EP3546381A1 - Container treatment station and method for the treatment and/or controlling of the temperature of containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a container treatment station (1) and a method for the treatment and / or the temperature control of containers (10). The container treatment station (1) comprises a shrink tunnel (4) for tempering containers (10) which are each provided with equipment elements (11) which can be applied or applied to the respective container outer lateral surfaces (45). The container treatment station (1) comprises a shrink tunnel housing (20) having a housing interior (22), an entry region (24) and an exit region (25) for the containers (10) and a transport section (26) for transporting the containers (10) in one Transport direction (TR). With a supply line (50), which is part of a steam distributor (52), tempered steam in the housing interior (22) is passed. Within the shrink tunnel, steam outlets (56) for pressurizing the housing interior (22) and / or the conveyed containers (10) with tempered steam are arranged. At least some of the steam outlets (56) are arranged at a variable height level with respect to the containers (10) transported within the shrink tunnel casing (20). The height level is matched to a region of the containers (10) in which the respective equipment elements (11) are located. The steam outlets (56) arranged in fluid communication with the feed line (50) and / or the steam outlets (22) arranged in the housing interior (22) (52) is arranged on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing (20).

Description

The present invention relates to a container treatment station, which is in particular part of a container treatment device or forms a portion of such, and comprising a shrink tunnel for controlling the temperature of containers, having the features of independent claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to a method for treatment and / or Temperature control of containers within a shrink tunnel, in particular within a container treatment apparatus and / or machine, with the features of the independent method claim.

Containers that are produced and filled immediately afterwards with a content are usually marked in such a way that the contents can be seen without opening the container, or that clear indications of the content therein are attached to the container. For this purpose, for example, labels are applied to the outside of the container, which name the content contained in the container and optionally provide further information. As labels traditionally those of paper or a similar sheet material are used, which are adhesively attached to the outside of the container via an adhesive.

Furthermore, it is known to print the information directly on the outside of the container, which can be done with so-called. Direct printing. Another possibility of container labeling consists in the application of shrink labels each designed as a wrap-around label. In this case, the container is positioned within the shrink label by the shrink-on sleeves molded shrink labels are placed over the container. Subsequently, the containers thus prepared pass through a shrink tunnel, in which the film of the shrink sleeve contracts under the action of heat and applies to the outer circumferential surface of the container.

The publication DE 10 2012 207 538 A1 describes a method and apparatus for adhering shrink sleeves to containers. The shrink sleeves placed on the containers are anchored to the containers during transport of the containers by selective shrinking in a shrink-on region of the shrink sleeves with at least one heated band in contact with the containers. Under a Tacking the shrink sleeves is to be understood as being anchored to the respective containers such that the shrink sleeves can be completely shrunk in a separate production step downstream of the heated tape. Accordingly, a selective shrinkage means that only a portion of the shrink sleeves is shrunk to the respective container. The anchoring causes the shrink sleeves at least can not fall off the containers. Preferably, the shrinkage region of the shrink sleeves is fixed by the anchoring already in its final position on the containers. The energy input into the shrink sleeves can be reduced compared to a full shrinking and disrupted production interruptions by canceling the contact and interrupting the heat conduction in a simple, fast and reliable. As a result, overheating of the shrink sleeves can be avoided both during normal operation and during production disruptions.

The Utility Model DE 91 16 105 U1 describes a device for the continuous application of shrink sleeves on the closure ends of vessels. So that the function of the shrink sleeve is ensured in any case, it must be ensured that the film sleeve on the way from the attachment station to passing through the shrinking device maintains its predetermined position, that does not slip on the associated vessel. The known device comprises a placement station for placing the shrink sleeves on the closure ends and a transport device for transporting the vessels from the attachment station to a shrinking station, in which the shrink sleeves are shrunk onto the closure ends. There are provided from below to the shrink sleeves, extending along the transport means supporting means for guiding the shrink sleeves in a predetermined height position provided so that the vessels on the way from the attachment station to the shrinking station by a guide means with a direction transverse to the transport direction force on the side Supporting means are acted upon. The support means comprise support elements which, during the transport of the vessels, are continuously applied at least partially to the peripheral contour of the vessels in order to prevent the shrink sleeves from slipping off.

The publication DE 10 2013 208 589 A1 discloses a device for labeling containers and for attaching shrink sleeves to containers. The apparatus comprises a labeling machine having a first pitch, the labeling machine being adapted to apply labels to the containers. moreover The device comprises a conveyor belt arranged after the labeling machine and adapted to transport containers thereon at a speed. An arranged after the labeling machine Einteilschnecke is designed to bring the transported by the conveyor belt container to a second pitch of a subsequent shrink sleeve assembly, wherein the shrink sleeve assembly is adapted to transfer shrink sleeves to the container. The apparatus may subsequently comprise a shrink sleeve positioning device to the shrink sleeve assembly, the positioning device comprising at least two downstream speed drivable belts adapted to engage opposite sides of containers and to transfer the shrink sleeves from an initial position to an end position. Depending on the position and height at which a shrink sleeve is to be arranged on a container (end position) and in which position and height the shrink sleeve assembly has applied the shrink sleeve (starting position), the two conveyor belts are in a corresponding orientation, so they interpret it are to spend the shrink sleeves in a desired position. By means of the pressurization of the positioned shrink sleeve with hot air from a hot air nozzle, a prefixing of the shrink sleeve takes place in the desired position. Within a subsequent heating tunnel or steam tunnel the final shrinkage of the shrink sleeve takes place on the container.

In view of the devices and methods known from the prior art, it may be considered a primary object of the invention to provide a container treatment station for fixing equipment elements such as shrink sleeves or the like. on containers, in particular for a subsequent container treatment, in connection or during such, which may be meant as a heat and / or steam shrinkage process, further improve.

The above object is achieved by a container treatment station and a method for the treatment and / or handling and / or for temperature control of containers, in particular equipped with equipment elements containers, comprising the features in the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

The invention relates to a container treatment station, which is in particular part of a container treatment device and / or machine or forms a subsection of such. The container treatment station comprises a Shrink tunnel for tempering containers, which are each provided with on the respective container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces attachable or applied equipment elements.

The containers may be, for example, bottles, cans or the like made of either glass, plastic, metal or other suitable material. The containers have, in particular, a bottom side and an upper side. As a rule, the containers have a filling opening at the top or in an upper area. Between the bottom side and the top is the subsequent to be provided with a trim element container outer side and / or container outer lateral surface. The supplied containers can be empty, for example, and can only be filled and closed in a subsequent process step. Alternatively, already filled and sealed containers can be supplied.

The equipment elements are preferably so-called shrink labels, which consist of a so-called shrink film. This refers to foils that contract strongly under the action of heat and / or steam. Under a strong contraction is understood in this context, at least a length reduction, which allows a firm adhesion of the initially loosely pushed over the container shrink sleeves on the container shell surfaces. Such shrink films are particularly efficient because they nestle closely around the packaged goods, such as the containers, and adapt to the outer contour. Biaxial and monoaxial shrink films are industrially available, which differ in the direction in which the films deform. Monoaxial films shrink unilaterally, i. in a direction of material, while biaxial films shrink on both sides or in different shrinking or extending directions of the material. The shrink labels used can hereby partially be arranged around the outer side of the container and / or container outer lateral surface reaching around the containers or can encompass the container outer lateral surface completely.

Preferably, the shrink labels are provided in the form of thin-walled and / or consisting of tubular film sections sleeves or shrink sleeves, which are turned up from the top of the container and enclose the container outer side and / or outer container outer surface at least partially all-around or teilumfänglich. The shrink sleeves can be designed as a so-called full sleeves, extending from the bottom side of the container or almost the bottom side of the Container all the way towards the top of the container around the container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces extend. In particular, the full sleeves can extend to slightly above a shoulder region of the container.

The invention relates in particular to equipment elements in the form of so-called Teilleeves, which surround the container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces in the finished product only partially. In particular with respect to a container longitudinal axis, the container outer sides and / or respective container outer lateral surfaces are only partially covered or covered by the partial sleeve. When using a partial sleeve, the containers are preferably not covered by the component sleeve in a lower region of the container outer sides and / or outer container lateral surfaces and / or in an upper region of the container outer sides and / or outer container lateral surfaces. In particular, such a partial sleeve usually does not end flush with the respective container.

In a first step, which does not belong to the present invention, the containers are fed to an application module which serves to provide and / or equip the respective outer container sides and / or outer container lateral surfaces with equipment elements at least in regions. For example, tube sleeves are slipped or shot over the containers from above. Subsequently, the equipment elements are preferably held in a desired position on the container and / or fixed and / or stabilized, in particular while the containers are transported with the positioned equipment elements to a downstream in the transport direction shrink tunnel. It can be provided that the containers undergo a prefixing. For example, by means of electrical heating means, preferably formed by a hot air blower or the like, at least a selective prefixing before entering the container in the shrink tunnel achieved by the hot air or similar hot medium acted upon area of the respective equipment element by the hot air at least selectively adhering to the container is connected. This prevents that in the shrink tunnel to be carried out final shrinkage and / or fixation of the equipment elements on the containers, they can slip relative to the containers.

Within the shrink tunnel, the containers, together with the respectively attached thereto and / or applied equipment elements with a shrinking agent, in particular with steam, applied, whereby the effect of steam in their adhesion to the Reinforced containers and / or at least circumferentially around the container shrinking equipment elements fixed to the containers and / or mechanically secured. Steam is in this case the preferred shrinkage medium or shrinkage medium, since the steam acting and acting as a heat transfer medium is a very good heat transfer medium and brings about a homogeneous transfer of energy, which leads to particularly reproducible and uniform shrinkage results.

