Device for positioning and/or orienting one or more adjustable directing components for guiding articles in a transport system

• US 9,796,532 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Napravnik, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): McClain, Gerald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/771,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 1988363, 1988311
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/04 Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/005 Adjustable conveying means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 21/2072 Laterial guidance means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/08 Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size

Abstract

Disclosed is a device (1) for positioning one or more adjustable directing components for guiding articles in a transport system. One or more of the directing components are coupled to at least one first output (7a to 7g) of a transmission arrangement (11) and can be positioned via the at least one first output (7a to 7g). One or more further directing components are coupled to at least one second output (7a to 7g) of the transmission (11) and coupled via at least one second output (7a to 7g) of the transmission (11) and can be positioned via the at least one second output (7a to 7g). The device (1) further comprises a control actuator (17), which can be selectively and mechanically brought into an operative connection with the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or with the at least one second output (7a to 7g).

Claims

1. A device (1) for positioning and/or orienting one or more adjustable directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) for steering and/or guiding articles (8) in a transport system (10), comprising:

one or more directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) coupled to at least one first output (7a to 7g) of a transmission arrangement (11) and positionable and/or orientable via the at least one first output (7a to 7g)

one or more further directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) coupled to at least one second output (7a to 7g) of the transmission arrangement (11) and positionable and/or orientable via the at least one second output (7a to 7g); and

a control actuator (17), wherein the control actuator (17) is selectively and mechanically connected and disconnected from the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or from the at least one second output (7a to 7g) via a central drive shaft (18), wherein the central drive shaft (18) is rotationally drivable via the control actuator (17), to orient and/or position the one or more directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) or the one or more further directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) coupled with the respective first or second output (7a to 7g).

2. The device (1) of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft (18), or the control actuator (17) together with the drive shaft (18), is selectively brought into an operative connection with the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or with the at least one second output (7a to 7g) by a shift of the drive shaft (18) that is aligned with the direction (V, V′

) of a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft (18).

3. The device (1) of claim 2, wherein the drive shaft (18), or the control actuator (17) together with the drive shaft (18), are coupled to a guide carriage (20) of a linear guiding means, wherein guide carriage (20) is movable in relation to a housing (22).

4. The device (1) of claim 3, wherein the linear guiding means comprises teeth (53) extending sectionwise along the drive shaft (18) and being shiftable together with the drive shaft (18), wherein teeth (53) are designed to be non-rotational and are in engagement with one or more of the outputs (7a to 7g) that are not mechanically brought into an operative connection with the control actuator (17).

5. The device (1) of claim 4, wherein the shift of the drive shaft (18), or the shift of the control actuator (17) together with the drive shaft (18), is carried out by a further actuator (28).

6. The device (1) of claim 5, wherein the further actuator (28) is stationarily connected to the housing (22).

7. The device (1) of claim 6, in which the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or the at least one second output (7a to 7g) each form a reception for the drive shaft (18), through which reception the drive shaft (18) enters or passes in the instance of an operative connection with the respective output (7a to 7g).

8. The device (1) of claim 7, wherein the reception of the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and the reception of the at least one second output (7a to 7g) are arranged in such a manner that they are aligned with each other.

9. The device (1) of claim 8, wherein the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or the at least one second output (7a to 7g) are rotationally drivable by the drive shaft (18) and each have internal teeth (35), which, for the mechanical operative connection, is brought into engagement with corresponding counterteeth (33) of the central drive shaft (18) and/or with corresponding counterteeth (33) of one or more input means (31) mounted on the drive shaft (18).

10. The device (1) of claim 9, wherein the drive shaft (18) forms corresponding counterteeth (33) at least in one first partial section and at least in one second partial section along its longitudinal axis, or in which at least two input means (31′

) are mounted in different positions on the drive shaft (18).

11. The device (1) of claim 10, wherein the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and the at least one second output (7a to 7g) are designed to be rotationally independent of each other and have a common rotational axis (R), which rotational axis (R) runs essentially in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft (18).

12. The device (1) of claim 11, wherein at least two outputs (7a to 7g) are arranged adjacent to each other and, for independent rotational movement, are directly brought into a connection with their respectively adjacent output (7a to 7g) via one or more axial bearings (15).

13. The device (1) of claim 12, wherein the control actuator (17) and/or the further actuator (18) comprises servomotors and/or stepper motors.

14. The device (1) of claim 13, wherein the at least one first output (7a to 7g) and/or the at least one second output (7a to 7g) are coupled with the one or more directing components (3, 4, 5, 6), respectively, via one or more flexible cable elements.

15. The device (1) of claim 13, further comprising at least one third output (7a to 7g) and/or a plurality of further outputs (7a to 7g), wherein each are coupled with one or more further directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) and with which the control actuator (17) is mechanically brought into an operative connection for orienting and/or positioning the one or more directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) coupled with the respective output (7a to 7g).

16. The device (1) of claim 15, further comprising constituent parts to form a packaging facility for articles and/or a filling facility for articles (8) designed as containers (9) with a liquid medium.

17. The device (1) of claim 4 wherein the teeth (53) are in engagement with all of the outputs (7a to 7g).

18. The device (1) of claim 12, wherein all outputs (7a to 7g) are arranged adjacent to each other.

19. The device (1) of claim 14 wherein the one or more flexible cable elements comprise a Bowden cable (51), a cable pull (49), or a chain (45).

20. The device (1) of claim 1 wherein the one or more directing components (3, 4, 5, 6) are independently positionable and/or orientable from the one or more further directing components (3, 4, 5, 6).