EP2387535B1 - Container treatment machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a container treatment machine of rotating design according to the preamble of claim 1.

Containers are in the context of the invention containers or container-like packaging of any kind, as they are used for packaging of products such as drinks, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. Accordingly, for the purposes of the present invention, containers are in particular also bottles, cans or other bottle or can-like containers made of a very wide variety of materials, e.g. made of metal, glass or plastic, for example PET.

Container treatment machines and such circumferential design are known in particular as labeling machines in various designs.
Inspection machines are also known as container treatment machines of rotating design, in which the containers are examined visually, for example, for damage and / or contamination.

Known container handling machines of circulating design include i.a. a gyro rotatable about a vertical axis of the machine and having at least one (first) rotor element on at least one of e.g. controlled rotatable or pivotable container carrier, for example in the form of container plates forms, and at least one further (second) rotor element, which is fixedly connected to the first rotor element, a plurality, each associated with a container carrier functional elements, e.g. in the form of clamping and / or centering elements, which are controlled by a control cam on a non-rotating rotor portion of a machine frame (carrier element as Hubkurventräger) are movable, for example by a predetermined stroke in the vertical direction, i. can be moved up and down parallel to the machine axis.

In particular, when trained as a labeling machine to be treated, ie to be labeled container on the rotor of a respective container carrier and a clamping and / or centering element (eg centering tulip) formed processing stations or positions supplied to one another via a container inlet, the respective clamping and / or centering controlled directly upon the transfer of a container to a treatment position on the top or the head of the container is lowered so that the container is centered for the treatment with its vertical container axis with respect to the container carrier or its axis and is held clamped between the container carrier and the clamping and / or centering. The treatment of the container takes place during the rotational movement of the rotor in the angular range between the container inlet and the container outlet. At the container outlet of each container, the respective clamping and / or centering element is removed with the lifting curve, after which the container is then removed or removed from the respective treatment position.

In known container treatment machines, the raising and lowering of the clamping and / or centering or centering tulips by stationary cam tracks or cams, in each of which control rollers engage with the rotating with the rotor clamping and / or centering. Each clamping and / or centering is pressed when clamping at the treatment position by the force of a prestressed spring with a contact pressure or force on the respective container, the u.a. is determined by the spring constant of the compression springs used and the container height such that a clamping force dependent on the container height is obtained, i. in particular also one of dimensional and manufacturing tolerances of the container-dependent clamping force. Usually, the compression springs used or their spring constants are therefore selected so that even containers with a lower container height are clamped with sufficient force to securely fix these containers at high rotational speed of the rotor and high angular acceleration at the treatment positions and sufficiently firmly to the respective Press container carrier.

During labeling and / or alignment or centering, each container is subject, inter alia, considerable angular acceleration and resulting Acceleration forces, which he can only follow if it is pressed with sufficient force on the respective container carrier. The container carriers are preferably controlled rotatable and pivotable in order to rotate or pivot the respective container during the treatment, for example during labeling. For a safe transfer of this controlled rotational movement of the container, the container carriers are indeed preferably equipped with a friction lining, in addition to the quality of these riding pads but also the force with which the container between the clamping and / or centering and the container carrier is clamped, essential for safe entrainment and rotation and pivoting movement of the container.

The usual clamping or pressing force is in the range of 120-250 N. Today's conventional containers, in particular conventional containers made of glass can absorb these forces without problems. For reasons of material and cost savings, but it is a constant goal u.a. also by beverage manufacturers to further reduce the weight of the containers, which inevitably leads to containers with reduced wall thickness and / or strength.

From the DE 1 200 197 B For example, an apparatus and method for aligning open or closed bottles by rotating about their axis of symmetry is known. The device has a rotor which can be driven circumferentially about a vertical machine axis and a plurality of treatment positions formed on the rotor. With the help of a centering device, a rotatable bottle plate and a separate motor actuator, the bottles are centered and clamped in the device.

From the US 4,315,795 A is a Behälterbehanctlungsmaschine for treating containers according to the preamble of claim 1 and with a rotatably driven about a vertical axis machine rotor and with several rotor formed on the treatment positions, each having at least one container carrier and a clamping and / or centering unit, which in a controlled lifting movement between a starting position and the respective container centering and / or clamping Controlled position is movable, each clamping and / or centering unit for the controlled lifting movement is provided with a separate and / or individually controllable motorized actuator.

From the EP 0 950 606 A2 a device has been known in which a provided for clamping a container centering bell is moved by a fixed predetermined path in the direction of the container. The container is compressed by a predetermined path. Subsequently, the reaction of the container to this compression is analyzed around the fixed predetermined path.

