EP3798004A1 - Container handling machine for handling containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Container treatment machine (100) for treating containers (130), such as bottles, with at least one pretreatment module (120, 140) for pretreating at least part of the surface of a container (130) and a travel system for adjusting the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) , the displacement system comprising at least two adjustment modules (220, 230), each adjustment module (220, 230) being designed to set the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules, and each adjustment module (220, 230) comprises a drive means for reproducible actuation of the adjustment module (220, 230) for setting the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140).

Description

The present invention relates to a container treatment machine for treating containers, such as bottles, according to claim 1 and a method for setting a position of a pretreatment module of a container treatment machine for treating containers, such as bottles, according to claim 11.

State of the art

Container treatment machines, in particular those with pretreatment modules, are sufficiently known from the prior art.

It is common practice to pretreat the surface of containers before applying other substances such as adhesives or printing ink. This pretreatment includes, for example, the exposure of the surface with flames (flame pyrolysis or flame silicatization), whereby certain additives can be used to change the surface in a targeted manner with regard to its physical and / or chemical properties, the corona treatment as an electrochemical process pursues a similar purpose, and the exposure of the surface of the container with a plasma, which can also contain additives. Furthermore, during the pretreatment, for example, certain materials can be applied in layers in the form of primers or the like.

In previous methods and container treatment machines, the pretreatment units are positioned comparatively rigidly, which can lead to inconsistent results of the pretreatment, especially in the case of variable container contours when changing from a first type of container to a second type of container. In particular, when using plasma or gas burners, charring can occur on the surface, which reduces the quality of the container produced. In the case of plastic bottles, there can also be the risk of undesired deformation of the container if the material is heated up too much locally. An incomplete pretreatment of the surface can also occur, which can also have disadvantageous consequences for the subsequent treatment steps, for example the application of a printing ink.

task

Based on the known prior art, the technical problem to be solved is to provide a container treatment machine for treating containers with which the Pretreatment of the container can be guaranteed with results that are as consistent as possible, essentially regardless of the container shape.

solution

This object is achieved according to the invention by the container treatment machine for treating containers such as bottles according to claim 1 and the method for setting a position of a pretreatment module of a container treatment machine for treating containers according to claim 11. Advantageous further developments of the inventions are covered in the subclaims.

The container treatment machine according to the invention for treating containers, such as bottles, comprises at least one pretreatment module for pretreating at least part of the surface of a container and a displacement system for setting the position of the pretreatment module, the displacement system comprising at least two adjustment modules, each adjustment module being formed, the position of the pretreatment module in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules and wherein each adjustment module comprises a drive means for reproducible actuation of the adjustment module for setting the position of the pretreatment module.

All directions in space (the three independent degrees of freedom in the case of linear movement) and the three degrees of freedom of rotation around the mutually independent translational degrees of freedom of the movements as axes of rotation are to be understood as the degree of freedom. It goes without saying that the adjustment of the positions does not necessarily have to take place along precisely one of these degrees of freedom. It can also be provided that, for example, the position is adjusted along a vertical axis and along a horizontal axis, with the horizontal axis or the horizontal translational degree of freedom not coinciding with one of the coordinate axes according to the selected coordinate system as the reference system. The same applies to the degrees of freedom of rotation.

According to the invention, a pretreatment module is basically to be understood as any component of a container treatment machine that does not effect a final treatment of the container. These include, in particular, treatments of the surface of the container, which are carried out before decorative motifs or other objects such as labels are applied. In particular, this includes the activation of the surface, for example to reduce or increase the surface energy, or the chemical change of the surface for example to influence the wettability with printing ink. In any case, the pretreatment is not to be understood as the application of printing ink to produce part of a print motif or an entire print motif.

The reproducible actuation means that the adjustment module can be actuated by the drive means in such a way that, with a certain setting of the adjustment module, the same position of the pretreatment module is always reached (possibly with the exception of small tolerance deviations).

