Method for producing beverage containers and system for producing beverage containers

• US 10,252,899 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Sauspreischkies, Wolfgang, Mayr, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US14/442,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160272476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 53452, 53471, 53 52, 53 64, 53 67, 53 72, 53 74, 53558, 53561, 53282
• 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 3/001 Cleaning of filling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/007 Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery flow-control B67C3/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/22 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 7/00 Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations

Abstract

A method for producing beverage containers includes the steps of:

• • delivering plastic parisons to a transforming device;
  • transforming the plastic parisons into plastic containers using the transforming device;
  • transporting the plastic containers to a filling device;
  • filling the plastic containers with a liquid using the filling device, and
  • closing the filled containers with closures. Product changeover from one product to another is facilitated.

Claims

1. A production method for producing beverage containers filled with a liquid in a production system comprising the steps of:

delivering plastic parisons to a transforming device;

transforming the plastic parisons into plastic containers using the transforming device;

transporting the plastic containers to a filling device using a transport device;

filling the plastic containers with a first liquid using the filling device, wherein the filling device has a storage container for the first liquid; and

closing the filled containers with closures;

wherein a product change from first containers to be filled with the first liquid to second containers to be filled with a second liquid is carried out, and wherein in order to effect the product change, a desired quantity of the first containers filled with the first liquid is determined and a residual quantity of the first liquid is determined, wherein when one of the first liquid, the first containers or first container closures is consumed, then the first liquid, the first containers and the first container closures which are not completely consumed are discharged from the production system before the product change, the production method is altered and whereupon the filling device is subjected to a rinsing operation and/or a cleaning operation and/or a sterilising operation, and wherein the delivery of the plastic parisons to the transforming device is continued without interruption during the product change.

2. The method according to claim 1, including the step of estimating at least a residual quantity of the plastic parisons, first plastic containers, first container closures or the first liquid before the product change.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein delivery of at least the first containers, the first container closures or the first liquid is stopped before the product change.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a percentage running time of the transport device or the filling device is determined at a time of product change.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a residual quantity of the first containers or first liquid still located in the transport device or filling device, respectively, is determined at a time of product change.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a quantity of the plastic parisons, the first containers, first container closures and the first liquid is taken into consideration as a buffer at a time of product change.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product change is commenced during said delivering, transforming, transporting, filling and said closing steps.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon a determination that the first liquid is completely consumed any remaining unfilled first containers or closures for the first containers are discharged from the production system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rinsing operation, the cleaning operation and/or the sterilizing operation is initiated automatically.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product change includes a change to new plastic parisons.

11. A production system for producing beverage containers filled with liquids, said production system including a delivery device for delivering plastic parisons, a transforming device for transforming the plastic parisons into first plastic containers, a filling device disposed after the transforming device in a transport direction of the plastic containers for filling the first plastic containers with a first liquid, and a closure device which closes the first plastic containers with a closure, wherein the system has a first detecting device for detecting a quantity of the first liquid which is located in the system and for sending a first signal to a processing device, as well as a second detecting device for detecting a quantity of the first plastic containers located in the system and for sending a second signal to the processing device, and wherein a quantity of filled first containers capable of being produced by said first and second detected quantities is calculated by the processing device, wherein the processing device controls a product change on a basis of the first and second signal outputs by the first and second detecting devices as well as the calculation of the quantity of containers capable of being produced, wherein in an event of a product change or a production quantity fulfilment a determination is made whether the first liquid, the plastic parisons, the first plastic containers and container closures are fully consumed, wherein when the calculation determines full consumption of the first liquid to be bottled, the first beverage containers or container closures, the production system is altered and whereupon a rinsing operation and/or a cleaning operation and/or a sterilising operation is conducted, and wherein in the delivery device, the delivery of the plastic parisons is continued without interruption during the product change or the production quantity fulfilment.