The object of the invention is to show a container treatment machine, in particular labeling, which makes it possible to control or regulate the contact force as precisely as possible, with which the respective centering or clamping element rests against a container, even regardless of tolerances, especially in the container height , To solve this problem, a treatment machine according to the patent claim 1 is formed.

In the invention, the clamping and / or centering units are each equipped with independent actuators that allow individual control of the clamping and / or centering units and thus the local clamping and / or Einspannn- and / or centering force-controlled so that on the respective Container a precisely preselected, for example, a maximum allowable contact pressure with the lowered on the container clamping and / or centering is exercised without the dimensional tolerances or deviations of the container, the risk of damage or a container break by exceeding a maximum allowable contact pressure ,

By using independently controllable ie the lifting movements of the clamping and / or centering independently executing actuators can in conventional treatment machines, especially in conventional labeling machines usual, exceedingly costly lifting curve accounts. As a result, a substantial simplification of the overall construction of a container treatment machine is basically possible.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

Fig. 1

in schematischer Darstellung und in Draufsicht eine Behälterbehandlungsmaschine in Form einer Etikettiermaschine;

Fig. 2

in Einzeldarstellung einen Behälter in Form einer Flasche;

Fig. 3

in Einzeldarstellung eine Behandlungsposition der Behandlungsmaschine der Figur 1;

Fig. 4 und 5

in Einzeldarstellung ein Einspannn- und/oder Zentrierelement in Form eines Klemm- und Zentrierelementes zur Verwendung bei einer Behälterbehandlungsmaschine, in perspektivischer Ansicht sowie in Seitenansicht, jeweils zusammen mit einer Teildarstellung eines Behälters in Form einer Flasche.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a schematic representation and in plan view of a container treatment machine in the form of a labeling machine;

Fig. 2

in detail a container in the form of a bottle;

Fig. 3

in a single representation of a treatment position of the treatment machine of FIG. 1 ;

4 and 5

in detail, a clamping and / or centering element in the form of a clamping and centering element for use in a container treatment machine, in perspective view and in side view, each together with a partial view of a container in the form of a bottle.

In the figures, 1 is a container treatment machine in the form of a labeling machine for labeling containers in the form of bottles 2. The treatment machine 1 comprises in a conventional manner a rotatable about a vertical axis MA machine rotor 3 (arrow A), at the rotor element 3.1 in uniform angular distances around the machine axis MA offset multiple treatment positions 4 are formed, each consisting of a one Stand surface for the bottles 2 forming rotary or bottle plate 5 and from a above the bottle plate 5 arranged clamping and / or centering unit 6 with Einspannn- and / or centering element 7 in the form of a centering tulip.

The bottles 2 are supplied to the treatment machine 1 via an outer conveyor 7 upright (arrow B of FIG. 1 ) and transferred via a container inlet 8 formed by a Einteilschnecke and a subsequent transport star each to a treatment position 4, so that each bottle 2 there with its bottom on the bottle plate 5 stands up. Immediately upon this transfer, the initially raised clamping and / or centering element 7 is lowered onto the head of the respective bottles 2 so that they are centered with their vertical axis with respect to the axis FA of the respective bottle plate 5 and between the bottle plate 5 and the clamping and / or centering element 7 or the bottle 2 is clamped to its bottle head receiving centering tulip. The thus centered at the treatment positions 4 and held bottles 2 are moved with the rotating rotor 3 to at least one labeling unit 10, with each one label is applied to each bottle 2, for example in the form that the relevant label 11 first to the Pass respective bottle 2 with a leading label end and then subsequently applied or rolled by rotating the bottle 2 and the respective bottle plate 5 about the vertical, parallel to the machine axis MA oriented axis FA to the bottle outer surface.

The application of the labels 11 on the bottles 2 can of course be done in other ways, for example by transferring glued labels 11 to the bottles 2 and by pressing the labels using pressure elements and / or brushes in the direction of rotation A on the labeling unit 10th The rotation or pivoting of the bottle plate 5 takes place, for example, via at least one control cam or via at least one drive, for example via a for all bottle plates 5 common drive or via letters which are provided separately for groups of bottle plates 5 or for each bottle plate 5 separately. The bottle plates 5 are preferably provided on their upper side with at least one friction lining.

The bottles 2 provided with the labels 11 are removed from the individual treatment positions 4 after lifting the clamping and / or centering units 6 or clamping and / or centering elements 7 on a container outlet 12 formed by a transport star and forwarded to an external conveyor 13 via which the labeled bottles 2 are fed to another use (arrow C of FIG. 1 ).