The shrink tunnel comprises a shrink tunnel housing with at least one housing interior, an inlet region for the containers, an outlet region for the containers and at least one transport section extending between the inlet region and the outlet region and inside the housing. In particular, the containers provided with equipment elements are conveyed in a transport direction from the inlet region to the outlet region through the shrink tunnel and in the process are acted upon by a shrinkage agent. The transport section can, for example, comprise a suitable horizontal conveyor device for transporting the containers through the shrink tunnel and / or through the housing interior of the shrink tunnel housing.

The shrinking agent is in particular steam, preferably steam, in particular wet steam. For certain applications, however, it may be necessary to use dry steam with a liquid content of less than ten percent by weight of water as the shrinkage medium. For certain applications, it may also be necessary that no steam, but another suitable steam is used.

For supplying the shrinking medium, in particular the steam in the shrink tunnel at least one at least partially outside and / or within the shrink tunnel housing extending supply line for feeding tempered or temperature-controlled steam is provided in the housing interior. The at least one supply line is in fluid communication with at least one steam distributor or is part of such a steam distributor.

Within the shrink tunnel, in particular in the housing interior, steam outlets are provided which are in fluid communication with the at least one steam distributor and / or with the at least one supply line. About the steam outlets of the housing interior and / or located within the shrink tunnel housing and / or transported on the transport section through the shrink tunnel housing equipped with equipment elements container with the appropriate temperature steam is applied. At least some of the Vapor outlets are located at at least one variable and / or adjustable height level with respect to the containers transported within the shrink tunnel housing. In particular, the height level is matched to a region of the container in which the respective equipment elements are located.

The steam distributor is assigned to or arranged on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing. This is particularly advantageous since, when the shrinking tunnel is paused and cooled down, a certain amount of condensate normally arises, which would accumulate in the supply lines to the steam outlets in the case of a steam distributor arranged in the lower region of the shrinking tunnel. This could lead to corrosion of components of the shrink tunnel. Condensate formed within the shrink tunnel is collected in a lower sump and collected or automatically removed from the shrink tunnel interior via a suitable drain.

The invention further relates to a method for the treatment and / or the temperature control of containers within a shrink tunnel, in particular within a container treatment apparatus and / or machine, the method comprising at least the following method steps: First, containers are provided, each equipped with equipment elements with the equipment elements applied to the respective container outer and / or outer container lateral surfaces. These are introduced into a housing interior within a shrink tunnel housing of the shrink tunnel and transported in a transport direction through the housing interior. In this case, the interior of the housing and / or the container conveyed through it are tempered with steam, which is fed into the housing interior. The tempered steam is delivered through arranged in the housing interior steam outlets, wherein the steam outlets are each in fluid communication with the arranged on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing steam distributor and wherein at least some of the steam outlets in at least one, with respect to a position of each transported through the shrink tunnel housing container are arranged variably adjustable height level. The height level is matched to a region of the container in which the respective equipment elements are located.

Alternatively, the features described below can also be implemented independently of one another and can therefore be viewed individually as independent inventive aspects.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the at least one steam distributor has at least one distributor channel extending or attached to an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing or being formed by such a distributor channel. The distribution channel preferably extends substantially along the entire length of the shrink tunnel and has direct connections along the entire length of the shrink tunnel to the steam outlets, which are also arranged substantially along the entire length of the shrink tunnel. For controlling the admission of the steam outlets with steam from the steam distributor or the distribution channel, this is preferably equipped with controllable valves and / or with controllable or adjustable shut-off devices for the variable admission of at least some of the steam outlets.

According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that the shrink tunnel, with which the method is carried out, has a modular construction. In particular, the shrink tunnel housing is formed by at least two adjoining in the transport direction and in the transport direction of the container successive housing parts. It is preferable to use at least two housing modules of the same or different size and / or length which can be connected to one another or, if required, be separated from one another. For example, it may be provided to form housing modules in two different lengths, so that customer-specific different desired shrink tunnel lengths can be assembled simply by selecting corresponding housing modules or shrink module units.

In this case, the housing modules or shrinkage module units are preferably assembled in such a way that as few housing modules are used and thus fewer transition areas are formed. The individual housing modules or shrink module units are formed substantially the same. Depending on the products to be processed, it may optionally be provided to form the last housing module of the entire shrink tunnel in the transport direction, for example as a drying device, in order to remove condensate from the containers or at least partially remove the condensate adhering to containers. In this case, the steam distributor and / or the distribution channel extends only to this last housing module, but in particular is not part of the same.

According to a further embodiment, the shrink tunnel has at least one housing opening, which by means of a closure element, if necessary can be closed. Preferably, the housing parts of the housing modules each comprise at least one housing opening, via which access to components in the housing interior of the shrink tunnel is possible. The at least one housing opening of the shrink tunnel can, in particular for the current production operation, be closed by a suitable closure element. The closure element can be designed, for example, as a door or a pivoting flap accessible to the outside of the housing from the outside.

The door or pivoting flap located in the closed and / or locked position covers, in particular, a rectangular housing opening. In the opened position, the closure element can be located in particular in an upwardly pivoted position, wherein a particular horizontal pivot axis is located at or near an upper horizontal longitudinal side or edge of the housing opening. The opening of the closure element, in particular the upward pivoting of the closure element can preferably by means of gas springs or the like. get supported.

The at least one closure element can additionally be equipped with a viewing window in order to provide an insight into the housing interior of the shrink tunnel even during operation. In particular, the closure element of a housing module designed as a drying device can be equipped with a viewing window in order to allow the user a simple optical control of the shrinkage result. According to one embodiment, it is provided that each of the at least two housing modules is in each case equipped with a closure element in the form of a door or a pivoting flap.

The aforementioned valves and / or shut-off devices of the steam distributor and / or distribution channel can in particular be actuated jointly or separately and / or influenced in their different opening states by means of at least one control device remote from the valves and / or shut-off devices. According to one embodiment, the housing interior is subdivided into at least two shrinkage sections or shrink tunnel sections arranged in succession in the transport direction, each with a different temperature of the steam applied. In particular, it may be provided that the steam supply in individual sections of the shrink tunnel, in particular in each case formed by a housing module sections, can be controlled and adjusted separately via the valves and / or shut-off devices.

The steam outlets or a part or some of the steam outlets may for example be arranged in a row which extends through the shrink tunnel parallel to the transport direction of the containers. For example, it can be provided that at least some of the steam outlets arranged within the shrink tunnel housing are formed by nozzles or bores on one side of a channel or vapor beam equipped with a plurality of similar and juxtaposed nozzles or bores. The channel or steam bar is connected to the steam distributor and / or distribution channel in such a way that it is supplied with steam through it. In particular, it is provided that at least two channels or steam bars are arranged on opposite sides of the transport path for the containers through the shrink tunnel and extend substantially over the entire length of the shrink tunnel parallel to the transport direction of the container. The vapor outlets are each formed on the side of the channels or steam bars directed towards the transport path.

In this case, it can also be provided that at least some of the steam outlets are designed to be adjustable within the housing interior, in particular by means of a channel or steam beam which is adjustable in each case. The adjustment takes place in particular in the vertical direction and / or in the horizontal direction (or with horizontal and / or vertical directional or adjustment components) and serves to adapt the arrangement of the steam outlets within the shrinking tunnel product specific. In particular, the size and / or shape of the container as well as the arrangement of the equipment elements on the containers play a role.

It is preferably provided that the adjustment takes place synchronously in relation to the transport path opposite channels or steam bars. In particular, the adjusting mechanisms are coupled in such a way that, in the case of vertical adjustment, the at least two coupled channels or steam bars are arranged and adjusted in respectively equal height levels with respect to a transport surface for the containers or with respect to the equipment elements attached to the containers. In the case of the vertical adjustment, a rectified movement of the motion-coupled channels or steam bars thus takes place. In the case of horizontal adjustment, on the other hand, an oppositely directed movement of the motion-technically coupled channels or steam bars takes place, in particular a feed movement, in which the distance between the two channels or steam bars is reduced or a movement away from each other, in which the distance between the two channels or steam bar is increased.

In order to enable the vertical and / or horizontal adjustment, the steam outlets, in particular the channel or steam bar with steam outlets, associated with adjustment, the manual or motor operated and / or actuated by means of accessible from outside the shrink tunnel housing and / or driven actuators and / or adjusting elements are. Here, for example, first adjusting elements for the horizontal adjustment and second adjusting elements for the horizontal adjustment are available. For example, the adjusting elements for the respective adjustable steam outlets on motor or by manual actuation adjustable spindle drives or are formed by such. Other adjustment elements known to those skilled in the art can also be used accordingly. For example, the horizontal adjustment by means of lifting column or chain drive is possible. In any case, it is important that the adjustment elements are accessible and adjustable from outside the shrink tunnel housing, so that the operator or plant operator of the shrink tunnel does not have to reach into the shrink tunnel for the adjustment. Thus, it is not necessary to wait for an adjustment until the shrink tunnel has cooled down accordingly in order to be able to work safely.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that at the shrink tunnel housing a leading out of the housing interior suction for sucking spent and / or after treatment of the container cooled and / or not required for the treatment of the container steam is connected. The extraction of steam in the ongoing production operation is particularly important in order to avoid overheating of the shrink tunnel. According to one embodiment, the suction device is assigned at least one suction opening leading out from the housing interior of the shrinking tunnel. This can be assigned, for example, a manually or motor-operated and / or remotely controllable shut-off valve or a manually or motor-operated and / or remotely controllable shut-off valve with a variable valve opening cross-section in order to be able to specifically control a discharge of condensate. The suction device may in particular be associated with a suction fan or a plurality of suction fans whose extraction volume flow may preferably be variably controlled so as to be able to influence and control the heat output from the shrink tunnel as required.

