WO2024012728A1

WO2024012728A1 - Outward transfer in the z module

Info

Publication number: WO2024012728A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/057785
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Wittmann; Florian Geltinger
Original assignee: Krones Ag
Priority date: 2022-07-13
Filing date: 2023-03-27
Publication date: 2024-01-18
Also published as: DE102022117518A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for treating plastic containers (2), comprising a transport device which transports the plastic containers (2) along a specified transport path, a blowing module (10) which has a blow molding machine (12) for molding plastic preforms into plastic containers (2), a filling module (20) which has a filling device (22) for filling plastic containers (2) with a product, in particular a liquid product, wherein the plastic containers (2) can be transferred from the blowing module (10) to the filling module (20), and a transfer device (40) for transferring the plastic containers (2), said transfer device being arranged between the blowing module (10) and the filling module (20). The device (1) is arranged within a clean room. According to the invention, the transfer device (40) has an inspection device (48) which is suitable for and designed to check the alignment of the plastic containers (2) and/or the transfer device (40) has an ejection device for ejecting plastic containers (2) which are incorrectly aligned.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for treating plastic containers, in particular for producing plastic containers and filling them with a particularly liquid product under aseptic conditions.

Blow molding machines and filling devices in non-aseptic and aseptic versions are known from the prior art, which are often found in a modular design as blow modules in conjunction with filler modules. In non-aseptic systems, it is known in the art to arrange an orientation star after the blow molding machine in order to correctly align the plastic containers removed from the blow molding machine. The plastic containers are typically checked mechanically after orientation. Incorrectly oriented plastic containers are typically checked and rejected in the filler module. The use of an orientation star and a corresponding check/rejection are not yet known for aseptic execution.

While removal in the filler module is not a problem in terms of space in the case of a non-aseptic system, this is quite problematic in an aseptic system due to the lack of space for the removed plastic containers. Furthermore, a mechanical check of the orientation, as is usual in the prior art, brings with it some disadvantages. Such an orientation check is quite imprecise and a corresponding mechanical device must be adapted and adjusted to the container size by a system operator. Furthermore, every time you change over to a different container size/type of container, you have to realign it. Cross-machine control of the system is also necessary, as checking and orientation take place in different modules of the system.

The present invention therefore has the task of providing a device and a method for an aseptic system for producing and filling plastic containers, which enables orientation of the plastic containers, checking them and the removal of incorrectly oriented plastic containers.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a device and a method according to the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

A device according to the invention for treating plastic containers has a transport device which transports the plastic containers along a predetermined transport path. Furthermore, the device has a blowing module, which has a blow molding machine for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, and has a filler module, which has a filling device for filling plastic containers with a particularly liquid product. Furthermore, the plastic containers can be transferred from the blowing module to the filler module, the device having a transfer device for transferring the plastic containers, which is arranged between the blowing module and the filler module, the device being arranged within a clean room.

According to the invention, the transfer device has an inspection device which is suitable and intended for checking the alignment of the plastic containers and/or the transfer device has an ejection device for ejecting incorrectly aligned plastic containers. The plastic containers are preferably plastic bottles and particularly preferably PET bottles.

The device preferably has a modular structure. The device preferably has a blowing module and a filler module. It would also be conceivable for the device according to the invention to be part of a larger system and to be connected to further modules for closing the plastic containers, for labeling the plastic containers and for packaging the plastic containers.

The device is preferably arranged in a clean room and particularly preferably the device is designed such that it has an aseptic corridor within which the production of plastic containers, the transport and filling of the plastic containers takes place under aseptic conditions, while components of the device which are not necessarily must be arranged within the clean room, must be arranged outside the clean room. This applies, for example, to the drives of the transport devices, supply lines for flowable media and the like. At least one clean room boundary is preferably designed as a water lock, particularly in the case of rotating components of the device.

