EP2207745B1 - Apparatus and method for filling containers - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for filling containers Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP2207745B1
EP2207745B1 EP07866815A EP07866815A EP2207745B1 EP 2207745 B1 EP2207745 B1 EP 2207745B1 EP 07866815 A EP07866815 A EP 07866815A EP 07866815 A EP07866815 A EP 07866815A EP 2207745 B1 EP2207745 B1 EP 2207745B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
containers
filling
conveyor
station
nozzles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP07866815A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2207745A1 (en
Inventor
Giovanni Spotti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
R Bardi Srl
Original Assignee
R Bardi Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by R Bardi Srl filed Critical R Bardi Srl
Priority to SI200730814T priority Critical patent/SI2207745T1/sl
Priority to PL07866815T priority patent/PL2207745T3/pl
Publication of EP2207745A1 publication Critical patent/EP2207745A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2207745B1 publication Critical patent/EP2207745B1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/24—Devices for supporting or handling bottles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C7/00—Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
    • B67C7/0006—Conveying; Synchronising
    • B67C7/0026—Conveying; Synchronising the containers travelling along a linear path
    • B67C7/0033—Conveying; Synchronising the containers travelling along a linear path the operation being performed batch-wise

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for filling containers.
  • the common classification of disposable containers is the following:
  • the present invention relates to the sector of filling disposable container of medium medium-large format, i.e. with capacity between about five and twenty litres.
  • the linear filling technology is conditioned by two fundamental problems:
  • point “a” is confronted in two ways in the industry: either by using augers that distance the bottles (which, however, are bulky, costly, and do not allow the creation of a filling environment with high cleanliness assurance) or through mechanical or pneumatic bottle spacing systems (hard to adjust for different formats and hazardous from the hygiene viewpoint, because they are difficult to sanitise, given the high number of "dead comers", possible sites for bacterial colonies).
  • Point "b" instead, is confronted either by waiting for the row of filled bottles to exit from the filling area (for the bottles exit along the same direction in which they are arranged during the filling and along which they are into the area), with consequent high idle time of the machine and reduction of the hourly productive capacity, or by pushing the bottles immediately after they are filled (in order to free the filling taps as quickly as possible) on a parallel belt able to extract the bottles from the filling space.
  • a technology known as rotary is used; i.e., the containers are fed continuously (after being distanced for medium formats by means of an auger) and a filling carrousel having a plurality of nozzles positioned along a circumference of the carrousel and rotating with it. Therefore, the filling operation takes place during the rotation of the containers integrally with the carrousel.
  • the diameter of the carrousel increases as the size of the containers to be processed increases for equal production rates; this is a particularly severe problem for filling containers of at least 5 1.
  • said rotary filling apparatuses are constructively complex, hard to maintain and complex to sanitise.
  • An object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks and to make available an apparatus and a method for filling containers that enable to process medium-size containers with a particularly high hourly production rate.
  • Another object of the present invention is to allow to process different-format containers in a particular simple and efficient manner.
  • the numeral 1 indicates an apparatus for filling containers 2, constituted for example by PET bottles.
  • the containers 2 are containers of medium size, i.e. with a capacity of between 5 litres and 20 litres.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises a central conveyor 3 positioned along a central longitudinal axis 4.
  • the central conveyor 3 conveys the empty containers 2 to be filled from a feeding station 5 to a collection station 6.
  • the containers 2 are positioned on the central conveyor 3 aligned longitudinally and they are conveyed in a row.
  • the central conveyor 3 originally, comprises:
  • the two belts 9 are parallel in such a way as to define a plurality of pairs of teeth 8 fastened on the respective belts and aligned transversely. In this way, each container 2 is pushed by a pair of fingers 8.
  • the fingers 8 fastened to a belt are longitudinally distanced from each other by a predetermined quantity, corresponding to the longitudinal distance between the containers 2 in the collection station 6.
  • the apparatus 1 also comprises, originally, a first series of filling nozzles and a second series of filling nozzles 11 arranged on respective longitudinal rows at the sides of the central conveyor 3 and oriented downwards.
  • the apparatus 1 originally comprises a first lateral conveyor 12 and a second lateral conveyor 13 positioned longitudinally (hence parallel to the central conveyor 3) at the opposite sides of the central conveyor 3.
  • the first lateral conveyor 12 is positioned underneath the first series of filling nozzles 11, to define a first filling station.
  • the second lateral conveyor 13 is positioned underneath the second series of filling nozzles 11, to define a second filling station.
