Container-processing machine and method for processing containers
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a container-processing machine for processing containers, wherein said container-processing machine includes a rotor and a plurality of processing stations, wherein said rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis, wherein said processing stations are disposed around a periphery of said rotor, wherein each processing station includes a container carrier, an electromagnetic linear drive, a lift, magnets, and an electrically-conductive coil, wherein said lift comprises said electromagnetic linear drive, wherein said lift raises and lowers said container carrier, wherein said lift comprises a guided section and a guiding section, wherein said guiding section and said guided section are displaceable relative to each other, wherein displacement of said guiding section and said guided section relative to each other guides motion of said container carrier, wherein said guiding section comprises a tubular guide, wherein an accommodating space extends through said tubular guide, wherein said magnets are disposed in said accommodating space, wherein said guiding section, said guided section, said magnets, and said electrically-conductive coil cooperate to define said electromagnetic linear drive for raising and lowering said container carrier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A processing station of a container-processing machine includes an electromagnetic linear drive that raises and lowers a container carrier. The linear drive includes a tubular guide element having a stack of magnets extending through it. This guide element guides the motion of a guided element that has coils. Current through these coils generates a magnetic field that interacts with the field from the tubular guide'"'"'s magnets. This interaction yields a force that can raise the carrier.
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Citations
17 Claims
- 1. An apparatus comprising a container-processing machine for processing containers, wherein said container-processing machine includes a rotor and a plurality of processing stations, wherein said rotor is configured to rotate about a vertical axis, wherein said processing stations are disposed around a periphery of said rotor, wherein each processing station includes a container carrier, an electromagnetic linear drive, a lift, magnets, and an electrically-conductive coil, wherein said lift comprises said electromagnetic linear drive, wherein said lift raises and lowers said container carrier, wherein said lift comprises a guided section and a guiding section, wherein said guiding section and said guided section are displaceable relative to each other, wherein displacement of said guiding section and said guided section relative to each other guides motion of said container carrier, wherein said guiding section comprises a tubular guide, wherein an accommodating space extends through said tubular guide, wherein said magnets are disposed in said accommodating space, wherein said guiding section, said guided section, said magnets, and said electrically-conductive coil cooperate to define said electromagnetic linear drive for raising and lowering said container carrier.
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17. A method comprising processing containers, wherein processing containers comprises using a container-processing machine that has a rotatable rotor having a periphery along which processing stations are provided, said processing stations each including a lift having a container carrier, a guiding element that comprises a tubular guide, and a guided element, said tubular guide having magnets in an accommodating space formed within said tubular guide, said method comprising causing generation of a magnetic field that interacts with a magnetic field of said magnets in said tubular guide so as to raise said container carrier, wherein causing generation of said magnetic field comprises allowing current to flow through an electrically-conductive coil that is coupled to said guided element.
Specification