EP3902683A1

EP3902683A1 - Container treatment system for treating containers

Info

Publication number: EP3902683A1
Application number: EP19772705.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas SCHNITGER; Helmut Schuesslburner; Konrad Senn; Sven Kerpe; Frank Schulze; Thomas Gruber
Original assignee: Dekron GmbH
Current assignee: Dekron GmbH
Priority date: 2018-12-28
Filing date: 2019-09-18
Publication date: 2021-11-03
Also published as: DE102018251784A1; WO2020135937A1; US20220063295A1; CN113474175A; US11787202B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a container treatment system (100) for treating containers, such as bottles, comprising at least one direct printing machine (105) for applying a print image to containers and at least one container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) arranged upstream of the direct printing machine, and a system control unit (180), said system control unit being designed to control operation of the container treatment machine subject to a change in container throughput rate that can be obtained by the direct printing machine.

Description

Container treatment plant for treating containers

The present invention relates to a container treatment system for treating containers according to claim 1 and a method for controlling the operation of a container treatment machine of a container treatment system for treating containers.

State of the art

Container treatment plants are well known from the prior art. These can comprise a series of container treatment machines, which enable one another by means of suitable transport devices for transporting the containers from a container treatment machine to the container treatment machine arranged downstream of this container treatment machine.

The container handling machines allow various container treatments according to their design. In particular, it is now known to provide a direct printing machine that can apply a printed image to the surface of a container using digital printing techniques (for example inkjet). Further container handling machines can be arranged upstream of these direct printing machines. It is known, for example, to clean recycled containers, but also containers that have just been produced (for example with water) and then to dry them. It is also known to provide a pretreatment machine, such as a flame pyrolysis device, upstream of the direct printing press, which chemically and / or physically changes the surface of the container to be printed in the direct printing press.

As is known, the individual container treatment machines in the container treatment system require control, for example by the system controller or controls provided specifically in the container treatment machines.

Such control options are known from DE 10 2015 1 14 947 A1. Here, default parameters are output to at least one or more control devices of the container treatment machine and then compared with parameters required by at least one treatment device. It is checked whether the parameters required by the at least one container treatment device can be derived at least from the default parameters. The default parameters include, for example Working speed of a machine or the heating temperature of plastic preforms.

This control basically allows the operation of the individual container treatment machines to be coordinated. However, it does not take into account that some container handling machines are easier to adjust in terms of their operating parameters than other container handling machines.

task

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container treatment system in which control of the operation of all container treatment machines can be carried out reliably and at the same time the special requirements for direct printing of containers are met.

solution

This object is achieved according to the invention by the container treatment system according to claim 1 and the method for controlling the operation of a container treatment machine of a container treatment system for treating containers. Advantageous developments of the invention are covered in the subclaims.

The container treatment system according to the invention for treating containers, such as bottles, comprises at least one direct printing machine for applying a print image to containers and at least one container treatment machine arranged upstream of the direct printing machine, as well as a system controller, the system controller being designed to operate the container treatment machine as a function of a change in the To control direct throughput achievable container throughput.

A number of containers that can be treated with a container treatment machine during a specific time interval is regarded as the container throughput. With regard to the direct printing machine, this corresponds to the number of containers printed per time interval. For example, such a direct printing machine can print 1000 containers per hour.

The system controller can be a central controller which is provided for the container treatment system as a whole and which controls each container treatment machine in the container treatment system or at least the direct printing press and the container treatment machine to be controlled can control. Decentralized controls of the individual container handling machines can also be viewed as system controls. System controls can be, for example, computers or the like. act.

Controlling the operation can include setting operating parameters as well as regulating the operation of the container treatment machine, a corresponding control loop then being provided to regulate the operation of the container treatment machine.

It is a finding of the present invention that it is difficult from a process engineering point of view to control or adjust the container throughput of a direct printing press as desired. It is therefore a finding of the present invention that the container treatment machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press can be more easily adapted to changing operating parameters, such as the container throughput of the direct printing press, so that a consistently good result is achieved in direct printing. In particular, it can be prevented in this way that, due to disadvantageous downtimes of containers upstream of the direct printing press, the surface properties of the containers are negatively influenced and the printing result deteriorates when the container throughput of the director printing press changes.

