Abstract:
A conveyor for conveying containers uses vertically-extending holder-sheets to form container pockets that support the containers. The holder-sheets shift radially in opposite directions to accommodate different container sizes.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is the national stage under 35 USC 371 of international application PCT/EP2014/000368, filed on Feb. 11, 2014, which claims the benefit of the Feb. 19, 2013 priority date of German application DE 102013101645.6, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to container treatment, and in particular to a conveyor used in a container-treatment machine. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    It is known to convey bottles or similar containers with a transport element that rotates about a vertical machine axis. Known transport elements include a rotor that has container-treatment positions on a circumference thereof. These container-treatment positions suspend containers along an arcuate transport section. 
         [0004]    It is also known for each such container-receiving position to have pairs of finger-like container-supports. The two container-supports of each pair hold a container between them. Each such pair thus defines a container holder. 
         [0005]    To adapt the width of a container holder to different container diameters, the finger-like container-supports swivel in opposite directions about axes parallel to the machine axis. Preferably, the finger-like container-supports of all container-receiving positions swivel simultaneously using common adjustment rings. 
         [0006]    One disadvantage of these known conveyors is that contact area with the container being supported does not extend very far in the vertical direction. Another disadvantage is that the finger-like container-supports require considerable space. This makes it difficult to fit very many such pairs on the periphery of the rotor. 
         [0007]    In another known conveyor, each container-receiving position on a circumference of a rotor has clamping arms or fingers as well as a support element. The container lies with a circumferential region thereof at the support element. The support element moves radially relative to the machine axis. 
         [0008]    Another known bottle conveyor has trough-like container holders on a circumference of a rotor. To form the container holders in which the bottle is held by part of its circumference, a belt is fed over guide pins that are provided on two bearing rings arranged on the same axis as the machine axis. To adapt the container holders to bottles of different diameters, one turns the two bearing rings around the machine axis. 
         [0009]    Also known are conveyors in which contact points for the containers are made of holder sheets. However, these holder sheets do not form container pockets that reliably hold containers. Instead, they are offset relative to each other in an axial direction parallel to the machine axis and to the container axis. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    The invention provides a conveyor and support elements for bottles or similar containers that, subject to a constraint of simplified structural design and high level of operational reliability, provide improved container contact and improved adaptation to different container diameters. 
         [0011]    In the conveyor according to the invention, holder sheets that stand vertically upright with planes of their surfaces parallel to the machine axis form the container contact-and-support elements. These extend by a height that is greater by a multiple than the thickness of the material used for the holder sheets. The holder sheets, which are made, for example, of a metal, e.g. of corrosion-resistant steel, form container pockets. These pockets are made to have considerable vertical extent. In some embodiments, the pockets extend vertically for more than 50% of the height of the largest bottle for which the conveyor is designed. In other embodiments, the corresponding figure is 60%. This guarantees a contact-and-support region of considerable extent in the direction of the machine axis. 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, two holder sheets are provided at each container-receiving position. These holder sheets form a container pocket between them for at least partially holding a container. Swiveling the holder sheets about a swivel axis parallel to the machine axis provides a way to adapt the positions of the holder sheets relative to the machine axis. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments, the swivel axis is the machine axis itself. In other embodiments, the swivel axis is radially offset relative to the axis of the container receiving position. In some of these embodiments, the swivel axis is offset such that it is closer to the machine axis than it is to the axis of the container receiving position. 
         [0014]    Among the embodiments are those in which the conveyor is part of a transport section between units or machines of a container-treatment installation. Examples of container-treatment installations include installations for manufacturing containers by blow-molding, installations for filling containers, and installations for sealing filled containers. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, the conveyor is part of a container-treatment machine in which the container-receiving positions are container-treatment positions on a circulating transport element or rotor. Examples of such container-treatment positions include filling positions of a filling machine, and sealing positions of a sealing machine. 
