EP2536513A2

EP2536513A2 - Device for transporting bottles or similar containers

Info

Publication number: EP2536513A2
Application number: EP10787700A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alfred Drenguis
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2010-02-17
Filing date: 2010-12-02
Publication date: 2012-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2030-12-02
Also published as: WO2011101007A2; EP2536513B1; DE102010008387A1; SI2536513T1; DE102010008387B4; WO2011101007A3; US8985309B2; US20120279611A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for transporting bottles or similar containers between a transfer position and a discharge position, comprising a transport element that may be driven in a rotating manner about at least one vertical machine axis and several container receptacles provided on the transport element and having, for example, a gripper-like design for picking up and holding in each case one container during the transport thereof from the transfer position to the discharge position.

Description

Device for transporting bottles or similar containers

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of

Patent claim 1.

Devices for transporting bottles or other containers are also known, in particular, in a star-type configuration in which a plurality of container receptacles are formed on the circumference of a rotor which can be driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis. At these container receptacles, the container at a transfer position in each case individually from a preceding

Passed machine or a preceding system component and then held on the respective container receptacles with rotating rotor to a

Delivered transfer position at which the containers are transferred to another machine or plant component.

In many cases it is necessary to use the containers in the transport path between a first machine or plant component and a second machine or plant component, for example, to return the treated in a rinser in overhead position or orientation container by turning back to its normal position and in this normal position, for example to hand over to a filling machine.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that allows not only transporting the container from a transfer position to a dispensing position with a simplified design and compact size, but also allows this transport path and a pivoting of the container about an axis perpendicular or transverse to the container axis , To solve this problem, a device according to the patent claim 1 is formed.

For the purposes of the invention, "container axis" is to be understood as meaning the vertical axis of the containers, which as a rule is also the axis of the container opening of the respective container. For the purposes of the invention, the term "overhead position" or "overhead orientation" is to be understood as meaning a container orientation in which the opening of the respective container points downwards

Container opening facing up.

Preferably, the device according to the invention is designed so that the

Container receptacles, which are preferably formed by container grippers, are pivoted on the transport path between the transfer position and the dispensing position from a starting position in a first direction by 180 ° and swiveled back on the way between the dispensing position and the transfer position by 180 °, i. be pivoted in an opposite second direction, so that each container receptacle at the transfer position has the starting position again.

In a preferred embodiment, the control of the lifting and

Pivoting movements in each case cam-controlled and thus positively controlled synchronously with the movement of the container receptacles. Preferably, the lifting movement is equal to or substantially equal to the size of the container in the direction of its container axis, further preferably the lifting and pivoting movements are coordinated so that the pivoting of each container ultimately takes place about an axis that the container axis in their Cuts mid or substantially at its center.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. All are described and / or illustrated

Features alone or in any combination in principle 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. The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of an embodiment. Show it:

1 in a simplified perspective functional representation of a rinser and a filling machine for containers in the form of bottles,

together with a transport star-type conveyor arranged between these machines or plant components for transferring the bottles from the rinser to the filling machine;

Fig. 2 shows the rinser, the filling machine and the conveyor of Figure 1 in

Top view;

3 and 4 is an enlarged side view and top view of

transport star-shaped transporter of Figure 1. In the figures, 1 is a rinser of circumferential design, for example a wet and / or a dry rinser for the treatment or rinsing, cleaning and / or disinfecting the interior of bottles 2 with a liquid and / or dry treatment medium. The rinser 1 consists for this purpose in the manner known to those skilled in the art essentially of a rotor 3 rotatable about a vertical machine or rinser axis MA1 in the direction of the arrow A, at the circumference thereof at uniform angular intervals offset from one another their treatment stations 6 are formed, for example each consisting of a claw-like bottle holder 4 and a nozzle 5 for discharging the liquid or gas and / or vapor treatment medium into the respective bottle 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottles 2 are attached to each one

Bottle gripper 4 and a nozzle 5 formed treatment positions 6 in

Overhead position, i. with the container or bottle axis, although in vertical

Direction and thus oriented parallel to the machine axis MA1 of the rinser 1, but arranged with their bottle opening 2.1 down and with the bottom of the bottle 2.2 facing up. The bottles 2 are for example in this

Orientation via a container or bottle inlet, not shown handed over individual treatment positions 6, wherein the turning of the bottles 2 from their original normal position with the bottle axis oriented in the vertical direction and with the bottle opening 2.1 facing up into the overhead position, for example in the area of the bottle or container inlet.

