FR3066185A1 - DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TREATING A SUCCESSION OF CONTAINERS COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO TREATMENT UNITS - Google Patents

Abstract

Container processing device (1) comprising: - a first processing unit (12) arranged to apply a first treatment to a succession of containers (1); a second processing unit (14) arranged to apply a second treatment to said succession of containers (1), the second processing unit (14) extending downstream of the first processing unit (12) in a direction of transporting the succession of containers (1) in the processing device, said second processing unit (14) comprising a plurality of processing elements (10) each arranged to apply the second treatment to a container (1) of the succession containers (1); a detection system (20), arranged to detect when one of the processing elements of the second unit is likely to be affected by a fault, - a control device (16) of the treatment elements (10), connected to the detection system, said control device (16) is arranged to deactivate at least one processing element (10) when said processing element is likely to be affected by a fault, and in that the processing device is designed to passing one or more containers through the disabled treatment element and not applying the second treatment to the containers (1) passing through said treatment element (10) when deactivated.

Description

Device and method for treating a succession of containers comprising at least two treatment units

The present invention relates to a container processing device and a method of processing containers using such a processing device. The invention is particularly applicable to installations for forming and filling containers, in which containers are formed from preforms in a forming unit, comprising several forming elements, then in which the formed containers are filled in a unit filling, comprising several filling elements. Intermediate treatments between forming and filling can be provided, such as labeling of the containers in a labeling unit comprising a plurality of labeling elements or sterilization of the containers.

Document US-2011/0033269 describes such a forming and filling installation comprising a detection device arranged to detect a malfunction of a processing element, such as a filling element. When such a fault is detected, the supply of the preform installation is stopped and the container which was to be treated by the malfunctioning treatment element is evacuated before being treated by this treatment element. Thus, the preforms or containers already in circulation in the installation when the malfunction occurs are treated with the exception of one or those which had to be treated by the defective treatment element to avoid producing unusable containers. The installation thus makes it possible to intervene quickly by stopping circulating preforms in the installation while not having to remove the preforms or containers which are not completely finished from the installation to allow intervention aimed at repairing the defective element. .

However, such an installation requires determining which containers located upstream of the defective treatment element must be treated by this treatment element in order to evacuate them before they reach this treatment element, which complicates the adjustment of the system. installation control. Indeed, such an installation requires that the processing units are synchronized so that we know which particular container must pass through a particular processing element. In addition, the evacuation of the containers upstream of the defective treatment element creates spaces between the containers of the succession of containers in the installation, which can complicate the treatment of the succession of containers. One of the aims of the invention is to alleviate the above drawbacks by proposing a treatment device making it possible to treat containers even when a treatment element is defective. To this end, the invention relates to a container treatment device comprising: - a first treatment unit arranged to apply a first treatment to a succession of containers; a second processing unit arranged to apply a second processing to said succession of containers, the second processing unit extending downstream of the first processing unit in a direction of transport of the succession of containers in the processing device, said second treatment unit comprising a plurality of treatment elements each arranged to apply the second treatment to a container of the succession of containers; - a detection system, arranged to detect when one of the processing elements of the second unit is likely to be affected by a fault, - a device for controlling the processing elements, connected to the detection system.

According to the invention, said control device is arranged to deactivate a processing element at least when said processing element is likely to be affected by a fault, and in that the processing device is designed to allow one or more to pass containers by the deactivated treatment element and so as not to apply the second treatment to the containers passing through said treatment element when it is deactivated.

The treatment device according to the invention therefore makes it possible, on the one hand, to be able to defer what to do with the container which cannot be correctly treated and, on the other hand, to limit the consequences of the passage of the container by the processing element. This combination of effects is particularly advantageous when doing the second treatment must be absolutely avoided, for example when a stretch rod can only be broken or when the inadequate filling of the container will contaminate the whole of the filler. This combination of effects is also advantageous when the bulk of the treatment device makes it difficult to extract a defective container on site, or else situations where the recycling of a defective container having already undergone all or part of the second treatment. is impossible or expensive. This is the case for a pierced container that has already received a label.