         [0016]    In one aspect, the invention features an apparatus for processing containers that has a conveyor for conveying these containers. The conveyor includes rotates about a vertical machine axis and has container-receiving positions formed on its circumference, rim, or periphery. Each such container-receiving position includes a container carrier, first and second container-support elements, and first and second holder-sheets. The container carrier holds a container with a container axis thereof held substantially coaxial to a container-receiving position axis of the container-receiving position. This container-receiving-position axis is oriented parallel to the machine axis. The first and second container-support elements and the first and second holder-sheets are disposed underneath the container carrier. The first and second holder-sheets form contact points for a lateral surface of a container. The first and second holder-sheets shift radially in opposite directions relative to the container axis. This radial shifting enables adaptation of the container-receiving position to different container diameters. The two holder-sheets are arranged with surfaces on vertical planes that are parallel to the machine axis and to the container-receiving-position axis and lie opposite each other along a circumferential direction of the rotor. Between them, the holder-sheets form a container pocket for a container suspended by the container carrier. 
         [0017]    Embodiments include those in which the conveyor is configured to convey containers having different heights, of which one height is the greatest. Among these are those in which the first holder-sheet extends over at least 50% of the greatest height, and those in which it extends over at least 60% of the greatest height. 
         [0018]    Other embodiments also include first and second adjustment elements or adjustment rings that are common to all of the container-receiving positions. These common adjustment elements or rings shift the holder sheets of each container position relative to a corresponding container-receiving-position axis. Among these embodiments are those in which the swivel axis is closer to the machine axis than it is to a container axis of the container, those in which the swivel axis and the machine axis are collinear, and those in which the first holder-sheet of the container-treatment position and a second holder-sheet of the container-treatment position are configured to be swiveled about the swivel axis, whereby the swivel axis is common to the first and second holder-sheets. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, there is also an adjustment ring that can be swiveled about the machine axis. In these embodiments, first and second holder-sheets of each container-receiving position are provided on the adjustment ring. 
         [0020]    In yet other embodiments, each of the first and second holder-sheets includes an edge area. For each holder-sheet, the edge area of the holder-sheet occupies a portion of the holder-sheet that is furthest from the machine axis, extends parallel to the machine axis, and forms a contact-and-support area for containers. 
         [0021]    Other embodiments have a toothed adjustment ring common to all container-receiving positions and a bearing element. The bearing element, which swivels about the swivel axis, includes a cog-wheel that interacts with the teeth for all of the container-receiving positions. 
         [0022]    Also among the embodiments are those in which the conveyor is part of a container-treatment machine that has a rotor. The container-receiving positions form treatment positions on the rotor. 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, the rotor forms an external container-guide that does not move with the rotor. The guide has a lateral surface that faces away from the machine axis and that supports containers. 
         [0024]    Yet other embodiments include a container-treatment machine. In these embodiments, the rotor is part of the container-treatment machine. This rotor forms a plurality of at least one of container-treatment positions and container-receiving positions on a circumference thereof. Among these embodiments are those in which the container-treatment machine is a filling machine for filling containers with liquid content and those in which it is a sealing machine for sealing containers that have been filled with liquid content. 
         [0025]    As used herein, the term “containers” includes cans, bottles, tubes, and pouches, whether made of metal, glass and/or plastic, as well as other packages, in particular those that are suitable for filling with liquid or viscous products or products in the form of powdered or granulated material. 
         [0026]    As used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately” mean deviations from an exact value by ±10%, and preferably by ±5% and/or deviations that are not significant for function. 
