DE202021104378U1 - Testing system for testing containers and bottling plant with such a testing system - Google Patents

Abstract

Inspection system for checking containers (16) to be filled and identifying unstable containers (16) in a bottling plant (20), the bottling plant (20) having at least one inspection device (24) for inspecting the containers (16) to be filled, which is set up for this purpose is to determine at least one container parameter for a respective container (16), a conveyor device (26) arranged downstream of the inspection device (24) and a filling device (28) arranged downstream of the conveyor device (26) for filling the containers (16), wherein the Conveying device (26) is set up to convey the containers (16) to be filled in a conveying direction from the inspection device (24) to the filling device (28), the inspection device (24), the conveying device (26) and the filling device (28 ) have a respective assigned control device (30a - 30c),
wherein the test system has an evaluation unit (40) which can be coupled to each of the control devices (30a - 30c) (30a - 30c) at least for receiving respective signals, the received signals comprising at least identification signals and/or parameters,
the evaluation unit (40) being set up to
- to receive at least one container parameter from the control device (30a) of the inspection device (24) and from the control device (30c) of the filling device (28) to receive at least one process parameter and optionally an event parameter which characterizes a damaging event occurring when a container (16) is being filled ,
- At least on the basis of the received identification signals a respective container (16) with assignment of at least the one for this to track and/or identify containers (16) determined at least one container parameter,
- to characterize the container (16) to be tested at least on the basis of the at least one assigned container parameter and the at least one process parameter using a test algorithm with regard to its stability and to generate a container stability signal based thereon and to the control device (30c) of the filling device (28) and/or to one of the container discharge devices upstream of the filling device (28), and
- adjust the verification algorithm based at least on a received event parameter.

Description

The present invention relates to an inspection system for inspecting containers to be filled and identifying unstable containers in a bottling plant.

When filling free-flowing products, for example liquid or powdered products, into containers made of glass or plastic, in particular into bottles, which are intended to serve as transport and/or sales packaging, fully automated filling systems are generally used. In addition to the actual filling device, which introduces the product to be filled into the container, such filling systems also have other devices. Particularly when the containers to be filled are reusable containers, the filling device is usually preceded by a cleaning device which cleans dirt from the containers to be filled.

A corresponding inspection device is provided to check the cleaning success, in particular to check for dirt that cannot be cleaned or bulky foreign bodies inside the container and to detect damaged containers, for example cracks or chips in the mouth area of the container or on the container body. Such an inspection device is also referred to as an EBI (from English: Empty Bottle Inspector).

A conveying device is provided for transporting the containers within the filling system, which conveys the containers to be filled in a conveying direction at least from the inspection device to the filling device.

During the filling process, the containers are often subjected to overpressure. Such pressurization occurs, for example, when filling bottles with carbonated beverages. In order to prevent foaming and/or degassing of the filling material, the pressure in the container can already be increased before filling, which can also be referred to as pre-stressing. Before they are filled, containers are often also flushed with a flushing gas, for example carbon dioxide, and possibly also prestressed in order to create a low-oxygen or oxygen-free atmosphere before the actual filling to protect the filling material. Furthermore, temperature differences can occur during the entire filling process, which also put structural strain on the containers.

There is a risk that individual containers may burst, particularly when containers are pressurized during prestressing and/or the actual filling process. Such bursting of containers or bottles can undesirably reduce the productivity of the bottling process and even result in serious machine damage and thus long downtimes of the bottling plant. Since a filling device of a filling system usually has a number of filling valves in order to increase the throughput, there is also the risk that a container bursting will result in material splinters resulting from the bursting of a container contaminating neighboring filling valves or the outer walls of neighboring containers. This poses a significant risk to the end user.

As a rule, bottling plants have detection devices that can detect the occurrence of a container bursting. If such a damaging event has been detected, the affected filling valve and also neighboring filling valves are rinsed or flushed in order to remove any container splinters that may have adhered. Those containers that were in the vicinity of the burst container during a bursting event are diverted and discarded for safety reasons. This can affect up to 20 or more containers.