It can be provided that controlling the operation of the container treatment machine comprises controlling a container throughput of the container treatment machine, wherein controlling the container throughput of the container treatment machine optionally includes changing the distance between the containers output by the container treatment machine depending on a change in the container throughput of the direct printing machine.

The change in distance is generally known as a change in the “division” of the containers. By adjusting the division or the spacing of the containers, the container throughput, for example of a pretreatment machine such as a flame pyrolysis device, can also be changed in a simple manner. If, for example, the distance is doubled, the overall container throughput is reduced despite the constant process duration within the respective container treatment machine

Container handling machine in half. Furthermore, the container treatment system can comprise at least one of the following container treatment machines: a container washing machine, a container dryer, a pretreatment machine, a container cooler, a container inspection machine.

These machines are usually used in container treatment plants with direct printing machines and can be adapted to the container throughput of the direct printing machine in accordance with the method according to the invention.

In one embodiment, the container treatment system comprises at least two different ones of the container treatment machines and a first transport device is arranged between the container treatment machines in order to transport containers from one container treatment machine downstream to another container treatment machine, and at least one second transport device is provided, the containers from that in the transport direction the container can feed the last container treatment machine to the direct printing machine.

It can be provided that not only control of the operation of the container treatment machine is possible, but also control of the operation of the first and / or second transport device as a function of a change in the container throughput that can be achieved by the direct printing machine. The operation of the transport devices, which for example can also have a buffer area, can thus be adapted to a change in the container throughput of the direct printing press.

It can be provided here that at least one of the container handling machines and / or the first transport device and / or the second transport device comprises a buffer area for buffering containers.

Containers can be buffered in this buffer area when the throughput of the direct printing press is reduced, controlled by the system control. So they are cached here until a subsequent increase in the

Container throughput of the direct printing machine takes place and they can be reintroduced into the container flow.

According to the inventive method for controlling the operation of a

Container treatment machine of a container treatment system for treating containers, such as bottles, the at least one direct printing machine and a container treatment machine arranged upstream of the direct printing machine, and a system controller includes, it is provided that, depending on a change in the container throughput that can be achieved with the direct printing press during operation, the system controller controls the operation of the container treatment machine.

With this method, the operation of the container treatment system can also be carried out with changing operating parameters, in particular the container throughput of the direct printing press, in such a way that the requirements for direct printing are always complied with as far as possible and thus a high quality of the container treatment system is achieved.

Furthermore, controlling the operation of the container handling machine may include controlling the operation of the container handling machine, controlling a container throughput of the container handling machine, wherein controlling the container throughput of the container handling machine optionally includes changing the spacing of the containers dispensed by the container handling machine depending on a change in the container throughput of the direct printing machine.

By controlling the distance for controlling the throughput of the container, a possibility that is as simple as possible in terms of control technology is created in order to adapt the throughput to the container treatment machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press.

In one embodiment, the system controller controls the container throughput of the container treatment machine so that it is the same as the changed container throughput of the direct printing press, except for an optional lead time.

This embodiment relates in particular to the case in which the container throughput of the direct printing press changes as planned, for example because more extensive printed images are to be applied to the containers. The lead time is a period of time during which the container throughput of the direct printing press is still unchanged, but the container throughput of the container handling machine arranged upstream of the direct printing press already corresponds to the new container throughput. This lead time can be interpreted, for example, as the period of time that elapses between the time that the change in the container throughput of the direct printing press becomes known and the actual occurrence of this change. However, it is preferably shorter than this period of time in order to ensure that all containers treated with the original container throughput in the container treatment system upstream of the direct printing press can still be processed with the original container throughput of the direct printing press. This ensures that at a planned change of the container throughput of the direct printing machine, no excess containers remain between the container handling machine and the direct printing machine.

Provision can be made here for the container throughput of the direct printing machine to be reduced to a new value and for the system controller to control the operation of the container treatment machine in such a way that excess containers are buffered in a buffer area.