A container is understood here to mean any vessel whose surface is exposed to a flame in order to change the chemical and / or physical properties before a further treatment step is carried out on the container. This includes in particular bottles in the food industry, but also in the cosmetics sector. The shape of the containers is not limited to bottles, but can also include tubes, cans, vials or other shapes. For example, glass but also plastic, such as PET, can be considered as the material of the container.

The container treatment machine according to the invention allows, for example, depending on the contour of the container but also depending on other treatment parameters, for example a changed discharge pressure of a gas in a flame pyrolysis device, to achieve constant pretreatment results, so that the subsequent treatment steps of the container, such as the application of printed images or coatings, always can be done with consistent quality.

In one embodiment, the pretreatment module comprises one of a gas burner, a plasma nozzle, a corona treatment unit.

The container treatment machine according to the invention is thus advantageously used for special designs of the pretreatment.

Furthermore, it can be provided that at least one adjustment module is designed to set the position of the pretreatment module in a rotational degree of freedom and at least one other adjustment module is designed to set the position of the pretreatment module in a translational degree of freedom.

This allows the position of the pretreatment module in space (translational) and the inclination, for example, relative to the surface of the container to be pretreated (rotation) to be set in a reproducible manner, independently of one another.

In a further embodiment, a first adjustment module is designed for setting the position of the pretreatment module along a first translational axis and a second adjustment module is designed for setting the position of the pretreatment module along a second axis different from the first axis, the second adjustment module also for setting the position of the pretreatment module along a direction of rotation about the first axis and along a direction of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the second axis.

The first and second axes form an angle to one another in each case. The first axis is preferably vertical and the second axis is horizontal.

With this embodiment it is possible, for example, to adjust the height of the pretreatment module depending on any other sizes, such as the height or length of the container, regardless of the distance between the pretreatment module and the container and the inclination of the pretreatment module relative to the surface of the container, which is a very precise adjustment allows to the container contour.

Furthermore, each adjustment module can comprise a linear module for setting the position along the first or second axis and the second adjustment module can comprise two adjustment gears, a first adjustment gear being designed to adjust the position of the pretreatment module along the direction of rotation about the first axis and the second adjusting gear being designed for setting the position of the pretreatment module is formed along the direction of rotation about the second axis.

The use of linear modules (i.e. modules that enable linear movement) and adjustment gears allows low-maintenance and, at the same time, precise setting of the respective position of the pretreatment module. The linear modules, but also the adjustment gears, can include one or more actuators.

Furthermore, the first and second adjustment gears can be designed to be maintenance-free.

The maintenance-free design of the adjustment gears is to be understood in such a way that the adjustment gears are designed as self-contained systems, for example, which only require a power supply and a supply of possibly necessary electronic control signals, but otherwise no supply of external media, such as pressure fluids or the like, and at the same time are mechanically designed so that constant maintenance every few months or years can be dispensed with.

With this embodiment, slight deviations in the reproducibility of the set position can be avoided solely due to the maintenance work carried out and thus possibly occurring mechanical loads on the adjustment gear.

In one embodiment, the drive means can be operated manually or automatically.

The manual operation of the drive means allows a very flexible setting of the position, for example also taking into account the experience of the operator, whereas the automatic operation of the drive means also allows the position of the pretreatment module to be set quickly, so that, for example, the position can also be adjusted during operation of the container treatment machine the pretreatment module can take place, which makes the operation of the container treatment machine even more flexible.

In a further development of this embodiment, the drive means is operated manually and the drive means comprises a handwheel and a counter, wherein the handwheel can be used to set the position of the pretreatment module and the counter can display a value indicative of the position of the pretreatment module.

This can simplify the reproducible setting of the position of the pretreatment module for the operator, so that errors in setting the position can be avoided.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the container treatment machine comprises at least two pretreatment modules and separate adjustment modules are assigned to each pretreatment module, each adjustment module being designed to set the position of the pretreatment module to which it is assigned in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules and wherein each adjustment module comprises a drive means for reproducible actuation of the adjustment module for setting the position of the pretreatment module to which it is assigned.

With this design, several pretreatment units can be set in terms of their position independently of one another, so that it is possible to react very flexibly to requirements, for example with regard to the pretreatment of certain container contours.