According to the invention, the expression “treatment element affected by a defect” covers both situations where the defect is a “malfunction of the treatment element”, and situations where it is the container in front be processed by the processing element that has a fault. In one or other of the situations, the result of the treatment of the container passing through the treatment element does not meet the quality criteria expected at the end of this treatment.

For example, the malfunction may be a failure of the treatment element or an operating state of the treatment element in which the treatment applied does not comply with the specifications or does not make it possible to obtain satisfactory containers.

According to other optional characteristics of the treatment device according to the invention, taken in isolation or in any technically conceivable combination: - the treatment device further comprises a separation device arranged to separate from the treatment device the containers to which the second treatment does not has not been applied after having passed through a deactivated treatment element, said separation device is arranged downstream of the deactivated treatment element. - The separation device is arranged downstream of the second processing unit. - The detection system includes a detection device designed to monitor at least one processing element and detect when said processing element has a malfunction, and to issue an error signal. the treatment device further comprises a device for stopping the supply of containers to the treatment device, said stop device being arranged to stop supplying the first treatment unit with containers when the detection device transmits the error signal so as to interrupt the succession of containers treated by the processing device. the detection system comprises a detection device designed to monitor the containers upstream of the second processing unit, to detect a defective container, and to determine which processing element should treat the defective container and when the defective container should reach said element processing, whereby the detection system determines when said processing element is affected by the container defect. the treatment device further comprises a third treatment unit arranged to apply a third treatment to the succession of containers, the third treatment unit extending downstream of the second treatment unit and downstream of the separation device so that the containers to which the second treatment has not been applied are separated from the treatment device upstream of the third treatment unit. - The second processing unit is a labeling unit for the containers of the succession of containers, each processing element being a labeling head arranged to apply a label to a container of the succession of containers. the labeling head has an active configuration in which the passage of a container facing the labeling head is accompanied by the release of a label and the application of this label in contact with said container in manhole, and a deactivated configuration in which the label is prevented from coming into contact with the container passing opposite the labeling head. - the first processing unit is a container forming unit from plastic blanks. The invention also relates to a method of treating containers by means of a treatment device as described above, comprising at least the following steps: - supplying a succession of containers to the treatment device so as to circulate said succession of containers successively in the first processing unit and in the second processing unit, a first treatment being applied to said succession of containers in the first processing unit and a second treatment being applied to said succession of containers in the second processing unit , - detect when a fault is likely to affect one of the processing elements of the second processing unit.

According to the invention, the method comprises a step of deactivating the treatment element when said treatment element is likely to be affected by a defect, deactivation during which said treatment element affected by a defect allows one or more several containers and does not apply the second treatment to the containers passing through said treatment element when it is deactivated.

According to other optional characteristics of the treatment method according to the invention, taken individually or according to any technically conceivable combination: - the method comprises a step of separating the containers to which the second treatment has not been applied downstream of said treatment element disabled. - The method includes a step of stopping the supply of containers to the processing device when an error signal is issued so that the first processing unit no longer receives containers when said error signal is issued. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in top view of a treatment device according to the invention, - FIG. 2 is a schematic representation in top view of the second processing unit of the device of FIG. 1 in a normal operating state, and - FIG. 3 is a schematic representation in top view of the second processing unit of FIG. 2 in which a malfunction of a processing element has been detected.

The terms “upstream” and “downstream” are defined with respect to the direction of movement of the containers in the processing device. In addition, the term "container" can be used indiscriminately as well to denote a preform, or plastic blank, intended to undergo a blowing treatment to form a finished container as a finished container derived from a preform.

With reference to FIG. 1, a container treatment device 1 is described comprising a plurality of treatment units arranged to apply successive treatments to a succession of containers 1 in order to produce a succession of finished containers at the output of the device.

