EP2616346B1 - Method and apparatus for equipping bottles - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to an apparatus according to the preamble of patent claim 7, as shown in US 2005/067 111 A1 known.

Equipment elements in the context of the invention are elements that are on the container as information and / or advertising and / or as an information and / or advertising element or -hinweis and / or to produce a guarantee and / or originality and / or to produce a desired optical container appearance can be applied. Equipment elements in this sense are in particular labels, banderoles, foils, but also applied to the container printed images, etc., but u.a. also printing units.

Container Equipment Aggregates Within the meaning of the invention are units for applying equipment elements to surfaces or similar containers. Container equipment units in this sense are especially labeling units for applying labels, banderols, foils, etc. to bottles or similar containers.

Similar container equipment units in the context of the invention are container equipment units which effect equipping the containers preferably with identical or identical equipment elements in one and the same container area and in one and the same manner and / or placement and / or orientation, wherein these container equipment units can be structurally unimportant, but preferably structurally identical or substantially identical.

Operational disturbances For the purposes of the invention are generally interruptions in the operation of the respective Behälterausstattungsaggregates, for example due to actual faults in the unit, by an emptiness or lack of or lack of equipment elements, for example, labels in the unit, by a reloading or -bestücke the Behälterausstattungsaggregates with equipment elements or Equipment, etc

The term "essentially" in the context of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5%, and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Are known methods for labeling bottles or other containers and associated Behälterausstattungsaggregste in the form of labeling, in different versions. Particularly well-known are labeling units for the so-called ROLLFED labeling, in which the respective labels provided with a glue application and for example separated from a band-shaped label material in the aggregate are transferred to the respective container which is moved past the labeling unit on a transport system (eg rotor) and thereby be created by turning the container about its vertical axis to this by rolling.

It is also off to increase performance EP 1 449 778 A1 and US 5,188,698 A. a plurality of treatment positions for receiving a respective container are formed at the circumferential area at equal angular or pitch intervals around the machine axis formed to provide a plurality of not moving with the rotor Behälterausstattungsaggregate in the form of labeling.

A comparable solution also shows the EP 1 607 336 A1 , which proposes to provide identical or different labeling stations dockable to standard interfaces.

From the US 2005/067111 A1 a method for equipping bottles or similar containers with equipment elements using similar container equipment units is known, in which in particular in case of failure in an activated container equipment unit at least another container equipment unit of the same container equipment group group with reduced machine power takes over the function of the disturbed container equipment unit.

Nachtelllg in known labeling machines of this kind Is u.a. that in a fault in only one labeling the entire labeling machine can be operated at only more reduced machine power. In order to avoid interruptions in the labeling operation and thus disruptions in an overall system, it is therefore often common practice to operate two labeling machines in parallel.

The object of the invention is to provide a method which allows trouble-free or stationary as possible equipment, especially labeling or printing of containers with unreduced machine performance even in case of failure of a Behälterausstattungsaggregates. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. An apparatus for carrying out the method is the subject of claim 7.

In a non-inventive embodiment, at least three container equipment units are provided for applying an Austattungselementes on one and the same container area and in one and the same placement and / or orientation, of which at least two Behälterausstattungsaggregate are activated during normal or trouble-free operation or equipping the container effect, while at least one container equipment unit is in a non-activated state or in a standby state or mode and is activated in case of failure of one of the activated container equipment units for the assumption of the function of this faulty unit. On the at least two activated container equipment units, the equipping of the containers is divided such that with each activated container equipment unit only those containers are provided that have not already been equipped by another container equipment unit of the same group of container equipment units (container equipment group), at least the activated container equipment units, but preferably also in the non-activated state or in standby mode

Tank equipment unit belongs. In the case of a number of n activated container equipment units of the container equipment unit group, only one of the n-th containers moved past it is provided with equipment for each unit, so that for a given unit power (number of transferred equipment elements per unit time) a high machine output (number the equipped container per unit time) is possible.

In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, all container equipment units of the respective container equipment unit group are activated during normal, trouble-free operation, namely in such a way that with a number of container equipment units each unit effects only those containers which are not already of one another container equipment unit of the same container equipment unit group are provided with an equipment, in turn of each container equipment unit only in each case the moving past him n-th container is provided with an equipment. In case of faults in an activated container equipment unit at least one undisturbed, activated Behalterausstattungsaggregat takes over the function of the faulty unit, namely by increasing its aggregate performance and / or reducing the machine line.

The unlabeled containers, which are incurred by at least one undisturbed Behälterausstattungsaggregat in the transition from the disturbed container equipment unit to the activated from standby tank equipment aggregate or when taking over the function of the disturbed Behälterausstattungsaggregats are again moved to the equipment Ausrichting Behalterausstattungsaggregaten, and For example, by the fact that these containers remain for this purpose on the transport system or discharged from the transport system and returned to this.