In a further development of this embodiment, at least one adjustment module comprises at least one end stop which limits the setting of the position of the pretreatment module with the adjustment module.

With this embodiment, unwanted contact with, for example, neighboring pretreatment modules or even damage is avoided.

According to the method according to the invention for setting a position of a pretreatment module of a container treatment machine for treating containers, such as bottles, the pretreatment module pretreating at least part of the surface of a container, the container treatment machine comprising a movement system for adjusting the position of the pre-treatment module, the movement system at least two Includes adjustment modules, each adjustment module sets the position of the pretreatment module in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules, and each adjustment module comprises a drive means that actuates the adjustment module in a reproducible manner to set the position of the pretreatment module.

This method allows a reliable pretreatment, so that the quality of the pretreatment of the container is always constant regardless of the shape of the container.

It can be provided that at least one adjustment module adjusts the position of the pretreatment module in a rotational degree of freedom and at least one other adjustment module adjusts the position of the pretreatment module in a translational degree of freedom.

The independent setting of the position of the pretreatment module in degrees of freedom that are in principle independent of one another is hereby brought about.

Furthermore, a first adjustment module can adjust the position of the pretreatment module along a first translational axis and a second adjustment module adjusts the position of the pretreatment module along a second axis different from the first axis, the second adjustment module also adjusting the position of the pretreatment module along a direction of rotation around the first Axis and along a direction of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the second axis.

The first and second axes form an angle to one another in each case. The first axis is preferably vertical and the second axis is horizontal.

In particular, this embodiment allows the translational position of the pretreatment module to be set in one direction regardless of an inclination of the pretreatment module relative to the surface of the container, so that it is possible to react independently to a change in the length of the container and a change in the diameter of the container and the surface contour.

In one embodiment, the drive means is operated manually or automatically.

In a further development of this embodiment, the drive means is operated manually and the drive means comprises a handwheel and a counter, the handwheel being used to set the position of the pretreatment module and the counter indicating a value indicative of the position of the pretreatment module.

With this embodiment, the manual setting of the positions is simplified, so that reproducible results are achieved with the setting of the position that are as error-free as possible.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a container handling machine

Figures 2a-c

show more detailed views of pretreatment modules with associated adjustment modules

Fig. 3

shows an embodiment with three pretreatment modules in one pretreatment unit

Detailed description

Fig. 1 FIG. 12 schematically shows an illustration of a container treatment machine 100 for treating bottles 130 according to an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown here, the container treatment machine comprises a transport device 190 along which the containers are transported in the direction of the arrow shown. The transport device 190 is designed here as a linear conveyor, for example as a conveyor belt. However, other embodiments are also conceivable. For example, the transport device 190 can be designed as a rotary machine which comprises a plurality of container receptacles along its circumference for receiving at least one container 130, the containers being transported through the container handling machine when they rotate along the carousel. Other embodiments of the transport of the containers, for example with the aid of neck handling methods, are also conceivable. Indeed, the invention is not limited as to the manner in which the containers 130 are transported.

The containers can be all common containers from the food industry or cosmetics or medical technology. For example, bottles, cans, tubes, Vials or the like can be understood as containers. The invention is not limited in terms of the container materials. However, materials such as glass or plastic such as PET are preferred.

The container treatment machine further comprises at least one pretreatment module 120 and / or 140, which can be arranged, for example, on the unit or table or housing or the like 110. This pretreatment module can be designed, for example, as a gas burner, corona treatment unit or plasma nozzle or the like and is designed to pretreat part of the surface or the material of the container before a subsequent treatment step. The surface of the container can be part or all of the outer surface of the container. As an alternative or in addition, however, an inner surface of the container can also be pretreated, for example in order to prevent undesired substances of the container from penetrating into the product filled or to be filled into the container. The subsequent process step can consist, for example, of applying a print motif to the surface of the container. Therefore, either as part of the container treatment machine 100 or in a downstream container treatment machine, a treatment station 180 is preferably arranged, which can have one or more treatment units 181 and 182 in order to provide the containers with a print image or to apply a label, for example, after the pretreatment has been completed. The invention is also not limited with regard to further treatment of the containers after they have passed through the pretreatment module. The application of print motifs with the aid of print modules 181 and 182 according to FIG Fig. 1 is therefore only to be understood as exemplary.