In addition to detecting faulty containers, ie in particular containers that are visibly damaged or not clean, by means of the inspection device mentioned, there is therefore a need to also detect unstable containers. Unstable containers are understood to mean, in particular, those containers which, due to structural defects or wear and tear, do not have sufficient pressure and/or temperature resistance and are therefore at risk of bursting (ie possibly having an increased risk of bursting).

In other words, there is an increased probability that unstable containers will burst under the influence of pressure during the filling process, for example. In order to avoid the damaging events described above, a possibility should be created to identify such unstable containers (and therefore those at risk of bursting) in good time and to remove them from the filling process before a damaging event occurs or to modify the filling process in such a way that the probability of a damaging event occurring is reduced.

It is therefore an object of the invention to specify a test system for testing containers to be filled and identifying unstable containers in a bottling plant, which is set up for this purpose in a preventative manner to reduce the probability of the occurrence of harmful events.

The object is achieved by a test system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements of the invention result from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

The invention provides an inspection system for inspecting preferably transparent containers to be filled and identifying unstable containers in a bottling plant, with the bottling plant providing at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers to be filled, which is set up to assign at least one container parameter to a respective container determine, a conveyor device arranged downstream of the inspection device and a filling device arranged downstream of the conveyor device and configured for filling the containers, wherein the conveyor device is configured to convey the containers to be filled in a conveying direction from the inspection device to the filling device, wherein the inspection device controls the conveyor device and the Filling device have a respective associated control device. The inspection system has an evaluation unit which can be coupled to each of the control devices at least for receiving respective signals, the received signals comprising at least identification signals and/or parameters, the evaluation unit being set up to (i) receive at least one from the control device of the inspection device container parameters and from the control device of the filling device at least one process parameter and optionally an event parameter which characterizes a damaging event occurring when a container is being filled, (ii) at least on the basis of the received identification signals a respective container, assigning at least the at least one determined for this container track and/or identify a container parameter, (iii) the container to be inspected based at least on the at least one associated container parameter and the at least one process parameter to characterize rs using a test algorithm with regard to its stability and to generate a container stability signal based thereon and to transmit it to the control device of the filling device or to a container rejection device upstream of the filling device, and (iv) to adapt the test algorithm at least on the basis of a received event parameter.

The test system can be coupled directly or indirectly to the filling system, i.e. to the control devices of the components mentioned, in order to receive from them the container, process and/or event parameters mentioned and preferably also other control and/or measurement signals. Furthermore, control signals, in particular the container stability signal mentioned or other signals, for example measured values, can also be transmitted to the control devices of the components of the filling system. A direct coupling can take place, for example, via appropriate lines. An indirect coupling can take place, for example, via a bus system and/or a higher-level control unit of the bottling plant, which in turn receives control and/or measurement signals from the control devices of the components and/or transmits them to them.

The at least one container parameter mentioned includes, for example, wear parameters such as the so-called degree of scratching (also referred to as the degree of scuffing) or damage parameters such as smaller cracks, scratches or clouding of the container. The degree of scratching describes the condition of the container surface. In order to determine this, particularly in the case of reusable containers or reusable bottles, somewhat exposed circumferential wall areas of the container are examined, which can regularly come into contact with corresponding wall areas of adjacent containers or other structures during the filling process or transport. The container surface is increasingly scratched with each revolution, particularly in the exposed wall areas, so that the surface roughness increases and can be used as a measure of wear.

A measured wall thickness, which can be determined by means of a corresponding wall thickness sensor, can be considered as a further container parameter. The measured wall thickness can be related to a desired wall thickness, which can be regarded as a container type parameter, so that the wall thickness can also be used as a measure of container wear.

Another container parameter can be, for example, a centricity of a cylindrical container, i.e. a measure of maintaining a circular cross-section or a measure of a constancy of a ratio between the radius of the inner wall and the radius of the outer wall.

The container parameters can be determined in the inspection device using suitable sensors, for example image sensors, or other suitable sensors.

The container parameter(s) determined by the inspection device mentioned at the outset ter are transmitted to the evaluation unit of the test system via its control device, with the container parameters determined in this way being able to be assigned to each checked container.