  • each of said first and second lateral conveyor comprises a pair of conveyor belts arranged longitudinally, parallel to each other and parallel to the central conveyor 3.
  • the first lateral conveyor 12 comprises a first conveyor belt 14 positioned under the filling nozzles 11 to define the first filling station and a second conveyor belt 15 flanking the first one laterally and externally thereto, relative to the central conveyor 3.
  • the second lateral conveyor 13 comprises a first conveyor belt 16 positioned under the filling nozzles 11 to define the second filling station and a second conveyor belt 17 flanking the first one laterally and externally thereto, relative to the central conveyor 3, whereon are thrust the bottles once they are filled to free the filling area.
  • the apparatus according to the present invention is symmetrical relative to the central longitudinal axis 4.
  • the second conveyor belts 15 and 17 are external relative to the first ones 14 and 16.
  • the lateral conveyors 12 and 13 originally comprise a plurality of foils 18 arranged vertically and positioned (in the transverse sense) above the first conveyor belts 14 and 16 and (in the longitudinal sense) in intermediate position between a filling nozzle 11 and the next one.
  • the foils 18 are oriented in such a way as to form an angle of about 30 degrees with a longitudinal axis oriented in the direction of movement of the containers. In this way, the foils 18 define guide elements able to deviate the trajectory of the containers 2 being transferred towards the exit to move them (for each of the two lateral conveyors 12 and 13) from the first to the second conveyor belt.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises, originally, a first assembly 19 for moving containers 2 from the collection station to the first filling station and a second assembly 20 for moving containers 2 from the collection station to the second filling station.
  • each moving assembly 20 comprises a frame 21 (e.g. a tubular body or a shaft) rotating around its own longitudinal axis.
  • the two frames 21 are positioned between the central conveyor 3 and the lateral conveyors 12 and 13.
  • Each frame is provided with a plurality of arms 22 fastened to the frame; the arms 22 are in a number equal to the nozzles 11 and they are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rotation of the frames 21.
  • each arm 22 is slidably coupled a cylinder 23, so that the cylinder 23 can retract and extend from the end of the arm itself.
  • a pincer 24 To one end of each cylinder 23 is pivotally coupled a pincer 24; in this way, the pincers 24 are rotatable around the axes defined by the respective arms and they are also movable in extension or retraction along said axes.
  • Each pincer 24 is movable between a closed position, for gripping a container 2, and an open position, of non interference with the container itself.
  • the central conveyor 3 operatively stops in such a way as to position a row of containers aligned in predetermined positions, in the collection station (in such a way that they can be taken by the moving assemblies and moved in the filling sites).
  • each container 2 is aligned with an arm 22 and with a nozzle 11 along a transverse axis.
  • Said first and second moving assembly are operatively active on a first and on a second subset of said plurality of containers 2 in the collection site, to move them in the first and in the second filling station, respectively.
  • each of said subsets of containers 2 comprises non consecutive containers 2.
  • the distance between two consecutive arms 22 of a same moving assembly is substantially double relative to the distance between the axis of the two consecutive containers 2 in the row of containers 2 present in the collection station. In this way, if one were to imagine numbering the containers from the first to the last one, the first moving assembly moves the odd-numbered containers 2 and the second moving assembly moves the even-numbered containers 2, or vice versa.
  • said first and second moving assemblies constitute moving means operatively active on the containers 2 to move them from the central conveyor 3 in the collection site to the lateral conveyors 12 and 13 in the filling stations where the containers 2 are arranged with their mouths aligned to corresponding filling nozzles 11.
  • each container 2 entails a rotation of the container 2 around a longitudinal axis (the axis of rotation of one of the frames 21); in the absence of further rotations, at the end of said rotation the container would be situated in one of the filling stations in upside-down position with the mouth oriented downwards. Therefore, the movement of each container 2 entails an additional rotation of the container 2 around a transverse axis (the axis of one of the arms 22).
  • the cylinders 23 allow to move the containers transversely. This advantageously allows to perform the rotation of the container around the transverse axis after the rotation around the longitudinal axis (although in principle the rotations could be performed simultaneously, but with the drawback of making it less simple and safe to handle the containers 2), without having the container 2 interfere with the nozzles 11 during this latter rotation.
  • the pincers 24 are movable vertically (e.g. associating the moving assemblies to the structure by means of vertical slide guides), to lift the containers vertically in the filling station.
  • the nozzles 11 are movable vertically through a substantially known system for raising and lowering the nozzle.