After the treatment of the bottles 2, these arrive with the circulating

driven rotor 3 to a transfer position 7, at which each bottle 2 in

Overhead position of a bottle gripper 8 of the transport star-like

Transporteurs 9 recorded and moved with the feed dog 9, so that each bottle 2 then finally after turning in normal position, i. oriented with the bottle axis in the vertical direction and with the

Bottle opening 2.1 above lying at a dispensing position 10 to a

Treatment position 1 1 of the filling machine 12 is transferred. The filling machine 1 is of such a circulating design, which in the manner known to those skilled in the art u.a. one around a vertical MA2 machine axis

Filling machine 12 in the direction of arrow B circumferentially drivable rotor 13, at the periphery of a plurality of treatment positions 1 are formed at uniform angular intervals, namely u.a. consisting of a container carrier 14.1 for a suspended support of the bottles 2 at one below the

Bottle mouth 2.1 trained mouth flange 2.3 and from a respective filling element 14 for controlled filling of the bottles 2 with a liquid product.

The peculiarity of the illustrated plant consists in the training of the

This also has a rotor 15 which is circumferentially drivable around a vertical machine axis MA3 in the direction of the arrow C and thus counter to the rotational movement of the rotors 3 and 13 (arrows A and B) and at the periphery of a plurality of bottle grippers. 8 is provided. These bottle grippers 8 are formed, for example, like a pair of pliers with two gripper jaws that are relatively movable and spring biased into a closed position, each gripping a flat 2 at the transfer position 7 at its portion of the bottle neck formed between the bottle mouth 2.1 and the mouth flange 2.3 hold by clamping, until the respective bottle 2 has then returned to its normal position with the revolving rotor 15 to the dispensing position 10 after being turned back or pivoted and is there transferred to a container carrier 14 a treatment position 1 1 of the filling machine 2. By not shown control means, the bottle gripper 8 are respectively opened at the positions 7 and 10 for receiving a bottle 2 from the rinser 1 and for transferring a bottle 2 to the filling machine 12.

The bottle grippers 10 are in the illustrated embodiment of the

Transporters 9 in pairs on a common board 8.1 (subcarrier) and with this on a bottle gripper carrier 16 pivotally provided about a common axis, the u.a. formed by the axis of a hinge pin 17 and tangent to the circumference or direction of rotation of the rotor 15 and to an imaginary, the machine axis MA3 concentrically enclosing circular cylinder is oriented.

The bottle gripper carriers 16 are mounted on guide rods 18 in the vertical direction, i. slidably provided on the circumference of the rotor 15 parallel to the machine axis MA3. The relative to the machine axis MA3 against the

Gripper bars 16 radially inwardly offset guide rods 18 each extend between an upper rotor element 15.1 and a lower rotor element 15.2 of the rotor 15, so that this results in a ring cage-like structure, which has a high strength or stability despite a relatively lightweight construction.

Furthermore, the guide rods 18 are provided in pairs, in such a way that each two relative to the machine axis MA3 radially spaced guide rods 8 are provided for guiding a bottle gripper carrier 16, each bottle gripper carrier so in the vertical direction on the leadership formed by the two guide rods 18 in vertical direction is movable, but twist-proof is performed.

As the figures show, are in the illustrated embodiment, the

Bottle gripper carrier 16 formed arm-like, in such a way that they protrude with their longitudinal extent with respect to the machine axis MA3 of their guide formed by the two guide rods 18 radially outward. To the the outside end of the bottle gripper 8 are hinged to the auxiliary carriers or boards 8.1 to the respective bottle carrier 16.

By a fixed, i. with the rotor 15 non-rotating cam 19 and by engaging in this cam 19, to the bottle gripper carriers 16 freely rotatably mounted cam rollers 20, the bottle gripper carrier 16 are positively driven with rotating rotor 15 along its guide rods 18 in the vertical direction and down, namely in the shown

Embodiment such that the bottle gripper carrier 16 at the

Transfer position 7 are located in the lowest stroke position and at the dispensing position 10 in the uppermost stroke position. The bottle gripper carrier 16 are thus on the angular range of rotation of the rotor 15 between the

Transfer position 7 and the dispensing position 10 moves upward and be moved on the angular range of rotation of the rotor between the dispensing position 10 and the transfer position 7 back down. For this purpose, the

Cams 19 a rising between the transfer position 7 and the dispensing position 10 and between the dispensing position 10 and the transfer position 7 again sloping course. As the figures show, the stationary, i. with the rotor 15 non-rotating control and lifting cam 19 within the movement space in which the guide rods 18 move with rotating rotor, and is not co-rotating with the rotor and also within the range of motion of the guide rods 18 coaxially arranged with the machine axis MA3 central Pillar 21 attached. This is possible because the lower rotor part 15.2 is designed as a ring concentrically enclosing the machine axis MA3 and is connected via the guide rods 18 to the upper spoke wheel-like rotor part 15.1. The cam rollers 20 are each at the radial

inner end of the bottle gripper carrier 16 with a short distance from the guide rods 18 and thus at a short distance from the sliding bushes with which the bottle gripper carrier 16 are guided on the guide rods, resulting in driving optimal conditions. The two bottle grippers 8 each bottle gripper pair are provided on the common board 8.1, with the the two bottle grippers 8 of each bottle gripper pair are provided so as to be pivotable on the bottle gripper carrier 16 about the common horizontal, tangential to the rotary movement (arrow C) of the rotor 15 oriented and substantially formed by a hinge pin 17.