This embodiment can be preferred in particular if there is an unscheduled change in the container throughput of the direct printing press, for example in the event of failure of one or more direct printing modules or individual print heads. Buffering the containers ensures that there is no container jam in front of the direct printing press, which could be disadvantageous for the container quality.

However, it can also be provided that the container throughput of the direct printing press increases to a new value and the system controller increases the container throughput of the container handling machine to a value that corresponds to the new value and feeds containers from a buffer area of the direct printing press for an optional lead time.

This prevents the direct printing press from running dry when the container throughput is increased, in particular when the container throughput is planned to increase. The quality of direct printing depends on many parameters and influences. If there is an unscheduled idling of the direct printing press, this can have a negative impact on the quality of the print image, since, for example, the air circulation changes due to the reduced number of containers passing through.

In one embodiment, it is provided that the system controller increases the container throughput of the container treatment machine over the container throughput of the direct printing press and supplies a number of excess containers to a buffer area during a pre-buffering time, while the container throughput of the direct printing press does not change.

In this way, it can be ensured during ongoing operation that when the throughput of the direct printing press increases, in particular in an unscheduled manner, the direct printing press is still emptied, since the containers held in the buffer area can be used to reduce the container throughput of the container handling machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press compensate. If, for example, the throughput of the direct printing press increases at a given point in time, it cannot be prevented that the containers already arranged between the direct printing press and the other container treatment machines still correspond to the previous lower throughput. This would inevitably lead to fewer containers reaching the direct printing machine than it can print per time interval and could therefore lead to reduced quality of the printed images applied. If, for compensation, the containers are introduced from the buffer area, which for example can preferably be arranged directly in front of the direct printing press, this disadvantage can be compensated for.

In one embodiment, it is further provided that the container treatment system comprises at least two container treatment machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press and wherein a first one of the container treatment machines carries out a time-critical container treatment and a second one of the container treatment machines carries out a non-time-critical container treatment, the system control depending on a change in the direct printing press container throughput achievable in operation controls an operation of the second container treatment machine and an operation of the first

Container handling machine continues unchanged.

A time-critical container treatment is such a container treatment that requires a specific treatment time in the container treatment machine. For example, such a time-critical container treatment is the pretreatment of a container using a flame pyrolysis device. This applies a flame to the surface of the container, which can contain certain chemical components that chemically and / or physically change the surface. The treatment time of the containers in this flame pyrolysis device is usually not easy to regulate, in particular the duration of the flame pyrolysis treatment cannot be regulated up or down, since otherwise the containers could become charred.

A container treatment that is not critical to time is such a container treatment, in which in particular a longer treatment of the containers than usual does not have a disadvantageous effect on the quality of the printed image. For example, it is not critical for the quality of the printed image whether the containers are exposed to water for 10 minutes or 20 minutes in a washing device for the containers. The duration of the containers in a cooling device of the containers is also such a non-time-critical container treatment. As soon as the containers have passed through a minimum residence time in the cooling device in order to be cooled to the desired temperature, a longer stay of the containers in this cooling device is not critical. This can be used to adjust the container throughput by controlling the operating speed without influencing the quality of the print images applied to the containers, while the operation of the time-critical container treatment machines continues unchanged. However, the unchanged continuation can also include the fact that the distance from the time-critical container handling machines is increased, so that the container throughput of this machine changes, although the dwell time of the containers remains constant.

Provision can also be made for the first container treatment machine to be arranged upstream of the second container treatment machine and for the container throughput of the direct printing machine to be reduced and for the system controller to control the operation of the second container treatment machine in such a way that a number of containers which are fed to the direct printing machine from the second container treatment machine are supplied with corresponds to reduced container throughput and an excess of containers from the first container treatment machine is buffered in the second container treatment machine and / or a buffer area assigned to the second container treatment machine.

The second container treatment machine also acts as a buffer area. A backflow of the containers can thus be intercepted, in particular when the throughput of the direct printing press is reduced.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the second container treatment machine is arranged upstream of the first container treatment machine and the container throughput of the direct printing machine is reduced and the system controller controls the operation of the second container treatment machine in such a way that a number of containers which are fed to the first container treatment machine reduce this Container throughput corresponds.

