CN210311247U

CN210311247U - Container handling device for handling and/or transporting containers

Info

Publication number: CN210311247U
Application number: CN201920410835.2U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 贝恩德·布拉茨; 哈拉尔德·克罗克
Original assignee: Krones AG
Current assignee: Krones AG
Priority date: 2018-03-29
Filing date: 2019-03-28
Publication date: 2020-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-28
Also published as: DE102018107552A1; EP3546385B1; EP3546385C0; EP3546385A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container handling apparatus for handling and/or transporting containers. The containers provided and/or transported in the transport direction are equipped and/or equipped with equipment elements on their respective container outer sides and/or peripheral sides. The equipment element is held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the container during the transport of the container to the heat treatment station. In the heat treatment station, the container with the respective equipment elements mounted and/or mounted thereon is subjected to heat and/or steam in order to fix and/or mechanically fasten the equipment elements on the container, which are enhanced in their adhesion to the container and/or shrink around the container at least in the circumferential direction, under the effect of the heat and/or steam. The mounting element is held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the container at least in stages during the transport of the container into the heat treatment station until entry into the heat treatment station and/or at least during a partial phase of the heat and/or steam loading of the container together with the mounting element.

Description

Container handling device for handling and/or transporting containers

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method and a container handling apparatus for handling and/or transporting containers.

Background

Containers manufactured in a manner filled with contents are generally characterized in that the contents can be known without opening the container. For this purpose, for example, a label is applied to the outside of the container, which marks the contents and possibly other information. As the label, a label made of paper or a similar flat material is conventionally used, which is attachably attached to the outside of the container by an adhesive.

Furthermore, it is known to print information directly on the outside of the container. Another possibility consists in installing a shrink label embodied as a wrap around label. In this case, the container is positioned within the shrink label in such a way that: the shrink label, formed as a shrink sleeve, is inverted over the container. Subsequently, the containers thus produced are passed through a shrink tunnel in such a way that: the film of the shrink sleeve contracts under the effect of heat and bears laterally around the outer circumference of the container.

Publication DE 102012207538 a1 describes a method and an apparatus for applying shrink sleeves to containers. During the transport of the containers, the shrink sleeves which are reversed on the containers are anchored to the containers by selective compression in a compression region of the shrink sleeves by means of at least one heating belt which runs together in contact. Posting shrink sleeves means anchoring them to the containers so that the shrink sleeves can be fully shrunk in a particular production step downstream of the heating belt. Accordingly, selective deflation means that only a sub-region of the shrink sleeve deflates over the container. The anchoring causes that the shrink sleeve at least can not fall off from the container. Preferably, the constriction region of the shrink sleeve is already fixed in its final position on the container by means of an anchoring. The energy input into the shrink sleeve can be reduced compared to a complete shrink sleeve and can be interrupted quickly and reliably in a simple manner in the event of production disturbances due to contact being cancelled and heat conduction being interrupted. Thus, overheating of the shrink sleeve can be avoided both during normal operation and during production disturbances.

DE 9116105U 1 describes a device for the continuous installation of shrink sleeves on the closed end of a vessel. In order to ensure the function of the shrink sleeve in any case, it must be ensured that the film sleeve maintains its predetermined position, i.e. does not slip, on the way from the mounting station until it travels past the shrinking device. The apparatus comprises a placing station for placing the shrink sleeve onto the closed end and a transport device for transporting the vessel from the placing station to the shrink station, in which the shrink sleeve is shrunk onto the closed end. Support means extending along the transport device are provided, which act on the heat shrink sleeves from below, for guiding the heat shrink sleeves at a predetermined height position, so that forces directed transversely to the transport direction are applied laterally by the guide means on the way from the placement station to the shrink station, toward the support means. The support means have support elements which, during the transport of the vessel, continuously bear at least partially against the circumferential contour of the vessel in order to prevent the shrink sleeve from slipping off.

