Facility and method for producing containers

• US 10,016,927 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Hahn, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDERS, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/729,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20150273754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4205 Handling means, e.g. transfer, loading or discharging means handling of inserts or reinforcements B29C49/20; handling of linings or labels B29C49/2408
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42109 keeping temperature of accumulated preforms or articles, e.g. the accumulator being an oven
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42362 Electric drive means, e.g. servomotors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42378 Handling malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4238 Ejecting defective preforms or products
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42808 Filling the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/6409 Thermal conditioning of preforms B29C49/68 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/78 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/26 Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 2003/227 Additional apparatus related to blow-moulding of the containers, e.g. a complete production line forming filled containers from preforms
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 7/0013 Synchronising

Abstract

A facility for processing containers includes a container production device and at least one processing device disposed downstream from the container production device, for further processing the containers. The container production device is synchronized with the processing device during regular operation. However, upon recognition of a malfunction in the processing device, synchronization of the container production device with the processing device can be at least temporarily canceled. Also provided is a method for remedying malfunctions in a facility, in which a container production device is synchronized with a processing device during regular operation, according to which, synchronization between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily canceled upon recognition of a malfunction in the treatment device.

Claims

1. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended in case a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, and wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is maintained at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time, subsequently after the fault is eliminated, the facility is restarted and the restart is acknowledged and as a result the container production device is informed about the restart, preparations or steps for restarting the operation of the container production device are carried out temporally in parallel with or at least partially at the same time as further steps during the running-up of the processing device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heated preforms are conveyed from the heating device to the blow molding device using a conveying device, and the transport path on which the preforms are conveyed from the heating device to the blow molding device remains constant.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transport path between the blow molding device and a downstream processing device remains fixed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after a fault in the processing device has been detected or foreseen, a supply of preforms to the heating device and/or to the blow molding device is interrupted.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when a fault in the processing device is detected, the operation of the heating device and/or the operation of the blow molding device is continued.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, once the supply of preforms to the heating device and/or to the blow molding device has been interrupted, preforms are ejected after the heating device and/or containers are ejected after the blow molding device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after elimination of a fault, the processing device is run up until the processing rate of the container production device is reached and then the processing device is synchronised with the container production device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein after a temporary suspension of synchronization between the container production device and the processing device, the blow molding device is run at minimum speed so as not to damage any molds that are not closed, whereupon subsequent empty running of the blow molding device can then take place at regular operation rate.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein after temporary suspension of synchronization between the container production device and the processing device, upon detection of a restart, synchronized preform supply to the heating device and a mechanical block to the blow molding machine are opened, and the heater and the blow molding device are freshly filled with preforms.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein once the processing devices reach a processing rate corresponding to regular operation, the processing devices are resynchronized with the blow molding device and with the container production device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein synchronization of the processing devices and synchronization with the container production device takes place at least partially at the same time as supply to the heater is restarted and the heater is filled with preforms.

12. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended in case a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is continued at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time.

13. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended in case a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, and wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is maintained at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time, and wherein after temporary suspension of synchronization between the container production device and the processing device, upon detection of a restart, a preform stock supply to the heating station is started and a preform barrier to the blow moulding machine is opened.

14. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended in case a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, and wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is maintained at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time, and wherein after temporary suspension of synchronization between the container production device and the processing device, upon detection of a restart, a preform supply from a preform stock supply is opened already during synchronization.

15. The method according claim 14, wherein the facility is operated in such a way that upon detection of a restart new preforms are already being supplied to the inlet of the heating device while preforms are still being discharged by a preform discharging device at the heating device outlet, particularly when regular operation of the facility was interrupted for a period of time shorter than the time necessary for a preform to pass through the heating device.

16. The method according claim 14, wherein when the processing device is once again synchronised with the container production device, a discharging of the preforms from the heating device is ended and a preform discharging device is deactivated.

17. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein when synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended after a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, and wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is maintained at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time, and a supply of preforms to the heating device and/or to the blow molding device is interrupted.

18. A method for eliminating faults and/or preventing faults in a facility for processing containers having a container production device for producing containers, wherein the container production device comprises a heating device for heating preforms for the containers to a transformation temperature and a blow molding device for transforming the preforms into containers, and wherein the heated preforms are conveyed from the heating device to the blow molding device using a conveying device, and the heating device and the blow molding device are coupled in synchronisation with one another in regular operation, wherein the facility includes at least one processing device arranged downstream of the container production device for further processing the containers, wherein the container production device is synchronised with the processing device in regular operation, wherein synchronisation between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily suspended in case a fault in the processing device has been detected or is foreseen, and wherein when a fault in the processing device is detected or foreseen, the processing device is at least temporarily slowed or stopped while the fault is eliminated, while simultaneously operation of the heating device is maintained at normal process conditions whether the fault will be eliminated in a short period of time or whether the elimination of the fault will take more time, and wherein the conveying device is operatively coupled to a preform discharging device for preforms to be discharged, and to an actuatable or activatable preform barrier, the preform barrier allows the preforms to pass unhindered from the preform conveyor into the blow moulding machine in the regular operating state of the facility, and in an actuated or activated state blocks the supply of heated preforms into the blow moulding machine, and wherein the preform barrier is driven independently from the preform discharge device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the container production device comprises a controllable discharging device for discharging containers from the blow molding device, the controllable discharging device makes it possible to discharge containers and/or preforms which have become unusable during the fault elimination in the processing device in the blow molding device, said discharging device for discharging containers is driven independently from the preform discharge device.