A further aspect is an illumination device that illuminates the interior of the housing of the shrink tunnel at least in sections and / or with variable or adjustable illuminance. This is preferably provided by at least one transparent and / or largely translucent profile, in particular a transparent line, inside the shrink tunnel housing Light-emitting diodes or other bulbs formed. The illumination device is preferably arranged in an upper region of the shrink tunnel housing, in particular in an area above the container transported through the shrink tunnel, and preferably extends through the entire length of the shrink tunnel. Within such a transparent line, for example, an LED strip is arranged. It is a flexible printed circuit board, which is equipped by surface-mounted light-emitting diodes and other components, which are usually provided with an adhesive backing.

In particular, in such LED strips, a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) are arranged in a row one behind the other, which may in particular mean an arrangement parallel to the transport direction leading through the shrink tunnel. The bulbs and the associated electrical system, especially lines, etc., are protected by the arrangement of the bulbs within the profile from the vapor. The profile is formed from a suitable material which withstands high humidity, in particular in combination with high temperatures, for example polycarbonate or the like. In order not to exceed the maximum temperature compatibility of the lamps, the lighting device can be connected, for example, to the above-described or otherwise configured suction of steam from the housing interior of the shrinking tunnel. The connection to the suction takes place in such a way that ambient air is sucked in to cool the lighting means of the lighting device.

Due to the loading of the provided with equipment elements container with steam can form condensate on the containers, which can interfere with the further processing of the container within the container treatment device and / or container treatment machine. For this reason, it may be provided that the shrink tunnel housing is assigned a blower device which acts on the interior of the housing and / or the containers conveyed therein at least in sections with blowing air and / or drying air.

Alternatively and / or additionally, the shrink tunnel housing may be assigned a heating and / or drying device which acts on the interior of the housing and / or the containers conveyed therein at least in sections with electromagnetic radiation of an infrared wavelength range. In particular, the section of the shrink tunnel in which a blower or other heating and / or drying device is arranged is not connected to the steam distribution. The respective heating and / or drying device is arranged, in particular, at a height relative to the container, at which condensate preferably forms and / or accumulates, for example at a height that corresponds to the position of the equipment elements on the container. Also in this case it can be provided that at least two opposing heating and / or drying devices are provided, between which the containers are passed.

Analogous to the adjustment of the channels or steam bars can be provided that the position of the heating and / or drying devices can also be adjusted depending on the product variable, the adjustment preferably can also be done from outside the housing interior of the shrink tunnel, for example by means of adjusting mechanisms, as in the Related to the adjustment of the channels or steam bars have been described. When using electromagnetic radiators (i.e., emitters emitting electromagnetic waves) care should be taken to choose a wavelength that will not damage the material of the containers and equipment and, in particular, does not overheat or otherwise adversely affect. Particularly suitable for the purposes mentioned, electromagnetic emitters have proven with a power of about 7.2 kW / m, since the adhering to the containers condensate evaporates particularly well when using or the use of infrared radiation having a wavelength of about 3 microns ,

According to one embodiment, as already described, provision is made for the housing interior of the shrink tunnel to be subdivided into at least two shrinkage sections arranged consecutively in the transport direction, each with a different vapor temperature loading. In particular, the housing interior is subdivided into at least one first shrinkage section and at least one second shrinkage section. In the first shrinkage section are the undergoes a pre-shrinkage on the respective outer and / or outer container shell surfaces.

In particular, the containers with the equipment elements are in this case heated in the first shrinkage section by the housing interior of the shrinking tunnel is subjected to steam, so that in the housing interior of the first shrinkage section, a chamber temperature between about 60 ° C and about 85 ° C prevails or prevails. Subsequently, the containers are subjected to a final shrinkage in the at least one second shrinkage section, wherein the containers are heated with the equipment elements in the second shrinkage section by the housing interior of the shrinking tunnel is subjected to steam, so that in the housing interior of the second shrinkage section, a chamber temperature between about 85 ° C and about 105 ° C or prevails.

The different chamber temperatures are achieved, for example, by supplying the first shrinkage section with steam from the second shrinkage section via a supply line. This has a lower pressure than the steam which is introduced from the printing station directly into the second shrinkage section. In addition, the steam passed from the first shrinking section to the second shrinking section is typically at a reduced temperature because it has already delivered some of its heat energy to the containers as well as to casing parts that have come in contact with the steam.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the containers subsequently pass through a third shrinkage section and / or drying section within the shrink tunnel or to the shrink tunnel, where the containers, together with the equipment elements located thereon, are subjected to tempered blown air and / or electromagnetic radiation of an infrared wavelength range to form condensate to remove on the containers and / or equipment elements.

It should be expressly mentioned at this point that all aspects and variants, which have been explained in connection with the device according to the invention or will become hereafter, can equally relate to or be part of the inventive method. Therefore, if at some point in the description or in the claim definitions for the device according to the invention of certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects the speech is, this applies equally to the inventive method. Conversely, the same applies, so that all aspects and variants which have been explained in connection with the method according to the invention or will become in the following section, equally part of the device according to the invention or may be. Therefore, if at some point in the description or in the claim definitions for the method according to the invention of certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects is mentioned, this applies equally to the inventive device.

The following statements again summarize some aspects of the invention previously explained in various embodiments, concretizing some aspects, but should not be contradicted by the statements already made, but in synopsis, if necessary, as more specific embodiments and / or modifications. Thus, as already mentioned several times, the inventive method for equipping containers with equipment elements obey the procedure described below. A container treatment station, which is suitable and equipped for preparing the containers for the subsequent implementation of the method according to the invention, may in particular comprise an application module and a fixing module arranged downstream in a transport direction of the container. The containers are preferably conveyed via a suitable transport device, for example an endless conveyor or the like. transported in the transport direction by the container treatment station.

Subsequently, the containers are fed to the fixing module at a defined distance on the transport device from the upstream application module. The containers are laterally secured in particular by means of guide struts or other suitable guide elements against tilting or effectively prevented from tilting and so passed through the fixing module. The guide struts are attached, for example via clamping connections on or adjacent to the transport device. In particular, it is provided that parallel, the transport width of the transport means limiting guide struts are deliverable against each other in dependence on the size of the respective used or processed containers in order to adjust the transport width of the transport device, if necessary, to the respective products.

The containers have a bottom surface, an upper surface and a container closure. Under the concept of container outer sides and / or Container outer jacket surfaces are to be understood in particular as the areas or sections between the bottom surface and top side, which have a vertical extension in most container shapes. The application module serves to provide containers and to provide the containers provided at their respective container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces with equipment elements. The equipment elements described here are, for example, shrink sleeves which are formed, in particular, by thin-walled sleeves and / or sleeves consisting of tubular film sections which are applied to the containers or slipped over the containers. For example, the shrink sleeves are preferably supplied from above and slipped over the container.

The shrink sleeves, which can form the equipment elements here, may for example be designed as so-called full sleeves, wherein a so-called full sleeve preferably extends from the lateral boundary of the bottom surface of the container at least largely up to the lateral boundary of the top of the container and thus the lateral Container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces of the container completely surrounds and flush with the floor. Furthermore, the shrink sleeves can also be designed as a partial sleeve, wherein the partial sleeve surrounds the container in the finished product only partially in the area of the lateral container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces and in particular does not cover the container in a lower region and / or in an upper region. A Teilleeve may be characterized in particular by the fact that although it surrounds the container circumferentially, but it does not close flush with the floor of the respective container.

The shrink tunnel through which the containers provided with the partial sleeves or full sleeves or with other equipment elements serve, in particular, for the temperature control of the containers which are provided with equipment elements on the respective outer container sides and / or outer container lateral surfaces for shrinking the equipment elements onto the containers. The shrink tunnel includes a shrink tunnel housing surrounding a housing interior. Furthermore, there is at least one entry area for the containers and at least one exit area for the containers and at least one transport section extending between the entry area and the exit area for conveying the containers through the shrink tunnel in a transport direction directed from the entry area to the exit area.

Preferably, a shrink tunnel consists of a plurality of shrink module units, which are formed substantially the same. It can be provided to provide the shrink module units in two different lengths, so that customer-specific different desired shrink tunnel lengths can be easily assembled by selecting appropriate shrink module units.

Under certain circumstances, it may be provided that a deviating shrink module module is arranged directly in front of the outlet region, which may comprise, for example, a drying device.

The shrink tunnel housing, in particular each shrink module unit comprises at least one housing opening, via which access to components in the housing interior of the shrink tunnel is possible. The at least one housing opening of the shrink tunnel can, in particular for the current production operation, be closed by a door or another suitable closure element, this door preferably by means of gas springs or the like. supportive can be opened upwards. In addition, the doors can be equipped with a viewing window to provide an insight into the housing interior of the shrink tunnel during operation. In particular, the door can be equipped with a viewing window in the transport direction last shrink module unit to allow the user a simple optical control of the shrinkage result.

At least partially outside and / or within the shrink tunnel housing extends at least one supply line for feeding tempered or temperature-controlled steam into the housing interior of the shrink tunnel. The supply line is in fluid communication with at least one vapor distributor in the housing interior and / or is part of the same. Furthermore, in the housing interior with the at least one vapor distributor and / or with the at least one supply line in fluid communication, arranged in the housing interior vapor outlets provided to the housing interior and / or in particular located on the transport section of the inside of the shrink tunnel housing and / or through the shrink tunnel housing transported container with tempered or steamable steam to apply. The steam is preferably water vapor, in particular wet steam. For certain applications, it may be necessary to dry steam with a Liquid content of less than ten percent by weight to use water. For certain applications, it may also be necessary to use no pure water vapor, but another suitable vapor, which may be formed, for example, by a mixture of gaseous water with other mixture components.

