EP3501676A1 - Bottle cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a bottle washing machine (100, 400) for cleaning bottles (130) in the beverage processing industry, comprising transport means (111) for disorderly, stationary transport of bottles (130) in a mass flow to an entrance area (110, 410) of the bottle washing machine (100, 400), wherein in or in front of the entrance area (110, 410) a recognition device (120) for detecting a defective and / or overturned bottle (131) and in the input area (110, 410) a robot arm (140) with a gripping element (145), wherein a control unit (190) can receive information about a defective and / or overturned bottle (131) from the detection device (120) and control the robot arm (140), the defective and / or overturned bottle (131) upright or remove from the transport device (111).

Description

The present invention relates to a bottle washing machine for cleaning bottles in the beverage processing industry according to independent claim 1 and independent claim 6.

State of the art

Bottle washing machines, which are particularly used in the beverage industry, are well known.

So far, operators are often used to perform activities on bottle washing machines, such as the sorting of fallen bottles. Furthermore, the operators must also take on additional activities related to waste. This leads to very monotonous work, which also increases the susceptibility of the processes to errors. In addition, well-trained and therefore expensive personnel must take on these tasks.

task

Based on the prior art, the technical problem to be solved is therefore to simplify the operation of bottle washing machines and to reduce the burden on operators in regular operation.

solution

This object is achieved by the bottle washer for cleaning bottles according to independent claim 1 and the bottle washer for cleaning bottles according to independent claim 6. Advantageous developments of the invention are covered in the subclaims.

According to the invention, the bottle cleaning machine for cleaning bottles in the beverage processing industry comprises a transport device for the disorderly, stationary transport of bottles in a mass flow to an input area of the bottle washing machine, wherein in or in front of the entrance area a detection device for detecting a defective and / or fallen bottle and in the entrance area a robot arm are arranged with a gripping element, wherein a control unit can receive information about a defective and / or overturned bottle from the detection device and control the robot arm to erect the defective and / or overturned bottle or remove it from the transport device. In this case, the entry area of the bottle cleaning machine is understood to be any area of the transport device in which the bottles are transported disorderly but at least in the form of a mass flow and from which they are finally transferred to a cleaning area of the bottle washing machine in which they are cleaned.

The use of a robot arm in conjunction with a detection device and a suitable control unit allows the execution of the otherwise accepted by the operator activities of sorting out defective or overturned bottles in an automated manner, with which the operator acts at most monitoring, but only rarely has to intervene personally. At the same time, the reliability can be increased since the susceptibility to errors in a monotonous activity can be considerably reduced by computer-aided and automated processes.

In one embodiment, it is provided that the detection device comprises a camera which is arranged above the transport device and whose optical axis runs perpendicular to a transport plane defined by the transport device, in which the bottles are transported. Concealment of collapsed or damaged bottles by adjacent bottles can thus be avoided, which improves the recognition accuracy of these bottles.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the robot arm comprises at least two joints and / or the movement range of the robot arm extends over the entire width of the transport device. The handling of all, in the transport device overturned or defective bottles can be realized in this way with the robot arm.

It may further be provided that the robot arm is attached to a holder, wherein the holder is arranged next to or above the transport path. A high accessibility of all possible bottles in the transport device is possible.

In one embodiment, the control unit is configured to control the robotic arm, remove a defective bottle from the conveyor, and erect and retain a deflated, non-defective bottle in the conveyor. Thus, the operations can be reduced because a defective bottle, regardless of whether it has fallen over or still stands, removed from the transport device and should not be supplied to the cleaning area. Thus, at least for those bottles that are overturned and at the same time defective, the step of erecting omitted, which could fail anyway due to the damage.

The further bottle cleaning machine according to the invention for cleaning bottles in the beverage processing industry comprises a transport device for the disorderly, stationary transport of bottles in a mass flow to an input area of the bottle washing machine, wherein the bottle cleaning machine is associated with a sorted bottle catcher comprising a level sensor, wherein the collecting container is designed to output a signal indicative of the level when reaching a predefined level. By this bottle washer and in particular the collecting container, the operator is exempted to permanently monitor the level of the collecting container. He can thus focus on more important and other activities. Furthermore, this signal can be used by other systems to initiate further automated processes.

