WO2016071198A1

WO2016071198A1 - Transport star wheel having radially movable grippers for transporting containers

Info

Publication number: WO2016071198A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/075105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas Fahldieck; Nils MALLITZKI
Original assignee: Khs Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-11-07
Filing date: 2015-10-29
Publication date: 2016-05-12
Also published as: DE102014116259A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport star wheel for guiding and retaining containers (3), comprising a container clamp (2). In order to provide a transport star wheel comprising gripping devices having an especially simple design, by means of which transport star wheel the opening width of the container clamp can be better used, a guiding device (10) coupled to the container clamp is provided, which guiding device is arranged and designed in such a way that the container clamp can be displaced by means of a first partial movement of the guiding device and the clamp arms (5) of the container clamp can be pivoted between an open position and a gripping position by means of a second partial movement of the guiding device.

Description

TRANSPORTING WITH RADIAL MOVABLE GRIPPERS FOR THE

TRANSPORT OF CONTAINERS

The invention relates to a transport star with a container clamp for detecting containers.

Container clamps are used for holding and transporting empty or filled containers, in particular bottles, in container treatment plants. For example, transport stars with container clamps have the advantage that the container is completely held by the container clamp and no further guide elements for positioning the container on the transport star are necessary.

A transport star with container clamp is known, for example, from EP 2 159 172 A1. This has a rotatable base body and a plurality of gripping devices distributed over its circumference for gripping the containers, wherein each gripping device has pairwise corresponding, in particular to the base body radially arranged clamping arms.

The disclosed transport star has two levels of gripping means, which are arranged one above the other, in order to be able to grasp the bottles in the area of the bottle belly and the neck of the bottle at the same time. The control of the staple arms takes place via a cam arrangement, so that the staple arms can be moved back and forth between an opening position in which the container is guided between the staple arms and a gripping position in which the staple arms engage the containers.

If the container treatment plant is used for different container sizes, it is necessary to adapt the gripping device to the container diameter. For this purpose, an exchange of the gripping device, eg. The entire transport star must be made. The container is usually introduced from a circular path coming into the transport star. He must thus be passed by the clamp arms, between the clamp arms. Due to the limited opening width of the gripping arms only containers with slightly different diameters can be transported by a gripping device without replacing the gripping device.

From FR 2 895 384 A1 a clamp arm is known, which is radially adjustable to bridge a distance between the respective container transport devices. The containers can be introduced as far as possible frontally between the clamp arms. However, the gripping device is technically very complicated and thus on the one hand particularly prone to error and on the other to clean particularly expensive. The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a star transport with a particularly simple constructed container bracket, which makes it possible to better exploit the opening width of the container bracket.

The invention solves the problem by a transport star with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. In this case, all the features described in principle or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency.

The transport star according to the invention comprises a central rotating pocket and has a container clamp with two clamp arms which are designed to grip a container and pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation and a guide device which is designed and arranged in such a way that the container clamp in FIG radial direction between a starting position and a detection sungsposition is movable and with a second movement of the guide means, the clamping arms are pivotable about the axis of rotation.

As already mentioned, the transport in a container treatment plant usually takes place from one transport device to the next. In this case, a first transport device moves the container, for example, coming from a circular path to a transport star and positioned the container between two clip arms. Due to the inevitably intersecting transport orbits of the first transport device and the transport star, the container can only be transported between the clamp arms of the transport star, when the opening width of the clamp arms is significantly larger than the diameter of the container. By means of the inventive transport star, however, it is possible, for example, to position containers coming from a circular path in the radial direction in front of the clamp arms, to move the clamp arms radially towards the container and to grasp the container. The clip arms thus pass through two movement sections, on the one hand a radial movement to the container and on the other hand a pivoting movement about its axis of rotation for detecting the container.

This makes it sufficient that the opening width of the bracket arms is only slightly larger than the container diameter. Due to this improved utilization of the opening width of the clamp arms, it is possible, for one thing, to use the inventive transport star to detect containers with a larger diameter or, alternatively, to position a higher number of container clamps on the transport star.

Due to the guide means with which both the radial movement of the container clamp (the clamp arms) and the pivotal movement of the clamp arms is controlled, the container clamp is particularly compact despite a particularly simple construction and also has particularly few components, which, for example, the assembly, disassembly and cleanability are greatly simplified.