In this case, it is provided that at least some of the steam outlets are arranged in at least one variable and / or adjustable height level with respect to the containers transported within the shrink tunnel housing. In this case, the height level of the steam outlets can in particular be matched in each case to a region of the containers in which the respective equipment elements are located.

The steam distributor preferably comprises at least one distribution channel. This distribution channel is preferably assigned to or arranged on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing. A printing station for measuring and / or adjusting the necessary vapor pressure may also be arranged in an upper region of the shrink tunnel. However, the arrangement of a printing station in a lower region of the shrink tunnel is also possible.

With a setting wheel at the printing station, the customer's working pressure can be reduced to the required operating pressure. Furthermore, a pressure gauge may be provided at the printing station, in particular a digital pressure gauge with a feedback function which, when a predefined maximum pressure is exceeded, supplies a signal to a control device of the shrinking tunnel, whereby an emergency stop may be triggered if necessary. In this context, it may be particularly useful to record in writing or in another way the meaningful limits and / or limits determined by experiments and / or observation of preceding process phases and to make them accessible to other persons. For this purpose, it may be useful, for example, to attach a note field outside the steam tunnel, on which results and / or operating parameters are recorded. It is also possible, outside the steam tunnel (ie, an easily accessible outer wall meant) a blotter o. The like. Notepad, book, etc. to install, in which / which all sorts of parameters can be recorded, whereby the reproducibility of the results depending on the container or its operating characteristics can be facilitated or guaranteed. It is preferably provided that the vapor pressure within the individual shrink module unit can be individually regulated and, if necessary, completely switched off.

The steam bars acting as channels are preferably essentially each a tubular profile with a polygonal cross-section, wherein the free ends of the tubular profile are closed vapor-tight on both sides by means of suitable cover plates or the like which are welded to the tube profile, for example. The steam beam has a steam inlet opening, via which the steam beam is connected to the at least one distribution channel and / or the at least one supply line and thus is in fluid communication with this / these / these. Pointing into the interior of the shrink tunnel and directed in particular to the transport device of the transport section for the container, the steam beam comprises a plurality of steam outlets. These can be formed as bores within a side facing towards the transport track side surface of the pipe profile, or be formed by special nozzles, which are in fluidic connection with the limited by the pipe profile interior of the steam beam.

Preferably, at least two steam bars are arranged in parallel and on both sides of the transport path for the containers within a shrink tunnel in order to be able to supply them with steam uniformly from two sides.

The arrangement of the distribution channel above the steam bars with the steam outlets prevents unwanted accumulation of condensate in the distribution channel and / or the at least one supply line when pausing and cooling of the shrink tunnel. Since the steam bars each form the lowest point, the condensate can not accumulate in the distribution channel and / or the at least one supply line to the steam bar. Instead, the condensate can drain into the housing pan of the shrink tunnel. This housing tray is preferably equipped with a discharge line through which the condensate can be removed from the shrink tunnel out. This protects the components inside the housing from corrosion.

By a suitable choice of steam bars, less heat energy is needed for the shrinking process. Various parameters such as container size, wall thickness, temperature of the liquid filled there, film thickness of the equipment elements or sleeves and possibly other container and / or product and / or equipment properties can influence the choice of these parameters. The diameter of the steam outlets, for example the bore diameter, and the length of the respective steam bar can be optimized for the respective product. The steam bars can optionally be adjusted via an external adjustment; by means of the external adjustment can be the steam bars Adjust both vertically and horizontally via spindle mechanisms or other suitable adjustment means from outside the shrink tunnel. Two storage points per steam bar also allow tilting of the steam bars and thus an oblique arrangement.

Optionally, such an adjustment mechanism may comprise two horizontal frame members on which a vertical adjustment mechanism may be arranged to realize a combined movement. The horizontal frame elements run, for example, via plain bearings on two shafts. Preferably, two sliding bearings are provided per frame element and shaft, so that the horizontal adjusting mechanism can comprise a total of eight slide bearings. The shafts may be connected at their free ends to the shrink tunnel housing. For example, the shafts each have threaded holes at their free ends, via which a screwing on the shrink tunnel housing can take place.

Preferably, the maximum travel is sensibly limited. For this purpose, the horizontal adjusting mechanism, for example, four adjusting rings, in particular two adjusting rings per shaft. The collars can, for example, by means of threaded pin with hexagon socket or similar. be attached to the waves. The implementation of an oppositely directed movement of the two frame elements via a threaded spindle with a right-hand thread and a left-hand thread. By turning a hand crank and thus the threaded spindle takes place due to the arranged on the threaded spindle and fixed threaded nuts, which in turn are attached to the frame members, a linear movement of the frame members in the horizontal direction. Since a first of the threaded nuts associated with a first frame member is seated on the right-hand thread and a second of the threaded nuts associated with a second frame member is seated on the left-hand thread, the frame members move toward or away from each other. By means of a mounted on the threaded spindle revolution counter, it is particularly possible to make reproducible adjustments of the horizontal adjustment mechanism. The transport path for the containers is located centrally between the two frame elements.

A vertical adjustment of an operable from outside of the shrink tunnel vertical adjustment mechanism may, for example, consist of a housing and a hood, which protect the installed components and at the same time serve to move a lower sprocket. The hood is down by means of spring, which in one Frame element of the horizontal adjustment mechanism is plugged fixed. In the upper region, the hood and the housing at respectively corresponding position on means for fixing fixing means, for example formed by suitably positioned and dimensioned holes. About the holes, for example, a blind rivet nut, which is arranged on the housing, are screwed with a suitably sized hexagon screw. Preferably, at least one of the holes on the housing and / or on the hood may be formed as a slot to compensate for any tolerances. The housing further has at least one further device for fastening fixing means on the underside and can be screwed onto a respective frame element of the horizontal adjusting mechanism according to the same principle, for example with two blind rivet nuts and one hexagonal screw each.

So that the blind rivet nuts can not rotate, they preferably have an external hexagon. The cutouts for these are adjusted accordingly. On the housing a slide rail for roller chains with attachment is attached, which is also preferably secured with hex screws and corresponding nuts on the housing. A suitable slide is advantageously made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), since this material is very well suited for use in environments with steam up to 150 ° C. Instead of a slide rail and a roller chain can be used. In particular, this is a commercially available roller chain, for example of the type 08 B-1, in which in each case drivers are attached to a part of the outer members. At the entrainment of the holder for the respective steam bar can be fixed, for example by means of hexagon screws and corresponding nuts. The chain of the slide rail or the roller chain is driven by the lower sprocket. This has on both sides of a hub, which in each case must be dimensioned so that the housing together with the hood, the sprocket can be pushed with horizontal adjustment in both directions via a shaft of the vertical adjustment mechanism.

So that the sprocket can still be driven, for example, a suitable shaft-hub connection can be used. Thus, the sprocket can be moved horizontally, the use of a sliding spring on the shaft of the vertical adjustment mechanism is provided. The sliding spring is fixed, for example, via three threaded pins with hexagon socket and corresponding threads in the sliding spring and shaft. The shaft is over plain bearings, which are at guide struts, which are the width limit the transport path and the like, for example on appropriately sized hexagon head screws. bolted, stored. The roller chain of the slide rail or the roller chain is still guided over an upper sprocket. The upper sprocket is positioned on a shaft via a plain bearing bush. The plain bearing bush is fixed on one side via a circlip and on the other side with a collar. The axis is, as the name suggests, a dormant part. The axle is square edged at one end in order to be able to be positioned vertically against rotation in a slot on the housing. The anti-twist device is required because the axle can be adjusted by means of a screw or similar via an internal thread in the axle. is fixed to the housing. In this case, the use of a washer to reduce the surface pressure may be necessary. The slot in the housing in which the axle or the like by loosening the screw. Can be repositioned vertically is needed to get the Losigkeit from the roller chain of the slide rail or the Losigkeit from the roller chain.

Extraction by means of a suitably arranged and dimensioned suction channel may possibly be necessary to prevent the shrink tunnel from overheating. In particular, saturated steam is removed from the housing interior of the shrink tunnel via the optional suction channel. For this purpose, a suction fan is connected to the suction. Optionally, a customer-side suction system can be connected to the suction channel. For this purpose, a corresponding shut-off valve may be provided in the suction line. The suction channel preferably extends over the entire length of the shrink tunnel. The suction channel is preferably arranged in an upper region of the shrink tunnel, above the transport path for the containers and preferably inside the shrink tunnel housing or directly on the shrink tunnel housing.

The setting of the suction is carried out, for example. By means of simple, inexpensive to produce and installable metal flaps. These sheet metal flaps are preferably adjusted manually. The sheet metal flaps can be opened or closed with a crank. In particular, a clockwise rotation of the crank to open the sheet metal door and a counterclockwise rotation to close the sheet metal door (or, if desired, vice versa, if desired). The skilled person is familiar due to his expertise to use this accordingly electronically and / or automatically adjustable flaps or valves. To utilize the waste heat of the extracted steam from the shrink tunnel, the suction can be assigned for example a heat exchanger.

Furthermore, a lighting device can be arranged within the shrink tunnel. If such a lighting device is present, it may be provided in a top region of the shrink tunnel, in particular in a region which is located above the transported through the shrink tunnel container, a transparent and / or largely translucent profile, such as a pipe o.ä. to arrange. The profile or tube preferably extends through the entire length of the shrink tunnel. Within the profile is a plurality of suitable bulbs. For example, an LED strip can be arranged within the profile. It is a flexible circuit board that is populated by surface mount LEDs and other components that are typically backed by an adhesive. In particular, in such LED strips a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) are arranged in a row one behind the other. The bulbs and the associated electrical system, in particular lines, etc., are protected by the arrangement within the profile from the steam. The profile is formed of a suitable material that withstands high humidity in connection with high temperatures, for example polycarbonate or the like.