According to the invention, the container treatment machine comprises a movement system assigned to a pre-treatment module (for example the pre-treatment module 120) for setting the position of the pre-treatment module. It is also provided that each travel system has at least two here in Fig. 1 includes adjustment modules not yet shown in detail, which can adjust the position of the pretreatment module in at least one degree of freedom, ie a translational or a rotational degree of freedom, independently of the other adjustment modules. This means that, for example, a first adjustment module can be designed for the horizontal movement of the pretreatment module 120, whereas a second adjustment module can be provided for the vertical alignment or setting of the position of the pretreatment module. According to the invention, the horizontal position setting by one adjustment module is therefore carried out independently of the vertical setting of the position of the pretreatment module by the other adjustment module of the displacement system.

Furthermore, it is provided according to the invention that a drive means is assigned to each adjustment module, which ensures the adjustment of the position of the pretreatment module with the aid of the special adjustment module. This drive means can, for example, be a manually operated means, such as a crank, a handwheel or the like, but can also include, for example, one or more servo drives, spindle-nut drives or other forms of drive. The drive means can basically be divided into manual (that is to say moved by the operator by applying physical force) and automatic drive means (moved by electrical current or similar media) drive means.

In any case, each drive means of an adjustment module is designed in such a way that it can operate the adjustment module in such a reproducible manner that the position of the pretreatment module can be adjusted. The reproducible actuation means that the adjustment module can be actuated by the drive means in such a way that, with a certain setting of the adjustment module, the same position of the pretreatment module is always reached (possibly with the exception of small tolerance deviations). For example, if a hand crank is provided for setting the horizontal position of the pretreatment module, for example relative to the transport device 190, the same setting of the position of the hand crank will always lead to the same horizontal position of the pretreatment module, i.e. it will be reproducible in this sense. This can be ensured, for example, by backlash-free gears or the like.

The reproducible actuation of the adjustment module to adjust the position of the pretreatment module preferably means that the repeated adjustment of the position of the pretreatment module with the aid of the adjustment module can be carried out to a few micrometers, for example ≤10 μm or ≤0.1 mm or ≤1 mm. Depending on the pre-treatment method used, lower accuracies may be sufficient or higher accuracies may be necessary. In the case of flame pyrolysis, for example, a deviation of ± 0.5 mm is not unusual and still guarantees a consistently high quality of the pretreatment effected with flame pyrolysis. On the other hand, a deviation of ± 0.5 mm when using plasma nozzles cannot be tolerated in some cases due to the sensitivity of the plasma output and requires greater accuracy in the micrometer range.

In Fig. 2a FIG. 13 is a more detailed schematic view of a pre-treatment module 120 of a container treatment machine as shown in FIG Fig. 1 has been described, shown according to a first embodiment. The pretreatment module 120 is also shown here in connection with a number of adjustment modules 220 and 230. The pretreatment module 120 can essentially be understood as a pretreatment unit 225 with which, for example, a Flame can be applied in the direction of a container or at the end of which a plasma nozzle is arranged in order to generate a plasma jet. Other designs are also conceivable here. The pretreatment unit of the pretreatment module can preferably be connected to a media tank outside the pretreatment unit 225 and possibly also to a separate control unit, such as a computer or the like. These components are sufficiently known from the prior art for pretreatment modules.

As already mentioned, each adjustment module allows the setting of the position of the pretreatment module and here in particular the pretreatment unit in at least one degree of freedom independently of the setting of the position with the aid of another adjustment module. The adjustment module 230 is shown here as an example, which enables the position of the pretreatment module 120 to be adjusted in the vertical direction. For this purpose, the adjustment module 230 can include the guide rods 231 and 232 (also referred to together as the linear module) shown here, along which the pretreatment module (here together with the other adjustment module 220) can be moved. The movement along the guide rods can take place, for example, with the aid of a suitable servo drive or spindle-nut drive. The use of a manual drive means such as a handwheel to adjust the position along the guide rods is also conceivable.