The blow module preferably has an aseptic blow molding machine and particularly preferably an aseptic stretch blow molding machine. Preferably, previously sterilized and heated plastic preforms can be fed to the blowing module, which can be formed into plastic containers within the blowing module by applying a flowable medium. Furthermore, the blow molding module preferably has an outlet star on the outlet side (downstream following the blow molding machine), which takes over the newly produced plastic containers from the blow molding machine. The phase-out star is preferably a pitch delay star. In an advantageous embodiment, the blowing module has only a single transport star on the outlet side, which is designed as a pitch delay star, while in the prior art the blowing module additionally has a further transport star on the outlet side, which is designed, for example, as a pitch changing star. The present invention therefore offers the advantage that this additional transport star can be dispensed with, which means that the technical effort and the associated costs can be reduced. In the context of the present invention, a division delay star is understood to mean a transport star which maintains a division (circular division of the transport star) when transferring plastic containers and transfers from each division to each division (1:1), but at the same time the distance between two successive ones Plastic containers are enlarged or reduced, which corresponds to an enlargement or reduction of the corresponding partial circle.

Furthermore, in the context of the present invention, a pitch change star is understood to mean a transport star which changes a pitch when plastic containers are transferred, for example from every second pitch to every pitch (2:1) or from every pitch to every pitch (1:1) hands over. The pitch changing star can preferably be switched manually or automatically.

The filler module preferably has an aseptic filling device for filling plastic containers with a particularly liquid product and a plurality of transport stars for the transfer of the plastic containers between the blowing module and the filling device. In an advantageous embodiment, the filler module for the transfer of the plastic containers between the blowing module and the filling device has a maximum of four transport stars and preferably fewer than four transport stars. In comparison, the prior art typically uses five or more transport stars.

The plastic containers can preferably be transferred from a division of the blow molding machine to a division of the filling device. Preferably, a pitch distance (between two successive transported plastic containers) can be changed by a pitch delay star and preferably by more than one pitch delay star. It is conceivable that the pitch distance can be changed in several steps, for example by a first pitch delay star (as an outlet-side part of the blowing module) and by a second pitch delay star, which is designed, for example, as an inlet star of the filling device. It would also be conceivable for a further transport star of the filler module to be designed as a pitch delay star.

The transfer device is preferably a separate module which is designed as a clean room. In an advantageous embodiment, the filler module has at least three transport stars, with at least a first transport star of the filler module being a pitch delay star. The at least three transport stars are preferably arranged in such a way that the plastic preforms can be transferred from the transfer device to the filling device via the at least three transport stars.

In an advantageous embodiment, the transfer device has at least two transport stars. In a further advantageous embodiment, one of the at least two transport stars and preferably the first transport star is an orientation star. In an advantageous embodiment, one of the at least two transport stars and preferably the second transport star is a pitch alternating star.

In a preferred embodiment, the device has an inspection device which is arranged within the transfer device. Preferably the inspection device is suitable and intended to check the alignment of the transported plastic containers. In an advantageous embodiment, the inspection device is arranged between the first transport star and the second transport star (the transfer device).

In an advantageous embodiment, the inspection device has a camera and preferably several cameras. In an advantageous embodiment, the checking of the alignment of the transported plastic containers can be carried out contactlessly by the inspection device. Preferably, an orientation of the transported plastic containers can be checked by the camera(s) from at least one and particularly preferably from more than one perspective. The inspection device preferably has at least one lighting device and preferably several lighting devices. Preferably, the at least one lighting device is suitable and intended to illuminate the plastic containers to be examined evenly from several sides.

The inspection device is preferably suitable and intended to record a (spatially resolved) image of the plastic containers to be examined. A comparison of the recorded image with reference images stored in a storage device is preferred feasible. In a preferred embodiment, the inspection device is suitable and intended to evaluate the spatially resolved images using AI-supported object recognition.

In a preferred embodiment, the transfer device has an ejection device which is suitable and intended to eject a plastic container that is incorrectly aligned from the transport path. It is conceivable that the ejection device removes the plastic container from the transport path of the plastic containers by actuating a mechanical plunger, using a blast of air or the like. It would also be conceivable that a holding device, which preferably grips the head area of the plastic container to be ejected, is opened and the plastic container falls down.

In an advantageous embodiment, the ejection device is arranged in the area of the second transport star and/or integrated into the second transport star. It would be conceivable that the ejection device is arranged next to the transport path of the plastic containers and is suitable and intended to deliver a rejection element into the transport path and thus preferably reject the plastic container. Furthermore, it would also be conceivable that the ejection device is arranged directly on the second transport star or is integrated into it. For example, the ejection device is designed in the form of nozzles, which are suitable and intended to release a plastic container to be ejected from the associated holding device by applying a blast of air. Each holding device of the second transport star is preferably assigned an ejection device, in particular a nozzle for the application of a blast of air.