In order not to exceed the maximum temperature compatibility of the lamps, in particular the LED strip, this can be connected, for example, to the described or otherwise configured suction. The connection to the suction takes place in such a way that ambient air is sucked in to cool the lighting means.

The optional upper cover of the shrink tunnel may in particular be formed in three parts, wherein an upper cover hood can be made removable. For example, the cover, in particular the upper cover hood, attached via snap or clip connections to the shrink tunnel housing, whereby the connection between the cover and the shrink tunnel housing can be easily solved, so that now components in the housing interior of the shrink tunnel are more easily accessible.

For an opening mechanism of the shrink tunnel, the shrink tunnel housing may comprise at least one housing opening, through which access to components in the housing interior is possible. The at least one housing opening of the shrink tunnel can, in particular for the current production operation, by a closure element in the form of a door, a pivoting flap o.ä. be closed, this preferably by means of gas springs or the like. supportive can be opened upwards. As a result, the necessary footprint for the container treatment station can be reduced. In addition, the doors can be equipped with a viewing window to provide an insight into the housing interior of the shrink tunnel during operation.

Furthermore, the shrink tunnel may comprise a drying device, which may optionally be equipped with a heater or with a heating means. Due to the pressurization of the container within the shrinking tunnel with steam for shrinking the equipment elements on the container is usually condensate on the containers, especially in the field of equipment elements when they leave the shrink tunnel. For this reason, it can be provided that the containers provided with an equipment element then pass directly through a drying device in the transport direction to the shrink tunnel.

Alternatively, it may be provided that a corresponding drying module is formed within the shrink tunnel substantially directly in front of the exit region of the shrink tunnel. In this case, it is preferably provided that the region of the drying module is preferably not connected to the vapor distribution. Within the drying device or the drying module, the containers are dried with the moistened equipment elements, for example by means of a blower.

Alternatively or additionally, for example, infrared radiators can be used as heating and / or drying agent. The fans and / or infrared radiators or other suitable heating and / or drying means are preferably arranged at a height relative to the container, which corresponds to the height of the equipment elements on the container. Analogous to the setting of the steam bars, the position of the fans, infrared heaters or similar can be adjusted. can be adjusted depending on the product, wherein the setting can preferably also be done from outside the housing interior of the shrink tunnel, for example by means of adjusting mechanisms, as have been described in connection with the adjustment of the steam beam.

When using infrared radiators, care should be taken to choose a wavelength that does not damage the material of the containers and equipment. Particularly preferred are infrared radiators with a power of about 7.2 kW / m. Condensate evaporates particularly well when using infrared radiation with a wavelength of about 3 microns.

To meet safety standards, an emergency stop button is preferably provided, by means of which the production can be stopped immediately. In order to protect the operator from burns and crushing, the housing openings are correspondingly monitored by sensors and hot components of the shrinking tunnel are suitably insulated. To avoid bumps and cuts, the shrink tunnel is preferably formed without open, sharp corners and edges and hoods or similar means are provided which keep the operator at a distance. To create a comfortable working height, the shrink tunnel can be positioned on a frame. Furthermore, it can be provided that for the transport of the shrink tunnel cross struts are welded between the frame, which serve as a receptacle for forklift tines. Alternatively it can be provided that laterally attached to the shrink tunnel housing eyelets.

Open contacts are isolated to avoid the risk of electric shock. To protect the components of the shrink tunnel from heat damage, the vapor pressure is reduced at a defined temperature.

In order to reduce the waste heat of the shrink tunnel, all the necessary components, such as shrink tunnel housing and fittings, are preferably isolated.

• Fig. 1 zeigt schematisch einen Verfahrensverlauf zum Ausstatten von Behältern mit Ausstattungselementen.
• Fig. 2 zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Schrumpftunnels.
• Fig. 3 zeigt die Dampfzuleitung in einen Schrumpftunnel.
• Fig. 4 zeigt einen Dampfbalken.
• Fig. 5 zeigt die Anordnung und Verstellung von Dampfbalken innerhalb eines Schrumpftunnels.
• Fig. 6 zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines horizontalen Verstellmechanismus.
• Fig. 7 zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines vertikalen Verstellmechanismus.
• Fig. 8A zeigt eine Gleitschiene.
• Fig. 8b zeigt eine Rollenkette.
• Fig. 9 zeigt eine Welle-Nabe-Verbindung.
• Fig. 10 zeigt die Ausbildung und Anordnung eines Absaugkanals.
• Figuren 11 und 12 zeigen Absperrklappen zur Regulierung der zuzuführenden Dampfmenge.
• Fig. 13 zeigt eine Ausführungsform einer Beleuchtung innerhalb des Schrumpftunnels.
• Fig. 14 zeigt eine Ausführungsform einer oberen Abdeckung des Schrumpftunnels.
• Fig. 15 zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines Verschlusselements einer Gehäuseöffnung des Schrumpftunnels.
• Fig. 16 zeigt eine Trocknungseinrichtung.
• Fig. 17 zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines Heizmittels einer Trocknungseinrichtung gemäß Fig. 16.
• Figuren 18 bis 20 zeigen jeweils Details einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines von außerhalb des Schrumpftunnels bedienbaren Verstellmechanismus für die Dampfbalken.

In the following, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with reference to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

• Fig. 1 schematically shows a process flow for equipping containers with equipment elements.
• Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 3 shows the steam supply in a shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 4 shows a steam bar.
• Fig. 5 shows the arrangement and adjustment of steam bars within a shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a horizontal adjustment mechanism.
• Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of a vertical adjustment mechanism.
• Fig. 8A shows a slide rail.
• Fig. 8b shows a roller chain.
• Fig. 9 shows a shaft-hub connection.
• Fig. 10 shows the design and arrangement of a suction channel.
• FIGS. 11 and 12 show butterfly valves to regulate the amount of steam to be supplied.
• Fig. 13 shows an embodiment of a lighting within the shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 14 shows an embodiment of an upper cover of the shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of a closure element of a housing opening of the shrink tunnel.
• Fig. 16 shows a drying device.
• Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a heating means of a drying device according to Fig. 16 ,
• FIGS. 18 to 20 show in each case details of another embodiment of an operable from outside the shrink tunnel adjustment mechanism for the steam beam.

For identical or equivalent elements of the invention, identical reference numerals are used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of how the device or method of the invention may be configured and are not an exhaustive limitation.

The side view of Fig. 1 schematically shows the process flow for equipping containers 10 with equipment elements 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the container treatment station 1 comprises an application module. 2 and a downstream in a transport direction TR of the container 10 fixing module 3. The container 10 via a transport device 5, for example, an endless conveyor o.ä. transported in the transport direction TR by the container treatment station 1. The containers 10 are fed to the fixing module 3 at a defined distance on the transport device 5 from the upstream application module 2. The containers 10 are laterally secured by means of guide struts or other suitable guide elements against tilting and thus guided by the fixing module 3. The guide struts are fastened, for example, via clamping connections on or adjacent to the transport device 5. In particular, it is provided that parallel, the transport width of the transport device 5 limiting guide struts 103 (see also Fig. 9 ) are deliverable against each other depending on the size of the respective containers used 10 to adapt the transport width of the transport device 5 according to the respective products.

The containers 10 have a bottom surface 40, an upper side 41 and a container closure 42. The term outer container sides and / or outer container lateral surfaces 45 are to be understood in particular as the regions between the bottom surface 40 and the upper side 41. The application module 2 serves to provide containers 10 and to equip the containers 10 provided at their respective container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces 45 with equipment elements 11. These are, for example, shrink sleeves 12 which are formed, in particular, by thin-walled and / or tubular film tube sleeves are applied to the container 10 or placed over the container 10. For example, the shrink sleeves 12 are preferably supplied from above and slipped over the container 10.

The shrink sleeves 12 may be formed as so-called full sleeves (not shown), wherein a so-called full sleeve preferably extends from the lateral boundary of the bottom surface 40 of the container 10 at least largely up to the lateral boundary of the top 41 of the container 10 and thus the lateral container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces 45 of the container 10 surrounds completely and flush with the floor. Furthermore, the shrink sleeves 12 may be formed as a Teilleeve 13, the Teilleeve 13 the container 10 in the finished product 15 only partially in the region of the lateral container outer sides and / or outer container outer surfaces 45 surrounds and in particular the container 10 in a lower area 16 and / or in an upper area 17 does not cover, in particular wherein a Teilleeve 13 is not flush with the respective container 10 terminates.

The Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a trained as a shrink tunnel 4 Fixiermoduls 3, and Fig. 3 shows a steam feed into the shrink tunnel 4 Fig. 3 an upper cover 30 or cover hood 31 of the shrink tunnel 4 is removed. The shrink tunnel 4 serves, in particular, for tempering the container 10, which is provided with the equipment elements 11 on the respective container outer sides and / or container outer lateral surfaces 45, for shrinking the equipment elements 11 onto the containers (see FIG Fig. 1 ). The shrink tunnel 4 comprises a shrink tunnel housing 20, which surrounds a housing interior. Furthermore, at least one entry area 24 for the containers 10 and at least one exit area 25 for the containers 10 and at least one transport section 26 extending between the entry area 24 and the exit area 25 are provided for transporting the containers 10 through the shrink tunnel 4 in an entry area 24 to the exit area 25 directed transport direction TR present.

Preferably, a shrink tunnel 4 consists of a plurality of shrink module units 4 *, which are formed substantially the same. It can be provided to provide the shrinkage module units 4 * in two different lengths, so that customer-specific different desired shrink tunnel lengths can be combined simply by selecting corresponding shrink module units 4 *.

Under certain circumstances, it may be provided that a deviating shrink module 4 ** is arranged immediately before the exit region 25, for example, a drying device according to Fig. 16 etc. includes.

