Transport system for packages and apparatus for handling packages using such a transport system

• US 9,272,847 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Varhaniovsky, Gyula
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/342,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20140202831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0244 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/00 Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/846 Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting packages from an inlet to an outlet includes a closed transport path having a package transport route and a puck return transport route, an inlet, an outlet, transport elements that are rotatable in a circulation direction and that are adjacent to each other in the transport direction of the packages, and pucks for carrying a package from the inlet to the outlet. After release of the packages at the outlet, the pucks return to the inlet via the puck return transport route. The puck return transport route and the package transport route are in transport planes offset from each other in a vertical direction. The two transports are formed by common transport elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting packages from a package inlet to a package outlet, said apparatus comprising

a closed transport path comprising a package transport route and a puck return transport route,

a package inlet on said closed transport path,

a package outlet on said closed transport path, said package outlet being displaced from said package inlet in a transport direction for packages, first and second transport elements that are rotatable in a circulation direction and that are adjacent to each other in said transport direction of said packages, and

pucks, each of which is adapted to pick up a package at said package inlet and to carry said package along said package transport route as far as said package outlet,

wherein after release of said packages at said package outlet, said pucks return to said package inlet by way of said puck return transport route, wherein said puck return transport route is provided in a first transport plane, wherein said package transport is provided in a second transport plane, wherein said first and second transport planes are offset from each other in a vertical direction, wherein said first and second transport planes are selected from the group consisting of an upper plane and a lower plane, and wherein said package transport route and said puck return transport route are formed by common transport elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said package transport route and said puck return transport route are formed exclusively by common transport elements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said package transport route runs in said lower transport plane, below said puck return transport route.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport elements comprise puck holders for receiving, holding, and delivering pucks from and to adjacent transport elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising first and second delivery regions formed in said upper and lower transport planes following each other in said circulation direction of said first and second transport elements, said first and second delivery regions being disposed between said package inlet and package outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control and lifting elements for said first and second transport elements, wherein said control and lifting elements are configured for moving puck holders between said transport planes.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising printing stations on said transport route for printing on said packages.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising first and second delivery regions formed in said upper and lower transport planes following each other in said circulation direction of said first and second transport elements, said first and second delivery regions being disposed between said first transport element and a third transport element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising first and second delivery regions formed in said upper and lower transport planes following each other in said circulation direction of said first and second transport elements, said first and second delivery regions being disposed between said second transport element and a third transport element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport elements comprise transport elements that are common to both said package transport route and said puck return transport route.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport elements comprise a first transport element, wherein said first transport element forms part of said package transport route, and wherein said first transport element forms part of said puck return transport route.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first transport element is disposed in a region of said package inlet, wherein said first transport element receives pucks returned on said puck return transport route and transfers them from said first transport plane to said second transport plane, wherein a second transport element is disposed at said package outlet, and wherein said second transport element delivers said pucks from said second transport plane back to said first transport plane.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second transport elements comprises a star having plural puck holders, wherein said puck holders are spaced apart with a first pitch spacing on a periphery of a rotor that rotates about a vertical machine axis, wherein said puck holders are configured for controlled movement in synchrony with rotational movement of said rotor in a direction parallel to said machine axis between said upper and lower transport planes.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a third transport element between said first and second transport elements, wherein said third transport element comprises a transport star that rotates about a third-transport element vertical machine axis, wherein said third transport element comprises puck holders in said two transport planes, wherein said puck holders are distributed about said third-transport element vertical machine axis, wherein said puck holders are spaced apart at a second pitch spacing that matches said first pitch spacing.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a third transport element between said first and second transport elements.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said puck holders of said first, second, and third transport elements all have the same pitch spacing.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said puck holders of said third transport element form part of said package transport path in said first plane, and said puck holders in said second transport plane are part of said puck transport path in said second plane.