The first and second movement are to be understood in particular as two partial movements of an overall movement of the guide device. Each partial movement can take place as forward or backward movement along a partial section of a movement path. The first partial movement is thus forward (outward) or backward (inward) along a first portion of the trajectory while the second partial movement is also forward (outward) or reverse (inward) along a second portion of the trajectory. Between the first section and the second section of the trajectory is a flowing transition. In addition, the movement paths are arranged rectified. The two movements can be carried out in succession, it being possible for the first movement or also the second movement to be carried out first, depending on the starting position of the container clamp.

It is also possible to perform the partial movements separately from each other, for example. If, after the radial extension of the container clamp no gripping of the container, but a retraction of the container clamp is to take place. Also, for example, only the second movement can take place if, for example, there is no backward movement between the detection and re-release of a container, but the renewed detection of another container takes place directly.

The radial direction is understood to be the direction of a center axis passing through the clamp arms. In a transport star the container clamp is arranged such that the central axis of the container clamp is aligned radially to the axis of rotation of the transport star. The radial direction can thus relate to the axis of rotation of the transport star. In the direction of rotation of the transport star a plurality of container brackets is arranged. Due to the radial displaceability and the associated NEN better exploitability of the opening width of the inventive transport star allows it to be arranged opposite known transport stars significantly more container clips on a transport star of the same size, since the opening width of the staple arms can be better utilized.

In other words, a transport star has a fixed number of bin grippers or staples at its periphery. Dividing the circumference by this number of container clamps, the maximum possible container diameter results from transportable containers. However, this maximum possible container diameter can not be fully utilized in conventional gripping or stapling systems, because the containers would collide with these starting from a certain diameter when immersed between the gripping or clamping arms. Due to the radially inward pulling in of the respective gripping or clamping arms before and / or during the immersion of the containers, this collision is avoided so that larger containers can be transported in diameter than in the case of conventional transporting stars.

The container clamp is formed to have a gripping portion between which the container is clamped. In this case, each clamp arm advantageously at least two contact points with the container in order to ensure a secure holding and guiding the container. In addition, the container clamp may have a further contact region, in particular a third contact region between the guide device and the container.

The axes of rotation are arranged at a portion opposite the gripping end of the staple arms. The axes of rotation are perpendicular to the plane of the transport star, i. arranged in the direction of rotation of the transport star.

The clamp arms are arranged such that, for closing the container clamp, ie, for example, for moving the clamp arms into one of the gripper positions. NEN, the staple cam are pivoted about the axis of rotation, so that the gripping portions of the container clamp to move transversely to the central axis to the central axis, while for opening the clamp arms, a reverse movement takes place about the axis of rotation.

The guide device is to be understood as meaning a component which is opposite to a main body of the transport star in the radial direction, i. along the central axis of the container bracket, can be moved. The guide device is mounted in particular displaceable. The movement can take place both in the direction of the axis of rotation of the transport star to and in the opposite direction to the outside of the transport star. The guide device is designed for driving, for example, by a control pin, a steering wheel and / or a control cam. It causes on the one hand the displacement of the container clamp in the radial direction and on the other hand it initiates the pivoting movement of the container clamps about the axes of rotation. Both movements are effected exclusively by a movement of the guide device.

Containers are in particular bottles or cans made of, for example, plastic such as PET, glass or metal. In addition, the containers are understood in particular bottles or cans for drinks (beverage containers).

The starting position is understood to mean a position of the container clamp in which it is completely retracted, that is, the container clamp is displaced radially in the direction of the axis of rotation of the transport star. In addition, the clamp arms can be open.

Under a detection position, a position of the staple arms is understood to each other, in which a container between the gripping portions of the staple arms can be introduced. That is, the clamp arms are in Radiairich- tion to the outside (on the container too) moved and, for example, maximum open.

A gripping position is dependent on the container diameter, so that under the gripping position different positions of the clip arms can be understood to each other. Thus, in particularly large diameter containers, the gripping position may approximately correspond to the detection position or the maximum opening position, while at a gripping position for gripping a small diameter container, the clamping arms are positioned much closer to each other than the maximum opening position.

According to a development of the invention, provision is made for the guide device to be mounted linearly on a guide element and movable in a radial direction.

A linear movement is understood to mean a straight movement which, for example, can take place in the radial direction. In this case, the movement can take place depending on whether the container gripper is to be extended or retracted, or to detect or release a container, both in the radial direction outwards and in the radial direction inwards, for example in the direction of the transport star rotation axis.

For each container clamp on the transport star can each be a separate guide device, which may be individually controlled, may be arranged.