The invention offers, inter alia, the advantage that even at high machine power, for example, in a machine line in the range of 50,000 equipped or labeled containers per hour or higher, an interruption of the operation at a Behälterausstattungsaggzegat or Etikettieraggregat occurring disturbances is effectively avoided.

Another advantage of the invention is, inter alia, that the often required second labeling and the additional transporters required in this case can be omitted, which means not only a cost saving, but in particular a reduction in space requirements and the operating, maintenance and control effort.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

• Fig. 1 in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung und in Draufsicht die Etikettiermaschine;
• Fig. 2 in schematischer Darstellung eine der Behandlungspositionen der Etikettiermaschine zusammen mit einem dort angeordneten, bereits etikettierten Behälter in Form einer Flasche.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using the example of a machine designed as a labeling machine for equipping containers by labeling. Show it:

• Fig. 1 in a simplified schematic representation and in plan view of the labeling machine;
• Fig. 2 a schematic representation of one of the treatment positions of the labeling machine together with an arranged there, already labeled container in the form of a bottle.

In the figures, 1 is a rotary type labeling machine for labeling containers in the form of bottles 2, i. for applying equipment elements in the form of labels 3 to a predetermined region of the bottles 2, namely, in the illustrated embodiment, onto a body portion of the bottles 2 which is, for example, in the shape of a circular lobe.

The labeling machine 1 comprises, inter alia, a rotatably mounted on a machine frame 4 about a vertical machine axis MA and the machine axis MA in the direction of arrow A rotatably driven rotor 5, at its circumference at equal angular or pitch intervals about the machine axis MA offset from each other a variety of Treatment positions 6 are formed. Each treatment position 6 comprises, inter alia, a container carrier designed as a bottle plate 7, which in the illustrated embodiment is rotatable or pivotable about a pivot axis or axis of rotation DA parallel to the machine axis MA and forms a support surface for the respective bottle 2, as well as a punch 8. the one in the axle DA controlled raised and lowered and during labeling with its bottom on the bottle plate 7 upstanding, with its axis of the bottle arranged coaxially with the axis DA bottle 2 clamped between itself and the bottle plate 7.

At the movement path of the treatment positions 6, three container equipment units in the form of labeling units 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 are not provided with these or with the rotor 5, which are at least identically configured, at least in terms of their function, in that they each apply the same labels 3 one and the same container area and in one and the same positioning and orientation effect.

With regard to the respective labeling method, the labeling units 9.1-9.3 can be designed differently, for example for labeling the bottles 2 with labels 3, which were removed as individual labels a label magazine with provided with a glue label pallets, for labeling the bottle 2 with labels 3, the a tape-shaped label material were separated and provided with a glue, for labeling the bottle 2 with self-adhesive labels, etc., but all labeling units 9.1 - 9.3 are designed as Etikettieraggregat group each for one and the same labeling, for example, for the so-called ROLLFED labeling in which the respective label 3 provided with a glue application is applied to the relevant bottle 2 with a front end relative to its feed or conveying direction and then rolled onto the bottle 2 about its axis while the bottle 2 is rotated.

The bottles to be labeled 2 are supplied in the labeling machine 1 via an outer conveyor 10 as a single-lane container flow (arrow B) and arrive via a container inlet 11 to one of the treatment positions 6. The labeled bottles 2 are the treatment positions 6 taken from a container outlet 12 and to an outer feed dog 13 for removal (arrow C) from the labeling machine 1 forwarded.

During a normal, trouble-free operation not according to the invention, the bottles 2 are labeled with two labeling units, for example with the labeling units 9.1 and 9.2, ie only these two labeling units are activated, while the third labeling, for example, the labeling 9.3 is in a standby mode. In detail, the activated labeling units, for example, the labeling units 9.1 and 9.2 are driven synchronously with the rotational movement of the rotor 5 during normal, trouble-free operation, in such a way that, for example, with the labeling unit 9.1, only the labeling of those bottles 2, which in addition to 6a marked treatment positions 6 are arranged, and with the labeling unit 9.2 only the labeling of those bottles 2, which are arranged at the additionally marked with 6b treatment positions 6. The treatment positions 6 identified with 6a and 6b are each identically formed and provided on the circumference of the rotor 5 such that, for example, in the direction of rotation A of the rotor 5 to each treatment position 6 indicated with 6a, a treatment position 6b denoted by 6b and to this in turn a 6a marked Follow treatment position 6. By the described assignment of the labeling units 9.1 and 9.2 to the marked with 6a and 6b treatment positions 6, ie by the labeling only each second, to the respective labeling unit 9.1 or 9.2 moving past bottle 2 is especially in a ROLLFED labeling a significant increase in machine performance of the labeling machine 1 possible.