The publication DE 102013208589 a1 relates to a device for labeling containers and applying shrink sleeves to containers. The device comprises a labeling machine with a first spacing, wherein the labeling machine is designed for applying labels to containers, a transport belt arranged downstream of the labeling machine and designed for transporting the containers located thereon at a certain speed, and a feed screw arranged downstream of the labeling machine and designed for bringing the containers transported by the transport belt to a second spacing of a subsequent shrink sleeve unit, wherein the shrink sleeve unit is designed for transferring shrink sleeves onto the containers. The device comprises, after the shrink-wrapping machine set, a positioning device for positioning the shrink-wrapping, wherein the positioning device comprises at least two transport belts which can be driven at a downstream speed and which are designed to act on opposite sides of the containers and to bring the shrink-wrapping from a starting position into a final position. Depending on where the shrink sleeves should be placed on the containers and at what height (final position) and where the shrink sleeve units mount the shrink sleeves in (starting position), the two conveyor belts extend in the respective orientation, so that the conveyor belts are designed for bringing the shrink sleeves to the desired position. The shrink sleeve is pre-fixed in the desired position by loading the positioned shrink sleeve with hot air from a hot air nozzle. The final shrink-fitting of the shrink sleeve onto the container is effected in a subsequent heating tunnel or steam tunnel.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model discloses a task is: it is ensured that the fitment element, for example the shrink sleeve, is reliably positioned on the container before the final fixing of the fitment element on the container.

A method for handling and/or transporting containers, in particular in a container handling device and/or a container handling machine, is disclosed, wherein equipment elements are mounted on the container outer side and/or peripheral side of the containers, respectively. The following steps are provided here: first, the containers are provided and transported in the transport direction to a container treatment plant, in particular to an application station of the container treatment plant.

The container may be, for example, a bottle, can or the like made of glass, plastic, metal or other suitable material. The container has in particular a bottom side and an upper side. Usually, the container has a filling opening on the upper side or upper region. Between the bottom side and the upper side there is an outer side and/or a peripheral side of the container to be subsequently provided with the equipment elements. For example, the containers transported can be empty and can only be filled and closed in subsequent method steps. Alternatively, it is also possible to transport already filled and closed containers.

In this method, containers provided with equipment elements are provided or are transported, which containers are provided and/or equipped with at least one equipment element in a first step, at least in regions, outside their respective containers and/or on the outer circumferential side. In particular, during the transport of the container with the positioned equipment element to a heat treatment station arranged downstream in the transport direction, the equipment element is held and/or fixed and/or stabilized in a desired position on the container. The heat treatment station comprises in particular a shrink zone. In the heat treatment station, in particular in the shrinking zone, the container with the fitting element respectively mounted or mounted thereon is loaded with a shrinking medium, in particular with heat and/or steam, so that the fitting element is fixed and/or mechanically fastened to the container. In particular, the adhesion of the furnishing element on the container is enhanced by the action of heat and/or steam. These enhanced adhesion forces are caused, for example, by specific physical properties of the furnishing element which cause the furnishing element to shrink at least partially in a circumferential direction around the container under the action of heat and/or steam.

Furthermore, it is provided that the installation element is held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the container at least in stages during the transport of the container into the heat treatment station until the heat treatment station is reached and/or at least during a partial phase of the heat and/or steam loading of the container together with the installation element.

The furnishing element is preferably a so-called shrink label, which consists of a so-called shrink film. This refers to a film that shrinks strongly under the action of heat and/or steam. Such shrink films are particularly effective because they tightly surround packaged goods, such as containers, and match their outer contours. Biaxially and monoaxially shrink films are provided for use in industry, which differ in the direction of film deformation. The uniaxial film shrinks on one side; the biaxial film shrinks on both sides. The shrink label used here can be arranged on the container partially around the outside and/or the peripheral side of the container or can also surround the peripheral side of the container in a completely encircling manner.

The mounting element is applied to the container, for example by means of an application station described in detail below, and is subsequently held and/or fixed and/or stabilized in the position of the mounting element arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of the container by means of the holding device. The containers thus prepared are then passed through a shrink tunnel in which the film of the equipping element is shrunk under the effect of heat and is placed around the containers.

Preferably, the shrink label is provided in the form of a sleeve or shrink sleeve which is thin-walled and/or consists of a film tube section, which is inverted from above onto the container and which at least regionally encloses the outside and/or the peripheral side of the container over the entire periphery or a part of the periphery. The shrink sleeve can be designed as a so-called full sleeve which surrounds the container outer side and/or the outer circumferential side of the container over the entire circumference from the bottom side of the container to the top side of the container. The invention relates in particular to a fitting element in the form of a so-called partial sleeve which surrounds the container outside and/or the peripheral side of the container only regionally in the finished product; in particular, the outer container side and/or the outer peripheral side of the respective container is only partially surrounded by the partial sleeve with respect to the longitudinal container axis. In the case of the use of a partial sleeve, the container is preferably not covered by the partial sleeve outside the container and/or in the lower region of the peripheral side and/or outside the container and/or in the upper region of the peripheral side. In particular, such partial sleeves are generally not flush with the respective container bottom.