The at least one process parameter mentioned can be, for example, the filling pressure and/or the filling temperature of the filling material during the actual filling process. The prestressing pressure or the pressure of any flushing or stressing gas used can also be used as a process parameter. Further possible process parameters could be the cleaning agent pressure and/or the cleaning agent temperature, with which the containers to be filled are cleaned in advance. The container and process parameters are processed within the test algorithm in order to characterize the container to be tested with regard to its stability. The characterization can be done, for example, by assigning a stability parameter to the container or by classifying the container into one of several stability classes or categories. This can be done in such a way that the container stability signal based on the associated stability parameter or classification into a stability class or category can represent a measure of the probability of a damaging event occurring when the associated container is filled, or include such a measure.

The container stability signal assigned for a respective checked container can be transmitted to the control device of the filling device, whereby the filling device can be enabled due to the tracking and/or identification of the respective container up to the filling device to treat this container during the filling process according to the assigned container stability signal. These options include, for example, filling the container under process conditions that place less stress on the container, or not filling the container at all. These preventive measures can reduce the frequency with which a damaging event occurs in the filling device.

However, the determination of the container stability signal always represents only a prediction of how the associated container will behave during filling and what the probability is that the container will not be damaged using a specific filling method. Thus, it cannot be ruled out that even a container characterized as being relatively stable will be damaged during the subsequent filling. Container damage or damage is understood to mean, in particular, a bursting or tearing of the container during cleaning, prestressing or immediately before or during the filling process. Such a damaging event can be recognized by the filling device or its control device, in which case an event parameter which characterizes this damaging event can then be generated and received by the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit is thus able to adapt the test algorithm accordingly, so that, for example, the requirements for the integrity of a container in order to characterize it with a specific stability can be increased or reduced.

As explained at the outset, filling devices generally have detection devices for recognizing container bursts or other damaging events, so that the filling device can readily provide the required event parameters and transmit them to the evaluation unit.

With the test system according to the invention, it is possible in particular to test the containers to be filled individually for their suitability for the intended filling process, taking into account the expected process-specific loads, as part of a filling process carried out in a filling plant. Thanks to the test system that can be integrated into the filling process, both brand-new non-returnable and reusable containers as well as reusable containers that have already been used and are intended for refilling can be tested with the same criteria within the filling process and thus promptly before the actual filling process, so that any stability-related deterioration in the condition of the container between the time of the test and the filling time due to transport or storage influences can be largely ruled out.

The testing system according to the invention is also particularly suitable for retrofitting existing bottling plants.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each control device is set up to generate respective identification signals, preferably by using a shift register, which enable a container to be tracked and/or identified during its dwell time in the associated inspection device, conveyor device or filling device, the evaluation unit is also set up to link the identification signals received from each control device with one another in such a way that a respective container can be traced and/or identified at least from the point in time of its inspection to the point in time of its filling. This creates a container tracking that ensures that the filling device or its Steuereinrich The individual container stability signal assigned to this container can be made available for a respective container to be filled, and this container can be filled under individual conditions which are adapted to the determined stability of this container. Conversely, the traceability or identifiability of this container also makes it possible to assign a potentially occurring damaging event to this container based on the event parameter. This in turn forms a basis for the evaluation unit to be able to adapt the test algorithm in a targeted manner, if necessary, in order to avoid any incorrect assessment of the stability state, in particular a false positive assessment, for containers to be tested in the future. The traceability or identifiability over the period from inspection to filling makes it possible to retrospectively identify those parameters that have contributed significantly to the incorrect assessment and to modify the test algorithm, for example so that it assesses or weights the parameters in question differently.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, when a container instability is detected, the container stability signal includes instructions to the filling device to fill the relevant container in a modified manner when a potential container instability is detected. In this case, an instruction is already encoded in the container stability signal, so to speak, which enables the filling device to handle the container to be filled in an adequate manner. Filling a container in a modified manner when potential container instability is detected means in particular that the filling device, when filling potentially unstable containers or containers with a proportionately lower stability compared to containers that do not exhibit container instability, in its filling method deviates from a predetermined standard procedure or deviates from standard process parameters. Alternatively or additionally, when a container instability is detected, the container stability signal can include instructions to a container diverting device arranged upstream of the filling device to divert the relevant container when a potential container instability is identified. Such a container diversion device can, for example, be integrated into the inspection device or be arranged downstream of it.