The shrink tunnel housing 20, in particular each shrink module 4 *, 4 ** comprises at least one housing opening 145, via which access to components in the housing interior of the shrink tunnel 4 is possible. The at least one housing opening 145 of the shrinking tunnel 4 can, in particular for the current production operation, be closed by a door 141 or another suitable closure element, this preferably being closed by means of gas pressure springs or the like. supportive can be opened upwards. The doors 141 may additionally be provided with a viewing window 143 (cf. Fig. 3 ) to be able to run even during operation To provide insight into the housing interior 22 of the shrink tunnel 4 (see. Fig. 10 ). In particular, the door 141 of the last shrinking module unit 4 *, 4 ** in the transport direction TR can be equipped with a viewing window 143 in order to allow the user a simple optical control of the shrinkage result.

At least in sections, outside and / or inside the shrink tunnel housing 20 extends at least one supply line 50 for feeding tempered or temperature-controlled steam into the housing interior 22. The supply line 50 is in fluid communication with at least one steam distributor in the housing interior 22 and / or is part of the same. Furthermore, in the housing interior 22 with the at least one steam distributor and / or with the at least one supply line 50 in fluid communication, arranged in the housing interior steam outlets provided around the housing interior and / or in particular located on the transport section 7 of the inside of the shrink tunnel housing 20 and / or to be supplied through the shrink tunnel housing 20 transported container 10 with tempered or temperature-controlled steam. The steam is preferably water vapor, in particular wet steam. For certain applications, however, it may be necessary to use dry steam with a liquid content of less than ten percent by weight of water. For certain applications, it may also be necessary that no pure water vapor is used, but another suitable vapor, which may be formed, for example, by a mixture of gaseous water with other mixture components.

In this case, it is provided that at least some of the steam outlets are arranged in at least one variable and / or adjustable height level with respect to the containers transported within the shrink tunnel housing. In this case, the height level of the steam outlets can in each case be matched in each case to a region of the container 10 in which the respective equipment elements 11 are located.

The steam distributor preferably comprises a distribution channel 52. This is preferred - as in particular in Fig. 3 clearly visible - assigned to a top of the shrink tunnel housing 20 or arranged there. A printing station for measuring and / or adjusting the necessary vapor pressure may also be arranged in an upper region of the shrinking tunnel 4. However, the arrangement of a printing station in a lower region of the shrink tunnel 4 is also possible. With a setting wheel at the printing station, the customer's working pressure can be reduced to the required operating pressure. Furthermore, at the printing station a Manometer be provided, in particular a digital pressure gauge with feedback function that delivers a signal to a control device of the shrink tunnel when exceeding a predefined maximum pressure, whereby optionally an emergency stop can be triggered. In this context, it may be particularly useful to record in writing or in another way the meaningful limits and / or limits determined by experiments and / or observation of preceding process phases and to make them accessible to other persons. For this purpose, it may be useful, for example, to attach a note field outside the steam tunnel, on which results and / or operating parameters are recorded. It is also possible, outside the steam tunnel (ie, an easily accessible outer wall meant) a blotter o. The like. Notepad, book, etc. to install, in which / which all sorts of parameters can be recorded, whereby the reproducibility of the results depending on the container or its operating characteristics can be facilitated or guaranteed. It is preferably provided that the vapor pressure within the individual shrinkage module unit 4 * can each be regulated individually and if necessary can also be switched off completely.

The perspective view of the Fig. 4 exemplifies the arrangement of steam outlets 56 on a so-called steam bar 55, and Fig. 5 shows the arrangement and adjustment of steam bar 55 within a shrinkage tunnel 4. The steam bar 55 is substantially each a tube profile 57 with a polygonal cross-section, the free ends of the tube profile 57 on both sides via suitable cover plates 58 or the like For example, are welded to the tube profile 57, are sealed vapor-tight. The steam bar 55 has a steam inlet opening 59, via which the steam bar 55 is connected to the at least one distribution channel 52 and / or the at least one feed line 50 and thus is in fluidic communication with this / these / these. Pointing into the interior of the shrink tunnel and directed in particular to the transport device 5 of the transport section 7 for the containers (not shown), the steam bar 55 comprises vapor outlets 56. These may be formed as bores within a lateral surface of the tubular profile 57 directed towards the transport track, or else are formed by special nozzles (not shown) which are in fluid connection with the interior of the steam beam 55 bounded by the tubular profile 57.

Preferably, within a shrink tunnel 4, at least two steam bars 55 are arranged in parallel and on both sides of the transport path for the containers in order to be able to apply steam to them uniformly from two sides.

The particular in Fig. 3 arrangement of the distribution channel 52 above the steam beam 55 with the steam outlets 56 prevents unwanted accumulation of condensate in the distribution channel 52 and / or the at least one supply line 50 when pausing and cooling of the shrink tunnel 4. Since the steam bars 55 each form the lowest point can the condensate does not accumulate in the distribution channel 52 and / or the at least one feed line 50 to the steam bar 55. Instead, the condensate can drain into the housing pan of the shrinking tunnel 4. This is preferably equipped with a drain (not shown) through which the condensate can be removed from the shrink tunnel 4 out. As a result, the components in the housing interior 22 are protected from corrosion.

By a suitable choice of steam bars 55, less heat energy is needed for the shrinking process. Various parameters such as container size, wall thickness, temperature of the liquid filled there, film thickness of the equipment elements or sleeves and possibly other container and / or product and / or equipment properties can influence the choice of these parameters. The diameter of the steam outlets 56, for example the bore diameter, and the length of the respective steam bar 55 can be optimized for the respective product. The steam bars 55 can optionally be adjusted via an external adjustment, in particular in the FIGS. 5 to 8 is shown. By means of the external adjustment, the steam bars 55 can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally via spindle mechanisms or other suitable adjusting means from outside the shrinking tunnel 4. By two bearing points 60-1, 60-2 per steam bar 55 can also be realized tilting of the steam beam 55 and thus an oblique arrangement.

The FIGS. 6 to 9 show details of different adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the steam beam 55, in particular for product-dependent adjustment of the steam beam 55. So shows the Fig. 6 In particular, an embodiment of an operable from outside of the shrink tunnel 4 horizontal adjustment mechanism 70. The embodiment is shown such that the underside of the adjustment mechanism 70 points upward to better represent the mechanics can. The adjustment mechanism 70 includes two horizontal frame members 71 on which the below described vertical adjustment mechanism 90 can be arranged to realize a combined movement. The horizontal frame elements 71 run via sliding bearing 72 via two Shafts 73, 74. Preferably, two slide bearings 72 are each provided per frame element 71 and shaft 73, 74, so that the horizontal adjustment mechanism 70 comprises a total of eight plain bearings 72. The shafts 73, 74 can at their free ends with the shrink tunnel housing 20 (see. Fig. 2 ) get connected. For example, the shafts 73, 74 at their free ends in each case threaded bores 75, via which a screw on the shrink tunnel housing 20 (see. Fig. 2 ).

Preferably, the maximum travel is limited. For this purpose, the horizontal adjusting mechanism 70, for example, four collars 76, in particular two collars 76 per shaft 73, 74. The collars 76, for example, by means of a threaded pin with hexagon socket o.ä. be mounted on the shafts 73, 74. The implementation of an oppositely directed movement of the two frame members 71 via a threaded spindle 77 with a right-hand thread 78 and a left-hand thread 79. By turning a hand crank 80 and thus the threaded spindle 77 takes place due to the arranged on the threaded spindle 77 and threaded nuts 81, which in turn the frame members 71 are fixed, a linear movement of the frame members 71 in the horizontal direction. Since a first of the threaded nuts 81-1 associated with a first frame member 71-1 is seated on the right-hand thread 78 and a second one of the threaded nuts 81-2 associated with a second frame member 71-2 is seated on the left-hand thread 79 the frame members 71, 71-1, 71-2 toward or away from each other. By means of a mounted on the threaded spindle 77 revolution counter 82, it is particularly possible to make reproducible adjustments of the horizontal adjustment mechanism 70. The transport path (not shown) for the containers is located centrally between the two frame elements 71, 71-1, 71-2.

The perspective detail view of Fig. 7 shows in particular an embodiment of an operable from outside of the shrink tunnel 4 vertical adjustment mechanism 90. The vertical adjustment consists of a housing 91 and a hood 92, which protect the installed components and at the same time serve to move a lower sprocket 93. The hood 92 is fixed at the bottom by means of a spring which is inserted into a frame element 71 of the horizontal adjusting mechanism 70 (cf. Fig. 9 ). In the upper area, the hood 92 and the housing 91 at respectively corresponding position means 94,95 for fixing fixation, for example holes 96. About the holes 96, for example, a blind rivet nut, which is arranged on the housing 91, with an M6 hexagon screw be screwed. Preferably, at least one of the holes 96 on the housing 91 and / or on the hood 92 may be formed as a slot to compensate for any tolerances. The housing 91 further has on the underside at least one further device 97 for attaching fixing means and can be screwed onto a respective frame element 71 of the horizontal adjusting mechanism 70 according to the same principle, for example with two blind rivet nuts and one M6 hexagon screw each.

So that the blind rivet nuts can not rotate, they preferably have an external hexagon. The cutouts for these are adjusted accordingly. On the housing 91, a slide rail 98 is mounted for roller chains with attachment, which is also preferably secured with hex screws and corresponding nuts on the housing 91. A suitable slide rail 98 is shown in FIG Fig. 8A shown and is advantageously made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), since this material is very well suited for use in environments with steam to 150 ° C. Instead of a slide 98 can also be in Fig. 8B roller chain 99 shown by way of example can be used. In particular, this is a commercial roller chain 99, for example of the type 08 B-1, in which each driver 100 are attached to a part of the outer members. At the drivers 100, the holder for the respective steam bar 55 (see. FIGS. 4 and 5 ) are fastened, for example, by means of M4 hexagon screws and corresponding nuts. The chain of the slide rail 98 and the roller chain 99 is driven via the lower sprocket 93. This has on both sides of a hub, which in each case must be dimensioned so that the housing 91 together with the hood 92, the sprocket 93 can be pushed with horizontal adjustment in both directions via a shaft 101 of the vertical adjustment mechanism 90.

