CONTAINER PROCESSING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A CONTAINER PROCESSING MACHINE

• US 20160167895A1
• Filed: 05/07/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Krulitsch, Dieter Rudolf
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/205 Conveying containers to or from the cleaning machines
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/32 Rotating conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/44 the means being for loading or unloading the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/12 mechanically, e.g. by pistons or pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/50 using rotary tables or turrets B65B43/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/59 vertically movable B65B43/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/04 Sterilising wrappers or receptacles prior to, or during, packaging sterilising bottles B67C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/00 Details of labelling machines or apparatus attaching articles to carriers B65B15/00; cards of samples G09F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 29/00 Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones mechanical projectors B65G31/00; screw or rotary spiral conveyors B65G33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/82 Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/00 Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/2033 comprising carousel co-rotating capping heads
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/28 Mechanisms for causing relative movement between bottle or jar and capping head
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 2003/2665 Means for locking the filling head in a given position once engaged by a container
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/225 Means for filling simultaneously, e.g. in a rotary filling apparatus or multiple rows of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/24 Devices for supporting or handling bottles transport or storing devices in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 7/0046 Infeed and outfeed devices

Abstract

A container-processing machine includes a rotor with processing positions formed thereon, a transfer station, and a static lifting element used by all the processing positions. Each processing position has a processing head and a container carrier. The lifting element is a static lifting element that is used by all of the processing positions. When the processing position is at the transfer station, the lifting element causes relative motion between a container carrier and a processing head of the processing position. This causes the processing position to transition between receiving and discharge states.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus for container processing, said apparatus comprising a container-processing machine, wherein said container-processing machine comprises a rotor configured to be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis thereof, a first transfer station, a first lifting element, a drive associated with said lifting element, and a plurality of processing positions formed on said rotor, each of which comprises a processing head and a container carrier, wherein said first lifting element is a static lifting element that is used by all of said processing positions, wherein, when said processing position is at said first transfer station, said first lifting element is configured to cause relative motion between a container carrier and a processing head of said processing position, wherein said relative motion causes causing a transition of said processing position between a receiving state, and a discharge state, wherein, in said receiving state, said processing position is prepared to receive a container to be processed, wherein in said discharge state, said processing position is prepared to discharge a processed container, wherein containers to be processed are transferred to said first processing position at said first transfer station, and wherein containers that have been processed are transferred from said first processing position at said first transfer station.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first static lifting element is provided at said first transfer station.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a locking device configured to lock a movable element of a processing position in a position in which said movable element has been raised by said first lifting element, wherein said movable element is selected from the group consisting of said processing head and said container carrier.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a drive connection between said first lifting element and a movable element of a processing position, wherein said movable element is selected from the group consisting of said container carrier and said processing head, wherein said drive connection exists only when said processing position is disposed at said first transfer station.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said processing head comprises a movable element selected from the group consisting of said processing head and said container carrier, said apparatus further comprising a coupling piece that engages said movable element to create a drive connection between said lifting element and said movable element when said processing position moves to said first transfer station.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a coupling piece, wherein, when said processing position moves to said first transfer station, said coupling piece engages said processing position.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said coupling piece forms an undercut.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said coupling piece forms an opening.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said container-processing machine comprises a filling machine.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said container-processing machine comprises a sterilizing machine.

33. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said drive comprises a pneumatic cylinder.

34. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said drive comprises an electric linear drive.

35. A method for operating a container-processing machine comprising a rotor configured to be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis thereof and having processing stations formed thereon, each of which comprises a processing head and a container carrier, a static lifting element, and its associated drive, that is used by all of said processing stations, and a transfer station, said method comprising causing said rotor to bring a processing position to said transfer station, and, using said lifting element, causing relative movement between a processing head and a container carrier of said processing station.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein causing relative motion comprises, using said lifting element, lifting a movable structure into a raised state, and, while said movable structure is in said raised state, locking said movable structure in said raised state until said structure is to be lowered by said lifting element, wherein said is selected from the group consisting of said container carrier and said processing head.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising driving said rotor cyclically.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising causing a transport star to transfer containers to be processed to said container processing positions and to remove processed containers from said processing positions.