The invention also relates to a container treatment device, in particular a component of a container treatment machine or a subsection forming a container treatment machine. The container treatment plant can either comprise at least one application station for the equipment elements or have an application station arranged upstream of the container treatment plant. The container is provided in an application station. The application station is provided and equipped for loading at least some of the containers provided with equipment elements which can be mounted or mounted on the outside and/or peripheral side of the respective container. The containers provided with the equipment elements are transported in the transport direction to a heat treatment station arranged downstream in the container treatment plant, where the containers provided with the equipment elements are subjected to heat and/or steam. This serves to fix and/or mechanically fasten the fitting element to the respective container. In this case, the fitting element is in particular telescoped onto the container outer side and/or the peripheral side of the container, whereby the position of the fitting element on the container is permanently determined. The heat treatment station located downstream in the transport direction can be considered as a component of the container treatment plant.

With the container treatment device according to the invention, it is possible to mount equipment elements in the form of labels and/or hose sleeves on containers.

In order that the installation element does not slip off during the transport of the container from the application station to the heat treatment station, but remains on the container in its desired position, a transport section is provided between the application station and the heat treatment station, which transport section extends into the heat treatment station or continues within the heat treatment station. In addition to the transport section and/or in synchronization with the at least stepwise movement of the transport section, a holding device is provided which interacts with the container and in this case determines, maintains and/or ensures the position of the equipment elements arranged on the container in each case. According to a preferred embodiment of the equipping element, the equipping element is held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the container by means of a holding device acting mechanically on the outside and/or on the peripheral side of the container at least between the installation of the equipping element on the container and the transport of the equipping element to the thermal treatment station.

For this purpose, the holding device has at least one contact surface and/or contact side and/or at least one contact area, which at least partially rests on the outside and/or peripheral side of the container and is responsible for maintaining and/or ensuring the positioning of the installation element previously completed by means of the application station on the respective container. In particular, it is provided that the holding device, like the transport section, at least partially projects into the heat treatment station and, at least in a first subregion of the heat treatment station adjoining the inlet opening for the containers, the holding device continuously maintains the positioning of the fitment element on the respective container, during which the containers are loaded with a shrinking medium, in particular heat and/or steam, in the heat treatment station.

The holding device acts on the outer side of the container and/or the peripheral side of the container, optionally via contact surfaces and/or contact sides and/or contact areas, directly below the positioned mounting element or at the level of the mounting element, so that the mounting element rests on the contact surfaces and/or contact sides and/or contact areas of the holding device or is contacted and held by the contact surfaces and/or contact sides and/or contact areas on the respective outer side of the mounting element. The position of the mounting element relative to the container is thereby limited downward and the mounting element cannot slip downward in particular.

According to a preferred embodiment, the holding device is formed by a circumferential pulling means, in particular by a circumferential belt. The traction means or the belt has a contact side and/or a contact surface and/or a contact area which extends substantially vertically and/or in a direction parallel to the support plane of the transport section, is arranged pointing towards the container and at least in regions contacts the container. Preferably, the traction means or the belt contacts the respective container in such a way that the lower edge of the mounting element is placed on the contact area formed between the traction means and the container. However, it is also conceivable for the pulling means or the belt to contact the respective container in such a way that the mounting element located on the container forms a contact region on its outer side and the mounting element is held and/or fixed in its position on the container. It is particularly preferred that the holding device is formed by a pair of encircling traction means or belts, between which the containers are transported upright in a clamped and largely slip-free manner. The traction means or belts, in addition to being the transport means for the containers themselves, can also support the movement of the containers in the transport direction. In particular, it is provided that the transport device for the containers and the holding device in the form of a traction means or a belt are moved at the same speed in the transport direction.