Advantageously, the instructions to the filling device include not filling the container to be filled or filling it with a reduced filling quantity and/or a reduced filling pressure, rinsing with a rinsing gas or span gas at a reduced pressure and/or not filling the filled container to close. One advantage of this configuration is, in particular, that it is not absolutely necessary to reject containers identified as unstable before filling. This reduces the design effort. It is possible, in particular, by only partially filling or not closing a container that is not filled or only partially filled, to mark it, so to speak. As a result, such a container can be detected and correspondingly rejected with a filling level checking device arranged downstream of the filling device. Since such level checking devices are already present in most bottling plants, there is no additional outlay in terms of equipment for the sorting out of containers identified as being unstable. Also, by reducing the mechanical load, such containers can be filled in a gentler manner, which only have a reduced stability by a certain degree. For example, the useful life of reusable containers can be extended.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the evaluation unit is set up to additionally characterize the container to be tested on the basis of a container type parameter which was received from the control device of the filling device and/or an input device connected to the testing system. When characterizing the container to be tested, one or more container type parameters can also be taken into account, examples of container type parameters being size, color, shape, material or a target or minimum wall thickness. Thus, the container type parameter, which differs from the container parameter mentioned, represents a further parameter for the characterization of the container to be tested. As a rule, one or more container type parameters are already set or adjustable on or in the filling system, in particular in the filling device, and can be read out or queried by the test system. If this is not possible or desired, container type parameters can also be transmitted to the test system using a corresponding input device connected to the test system. For this purpose, for example, container type parameters can be set individually in the input device, in particular (alpha)numerically or by selection from respective parameter lists, or a container type can be selected from a selection list in which the respective container type parameters are stored for different container types.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a respective limit value check is carried out in the test algorithm for each parameter to be taken into account in the characterization, it being checked in each case whether a or several limit values defined for the respective parameter were exceeded or not reached. The stability of the container to be tested is characterized on the basis of a rule-based combination of the results of the limit value checks carried out, with a respective limit value for a limit value check of a specific parameter being preferably defined on the basis of a value of another parameter or a result of the limit value check of another parameter will. For the parameters to be taken into account, ie in particular container parameters, container type parameters and/or process parameters, one or more different limit values are defined as fixed or dynamic test criteria, which are then checked in a suitable manner.

This procedure is explained below using a simplified example. In this example, the classification should be based on three parameters, namely the scuffing degree S as a container parameter, the wall thickness as a further container parameter and the target wall thickness as a container type parameter, with a relative wall thickness W being considered in the evaluation, which of the determined wall thickness divided by target wall thickness (specified as a percentage). The scuffing grade S is also a relative value, with increasing values on a scale from 1 to 10 denoting a higher degree of wear.

A point system for the scuffing degree S can have different limit values for which points for the scuffing degree S are awarded according to the following rules: S ≤ 2: 15 points, S > 2 and < 3: 10 points, S > 3 and < 4: 5 points, S > 4: 0 points. Points are also awarded for the relative wall thickness W according to the following rules: W > 80%: 15 points, W > 60% and < 80%: 10 points, W < 60%: 0 points.

These scoring rules are combined in such a way that the container is classified as stable if the sum of the points is ≥ 20 points and the container is classified as unstable if the sum of the points is < 20 points or at least one of the parameters has 0 points.

Due to the stated definition of a specific parameter on the basis of a value of another parameter or a result of the limit value check of another parameter, the limit values are not fixed in the test algorithm, but can be dynamically adapted to other parameters based on rules. In particular, said adjustment of the test algorithm based on a received event parameter can include the adjustment of one or more limit values.