  • Both said solutions which may be used alternatively to each other, enable to place the mouths of the containers in contact with the nozzles 11 during the filling step, possibly pressing the mouths on the nozzles to achieve a seal, to conduct a gravity-fed filling operation, with no need for volumetric metering.
  • nozzles 11 are used which are able to perform a filling operation with volumetric dosage, so that it is not necessary for the mouths of the containers to be in contact with the nozzles, but it is sufficient for them to be aligned.
  • lateral conveyors In addition to defining the filling station, convey the full containers out of the apparatus.
  • the presence of the dual conveyor belts and of the foils 18 entails a considerable saving of time.
  • the belts To move the containers from the first (inner) belts to the second (outer) belts, it is sufficient for the belts to move together by smaller quantity that the distance between a container and the next one (i.e. between a nozzle and the next one); once the full containers 2 are on the second belts, the first belts (which define the filling stations) are ready to receive new empty containers to be filled, whilst the second belts continue to carry the containers towards the exit from the apparatus.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises a system for regulating the vertical height of the surfaces whereon the containers 2 bear, i.e. the surfaces defined by the central conveyor 3 and by the lateral conveyors 12 and 13; said central conveyor 3 and lateral conveyors 12 and 13 are integral with a flat bed for supporting the structure of the apparatus which, raising and lowering under the command of a PLC or other regulating means, adapts the height of the lateral conveyors 12 and 13 according to the height of the different format.
  • the bearing surfaces of the containers 2 defined by the lateral conveyors 12 and 13 are movable vertically towards and away from the nozzles 11.
  • the central conveyor 3 is provided with fingers 8 to push the containers 2 entails the advantage of avoiding any intervention or modification on the apparatus to adapt it to the processing of containers of different size.
  • the fingers 8 are able to move any container from 5 to 20 Lt without any format-change operation and the only adjustment to make pertains to the stop position of the central conveyor 3 in the point of grip of the pincer (which changes with container size), which is determined automatically when the aforementioned PLC push-button is pressed.
  • the present invention also makes available a method for filling containers 2, and in particular containers of medium dimensions (from 5 to 20 litres).
  • Said method originally comprises the following steps, repeated in succession:
  • the moving step a first and a second subset of said plurality of containers 2 are moved from the collection station 6 to the first and to the second filling station, respectively, each subset of longitudinally aligned containers comprising non consecutive containers.
  • the moving step preferably comprises:
  • the step of conveying the full containers 2 out of the apparatus preferably comprises a step of deviating the trajectory of the containers 2 to move them laterally away from the central longitudinal axis 4, in such a way that said lateral longitudinal axes of conveyance of the exiting containers 2 are distanced transversely by predetermined quantities relative to the respective filling stations.
  • the moving step takes place through moving assemblies 19 and 20 active on the containers 2 by means of pincers 24.
  • the pincers 24 preferably remain gripping for a predetermined waiting time (corresponding to a first part of the filling step, e.g. about 3 sec.), to assure a stabilisation of the containers 2 until the quantity of liquid introduced into the containers 2 in the filling step is sufficient to make the containers stable.
  • the containers are raised vertically or the nozzles 11 are lowered vertically to place the mouths of the containers in contact with the nozzles 11, possibly pressing the mouths on the nozzles to achieve a seal.
  • Said raising step advantageously enables to perform the filling operation by simple gravity.
  • the pincers 24 move to the open position, releasing the containers 2 being filled; thereupon, the pincers 24 are brought back by the moving assemblies 29 and 20 to the collection station, to collect other empty containers to be filled. Therefore, the step of filling a plurality of containers 2 and the step of moving a plurality of subsequent empty containers are, originally, partially superposed, thereby advantageously enabling to quicken the process.
  • the filling stations are able to receive new containers after a particularly short time, given by the time needed to transfer the full containers from the first (inner) conveyor belts to the second (outer) conveyor belts.
  • the first conveyors move; after said transfer, they are motionless.
  • Said transfer time is made particularly short, originally, thanks to the presence of the foils 18.
  • the present invention allows to fill medium-size containers (from about 5 to about 20 litres) in a particularly efficient and advantageous manner, exploiting a modified linear technology to achieve particularly high performance levels in terms of speed.
  • the present invention enables to fill medium-sized containers with an hourly production of over 6,000 containers per hour, whilst maintaining the containers motionless during the filling operation and filling them with fixed nozzles.
  • the present invention advantageously enables to process containers with different formats in a particularly efficient manner, allowing a format change in particularly rapid fashion, because it does not require to replace any components (feeding augers or stars or counter-guides) but simply to press an active control on the PLC.