The directed container contact side and/or the contact surface of the pulling means or the belt has an elastically yielding surface. This is advantageous in that tolerances in the dimensions of the containers and/or deviations in the position of the containers on the conveying device for the containers can be compensated for, and sufficient contact between the holding device and the containers is nevertheless established to reliably determine the position of the fitment element on the containers. For example, the contact side and/or the contact surface are coated with a sponge-like material made of plastic, which has elastic properties and can be deformed particularly well under light pressure. Furthermore, it can be provided that the contact side and/or the contact surface of the pulling means or the belt comprise additional flexible contact elements which project from the contact side and/or the contact surface and point in the direction of the container and which can be pressed together, in particular, so that a clamping-type contact between the pulling means or the belt and the container can be established. The contact elements can be formed, for example, by movably formed rubber lugs or projecting projections made of a sponge-like elastic material or the like.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the holding device can be adjusted in its height via a suitable mechanism for adjusting the height, in order to be able to adjust the desired position of the equipment element relative to the container depending on the production location. In particular, the distance of the lower edge of the equipment element from the bottom side of the container can be adjusted by adjusting the height. For example, the holding device can be arranged on the vertical frame element in a height-adjustable manner. Furthermore, mechanically or electrically operated lifting columns can be used for height adjustment. Alternatively, the height adjustment can be performed electrically via a servo drive, also an electrically or manually adjustable crank or screw drive being possible. Manual height adjustment is also conceivable, for example in the form of or with different latching positions.

It is also conceivable to place hot air nozzles or additional electrical heating devices or the like in front of the heat treatment station, in particular in front of the constriction region of the heat treatment station, which cause a pre-constriction of a certain region of the material of the equipping element and thus an additional pre-fixing of the equipping element on the container before entering the heat treatment station. Thus, the transport speed of the containers within the container treatment plant can be increased. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the heat treatment station may be reduced. For example, these measures serve to reduce costs on the basis of improved energy efficiency and, in the case of shorter heat treatment stations, to reduce costs on the basis of lower material consumption and space requirements.

At this point it should be explicitly mentioned that all aspects and variant embodiments set forth in connection with the apparatus may equally well relate to or may be a sub-aspect of the method. Thus, if in this specification reference is made to particular aspects and/or relationships and/or functions of devices, the same applies to methods. And vice versa, all aspects and variant embodiments set forth in connection with the method may also relate to or may be a sub-aspect of the device. Thus, if in this specification reference is made to particular aspects and/or relationships and/or functions of methods, the same applies to the apparatus.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensional ratios of the various elements to each other in the figures do not always correspond to true dimensional ratios, since some shapes are simplified and others are shown enlarged relative to others for better illustration.

In the drawings:

fig. 1A shows a first embodiment of a container treatment apparatus;

fig. 1B schematically shows a method flow for equipping a container with elements;

fig. 2 shows a detail of a first embodiment of a container treatment apparatus according to fig. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the belt guide;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the belt guide of FIG. 3 along section line A-A;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the belt guide according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of a first embodiment of a belt;

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of a belt;

fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a shrink module of the container treatment apparatus according to fig. 1A and 1B;

fig. 9 shows a view of the shrink module of the container treatment plant according to fig. 1A and 1B transversely to the transport direction.

For the same or functionally equivalent elements of the invention, the same reference numerals are used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only the reference numerals necessary for the description of the respective figures are shown in the respective figures. The embodiments shown are merely examples of how a device or method may be designed, without forming a final limitation.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1A is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a container treatment installation 1. Fig. 1B is a schematic side view illustrating a method sequence for equipping a container 10 with elements 11 in a container treatment plant 1. Fig. 2 furthermore shows a detail of the first embodiment of the container treatment installation according to fig. 1A and 1B.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the container treatment system 1 comprises at least one application module 2 and a securing module 3 arranged downstream in the transport direction TR of the containers 10. In order to increase the production throughput, two application modules arranged one behind the other in the transport direction TR may also be provided. The container 10 has a bottom surface 40, an upper side 41, and a container closure 42 (fig. 1B). The designation container outer side and/or peripheral side 45 is understood in particular to mean the outwardly directed region of the container 10 between the bottom 40 and the upper side 41. The containers 10 are transported by the container treatment installation 1 via a transport device 5, such as an endless conveyor or the like, in a transport direction TR. The containers 10 can be brought by a preceding (not shown) feed screw to a desired spacing which enables reliable processing of the containers 10 in the container treatment installation 1. For example, the containers 10 are transported by a machine of a preceding container processing plant comprising the container processing apparatus 1 with a spacing of 80mm between the containers 10. By means of the feed screw, the containers 10 are brought to a machine pitch of, for example, 100mm, which is necessary for reliable processing of the containers 10 in the container processing apparatus. The application module 2 serves for providing the containers 10 and for equipping the containers 10 provided with elements 11 on their respective container outer sides and/or peripheral sides 45. The fitting element is, for example, a shrink sleeve 12, which is formed in particular from thin-walled and/or film-hose sections, which are applied to the container 10 or are folded back onto the container 10. For example, the shrink sleeve 12 is preferably delivered from above and inverted onto the container from above.