This should also be explained as an example. In a modification of the example described above, the filling pressure can be used as a process parameter as a further parameter to be taken into account. For example, it can be provided that the limits for the relative wall thickness W apply as described above if the filling pressure is ≦2 bar. However, if the filling pressure is more than 2 bar, the points to be awarded for the relative wall thickness are defined as follows: W ≥ 85%: 15 points, W ≥ 65% and < 85%: 10 points, W ≤ 65%: 0 points .

Alternatively or additionally, the characterization rules implemented in the test algorithm can also be defined on the basis of one or more algebraic functions.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the evaluation unit is set up to run the test algorithm at least on the basis of a single damaging event, preferably taking into account the at least one container parameter determined for the container affected by the damaging event, or a plurality of damaging events, preferably based on one of the A plurality of damage events and a total number of filled containers determined damage rate to adjust such that the detection of unstable containers is improved. The information required for said adjustment is preferably transmitted to the evaluation unit in the form of said event parameter.

Determining the damage rate can in particular relate to a specific period of time, so that the damage rate corresponds to a number of damage events per period divided by the total number of filling processes in this period. The traceability and/or identifiability of the containers is used to adapt the test algorithm, in particular the limit value of the test algorithm, on the basis of individual damage events, as this makes it possible to identify the parameters previously determined for a damaged container and on the basis of these Adjust the test algorithm parameters, ie adjust the limit values or the rules for the rule-based combination, for example. In this context, improving the detection of unstable containers means reducing the damage rate, ie reducing the rate of false-positive characterizations of containers. This can be done, for example, as part of a learning process. Optionally, a self-learning test algorithm can also be used, preferably using methods of machine learning, can be implemented, with the test algorithm preferably being optimized continuously during operation.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the evaluation unit is set up to adapt the test algorithm at least on the basis of a database in which at least one respective parameter is stored for a plurality of damaging events, preferably using machine learning methods, in such a way that the Unstable container detection is improved.

Such configurations for adapting the test algorithm can be viewed as a form of data-based modelling. Such modeling or modeling can be done using various machine learning methods. In particular, reinforcement learning can be used, whereby a model underlying the test algorithm receives positive feedback if a container survives the filling process without damage and negative feedback if the container bursts during filling. To avoid an increase in a non-fill or reject rate beyond a desired level, the non-fill or reject rate also provides negative feedback. In order to achieve the desired optimization goal of neither sorting out actually stable containers nor filling unstable containers under standard conditions, it can be provided that the negative feedback of a damaging event is weighted more heavily than the non-filling or rejection rate. Alternatively or additionally, the test algorithm can be improved by machine learning using statistical methods such as the prediction of a higher-level target value that is essential for the overall process. The test algorithm is therefore not adapted on the basis of individual events during the filling process ("damaging event or no damaging event"), but on the basis of the damage rate and the non-filling or rejection rate. In a training process based on historical data from the database, the evaluation unit can be designed to map the parameters assigned to the containers to a target event “container bursting”. Using machine learning methods, the evaluation unit learns to associate combinations of container, container type and process parameters with a probability score for a damaging event and thus to predict damaging events for a container in the filling process from the available data. Such learning methods allow continuous optimization even with changing process parameters and different container types.

In all cases, various methods of machine learning can be used to develop a model on which the test algorithm is based, such as deep learning, boosted trees, random forests or support vector machines. An essential point in the proposed approaches is that the modeling (as a result of a learning process based on process data) leads to an individualized model of the filling system to be checked and the containers used therein. On the basis of this model, events that result from the concrete use of the filling system at a given point in time in combination with the containers used can be specifically predicted. This approach goes beyond the use of machine learning technologies to implement local functions (e.g. using a deep neural network for image recognition in the overall process), since the overall process itself is modeled and all relevant process elements for the target variable prediction are taken into account.

