CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a U.S. National Phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2019/075700 entitled “DEVICE FOR GROUPING CONTAINERS,” and filed on Sep. 24, 2019. International Application No. PCT/EP2019/075700 claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2018 219 082.8 filed on Nov. 8, 2018. The entire contents of each of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for grouping transported containers, for example bottles, in particular in a container treatment plant.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

In container treatment plants, containers, such as for example bottles, cans etc., are treated in a plurality of successive process steps. Here, the process steps are in general performed in separate treatment units which can be combined, for example, as modules of one common plant concept. A container treatment plant for glass bottles or plastic bottles, e.g. of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PEP) etc., may comprise, for example, a blow moulding means, a filling device, a labelling device, a packaging device, a sterilization device, an inspection device etc. as separate, modularly designed treatment units. The individual treatment units, which perform successive process steps, are in general connected in series one behind the other, one or several transport devices providing the transport of the containers from the treatment units to the respective downstream treatment units.

The performance of successive process steps by the separate treatment units of the plant and the transport between the treatment units thus corresponds to the known principle of conveyor line processing, wherein a continuous stream of containers to be treated is achieved by the treatment units arranged in series by means of suited control processes with respect to the process duration of the individual process steps and/or the amount of the containers transported from one treatment unit to the next treatment unit per unit of time. In the plants known in prior art, the transport of the containers between the treatment units is realised by means of conveyor belts, and optionally by means of a plurality of separate transport elements in the form of carriers which pick up the containers or preforms by means of suited retaining devices, e.g. especially shaped gripping units, at a pick-up point, transport them through the row of successive treatment units, and finally dispense them at a dispensing point.

The containers are in the process generally transferred to the plurality of transport elements by suitably designed feed conveyors at the pick-up points and correspondingly taken up by the plurality of transport elements by suitably designed discharge conveyors at the dispensing point. Both the feed conveyors and discharge conveyors and the individual container treatment units convey or treat, respectively, the container at a rate of containers per unit of time predetermined each by the operator personnel or a control means in response to the container to be treated, the process step and/or the performing treatment unit.

For a continuous and effective production, containers should reach the respective treatment unit or conveyor means at predetermined constant time intervals or at a constant predetermined speed of the transport elements with predetermined constant spatial intervals, the so-called division of a (product) stream.

Although the processing rate of the individual treatment units and/or the conveying rates of the conveyor means can be typically controlled by open-loop or closed-loop control, respectively, within certain limits, deviations from the predetermined rate, i.e. from the predetermined time interval or the predetermined spatial interval of two successive transport elements, in general lead to production delays since the processing rates of the individual treatment units can only be adapted with some delay.

In particular, gaps in the otherwise regular product stream of containers pose great difficulties for the open-loop or closed-loop control of treatment units since these temporarily have to operate with some delay, if a gap occurs, in order to be subsequently brought again to normal speed. In the process, in general, valuable production time is lost. The occurrence of gaps in the production stream of container treatment plants, however, is a common phenomenon, the gaps occurring e.g. by detecting the treatment condition of containers as faulty and by removing the containers from the system.

On the other hand, predetermined groupings and thus desired spaces between individual container groups can be intended; such groupings, however, cannot be easily realised technically in prior art.

The object underlying the present invention is to achieve an improved grouping of containers on their transport path in a container treatment plant.

The above-mentioned object is achieved by a device for grouping containers (for example bottles), comprising:

a first conveyor belt for transporting the containers in a first transport direction;

a second conveyor belt;

a container receiving device;

a transfer device which is configured to transfer at least some of the containers from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt transversely to the first transport direction and to transfer at least some of the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device transversely to the first transport direction; and

a motor device, in particular a long stator motor device, which is in particular arranged above the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt and the container receiving device, and which is configured to move the transfer device for transferring the respective containers.

The movement of the transfer device can in principle be accomplished such that it is connected to the motor device and thereby follows a movement of the motor device which is, for example, effected by a corresponding portal system, and/or that it is effected via a motor force of the motor device remaining spatially stationary or moving itself. The motor device can be a linear motor which can move the transfer device along a rail system. The transfer transverse to the first transport direction can, but does not have to, be essentially perpendicular to the first transport direction. It will be appreciated that the transfer can, if the engagement elements are suitably designed, comprise a lifting and lowering of the containers.

Containers in the sense of the invention are in particular beverage bottles, but also other containers for food, medicine, sanitary products, cleaning agents or the like, such as e.g. cans, glass bottles or other glass containers with a lid, packages on the basis of carton or composites, Tetra Pak or the like. Equally, containers of plastics also comprise intermediates, in particular preforms for stretch blow moulding the containers.

The transfer device can comprise at least one movable shuttle element with a number of engagement elements of which each at least partially extends transversely to the first transport direction, so that the transfer device is configured, by means of the engagement elements, to group the respective containers on the second conveyor belt and/or the container receiving device. The shuttle element is a means movable along a rail system of the device in the first transport direction and can be moved along the rail system by the motor device. The generation of a closed container row on the second conveyor belt is here and below comprised of the term grouping. The second conveyor belt can be embodied separately from the first conveyor belt or be a part of the same.

According to one embodiment, each of the number of engagement elements is L-shaped and partially extends transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the first transport direction. By the L-shape, a reliable guidance of the engagement element into container spacings on the first conveyor belt is possible. Furthermore, the transfer device can comprise counter support elements of which each at least partially extends in parallel to the first transport direction. The counter support elements provide a securer manipulation of the containers by means of the transfer device, in particular protected against a falling over of the containers. The transfer device can comprise movable spacer means which are configured to adjust a distance between the counter support elements and parts of the engagement elements. Thereby, an adaptation to various sizes of containers is possible. A selected distance can be maintained by pushing an arrest mounted in a spacer of the spacer means onto a toothed rack by means of a spring.