The shrink sleeve 12 may be designed as a so-called full sleeve (not shown), wherein the so-called full sleeve preferably extends at least to a large extent from the lateral boundary of the bottom 40 of the container 10 up to the lateral boundary of the top side 41 of the container 10, and therefore the lateral container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 of the container 10 is surrounded over the entire circumference and at the bottom in a flush manner. Furthermore, the shrink sleeve 12 can also be designed as a partial sleeve 13, wherein the partial sleeve 13 only partially surrounds the containers 10 in the region of the lateral container outer sides and/or the peripheral side 45 in the finished product 15 and in particular does not cover the containers 10 in the lower region 16 and/or the upper region 17, wherein in particular the partial sleeve 13 is not usually flush with the bottom of the respective container 10.

In order to determine the position of the equipping elements 11, in particular of the partial sleeves 13, on the containers 10, it is provided that the equipping elements 11 are held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the respective container 10, while the containers 10 equipped with the equipping elements 11 are transported from the application module 2 to the fixing module 3. The fixing module 3 is preferably a heat treatment station 4 in which the containers 10 with the equipment elements 11 mounted or mounted thereon, respectively, can be subjected to heat and/or steam in order to strengthen the equipment elements in terms of their adhesion to the containers 10 under the action of heat and/or steam and/or to fix and/or mechanically fasten the equipment elements 11, which shrink around the containers 10 at least in the axial direction, to the respective containers 10. In this case, the equipping elements 11 are held and/or fixed and/or stabilized on the respective container 10 at least in stages during the transport of the container 10 into the thermal treatment station 4 and up to the thermal treatment station 4, and/or at least during the partial phases of the thermal and/or steam loading of the container 10 equipped with the equipping elements 11.

For this purpose, for example, a holding device 6 is provided which mechanically acts on the container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 of the container 10 equipped with the fitment element 11 and thereby holds and/or fixes and/or stabilizes the respective position of the fitment element 11 on the container 10. The holding device 6 can be assigned, for example, to a transport section 7 of the transport device 5 for the containers 10. The transport section 7 is located in particular between the application module 2 and the fixing module 3 or the heat treatment station 4 and in particular continues into the heat treatment station 4.

In particular, it can be provided that the holding device 6 is moved at least in steps in synchronism with the transport section 7, i.e. that the holding device 6 is moved at least in steps in synchronism with the container 10 provided with the equipment element 11 in the transport section 7.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the holding device 6 has a contact region which rests on the container outside and/or on the peripheral side at a section of the container outside and/or of the peripheral side 45 covered with the fitting element 11 or below a section of the container outside and/or of the peripheral side 45 covered with the fitting element 11. The contact formed between the holding device 6 and the respective section of the container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 serves to maintain and/or ensure the positioning of the previously completed installation element 11 on the respective container 10 by means of the application module.

In order to hold and/or fix and/or stabilize the mounting element 11 in the fixing module/heat treatment station during the transport of the container 10 to the fixing module 3, in particular to the heat treatment station 4, and up to the transport into the fixing module/heat treatment station, it is provided according to a preferred embodiment that the holding element 6 projects at least partially into the fixing module 3. This ensures, in the case where the final fixing of the installation element by means of the heating heat and/or steam is not yet complete, in particular in the first subregion of the fixing module 3 adjoining the inlet opening for the containers 10 of the fixing module 3, that the installation element 11 is correctly positioned on the respective container 10.

Preferably, the holding device 6 is formed by a circulating pulling mechanism 8, which is guided in a suitable circulating track 20. The endless traction means 8 is formed in particular by an endless belt 9. The circumferential track 20 is configured as a belt guide 21. The belt 9 and the belt guide 21 are collectively referred to as a so-called belt station 22.

In order to be able to process different products, in particular to be able to position different shrink sleeves at various desired heights on different containers 10, it is provided that the holding device is assigned a means 60 for adjusting the height, as a result of which the height of the holding device 6 relative to the container 10 can be adjusted. Thus, the desired position of the equipment element 11 can be set in a simple manner and the container treatment device 1 can be used for different products.

