Abstract:
An apparatus ( 2 ) and a method for making packs ( 30 ) of at least two beverage containers ( 20 ) are disclosed. Using a conveyor, ( 15 ) the beverage containers ( 20 ) are fed to a station ( 10 ), at which the beverage containers ( 20 ) can be guided into a separate holding element ( 16 ). The station ( 10 ) has at least two rigid guiding elements ( 50 ), which are positioned in the station in transport direction of the beverage containers ( 20 ) in such a way that they run towards each other and thus clamp the beverage containers ( 20 ) in the holding element ( 16 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2008 063 082, filed on Dec. 24, 2008, the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for making packs of at least two containers for beverages. The apparatus thereby comprises a conveyor means, which at least feeds the beverage containers to a station at which the beverage containers are guided into a separate holding element. 
     Likewise, the invention also discloses a method for making packs of at least two containers for beverages. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,677 discloses an apparatus and a method with which bottles can be inserted into a carrying element. Capped bottles filled with a composition are loaded into pack carriers therefore in apparatus in which the bottles are conveyed in a continuous series in two spaced apart lines to respective metering starwheels, each with an associated application starwheel, and each starwheel with an associated retentive curved guide means along an arc thereof, at a loading zone while a continuous series of the pack carriers or clips are advanced on a conveyor between the bottle lines to the loading zone. At the loading zone the respective metering starwheels each move the bottles consecutively past the guide means to the associated application starwheel and the application starwheels are mutually spaced sufficiently close on either side of each pack carrier passing in between them to force successive bottles simultaneously from each line into the respective back to back pockets. The arms of the application starwheels during rotation act upon the pair of bottles just inserted to advance the pack carrier on a flat surface and index the pack carrier for the insertion of each successive back to back pair of bottles and then to move the loaded pack carrier to a discharge point or to another conveyor for further handling. The bottles during transport by the starwheels are carried thereby, the bottle rims just below the caps or other upper enlargements of the bottles resting on the upper edges of the starwheels. This can have a negative effect on the necessary flow rate of the apparatus. Furthermore, movable parts such as gear wheels are provided which push the bottles into the intended openings of the holding elements. The gear-shaped wheels can lead to a catching of the bottles. Likewise, it is not possible with the apparatus disclosed in the prior art to handle different bottle sizes. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,853 discloses several embodiments for a holding element and a carrier respectively for several bottles. The holding element/carrier thereby is provided with openings depending on the number of bottles to be carried, in which the bottles to be carried can be inserted. The document discloses not, however, on how an industrial usage of the mounting of the bottles is possible in the holding element/carrier. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to create an apparatus, which has minor downtimes to a reduced number of movable parts, and thereby nevertheless ensures a high flow rate. Likewise, the apparatus shall be adjusted simply and quickly to different forms and sizes of beverage containers which are to be clamped in a respective holding element. 
     The above object is achieved by an apparatus for making packs of at least two beverage containers comprising:
         a conveyor means;   a station which receives said beverage containers fed by the conveyor means;   a separate holding element into which the beverage containers are guided at the station; and   at least two rigid guiding elements are positioned in the station in transport direction of the beverage containers so that two rigid guiding elements run to-wards each other and thus clamp the beverage containers in the holding element.       

     A further object of the invention is to create a method with which it is possible to form a pack of several beverage containers by using a reduced number of movable parts. Thereby, care must be taken that this method does not lead to any long downtimes of the apparatus according to the invention. 
     The above object is achieved by a method for making packs of at least two beverage containers, comprising the steps of: 
     feeding several beverage containers to a station by a conveyor means; 
     feeding also holding elements to the station, wherein in each case one holding element forms with several beverage containers a pack; and, 
     providing at least two rigid guiding elements at the station which are oriented in a transport direction of the beverage containers such that the rigid guiding elements run towards each other and thereby pushing the beverage containers into the respective holding element of each pack. 
     The advantage of the apparatus for making packs of at least two beverage containers according to the invention is, that a conveyor means is provided, which at least feeds the beverage containers to a station. At the station, the beverage containers are guided to a separate holding element and are clamped to said separate holding element respectively. The station has at least two rigid guiding elements which are positioned in the station in transport direction of the beverage containers so that they run towards each other. By this special arrangement the beverage containers are thus clamped in the holding element. 
     The conveyor means also has a device for feeding the holding elements. The device for feeding the holding elements has at least one gripping element, which removes from at least one depot at least one holding element and feeds said holding element to the conveyor means. 
