WO2019122681A1

WO2019122681A1 - Device and method for treating a series of containers comprising at least two treatment units

Info

Publication number: WO2019122681A1
Application number: PCT/FR2018/053365
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicolas Chomel
Original assignee: Sidel Participations
Priority date: 2017-12-22
Filing date: 2018-12-18
Publication date: 2019-06-27
Also published as: FR3066185A1

Abstract

A device for treating containers (1) comprising: - a first treatment unit (12) arranged to apply a first treatment to a series of containers (1); - a second treatment unit (14) arranged to apply a second treatment to said series of containers (1), the second treatment unit (14) extending downstream from the first treatment unit (12) in a direction of transport of the series 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 series of containers (1); - a detection system (20), arranged to detect when one of the treatment elements of the second unit is likely to be affected by a defect, - a control device (16) for controlling the treatment elements (10), connected to the detection system, said control device (16) being arranged to deactivate a treatment element (10) at least when said treatment element is likely to be affected by a defect, and the treatment device is designed such that the deactivated treatment element allows one or more containers to pass through and such that the second treatment is not applied to the containers (1) passing through said treatment element (10) when it is deactivated.

Description

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

The present invention relates to a container treatment device and a container treatment method using such a treatment device.

The invention is particularly applicable to container forming and filling plants, in which containers are formed from preforms in a forming unit, comprising a plurality of forming members, and in which the shaped containers are filled into a unit. filling, comprising a plurality of filling elements. Intermediate treatments between forming and filling may be provided, such as labeling the containers in a labeling unit comprising a plurality of labeling elements or sterilizing the containers.

US-201 1/0033269 discloses such a forming and filling plant comprising a detection device arranged to detect a malfunction of a treatment element, such as a filler. When such a fault is detected, the feeding of the preformed plant 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 arrives are treated with the exception of that or those 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 preforms or containers that are not completely finished from the installation to allow the intervention to repair the defective element. .

Such an installation, however, needs to determine which containers upstream of the defective treatment element must be treated by this processing element in order to evacuate them before they reach this processing element, which complicates the adjustment of the system. control of the installation. Indeed, such an installation requires that the processing units are synchronized so that it is known which particular container must go through a particular treatment element. In addition, 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 overcome the above disadvantages by providing a treatment device for treating containers even when a treatment element is defective.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a container treatment device comprising:

a first processing unit arranged to apply a first treatment to a succession of containers;

a second processing unit arranged to apply a second treatment 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 processing unit comprising a plurality of processing 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 control device for the treatment elements, connected to the detection system.

According to the invention, said control device is arranged to deactivate at least one processing element when said processing element is likely to be affected by a fault, and in that the processing device is designed to let one or more containers by the deactivated treatment element and 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 thus makes it possible at the same time on the one hand to be able to differ from what is to be done with the container that can not be properly treated and on the other hand to limit the consequences of the passage of the container by the treatment element. This combination of effects is particularly interesting when the fact of making the second treatment must be absolutely avoided, for example when a drawing rod can only be broken or when the inadequate filling of the container will contaminate the whole. of the filling machine. This combination of effects is also interesting when the size of the treatment device makes it difficult to remove a defective container on site, or the situations in which the recycling of a defective container has already undergone all or part of the second treatment. is impossible or expensive. Such is the case of a pierced container having 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 element treatment, and situations where it is the container to be treated by the treatment element that has a defect. In either case, 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 processing element or an operating state of the processing element in which the applied treatment is not in accordance with the specifications or does not make it possible to obtain data. satisfactory containers.

According to other optional features of the treatment device according to the invention, taken separately or in any technically feasible combination:

the treatment device further comprises a separation device arranged to separate from the treatment device the containers to which the second treatment has not been applied after having passed through a deactivated treatment element, said separation device is disposed downstream of the disabled processing element.