The second adjustment module comprises several components 222 (also a linear module), 223 and 224, which can be used independently of one another to adjust the position of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module. These individual components can also be provided as separate adjustment modules.

The first component 222 is designed analogously to the first adjustment module 230, but designed to adjust the position of the pretreatment module 120 in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the pretreatment module 120 along the adjustment module 230. If the adjustment module 230 is provided, for example, to adjust the vertical position of the pretreatment module 120, the adjustment module 220 can be provided with the aid of the adjustment unit 222 to adjust the position in the horizontal plane.

In addition, the adjustment unit (or a separate adjustment module) 223 is provided, which inclines the pretreatment module 120 or in particular the pretreatment unit 225 about the axis A1 shown, perpendicular to the position changes possible with the aid of the adjustment module 230 and perpendicular to the position change possible with the adjustment unit 222 runs, can cause. This adjustment unit 223 is shown here schematically as a cylinder around which the pretreatment unit 225 can be pivoted. This can be done by a suitable one mounted cylinder and the adjustment unit attached to it can be realized. But other means, such as adjusting gears, which are preferably maintenance-free, are also conceivable here.

Similarly, the adjustment unit 224 can be provided, which enables the pretreatment unit 225 to be tilted about the axis A2, which runs parallel to the movement possible with the adjustment unit 222. This adjustment unit can be designed analogously to the adjustment unit 223.

Alternatively or additionally, further adjustment modules or adjustment units can also be provided as part of adjustment module 220 or adjustment module 230, which, for example, enable the pretreatment unit or pretreatment module to be tilted about an axis that runs parallel to the movement of the pretreatment module defined by adjustment module 230. Alternatively or additionally, a further adjustment unit or a further adjustment module can be provided with which a movement in the (horizontal) plane perpendicular to the movement provided by the adjustment unit 222 is possible so that a translational movement can be realized in all three dimensions.

In principle, it can be provided that an adjustment module is understood as such a unit which enables at least the setting of the position of the pretreatment unit in at least one translational direction and / or one or more rotational directions.

One or more adjustment modules or one or more adjustment units can preferably also include end stops 226 and 227. These end stops are provided in such a way that they limit the range of motion of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module with the help of the specific adjustment module or the specific adjustment unit (i.e. either in the direction of rotation or also with regard to a translational movement along a linear module). This can be used to advantage in order to prevent collisions with other pretreatment modules or components of the container treatment machine or to avoid damage to the drives due to extreme loads. Alternatively or additionally, these end stops can also be used, for example, to prevent the wrong area of the container or even unintentionally a machine component from being treated by the pretreatment module. The overlapping of several pretreatment modules (for example several burners) at a "focal point" is avoided in this way.

The end stops can either be designed physically, for example in the form of stops, as shown in FIG Fig. 2a is shown. Alternatively or additionally, however, it can also be provided (in particular in the case of automatic actuation of the adjustment modules by, for example, drive means in the form of servomotors and control units assigned to them), that the control programs for the adjustment module (s) are only designed for a movement of the pretreatment module within a specified parameter range. For example, the adjustment module 224 can be designed to tilt the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module by an angle of ± 5 ° or ± 15 ° or ± 45 ° or up to ± 90 ° measured with respect to a specific starting position. The adjustment module 223, on the other hand, can only be designed for an inclination about the starting position about the axis A1 of, for example, ± 1.5 °. Here, however, different angles in one direction and in the other direction can also be provided as the maximum angle of inclination for the adjustment module with respect to an initial position. For example, the adjustment module (or the adjustment unit) 223 can be inclined in one direction (for example counterclockwise) by up to -5 ° or up to -10 °, but in the opposite direction by up to + 15 ° or up to +30 ° be inclined.

In principle, the invention is not restricted to specific parameter values.

It can also be provided that the change in the position of the pretreatment module in one direction with the aid of the adjustment module is limited to a different value or amount than in the other direction. For example, an inclination limitation in one direction by means of the adjustment module 224 and / or 223 can be limited to 5 °, whereas the inclination in the other direction is limited to a maximum of 35 °. The exact value can be assessed and determined according to expediency and also depends largely on the in principle arbitrary but fixed initial situation.