     The conveyor means has several feed elements for the holding elements in order to feed the holding elements to the station, where the beverage containers are clamped in the holding elements. The transport direction for the holding elements is essentially parallel to the transport direction for the containers for beverages. 
     On both sides of the station, a separating device for separating the packs is provided. For this purpose, several stops are provided which transport the packs in a clock wise manner to and through the station. The separating device for separating the packs is an endless belt with several stops separated from each other for the separation of the packs, and for the feed of the packs through the station. 
     Furthermore, the station is provided with a securing means which holds the beverage containers in the station definitely in place during the making of the respective pack. The securing means is also an endless belt with several securing elements thereon. The securing elements are put in the station onto the containers of beverages. After making the pack, the securing elements are again removed by the made packs by means of the endless belt. 
     It is particularly advantageous when the two guiding elements, which clamp the beverage containers into the holding elements, are rigid. Thereby, the round cross-section is of particular advantage, too. The round cross-section ensures that the guiding elements have no corners and rims which may lead to a damage of the beverage containers during their transport through the station. 
     Likewise, it is necessary, that a control is provided, which ensures that the conveyor means, the device for feeding the holding elements to the station, the separating device for separating the packs, wherein said separating device is provided on both sides of the station, and the securing means in the station are controlled such that the containers for beverages, the holding elements and the securing elements are provided in a clockwise manner. 
     It is of particular advantage that the conveyor means and the station which clamps the beverage containers in a separate holding element can be adjusted to different sizes and/or forms of the containers for beverages. Thereby, the beverage containers can be bottles or cans. 
     The advantageous method for making packs of at least two beverage containers is characterized by several steps. Firstly, several beverage containers are continuously fed to a station by a conveyor means. Likewise, holding elements are continuously fed in a clockwise manner to the station. Thereby, a holding element with several beverage containers in each case shall form a pack. The station itself is provided with at least two rigid guiding means, which are provided in transport direction of the beverage containers in such a way that they run towards each other in at least one section, so that the beverage containers can be clamped into the respective holding element and thus form the pack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a part of a bottling plant for beverage containers wherein it basically depends on the composition of the packs of containers of beverages. Here, also an apparatus for making packs of at least two beverage containers is also included; 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of the apparatus for making packs of at least two containers for beverages; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective detailed view of the portion of the apparatus for making packs of at least two containers for beverages, in which several holding elements are removed from a depot; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective detailed view of the station in which the beverage containers are clamped in the holding elements; and, 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic top view of the station with which the beverage containers are clamped into the holding elements. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the following description refers to bottles as containers for beverages, this shall not be regarded as limiting the invention. It is obvious for a person skilled in the art that with the apparatus according to the invention and with the method according to the invention respectively each type of beverage containers can be clamped in an accordingly designed holding element. Furthermore it is pointed out that same reference numbers refer to same elements throughout the various figures. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a portion of a bottling plant for liquids into bottles intended therefore, wherein the bottles, too, are arranged to respective packs. The bottling plant comprises an apparatus  2  for making packs of at least two bottles. The bottles are transported to the apparatus  2  from the direction marked with the arrow  4 . Thereby, the apparatus  2  consists essentially of a station  10 , in which the bottles are clamped in the individual holding elements. The packs are formed after the bottles having been clamped in individual holding elements. Likewise, the apparatus  2  has at least one depot  12  with the respective holding elements. From the depot  12  the holding elements are laid by a device for feeding the holding element onto the conveyor means  14 , and said conveyor means  14  feeds afterwards the holding elements in a respective clockwise manner to the station  10 . Furthermore, the apparatus can be provided with a labeling device  6  for preparing the individual labels onto the bottles. After the bottles having been clamped in the holding element, the labels are adjusted in the labeling device  6  in a respective predefined direction. 