- The separation device is disposed downstream of the second processing unit.

the detection system comprises a detection device designed to monitor at least one processing element and to detect when said processing element has a malfunction, and to transmit an error signal.

the treatment device further comprises a device for stopping the supply of containers to the treatment device, said stopping 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 processed by the treatment device.

the detection system comprises a detection device designed to monitor the containers upstream of the second treatment unit, to detect a defective container, and to determine which treatment 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 defect of the container.

the processing device further comprises a third processing unit arranged to apply a third treatment to the succession of containers, the third processing unit extending downstream of the second processing 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 container labeling unit of the succession of containers, each processing element being a labeling head arranged to apply a label on 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 exit of a label and the application of this label in contact with said container; look, and a disabled configuration in which the label is prevented from coming into contact with the container passing next to the labeling head.

the first processing unit is a unit for forming containers 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:

providing 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 processing element when said processing element is likely to be affected by a defect, deactivation during which said treatment element affected by a fault passes 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 features of the treatment method according to the invention, taken alone or in any technically feasible combination:

the method comprises a step of separating the containers to which the second treatment has not been applied downstream of said deactivated treatment element.

the method comprises a step of stopping the supply of containers to the processing device when an error signal is emitted so that the first processing unit no longer receives containers when said error signal is emitted.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in plan view of a treatment device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation in plan view of the second processing unit of the device of FIG. 1 in a normal operating state, and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation in plan view of the second processing unit of FIG. 2 in which a malfunction of a treatment element has been detected.

The terms "upstream" and "downstream" are defined with respect to the flow direction of the containers in the treatment device. In addition, the term "container" can be used indistinctly as well to designate a preform, or plastic blank, intended to undergo blowing treatment to form a finished container that a finished container from a preform.

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

Thus, from upstream to downstream, the processing units are, for example, a preform heating furnace 2, a forming unit 4, a labeling unit 6 and a filling unit 8. It is understood that the treatment device may include additional processing units upstream, downstream, or between the processing units described above. Thus, the treatment device may further comprise a sterilization unit upstream of the furnace 2, the forming unit 4 or the filling unit 8 and a blocking unit downstream of 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 furnace, comprises a plurality of processing elements 10, for example provided on a carousel mobile in rotation about its axis. A container enters the processing unit at an entry point where it is supported by a gripping member integral with the carousel and exits the processing unit at an exit point after undergoing the treatment. This treatment is applied while the gripping member is rotated between the entry point and the exit point of the processing unit.

Also in a known manner, the containers 1 are transported between the different processing units by means of a conveying device, for example formed of 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 for recover containers at the outlet of a treatment unit, as more particularly visible in Figs. 2 and 3.

The invention applies to two processing units of the installation, the upstream processing unit being designated as a first processing unit 12 and the downstream processing unit being designated as a second unit. For example, the first processing unit 12 is the furnace 2, the forming unit 4 or the labeling unit 6, while the second processing unit 14 is, for example, 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 furnace 2, or the filling unit 8 when the first processing unit is one of the upstream processing units. Subsequently and as shown in FIG. 1, for the purpose of simplification, the first processing unit 12 will be considered as the forming unit 4 and the first treatment as the operation of forming a container from a preform by blowing air into the preform. The second processing unit 14 will be considered as the labeling unit 6 and the second processing as the operation of application and attachment of a label on the outer wall of a container 1 formed. It is understood, however, that the invention is applicable 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 or disable individually at least each treatment element 10 of the second treatment unit 14. By individually, it is meant that a treatment element 10 can to be disabled while the other processing elements are enabled. When a processing element 10 is activated, this processing element 10 applies the second treatment to the containers 1 passing through this processing element 10. When a treatment element is deactivated, this treatment element does not apply the second treatment to the containers passing through this treatment element 10.