Here, moreover a transfer device for transferring a container transported on a conveyor belt to a device for transporting the container further is provided, wherein the transfer device comprises an L-shaped engagement element, a counter support element arranged opposite a leg of the L of the L-shaped engagement element, and movable spacer means which are configured to adjust distances between the counter support elements and the leg. The movable spacer means here comprise a toothed rack and a spacer with an arrest and a spring mounted therein. Thereby, an adaptation to various sizes of containers is possible. A selected distance can be maintained by pushing an arrest mounted in a spacer of the spacer means, by means of a spring which is also mounted in the spacer of the spacer means, onto a toothed rack of the spacer means.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the motor device can be designed to move the transfer device such that the engagement elements are guided between the containers on the first conveyor belt, that containers are transferred from the first conveyor belt, by means of the engagement elements, to the second conveyor belt, and containers are transferred from the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device. Here, the motor device can suitably move the engagement elements over the mentioned shuttle elements, and/or the motor device can be suitably moved with the shuttle elements by a corresponding system. In particular, the motor device can be designed to move the shuttle elements and thus the engagement elements such that the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt are slowed down on the second conveyor belt or shifted opposite to the first transport direction.

In this way, the device according to the invention can furthermore be equipped with a portal system which is configured to move the motor device in a second transport direction transverse to the first transport direction and perpendicular to a plane comprising the first and the second transport directions, such that the engagement elements are guided from above the first conveyor belt between the containers on the first conveyor belt, that containers are transferred from the first conveyor belt, by means of the engagement elements, to the second conveyor belt, and containers transferred to the second conveyor belt are transferred from the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device. That means the portal system carries the motor device and can move it, as well as the rail system along which the shuttle elements can be moved by the motor device in the first transport direction, to and fro perpendicularly to the first transport direction and vertically. For manipulating the containers on the first conveyor belt, the portal system can guide the motor device with the shuttle elements and the rail system from the top to the bottom, and after the transfer of containers to the container receiving device, it can guide the motor device with the shuttle elements and the rail system from the bottom to the top.

In all embodiments of the device according to the invention, the container receiving device can comprise means for moving/further transporting/grouping the transferred containers, for example in the form of support elements on a rotating belt, which are configured to move and group the containers transferred from the second conveyor belt on the container receiving device.

The transferred containers can be supplied from the container receiving device, for example, to one or more packaging stations for packing grouped containers, where packaging stations of different formats (for example, a packaging as a six-pack or 20-pack) or packaging stations for packing containers of different materials can be employed. It can also be provided for the containers to be picked up, after the grouping and movement on the container receiving device, by a driverless transport system (DTS) or an automated guided vehicle (AGV). According to a further example, the containers are palletised after the grouping and movement on the container receiving device, and the pallets can be picked up by the DTS/AGV. It will also be appreciated that in the device according to the invention, a plurality of first and/or second conveyor belts can be provided from which containers can be selectively transferred to the container receiving device.

Furthermore, the device can comprise, in all above-described embodiments, a further motor device, in particular a further long stator motor device, wherein the further motor device is configured to move at least one further movable shuttle element which is coupled to the above-mentioned at least one shuttle element of the above-mentioned motor device, in particular with an engagement element of a shuttle element of the motor device. The coupling can be effected by a coupling rod. The motor device and the further motor device are here arranged, together with their respective associated rail systems, in parallel to the first transport direction, and in this first transport direction, offset with respect to each other. By a relative movement of elements coupled to each other in the first transport direction, engagement elements can be guided transversely to the first transport direction.

Furthermore, a device for grouping containers is provided, comprising:

a first conveyor belt for transporting the containers in a first transport direction;

a container receiving device;

a transfer device which is configured to transfer at least some of the containers from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt transversely to the first transport direction, and to transfer at least some of the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device transversely to the first transport direction;

a first rail system oriented in parallel to the first transport direction;

a second rail system oriented in parallel to the first transport direction;

a first motor device, in particular a long stator motor device, which is arranged above the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt and the container receiving device, and which is configured to move the transfer device for transferring the respective containers, wherein the transfer device comprises a first shuttle element with a number of engagement elements movable along the first rail system, each of the engagement elements at least partially extending transversely to the first transport direction, so that the transfer device is configured to group, by means of the engagement elements, the respective containers on the second conveyor belt and/or the container receiving device and to transfer the respective containers; and

a second motor device, in particular a second long stator motor device, which is arranged above the first conveyor belt, the second conveyor belt and the container receiving device, and which is arranged offset with respect to the first motor device in the first transport direction and is configured to move a second shuttle element along the second rail system, and wherein the second shuttle element is coupled to the first couple element, in particular with an engagement element of the first shuttle element and via a coupling rod.

This device can also comprise a second conveyor belt which is arranged between the first conveyor belt and the container receiving device, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer at least some of the containers transported on the first conveyor belt from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt. Here, too, the first motor device or the transfer device, respectively, can be designed to slow down the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt and/or to shift them against the first transport direction and/or to group them. The transfer device can be defined as described above. In particular, the container receiving device can be designed as described above, and it can in particular be designed to group the transferred containers.

The above-described examples of a device for grouping containers can be employed in a plant for treating containers. Thus, a filling line having a device for grouping containers according to one of the above-described examples, and, for example, having a filling machine and/or a labelling machine and/or a packaging machine and/or a direct printing machine and/or a blow moulding machine is also provided here.

By means of the above-described embodiments of the device according to the invention, methods for grouping containers and discharging defective containers that do not undergo any manipulation by the transfer device and thus remain on the first conveyor belt can be performed.