The same applies to the adjustment modules or adjustment units that enable the position of the pretreatment module to be set in the translational degrees of freedom (using linear modules and / or actuators). An adjustment starting from a position of rest by several centimeters or only a few millimeters may be possible. For example, a position setting of ± 200mm starting from a fixed starting position can be possible in the horizontal direction with the aid of the adjustment unit 222 (other values such as a maximum of ± 100mm or only a maximum of ± 50mm are possible), this setting preferably being continuously possible. In the direction of the adjustment module 230 (that is to say, for example, in the vertical direction), the position of the pretreatment module can be adjusted by up to 10 cm. The end stops are then provided to limit the movement along one or more translational degrees of freedom, for example at suitable points on linear modules or guide rods for the pretreatment module, so that movement beyond these is not possible.

In any case, the invention provides that each adjustment module and / or each adjustment unit can adjust the position of the pretreatment module or the pretreatment unit with the aid of the drive means provided, completely independently over the entire intended movement amplitude for the corresponding degrees of freedom of the other adjustment modules. In the example, that means off Fig. 2 that the position of the pretreatment module can be changed with the aid of the adjustment module 230 independently of, for example, the inclination of the pretreatment module about the axis A2. This enables, in principle, a completely free setting of the pretreatment module relative to the containers to be pretreated.

While in principle there is the possibility of providing an adjustment module for each translational direction and each rotational degree of freedom, so that the position of the pretreatment module can be set in each of these degrees of freedom, it can also be provided that only one adjustment module for setting the position with respect to a translational degree of freedom (for example vertically) is provided and furthermore, for example, only one or two adjustment modules, which allow the pretreatment module to be tilted in mutually independent directions of rotation, are provided. Other combinations and numbers of adjustment modules are also conceivable here, depending on the expediency.

Two further, particularly preferred embodiments of the combination of adjustment modules are in the Figures 2b and 2c shown.

In Figure 2b two adjustment modules 260 and 270 are provided, the first adjustment module 260 only comprising one adjustment unit which enables a translational movement (in the vertical direction) along the axis A1. In the Fig. 2a Devices described for this purpose, such as end stops and drives, can of course also be used here.

This in Figure 2b The second adjustment module 270 also shown comprises three adjustment units 271, 272, 273. The first adjustment unit 271 is designed as a linear module (analogous to the adjustment module 260) and allows movement in a plane (and here vertical) perpendicular to the direction of movement specified by the first adjustment module (here vertical) at least along a translational direction). This direction of movement is shown as axis A2.

The adjustment unit 272 is designed to tilt or rotate the pretreatment unit 225. In the embodiment shown here, this adjustment unit can be the pretreatment unit rotate around axis A1. The adjustment unit 273 is also designed to incline or rotate the pretreatment unit, this adjustment unit being able to incline or rotate the pretreatment unit about the axis A3, which runs perpendicular to the axes A1 and A2.

In the in Figure 2b Thus, a first adjustment module 260 is provided that can adjust the position of the pretreatment unit or of the pretreatment module 120 along a first translational direction A1 or along a translational degree of freedom (in this embodiment only along this one translational direction), which is denoted by A1 is. The second adjustment module 270 comprises three adjustment units, wherein one of the adjustment units can adjust the position of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module along a second translational direction (corresponding to A2) perpendicular to the first translational direction. The two further pretreatment units can incline or rotate the pretreatment module or the pretreatment unit. One of these adjustment units 272 is designed to incline or rotate the pretreatment module or the pretreatment unit about the first translational direction (corresponding to the axis A1). The other adjustment unit is designed to rotate the pretreatment module or the pretreatment unit about an axis A3 which runs perpendicular to the first and second translational directions A1 and A2.

In Figure 2c a further embodiment is shown. Here the first adjustment module 260 is identical to the first adjustment module 260 in FIG Figure 2b educated. In addition to the in Figure 2b Adjustment units 271, 272 and 273 described, yet another adjustment unit 274. This is designed to rotate or incline the pretreatment module or the pretreatment unit about the axis A2.