This can be achieved, for example, by increasing the distance between the containers that are fed to the first container treatment machine. Since the duration of treatment in the time-critical container treatment machine (first container treatment machine) cannot be changed easily, it is nevertheless ensured that these containers are only treated with the reduced container throughput corresponding to the direct printing machine. Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 shows a schematic arrangement of container treatment machines in a container treatment system according to the invention

Figure 2 is a flow diagram of an embodiment in which the change in

Container throughput of the direct printing press occurs on schedule

Figure 3a + b shows flow diagrams of two embodiments in which the change in

Container throughput of the direct printing press does not occur as scheduled

Detailed description

FIG. 1 shows a container treatment plant according to an embodiment of the invention. The container treatment system shown here comprises a source 101 for containers and a sink 106 for containers. The containers are moved from the source 101 via a series of machines 102 to 105 to the sink 106. The source can be, for example, a blow molding machine or the like. The sink can be, for example, a packer or a palletizer.

A number of container treatment machines 102 to 105 are located between the source and the sink. These are not limited in number. In particular, more or fewer container handling machines than shown can also be shown. Furthermore, a further container treatment machine can be arranged, for example, between the source 101 and the container treatment machine 102. An additional container treatment machine can also be arranged after the container treatment machine 105, but in front of the depression 106.

According to the invention, it is only provided that at least the container treatment machine 105 is a direct printing machine which can print on containers, such as bottles or the like, using direct printing technology (for example inkjet printing). According to the invention, at least one further container treatment machine can be arranged upstream of the direct printing machine 105. Their function is not restricted. For example, machines can be provided for pretreating the containers, for inspecting the containers, or for cleaning and drying or cooling the containers. The container treatment machines 103 and 104 (and possibly further container treatment machines) can thus be, for example Container washing machines, container dryers, pre-treatment machines, container coolers or container inspection machines.

Further container treatment machines, such as the container treatment machine 102 as well as the source 101 and the sink 106 for containers, are not to be understood as limiting according to the invention and are therefore only used in FIG. 1 for a better understanding of the arrangement of the container treatment machines essential for the invention.

According to the invention, a system controller 180 is provided, which can control the operation of the direct printing press 105 and at least one of the container treatment machines 103 and 104 arranged in the area 120 with dashed lines. The plant controller 180 can of course also be designed to control the container handling machine 102. The system control can be designed in principle to control every container treatment machine, including the source 101 and sink 106, as well as each transport device in the system. While the specific control of the container treatment machines 103 and 104 will be dealt with below, it goes without saying that the other container treatment machines, in particular the container treatment machine 102, can also be implicitly controlled by the system controller.

The area 120 is different from other areas in the container treatment system in that certain requirements for the transport and handling of the containers must be met in this area in order to be able to guarantee the requirements of direct printing for containers. For example, the contact between containers before they are fed to the direct printing press is usually disadvantageous because, for example, surface abrasion can occur. In this way, not only can the surface of the container itself be damaged, but also a primer layer applied, for example, in one of the container treatment machines 103 or 104 (applied, for example, by means of flame pyrolysis or plasma). Such layers are usually applied to improve the adhesive properties of printing ink on the surface of the container. If this layer is at least partially removed by touching the container, the quality of the printed images, which are subsequently applied to a damaged area, is reduced.

In principle, the machine 102 can be of any type. However, this is preferably a one-piece device that controls the number of containers that are fed to the machine 103. In addition to the container handling machines, a number of transport devices 112, 123, 134, 145 and 156 are shown in FIG. These serve to transport the containers between the container treatment machines arranged along the transport direction of the containers and can be designed in any conventional manner. For example, it can be mass carriers. Alternatively or additionally, transport devices can also be provided which enable the containers to be transported individually, for example in neck handling. The designs of the container transport are not restrictive here and are implemented by the person skilled in the art depending on the practicality.

The system controller 180 can either be designed as a central control device (in the form of a computer or computer or the like) and can be connected via the connections 181 shown here only by way of example for preferably bidirectional data exchange to at least the direct printing machine 105 and at least one further container handling machine 104 or 103. In addition, the system control can also be connected to the individual transport devices between the container handling machines, at least in the region 120.