In an advantageous embodiment, the transfer device has a collecting container for ejected plastic containers below the second transport star. The transfer device preferably has a door or a lock through which the ejected plastic containers can be removed. It is preferably possible to remove the ejected plastic containers while maintaining aseptic conditions. Preferably, removal of the ejected plastic containers is possible during aseptic operation and particularly preferably during non-aseptic maintenance of the system. The present invention is further directed to a method for operating a device for treating plastic containers with a transport device which transports the plastic containers along a predetermined transport path. The device has a blowing module, which has a blow molding machine for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, and has a filler module, which has a filling device for filling plastic containers with a particularly liquid product. Furthermore, the plastic containers are transferred from the blowing module to the filler module, the device having a transfer device for transferring the plastic containers, which is arranged between the blowing module and the filler module, the device being arranged within a clean room.

According to the invention, the transfer device has an inspection device which checks the alignment of the plastic containers and/or the transfer device has an ejection device for ejecting incorrectly aligned plastic containers.

In an advantageous method, the inspection device has a camera and/or the alignment of the plastic containers is checked contactlessly by the inspection device.

In a preferred method, the plastic containers are transferred from a division of the blow molding machine to a division of the filling device. The pitch distances are preferably changed by the outlet-side pitch delay star of the blowing module and by at least one pitch delay star of the filling device. The pitch change star preferably transfers from every second pitch to every pitch (2:1) or from every pitch to every pitch (1:1). The pitch changing star can preferably be switched manually or automatically.

The filler module preferably has at least three transport stars, with at least a first transport star of the filler module being a pitch delay star. The plastic preforms are preferably transferred from the transfer device to the filling device via the at least three transport stars of the filler module.

In an advantageous method, the transfer device has at least two transport stars. Preferably it is the first of the at least two transport stars the transfer device around an orientation star and in the second of the at least two transport stars around a pitch changing star.

The plastic preforms are preferably aligned by the orientation star of the transfer device. The inspection device preferably checks the orientation of the transported plastic containers and is particularly preferably arranged between the orientation star and the pitch change star. The inspection device preferably has at least one camera and preferably several cameras. Preferably, the at least one camera captures a (spatially resolved) image of the plastic container to be checked. The spatially resolved image is preferably evaluated by comparing it with reference images, the reference images preferably being stored on a storage device. The (spatially resolved) images are preferably evaluated using AI-based object recognition.

Plastic containers identified as being incorrectly aligned are preferably removed in the area of the second transport star of the transfer device, in particular the pitch change star. A misaligned container is preferably ejected based on the evaluation of the captured image. The transfer device preferably has a collecting container in the area of the second transport star, with the defective plastic containers preferably being ejected into this. The ejected plastic containers can preferably be removed through a door or lock of the transfer device.

The plastic containers to be ejected are preferably removed from the transport path mechanically or pneumatically. The plastic containers to be ejected are preferably removed by applying a blast of air. In a preferred method, a rejection element is introduced into the transport path of the plastic preforms in order to reject a plastic container to be ejected.

Further advantages and embodiments can be found in the accompanying drawings. Show in it:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a transfer device according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention according to a preferred embodiment. Shown is an arrangement of a blowing module 10 and a filler module 20 with a transfer device 40 arranged between them. The reference number 4 schematically indicates the clean room boundary. The continuous lines running between the blowing module 10, the filler module 20 and the transfer device 40 do not represent continuous clean room boundaries. Rather, they each have a passage through which the plastic containers can be transported. The blowing module 10 has an inlet star 14, via which previously heated and sterilized plastic preforms can be fed to the blow molding machine 12. The finished blown plastic containers are then taken over by a division delay star 16. The filler module has a filling device 22 and several transport stars. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the form of an inlet star 24 and three further transport stars 26, 28, 30. The transport star 24 (entry star) is designed as a division delay star and transfers the plastic containers to be filled to the filling device 22. The transfer device 40 has two transport stars, which in a preferred embodiment are designed as an orientation star 42 and as a pitch changing star 44.