The adjustment module 270 thus comprises an adjustment unit that enables a translational movement (or setting of the position) of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module 120 along the axis A2, and three adjustment units that adjust the position of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module along one axis Enable degrees of freedom of rotation, the degrees of freedom of rotation along which the respective adjustment units 272, 273, 274 can set the position of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module 120, differing in pairs, so that the adjustment unit 272 rotates / tilts about the axis A1, the adjustment unit 273 Turning / tilting about the axis A3 and the adjustment unit 274 enable a turning / tilting about the axis A2.

While in the Figures 2b and 2c the adjustment units and adjustment modules have essentially been described with regard to the movement of the pretreatment unit or pretreatment module caused by them, it goes without saying that all of the embodiments relating to the adjustment units and adjustment modules from the Fig. 2a also with the embodiments of Figures 2b and 2c can be combined.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a container treatment machine with three pre-treatment modules. The container treatment machine with its transport device and the optionally additionally provided treatment modules is not shown here in detail, so that the illustration of FIG Fig. 3 with the neckline Fig. 1 which contains, for example, the table 110 and the pre-treatment modules 120 and 140 as well as an additional pre-treatment module, can be identified. All with regard to the container handling machine in Fig. 1 (exemplary) statements made and the statements made Fig. 2 are with the in Fig. 3 described embodiments can be combined.

In the Fig. 3 three pretreatment modules 301 to 303 are provided. There can also be only two pre-treatment modules or several pre-treatment modules. In addition to the arrangement shown here, it is also possible, for example, with respect to the linear transport device (not shown here) Fig. 1 another group of pretreatment modules can be provided. The pre-treatment modules in Fig. 3 can either all be designed identically (for example all designed as flame pyrolysis devices) or designed for different pretreatment processes. For example, a first pretreatment module can be designed as a flame pyrolysis device, whereas a second pretreatment module comprises a plasma nozzle. In this way, the different pretreatment modules can be positioned and used as appropriate.

In each case, each pretreatment module is assigned a group of adjustment modules 310, 320 and 330, which enable the position of the respective pretreatment module to be set completely independently of the setting of the position of the respective other pretreatment module. The position of the pretreatment module 301 can thus be set completely independently of the position of the pretreatment module 302 with the aid of the adjustment module 310. It goes without saying that an adjustment module also includes a number of two or more adjustment modules or adjustment units (which can then each cause a movement of the pretreatment unit or the pretreatment module along a translational or rotational degree of freedom), such as these, for example, with reference to Fig. 2 can be understood in summary.

The already mentioned end stops (either physical and / or electronic) can be used to advantage in order to avoid a collision of the pre-treatment modules with each other or with the transport device for the containers (see Fig Fig. 1 ) to prevent.

As already mentioned, the setting of the position of the pretreatment module by the individual adjustment modules can take place either automatically or manually by using appropriately operated drive means (that is to say manually or automatically operated). The automatically operated drive means include all drive means which adjust the position without direct interaction with an operator and here in particular without physical effort on the part of the operator to adjust the position of the pretreatment module. These include, for example, servomotors or spindle-nut drives that are driven by electrical power.

The manual drive means provided as an alternative to this are, for example, handwheels which, for example, also enable the position of the pretreatment modules to be set via a spindle-nut construction.

In the event that an automatic drive means is provided, the setting of the position can be implemented in a reproducible manner by a suitable electronic control, which can also have a feedback circuit for checking and, if necessary, correcting a set position. The controls commonly provided for servomotors can accomplish this.

When using manual drive means, it can be provided that, in addition to a handwheel that may be necessary for physically operating the drive means for setting the position of the pretreatment module, a counter is provided at the same time. This counter can either function completely analog (that is, without electricity) or it can be designed as an electronic display, for example in the form of a digital display. The counter is always provided in such a way that it can display a value that is indicative of the position of the pretreatment module. This can consist, for example, of an angle of inclination or a relative height value or a horizontal value measured in relation to an initial position. It can be determined, for example, as a function of the number of revolutions of the hand crank or as a function of a value measured with the aid of a sensor. Inclination sensors or height sensors, for example, can be used here. In any case, the accuracy of the counter is so high that the operator, even if the manual drive means is operated multiple times, a reproducible setting of the position (possibly except for one metrological inaccuracy of, for example, a few millimeters or a few micrometers) is made possible.