In one embodiment, the signal is an acoustic, optical or electronic signal. Acoustic or visual signals can be easily perceived by operators, so that an operator can be informed as effectively as possible when the pre-defined filling level is reached and, if necessary, be able to initiate further steps, such as, for example, manually emptying the collecting container. An electronic signal, which is transmitted for example via a data line, allows the control of further components based on this signal.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the level sensor is designed as a scale. In particular, when stacking objects such as bottles with a highly irregular shape, a level sensor that measures the actual stacking height of the bottles may be disadvantageous because it ignores gaps or irregularities in the stacking of the bottles. The use of a balance is advantageous here, since it measures only the mass or the weight of the bottles, regardless of their arrangement in the collecting container.

In a further embodiment, the collecting container is designed as an autonomous, mobile carriage which, depending on the signal, can travel to an emptying station, transfer the bottles to it and return to the bottle cleaning machine. The operator can thus be completely relieved of having to deal with the emptying of the collecting container, resulting in an accidental overfilling of the collecting container and the associated Falling out of bottles avoids and improves the reliability of the emptying of the collection container.

In a further development of this embodiment, the bottle cleaning machine is associated with at least two collecting containers, wherein the collecting containers can automatically control their movement in such a way that a collecting container for receiving sorted bottles is positioned at all times. The positioning of the container "for receiving sorted bottles" is to be understood that the collecting container is arranged in the space provided in the vicinity of the bottle washing machine, so that for example by an operator or dedicated robot arm, the bottles can be placed in the receptacle , The other receptacle can either be in a "queue" in the usual direction of movement of the receptacle after the currently positioned for receiving the bottles collection container in a waiting position or are, for example, in motion to the emptying station or bottle cleaning machine back. Other intermediate stations, such as a cleaning station for the collecting container, are conceivable here.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the bottle cleaning machine comprises a detection device and a robot arm, as well as a control unit according to one of the preceding embodiments and the robot arm is designed to transfer defective bottles to the collecting container. An operator of the bottle washing machine or generally a container treating machine comprising this bottle washing machine can thus be completely freed from the work involved in sorting out defective or overturned bottles and emptying the collecting container, thereby saving labor costs while maintaining the reliability of sorting and other Processing defective or fallen bottles can be increased.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the collecting container or containers are arranged on rails which connect at least the bottle cleaning machine and the emptying station along a closed path such that the collecting container can return from the bottle cleaning machine via the emptying station to the bottle cleaning machine, wherein the rails form a closed curve , This embodiment can be combined with all embodiments relating to the collecting container and is not exclusively tied to the autonomous movement of the collecting container. Basically, with this embodiment, a secure and therefore reliable movement of the collecting container, be it by an operator or in an autonomous manner, which increases the reliability of the emptying of the collecting container.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1

schematically shows a plan view of a bottle washing machine according to one embodiment.

Fig. 2a - c

show schematically the course of removal of a defective bottle from the Transportein direction.

Fig. 3a - c

show schematically the process of erecting a fallen bottle in the transport device.

Fig. 4

shows a further embodiment of the bottle washing machine.

Fig. 5

shows an embodiment with rails between the bottle washing machine and a discharge station.

Detailed description

Fig. 1 schematically shows a plan view of a bottle cleaning machine 100 according to one embodiment. The bottle cleaning machine 100 typically includes a cleaning area 101, which is not shown in detail here and is cleaned in the bottles for recycling or further use. Within this range, the bottles can in principle be transported as desired, but are usually transported in an orderly manner, so that a targeted cleaning of the inner area of the bottles is possible.

Before the cleaning area an entrance area is arranged, which is formed essentially by a transporting device 111 and can be supplied to the cleaning area 101 via the bottles. In the entrance area, the bottles are transported standing by means of a transport device in a disordered mass flow. When transferring to the cleaning area, a separation and subsequent transfer, for example, to special recordings within the cleaning area, which is not the subject of the present invention.