However, the system control can also be designed differently. For example, in addition or as an alternative to the central control unit, it can be provided with a number of control units which are provided specifically for a container treatment machine or a container treatment machine and the transport devices and / or a transport device assigned to them. This can also be a suitable computer or computer, which, however, then only controls specific container handling machines and / or transport devices. In this embodiment, the control devices are preferably connected to one another at least for the purpose of data exchange. This can also be done using suitable (bidirectional) data lines, analogous to data lines 180. The data lines can be physical (as a LAN cable or the like) or wireless (for example as a WLAN network).

The containers usually do not touch each other during transport through the container treatment system during "normal" operation. More generally formulated, once the operating parameters have been set and there are no faults, the requirements of direct printing on the containers in the direct printing machine can usually be met without changes to the operation of the transport devices and / or container handling machine arranged upstream of the machine being necessary. However, if there is a change in the operating parameters of the direct printing press, in particular a reduction in the container throughput of the direct printing press, this can inadvertently lead to backflow of the containers due to the high transport speeds of the containers in conventional container treatment systems (several 1000 containers per hour), which may result in damage the container or other negative influences, such as, for example, the containers staying too long between two successive treatment steps (which usually have to be carried out in a narrowly limited time window).

According to the invention, the system controller 180 is therefore designed in such a way that it can control the operation of at least the container treatment machines 103 and 104 and, if appropriate, the transport devices 134 and 135 upstream of the direct printing machine 105 in the region 120 as a function of the container throughput of the direct printing machine. This means in particular that if the container throughput of the direct printing press is reduced (according to plan or unscheduled), the container throughput of the container handling machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press is also reduced. The container throughput is basically understood to mean the number of treated containers in the individual container treatment machines per time interval (usually the number of containers per hour). The container throughput of a given container handling machine can be reduced in a variety of ways.

If it is essential for the treatment of the container how long it stays in the corresponding container treatment machine (time-critical treatment), the container throughput of such a container treatment machine can be reduced by introducing containers with a greater distance from one another into the container treatment machine in question. As a result, fewer containers are treated in total in the container treatment machine at the same time interval, while the length of time the containers stay in the container treatment machine and thus the treatment time can remain the same. At the same time, the container throughput of such a container treatment machine can also be increased by supplying containers at a shorter distance. Such container treatment machines, in which the dwell time of the containers in the container treatment machine or the treatment time of the containers in the relevant container treatment machine must remain constant, are called time-critical container treatment machines or time-critical container treatment. Other container treatment machines, in which the residence time of the containers and / or the treatment time of the containers is not relevant for the result of the treatment, are referred to as non-time-critical container treatment machines or non-time-critical container treatment. This includes, for example, cooling the containers in a cooling machine or a cooling tunnel. Here, the container treatment is at least uncritical in that a longer stay than the minimum cooling time is harmless, since the container then only remains at a constant temperature. In such a case, the transport speed of the containers can be increased or decreased by the relevant non-time-critical container treatment machine, depending on whether the container throughput of the direct printing machine increases or decreases. The container throughput can be controlled by adjusting the transport speed.

As an alternative or in addition, buffer areas can also be provided either in the individual container handling machines and / or in the transport devices on 123, 134 and 145, in which containers can be buffered (preferably without touching each other or experiencing other adverse influences).

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram which shows the method for controlling the operation of the container treatment machines of the container treatment system when the container throughput of the direct printing press is changed in one embodiment. The steps described below can also be supplemented by further steps and are therefore not to be understood as limiting.

A “planned” change in the container throughput of the direct printing press is such a change (increase or decrease in the container throughput), the occurrence of which is known at an earlier point in time t. This can be, for example, a change from a first type of print images to a second type of print images. The first type of print images can have a given print time that is different from the second type of print images. This difference in printing times also changes the container throughput that can be achieved with the direct printing press. For example, if the print time required for each container increases with this planned change, the container throughput is reduced accordingly.

According to FIG. 2, the system controller 180 (see FIG. 1) first determines that a change in the container throughput is imminent at a time T that is still in the future. In the embodiment described in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the change in there is a reduction in the container throughput of the direct printing press. However, it goes without saying that this can also be the case with an increase.

