Patent ID: 6678578
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
A method for handling liquid containers in a horizontal position in the form of empty beverage packaging, for example cans or bottles of any cross-section, in connection with the detection of characteristic features of the container, comprising:a) placing the container on a conveyor, where the conveyor belts of the conveyor together form an approximate V-shape in cross-section; b) detecting the contour of the container by means of a container-detecting unit; c) determining whether there is a visible identification code on the container or not; characterised by d) if an identification code is visible, detecting the code by means of a code detector, and then carrying out step f) or g), e) if an identification code is not visible, moving the conveyor belts apart so as to drop the container onto a pair of rotary rollers for rotation of the container until an identification code on the container becomes visible to the code detector and is detected thereby, whereupon the conveyor belts are brought together to form the said V-shape and thus lift the container up from the rotary rollers, and then carrying out step f) or g), and wherein step f) comprises conveying the container onwards on the conveyor to a point downstream in relation to the conveyor; and step g) comprises conveying the container on the conveyor back to an upstream position or insertion position.