The belt guide 21 of the belt station 22 is shown in isolation in particular in fig. 3 to 5, wherein fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the belt guide 21, fig. 4 shows a cross section of the belt guide 21 along the sectional line a-a, and fig. 5 shows a side view of the belt guide 21.

An example of a circumferential belt 9 is shown in fig. 6 and 7, wherein fig. 6 shows a cross section of a first embodiment of the belt 9a and fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of the belt 9 b. The circumferential belts 9 each have a contact side 30 with the containers 10, which extends substantially vertically and/or in a direction parallel to the support plane of the transport section 7. The contact side 30 faces the container 10 and is in contact with the container, in particular the contact side 30 of the belt 9 contacts the container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 of the container in sections (compare fig. 2).

It is particularly preferred that the holding device 6, as shown in fig. 1A and 2, is formed by a pair of encircling traction means 8 or belts 9, between which the container 10 (compare fig. 2) is transported upright in a clamped and largely slip-free manner. Even if the belt 9 moves together with the containers 10 in the transport direction TR in synchronism, the belt 9 is not used for transporting the containers 10 in the transport direction TR, but rather essentially only for fixing and/or stabilizing the position of the equipping elements 11 before the equipping elements 11 are mechanically fixed on the containers 10 in the fixing module 3, in particular before being telescoped onto the containers 10.

Between the contact side 30 of the belt 9 and the respective container 10, a contact region is preferably formed which prevents the mounting element 11 from falling out of the container 10, but allows the mounting element 11 to be fixed on the container 10 in the fixing module 3 without hindrance. Preferably, the contact area between the belt 9 and the container 10 is formed below the lower edge of the mounting element 11, so that the contact area prevents the mounting element 11 from falling downward and thus determines the position of the lower edge of the mounting element 11. This is particularly important for products in which the mounting element 11 attached to the container 10 does not reach the bottom 40 of the container 10, but in which the mounted mounting element 11 is intended to be arranged, for example, in the central container region 18 (compare fig. 2)

In order to form the contact region between the contact side 30 of the belt 9 and the respective receptacle 10, it can be provided that the belt 9 is additionally equipped with a contact element 32 on the contact side 30, which is formed so as to project from the belt 9 in a direction toward the receptacle 10. The contact side 30 of the belt 9 and in particular the contact elements 32 are preferably formed from a flexible, in particular elastically yielding material and therefore possess an elastically yielding surface which enables a reliable clamping of the container 10 between the pair of encircling belts 9 without damaging them. For example, the contact side 30 of the belt 9 is provided with a flexible and/or elastic coating 35. The contact element 32 is preferably formed here from the same flexible material, for example a foamed plastic, for example a slalom foam (Sylomerschaum) or the like. The contact between the container 10 and the belt 9 or the contact between the container outside and/or the peripheral side 45 of the container 10 and the belt 9 is established in particular via the contact elements 32 of the contact side 30. The finger-like or serrated contact elements 32 shown in fig. 7 may be formed, for example, from rubber or a similarly flexible, in particular elastic, material. According to a preferred embodiment, the belt 9 may have a guide tab 37 on the inner side. The belt disk of the guide belt 9 has a circumferential groove, into which the guide web 37 engages. In the case of using such a belt 9, a stopper for preventing the belt 9 from slipping off the pulley is not required on the pulley.

The belt 9 must in particular be able to compensate for tolerances in terms of the container dimensions in order to prevent the shrink sleeve 12, which is shrunk from above, from passing downwards between the container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 and the contact side 30 of the belt 9 when the container 10 has a slightly smaller circumference as a result of production. This is caused in particular by the contact elements 32 projecting from the contact side 30 in the direction of the container 10, which on account of their flexibility and/or elasticity are able to compensate for these tolerances.

If the holding device 6 is formed, for example, by circumferential belts 9 arranged in pairs between which the containers 10 are transported in a clamped manner, it can furthermore be provided that the belts 9 can run parallel in a horizontal plane and above a transport plane for the containers 10 relative to one another in order to vary and/or set the spacing between two belts 9. For example, the belts 9 are moved towards each other in order to reduce the spacing between two belts 9, so that containers 10 having a smaller circumference can be clamped between the belts 9. If, on the contrary, containers 10 having a larger circumference are to be equipped with corresponding fitting elements 11, it is necessary for the belts 9 to be moved away from one another and thus for the spacing between the belts 9 to be correspondingly increased.