In the event of an interruption in operation in one of the activated labeling units, for example in the labeling unit 9.1 or 9.2 as a result of a fault or as a result of missing labels 3, the previously unactivated and stand-by labeling unit, for example the labeling unit 9.3, automatically assumes the function of the stopped or defective labeling unit. For example, the function of the labeling unit 9.1 for labeling the arranged at 6a treatment positions 6 bottles 2 or the function of the stopped or disturbed labeling unit 9.2 for labeling the arranged at 6b treatment positions 6 bottles. 2

The activation of the labeling unit located in the delivery mode takes place in such a way that this labeling unit synchronizes to the rotary movement of the rotor 5 and is delivered to the rotor 5 so that with this labeling then labeling of those bottles 2 is effected, which are located on the disordered labeling unit associated treatment positions 6.

It is understood that in a total of three labeling units 9.1 - 9.3 does not necessarily have the labeling 9.3 the not activated during the normal labeling operation, but in the delivery mode located labeling unit, but each of the three labeling units 9.1 - 9.3 may have this non-activated delivery mode, while with the two other activated units, the labeling of the bottle 2 takes place at each second treatment position 6.

It is further understood that in order to further increase the engine power at a given unit performance and more than three labeling units for applying the labels 3 can be provided on one and the same area of the bottles 2, which in turn form a group and operated so that a Labeling unit is not activated or in delivery mode and n labeling units are activated. With the activated labeling units, the labeling of the bottle 2 arranged at every nth treatment position 6 takes place in each case. In the event of a malfunction in one of the activated labeling units, its function is again automatically taken over by the labeling unit located in the staging mode.

Instead of the above-described non-inventive operation of the labeling 9.1 - 9.3, in which during normal trouble-free operation, at least one labeling is in the mode of provision, the operation of the invention is possible in which all labeling units 9.1 - 9.3 are activated during normal trouble-free operation, so that a further increase in the machine output of the labeling machine 1 is achieved for a given unit performance of the labeling units 9.1 - 9.3. In the event of a malfunction in one of the labeling units 9.1 - 9.3, its function is then taken over by at least one of the activated, non-disturbed labeling units, namely when its aggregate output is increased and / or when the machine output of the labeling machine 1 is reduced.

This mode of operation has over the above-described mode of operation the additional advantage that the occurrence of a malfunction in one of the labeling units 9.1 - 9.3 the function of the faulty unit accepting labeling must be only relatively slightly accelerated with the same machine performance of the labeller from its previous aggregate performance on the increased performance while, when activating the labeling unit located in the staging mode, an acceleration of this unit from zero to the unit speed corresponding to the operating speed is necessary.

Even with more than three labeling units, it is possible that during normal trouble-free operation, all labeling units for labeling the bottles 2 are activated in order to achieve a further increase in machine performance for a given unit performance. In the event of a malfunction or interruption in a labeling unit, its function is taken over by the other activated labeling units as the aggregate output is increased and / or when the machine output is reduced.

The non-equipped with a trim element or not labeled bottles 2, which in case of failure during the transition from the faulty labeling on the activated from the supply mode labeling or in case of failure in the assumption of the function of the faulty labeling by at least one non-disturbed Incurred labeling, remain, for example, on the rotor 5 and at the respective treatment position 6 and are moved with the rotor 5 again past a not disturbed labeling. The container inlet 11 and the container outlet 12 are each carried out with a controlled points and / or blocking function, which prevents a discharge of unlabeled bottles 2 to the container outlet 12 and a trouble-free passing of these bottles on the container inlet 11 allows, without collision Furthermore, there is the possibility that the bottles 2 which are not labeled during the change-over 2 are discharged at a position 14, for example after passing through the container outlet 12, and to a position 15 in front of or at the container inlet 11 in the tank Container flow for labeling a non-disturbed labeling unit are introduced. The two positions 14 and 15 are connected to each other via a transport path 16, which is formed for example by at least one with transport stars of the container inlet 11 and the container outlet 12 cooperating transport star.

The above-described functions of the labeling machine 1 are controlled by a in the FIG. 1 generally designated 17 control electronics.

If it is necessary to provide the bottles 2 at several different areas each with a label, for example, in addition to the label 3 with a label 3.1 in the chest area, then for each applied to the bottle 2 label 3 and 3.1 has its own at least three labeling units Group of each similar labeling provided, the labeling units of each group are then operated in the manner described above.