         [0027]    Further developments, benefits and application possibilities of the invention arise also from the following description of examples of embodiments and from the figures. In this regard, all characteristics described and/or illustrated individually or in any combination are categorically the subject of the invention, regardless of their inclusion in the claims or reference to them. The content of the claims is also an integral part of the description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0028]    These and other features will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying figures, in which 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  shows a container-treatment machine in the form of a sealing machine for sealing containers with a seal; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a detailed representation and view from below of a container on the container-treatment machine of  FIG. 1  showing two holder sheets forming between them a container pocket or bottle pocket; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  shows the container-treatment machine in  FIG. 1  for processing containers that have a smaller diameter than the containers shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a detailed representation and view from below, of a container on the container-treatment machine together with two holder sheets forming between them a container pocket or bottle pocket; 
           [0033]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show views corresponding to those in  FIGS. 1 and 2  for a further embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0034]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show views corresponding to those in  FIGS. 3 and 4  for the further embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]      FIG. 1  shows a first container-treatment machine  1   a  of a rotating design. In the particular example shown, the first container-treatment machine  1   a  is a sealing machine for sealing containers, such as bottles  2   a.  The bottles can have different sizes with different bottle diameters. FIGS.  1  and  2  show relatively large bottles  2   a,  whereas  FIGS. 3 and 4  show bottles that are considerably smaller than those shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0036]    The first container-treatment machine  1   a  includes a rotor  4  that is mounted on a machine rack. The rotor  4  rotates about a vertical machine-axis MA. The rotor  4  thus defines a conveyor of the container-treatment machine. On the circumference of the rotor  4  are container-treatment positions. In the embodiment shown, these are sealing positions  5 . Only one sealing position  5  together with the bottles to be sealed  2   a,    2   b  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
         [0037]    The rotor  4  includes an upper rotor-element  4 . 1  and a lower rotor-element opposite the upper rotor-element  4 . 1  and separated therefrom along the machine axis MA. The lower rotor-element  4 . 2 , which is annular, is thus below the upper rotor-element  4 . 1 . 
         [0038]    The upper rotor-element  4 . 1  holds a sealing tool  6 . The lower rotor-element  4 . 2  forms a plurality of container holders, each of which is assigned to a sealing position  5 . Each container holder suspends a bottle  2   a,    2   b  from a flange, or neck ring, that is formed underneath the bottle&#39;s mouth. 
         [0039]    The bottles  2   a,    2   b  are supplied on a container inlet to the sealing positions  5  of the first container-treatment machine  1   a . The sealed bottles  2   a,    2   b  are removed from the sealing positions  5  at a container outlet. Sealing of a bottle  2   a,    2   b  occurs within an angular area of the rotary movement of the rotor  4  between the container inlet and the container outlet. Such sealing includes, for example, screwing on a screw cap. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the first container-treatment machine  1   a  includes an external container-guide  7  that does not move with the rotor  4 . The external container-guide  7  extends along an arc that follows the bottles&#39; desired movement. A lateral surface of each bottle lying external relative to the machine axis slides along the container guide. 
         [0041]    In operation, the container guide  7  ensures that each bottle  2   a,    2   b  remains oriented with it its bottle-axis BA parallel or substantially parallel to the machine axis MA. It also ensures that the bottles  2   a,    2   b  remain arranged coaxially or substantially coaxially with a bottle axis BA of the relevant treatment or sealing position. It does so by preventing centrifugal forces acting on the bottles  2   a ,  2   b  due to the rotary movement of the rotor  4  from tipping the bottles  2   a,    2   b.    
         [0042]    The container guide  7  features a support area at which it supports the bottles  2   a,    2   b.  At this support area, the container guide  7  is made of a material that, when paired with the material from which the bottles  2   a,    2   b  are made, has a low friction coefficient. Examples of suitable materials from which the support area is made include plastic, stainless steel, or aluminum. Bottles  2   a,    2   b  are typically made of glass, plastic, or PET. 
         [0043]    Despite the foregoing effort to reduce friction between the container guide  7  and the bottles  2   a,    2   b,  some torque is nevertheless exerted about the vertical bottle axis due to the sliding on the container guide  7 . 