A special feature of the treatment machine 1 is that for the up and down movement (double arrow D) of the clamping and / or centering units 6 with the Einspannn- and / or centering elements 7 in the axis FA for each clamping and / or centering unit 6 a independent actuator 14 is provided, for example in the form of a pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, electromotive or electromagnetic actuator. These actuators may be e.g. to act at least one pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or an electromotive movement gear or an electromagnetic linear actuator or an electromagnetic lifting element. The actuating elements 14 are provided on a common, for example disc-like rotor element 3.2, which is mechanically connected, for example, with the rest of the rotor 3 and rotates with this.

Basically, however, it is also possible to support the rotor element 3.2 independently of the remaining rotor 3, in particular also independently of the bottle plate 5 or other bottle or container carrier having rotor element 3.1 rotatably mounted to the machine axis MA on a machine frame. The rotor element 3.1 and the rotor element 3.2 are then synchronously and in the same direction, in each case via separate drives or via a common drive, ie in particular also angularly accurate and drivable at the same angular velocity, wherein, in the case of a common drive, the rotor elements 3.1 and 3.2 are only connected drivingly via this common drive.

In the FIG. 3 is shown a further, highly advantageous embodiment of the present invention. In this development, each clamping and / or centering unit 6 is provided with a controlled rotation of the respective bottles 2 about their bottle axis or about the axis FA effecting servomotor or servo motor 15, at the top of a carriage or bearing element 16, which is controlled with the actuator 14 according to the arrow D up and down moves. In the bearing element 16 which is arranged coaxially with the axis FA output shaft 17 of the servomotor 15 is rotatably mounted, but not axially displaceable. At the lower end of the output shaft 17, the respective clamping and / or centering unit is provided.

The actuating elements 14 are individually controllable, in the form that the clamping and / or centering elements 7 are force-controlled against the head of the respective bottle 2, i. with a predetermined, optimally selected contact pressure, on the one hand ensures a sufficiently firm clamping of the bottles 2 between the clamping and / or centering unit 6 and the clamping and / or centering 7 and the bottle plate 5, as it u.a. for the controlled turning and pivoting of the bottles 2 with the servomotors 15 about the respective axis FA and for the secure hold of the bottle 2 is required, on the other hand, a destruction or inadmissible deformation of the bottles 2, especially those made of plastic, such as PET with certainty avoids.

The bottle plates 5 are for example freely rotatably mounted about the axis FA on the rotor element 3.1. Basically, however, it is possible to provide for the bottle plate 5 also a example independent drive with which each bottle plate 5 is rotated or pivoted during controlled rotation or pivoting of the bottle 2 about the axis FA in synchronism with the rotational movement of the servomotor 15.

The force control i. the regulation of the contact force with which the clamping and / or centering elements 7 abut against the respective bottles 2, can be done in various ways, for example in pneumatic or hydraulic actuators 14 under control of the pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, with electrical actuators 14 under control of Voltage and / or the electric current for the actuating elements 14 and / or by means of sensor devices which detect the force exerted on the respective bottle 2 via the clamping and / or centering units 6 force.

The contact pressure with which the clamping and / or centering unit 6 or its clamping and / or centering element 7 (centering disk) rests against the respective bottle 2 is, for example, 120 to 270 N, preferably about 160 N.

The FIGS. 4 and 5 show in a simplified representation again a clamping and / or centering unit 6a, which can be provided instead of the clamping and / or centering unit 6 at the respective treatment position 4. While in the lowered clamping and / or centering units 6 the bottles 2 are accommodated with their bottle cap provided with the bottle cap only in the respective clamping and / or centering element 7, each clamping and / or centering unit 6a with a centering and gripper element or equipped with a centering and clamping element 7a.

The respective centering and clamping element 7a is provided at the lower, tapered end 18 of the shaft 17 corresponding shaft 17a, in such a way that the centering and clamping element 7a is axially displaceable by a certain stroke on the shaft 17a, but with the shaft 17a rotates.

Each centering and clamping element 7a consists essentially of two hingedly interconnected jaws 19, which are hingedly connected to each other via a hinge 20 and complement each other with lower jaw portions 19.1 to a receptacle 21 which faces the bottle plate 5, not shown Underside of the centering and clamping element 7a is open and serves for the clamping attachment of the respective bottle 2 at its bottle head. Upper jaw portions 19.2 cooperate with the conical surface of the shaft end 18.

By spring means, not shown, the respective centering and clamping element 7a is biased in the open position of the receptacle 21, so that the controlled lowering of the clamping and / or centering unit 6a on a bottle 2 of the bottle head initially received in the open receptacle 21, the bottle. 2 centered with respect to the axis FA and then on further lowering of the clamping and / or centering unit 6a on the conical surface of the shaft end 18, the centering and clamping element 7a and its receptacle 21 is closed to clamp the bottle head. The respective bottle 2 is then held by clamping on the shaft 17a and can be controlled in this state with the servomotor of the clamping and / or centering unit 6a rotated about the axis FA.