According to the invention it is provided that in the entrance area, in which the bottles are usually conveyed at only a low speed, a detection device 121 is arranged, which can detect the bottles. In particular, this recognition device is designed according to the invention to detect whether bottles have fallen over and / or damaged. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the detection device is arranged above the transport plane of the bottles, so that the detection device can detect the bottles from above. If the detection device is designed, for example, as a camera, then it can be provided that the optics are aligned in the direction of the transport device, so that the bottles conveyed in the transport device can be recognized. For this purpose, the recognition device 121 may be mounted in a holder 120, which runs, for example, in the form of a bridge over the transport device, in particular the input region 110.

To ensure that all bottles in the transport device and in the entrance area 110 can be detected, it can also be provided that, depending on the size of the field of view achievable with the recognition device 121, a plurality of recognition devices (shown schematically by the recognition device 122) are arranged, so that the total field of view forms at least one strip transverse to the transport direction (represented here by the case) of the bottles in the entrance area by the transport device. This strip is preferably completely continuous and optionally comprises an overlap of some fields of view of the recognition devices in order to leave at least no blind spots.

Furthermore, a robot arm 140 is provided, which has a gripping element, with which he can either remove defective and / or overturned bottles from the transport device 111 (especially in the case of defective bottles, such as bottles with broken glass) or bring the bottles in a new position can, in particular, can rebuild upturned bottles.

For this purpose, it is provided that a control unit 190 is connected both to the recognition device 121 (and possibly to the further recognition devices) and to the robot arm 140 such that a data exchange can take place. The control unit can be designed, for example, as a computer and be connected via corresponding data lines, such as cables or via wireless communication means, with the robot arm and the detection device or the recognition devices, so that preferably a bidirectional data transfer can take place via this connection.

Based on the detected by the or the detection device (s) bottles (in particular, overturned bottles or defective bottles), the control unit 140, the robot arm control, remove defective bottles from the transport device and rear up overturned bottles.

Advantageously, the robot arm 140 can be arranged to increase its range of motion on a holder 143, which in turn advantageously along a rail 144 transversely to the transport direction defined by the transport device 111 bottles is movable so that the robotic arm 140 preferably at least in a strip across the transport direction all Can reach bottles in the transport device or in the entrance area. In view of the fact that the bottles are usually moved at relatively low speed (up to a few centimeters per second) in the entrance area, this strip may have a width parallel to the transport direction of 15 cm, preferably 30 cm, particularly preferably 50 cm, so the range of motion The robot arm is sufficiently large to raise or remove also several defective or fallen bottles that are in this strip at the same time.

The method for removing a defective, in particular broken bottle is in the Fig. 2a to 2c shown.

In a first phase in Fig. 2a is detected by the detection device 121, a defective bottle 131, which is located in the entrance area 110. For example, this bottle may be an at least partially broken bottle. Thus, the detection device and / or the control unit (s. Fig. 1 ) can distinguish a defective bottle from an intact bottle, it can be provided that the detection device or the control unit is associated with a memory in which images or at least reference data are stored on undamaged bottles. By using image recognition programs, a defective bottle can be identified by comparison with the characteristics of an intact bottle. In support of this, it can be provided that at least part of the entrance area 110, which is in the field of vision of the recognition device 121, is transparent and on the side of the entrance area 110 opposite to the recognition device 121, a lighting device can be arranged in this case, which houses the bottles in the entrance area 110 lit from below. Thus, the recognition quality of the recognition device can be improved.

In the event that no defective bottle is detected, the control unit will not drive the robot arm and the bottles are fed to the bottle washer to be cleaned therein.