Thus, from upstream to downstream, the processing units are for example an oven 2 for preform heating, a forming unit 4, a labeling unit 6 and a filling unit 8. It is understood that the processing device may include additional processing units upstream, downstream or between the processing units described above. Thus, the treatment device can also comprise a sterilization unit upstream from the oven 2, from the forming unit 4 or from the filling unit 8 and a capping unit downstream from the filling unit 8.

The manner in which the units described above apply the treatment for which they are intended is known per se and will not be described in detail here.

In known manner, each processing unit, outside the oven, comprises a plurality of processing elements 10, for example provided on a carousel movable in rotation about its axis. A container enters the treatment unit at an entry point where it is supported by a gripping member secured to the carousel and leaves the treatment unit at an exit point after having undergone the treatment. This treatment is applied while the gripping member is rotated between the point of entry and the point of exit from the processing unit.

Also in known manner, the transport of the containers 1 between the different processing units is done by a conveying device, for example formed by a plurality of transfer wheels 11 arranged to transmit the containers from one wheel to the other, to introduce the containers at the inlet of a processing unit and to recover the containers at the outlet of a processing unit, as more particularly visible in FIGS. 2 and 3. The invention applies to two processing units of the installation, the processing unit located upstream being designated as being a first processing unit 12 and the processing unit located downstream being designated as being a second processing unit 14. Thus, the first processing unit 12 is for example the oven 2, the forming unit 4 or the labeling unit 6, while the second processing unit 14 is for example l the forming unit 4 when the first processing unit is the oven 2, the labeling unit 6 when the first processing unit is the forming unit 4 or the oven 2, or the filling unit 8 when the first processing unit is one of the processing units located upstream. Thereafter and as shown in FIG. 1, for the sake of simplification, the first processing unit 12 will be considered as the forming unit 4 and the first processing as the operation of forming a container from a preform by blowing air into the preform. The second processing unit 14 will be considered to be the labeling unit 6 and the second treatment to be the operation of applying and attaching a label to the external wall of a container 1 formed. It is understood, however, that the invention is capable of applying to any possible combination of first and second processing units 12 and 14.

The processing device further comprises a control device 16 arranged to enable individually activating or deactivating at least each processing element 10 of the second processing unit 14. By individually, it is meant that a processing element 10 can be deactivated while the other processing elements are activated. When a treatment element 10 is activated, this treatment element 10 applies the second treatment to the containers 1 passing through this treatment element 10. When a treatment element is deactivated, this treatment element does not apply the second treatment to the containers passing through this processing element 10.

In the case of a labeling unit 6, a processing element 10 is formed by a labeling machine extending opposite a wheel 18 forming the carousel transporting the containers between the inlet and the outlet of the unit d labeling 6. In the activated state, the processing element 10 is positioned in an active position, in which the processing element 10 extends close to the periphery of the wheel and is arranged to come into contact with a container passing opposite the treatment element 10 so as to apply a label to this container 1, as shown in FIG. 2. In the deactivated state, the treatment element 10 is positioned in an inactive position, in which the treatment element 10 is moved away from the passage of the succession of containers, that is to say from the wheel 18 , as shown by the arrow Fi in FIG. 3, so that the containers 1 passing opposite this processing element 10 do not receive a label. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the labeling unit 6 comprises three labeling machines forming three processing units 10. In the active state, each processing unit 10 is therefore arranged to apply a label to a container out of three of the succession of containers 1 passing through the labeling unit 6.

It is understood that, when the second processing unit 14 is another of the processing units of the processing device, the deactivation of a processing element may take a different form from the spacing of the processing element of the carousel. Thus, when the second processing unit 14 is the blowing unit 4 or the filling unit 8, the deactivation of a processing element is done for example by closing an injection valve, of air for the blowing and liquid forming unit 4 for filling unit 8.

The processing device further comprises a detection device 20 arranged to detect a malfunction of a processing element 10 of the second processing unit 14. The detection device 20 is arranged to "monitor" the operation of the processing elements processing 10 of the second processing unit and for detecting when a malfunction of one of these operating elements occurs. As indicated previously, a malfunction corresponds to any state of the treatment element in which a container treated by this treatment element is not treated satisfactorily, that is to say that the treated container does not respond not the quality criteria expected at the end of this treatment. To this end, the detection device 20 is for example formed by a set of sensors and measuring instruments associated with the different treatment elements 10 and / or with the containers treated by these treatment elements 10 and capable of measuring the parameters suitable for determining if the treated container meets the expected quality criteria.