In the case of a labeling unit 6, a processing element 10 is formed by a labeler extending facing a wheel 18 forming the carousel carrying the containers between the inlet and the outlet of the unit. In the activated state, the treatment element 10 is positioned in an active position, in which the treatment 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 on this container 1, as shown in FIG. 2. In the deactivated state, the processing element 10 is positioned in an inactive position, in which the treatment element 10 is spaced from the passage of the succession of containers, that is to say the wheel 18, as represented by the arrow Fi of FIG. 3, so that the containers 1 passing next to this processing element 10 do not receive a label. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the labeling unit 6 comprises three labellers forming three processing units 10. In the active state, each processing unit 10 is therefore arranged to apply a label to one 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 processing unit of the processing device, the deactivation of a processing element may take a different form from the spacing of the carousel processing element. Thus, when the second processing unit 14 is the blowing unit 4 or the filler unit 8, the deactivation of a treatment element is done for example by closing an injection valve, air for the forming unit 4 by blowing and liquid for the 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 elements of the processing of the second processing unit and for detecting when a malfunction of one of these operating elements occurs. As indicated above, a malfunction corresponds to any state of the treatment element in which a container treated by this treatment element is not satisfactorily treated, that is to say that the treated container does not respond. quality criteria expected at the end of this treatment. For this purpose, the detection device 20 is for example formed by a set of sensors and measuring instruments associated with the various treatment elements 10 and / or the containers treated by these processing elements 10 and able to measure the appropriate parameters to determine 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 labellers. The detection device 20 can thus comprise sensors for detecting the presence of a label in a given zone of the wall of a container 1. In addition, the detection device 20 may comprise sensors associated with the labellers, 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. Indeed, in the labeling unit 6, the containers are moved in rotation about their axis so that the label is deposited around a part containers and containers are pressurized to prevent the wall of the containers from collapsing under the pressure applied by the labeler on the containers to apply the labels. It should therefore be determined that the means allowing this rotation and pressure to work properly. 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 thus makes it possible to detect a malfunction associated with one of the treatment elements 10 of the second processing unit 14, for example to detect that a label has been improperly applied to a container by an element of processing 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 transmit 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 controller 16 is arranged to disable the processing element 10 identified as the source of the malfunction so that this processing element 10 no longer applies the second treatment to the containers. 1 following through this processing element 10, as represented by the arrow F1 of FIG. 3, on which it can be seen that the container 1 opposite the deactivated treatment element can not receive a label because it does not come into contact with the labeling machine.

Thus, the invention allows the processing device to continue to operate, most of the containers obtained being satisfactory since they pass through processing elements 10 operating correctly. Only the containers passing through the deactivated treatment element (s) are unsatisfactory 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 to undergo the second treatment later.

For this purpose 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 processing unit 14 and is arranged to evacuate the containers 1 to which the second treatment has not been applied. For example, the device for separation 22 is arranged at the outlet of the second processing unit 14 so that the evacuated containers 1 do not undergo any subsequent treatment (s) provided in the treatment device for example in a third unit of treatment. 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 separating device 22 is thus arranged upstream of the filling unit 8, which forms the third processing unit, so that the containers 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 processed. applied to a discharge conveyor 24, while this transfer wheel January 1 is arranged to send the containers 1 to which the second treatment has been applied to a portion 26 of the conveying device extending downstream of the second processing unit 14 so that these containers continue the normal path in the treatment device.

When the second processing unit 14 is operating normally, i.e. no processing element 10 has been deactivated following the transmission of an error signal, the transfer wheel 11 transfers all the containers 1 passing through the second processing unit 14 to the downstream part 26 of the conveying device, as represented by the arrow F ₂ in FIG. 2.

When an error signal relating to one of the processing elements 10 has been transmitted by the detection device 20 and this processing element 10 has been deactivated, as represented by the arrow F 1 in FIG. 3, the transfer wheel 11 transfers the containers 1 processed by the activated treatment elements 10 to the downstream part 26 of the conveying device, as represented by the arrow F ₃ in FIG. 3, while transferring the untreated containers 1 through the deactivated treatment element 10 to the evacuation conveyor 24, as represented by the arrow F ₄ of FIG. 3.

Thus, the untreated containers, but not deteriorated by 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 of the second treatment unit 14. It is however understood that the containers which have not undergone the second treatment could also be recovered at the outlet of the second treatment unit 14. treatment device, especially when the second processing unit 14 is the last unit through which the containers pass in the treatment device.

The separation of the containers 1 not having undergone the second treatment can be done thanks to the synchronization of the processing device which makes it possible to determine at any moment which container is passing through a particular treatment element. Thus, the containers to pass through the deactivated treatment element are known and can be separated from the rest of the containers at the separation device 22. It is also possible to separate the containers 1 on the basis of a detection at the from the second treatment to determine if the second treatment has been applied or not to the containers leaving the second processing unit. For example, a sensor 28 for detecting a label on a container may be placed at the output of the labeling unit 6 to determine whether or not a label has been applied to a container. Containers without a label 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 of 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 processing unit 12. Advantageously, the stop device is provided upstream of the treatment device, that is to say before the very first processing unit of the treatment device in order to avoid any treatment of the containers blocked by the stop device. Thus, in the case where the processing device comprises an upstream furnace 2, the stop device is provided upstream of the furnace 2 so as not to feed preforms furnace 2 when the stop device is engaged.