Landscapes

  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
EP07866815A 2007-11-13 2007-12-18 Apparatus and method for filling containers Active EP2207745B1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SI200730814T SI2207745T1 (sl) 2007-11-13 2007-12-18 Naprava in postopek za polnjenje vsebnikov
PL07866815T PL2207745T3 (pl) 2007-11-13 2007-12-18 Urządzenie i sposób do napełniania pojemników

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000086A ITPR20070086A1 (it) 2007-11-13 2007-11-13 Apparato e procedimento di riempimento di contenitori
PCT/IT2007/000883 WO2009063514A1 (en) 2007-11-13 2007-12-18 Apparatus and method for filling containers

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2207745A1 EP2207745A1 (en) 2010-07-21
EP2207745B1 true EP2207745B1 (en) 2011-12-07

Family

ID=39591754

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07866815A Active EP2207745B1 (en) 2007-11-13 2007-12-18 Apparatus and method for filling containers

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2207745B1 (es)
AT (1) ATE536330T1 (es)
ES (1) ES2374663T3 (es)
IT (1) ITPR20070086A1 (es)
PL (1) PL2207745T3 (es)
SI (1) SI2207745T1 (es)
WO (1) WO2009063514A1 (es)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMO20120276A1 (it) * 2012-11-14 2014-05-15 Four One S R L Apparato di trattamento di contenitori.
CN105010134A (zh) * 2014-04-29 2015-11-04 绿盈国际花卉有限公司 自动化充填设备
CN106809787A (zh) * 2015-11-30 2017-06-09 上海维托机械设备有限公司 一种灌装机
CN110775922A (zh) * 2019-10-25 2020-02-11 成都新润油脂有限责任公司 一种油罐自动注油、排序及运输系统