       FIG. 2  shows a top view of the apparatus  2  for making packs  30  of at least two bottles  20 . The bottles  20  are transported from the direction marked with the arrow  4  by a conveyor means  15 . The conveyor means  15  serves also for transporting the bottles  20  through the apparatus  2 . The conveyor means  15  also provides the bottles to the station  10 , at which the bottles are clamped in holding elements  16 . The holding elements  16  are also fed to the station  10  by the conveyor means  15 . The holding elements  16  are laid by a device  14  for feeding the holding elements  16  onto the conveyor means  15 . Thereby, the holding elements  16  are stored in at least one depot  12 . The holding elements  16  are removed in a clockwise manner by the device  14  from the depot and laid onto the conveyor means  15 . The station  10  is provided with a separating device  18  for separating the packs  30 , wherein said separating device  18  is provided on both sides of the conveying direction of the bottles. The bottles incoming into the apparatus  2  are separated by the separating device  18  according to the necessary pack size. The bottles  20  separated individually according to the pack size and are thus feed into the station  10 , in which the clamping of the bottles  20  onto the respective holding element  16  is carried out. The separating device  18  for separating packs is an endless belt  42  with several stops  40 , with which the bottles and unfinished packs respectively can be transported through and to the station  10  respectively on both sides of the transport direction  15  in each case. The stops  40  thus constitute a feed and certain timing for the transport of the bottles and packs respectively through the station  10 . The apparatus  2  is also provided with a control  11  which ensures that the conveyor means  15 , the device  14  for feeding the holding elements to the station  10 , the separating devices  18  for separating the packs, wherein said separating devices are intended on both sides of the station  10 , and the securing means  19  in the station  10  are controlled such that the bottles  20 , the holding elements  19  and the securing means are provided in a clockwise manner. The control  11  can thereby be designed as a touch screen or as a conventional input device (keyboard, mouse, joystick). 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective detailed view of the portion of the apparatus  2 , where the holding elements  16  are laid onto the conveyor means  15 . The conveyor means  15  comprises in addition a traction mechanism  151 , at which stops  44  are provided in defined spacing. The stops  44  serve for the support of the feed of the bottles  20  in direction to the station  10 . Furthermore, the transport device  15  comprises a transport system  152  for the holding elements  16 . Likewise, the system  152  comprises respective stops  46 , in order to transport the holding elements  16  in defined spacing also under consideration of the spacing of the bottles  20  to the station  10 . As already mentioned, the holding elements  16  are transported by a device for feeding the holding elements onto the conveyor means  15 . Thereby, the device  14  comprises at least one gripping element  141 , which removes in each case a holding element  16  from the depot  12  and lays said holding element  16  in a respective manner onto the conveyor means  15 , and the system for the transport of the holding elements  16  respectively. 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective detailed view of the station  10 , in which the bottles  20  with the holding elements  16  are assembled to the respective packs. As already mentioned, the separating device  18  for separating the packs is intended on both sides of the transport direction for the bottles  20 . The separating device  18  is an endless belt  42  with several stops  40  separated from each other thereon. The stops  40  serve for transporting the bottles  20  and the bottles  20  already assembled to the individual packs respectively in a clockwise manner through the station  10 . Furthermore, the stops  40  provide a certain feed for the transport of the bottles. Thereby, the endless belt  42  can have several embodiments. One possible embodiment is that the endless belt  42  is a chain. The station  10  is also provided with a securing means  19 . The securing means  19  serves in the station  10  for holding the bottles  20  and the bottles already assembled to the packs respectively during the making of the respective pack and during the clamping of the respective bottle about the respective holding element respectively in position. The securing means  19  comprises an endless belt  32  with several securing means  33  thereon. It is obvious for a skilled person that the endless belt  32  can have several embodiments. In a preferred embodiment the endless belt  32  is designed as a chain  32  as well. In the way, in which the packs and bottles  20  respectively are fed into the station  10 , the holding elements  16 , too, are fed into the station  10 . Parallel to the aforesaid, the securing elements  33  of the securing means  19  are clamped in the same clockwise manner onto the individual bottles and temporarily assembled packs respectively. Guiding elements  50  are in each case provided for lateral guiding of the bottles  20  and packs respectively in the station  10  on both sides of the bottles to be transported. These guiding elements  50  are preferably designed as bars. A round cross-section of the guiding elements  50  is thereby particularly preferred. 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic top view of the station  10  where the bottles  20  are clamped into the holding elements  16 . The bottles  20  are transported along the transport direction  4  drawn in  FIG. 5  through the above-mentioned conveyor means  15 . Thereby, the individual bottles are already separated to the respective intended packs, which should finally be clamped in the holding element  16 . The holding elements  16  are transported by a conveyor means  152  with stops  46  in direction of that position of the station  10 , at which the bottles  20  are clamped into the holding elements  16 . The bottles  20  are provided with a lateral guiding which is designed as guiding elements  50 . Said guiding elements  50  are positioned on both sides of the bottles  20  in transport direction. At least one portion of the guiding elements  50  is designed as running towards each other. By this running towards each other the bottles  20  are pushed in a respective manner into the openings  16   a  of the holding elements  16 . The bottles  20  are thus held in the openings  16   a  securely and can thereby be transported. 
     Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.