Under a guide element is in particular a component of the transport star, such as understood. A basic body, for example. Is rigidly mounted relative to the guide means.

The guide element and the guide device are particularly preferably arranged at least in sections parallel to one another. You can as at least partially planar, for example. Plate-shaped body be formed and extend with its plane, in particular perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the transport star. In this case, the guide element and the guide device can be arranged one above the other at least in sections. Under one another is understood that, starting from the rotational axis direction of the transport star and the installation position of the transport star in a container treatment plant, the guide element above the guide means or vice versa is arranged. Due to the design of the guide element and / or the guide device as at least partially planar structure is a particularly compact, in particular a low in construction height design of the transport star possible. Both the arrangement of the guide device and the guide element one above the other and / or at least partially parallel to one another, lead to a further improvement of the compactness.

For a particularly secure radial movement of the guide device, according to a development of the invention, it is provided that a slotted guide is arranged between the guide element and the guide device. In this case, the guide element, for example, at least one link pin, which is mounted in an arranged in the guide means slotted guide pin receptacle, and which is formed, for example, as a slot-like recess. ,

Of course, the arrangement of the slide guide, ie the slide pin and the slide pin receptacle, also be reversed. Thus, the slide guide can comprise a slide pin receptacle in the guide element and a guide stud arranged on the guide device. The link pin can be designed for a particularly stable guide as a rail or carriage, which is guided in or on the slide pin receptacle, for example. The slot-like recess. The link bolt can also protrude through the link pin receptacle and, for example, can be arranged in engagement therewith in order to connect the guide device and the guide element to one another.

The guide element and the guide device can be mounted in particular in direct contact with each other, so that, for example, a surface of the guide element rests against a surface of the guide device.

Alternatively, a connecting web can be arranged which, for example, is designed as a component of the guide device and bridges a distance between the guide element and a main body of the guide device. The connecting web is suitable for arranging the link pin (or the rail or the carriage). A guide bolt formed as a rail may also be formed with a radially outwardly directed end as a contact region with the container, so that in a gripping position of the clamping arms of the container rests against the contact region of the bracket arms and at least one further contact area on the guide rail.

The guide device is coupled to the clamp arms. For this purpose, a control bolt is particularly preferably arranged on each clamp arm, which extends, starting from the clamp arms, by a guide cam arranged on the guide element and in a control cam arranged on the guide device.

The control bolt can be arranged on the clamping arm between the gripping portion of the container bracket and the gripping portion opposite end with the arranged axis of rotation. It extends according to the axis of rotation of the stapling arm, in particular in the direction of rotation of the transport star. On the one hand, a transfer of the radial movement of the guide means on the staple arms and on the other hand, the control of the staple arms for the opening and closing movement via the control pin.

In particular, slot-like recesses in the respective components or components arranged on the respective components and having a slot-like recess are understood to mean components in which the control bolt projects into or protrudes under the guide cam and the control cam. For example, the control bolt protrudes through the guide curve, while it is sufficient that it projects into the control curve so that it is guided by both curves. In particular, however, the control bolt can protrude through both curves and is, for example, with a free end on the guide means, for example. By means of a locking ring, movably mounted.

In this case, in particular an unintentional movement (opening) of the clamp arms is prevented by a self-locking function. For this purpose, the control bolt flat sections, d. H. flattened areas, to bear on flat portions of the cams and / or the guide curve.

According to a development of the invention, the guide curve has a first section which is largely aligned parallel to the center axis of the container clamp and a second section which extends as far as possible transverse to the central axis.

The first and second sections merge smoothly, ie without interruption. The second section of the guide curve extends from a radial direction to the outer edge of the transport path. star pointing end of the first section transverse to the central axis to the central axis.

As far as possible in parallel, an exactly parallel alignment with the center axis, i. be understood to the radial direction. If the container clamps are also to be opened further with the radial movement, it is alternatively also possible, for example, to make the first section of the guide curve oblique to the central axis, i. to arrange in an opening to the outer edge of the transport star.

As far as possible transversely, accordingly, besides a right-angled course, it is also possible to mean a course directed obliquely to the center axis. While the first portion is particularly linear, i. is straight, the second portion may be straight or curved. In particular, the transition from the first section to the second section is arc-shaped.

The cam can also be formed as a slot-like recess and arranged in the guide device or in a component of the guide device. In this case, the cam is particularly preferably formed linear or arcuate and oblique to the central axis of the container bracket, i. obliquely to the radial direction, arranged in the guide device. The cams are arranged in particular such that they open to the outside. For each clamp arm, a control cam is arranged in each guide device, that is, in the guide means, two control curves, for example. Mirror symmetry, arranged around the central axis.