After determining the upcoming change in step 201, the system controller first determines a required lead time t ′ in a step 202. The required lead time t 'is ultimately a time which is required to process the containers still treated in the container treatment machines after the old throughput (before the upcoming change) in the direct printing machine. The lead time t 'thus results from the number of containers still present between the last container treatment machine arranged upstream of the direct printing press and the direct printing press and the container throughput of the direct printing press before the change at time T. The quantity of these containers usually results from the capacity (for example the transport device) 145) and is a known size. This size can be referred to as M. If the original throughput is designated as D, the lead time t 'required in each case is given as t' = M / D. Once this lead time has been determined, the system controller 180 can use it to calculate the point in time t at which the container throughput of the container treatment machine arranged immediately upstream of the direct printing press must be reduced. This time arises at t = T - t '.

It goes without saying that this time can be calculated in a corresponding manner for container treatment machines arranged further upstream. In this case, the number of containers remaining between the corresponding container treatment machine and the direct printing machine is usually determined by the already mentioned size M and the number M _{2 of} further containers which are located between the first container treatment machine arranged upstream of the direct printing machine and the respective container treatment machine. The required lead time t ₂ then results from (M + M ₂ ) / D, since in previous operation (before the change at time T) the container throughput of all container treatment machines is equal to the throughput of the direct printing press.

In this way, the lead times for all container handling machines upstream of the direct printing press can be determined, which must be observed in order to change the throughput consistently and without jam of containers. This results from t * = where i the

Container handling machine for which the respective lead time is to be calculated. It is counted starting from the first upstream of the direct printing press Container treatment machine i = 1 and is increased by 1 with each upstream container treatment machine.

In the next step 203, the plant controller then controls the throughput of the respective container treatment machine at a suitable time t = T - t '(corresponding to T - t _t for each of the container treatment machines). In the case described here that the throughput of the direct printing machine is reduced, this means, as it were, reducing the throughput of the respective container treatment machine from the original throughput D to the new throughput D '.

Then the system controller controls the throughput of the direct printing press (reduces it to the desired value) so that when the first container treated after the new throughput arrives at the direct printing press, the throughput of the direct printing press is simultaneously reduced accordingly.

With these designs, buffer areas can be eliminated.

If the change in the container throughput of the direct printing machine consists in an increase in the container throughput, it must also be ensured that the container treatment machines arranged upstream of the direct printing press produce an increased container throughput at the same times. The control method by the system control, as described in FIG. 2, does not change as a result. However, in order to prevent a build-up of containers produced according to the new throughput while the direct printing press is still treating containers according to the old throughput, a buffer area can be provided at least in the transport device 145 arranged immediately upstream of the direct printing press, in which the buffer area already after the new throughput of the container treatment machine arranged upstream can be temporarily stored or treated without the containers being damaged or the containers coming into contact with one another in order to still be able to meet the requirements for direct printing.

FIG. 3 shows embodiments of unplanned changes in the container throughput of the direct printing press. A distinction must be made between time-critical and non-time-critical processes (as already stated above).

In FIG. 3a the setting of the operation of a container treatment machine with non-time-critical container treatment is described, whereas in FIG. 3b the change in the Operation of a container treatment machine is described that performs a time-critical container treatment.

In the first step 311 according to FIG. 3a, the system controller receives information from the direct printing press that a change in the container throughput occurs unplanned. For example, in step 311 the system controller can receive information from the direct printing press that one of the printing modules has failed.

From this, the system controller can determine in step 312 how the throughput of the direct printing press has now changed. If a print module fails, it will usually decrease, for example to a value that corresponds to the quotient of the number of print modules still available and the total number of print modules.

Based on this information, the system controller now knows the new container throughput with which the non-time-critical container treatment machine has to dispense containers. In step 313, it then controls the non-time-critical container treatment machine in such a way that its container throughput (in this case the output of the containers in the direction of the direct printing press) is reduced to the new throughput of the direct printing press. This can be achieved, for example, by reducing the transport speed of the containers in the non-time-critical container treatment machine. Since an increased dwell time in the non-time-critical container treatment machine is not critical for the quality of the print images to be applied to the containers, this does not result in a disadvantage for the subsequent printing.

