Device for producing containers for liquid

• US 9,242,842 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Klenk, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jallow, Eyamindae
• Application Number:
  US13/395,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20120180439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 535/58, 535/59, 535/61, 532/661, 532/67, 532/68, 532/85, 198/860.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/08 Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/847 the article-engaging elements being grippers
• 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 3/22 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 7/002 General lay-out of bottle-handling machines
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 7/0053 using grippers for supporting bottle necks during filling B67C3/242
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A device for producing containers for liquid includes a shaping unit for shaping plastic preforms into plastic containers and a filling unit for filling the plastic containers with a liquid medium. At least one transporting device, which is used as an interface, lies between a discharging region of the shaping unit and a feeding region of the filling unit, the transporting device transporting plastic containers at least along some sections and individually between the shaping unit and the filling unit. The transporting device is designed such that at least one further process unit can be inserted between the shaping unit and the filling unit.

Claims

1. A modular apparatus for the production of containers for liquid having a plurality of process units including a shaping unit for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers, and a filling unit for tilling the plastics material containers with a liquid medium, wherein the filling unit is arranged downstream with respect to the shaping unit in a conveying direction (R) of the plastics material containers, wherein the shaping unit has a supply region for supplying the plastics material pre-forms as well as a discharge region for discharging formed plastics material containers out of the shaping unit, and wherein the tilling unit has a supply region for supplying the plastics material containers to the filling unit and a discharge region for discharging filled plastics material containers out of the filling unit, wherein at least one conveying device, which acts as an interface and which conveys the plastics material containers at least locally and in an individual manner between the shaping unit and the filling unit, is located between the discharge region of the shaping unit and the supply region of the filling unit, and wherein the conveying device comprises a self-contained conveying device, driven by a servo motor, and constructed such that at least one additional process unit for handling the plastics material containers may be inserted into the apparatus between the shaping unit and the filling unit, wherein the additional process unit is attached to the conveying device such that the flow of the plastics material containers between the shaping unit and the filling unit runs by way of the additional process unit, and wherein the conveying device is located between the shaping unit and the filling unit acts as an interface for the additional process unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of conveying devices, wherein these conveying devices are designed in a substantially similar manner.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a control device for controlling the shaping unit and the filling unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveying device has a drive device as well as a control input which is connected to a control output of the control device in order to integrate the conveying device into the apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a plurality of gripping elements arranged on a carrier rotatable about a pre-set axis of rotation (X) in order to grip the containers, wherein these gripping elements are controlled at least in part by a control device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gripping elements are capable of being controlled in a manner dependent upon a rotational setting of the carrier with respect to the axis of rotation (X), wherein pre-set control positions (A, B) are capable of being freely selected with respect to the rotational setting of the carrier.

7. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein a conveying device is arranged in each case at the supply region and the discharge region of the shaping unit as well as at the supply region and the discharge region of the filling unit, wherein these conveying devices are designed in a similar manner in each case.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one sterilization unit for sterilizing the containers using at least two preferably similar conveying devices is integrated between the shaping unit and the filling unit.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a separate conveying path for conveying the containers.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a conveying star wheel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is capable of being assembled with any desired handling units for handling containers whilst using similar conveying devices.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a labeling device for labeling plastics material containers is integrated into the apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conveying device for conveying the containers is arranged in at least one supply region or at least one discharge region.

14. A conveying device for an apparatus according to claim 1, having a plurality of gripping elements arranged on a carrier rotatable about a pre-set axis of rotation (X) in order to grip the containers, wherein these gripping elements are capable of being controlled at least in part, and with a drive device for rotating the carrier, wherein the gripping elements are capable of being controlled in a manner dependent upon a rotational setting of the carrier with respect to the axis of rotation (X), wherein pre-set control positions (A, B) are capable of being freely selected with respect to the rotational setting of the carrier.

15. A method of assembling an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 with the steps:

submission of a specific product requirement;

determination of the components necessary for this product requirement;

issue of information which is characteristic of the necessary components, wherein this information is ascertained on the basis of the product requirement.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the product requirement contains at least one parameter which is characteristic of a degree of purity in the interior of the containers to be produced.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein individual units of the conveying device may be decoupled from the apparatus.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a plurality of gripping elements arranged on a carrier, wherein at least some of the gripping elements are actively controllable.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein tile conveying device has a plurality of gripping elements arranged on a carrier, which gripping elements are capable of being changed over from active control to passive control.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a drive device of which is capable of being used under varying geometric conditions.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a plurality of gripping elements arranged on a carrier wheel and displaceable in a radial direction with respect to the carrier wheel.

23. The modular apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device includes gripping clamps.

22. A modular apparatus for the production of containers for liquid having a plurality of process units including a shaping unit for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers, and a filling unit for filling the plastics material containers with a liquid medium, wherein the filling unit is arranged downstream with respect to the shaping unit in a conveying direction (R) of the plastics material containers, wherein the shaping unit has a supply region for supplying the plastics material pre-forms as well as a discharge region for discharging formed plastics material containers out of the shaping unit, and wherein the filling unit has a supply region for supplying the plastics material containers to the filling unit and a discharge region for discharging filled plastics material containers out of the filling unit, wherein at least one conveying device, which acts as an interface and which conveys the plastics material containers at least locally and in an individual manner between the shaping unit and the filling unit, is located between the discharge region of the shaping unit and the supply region of the filling unit, and wherein the conveying device comprises a self-contained conveying device, driven by a servo motor, and constructed such that at least one additional process unit including a labeling device for handling the plastics material containers may be inserted into the apparatus between the shaping unit and the filling unit, wherein the additional process unit is attached to the conveying device such that the flow of the plastics material containers between the shaping unit and the filling unit runs by way of the additional process unit, and wherein the conveying device located between the shaping unit and the filling unit and acts as an interface for the additional process unit.

24. The modular apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the conveying device includes a gripping device.