The invention also relates to a filling system for filling products into containers, comprising a testing system for testing the containers to be filled according to one of the above-mentioned inventive or advantageous embodiments. The bottling plant mentioned is, for example, a bottling plant for bottling free-flowing products in liquid or powder form. In particular, it is a bottling plant for bottling foodstuffs in containers, in particular for bottling beverages.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the bottling plant, the bottling plant comprises at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers to be filled, which is set up to determine at least one container parameter, a conveyor device arranged downstream of the inspection device, and a filling device arranged downstream of the conveyor device and set up for filling the containers, wherein the conveyor device is set up to convey the containers to be filled in a conveying direction from the inspection device to the filling device, with the inspection device, the conveyor device and the filling device each having an associated control device which is connected to the evaluation unit of the test system, with the filling device preferably being a having a damage detection system connected to the evaluation unit, which is set up to identify container damage caused by filling a container as damage i nis and at least on the basis of the detected damaging event to generate the named event parameter characterizing a damaging event.

Depending on the configuration of the filling device or the damage detection system, damage events that occur can be detected by a pressure drop in a filling valve or by a movement of a feed element on which the container was positioned and pressed against the filling valve by it. It goes without saying that the said conveying device does not only have to extend over an area that includes the inspection device and the filling device, but can also include areas that are located in the conveying direction before the inspection device and/or after the filling device. As an alternative, further conveying devices can also be provided in these mentioned upstream and/or downstream areas. A conveying path for the containers to be filled is defined by the conveying device or by possibly existing conveying means of the inspection device and/or the filling device.

The filling system can preferably also have a container cleaning device arranged upstream of the inspection device.

• 1 zeigt ein schematisches Blockdiagramm einer Abfüllanlage mit einem Prüfsystem gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings.

• 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a filling plant with a test system according to an embodiment.

1 shows schematically a bottling plant 20 which is set up to convey preferably transparent containers or bottles 16 to be filled by the bottling plant 20 along a conveying path 18 in a conveying direction indicated by a double arrow. Various components are provided along the conveyor section 18, which are shown here in simplified form as blocks.

The containers or bottles 16 conveyed in the conveying direction first reach a container cleaning device 22 in which they are cleaned. The cleaned bottles 16 are then conveyed to an inspection device 24, in which an inspection is carried out to identify defective, i.e. damaged, worn and/or insufficiently cleaned bottles 16. The containers or bottles are conveyed by means of a conveying device 26 to a filling device 28, which optionally preloads the bottles 16 to be filled by means of a flushing gas or a tightening gas and fills them with the product to be filled, for example a liquid, in particular a beverage. An integrated or separate damage detection system can be provided on the filling device 28, which is set up to detect bottles 16 bursting.

The inspection device 24 has a control device 30a, the conveyor device 26 a control device 30b and the filling device 28 a control device 30c, each control device 30a to 30c being connected to an evaluation unit 40 which is part of a test system according to the invention. The control devices can be, for example, programmable logic controllers (PLC).

In 1 all connections between the evaluation unit 40 and the control devices 30a to 30c are shown as bidirectional communication paths. In principle, however, it is sufficient if all the control devices 30a to 30c can transmit signals to the evaluation unit 40 and only the control device 30c of the filling device 28 can additionally also receive signals from the evaluation unit 40 .

The filling system 20 preferably does not have a higher-level control unit provided with the control devices 30a to 30c. In this respect, the control devices 30a to 30c each work independently, although it is not excluded that they can exchange signals with one another in a unidirectional or bidirectional manner.

For the sections of the conveying path 18 running outside of the inspection device 24, the conveying device 26 and the filling device 28, further conveying devices not explicitly shown here can be provided. Alternatively, the conveying device 26 can also extend over all or part of these areas and cause the containers or bottles 16 to be conveyed.

The evaluation unit 40 receives at least one container parameter from the control device 30a of the inspection device 24 as a result of the inspection, for example a wear parameter such as the degree of scratching or a damage parameter. In addition, evaluation unit 40 receives one or more process parameters from control device 30c of filling device 28, such as the preload pressure, the filling pressure and/or the filling temperature, and optionally an event parameter that characterizes a damaging event occurring when a bottle 16 is being filled. The event parameter can be, for example, using one connected to the filling device 28 or one integrated in the filling device 28 Damage detection system (not shown) are generated.