On each board 8.1, a control arm 22 is attached with one end between the two bottle grippers 8, in such a way that this control arm is oriented with its longitudinal extent radially to each of the hinge pin 17 formed pivot axis of the board 8.1. Each control arm 22 is formed at its end remote from the associated board 8.1 with a guide piece 23, which fork-like a stationary, i. with the rotor 15 non-rotating, self-contained and formed in the illustrated embodiment of a tube profile guide curve 24 engages and is guided on this cam 24 slidably. To ensure a safe intervention of the respective

To ensure guide piece in the guide cam 24, in the illustrated embodiment, each control arm 22 telescoping with axially acting

Spring means formed, the associated guide piece 23 against the

Press guide cam 24. The control cam 24 has a path of movement of the hinge pin 17 at a distance wendelartig enclosing course, with a half turn or 180 ° -Windung between the transfer position 7 and the

Abgabeposition 10 and with a likewise half turn or 180 ° -Windung with opposite course or sense of winding between the transfer position 10 and the transfer position 7. The distance of the control cam 24 of the

Trajectory of the hinge pin 17 is equal to the length of the control arms 22. The control curve 24 is further designed so that the container on the transport route between the transfer position 7 and the discharge position 10 with its container base based on the machine axis MA3 initially pivoted outside and then back to be pivoted inside, and preferably so that each bottle 2 on the half of the transport path or the angular range of rotation of the rotor 15 between the transfer position. 7 and the dispensing position 10 is oriented with its bottle axis radially or approximately radially to the machine axis MA3.

By cooperating with the control cam 24 control arms 22 takes place with rotating rotor 15 a compulsory pivoting of the bottle gripper 8 to the pivot axis of the associated hinge pin 17 by 180 ° C, so that at the transfer position 7 initially recorded in the overhead position of the bottle grippers 8 bottles 2, the two cams 19 and 24 are preferably coordinated so that the controlled by the control cam 20 lifting movement and controlled by the control cam 24 pivotal movement of the bottle gripper 8 to the Schwenkachsen bzw. Gelenkbolzen 17 result in a resulting movement in such a way that each bottle 2 during transport from the transfer position 7 to the

Dispensing position 10, i. on the corresponding angular range of rotation of the rotor 5 in fact about its center of the bottle, i. be pivoted about an axis that cuts the respective bottle axis in its center. This design, in addition to the general advantage of a compact design and the pivoting back of the bottles 2 in their normal position also has the advantage that there is virtually no height offset between the bottles 2 on the rinser and the bottles 2 on the filling machine.

In the illustrated embodiment, the Sterkurve 24 specifically on such a profile, that the longitudinal extent of each control arm 22 is oriented at the positions 7 and 10 respectively radially to the machine axis MA3. The guide curve 24 is further formed in the illustrated embodiment to have a different height level in the vertical direction at the positions 7 and 10, i. at the transfer position 7, a lower height levels, which is there also substantially the lower level or the starting position of the

Bottle gripper 8 corresponds to the transfer position 7, and at the transfer 10 a higher level, which also corresponds approximately to the higher level of the bottle gripper 8 at the dispensing position 10. In the direction of rotation C of the rotor 5, the height level of the control cam 24 increases in the vertical direction from the transfer position 7 to the discharge position 10 first and then falls from the transfer position 10th to the transfer position 7 back to the lower height level. In addition, the control cam 24 has a profile such that the radial distance from the machine axis MA3 at the transfer position 7 by twice the length of the control arms 22 is greater than at the discharge position 10th

It is understood that the rotors 3, 13 and 5 are synchronously driven in such a way that whenever a treatment position 6 of the rinser 1 the

Transfer position 7 has reached, there is also a bottle gripper 8 ready, or whenever a bottle gripper 8 has reached the dispensing position 10, there is also a container carrier 14.1 for receiving the relevant bottle 2 ready.