This can be explained using the example of a cooling tunnel, which is usually arranged in front of any pre-treatment machines.

Containers are fed to the cooling tunnel via a division (for example the container treatment machine 102 shown schematically in FIG. 1). If the throughput of containers of the direct printing machine is now reduced, the division can be controlled by the system controller 180 in such a way that it still transfers groups of containers to the cooling tunnel, the number and dimensions of which (for example the width of the group of containers and length, for example) the group of containers) corresponds to the original throughput. However, the division can be controlled such that it stops the supply of containers after the respective transfer of such a group (also called a batch) of containers to the cooling tunnel. The duration of this stop can depend on the new container throughput of the direct printing press, so that the total amount of containers fed to the cooling tunnel per unit of time is reduced in accordance with the new throughput of the direct printing press.

In the cooling tunnel itself, the transport speed of the containers can then be reduced in such a way that, despite the stopping of the supply of groups of containers by the division, the distance between the containers within the cooling tunnel remains constant (i.e. corresponds exactly to the distance that is provided for the direct printing press even with the original container throughput was). This reduces the number of containers that leave the cooling tunnel at the end per unit of time and thus the container throughput, while their distance from one another and thus the cooling result remains constant. This then corresponds to step 313 in FIG. 3a.

This version also has the advantage that when the container throughput of the direct printing press is increased again, the speed of the conveyor belt or generally the transport through the cooling tunnel can be increased directly, but the distance between the containers still corresponds to that of the original container throughput, which is the further treatment the container and in particular the printing container in the direct printing machine also guarantees according to the original throughput, without there being gaps in the container flow.

FIG. 3b shows an embodiment of the change in the container throughput in a time-critical container treatment machine. Such a time-critical container treatment machine is, for example, a pretreatment machine, such as a flame pyrolysis device, since here the duration of the treatment and thus also the length of time the containers can remain in the corresponding machine cannot be varied without having a negative influence on the printing result.

In FIG. 3b, steps 321 and 322 are analogous to FIG. 3a. Here too, after receiving (311) information from the system controller that the container throughput of the direct printing press changes (for example through the information that a printing module has failed), the corresponding new container throughput of the direct printing press is determined in step 322.

However, since the dwell time of the containers in the time-critical container treatment machine cannot be increased, the system controller controls the time-critical container treatment machine in step 323 in such a way that the distance between the containers in the container treatment machine is increased in accordance with the reduction in throughput. This applies to the the new distance G of the containers results from the original distance I at the original throughput D from G = 1 * D / D ', where D' is the now reduced throughput.

It goes without saying that the increase in the distance goes hand in hand with the fact that the quantity of containers which are fed to the time-critical container treatment machine per unit of time must also decrease. Otherwise, a container jam occurs upstream. This can be achieved, for example, by correspondingly reducing the throughput of a non-time-critical container treatment machine arranged upstream of the time-critical container treatment machine (as was described in FIG. 3a).

Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that buffer areas assigned to individual container treatment machines or transport devices are filled with containers.

By using buffer areas, it can be ensured, as it were, that if the container throughput in the direct printing press is subsequently increased (for example after replacing or repairing the damaged printing module), the required increased throughput of containers can be quickly restored without the direct printing press being idle. This results in the excess of containers per unit of time, which may arise as long as the throughput of the entire container treatment system has not yet been reduced to the new throughput of the direct printing press to H = D - D '. If the time t required to reduce the total throughput of the container treatment system according to the above embodiments is known, then the required buffer capacity for containers (P corresponds to the total number of bufferable containers) can be calculated from this time t by means of H * t = P the buffer areas can be determined. Alternatively or additionally, this capacitance P can also be determined such that it is sufficient for a predicted downtime t.