In the case that the recognizer 120 recognizes the defective bottle 131, the step in FIG Fig. 2b , In this step, the robot arm 140 is actuated in order to grasp the defective bottle with its gripper element 145 and to remove it from the entry region 110 at least in a direction perpendicular to the transport plane of the bottles, in accordance with the arrow direction shown. For this purpose, the robot arm may be formed with a gripping element 145, for example in the form of a pair of pliers. This pliers may embrace a defective bottle, and advantageously at least part of the area of the gripping element which comes into contact with the surface of the bottle may be provided with a coating whose friction coefficient with respect to the material of the bottle, for example glass or PET, is high so that a slippage of the bottle after access of the gripping element is avoided, without requiring significant forces to act on the bottle. In particular, materials are preferred whose static friction coefficient μ _H ≈1, such as 0.9 or 0.95, particularly preferably greater than 1.

Subsequently, as in Fig. 2c shown, the robot arm 140 dispose of the defective bottle 131 in a designated receptacle 270. This collecting container is preferably located in an area that lies in the range of movement of the robot arm. Particularly preferred embodiments are those in which the collecting container at least on one side of in Fig. 1 is arranged so that the robot is moved after removal of a defective bottle from the transport device along the rail to one end of the rail and there passes the bottle to the collecting container 270. In order to reduce the amplitude of the movement necessary for this, corresponding collecting containers can also be provided at both ends of the rail.

In addition to the ability to remove defective bottles from the transport device, it is provided according to the invention that overturned bottles can be erected. This process is in the Fig. 3a - 3c portrayed.

In Fig. 3a First, the detection of a fallen bottle 131 in the entrance area 110 by the detection device 121 instead. The procedure here can be analogous to that in Fig. 2a be described. In particular, an overturned bottle can be made by comparison with stored characteristics in a memory or images of non-overturned bottles.

After the overturned bottle has been detected, it is now analogous to Fig. 2b the robot arm 140 is controlled. In this case, however, the robot arm is not controlled so as to completely remove the bottle 131 from the entrance area 110 by grasping with the gripping member. In this embodiment, the robot arm raises the overturned bottle 131 and corrects it again by appropriate rotation of the robot arm and, if necessary, the gripping element, so that it can be re-introduced into the mass flow of the bottles. Particularly preferred here is an embodiment in which the robot arm first raises the overturned bottle by a height h which is higher than the length l of the bottles 130 in the transport plane. Once the bottle has been raised to that height, the robotic arm can properly rotate the bottle without the possibility of possible contact with bottles in the entryway 110, which could otherwise lead to further overturned bottles. This rotation after lifting is indicated by the arrows 290.

In Fig. 3c Finally, the robot arm lowers the thus erected bottle 131 again, so that it is introduced into the mass flow of the container. In this case, the relative movement of the other bottles can be considered and the re-introduced bottle 131 is not simply lowered perpendicular to the transport plane, but this movement can be simultaneously superimposed on a movement corresponding to the movement of the bottles in the transport device, so that prevents collision with other bottles becomes. A corresponding movement can also be superimposed when lifting the bottle from the transport device.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the erected bottle is not moved to the same position from which it was raised in order to be raised. This may be necessary, in particular, when the bottles are transported at the input area with such a large dynamic pressure that the gap created by the lifting of the overturned bottle is closed by other, advancing bottles. In such a case, the erected bottle 131 may also be repositioned elsewhere in the entrance area.

For this purpose, it can also be advantageously provided that an area separated by a delimitation is provided in the entrance area, in which each erected bottle is positioned and from which it is fed to the cleaning area 101 of the bottle cleaning machine. For example, one above the conveyor belt in the Fig. 1 positioned backdrop may be provided, for example, on the right or left edge of the in Fig. 1 extends illustrated and diverts the actual mass flow of the container so that in the transport direction of the container behind the backdrop is a bottle-free area. In these, the robot arm can be analogous to that in Fig. 2c described Procedure bring the bottles, for example, by moving along the rail 144 and turns off a previously collected, overturned bottle erect there.