In the case of a labeling unit 6, the detection device 20 is thus arranged to verify that the labels are correctly positioned and applied to the containers 1 by the different labelers. The detection device 20 can thus comprise sensors for detecting the presence of a label in a determined area of the wall of a container 1. In addition, the detection device 20 can comprise sensors associated with the labeling machines, for example to determine that the rotation of the containers 1 and / or that the pressure inside the containers are in accordance with what is expected. In fact, in the labeling unit 6, the containers are moved in rotation around their axis so that the label is deposited around a portion of the containers and the containers are pressurized to prevent the wall of the containers does not collapse under the effect of the pressure applied by the label maker on the containers to apply the labels. It is therefore necessary to determine that the means allowing this rotation and pressure to operate correctly. It will be noted that the sources of incidents are quite numerous in a labeling unit 6, which makes the invention particularly advantageous when the second processing unit 14 is formed by the labeling unit 6.

The detection device 20 therefore makes it possible to detect a malfunction associated with one of the processing elements 10 of the second processing unit 14, for example to detect that a label has been incorrectly applied to a container by an treatment 10 to detect that a container does not turn on itself in front of an actuating element or to detect that the pressure is not applied in the container 1 in the case of a labeling unit. When such a malfunction is detected, the detection device 20 is arranged to send an error signal to the control device 16. The error signal contains information relating to the processing element 10 which is the source of the malfunction. Upon receipt of the error signal, the control device 16 is arranged to deactivate the processing element 10 identified as being the source of the malfunction so that this processing element 10 no longer applies the second treatment to the containers. 1 following passing through this processing element 10, as represented by the arrow F1 in FIG. 3, in which it can be seen that the container 1 facing the deactivated processing element cannot receive a label because it does not come into contact with the labeling machine.

Thus, the invention allows the treatment device to continue to operate, most of the containers obtained being satisfactory since they pass through treatment elements 10 operating correctly. Only the containers passing through the deactivated treatment element or elements 10 are not satisfactory since they have not undergone the second treatment. However, these containers are not degraded by a second unsatisfactory treatment and they can therefore be recovered to be reintroduced into the treatment device in order to undergo the second treatment later. To this end and according to one embodiment, the treatment device further comprises a separation device 22 arranged to separate from the treatment device the containers 1 to which the second treatment has not been applied after having passed through a treatment element. 10 disabled. Thus, the separation device 22 is disposed in front of the second treatment unit 14 and is arranged to evacuate the containers 1 to which the second treatment has not been applied. By way of example, the separation device 22 is arranged at the outlet of the second treatment unit 14 so that the evacuated containers 1 do not undergo any subsequent treatment (s) provided for in the device for example in a third processing unit. In other words, the separation device 22 is arranged downstream of the second processing unit 14 and upstream of a third processing unit. When the second processing unit 14 is formed by the labeling unit 6, the separation device 22 is thus arranged upstream of the filling unit 8, which forms the third processing unit, so that the containers are not labeled are evacuated before being filled in the filling unit 8.

The separation device 22 is for example formed by the transfer wheel 11 arranged at the outlet of the second processing unit 14, this transfer wheel 11 being arranged to send the containers 1 to which the second treatment has not been applied to an evacuation conveyor 24, while this transfer wheel 11 is arranged to send the containers 1 to which the second treatment has been applied to a part 26 of the conveyor device extending downstream of the second treatment unit 14 so that these containers continue the normal path in the treatment device.

When the second processing unit 14 is operating normally, that is to say that no processing element 10 has been deactivated following the emission of an error signal, the transfer wheel 11 transfers all of the containers 1 passing through the second processing unit 14 towards the downstream part 26 of the conveying device, as shown by the arrow F2 in FIG. 2.