In the above description of exemplary embodiments, it has been assumed that the container equipment units are labeling units for labeling the containers or bottles 2. Basically, the container equipment units may also be aggregates for producing other equipment or other equipment features, such as printheads for printing the container. 2

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

labeling

2

Container or bottle

3, 3.1

label

4

machine frame

5

rotor

6

treatment position

7

bottle plates

8th

stamp

9.1 - 9.3

Labeling stations

10

external transporter

11

container inlet

12

container outlet

13

external transporter

14

diverting position

15

Einschleusposition

16

conveyor line

17

control electronics

A

Direction of rotation of the rotor

B, C

Conveying direction of the outer conveyor 10 or 13

THERE

Rotary or pivot axis of the container carrier or bottle plate. 7

MA

vertical machine axis

Claims (11)

1. Method for equipping bottles or similar containers (2) with equipment elements (3, 3.1) using at least three identical container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3), which are designed for applying equipment elements (3, 3.1) to one and the same container region of the containers (2) moving, on a transporting system (5), past the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3), wherein, during disruption-free operation, all the container equipping subassemblies (9.1, 9.2) of the at least one container-equipping-subassembly group are activated for equipping in each case one container (2) which has not yet been labelled by another container-equipping subassembly of this container-equipping- subassembly group, and wherein, in the event of a disruption in an activated container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3), at least one other container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) of the same container-equipping-subassembly group will take over the function of the disrupted container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3), characterised in that the at least one other container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) of the same container-equipping subassembly group will take over the function of the disrupted container equipping subassembly (B.1 - 9.3) with increased assembly performance.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that, during the equipping of the containers (2) in each case with a plurality of equipment elements (3, 3.1), for each equipment element (3, 3.1) an individual container-equipping-subassembly group is provided for, with in each case at least three identical container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the containers (2), which are present at the switchover from the disrupted container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) to the container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) activated from the standby mode, and/or at the takeover of the function of the disrupted container-equipping subassembly by at least one non-disrupted container-equipping subassembly, and are not provided with the equipment element (3, 3.1) concerned, remain on the transport section (5, 6) and are again moved past the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3) for the equipping and/or are separated out from the transport section (5, 6) and moved back to the transport section (5, 6) for equipping at a container-equipping subassembly (9.1-9.3).
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in normal disruption-free operation of each container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) of the container-equipping-subassembly group, in each group only the n-th container (2) moved past will be provided with the equipment elements, wherein n is the number of the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3) activated during normal disruption-free operation.
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container-equipping subassemblies are labelling subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3) for the labelling of the containers (2) with equipment elements in the form of labels (3, 3.1), preferably for a ROLLFED labelling arrangement or printing subassemblies.
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transport system is a rotor (5) capable of being driven such as to run around a vertical machine axis (MA), which is formed at a circumferential region with a plurality of processing positions (6) for accommodating one container (2) in each case.
7. Device for the equipping of bottles or similar containers (2) making use of at least three identical container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3), which are designed for applying equipment elements (3, 3.1) onto one and the same container area of the containers (2) moving on a transport system (5) past the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3), wherein, during disruption-free operation, all the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1, 9.2) of at least one container-equipping-subassembly group are activated for the equipping, in each case by another container-equipping subassembly of this container-equipping- subassembly group, of a container (2) not yet labelled, and wherein, in the event of a disruption in an activated container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3), at least one other container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) of the same container-equipping-subassembly group takes over the function of the disrupted container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3), characterised by control means (17) for the controlling of the device (1) in such a way that the at least one other container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) of the same container-equipping- subassembly group takes over the function of the disrupted container-equipping subassembly (9.1-9.3) with increased assembly performance.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that, for the equipping of the containers (2) with in each case a plurality of equipment elements (3, 3.1), for each equipment element (3, 3.1) an individual container-equipping-subassembly group is provided for, with in each case at least three identical container equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3).
9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 7 or 8, characterised in that control means (17) for the controlling of the device (1) are formed in such a way that the containers (2) which are present at the switchover from the disrupted container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) to the container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3) activated from the standby mode, and/or at the takeover of the function of the disrupted container-equipping subassembly by at least one non-disrupted container-equipping subassembly, and are not provided with the equipment element (3, 3.1) concerned, remain on the transport section (5, 6) and are again moved past the container-equipping subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3) for the equipping and/or are separated out from the transport section (5, 6) and moved back to the transport section (5, 6) for equipping at a container-equipping subassembly (9.1 - 9.3).
10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the container-equipping subassemblies are labelling subassemblies (9.1 - 9.3) for the labelling of the containers (2) with equipment elements in the form of labels (3, 3.1), preferably for a ROLLFED labelling arrangement or printing subassemblies.
11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the transport system is a rotor (5) capable of being driven such as to run around a vertical machine axis (MA), which is formed at a circumferential region with a plurality of processing positions (6) for accommodating one container (2) in each case.

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