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention, in which a bottle washing machine 400 is associated with an inlet area 410, in which bottles are transported in a mass flow, a collecting container 420, in the example, defective bottles or other waste such as straws or the like, can be spent. According to the invention, it is provided that a fill level sensor is assigned to this collecting container, or it comprises such. This level sensor may be in the form of an optical sensor or the like. However, an embodiment is particularly preferred as a scale, in particular a load cell, which monitors, for example, the weight of the material transported into the collecting container, for example electronically. It is further provided that the collecting container (or a control unit integrated in it) on reaching a predefined level, for example 70% or 80% or 90%, can output a signal indicative of this level.

For this purpose, a signal output device 422 may be arranged on the collecting container or at another point of the bottle cleaning machine. This signal output device may either output a human perceptible signal and / or generate a level indicative signal that may be communicated to one or more container handling machines or other components of the system. In this sense, this signal can be optical, acoustic or electronic or it can also be several signals are output, each of which is either optical, electronic or acoustic. Optical or acoustic signals can be output, for example, with the aid of a signal output device 422 in the form of a loudspeaker, or a luminaire. An electronic signal can be realized, for example, by means of a suitable data transmission device, such as a data cable or a wireless transmission device (for example BlueTooth), and transmitted to other components, in particular to other machines.

Particularly preferred embodiments of the collection container 420 in the form of an autonomous, self-propelled unit. For this purpose, the collecting container may comprise a control unit or be connected to a control unit (for example the control unit of the bottle washing machine). Depending on a signal output by the filling level sensor, the movement of the collecting container can then be controlled in one embodiment.

Fig. 5 shows a possible implementation of this embodiment. In this realization, optionally a plurality of collecting containers 420 and 560 are provided, which can be moved autonomously and independently of each other. Shown is an embodiment of the movement of the collecting container along a rail 570 in the form of a closed curve.

First, a collecting container 420 is arranged in a position 561, in which material can be brought into the collecting container. This may be, for example, defective bottles or other materials such as straws removed by an operator from the entry area of the bottle washing machine 400. Upon reaching a certain level, which is detected by the level sensor (for example, 70% or 80% or 90%), the control unit can autonomously, without interaction with the operator, move along the example shown rail 570 to another position 562 in which the collecting container can transfer its contents to an emptying station 550. This can preferably also be carried out fully automatically or autonomously by a tilting device which can tilt at least the region of the collecting container in the direction of the emptying station in which the introduced material is located. Subsequently, the collection container can be further transported along the rail 570. While it can easily be moved directly back to the bottle washer 400, it can also be provided that it first passes one or more further stations. For example, the collecting container can be moved to a position in which a new film or a new plastic bag or the like is positioned in the collecting container by a cleaning station to receive material. Also, the cleaning station can make a cleaning of the space of the collecting container, in which the material is spent in order to avoid an increase in pollution.

Additionally, here is in Fig. 5 an optional, further receptacle 560 shown. This can be spent, for example, in the position 561 to receive material from the bottle washing machine, when the actual collection container 420 has already reached a planned level and was moved from position 561. The receptacles 420 and 560 can operate alternately in this sense so that at any time during operation of the bottle washer, a receptacle is positioned at position 561 and can receive material.

The embodiment of the 4 and 5 is particularly advantageous in combination with the embodiments according to the Fig. 1 to 3 , Particularly preferably, the collecting container of Fig. 4 or the collection of the Fig. 5 in connection with the embodiment of the Fig. 2a to 2c used and act here as the previously described collection container 270. Thus, both the sorting out of defective bottles from the input area 110 of the bottle washing machine and the further removal of the bottles thus removed or other materials can be fully automatic, which means considerable relief for the operator.

In the Fig. 5 This embodiment may refer to a rail 570. This rail may be realized as a physical rail and form, for example, a linear drive in combination with the catch containers 420 and 560, or the individual catch containers may be moved along the rail by suitable drive means, preferably electric motors. Alternatively, however, a more flexible movement of the collecting container can be realized by optical guidance systems or by completely autonomous driving systems, which allow in principle any movement of the collecting container through a workshop in which the bottle cleaning machine is set up. Thus, the collecting container can not only be used with the bottle washing machine, but also also collect material on other machines and then perform this closed the emptying station. In such a case, it may be provided that, for example, devices which do not only supply material from the bottle cleaning machine (see the robot arm according to FIGS Fig. 1 to 3 ), but also from other machines, such as recycling plants or Preformherstellungsanlagen or labeling, with the collection containers are in such a data exchange that these facilities can contact the collection container and this is then moved as needed to a corresponding machine.