When an error signal relating to one of the processing elements 10 has been emitted by the detection device 20 and this processing element 10 has been deactivated, as shown by the arrow Fi in FIG. 3, the transfer wheel 11 transfers the containers 1 treated by the activated treatment elements 10 to the downstream part 26 of the conveying device, as shown by the arrow F3 in FIG. 3, while it transfers the containers 1 not treated by the deactivated treatment element 10 to the evacuation conveyor 24, as shown by arrow F4 in FIG. 3.

Thus, the untreated containers, but not damaged by an unsatisfactory treatment, can be recovered at the outlet of the evacuation conveyor 24 to be reintroduced into the treatment device later to undergo the second treatment and any subsequent treatments.

The separation device 22 has been described as extending immediately downstream from the second treatment unit 14. It is understood, however, that the containers which have not undergone the second treatment could also be recovered at the outlet of the treatment device, in particular when the second processing unit 14 is the last unit through which the containers pass into the processing device.

The separation of the containers 1 which have not undergone the second treatment can be done thanks to the synchronization of the treatment device which makes it possible to determine at any time which container passes through a particular treatment element 10. Thus, the containers having to pass through the deactivated processing element are known and can be separated from the rest of the containers at the level of the separation device 22. It is also possible to separate the containers 1 on the basis of detection by after the second treatment to determine whether or not the second treatment has been applied to the containers leaving the second treatment unit. For example, a sensor 28 for detecting a label on a container can be placed at the outlet of the labeling unit 6 to determine whether or not a label has been applied to a container. Unmarked containers can then be separated from the rest of the labeled containers. Such an embodiment does not require that the processing device be synchronized in order to know the processing element 10 through which a given container must pass.

According to one embodiment, the treatment device further comprises a device for stopping the supply of containers 1 to the treatment device. When this stop device is engaged, new containers are no longer introduced into the treatment device and are no longer supplied to the first treatment unit 12. Advantageously, the stop device is provided upstream of the treatment device, that is to say before the very first treatment unit of the treatment device in order to avoid subjecting any treatment to the containers blocked by the stop device. Thus, in the case where the treatment device comprises an upstream oven 2, the stop device is provided upstream of the oven 2 so as not to supply preforms to the oven 2 when the stop device is engaged. The shutdown device is engaged when the error signal is emitted by the detection device 20 so that new containers are no longer introduced into the processing device as soon as one of the actuating elements 10 of the second processing unit 14 is deactivated. Thus, when an operating fault is detected, the supply of new containers is stopped, the containers 1 already present in the treatment device are treated, apart from the containers passing through the deactivated treatment element which do not undergo the second treatment. Once all the containers already present in the treatment device have been treated or removed, the treatment device therefore no longer contains containers since it is no longer supplied with containers, which makes it possible to stop the treatment device and to intervene on the deactivated processing element 10 in order to remedy the malfunction. This allows the normal operation of the processing device to be restored as quickly as possible so that the production rate is restored while limiting losses of unfinished containers. Indeed, the only unfinished containers are those which were already present in the processing device when the error signal was issued and which pass through the processing element 10 deactivated.

The processing device and the processing method described above therefore make it possible to produce containers in a satisfactory manner, including when a processing element 10 causes a malfunction, by limiting the production of unsatisfactory containers, the losses of unfinished containers and limiting the downtime of the processing device when a malfunction is noted.

It is understood that the detection device 20 described above can be provided on each of the processing units of the processing device so that the method consisting in deactivating a processing element of a second processing unit when a malfunction can be applied to each of the processing units of the processing device as soon as there is at least one processing unit upstream of the processing unit to which the method is applied. Thus, the invention could be applied simultaneously to the forming unit 4, which forms a second processing unit relative to the furnace 2, to the labeling unit 6, as described above and to the filling unit 8, which forms a second processing unit with respect to the labeling unit 6. It is also understood that the method could be applied to any other processing units provided in the processing device, for example to the plugging unit, which forms a second processing unit with respect to the filling unit 8.