Claims (15)

Container treatment machine (100) for treating containers, such as bottles (130), with at least one pretreatment module (120) for pretreating at least part of the surface of a container and a travel system for adjusting the position of the pretreatment module, wherein the travel system has at least two adjustment modules (220, 230), each adjustment module being designed to set the position of the pretreatment module (120) in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules, and each adjustment module comprising a drive means for reproducible actuation of the adjustment module for setting the position of the pretreatment module. The container treatment machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein the pre-treatment module (120, 140) comprises one of a gas burner, a plasma nozzle, a corona treatment unit. Container treatment machine (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one adjustment module (220, 230) for setting the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) in a rotational degree of freedom and at least one other adjustment module for setting the position of the pretreatment module in a translational degree of freedom is. Container treatment machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a first adjustment module (230) is designed to adjust the position of the pretreatment module along a first translational axis and a second adjustment module (220) is designed to adjust the position of the pretreatment module along a second, from the first axis is formed different axis, wherein the second adjustment module is further designed to adjust the position of the pretreatment module along a direction of rotation about the first axis and along a direction of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the second axis . Container treatment machine (100) according to claim 4, wherein each adjustment module (220, 230) comprises a linear module for adjusting the position along the first or second axis and the second adjustment module comprises two adjustment gears, a first adjustment gear for adjusting the position of the pretreatment module along the direction of rotation is formed around the first axis and the second adjustment gear is formed for adjusting the position of the pretreatment module along the direction of rotation around the second axis. Container handling machine (100) according to claim 5, wherein the first and second adjusting gears are designed to be maintenance-free. Container handling machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drive means can be operated manually or automatically. Container handling machine (100) according to claim 7, wherein the drive means is operated manually and the drive means comprises a handwheel and a counter, wherein the handwheel can be used to set the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) and the counter can be used for the position of the pretreatment module can display indicative value. Container treatment machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the container treatment machine (100) comprises at least two pretreatment modules (301, 302, 303) and separate adjustment modules (310, 320, 330) are assigned to each pretreatment module, each adjustment module being designed to set the position of the pretreatment module to which it is assigned in at least one translational or rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules, and each adjustment module comprising a drive means for reproducible actuation of the adjustment module for setting the position of the pretreatment module to which it is assigned. The container treatment machine (100) according to claim 9, wherein at least one adjustment module comprises at least one end stop (226, 227) which restricts the adjustment of the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) with the adjustment module. Method for setting a position of a pre-treatment module (120, 140) of a container treatment machine (100) for treating containers, such as bottles (130), wherein the pre-treatment module (120, 140) pre-treats at least part of the surface of a container, wherein the container treatment machine (100 ) comprises a displacement system for setting the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140), wherein the displacement system comprises at least two adjustment modules (220, 230), each adjustment module the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) in at least one translational or sets the rotational degree of freedom independently of other adjustment modules and wherein each adjustment module comprises a drive means which actuates the adjustment module in a reproducible manner in order to adjust the position of the pretreatment module. Method according to claim 11, wherein at least one adjustment module (220, 230) sets the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) in a rotational degree of freedom and at least one other adjustment module sets the position of the pretreatment module in a translational degree of freedom. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a first adjustment module (230) adjusts the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) along a first translational axis and a second adjustment module (220) adjusts the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) along a second, from the first axis different axis, wherein the second adjustment module further adjusts the position of the pretreatment module along a direction of rotation about the first axis and along a direction of rotation about an axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and perpendicular to the second axis. Method according to one of Claims 11 to 13, the drive means being operated manually or automatically. Method according to claim 14, wherein the drive means is operated manually and the drive means comprises a handwheel and a counter, the handwheel being used for setting the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) and the counter being used for the position of the pretreatment module (120, 140) ) indicates indicative value.

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