Each of the control devices 30a to 30c is set up to generate respective identification signals which enable a bottle 16 to be tracked and/or identified during its dwell time in the associated inspection device 24, conveyor device 26 or filling device 28, with the identification signals preferably being generated using a shift register can be generated. The evaluation unit 40 is set up to receive the identification signals generated by the control devices 30a to 30c and to link them to one another in such a way that a respective bottle 16 can be traced at least from the point in time of its inspection in the inspection device 24 to the point in time of its filling in the filling device 28 and/or identifiable.

The evaluation unit 40 can have a type of database or register in which the container parameters, container type parameters and/or process parameters determined for a respective bottle 16 and, if applicable, an event parameter generated for this bottle 16, which characterizes a damage event relating to this bottle 16, are stored. The storage can take place for the time that the relevant bottle 16 remains in the bottling plant 20 or for a longer period of time in order to enable a statistical evaluation.

Container tracking is thus implemented in evaluation unit 40, which makes it possible to track an individual container 16 as it passes through the various components of the filling system, at least as it passes through inspection device 24, conveyor device 26, and filling device 28, and to track this container 16 each parameter determined, including an event parameter that may be determined in the filling device 28 by means of a damage detection system and is explained in more detail below.

In the evaluation unit 40, a respective bottle 16 to be tested is characterized with regard to its stability at least on the basis of the at least one assigned container parameter and the at least one assigned process parameter using a test algorithm. Based on this characterization, a container stability signal is generated and transmitted to the control device 30c of the filling device 28 and alternatively or additionally to a container discharge device (not shown) arranged upstream of the filling device. Such a container diversion device can, for example, be integrated into the inspection device 24 or be arranged downstream of it.

A respective bottle 16 can be characterized, for example, by assigning a stability parameter or by classifying the bottle 16 into different stability classes or categories.

When a container instability is detected, the container stability signal can contain instructions to the control device 30c, which causes the filling device 28 to fill the relevant bottle 16 in a modified manner when a potential container instability is detected, i.e. the container to be filled not at all or with a reduced filling quantity and/or to fill at a reduced filling pressure, to carry out rinsing with a rinsing gas or clamping gas at a reduced pressure and/or not to close the filled bottle 16 . Alternatively or additionally, when a container instability is detected, the container stability signal can include instructions to the container diverting device that may be present upstream of the filling device, to divert the relevant container when a potential container instability is identified. As a result, harmful events such as bottle bursting are prevented in a preventative manner.

If an unexpected damage event or bursting of this bottle 16 has occurred due to an incorrect characterization of a bottle 16, in which the bottle 16 was incorrectly characterized as stable or the modifications to the filling process were not sufficient, an event parameter is generated by the control device 30c and transmitted to the evaluation unit 40. The evaluation unit 40 can use this event parameter to improve the test algorithm, so that the probability of occurrence of such unexpected damaging events can be reduced.

By checking the containers or bottles 16 for stability, taking into account container parameters, process parameters and possibly occurring event parameters, the probability of the occurrence of undesired container bursting during the filling process is preventively reduced. The filling performance of the filling system 20 is maximized by early sorting out or by a modified filling of containers 16 that are potentially at risk of taking up too much space, and the danger for the staff and the end user from container fragments is reduced.

Reference List

16

container, bottle

18

conveyor line

20

bottling plant

22

cleaning device

24

inspection device

26

conveyor

28

filling device

30a to 30c

control device

40

evaluation unit

Claims (10)

