CONTAINER-TREATING MACHINE

• US 20140215965A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Clusserath, Ludwig
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/167
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/18 Controlling escape of air from containers or receptacles during filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/30 by volumetric measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/04 Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging sterilising bottles B67C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/24 Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging ; Preventing of fouling
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 2003/2602 Details of vent-tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 2003/2685 Details of probes
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/02 Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/22 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/2617 the liquid valve being opened by mechanical or electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/28 Flow-control devices, e.g. using valves B67C3/2617, B67C3/2625, B67C3/2637 take precedence; valves in general F16K

Abstract

An apparatus for treating containers includes treatment positions arranged on a transport element with a rotor, a transport element, treatment blocks, and functional elements. The treatment positions are formed on the treatment blocks, with at least two per block. Each treatment position ha all functional elements required for treating a container. The functional elements can be for controlled relative movement between treatment blocks and containers, for control of controlled fluid paths for a fluid treatment medium, for monitoring the treatment process, a functional element for controlling the treatment process, or for actuating elements or drives. At least one common functional element needed for treatment of the containers is provided jointly for all treatment positions assigned to one treatment block.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An apparatus for treating containers, said apparatus comprising

treatment positions,

a transport element,

treatment blocks, and

functional elements,

wherein each of said treatment positions is configured to treat a container arranged at said treatment position,

wherein said treatment positions are provided on said transport element,

wherein said treatment positions are formed on said treatment blocks,

wherein at least two treatment positions are formed on each treatment block,

wherein said transport element comprises a rotor,

wherein each treatment position comprises all functional elements required for treating a container,

wherein said functional elements comprise functional elements selected from the group consisting of

a functional element for controlled relative movement between said treatment blocks and said containers,

a functional element for control of controlled fluid paths for a fluid treatment medium, wherein said fluid treatment medium is selected from the group consisting of liquid, gas, and vapor, and wherein said fluid paths are paths for a fluid selected from the group consisting of liquid, gas, and vapor, a functional element for monitoring said treatment process,

a functional element for controlling said treatment process,

actuating elements, and

actuating drives,

wherein at least one common functional element needed for treatment of said containers is provided jointly for all treatment positions assigned to one treatment block.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein all treatment positions of each treatment block and said at least one common functional element are provided and/or form a common assembly.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising functional elements for controlled relative movement between said treatment blocks and said containers, wherein said functional elements can be controlled jointly.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising functional elements for controlled relative movement between said treatment blocks and said containers, wherein said functional elements are can be controlled separately.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said functional elements are formed by container carriers having a lifting element for treatment positions of each treatment block.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein structures are provided jointly for all treatment positions of each treatment block, wherein said structures are selected from the group consisting of a fluid channel formed in a particular treatment block or in a housing thereof, and a control valve arranged in a fluid channel formed in a particular treatment block or in a housing thereof.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein all of said structures are provided jointly for all treatment positions of each treatment block.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein structures are provided jointly for all said treatment positions of each treatment block, wherein said structures are selected from the group consisting of a sensor element for monitoring and/or controlling treatment of said containers, and an actuating drive of a sensor element for monitoring and/or controlling said treatment of said containers.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising filling elements at each treatment position for filling containers with liquid filling material.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein each treatment position comprises a centering bell for centering containers, wherein said centering bells can be moved up and down individually or jointly along a direction parallel to a filling element axis.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said controlled fluid paths formed in said treatment block are provided jointly for all treatment positions of each treatment block.

30. The apparatus claim 27, wherein said controlled fluid paths formed in said treatment block are provided separately in each case and preferably can be controlled jointly for said treatment positions of each treatment block.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said measuring system comprises an axially adjustable probe that determines a fill depth of filling material in a particular container, and one of a joint adjustment element a joint actuating drive that comprises a piston-cylinder arrangement for all probes of all treatment positions of each treatment block.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein each treatment block forms a filling point comprising a liquid channel, a liquid valve on said liquid channel, a filling-material dispensing opening, and a measuring system for determining at least one of a fill depth and a fill volume of filling material in a container, wherein said measuring system comprises one of a probe and a flow meter, provided separately for each treatment position.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said probe comprises a gas-return pipe and an electric probe contact, where said gas-return pipe comprises a length of pipe that forms a gas-return channel, and wherein said electric probe contact is arranged outside said gas return channel and at a distance from an open lower end of said gas return channel.

34. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said functional elements comprise a source of sterilizing medium, and a cleaning element receiving sterilizing medium from said source of sterilizing medium, wherein said cleaning element is selected from the group consisting of a rinser and a container sterilizer, and wherein said sterilizing medium contains hydrogen peroxide, and wherein all of said functional elements needed for said treatment by cleaning are provided jointly for all of said treatment positions of said particular treatment block.

35. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said functional elements comprise centering bells at each treatment position for said containers, wherein each of said centering bells is movable synchronously with movement of said transport element.

36. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a pressure sensing system for treatment of containers under pressure, wherein said pressure sensing system comprises a common pressure sensor for all treatment positions of each treatment block.

37. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a pressure sensing system for treatment of containers under pressure, wherein said pressure sensing system comprises a separate pressure sensor for each treatment position of each treatment block.

38. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising control valves for controlling said controlled fluid paths, wherein said control valves comprise pneumatically actuated valves that are connected to electrically actuated pneumatic valves by control lines.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein, at each treatment position, said control valves controlling said controlled fluid paths are provided separately, and wherein control valves assigned or corresponding to each other are connected to a common pneumatic valve by a control line.