Even when the clamping and / or centering unit 6a is used, the contact force with which these or their centering and clamping elements 7a abut against the head of the bottles 2 is regulated in order to achieve optimum conditions, again by corresponding individual control of the However, the use of equipped with the centering and clamping elements 7a clamping and / or centering units 6a has the further advantage that the contact forces can be chosen substantially smaller, for example in the range of only about 60 N or smaller.

The use of the centering and clamping elements 7a is particularly advantageous in such containers or bottles 2, which are made of plastic, for example PET by stretch blow molding or stretch blow molding, since such containers have an increased wall thickness in the region of their container head and thus there is a safe Clamping the container or bottles 2 with the centering or clamping elements 7a is possible.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

As already mentioned, in the context of the present invention, the term container treatment machine is also to be understood to mean inspection machines in a rotary design. In these inspection machines, the containers or bottles 2 are fed to the rotor 3 in a manner analogous to a labeling or removed from this. If the containers or bottles 2 are then in their treatment position, they are likewise fixed in the correct position on the treatment positions by means of clamping or centering units 6, 6a or centering and clamping elements 7, 7a.
During the rotation of the rotor 3, the containers or bottles 2 are then moved past at least one inspection device which inspects the containers or bottles 2 in a suitable manner.
For example, the inspection may be an optical inspection. However, it may also be an x-ray, ultrasound, temperature or other control.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Container handling machine

2

bottle

3

rotor

3.1, 3.2

rotor member

4

treatment position

5

Rotary or bottle dish

6, 6a

Clamping and / or centering unit

7, 7a

Clamping and / or centering element or centering tulip

8th

carrier

9

container inlet

10

labeling

11

label

12

container outlet

13

carrier

14

actuator

15

servomotor

16

Bearing element or carriage

17, 17a

output shaft

18

shaft end

19

jaws

19.1, 19.2

Jaw portion

20

joint

21

admission

A

Direction of rotation of the rotor 3

B

Transport direction of the carrier 8

C

Transport direction of the carrier 13

D

Lifting movement of the clamping and / or centering unit 6 or 6a

FA

Rotary or pivot axis of the rotary or bottle plate 5 and the shaft 17 and 17a

MA

machine axis

Claims (9)

1. Container treatment machine for treating containers (2), especially a labelling machine, comprising a rotor (3) which can be driven to revolve about a vertical machine axis (MA) and with a plurality of treatment positions (4) configured on the rotor and having in each case at least one container support (5) and a clamping and/or centering unit (6, 6a), arranged above the container support (5), which can be moved in a controlled raising movement (D) between an initial position and a position which centers and/or clamps the respective container (2), wherein the controlled raising movement (D) of each clamping and/or centering unit (6, 6a) is provided for by an independent and/or individually controllable motorised actuation element (14); characterised in that the clamping and/or centering units (6, 6a) are moved in a force controlled manner, the clamping force taking effect on the containers (2) is specifically controlled in such a way that, at the maximum, a preselected permissible clamping force is exerted on the containers (2), so that the destruction or deformation of the containers (2) is avoided.
2. Container treatment machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the respective actuation element (14) is a pneumatic or hydraulic or electrical actuation element, for example an electric motor or electromagnetic actuation element.
3. Container treatment machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the actuation elements can be controlled in such a way that the clamping force taking effect on the respective container is in the range between 120 - 270 N, for example about 160 N.
4. Container treatment machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the clamping and/or centering units (6, 6a) are in each case configured with a clamping and/or centering element (7, 7a), for example in the form of a centering tulip.
5. Container treatment machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each clamping and/or centering unit (6a) is configured with a gripper head (7a), for example in the form of a clamping element or a centering and clamping element, and specifically for holding the respective container (2) by clamping, preferably at its container head.
6. Container treatment machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that means are provided at the treatment positions (4) for rotating or pivoting the containers (2) about their container axis (FA).
7. Container treatment machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the means for rotating or pivoting the containers (2) are formed in each case by a positioning motor (15), specifically for the controlled rotation or pivoting of the respective container support (5) and/or of the centering or clamping element (7, 7a) of the treatment positions (4) interacting with the respective container.
8. Container treatment machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the raising movement (D) of the clamping and/or centering units (6, 6a) is carried out exclusively by the motorised actuation elements (14).
9. Container treatment machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the raising movement of clamping and/or centering units (6, 6a) is produced without the use of a cam track control device.

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