Thus, the plastic containers produced by the blow molding machine 12 are transferred to the orientation star 42 of the transfer device 40 through the division delay star 16 (blow module outlet). The orientation star 42 serves to correctly align the plastic containers taken from the blow molding module 10. This is followed by a division alternating star 44. After the division changing star 44, the plastic containers are transferred via the transport stars 26, 28, 30 to the inlet star of the filling device (division delay star 24).

In the further course (not shown), the filled plastic containers can be passed on to a device for closing, labeling, packaging and the like.

Figure 2 shows a more precise representation of a transfer device 40 according to the invention, with the clean room boundaries of the transfer device 40 being white for better clarity. were not shown during testing. Figure 2 shows an orientation star 42 and a pitch change star 44. The upper clean room boundary, not shown, runs such that the stepper motors 46 of the orientation star are arranged outside the clean room and the holding devices of the orientation star 42 are arranged inside the clean room. Furthermore, the transfer device 40 has an inspection device 48 in the area of the graduation alternating star 44, which has at least one camera and suitable lighting. The inspection device 48 is set up to detect misaligned plastic containers 2. Such misaligned plastic containers 2 can be removed from the transport path of the plastic containers 2 by an ejection device (not shown), these being collected in a collecting container 50 within the transfer device 40. The discharged plastic containers 2 can be removed from time to time through the lock door 52.

The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided that they, individually or in combination, are new compared to the prior art. It should also be noted that the individual figures also describe features that can be advantageous in themselves. The person skilled in the art immediately recognizes that a specific feature described in a figure can be advantageous even without adopting further features from this figure. Furthermore, the person skilled in the art will recognize that advantages can also arise from a combination of several features shown in individual or different figures.

Reference symbol list

contraption

Plastic container

Cleanroom boundary

Blowing module

blow molding machine

Inlet star blowing module

Discharge star blowing module, division delay star

Filler module

Filling device

Inlet star filling device, division delay star, 28, 30 transport stars

Outlet star filling device

Transfer facility

Orientation star

Division change star

stepper motor

Inspection facility, inspection facility with lighting

Collection container

lock door

Claims

Claims Device (1) for treating plastic containers (2) with a transport device which transports the plastic containers (2) along a predetermined transport path, with a blow module (10) which has a blow molding machine (12) for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers (2). and with a filler module (20), which has a filling device (22) for filling plastic containers (2) with a particularly liquid product, and wherein the plastic containers (2) can be transferred from the blowing module (10) to the filler module (20). are, and with a transfer device (40) for transferring the plastic containers (2), which is arranged between the blowing module (10) and the filler module (20), the device (1) being arranged within a clean room, characterized in that the Transfer device (40) has an inspection device (48) which is suitable and intended to check an alignment of the plastic containers (2) and / or the transfer device (40) has an ejection device for ejecting misaligned plastic containers (2). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer device (40) has at least two transport stars (42, 44). Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that one of the at least two transport stars (42, 44) and preferably the first transport star is an orientation star (42). Device according to at least one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that one of the at least two transport stars (42, 44) and preferably the second transport star is a pitch alternating star (44). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inspection device (48) is arranged between the first transport star (42) and the second transport star (44). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inspection device (48) has a camera and/or the checking of the alignment of the transported plastic containers (2) can be carried out contactlessly by the inspection device (48). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ejection device is arranged in the area of the second transport star (44) and/or is integrated into the second transport star (44). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer device (40) has a collecting container (50) for ejected plastic containers (2) below the second transport star (44). Method for operating a device (1) for treating plastic containers (2) with a transport device which transports the plastic containers (2) along a predetermined transport path, with a blow module (10) which has a blow molding machine (12) for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers (2) and with a filler module (20), which has a filling device (22) for filling plastic containers with a particularly liquid product, the plastic containers (2) being transferred from the blowing module (10) to the filler module (20), and with a transfer device (40) for transferring the plastic containers (2), which are between the blowing module (10) and the filler module (20), the device (1) being arranged within a clean room, characterized in that the transfer device (40) has an inspection device (48) which checks the alignment of the plastic containers (2) and /or the transfer device (40) has an ejection device for ejecting misaligned plastic containers (2). Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the inspection device (48) has a camera and/or the checking of the alignment of the plastic containers (2) is carried out contactlessly by the inspection device (48).