The combination of the temporally limited stabilization of the position of the respective mounting element 11 by the holding means 6 (in particular by means of the circumferential belt 9) and the subsequent mechanical fixing of the respective mounting element 11 on the container by means of a shrinking medium (in particular by means of steam) is also suitable in particular for reliably shrinking a shrink sleeve 12 made of a particularly thin film material onto the container 10 in a well-defined manner and with high productivity.

Furthermore, the aforementioned combination is particularly well suited for attaching the shrink sleeve 12 to a molded bottle having a cross section that varies along a longitudinal axis L extending between the bottom surface 40 and the upper side 41 (see fig. 2). The steam used as shrinking medium enables a good, uniform distribution of the shrinking medium and thus a uniform shrinking temperature around the container 10, whereby particularly uniform, smooth shrinking results can be achieved. In this case, particularly thin shrink films can also be processed reliably and with good shape. The device described here can be used in particular as a pre-shrinking section in order to determine the position of the shrink sleeve 12 on the containers before the final shrinking step in the heat treatment station 4 described below. If necessary, the pre-shrinking can be completely eliminated by means of this device, and the final shrinking of the shrink sleeve 12 can be effected in only one heat treatment station 4.

In the case of a belt station 22 which projects at least partially into the stationary module 3 or the heat treatment station 4, a drive device 70 is preferably arranged outside the heat treatment station 4, so that the drive device 70 does not come into contact with the shrink medium, in particular with hot steam or the like. The drive wheel 72 is located in the rear region of the belt station 22 (viewed in the transport direction) such that the drive edge of the revolving belt 9 rests on the container, while the slack edge with a slightly lower belt tension can be pivoted on the side facing away from the container. The drive wheel 72 should therefore preferably be located inside the heat treatment station 4 and accordingly must be composed of a suitable material so as to be heat and/or moisture resistant. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which the drive wheels are arranged outside the heat treatment station 4, or in which the drive 70 is embodied as a direct drive. The material of the drive pulley 72 and of the belt 9 in particular must be suitable for enduring high temperatures of >70 ℃ and high air humidity of 80% to 100% and preferably without signs of wear.

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the securing module 3 or the heat treatment station 4 of the container treatment installation 1 according to fig. 1A and 1B, and fig. 9 shows a further view of the securing module 3 transversely to the transport direction TR. In fig. 8 and 9, it can also be clearly seen that, in order to fix and/or stabilize the position of the installation element 11 on the container 10, the belt station 22 projects into the fixing module 3, so that at one point in time, also the fixing and/or stabilization of the position of the installation element 11 is achieved, wherein the installation element 11 is permanently fixed on the container 10 by applying a suitable shrinking medium (in particular heat and/or steam). The shrink medium is fed into the interior of the stationary module 3 and directed towards the container 10 via a suitable shrink medium nozzle 50, for example a steam nozzle 51. The mounting element 11 is mechanically fixed to the container 10 by means of a shrink medium. In particular, the shrink sleeve 12 or the partial sleeve 13 rests by the action of heat and/or steam against the container outer side and/or the peripheral side 45 of the container 10 without wrinkling. Thereby, the adhesion of the furnishing element 11 on the container 10 is increased.

The embodiments, examples and variants of the preceding paragraphs, the following description and the figures comprising their different views or respective individual features may be used independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment can be used in all embodiments as long as they are not contradictory.

Although "schematic" diagrams and views are referred to generally in the context of the drawings, this by no means that the illustrations and their description should be secondary in the disclosed aspects of the present invention. Those skilled in the art are fully enabled to derive sufficient information from the schematically and abstracted drawn figures to assist those skilled in the art in understanding the invention without being affected in any way by the drawn and possibly imprecisely scaled dimensional proportions of the parts of the container and/or device or other drawn elements. The figures thus enable a person skilled in the art to derive a better understanding of the inventive concepts generally and/or abstractly written in the general part of the description, with reference to the specifically described method implementations and the specifically described device functionalities when reading the present invention.