During the design and planning of the container treatment plant, for example, the maximum amount of downtime for certain malfunctions can be tested or simulated. This results in a series of downtimes, the largest of which can be selected as the basis for determining the buffer capacity, so that in any case all conceivable downtimes (for example one or more printing modules) can be absorbed by these buffer areas. While not explicitly stated above, it is nevertheless provided according to the invention that the described methods can be used for every conceivable transport and every conceivable combination of containers. In particular, the described methods, for example the embodiments described in FIGS. 3a and 3b, can be applied to methods in which containers are transported in fixed groups with a fixed arrangement of the containers in each group (also “batchwise” transport of containers) or in which the containers are transported in groups or in a container flow, in which the distance between the containers themselves is variable. These variants of transport are possible in the Tat for both time-critical and non-time-critical treatments of containers, as described above.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Container treatment system (100) for treating containers, such as bottles, with at least one direct printing machine (105) for applying a print image to containers and at least one container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) arranged upstream of the direct printing machine and a system controller (180), wherein the system controller (180) is designed to operate the

Control container handling machine depending on a change in the container throughput achievable by the direct printing machine (105).

2. The container treatment system (100) according to claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) comprises controlling a container throughput of the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104), optionally controlling the operation of the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) 103, 104) comprises a change in the distance of the containers output by the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) depending on a change in the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105) by the system controller (180).

3. Container treatment system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the

Container treatment plant at least one of the following

Container handling machines include: a container washing machine, a container dryer, a pretreatment machine, a container cooler, a container inspection machine.

4. The container treatment system (100) according to claim 3, wherein the container treatment system comprises at least two mutually different ones of the container treatment machines (103, 104) and wherein a first transport device (134) is arranged between the container treatment machines (103, 104) to remove containers from a container treatment machine ( 103) to be transported downstream to a further container treatment machine (104), and at least one second transport device (145) is provided, which can feed the containers from the last container treatment machine in the transport direction of the containers to the direct printing machine (105).

5. Container treatment system (100) according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein at least one of the container treatment machines (103, 104) and / or the first Transport device and / or the second transport device comprises a buffer area for buffering containers.

6. Method for controlling the operation of a container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) of a container treatment system (100) for treating containers, such as bottles, the at least one direct printing machine (105) and a container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) arranged upstream of the direct printing machine as well as a

System controller (180), wherein the system controller controls the operation of the container handling machine depending on a change in the container throughput that can be achieved with the direct printing press during operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the operation of the

Container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) comprises controlling a container throughput of the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104), wherein optionally controlling the operation of the container treatment machine by the system controller (180) changing the distance from the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) output containers depending on a change in the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the system controller (180) controls the container throughput of the container handling machine (102, 103, 104) so that it is, except for an optional lead time, equal to the changed container throughput of the direct printing machine (105).

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105) decreases to a new value and wherein the system controller (180) controls the operation of the container handling machine (102, 103, 104) so that excess containers in be buffered in a buffer area.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105) increases to a new value and wherein the system controller (180) increases the container throughput of the container handling machine (102, 103, 104) to a value that the corresponds to the new value and feeds containers from a buffer area of the direct printing press for an optional lead time.

1 1. Method according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the system controller (180) during a pre-buffer time the container throughput of the container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) is increased above the container throughput of the direct printing press and a number of excess containers are fed to a buffer area, while the container throughput of the direct printing press (105) does not change.

12. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 1 1, wherein the container treatment system (180) comprises at least two container treatment machines (102, 103, 104) arranged upstream of the direct printing machine (105), and wherein a first of the container treatment machines carries out a time-critical container treatment and a second one Container treatment machines (102, 103, 104) carry out a non-time-critical container treatment, the system controller (180) controlling an operation of the second container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) and one depending on a change in the container throughput that can be achieved in operation with the direct printing machine (105) Operation of the first container treatment machine (102, 103, 104) continues unchanged.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first container treatment machine is arranged upstream of the second container treatment machine and wherein the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105) is reduced and the system controller (180) controls the operation of the second container treatment machine so that a number of containers that the direct printing machine (105) from the second container treatment machine, corresponds to the reduced container throughput and an excess of containers from the first container treatment machine is buffered in the second container treatment machine and / or a buffer area assigned to the second container treatment machine.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second container treatment machine is arranged upstream of the first container treatment machine and wherein the container throughput of the direct printing machine (105) is reduced and the system controller (180) controls the operation of the second container treatment machine so that a number of containers that the first Container treatment machine are supplied, which corresponds to the reduced container throughput.