So that the sprocket 93 still can be driven, for example, a shaft-hub connection can be used (not shown). Thus, the sprocket 93 can be moved horizontally, the use of a sliding spring on the shaft of the vertical adjustment mechanism is provided. The sliding spring is fixed for example via three threaded pins with hexagon socket and corresponding threads in the sliding spring and shaft 101. The shaft 101 is about plain bearings, which on guide struts, which limit the width of the transport path, for example via M4 hex screws or similar. bolted, stored. The roller chain of the slide rail 98 according to Fig. 8A or the roller chain 99 according to Fig. 8B is still above an upper Sprocket 110 out. The upper sprocket 110 is positioned on a shaft 107 via a plain bearing bush 111. The plain bearing bush 111 is fixed on one side via a locking ring and on the other side with a collar. The axis 107 is, as the name says, a dormant part. The axis 107 is ground square at one end to be able to be positioned vertically in a slot against rotation on the housing 91. The rotation is required because the axis 107 via an internal thread in the axis 107 by means of a screw o. is fixed to the housing 91. In this case, the use of a washer to reduce the surface pressure may be necessary. The slot in the housing 91, in which the axis 107 by loosening the screw o. Can be repositioned vertically is required to get the Losigkeit from the roller chain of the slide rail 98 and the Losigkeit from the roller chain 99.

The perspective view of Fig. 10 shows the formation and arrangement of a suction duct 120. A suction is necessary to prevent the shrink tunnel 4 from overheating. In particular, saturated steam is removed from the housing interior 22 of the shrinking tunnel 4 via the suction channel 120. For this purpose, a suction fan 122 is connected to the suction channel 120. Optionally, a customer-side suction system can be connected to the suction channel 120. For this purpose, a corresponding shut-off valve may be provided in the suction line. The suction channel 120 preferably extends over the entire length of the shrink tunnel 4. The suction channel 120 is preferably arranged in an upper region of the shrink tunnel 4, above the transport path for the containers 10 and preferably inside the shrink tunnel housing 20 or directly on the shrink tunnel housing 20. The adjustment of the suction strength by means of simple, inexpensive to produce and installable metal flaps 124, as you in the FIGS. 11 and 12 are shown. The metal flaps 124 are preferably adjusted manually. The metal flaps 124 can be opened or closed via a crank 125. In particular, a rotational movement of the crank 125 in a clockwise direction to open the sheet metal door 125 and a rotational movement counterclockwise to close the metal flap 125. The skilled person is familiar due to his expertise, this correspondingly and / or automatically adjustable flaps or valves use. To use the waste heat of the steam extracted from the shrink tunnel 4, the suction, for example, a heat exchanger can be assigned.

The perspective detail view of Fig. 13 shows an embodiment of a lighting device 130 within the shrink tunnel 4. It is provided, in an upper region of the shrink tunnel 4, in particular in a region which is located above the transported through the shrink tunnel 4 container 10, a transparent and / or largely translucent profile 132nd , for example, a pipe 133 or the like. to arrange. The profile 132 preferably extends through the entire length of the shrinking tunnel 4. Within the profile 132 are a plurality of suitable bulbs 134, for example, an LED strip 135 is disposed within the profile 132. It is a flexible circuit board that is populated by surface mount LEDs and other components that are typically backed by an adhesive. In particular, in such LED strips 135, a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) are arranged in a row one behind the other. The bulbs 134 and the associated electrical, in particular lines, etc., are protected by the arrangement within the profile 132 from the vapor. The profile is formed of a suitable material that withstands high humidity in connection with high temperatures, for example polycarbonate or the like.

In order not to exceed the maximum temperature compatibility of the light-emitting means 134, in particular of the LED strip 135, this can, for example, in connection with Fig. 10 described or otherwise configured suction connected. The connection to the suction takes place in such a way that ambient air is sucked in to cool the lighting means 134.

The detailed representation of the Fig. 14 shows an embodiment of an upper cover 30 of the shrink tunnel 4. In particular, it is provided to form these three parts, wherein an upper cover hood 31 is designed to be removable. For example, the cover 30, in particular the upper cover hood 31, is fastened to the shrink tunnel housing 20 via latching or clip connections, whereby the connection between the cover 30 and the shrink tunnel housing 20 can be easily released, so that now components in the housing interior of the shrink tunnel 4 are easier to access ,

The detailed representation of the Fig. 15 1 shows an embodiment of an opening mechanism 140 of the shrink tunnel 4. The shrink tunnel housing 20 comprises at least one housing opening 145, via which access to components in the housing interior 22 is possible. The at least one housing opening 145 of the shrinking tunnel 4 can, in particular for the current production operation, by a Closure element in the form of a door 141, a pivoting flap or the like. be closed, this preferably by means of gas springs 142 or similar. supportive can be opened upwards. As a result, the necessary footprint for the container treatment station 1 can be reduced. As in particular in the FIGS. 2 and 3 can be seen, the doors 141 may be additionally equipped with a viewing window 143 to provide even during operation insight into the housing interior 22 of the shrink tunnel 4.

The perspective view of the Fig. 16 shows an embodiment of a drying device 150, and the Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of a heating means of a drying device 150 according to Fig. 16 , Due to the pressurization of the container 10 within the shrink tunnel with steam for shrinking the equipment elements 11 on the container 10, is usually condensate on the containers 10, in particular in the area of the equipment elements 11 when they leave the shrink tunnel. For this reason, it can be provided that the containers 10 provided with an equipment element 11 then pass directly through a drying device 150 in the transport direction TR to the shrink tunnel. Alternatively, it may be provided that essentially directly in front of the exit region 25 of the shrink tunnel 4 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2 ) a corresponding drying module 151 is formed within the shrinking tunnel 4. In this case, it is preferably provided that the region of the drying module 151 is preferably not connected to the vapor distribution. Within the drying device 150 or the drying module 151, the containers 10 are dried with the moistened equipment elements 11, for example by means of a blower 152.

Alternatively and / or additionally, for example, infrared radiators 153 can be used as heating and / or drying agents, such as in Fig. 17 shown. The fans 152 and / or infrared radiators 153 or other suitable heating and / or drying means are preferably arranged at a height relative to the container 10, which corresponds to the height of the equipment elements 11 on the container 10. Analogous to the setting of the steam bar 55, the position of the fan 152, infrared radiator 153 or the like. can be adjusted depending on the product, wherein the setting can preferably also be done from outside the housing interior 22 of the shrink tunnel 4, for example by means of adjusting mechanisms, as have been described in connection with the adjustment of the steam beam 55. When using infrared emitters 153 care should be taken to choose a wavelength that the material the container 10 and equipment elements 11 is not damaged. Particularly preferred are infrared radiators with a power of about 7.2 kW / m. Condensate evaporates particularly well when using infrared radiation with a wavelength of about 3 microns.

The FIGS. 18 to 20 show in each case details of a further embodiment of an operable from outside of the shrink tunnel 4 adjustment mechanism 160 for the steam beam 55. So shows the Fig. 18 in particular the connection between the horizontal and the vertical adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism 160 includes for the vertical adjustment trapezoidal spindles 161, pin 162 and plain bearings 163. The horizontal adjustment is carried out substantially analogously to the embodiment of Fig. 6 The connection between horizontal adjustment and vertical adjustment via bevel gears 164, wherein a first bevel gear 164-1 the trapezoidal spindles 161 of the vertical adjustment mechanism and a second bevel gear 164-2 a shaft 73, 74 of the horizontal Adjustment mechanism is assigned. The position of the bevel gears 164 is determined in particular by feather keys 165 and a locking ring 166.

The perspective detail of the Fig. 19 shows the attachment of the steam beam 55 by means of a steam beam holder 170 on the trapezoidal spindle 161 of the vertical adjustment mechanism via trapezoidal screw 168. The attachment of the steam bar holder 170 of the upper trapezoidal nut 168, for example, as a floating bearing according to Fig. 20 and fixed bearing on the other side of the steam beam 55 be executed. In a floating bearing according to Fig. 20 In particular, a flange bearing 171 is provided. The attachment to the trapezoidal spindle nut 168 takes place in particular via a holding plate 173 by means of blind rivet nuts 172 or other suitable fastening means.

Due to safety standards, an emergency stop button is provided, by means of which the production can be stopped immediately. In order to protect the operator from burns and crushing, the housing openings 145 are correspondingly monitored by sensors and hot components of the shrinking tunnel 4 are suitably insulated. To avoid shocks and cuts, the shrink tunnel 4 is preferably formed without open, sharp corners and edges and hoods or similar means are provided, which keep the operator at a distance. To create a comfortable working height, the shrink tunnel 4 can be positioned on a frame. Furthermore, it can be provided that for the transport of the shrink tunnel 4 cross struts between the frame are welded, which serve as a receptacle for forklift tines. Alternatively, it can be provided that 20 eyelets are laterally attached to the shrink tunnel housing.

Open contacts are isolated to avoid the risk of electric shock. To protect the components of the shrink tunnel 4 from heat damage, the vapor pressure is reduced at a defined temperature.

In order to reduce the waste heat of the shrink tunnel 4, all the necessary components, such as shrink tunnel housing 20 and fittings, are preferably isolated.