For particularly secure guidance of the clamp arms, a thrust device for guiding the axes of rotation is arranged according to an embodiment of the invention in the radial movement of the container clamp. The pushing device is arranged in particular above the clamping arms and / or the guide element. The pusher is used as a guide device trained and prevents an evasive movement of the staple arms of the predetermined by the control and guide cam movement direction.

The thrust device particularly preferably has a guide ring with a guide slot arranged in the guide slot, wherein in the guide slot designed to arrange the axes of rotation sliding body is movably mounted. For each container clamp, a guide slot and a sliding body can be arranged in each case. Under a guide ring is understood in particular an annular structure of the transport star. The guide slot in the guide ring can be aligned in the radial direction or in the central axis direction.

A slider is understood to mean a component which is designed to slide on, in particular, an upper side of the guide element. The slider is also designed as a rotary axis recording. That is, the staple arms are pivotally mounted with their axes of rotation in or on the slider, while the slider is movably arranged in the guide slot in the radial direction. As a result, a particularly secure guidance of the container clamp is achieved in the radial direction. The guide ring and the guide element are preferably arranged immovably to each other and an integral part of the transport star.

According to a further embodiment, the pusher device may have a guide rail and a sliding body movably mounted on the guide rail for arranging the axes of rotation. In this case, the guide rail can be designed in particular as a component of the guide element and integrally with the guide element, for example as a stamped or lasered sheet. In addition, it may have a slotted recess formed as a slide pin receptacle. The sliding body may preferably be designed to slide on an upper side of the guide rail and have gripping bodies for gripping and / or engaging behind the guide rail for exact guidance and a secure hold on the guide rail.

To generate a bias, a tension spring is arranged. The tension spring is particularly preferably mounted biased between each axis of rotation of the staple arms and a respective spring pin on the guide means or arranged between the two control pin of a container clamp.

The bias voltage generated by the tension spring prevents, in particular, that vibrations occur in the container clamp or the guide device during operation and also causes a particularly safe (forward and backward) movement of the guide device and the container clamp from the gripping position to the detection position or in the starting position and vice versa. In addition, the tension spring generates a holding force which acts on the guide means or directly on the clamp arms and holds the container. In particular, in the formation of the thrust device of the guide rail and slider can be arranged to generate a bias a compression spring between the slider and the guide device, in particular the connecting web of the guide device. For example, the compression spring can support or generate a closing movement of the clamp arms from the detection position into a gripping position, ie transversely to the radial direction and toward the center axis of the container axis. In addition, the pressure spring prevents unintentional opening of the container clamp in vibrations occurring during operation. As an alternative to a compression spring or tension spring, a magnet system of at least two homopolar or opposite polarity magnets can be arranged, which generates a corresponding tensile force and compressive force. In a particularly suitable embodiment, there is also a bearing of the slider on the rail stud formed as a rail.

Furthermore, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments. It shows:

Fig. 1 a, 1 b schematically a section of a transport star of the

Top and bottom with a container clamp in a start position;

Fig. 2a, 2b schematically shows a detail of the transport star of Figure 1 a and 1 b with the container clamp in a first gripping position from the top and bottom.

FIG. 2c schematically shows a cross section of the container clamp from FIG.

2a and 2b;

Fig. 3a, 3b schematically shows a detail of the transport star of Figure 1 a- 2c with the container clamp in a second gripping position of the top and bottom;

Fig. 4 shows schematically in a perspective view a

Section of another embodiment of a transport star with container clamp;

FIG. 5 schematically shows a view of an upper side of the container clamp from FIG. 4; FIG.

Fig. 6 schematically in a perspective view a

Longitudinal section of the transport star of Figure 4;

7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a detail of the transport star of FIG. 4.

1 a shows a detail of a transport star 1 in a plan view with a container 3, in this case a beverage bottle made of PET, and a container clamp 2 in a start position. The container chamber 2 has two clip arms 5, each about an axis of rotation 7 (by a dashed line shown) are pivotally mounted. The clamping arms 5 are arranged mirror-symmetrically about a central axis A, so that their pivoting movement takes place about the axis of rotation 7 in the opposite direction, ie, the clamping arms 5 move towards or away from each other. The container brackets 2 are arranged and aligned such that the center axis A of the container bracket 2 is aligned in the radial direction B.