         [0044]    The bottle  2   a  sustains a tipping force in the area under the neck ring. To avoid tipping the bottles  2   a,    2   b , the apparatus features two holder sheets  9   a  that form a container pocket  8   a  at each sealing position  5 . The holder sheets  9   a,  are arranged with their surfaces on planes that are parallel to the machine axis MA and to the vertical bottle axis BA. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 2 and 4  show one of two annular bearing elements  10  that swivel on a common bearing pin  11  about a swivel axis that is parallel to the machine axis MA. Each bearing element  10  secures one of two holder sheets  9   a  of each container pocket  8   a.  The pair of bearings forms a pair of joints, or a “double joint”  12 , with the joints being offset axially relative to each other along an axial direction of the bearing pin  11 . The result is a common swivel axis for both holder sheets  9   a  of each container pocket  8   a.    
         [0046]    The bearing pin  11  is offset radially inwards with respect to the bottle axis BA relative to the machine axis MA. At each sealing position  5 , the common swivel axis formed by the double joint  12 , the bottle axis BA, and the machine axis MA lie on a common vertical plane. 
         [0047]    The two holder sheets  9   a  form between them a V-shaped container pocket  8   a  that narrows in the direction of the machine axis MA. As a result, the distance between holder sheets  9   a  of each sealing position  5  along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the machine axis MA decreases with decreasing distance from the machine axis MA. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the holder sheets  9   a  lie with vertical edge areas thereof located away from the double joint  12  and against the lateral surface of the particular bottle  2   a,    2   b.  The contact is slight in its extent, and is substantially without pressure on the bottle. 
         [0049]    A significant feature of the container pocket  8   a  is that it adapts itself to accommodate bottles having different diameters. It does so by adapting the orientation of the holder sheets  9   a  so that, at some points, the holder sheets  9   a  lie against the outer surface of the bottle. This adaptation of the holder sheet&#39;s orientation is carried out by independently swiveling the holder sheets  9   a  about their common swivel axis at the double-joint  12 . 
         [0050]    To facilitate this swiveling action, each bearing element  10  has a cog-wheel segment  13 . The cog-wheel segment  13  has teeth that extend radially inward from the bearing element toward the machine axis MA. Each bearing element  10  is also associated with a corresponding adjusting ring  14 . The adjusting ring  14  has teeth that extend radially outward from the machine axis MA. The teeth of the cog-wheel segment  13  thus engage teeth of a corresponding adjustment ring  14 . As a result, moving the adjusting ring  14  has the effect of moving the bearing element  10 . 
         [0051]    As was the case with the bearing elements  10 , the cog-wheel elements  13  corresponding to each bearing element  10  are also offset from each other along the direction of the machine axis MA and are coaxial with the machine axis MA. The cog-wheel segment  13  of each bearing element  10 , and thus of each holder sheet  9   a,  interacts with an independent adjustment ring  14 . 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the adjustment rings  14  extend all the way around the rotor  4 . The adjustment rings  14  thus engage cog-wheel segments  13  associated with different container pockets  8   a.  By rotating the adjustment rings  14  in opposite directions, it is possible to simultaneously adapt all the container pockets  8   a  to be able to accommodate the diameter of the bottles  2   a,    2   b  to be processed. 
         [0053]    In the illustrated embodiment, at each sealing position  5 , the radial distance between the swivel axis formed by the double joint  12  and the bottle axis BA is around 78% to 83% of the maximum diameter of the bottles that are being processed by the first container-treatment machine  1   a . Moreover, the radial distance between the swivel axis and the bottle axis BA is around 80% to 90% of the distance of the radially external vertical edges or edge areas of the two holder sheets  9   a  from each other on a horizontal plane perpendicular to the machine axis MA at the largest width of the container pocket  8   a.    
         [0054]    The bottle axis BA defines a vertex of an angle between the contact areas at which the holder sheets  9   a  lie against a bottle. A result of the foregoing configuration, this angle remains substantially the same regardless of the bottle&#39;s diameter. 