Inspection system for checking containers (16) to be filled and identifying unstable containers (16) in a bottling plant (20), the bottling plant (20) having at least one inspection device (24) for inspecting the containers (16) to be filled, which is set up for this purpose is to determine at least one container parameter for a respective container (16), a conveyor device (26) arranged downstream of the inspection device (24) and a filling device (28) arranged downstream of the conveyor device (26) for filling the containers (16), wherein the Conveying device (26) is set up to convey the containers (16) to be filled in a conveying direction from the inspection device (24) to the filling device (28), the inspection device (24), the conveying device (26) and the filling device (28 ) have a respective assigned control device (30a - 30c), wherein the test system has an evaluation unit (40) which can be coupled to each of the control devices (30a - 30c) (30a - 30c) at least for receiving respective signals, the received signals comprising at least identification signals and/or parameters, the evaluation unit (40) being set up to - to receive at least one container parameter from the control device (30a) of the inspection device (24) and from the control device (30c) of the filling device (28) to receive at least one process parameter and optionally an event parameter which characterizes a damaging event occurring when a container (16) is being filled , - tracking and/or identifying a respective container (16), at least on the basis of the received identification signals, by assigning at least the at least one container parameter determined for this container (16), - to characterize the container (16) to be tested at least on the basis of the at least one assigned container parameter and the at least one process parameter using a test algorithm with regard to its stability and to generate a container stability signal based thereon and to the control device (30c) of the filling device (28) and/or to one of the container discharge devices arranged upstream of the filling device (28), and - adjust the verification algorithm based at least on a received event parameter. test system claim 1 , characterized in that each control device (30a - 30c) is set up to generate respective identification signals, preferably by using a shift register, which enable tracking and/or identification of a container (16) during its dwell time in the associated inspection device (24) , conveying device (26) or filling device (28), wherein the evaluation unit (40) is also set up to link the identification signals received from each control device (30a - 30c) with one another in such a way that a respective container (16) is stored at least at one point in time is traceable and/or identifiable from its inspection to a point in time when it is filled. Test system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when a container instability is detected, the container stability signal sends instructions to the filling device (28) to fill the relevant container (16) in a modified manner when a potential container instability is detected, and/or instructions to one of the Filling device upstream container diversion device comprises deriving the container (16) in question when a potential container instability is detected. test system claim 3 , characterized in that the instructions to the filling device (28) include - not filling the container (16) to be filled, or filling it with a reduced filling quantity and/or a reduced filling pressure, - flushing with a flushing gas or span gas carried out beforehand for filling to be carried out at a reduced pressure and/or - not to close the filled container (16). Testing system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit (40) is set up to additionally characterize the container (16) to be tested on the basis of a container type parameter, which is controlled by the control device (30c) of the filling device (28) and /or received from an input device connected to the test system. Test system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the test algorithm for each of the parameters to be taken into account in the characterization, a respective limit value check is carried out, in which case it is checked in each case whether one or more limit values defined for the respective parameter have been exceeded or fallen below, and that the characterization of the container (16) to be checked with regard to its stability is based on a rule-based combination of the results of the limit value checks carried out, with a respective limit value for a limit value check of a specific parameter being defined on the basis of a value of another parameter or a result of the limit value check of another parameter. Test system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit (40) is set up to run the test algorithm at least on the basis of a single damaging event, preferably taking into account the at least one container parameter determined for the container (16) affected by the damaging event, or a plurality of damaging events, preferably on the basis of a damage rate determined from the plurality of damaging events and a total number of filled containers (16), in such a way that the detection of unstable containers (16) is improved. Test system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit (40) is set up to test the test algorithm at least on the basis of a database in which at least one respective parameter is stored for a plurality of damaging events, preferably using methods of the machine Learning to adapt such that the detection of unstable containers (16) is improved. Filling system (20) for filling products into containers (16) comprising a test system for testing the containers (16) to be filled according to one of the preceding claims. Filling plant (20) after claim 9 , characterized in that the filling system (20) has at least one inspection device (24) for inspecting the containers (16) to be filled, which is set up to determine at least one container parameter, a conveyor device (26) downstream of the inspection device (24) and a the conveyor device (26) includes a filling device (28) that is set up for filling the containers (16), the conveyor device (26) being set up to transport the containers (16) to be filled in a conveying direction from the inspection device (24) to the filling device (28), wherein the inspection device (24), the conveyor device (26) and the filling device (28) each have an associated control device (30a - 30c) which is connected to the evaluation unit (40) of the test system, with preferably the Filling device (28) has a damage detection system connected to the evaluation unit (40), which is set up to d to detect container damage caused by filling a container (16) as a damaging event and to generate said event parameter characterizing a damaging event at least on the basis of the detected damaging event.

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