The pivoting movement takes place synchronously and thus both simultaneously and in each case by the same angular difference. The container 3 is at least partially positioned in front of the clamp arms 5 for gripping.

The axes of rotation 7 are mounted in a belonging to a push guide 21 sliding body 21 a. The slider 21 a rests on a guide element 4 (see also Fig. 2c). It is movably mounted in a guide slot 21b of a guide ring 22 in the direction of the central axis A. The guide ring 22 is arranged above the clamp arms 5.

In the guide element 4 is in each case a guide cam 6 (see also Fig. 1 b) arranged for each stapling arm 5. Each guide curve 6 has a first and a second section 6a, 6b. The first portion 6a runs as far as possible parallel to the central axis A, which is aligned in the radial direction B (shown by an arrow). The first portion 6a is directly adjoined by the second portion 6b, that is, the two portions 6a, 6b flow into each other.

The second portion 6b extends from the outer end of the first portion 6a arcuately in the direction of the central axis A. Thus, the two of a container bracket 2 associated guide curves 6 are also mirror-symmetrically aligned about the central axis A.

The guide element 4 and the guide ring 22 are formed as annular bodies or ring elements of the transport star 1 and for arranging tion of a plurality of container brackets 2 provided in the direction of rotation of the transport star 1.

Figure 1 b shows the detail of the transport star 1 of Fig. 1 a from the bottom. Below the guide element 4, a guide device 10 with two cams 1 1 is arranged. The cams 1 1 are aligned obliquely to the central axis A, which open in the direction of the container. The cams 1 1 are also arranged mirror-symmetrically to the central axis A.

The guide device 10 is mounted movably on the guide element 4 and can be adjusted linearly in the radial direction B. The guide device 10 is attached to the guide element 4 by means of a lower slide guide 12. For this purpose, the slotted guide 12 has two slot-like recesses 18a, 18b disposed rearward in the radial direction B, in each of which a lower slotted link 13 engages.

Furthermore, a control bolt 14 which couples the clamp arms 5 with the guide device 10 is arranged which extends from each of the clamp arms 5 through one of the guide curves 6 of the guide element 4 and through one of the control cams 11 in the guide device 10. In the illustrated start position, the control pin 14 is located in an inner region of the first portion 6a of the guide cam 6, i. in the region of the second section 6b opposite end, positioned.

Between the extending through the guide member 4 section 14a (see Fig. 2c) of the control pin 14 and a retaining pin 25 on the guide means 10 is also a tension spring 16 for generating a bias voltage to the clip arms 5 is arranged.

Figures 2a and 2b show the transport star 1 of Figure 1 a and 1 b, in each case again in a plan view (Figure 2a) or in a view from below (Figure 2b). The container clamp 2 is shown in a first gripping position in which it has detected the container 3. The guide device 10 is compared to the representation in Figure 1 a-1 b radially outward (ie in the direction of the container 3) moved. In this case, it has by means of guided in the first section 6a of the guide cam 6 control bolt 14, the clamping arms 5 also radially outwardly into a detection position (not shown here), in which a gripping portion 23 of the container clamp 2 is positioned for detecting the container 3. The detection position is reached as soon as the control pin 14 has reached the outer end of the first section 6a of the guide curve 6 and the beginning of the second section 6b and thus the transition between the first and second sections.

During the radial displacement of the guide device 10, the control pins 14 were automatically guided in reaching the end of the first portion 6a in the second portion 6b of the guide curve, whereby the clamping arms 5 synchronously on the central axis A to, until the gripping of the container 3 (gripping position) pivots were. For this purpose, the guide device was moved exclusively linearly and exclusively in the radial direction to the outside.

FIG. 2c shows the container clamp 2 from FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b in a cross section. In the direction of the axis of rotation (not shown here) of the transport star 1, the guide ring 22 is above the clip arms 5, the clip arms 5 are arranged above the guide element 4 and the guide element 4 above the guide device 10. This arrangement causes, among other things, the particularly compact design.

The container clamp 5 is shown in the first gripping position. The guided in the guide slot 21 b slider 21 a with the rotary axis bearing is moved relative to the starting position in the radial direction B to the outside. Both the slider 21 a and the bracket arms 5 are each with a sliding portion 24, 19 on the guide member 4 and are on this is particularly easy to move.