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1913001A (en) 1930-06-11 1933-06-06 Crown Cork & Seal Co Conveyer for bottle sealing and filling mechanism
US1977138A (en) * 1933-04-13 1934-10-16 Pneumatic Scale Corp Receptacle cleaning and filling apparatus
DE19702770C2 (de) * 1997-01-27 2001-06-07 Alfill Engineering Gmbh & Co K Behandlungsvorrichtung für Getränkebehälter mit mehreren integrierten Behandlungseinrichtungen
DE19921274A1 (de) * 1999-05-07 2000-11-09 Ruediger Haaga Gmbh Maschinenanlage zum Befüllen von Behältern mit Füllgut
EP1762540A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-03-14 Giuseppe Scudelletii Apparatus and method for processing and filling kegs

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2009063514A1 (en) 2009-05-22
SI2207745T1 (sl) 2012-02-29
ITPR20070086A1 (it) 2009-05-14
EP2207745A1 (en) 2010-07-21
PL2207745T3 (pl) 2012-04-30
ES2374663T3 (es) 2012-02-20
ATE536330T1 (de) 2011-12-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2332867B1 (de) Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Transportieren von Behältnissen mit Bodenführung
EP3094590B1 (de) Behälterbehandlungsmaschine zum behandeln von behältern
EP2938545B1 (en) A machine and a method for filling containers
US2695125A (en) Cap feeding and jar capping apparatus
KR101641881B1 (ko) 별치식 포장처리장치
CN102700741A (zh) 管材自动包装机
US7059104B2 (en) System for filling and closing fluid containing cartridges
EP2207745B1 (en) Apparatus and method for filling containers
JP2006193180A (ja) 容器兼用可能な充填ラインの容器搬送システム
JP5355102B2 (ja) 容器受渡し装置
US2953234A (en) Conveying and arranging system for containers
EP1762540A1 (en) Apparatus and method for processing and filling kegs
EP3162721A1 (en) An apparatus for handling receptacles
DE3740942A1 (de) Reihenlauf flaschenfuell- und verschliesskombination
JPH0466414A (ja) 容器処理装置
US6805230B2 (en) Palletizer for articles manipulated by suspension
CN210133860U (zh) 自动底盖输送封罐流水线
US20240182287A1 (en) Apparatus and method for filling containers arranged in-line with collection of the fluids for washing the supply ducts and the filling heads
EP4103506A1 (de) Behälterbehandlungsvorrichtung
EP0858411B1 (de) Verfahren und vorrichtung zum herstellen evakuierter, mit schüttgut, insbesondere gemahlenem kaffee, gefüllter packungen
CN101772456A (zh) 容器的成形和灌装方法
CN213537215U (zh) 一种回旋式旋盖装置
CN218859492U (zh) 用于容器的处理机器
CN115367163B (zh) 一种物料灌装生产线和工艺
CN110054132B (zh) 自动底盖输送封罐流水线

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20090226

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA HR MK RS

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20110224

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2374663

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

Effective date: 20120220

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R096

Ref document number: 602007019243

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20120301

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: VDEP

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: PL

Ref legal event code: T3

LTIE Lt: invalidation of european patent or patent extension

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LV

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120308

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: CY

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20111231

Ref country code: IS

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120407

Ref country code: SK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: EE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: RO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: PT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20120409

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: MK05

Ref document number: 536330

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20111207

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: MM4A

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20111218

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20111231

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20111231

26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20120910

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20121019

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20120307

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R097

Ref document number: 602007019243

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20120910

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120207

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120307

Ref country code: AT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20111218

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: HU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20111207

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SI

Payment date: 20161205

Year of fee payment: 10

Ref country code: BG

Payment date: 20161216

Year of fee payment: 10

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: SI

Ref legal event code: KO00

Effective date: 20180806

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20171219

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BG

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20180706

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: TR

Payment date: 20221129

Year of fee payment: 16

Ref country code: CZ

Payment date: 20221216

Year of fee payment: 16

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: PL

Payment date: 20221122

Year of fee payment: 16

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Payment date: 20230120

Year of fee payment: 16

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Payment date: 20221230

Year of fee payment: 16

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20221227

Year of fee payment: 16

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R119

Ref document number: 602007019243

Country of ref document: DE

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20231218

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20231218

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20240702