane, or single lane handling and so requiring transition via timing or pitch setting infeed or outfeed devices such as a scroll (worm), a star wheel, side/bottom/top belts, infeed guides etc. to individual primary container handling. [004] Scroll (worm), star wheel, side/bottom/top belts and guide architectures in container handling process systems have usually, especially for high-capacity machines, large foot prints, and have complex machine structures and drives. Further, such scroll, star wheel and guide architectures may be challenging for personnel to access various parts or components of the processing machines, occupy more space and do not allow ease in retrieval or changing of parts. [005] A second general problem of conventional primary container handling systems, such as scrolls (worms) star wheels, side/bottom/top belts, and guides, is that they are unable to differentiate between various sizes of primary containers such as cans or bottles. Consequently, the changing of parts becomes a necessary step in reconfiguring the processing systems, for each different diameter, skirt and/or shoulder height of primary packaging container, resulting in lost production time and impacting productivity. [006] In an attempt to replace star wheel based infeed and outfeed configurations for primary containers, US2013026005A1 provides a transporting apparatus comprising a transporting path which has its entire length arranged between a first and second container processing system and along which the containers can be transported by container handling units such as clamps, wherein the pitch and pace of the transporting elements compensate for a difference in speeds of transportation of the containers in the first and second container processing system. [007] In the above attempt, although transporting elements are synchronized with the pitch and pace of first and second container processing system, the transporting elements are still unable to differentiate between various sizes various primary packaging containers. [008] EP3755633A1 addresses this problem and proposed the use of two semigrippers respectively mounted on two consecutive movers movable towards each other so as to adjust the reciprocal distance and the picking area of the gripper to the type of container with particular reference to the diameter of the container. It is however clear that requiring two movers per container increases cost and complexity. [009] Further, a remaining problem in US2013026005A1 is that the system described provides outfeed and infeed of separated individual primary containers and is not able to take primary containers under line pressure, i.e. touching each other in a typically uncontrollable flow and under external pressure generated by the line. [0010] In addition, the system of US2013026005 requires a complex power system enabling providing power to each transporting element and to each clamp. [0011] Considering the above, it is a first general objective of the present invention to provide a flexible, efficient, high capacity, space saving, less complex primary container handling system which as well can process a wide range of primary container sizes without changing parts. [0012] It is also a general objective of the present invention to provide processing systems allowing treating individual primary containers. Increasing the amount of individual primary container treatment reduces container to container contact, may limit scroll (worm) and star wheel and guide configurations and may reduce circumstances where the containers can be subject to impact and shear forces. Achieving this would enable progress in light weighting the containers as part of measures to lower packaging material costs, reduce material consumptions and make advancements in sustainability. [0013] Accordingly, as can be seen from the foregoing discussion, it is a particular objective of the present invention to provide a more flexib