In the preceding embodiments, it was always assumed that the robot arm is in principle able to remove all recognized "defective" bottles (broken glass or even overturned bottles) from the entry area 110. However, the robot arm is limited in its performance (number of processed bottles per time unit).

If a large number of defective bottles, for example more than 10 broken bottles at a time, are detected by a recognition device 121 in a part of the input area 110, this may indicate that there is a problem upstream of the entrance area 110 that is due to its limited performance can not be resolved. Such a problem may be, for example, in the task of a group of destroyed bottles (also glass scrap pallet) or even in a malfunction of a unpacker upstream of the transport device 111.

Regardless of what causes the increased number of defective bottles, provision may be made for the control unit 190 to transport the bottles into the cleaning machine stops, for example, by the transport of further bottles is stopped by the transport device. This procedure can be triggered, for example, if a number of defective bottles (here in particular bottles with broken glass) is detected by all or at least one of the intended detection devices simultaneously or in a short time interval (for example 20s, 30s or 1min), which is the maximum of the robot arm workable number of bottles in this time interval or exceeds a predetermined limit (eg more than 5, 10 or 15 bottles per minute).

In addition, a warning signal triggered by activation of an acoustic (loudspeaker) or optical (alarm light) unit can be output by means of the control unit, which can alert an operator to the problem and cause it to take further steps. For example, after the transport of the bottles has been stopped, the operator may manually remove the defective bottles from the entrance area and eliminate the malfunction (eg, at the unpacker upstream of the conveyor 111) before resuming operation.

Claims (12)

Bottle cleaning machine for cleaning bottles in the beverage processing industry, comprising a transport device for the disorderly, stationary transport of bottles in a mass flow to an input area of the bottle washing machine, wherein in or in front of the entrance area a recognition device for detecting a defective and / or overturned bottle and in the entrance area Robot arm are arranged with a gripping element, wherein a control unit can receive information about a defective and / or overturned bottle from the detection device and control the robot arm to erect the defective and / or overturned bottle or remove it from the transport device. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises a camera which is arranged above the transport means and whose optical axis is perpendicular to a transport plane defined by the transport means, in which the bottles are transported, extends. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the robot arm comprises at least two joints and / or the range of movement of the robot arm extends over the entire width of the transport device. Bottle cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the robot arm is attached to a holder, wherein the holder is arranged next to or above the transport path. Bottle washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit is designed to control the robot arm to remove a defective bottle from the transport device and erect a folded, not defective bottle and keep in the transport device. Bottle washing machine for cleaning bottles in the beverage industry with a conveyor for the disorderly, stationary transport of bottles in a mass flow to an input area of the bottle washing machine, wherein the bottle washing machine is associated with a sorted bottle catcher comprising a level sensor, wherein the collecting container is formed, when reaching a predefined level, output a signal indicative of the level. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 6, wherein the signal is an acoustic, optical or electronic signal. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the level sensor is designed as a balance. Bottle cleaning machine according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the collecting container is formed as an autonomous, mobile carriage, which drive in response to the signal to a discharge station, the bottles passed to this and can return to the bottle washing machine. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 9, wherein the bottle washing machine are associated with at least two collecting containers, wherein the collecting containers can automatically control their movement so that at any time a collecting container for receiving sorted bottles is positioned. Bottle cleaning machine according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the bottle cleaning machine comprises a detection device and a robot arm, and a control unit according to one of claims 1 to 5 and the robot arm is adapted to transfer defective bottles to the collecting container. Bottle cleaning machine according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the one or more collecting containers are arranged on rails that connect at least the bottle washing machine and the emptying station along a closed path, that the collecting container from the bottle washing machine on the emptying station to the bottle washer back, the rails a form a closed curve.

Images