List of reference numerals

1 Container treatment plant

2 application module

3 fixed module

4 Heat treatment station

5 transport device

6 holding device

7 transport section

8-ring traction mechanism

9 leather belt

10 container

11 fitting element

12 shrinking sleeve

13 part sleeve

15 of the product

16 lower region

17 upper region

18 intermediate container region

20 surround the orbit

21 belt guide

22 belt station

30 contact side

32 contact element

35 coating, flexible coating, elastic coating

37 guide tab

40 bottom surface

41 upper side

42 container closure

45 outer and/or peripheral side of the container

50 convergent media nozzle

51 steam nozzle

60 device for setting height

70 driving device

72 drive wheel

L longitudinal axis

TR transport direction

Claims

1. Container treatment plant (1) which is an integral part of or forms a sub-section of a container treatment machine, characterized in that the container treatment plant (1) comprises at least:

-an application station (2) to which containers (10) are supplied and which is provided and equipped for loading at least some of the supplied containers (10) with a equipping element (11) mounted or mountable on the outside and/or peripheral side (45) of the respective container,

-a heat treatment station (4) arranged inside the container treatment plant (1) after the application station (2) in the transport direction (TR) of the containers (10) for heat and/or steam loading of the containers (10) provided with the equipment elements (11) for fixing and/or mechanically fastening the equipment elements (11) to the respective containers (10),

-a transport section (7) located between the application station (2) and the heat treatment station (4) and/or continuing into the heat treatment station (4) for transporting containers (10) provided with the equipment elements (11) to the heat treatment station (4), and

-a holding device (6) associated with the transport section (7) and/or synchronized with the at least stepwise movement of the transport section (7), which holding device interacts with the containers (10) and/or which holding device is responsible for maintaining and/or ensuring the positioning of the equipping elements (11) on the respective containers (10) previously completed by means of the application station (2),

-wherein the holding device (6) has at least one contact face or side (30) and/or at least one contact area (32) which abuts against the container outside and/or peripheral side (45) and is responsible for maintaining and/or ensuring the positioning of the equipping elements (11) previously done with the aid of the application station (2) on the respective containers (10),

-and wherein the holding device (6) projects at least partially into the heat treatment station (4) and the positioning of the equipping elements (11) on the respective containers (10) is maintained at least in a first sub-region of the heat treatment station (4) adjoining an access opening for the containers (10) of the heat treatment station (4).

2. Container handling installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holding device (6) is formed by at least one encircling traction mechanism (8) and/or by at least one encircling belt (9), wherein the encircling traction mechanism (8) or the encircling belt (9) has a contact side (30) which extends substantially vertically and/or in a direction parallel to the support plane of the transport section (7), which contact side is directed towards the container (10) and contacts the container, wherein the holding device (6) is formed by a pair of respectively encircling traction mechanisms (8) or belts (9), between which the container (10) is transported upright in a clamped and largely slip-free manner.

3. Container processing apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the contact side (30) of the traction mechanism (8) or the belt (9) directed towards the containers (10) has an elastically yielding surface.

4. The container treatment installation (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding device (6) is assigned a mechanism for adjusting the height, whereby the height of the holding device (6) and thus the desired positioning of the installation element (11) on the respective container (10) can be adjusted.

5. A container treatment plant (1) according to claim 3, wherein the holding device (6) is assigned a mechanism for adjusting the height, whereby the height of the holding device (6) and thus the desired positioning of the equipment elements (11) on the respective container (10) is adjustable.

6. Container processing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an equipment element (11) in the form of a label and/or hose cover (13) can be mounted on a container (10) by means of the container processing device (1).

7. Container processing device (1) according to claim 3, wherein an equipment element (11) in the form of a label and/or hose cover (13) can be mounted on a container (10) by means of the container processing device (1).

8. The container processing device (1) according to claim 4, wherein an equipment element (11) in the form of a label and/or hose cover (13) can be mounted on a container (10) by means of the container processing device (1).

9. Container treatment plant (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat treatment station (4) comprises a shrinking zone in which the containers (10) can be loaded with a shrinking medium, wherein the shrinking medium is hot steam.

10. Container processing plant (1) according to claim 3, wherein the heat treatment station (4) comprises a shrinking zone in which the containers (10) can be loaded with a shrinking medium, wherein the shrinking medium is hot steam.

11. Container-handling installation (1) according to claim 4, wherein the heat treatment station (4) comprises a shrinking zone in which the containers (10) can be loaded with a shrinking medium, wherein the shrinking medium is hot steam.