The invention has been described above by means of an embodiment. It is understood that numerous changes and additions are possible without thereby departing from the inventive idea underlying the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 rinser

2 bottle

2.1 Bottle opening

2.2 bottle bottom

2.3 mouth flange

3 rotor of the rinser 1

4 bottle holder or gripper on rinser 1

5 treatment nozzle

6 treatment position on the rinser 1

7 Transfer position between rinser and transporter 9

8 bottle gripper

8.1 Board for two bottle grippers 8

9 transporter

10 transfer position between feed dog 9 and filling machine

1 1 treatment position on filling machine 12

12 filling machine

13 rotor

14 filling element

14.1 container carrier

15 rotor

15.1, 15.2 rotor element

16 bottle carrier

17 hinge pins

18 guide rod

19 cam

20 cam follower

21 central pillar

22 control arm

23 guide piece

24 control curve

A direction of rotation of the rotor 3

B Direction of rotation of the rotor 13

C Direction of rotation of the rotor 5

MA1 vertical machine axis of the rinser 1

MA2 vertical machine axis of the rotor 13

MA3 vertical machine axis of the rotor 15

Claims

claims

1 . Device for transporting bottles or similar containers (2) between a transfer position (7) and a delivery position (10), with a transport element (15) which can be driven peripherally around at least one vertical machine axis (MA3) and with a plurality of transport elements (5)

provided and, for example, claw-like container receptacles (8) and for receiving and holding a respective container (2) during its transport from the transfer position (7) to the dispensing position (10),

marked

by first control means (19, 20) for a lifting movement of each container receptacle (8) in an axis parallel to the at least one machine axis (MA3) as well as

by second control means (23, 24) for controlled pivoting of each

Container receptacle (8) about at least one pivot axis, which is oriented perpendicular to the at least one machine axis (MA3), between the

Transfer position (7) and the dispensing position (10) from the starting position and the controlled pivoting back each container receptacle (8) in their

Starting position around the at least one pivot axis between the

Dispensing position (10) and the transfer position (7), wherein the first and second control means (19, 20, 23, 24) for a control of the lifting and

Pivoting movement synchronously with the movement of the container carrier (8) are formed.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the

Transport element to a vertical machine axis (MA3) circumferentially drivable rotor (15).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

in that the first control means of at least one of the at least one

Machine axis (MA3) enclosing the first control cam (19) and in this control cam (19) engaging guide pieces (20) are formed, the bearing on the container receptacles (8) and parallel to the at least one Machine axis (MA3) slidably guided carrier (16) are provided, and / or

in that the second control means are formed by at least one second control cam (24) and by second guide pieces (23) cooperating with this control cam, which are pivotable on the container receptacles (8) or on one each about the respective pivot axis (17) and at least one

Container receiving (8) having auxiliary carrier (8.1) are provided, wherein the second control cam (24) the path of movement of the pivot axes (17) helically or helically encloses.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the second

Control cam (24) the movement path of the pivot axes (17) with a pivot angle of the container receptacles (8) corresponding Teilwindung, for example, encloses with half a turn, with a sense of winding between transfer position (7) and discharge position (10) opposite sense of turns between the dispensing position (10) and the transfer position (7).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the first control cam (19) is arranged within the movement path of the container receptacles (8) and / or the carrier (16) for the container receptacles (8), and / or

in that the second control cam (24) is related to the at least one

Machine axis (MA3) radially outside the path of movement of guides (18) for the lifting movement of the container receptacles (8) or the carrier (16).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the container receptacles (8) or these

Container support carrying subcarriers (8.1) are each provided to the at least one pivot axis pivotally mounted on a support (16) by the first control means (19, 20) for the lifting movement in the axial direction parallel to the at least one machine axis (MA3) displaceable on Transport element (15) is provided.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in training the

Transport element as a rotor (15) consists of at least one upper and other lower rotor element (15.1, 15.2), of which the upper rotor element (15.1) is rotatably mounted on a central, preferably designed as a column machine element (21) and the lower rotor element (15). 15.2) as a machine element (21) enclosing ring is executed, and that the rotor elements (15.1, 15.2) and others by the guide for the carrier (16) of the container receptacles (8) forming guide rods (8) are connected to a cage-like structure with each other.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the lifting movement and the pivotal movement of the container receptacles (8), taking into account the size of the containers (2) in their container axis, are tuned so that the containers (2) are pivoted about a central axis perpendicular to their container axis, and or

that the maximum stroke of the lifting movement is equal or approximately equal to the size of the containers (2) in their container axis, and / or

the course of the at least one first and the at least one second control cam (19, 24) is selected so that the container receptacles (8) of the transfer position (7) in the lower stroke position for receiving the containers (2) are preferably in overhead. Position and at the dispensing position (10) in the upper stroke position for the delivery of the container (2) are preferably in normal position.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that in each case two container receptacles (8) on a

common subcarrier (8.1) are provided, the least

Swivel axis (17) controlled pivot.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective with the at least one second

Control cam (24) cooperating guide piece (23) on a control arm (22) is provided or formed, which protrudes from the respective container receptacle (8) or the respective auxiliary carrier radially to the pivot axis (17).

1 1. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by their use as a conveyor between a device or

Plant component (1) for cleaning and / or sterilizing the container (2), for example in the form of a wet and / or dry rinser, and a machine or system component (12) for filling the container (2) with a liquid product.