The embodiments, examples and variations of the preceding paragraphs, the claims or the following description and the figures, including their various views or respective individual features, may be used independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments as long as the features are not inconsistent.

Finally, at this point, the following statement is made: although in the context of the description of the figures in general of "schematic" representations and views is mentioned, this does not mean that the figure representations and their description with respect to the disclosure of the invention of secondary importance should be. The person skilled in the art is quite capable of taking enough information from the schematic and abstract drawings to facilitate his understanding of the invention, without having to draw from the drawn and possibly not exactly to scale proportions of the containers, the handling elements and / or. or parts of the device or other drawn elements in any way would be impaired in its understanding. The figures thus make it possible for a person skilled in the art as a reader to derive a better understanding of the concept of the invention as formulated in the claims and in the general part of the description more generally and / or more abstractly on the basis of the specifically explained conversions of the method according to the invention and the more specifically explained mode of operation of the device according to the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Container treatment station

2

application module

3

fuser

4

shrink tunnel

4 *, 4 **

Shrink module unit

5

transport means

7

transport section

10

container

11

elements of equipment

12

shrink sleeve

13

Teilsleeve

15

finished product

16

lower area

17

upper area

20

Shrink tunnel housing

22

Housing interior

24

entry area

25

exit area

26

transport section

30

top cover

31

cover hood

40

floor area

41

top

42

container closure

45

Container outside and / or container outer circumferential surface

50

supply

52

distribution channel

55

steam bar

56

Steam outlet, steam outlets

57

tube profile

58

cover

59

Steam inlet port

60-1, 60-2

Bearing point, bearing points

70

horizontal adjustment mechanism

71, 71-1, 71-2

horizontal frame element

72

bearings

73

wave

74

wave

75

threaded hole

76

collar

77

screw

78

right-hand thread

79

left-hand thread

80

winch

81, 81-1, 81-2

threaded nut

82

revolution counter

90

vertical adjustment mechanism

91

casing

92

Hood

93

lower sprocket

94

Device for fixing fixatives

95

Device for fixing fixatives

96

drilling

97

Device for fixing fixatives

98

slide

99

roller chain

100

takeaway

101

wave

107

axis

110

Upper sprocket

111

plain bearing bush

120

suction

122

exhaust fan

124

sheet metal cap

125

crank

130

lighting device

132

profile

133

pipe

134

Lamp

135

LED strip

140

opening mechanism

141

door

142

Gas spring

143

window

145

housing opening

150

drying device

151

drying module

152

fan

153

infrared Heaters

160

adjustment

161

acme screw

162

spigot

163

bearings

164, 164-1, 164-2

bevel gear

165

Adjusting spring

166

circlip

168

Trapezoidal screw nut

170

Steam Bar brackets

171

Bearing

172

blind rivet nut

173

Retaining plate

TR

transport direction

Claims (15)

Container treatment station (1), which is in particular part of a container treatment device or a partial section of such forms, and a shrink tunnel (4) for temperature control of containers (10), each with on the respective outer container outer surfaces (45) can be applied or applied equipment elements (11 ), which container treatment station (1) comprises at least: a shrink tunnel housing (20) having at least one housing interior (22) and an inlet region (24) for containers (10), with at least one outlet region (25) for the containers (10) and at least one between inlet region (24) and outlet region ( 25) and in the housing interior (22) extending transport section (26) for transporting within the shrink tunnel housing (20) to be treated containers (10) in a from the inlet region (24) to the outlet region (25) directed transport direction (TR), - At least one at least partially outside and / or within the shrink tunnel housing (20) extending supply line (50) for feeding tempered or temperature-controlled steam in the housing interior (22), which supply line (50) with at least one vapor distributor (52) is in fluid communication and / or is part of a steam distributor (52), - With the at least one vapor distributor (52) and / or with the at least one supply line (50) in fluid communication, in the housing interior (22) arranged vapor outlets (56) for acting on the housing interior (22) and / or within the shrink tunnel housing ( 20) and / or transported on the transport section (26) through the shrink tunnel housing (20) container (10) with tempered or temperature-controlled steam, wherein at least some of the vapor outlets (56) are disposed at at least one variable and / or adjustable height level with respect to the containers (10) transported within the shrink tunnel housing (20), and wherein the height level is tuned to a portion of the containers (10). in which the respective equipment elements (11) are located,
and wherein the at least one with the at least one feed line (50) and / or in the housing interior (22) arranged steam outlets (56) in fluidic Associated vapor distributor (52) associated with or disposed on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing (20). Container treatment station (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vapor distributor (52) has at least one distribution channel extending or attached to an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing (20) or formed by such a distribution channel. Container treatment station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one steam distributor (52) is equipped with controllable valves and / or shut-off devices for variably loading at least some of the steam outlets (56), in particular wherein the valves and / or shut-off devices are common or separate actuated and / or in their different opening states by means of remote from the valves and / or shut-off at least one control device can be influenced. A container treatment station (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least some of the vapor outlets (56) disposed within the shrink tunnel housing (20) are provided by nozzles or bores on one side of a channel or vapor bar equipped with a plurality of similar and juxtaposed nozzles or bores (55) are formed. Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least some of the steam outlets (56) within the housing interior (22) are adjustable, in particular by means of adjustable trained channel or steam bar (55), in particular wherein each adjustable steam outlets (56 ) Are assigned, which can be operated manually or by motor and / or actuated by means of externally of the shrink tunnel housing (20) accessible and / or driven actuators and / or adjusting elements, in particular wherein the adjusting elements for each adjustable steam outlets (56) by motor or by manual Act have adjustable spindle drives or are formed by such. Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at the shrink tunnel housing (20) from the housing interior (22) leading out suction for the extraction of spent and / or after treatment of the container (10) cooled and / or for the treatment of Container (10) no longer Connected steam is connected, in particular wherein the suction device is associated with at least one of the housing interior (22) leading out exhaust opening, which at least one suction opening assigned a manually or motor actuated and / or remote controlled shut-off valve or a manually or motor actuated and / or remotely controllable shut-off valve with variable valve opening cross-section is. Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the shrink tunnel housing (20) with at least one, the housing interior (22) from the outside accessible closure member (141) is provided, in particular wherein in the closed and / or locked position a In particular, rectangular housing opening (145) covering the closure element (141) is pivoted in an open position in particular upwards, wherein a particular horizontal pivot axis is located at or near an upper horizontal longitudinal side or edge of the housing opening (145). Container treatment station (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the shrink tunnel housing (20) is assigned an illumination device (130) illuminating the housing interior (22) at least in sections and / or with variable or adjustable illuminance. 130) at least one within the shrink tunnel housing (20) laid transparent and / or substantially translucent profile with light-emitting diodes or other light sources received therein. Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the shrink tunnel housing (20) is associated with the housing interior (22) and / or the container (10) conveyed therein at least in sections with blowing air and / or drying air blowing device (152) , Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the shrink tunnel housing (20) a housing interior (22) and / or the container transported therein (10) at least partially act upon electromagnetic radiation of an infrared wavelength range heating and / or drying device (153) is assigned. Container treatment station (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the shrink tunnel housing (20) by at least two in the transport direction (TR) adjacent or in the transport direction (TR) immediately successive housing parts, in particular by at least two interconnectable or separable housing modules (4 *) of the same or different size and / or length is formed, in particular wherein each of the at least two housing modules (4 *) is in each case equipped with a closure element (141). Method for treating and / or tempering containers (10) within a shrinking tunnel (4), in particular within a container treatment apparatus and / or machine, the method comprising at least the following method steps: Providing containers (10) which have been provided with equipment elements (11) which can be applied or applied to the respective container outer lateral surfaces (45), - introducing the container (10) provided with the equipment elements (11) into a housing interior (22) within a shrink tunnel housing (20) of the shrink tunnel (4) and transporting the containers (10) through the housing interior (22) in a transport direction (TR) therethrough, Pressurizing the interior of the housing (22) and / or the container (10) conveyed therethrough with tempered steam fed into the housing interior (22), wherein the tempered steam is delivered through vapor outlets (56) arranged in the housing interior (22), which are each in fluid communication with a steam distributor (52) arranged on an upper side of the shrink tunnel housing (20),
and wherein at least some of the vapor outlets (56) are disposed in at least one height level variably adjustable with respect to a position of each container (10) being transported by the shrink tunnel housing (20), and wherein the height level is tuned to a region of the containers (10) is, in which the respective equipment elements (11) are located. Method according to Claim 12, in which the interior of the housing (22) is subdivided into at least two shrinkage sections arranged consecutively in the transport direction (TR), each with different or respectively differently adjustable chamber temperatures, in particular those provided by the Shrink tunnel housing (20) in the transport direction (TR) transported through container (10) first pass through a first shrinkage section, where the on the respective outer container shell surfaces (45) applied or applied equipment elements (11) are subjected to a pre-shrinkage, in particular by application of steam, wherein the first shrinkage section has a chamber temperature of between about 60 ° C and about 85 ° C, and wherein the containers (10) conveyed through the shrink tunnel housing (20) in the transporting direction (TR) pass a second shrink section after passing the first shrink section where they abut In particular, by steaming, wherein in the second shrinkage section, a chamber temperature between about 85 ° C and about 105 ° C is present in the second shrinkage section. A method according to claim 13, wherein the containers (10) conveyed through the shrink tunnel housing (20) in the transporting direction (TR) pass a third shrinkage section and / or drying section after passing through the second shrink section, in which the containers (10) together with them or adhering equipment elements (11) are subjected to tempered blowing air and / or electromagnetic radiation of an infrared wavelength range. Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the equipment elements (11) by shrink sleeves (12) are formed or such shrink sleeves (12), wherein the equipment elements (11) or the shrink sleeves (12) substantially or completely from a below Heat shrinkable film material consist.

Images