Claims (13)

1. - container treatment device (1) comprising: - a first treatment unit (12) arranged to apply a first treatment to a succession of containers (1); - a second processing unit (14) arranged to apply a second treatment to said succession of containers (1), the second processing unit (14) extending downstream of the first processing unit (12) in a direction of transporting the succession of containers (1) in the treatment device, said second treatment unit (14) comprising a plurality of treatment elements (10) each arranged to apply the second treatment to a container (1) of the succession containers (1); - a detection system (20), arranged to detect when one of the processing elements of the second unit is likely to be affected by a fault, - a control device (16) of the processing elements (10), connected to the detection system, characterized in that said control device (16) is arranged to deactivate a treatment element (10) at least when said treatment element is liable to be affected by a fault, and in that the detection device treatment is designed to allow one or more containers to pass through the deactivated treatment element and not to apply the second treatment to the containers (1) passing through said treatment element (10) when it is deactivated. 2. - Treatment device according to the preceding claim, further comprising a separation device (22) arranged to separate from the treatment device the containers (1) to which the second treatment has not been applied after having passed through an element of treatment (10) deactivated, said separation device (22) is disposed downstream of the deactivation treatment element. 3. - Treatment device according to the preceding claim, wherein the separation device (22) is arranged downstream of the second treatment unit (14). 4. - Treatment device according to any one of claims 2 or 3, further comprising a third treatment unit arranged to apply a third treatment to the succession of containers (1), the third treatment unit extending downstream from the second treatment unit (14) and downstream from the separation device (22) so that the containers (1) to which the second treatment has not been applied are separated from the treatment device upstream from the third treatment unit treatment. 5, - Processing device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the detection system comprises a detection device (20) designed to monitor at least one processing element and detect when said processing element has a malfunction , and to issue an error signal. 6, - Treatment device according to the preceding claim, further comprising a device for stopping the supply of containers (1) of the treatment device, said stop device being arranged to stop supplying containers (1) the first processing unit (12) when the detection device (20) emits the error signal so as to interrupt the succession of containers (1) processed by the processing device. 7, - Processing device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the detection system comprises a detection device (21) designed to monitor the containers upstream of the second processing unit, to detect a defective container, and determining which processing element should treat the defective container and when the defective container should reach said processing element, whereby the detection system determines when said processing element is affected by the defect in the container. 8, - Processing device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the second processing unit (14) is a labeling unit (6) of the containers (1) of the succession of containers, each processing element ( 10) being a labeling head arranged to apply a label to a container (1) of the succession of containers. 9, - Processing device according to the preceding claim, wherein the labeling head has an active configuration in which the passage of a container opposite the labeling head is accompanied by the release of a label and applying this label in contact with said facing container, and a deactivated configuration in which the label is prevented from coming into contact with the container passing opposite the labeling head. 10. - Processing device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first processing unit (12) is a forming unit (4) of containers (1) from plastic blanks. 11. - A method of treating containers by means of a treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least the following steps: - supplying a succession of containers (1) to the treatment device so as to circulate said succession of containers (1) successively in the first processing unit (12) and in the second processing unit (14), a first treatment being applied to said succession of containers (1) in the first processing unit (12) and a second treatment being applied to said succession of containers (1) in the second treatment unit (14), - detecting when a defect is likely to affect one of the treatment elements of the second treatment unit, characterized in that '' it includes a step of deactivating the treatment element (10) when said treatment element is likely to be affected by a defect t, deactivation during which said treatment element affected by a defect allows one or more containers to pass through and does not apply the second treatment to the containers (1) passing through said treatment element (10) when it is deactivated. 12. - Treatment method according to claim 11 using a treatment device according to claim 2, comprising a step of separating the containers (1) to which the second treatment has not been applied downstream of said deactivated treatment element. 13. - treatment method according to claim 11 or 12 using a treatment device according to claim 5, comprising a step of stopping the supply of containers (1) to the treatment device when an error signal is emitted so that the first processing unit (12) no longer receives containers (1) when said error signal is issued.