The stop device is switched on when the error signal is emitted by the detection device 20 so that new containers are no longer introduced into the treatment device when one of the actuating elements 10 of the second processing unit 14 is deactivated. Thus, when a malfunction is detected, the supply of new containers is stopped, the containers 1 already present in the treatment device are treated, outside the containers passing through the deactivated treatment element that do not undergo the treatment. second treatment. Once all the containers already present in the treatment device have been treated or evacuated, 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 processing element 10 deactivated to remedy the malfunction. This allows to restore as soon as possible the normal operation of the treatment device so that the production rate is restored while limiting the loss of unfinished containers. Indeed, the only unfinished containers are those that were already present in the processing device when the error signal was emitted and which pass through the disabled processing element.

The treatment device and the treatment method described above thus make it possible to produce containers satisfactorily, including when a treatment element 10 causes a malfunction, by limiting the production of unsatisfactory containers, the losses of unfinished containers and limiting the downtime of the treatment device when a malfunction is found.

It is understood that the detection device 20 described above may be provided on each of the processing unit of the processing device so that the method of deactivating a processing element of a second processing unit when a malfunction occurs. can be applied to each of the processing unit of the processing device when there is at least one processing unit upstream of the processing unit to which the process is applied. Thus, the invention could be applied simultaneously to the forming unit 4, which forms a second treatment unit with respect to the oven 2, to the labeling unit 6, as previously described 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 capping unit, which forms a second treatment unit with respect to the filling unit 8.

Claims

1.- Container treatment 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) for the treatment elements (10), connected to the detection system,

characterized in that said controller (16) is arranged to disable at least one processing element (10) when said processing element is susceptible to being affected by a fault, and in that the processing device is adapted 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.

2. Treatment device according to the preceding claim, further comprising a separating device (22) arranged to separate from the treatment device the containers (1) to which the second treatment has not been applied after passing through an element of processing (10) disabled, said separation device (22) is disposed downstream of the disabled processing element.

3. Treatment device according to the preceding claim, wherein the separation device (22) is disposed downstream of the second processing unit (14).

4. Treatment device according to any one of claims 2 or 3, further comprising a third processing unit arranged to apply a third treatment to the succession of containers (1), the third processing unit extending downstream second processing unit (14) and downstream of the separation (22) so that the containers (1) to which the second treatment has not been applied are separated from the processing device upstream of the third processing unit.

5. Treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection system comprises a detection device.

Device (20) for monitoring at least one processing element and detecting when said processing element has a malfunction, and for outputting 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 stopping device being arranged to stop feeding containers (1). the first processing unit (12) when the detection device (20) transmits the error signal so as to interrupt the succession of containers (1) processed by the processing device.

7. Treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein 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 to determine which processing element should treat the defective container and when the defective container should reach said treatment element, whereby the detection system determines when said processing element is affected by the defect of the container.

8. Treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second processing unit (14) is a labeling unit (6) of the containers (1) of the succession of containers, each treatment element ( 10) being a labeling head arranged to apply a label on a container (1) of the succession of containers.

9. Treatment 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 output of a label and the application of this label in contact with said container opposite, and a deactivated configuration in which the label is prevented from coming into contact with the container passing opposite the labeling head.

10. A treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first processing unit (12) is a forming unit (4) of containers (1) from plastic blanks.

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:

- providing 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 processing unit (14),

detect when a fault is likely to affect one of the treatment elements of the second processing unit,

characterized in that it comprises a step of deactivating the processing element (10) when said processing element is likely to be affected by a fault, deactivation during which said processing element affected by a fault passes one or more containers and does not apply the second treatment to the containers (1) passing through said treatment element (10) when it is deactivated.

12. A treatment method according to claim 1 1 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. A treatment method according to claim 1 1 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 transmitted so that the first processing unit (12) no longer receives containers (1) when said error signal is issued.