2c shows a control pin 17 for actuating the guide device 10 by, for example, a control cam (not shown here) and the tension spring 16 with the retaining pin 25 and the bearing on the portion 14a of the control pin fourteenth

Figures 3a and 3b show the transport star of Figure 1 a to 2c respectively in a plan view (Figure 3a) and in a view from below (Figure 3b). The container clamp 2 is shown in a second gripping position in which it has a container 3, or a container area, with respect to the container 3 of Figure 2a-2c smaller diameter (eg. In the area of a bottle neck) has detected. For this purpose, the guide device 10, starting from the first gripping position (Fig. 2a-2c) further shifted radially outward, so that the control pin 14 in the second portion 6b of the guide curves 6 were further moved towards the central axis A. This transverse movement was effected by the arranged on the course of the guide curves 6 obliquely to the central axis A arranged cams 1 1. In the control cam 1 1, the control pin 14 was also displaced in the direction of the center axis A during radial displacement of the guide device 10 to the outside.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a section of a further embodiment of a transport star 1, with two container clip levels 1 a, 1 b arranged one above the other in the vertical direction. Both container clamp levels 1 a, 1 b have juxtaposed container clamps 2, wherein in each case a container clamp 2 of the upper container clamp level 1 a and a container clamp 2 of the lower container clamp level 1 b are formed one above the other and for jointly gripping a container 3.

The container clips 2 are largely mirrored to a horizon talebene arranged so that all other descriptions relate to both the upper and the lower container clip level 1 a, 1 b or container brackets 2. The illustrated embodiment of the transport star 1 differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1a-3c in that a push guide 21 is arranged on the guide element 4, whereby a particularly compact design of the container brackets 2 in the radial direction B (see FIG. 5) is made possible ,

Figure 4 shows a manufactured as a laser plate guide member 4 with an integrally formed to the pusher 21 associated guide rail 4a in which a slit-like recess 18a formed link stud receiving a slotted guide 12 is arranged. On the guide rail 4a, a slider 21a is arranged, which is mounted movably in the radial direction B on the guide rail 4a. For this gripping body 21 c of the slider 21 a engage around the guide rail 4a. The guide rail 4a and the slider 21 a are components of the pusher 21st In particular, by the radially inner, open-contour of the guide element 4 and the free ends of the guide rails 4a, a tool-free installation is possible.

The axes of rotation 7 of the staple arms 5 are each formed as a pin 7a and pin receiving 7b, in which case the pin 7a on the slider 21a and each pin receptacle 7b are arranged on one of the bracket arms 5 of the container bracket 2. A reverse arrangement is also possible.

On the slider 21 a is also a spring, here a compression spring 16 a, arranged. The compression spring 16a is biased between the slider 21a and a spring retainer 25 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The spring receptacle 25 is connected to a guide device 10. Alternatively to the compression spring 16a or tension spring 16, a magnet arrangement (not shown here) can also be repelled, or in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3c, present to each other magnet.

The guide device 10 has two arcuate, each outwardly opening, obliquely to the radially aligned central axis A (see Figure 5) arranged control cams 1 1, which are each formed to receive a control pin 14. The control pins 14 have in the region of the control cams 1 1 two arranged on opposite sides of the control pin 1 1 surface portions 14d, each abutting the inner surfaces 1 1 a of the control cams 1 1, wherein the cams in their angular position or its course preferably are designed such that a self-locking is achieved.

The guide device 10 is connected via a here vertically aligned connecting web 10 a (see Figure 6 and 7) with a connecting bolt 13. The link pin 13 is formed as a guide rail 13a. The guide rail 13a is formed here in cross-section double-T-shaped and movably mounted in the radial direction B in the slot-like recess 18a formed link pin seat of the slide guide 12. FIG. 5 shows the container clamp 2 from FIG. 4 in a view from above. The container clamp 2 is shown in a gripping position and fixes a container 3, here a bottle.

The guide element 4 has two guide curves 6 for each container clamp 2, each of which has a first section 6a oriented largely parallel to the central axis A and a second section oriented largely transverse to the central axis A and extending in the direction of the central axis A, respectively 6b include. Both sections 6a, 6b flow into each other. The transition is arcuate.

On the guide element 4, the guide rail 4a is formed, which is formed centrally in the region of the central axis A as a slide pin receptacle slit-like recess 18a has.

The sliding body 21a is positioned on the guide rail 4a and connected via the axes of rotation 7 with the clamp arms 5 of one of the container brackets 2. The slider 21 a and the bracket arms 5 are thus movable together in the radial direction B back and forth.

Arranged on the clamp arms 5 are the control bolts 14 which extend both into the guide curves 6 and into the control cams 11 on the guide device 10.

While the radial movement B of the clamp arms 5 is largely simultaneous with the movement of the guide means 10 and the slider 21 a on the guide rail 13, the opening and closing movement of the clamp arms 5, i. the movement of the staple arms 5 transversely to the central axis, due to a further from the slider 21 a independent movement of the guide means 10 in the radial direction outwards. In this case, the control pins 14 are guided in the guide curves 6 in the second section 6b and in the control cam 14 in the radial direction B inwards.

The radial movement of the guide device 10 is initiated by means of a arranged on the guide device 10, designed here as a control wheel 17a control pin 17. As soon as the control bolts 14 are guided into the second section 6b of the guide curve 6 by means of the guide device 10, a gripping movement of the clamping arms 5 largely generated by the compression spring 16a takes place in the direction of the center axis A. The return of the guide device 10 from the gripping position to a detection position or opening position via an actively guided movement by means of a control pin (here steering wheel) attacking control device (not shown here). Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a third contact region 26 of the container clamp 2 with the container 3 in addition to the two contact regions formed by the clamp arms. The third contact region 26 for contacting the container 3 can in the embodiment of the container clamp 2 from FIGS be formed outwardly end of the guide rail 13a. Regardless of the embodiment, it can also be arranged as an alternative or as a supplementary further contact region directly on the guide device 10, for example, the connecting web 10 a. The additional contact region 26 enables a particularly stable fixation of the container 3 in the container clamp 2 and can be designed such that it positions the bottle in its central position together with the two bottle clamps.

FIG. 6 shows two container clips 2 arranged one above the other in longitudinal section. The container brackets 2 are identical in their structural design, only mirror images of each other. They correspond to the container clamps 2 from FIGS. 4 and 5.

The guide device 10 with the connecting web 10a and the guide rail 13a arranged on the connecting web 10a is particularly clearly visible. The guide rail 13a is formed double-T-shaped and arranged in the slot-like recess 18a of the slide guide 12 movable in the radial direction.

The compression spring 16a is mounted on an inner surface of the slider 21a and the spring retainer 29 in the region of the connecting web 10a. The compression spring 16a presses the guide device 10 relative to the slider 21 a radially outward.

Figure 7 shows a section of the transport star of Figure 4 in cross section. The control pins 14 project with a first end 14b through the guide curve 6 in the guide element 4 and are each secured by means of a splint 28. At the first section 14b of the control pins is for particularly see- Ren storage a bearing body 27 is provided, which is fixed to the control pin 14 and disposed between the control pin 14 and the guide curve 6. Upon movement of the control pin 14 in the guide cam 6, the bearing body 27 moves with the control pin fourteenth

At a first end 14b opposite the second end 14c of the control pin 14 of the control pin 14 projects into the arranged on the guide means 10 control cam 1 first As already stated, each control bolt 14 bears against the inner surfaces 11a of the control cam 11 with two opposing planar sections 14d. Between the control cam 1 1 and the guide cam 6 of the control pin 14 is mounted in a arranged on the stapling arm 5 recording 23.

The guide device 10 is connected via its connecting web 10 a with the guide rail 13 a formed connecting bolt 13. The link pin 13 is mounted in the slot-like recess 18a formed link pin receptacle.

The guide rail 13a is formed in cross-section double-T-shaped. In the region of the connecting web 10 a, the spring receptacle 29 is arranged for the compression spring 16 a. The guide device 10 also includes a receiving device 17b for the steering wheel 17a.

The guide unit 10, the connecting web 10 a, the control cams 1 1, the guide rail 13 a and / or the control pin 17 and a receiving device 17 b for the control pin 17 / 17a steering wheel can be integrally formed, whereby a particularly simple assembly / disassembly and cleanability of the Container clamp 2 is possible. In operation, a container 3 coming from a first circular path 15 is partially guided in front of the opened container clamp 2 and in the region of the transport path 9 of the container 3 in the transport star 1. At- closing the container clamp 2, starting from the starting position (Figure 1 a-1 c) by means of the guide device 10 in the radial direction B to the outside to the container 3, so that the gripping area of the container clamp

2 is in the detection position. The radial displacement of the container clamp 2 makes it possible to control the containers 3 head-on, so that containers 3 with a particularly large diameter, for example a diameter which just fits between the maximum opening width of the two maximum open clamping arms 5, can be detected. In order to detect a container 3 with a particularly small diameter by means of the same container clamp 2, the guide device 10 is further displaceable in the radial direction B, wherein due to the second arcuate portion 6b of the guide cam 6 and the control curves 10 tuned to the control cams 10, the clamp arms 5 to each other be guided to the second gripping position (Fig. 3a, 3b, 4, 5), so that also container

3 or container areas can be detected with a particularly small diameter. In this case, the staple arms 5 can seize container 3 in any position between the maximum staple opening and the second gripping position. That the container diameter to be gripped and, accordingly, also the respective gripping positions are variable.

The double guidance of the control pin 14 in the guide curve 6 and the control cam 10 thus makes it possible, by means of a particularly simple radial movement of the guide device 10, to displace the container clamp 2 both radially and to close and open the clamp arms 5. The radial movement of the container clamp 2 also causes containers 3 with a particularly large outside diameter to be detected by the container clamp 2. The particular advantage of this slidable mounting of the gripper is thus also that clip arms can be provided, in particular flexible clip arms that protrude radially further outward, so longer are and thus include the respective container much further. This becomes possible, as described above, because the gripper is pulled radially inwards and thus the necessary space for movement is provided to the incoming container. A further advantage is that an automatic adaptation of the end position of the clamping arms to different container diameters takes place.

The aforementioned transport star is thus advantageously part of a larger transport system, in which containers are taken over by an adjacent likewise rotating transport and / or treatment device of the transport star described. Furthermore, usually downstream of another transport and / or treatment device connects to be forwarded to the container.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 transport star

1 a, 1 b Container clamp levels

2 container chamber

3 containers

4 guide element

4a guide rail

5 clamp arm

6 guide curve

6a first section guide curve

6b second section guide curve

7 axis of rotation

7a cones

7b pin journal

8 first end clip arm

9 transport path container

10 guide device

10a connecting bridge

1 1 cams

1 1 a Inner surfaces cams

12 slide guide

13 link bolts

13a rail / sled

14 control bolts

14a control bolt section

14b first end control bolt

14c second end control bolt

14d flat sections

15 first circular guideway

16 tension spring

16a compression spring control pin

Steering wheel

Cradle Steering Wheel

18a, b slot-like recess

19 sliding section clamp arm

20 pen storage

21 push guide

21 a slider

21 b guide slot

21 c gripping body

22 guide wreath

23 gripping area

24 sliding section sliding body

25 retaining pin

26 third contact area

27 bearing body

28 sapwood

29 spring receiver

A central axis

B radial direction

Claims

claims

1 . Transport star for guiding and holding containers (3), at least comprising a central axis of rotation and

- A container clamp (2) with two for gripping a container (3) formed and about a common or about each axis of rotation (7) pivotally mounted clamp arms (5) and

- A guide means (10) which is designed and arranged such that with a first movement of the guide means (10) the container clamp (2) together with the at least one rotation axis (7) in the radial direction between a start position and a detection position is movable and with a second movement of the guide means (10), the clamp arms (5) are pivotable from the detection position into a gripping position about the rotation axis (7).

2. Transport starter according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide device is mounted on a guide element (4) movable linearly and in a radial direction.

3. Transport starter according to at least one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide element (4) and the guide means (10) are arranged at least partially parallel to each other.

4. Transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sliding guide (12) between the guide element (4) and the guide device (10) is arranged.

5. Transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the clip arms (5) each have a control pin (14) is arranged, each by a guide element (4) on the guide (6) and arranged in a on the guide device (10) arranged control cam (1 1) extends.

6. transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide curve (6) to a central axis (A) of the container clamp (2) at least substantially parallel extending first portion (6a) and a largely transverse to the central axis (A ) extending second portion (6b).

7. transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control cam (1 1) formed straight or arcuate and to the central axis (A) is arranged obliquely.

8. transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a thrust device (21) for guiding the axes of rotation (7) during the radial movement of the container clamp (2) is arranged.

9. Transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thrust device (21) arranged in a guide ring (22) guide slot (21 b) and in the guide slot (21 b) movably mounted sliding body (21 a) for the arrangement of Has rotational axes (7).

10. Transport starter according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pushing device (21) has a guide rail (4a) and one on the guide rail (4a) movably mounted sliding body (21 a) for the arrangement of the axes of rotation (7). Transport star according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device for generating a bias voltage to the clip arms (5) is arranged, in particular a tension spring (16) between the axes of rotation (7) and on the guide means (10) arranged retaining pin (25) and / or a compression spring (16a) between the guide means (10) and the sliding body (21 a) is arranged.