         [0055]      FIGS. 5-8  show a second container-treatment machine  1   b  that is in also formed as a sealing machine. The principal difference between the second container-treatment machine  1   b  and the first container-treatment machine  1   a  is that the two holder sheets  9   b  of each container pocket  8   b  are secured rigidly on an adjustment ring  14  radially inwards relative to the machine axis MA. 
         [0056]    By turning the adjustment rings  14  in opposite directions about the machine axis MA and thus by swiveling the holder sheets  9   b  in opposite directions about the machine axis MA, it is again possible to adapt all container pockets  8   b  to the various diameters of bottles  2   a ,  2   b.  Adaptation is carried out by, for each container pocket  8   b,  adjusting the distance between the two holder sheets  9   b  that form that container pocket  8   b.    
         [0057]      FIGS. 6 and 8  show the holder sheets  9   b  that are angled slightly away about at least one axis parallel to the machine axis MA. The bend that forms the angle divides each holder sheet  9   b  into a radially-internal section  9   b . 1  and a radially-external section  9   b . 2 . The radially-internal section  9   b . 1  is closer to the machine axis MA than the radially-external section  9   b . 2 . The radially-internal section  9   b . 1  connects to the adjustment ring  14  and the radially-external section  9   b . 2  connects to the radially-internal section  9   b . 1 . As a result, the planes defined by the two radially-internal sections  9   b . 1  enclose a smaller angle than the planes defined by the radially-external sections  9   b . 2 . 
         [0058]    Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the vertical extent of the holder sheet  9   b  varies with radial position. In particular, the radially-internal sections  9   b . 1  have a vertical extent that is considerably less than that of the radially-external sections  9   b . 2 . This is particularly useful because it is the radially-external sections  9   b . 2  that actually contact the bottles  2   a,    2   b.    
         [0059]    The radially-external sections  9   b . 2  form a V-shaped container pocket  8   b  between them. The width of this pocket  8   b  width narrows as the radial coordinate decreases. To ensure that the configuration of the container pockets  8   b  is defined and reproducible at the two extremes of their adjustment, pins form first and second end-stops  15 ,  16 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The holder sheets  9   b  lie against these end-stops  15 ,  16 . 
         [0060]    At the largest container pocket width, the surfaces of the holder sheets  9   b  lie against the first end-stops  15  facing away from each other, as shown in  FIG. 6 . At the smallest container pocket width, the surfaces of the holder sheets  9   b  lie against the second end-stops  16  facing each other, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0061]    Like the first container-treatment machine  1   a , the second container-treatment machine  1   b  adapts the width of the container pockets  8   b  by swiveling the holder sheets  9   b  about an axis that is offset radially inwards with respect to the bottle axis BA. In addition, the angle about the particular bottle axis or about the bottle axis BA between the two contact areas at which the holder sheets  9   b  lie against the bottles is independent or substantially independent of the bottle diameter. 
         [0062]    In both the first and second container-treatment machines  1   a ,  1   b , the container pockets  8   a,    8   b  are in each case formed between upright holder sheets  9   a,    9   b.  In these upright holder sheets  9   a,    9   b,  the surfaces of the holder sheets are coplanar with vertical planes so that over a large vertical extent there arise numerous options for a contact point with the bottles  2   a,    2   b.  This makes it possible to process bottles of different heights without the need for a vertical adjustment of the container pockets. Also achieved is the ability to accommodate tolerances in bottle diameter and bottle height while guaranteeing a secure contact point of the bottles  2   a,    2   b  against the holder sheets  9   a,    9   b.    
         [0063]    Due to the offset of the holder sheets  9   a,    9   b  in opposite directions, any adjustment of the container pocket width, at least the areas of the holder sheets  9   a,    9   b  lying against the particular bottle  2   a,    2   b  have mirror symmetry about a central plane that includes both the machine axis MA and the bottle axis BA. 
         [0064]    The invention has been described in connection with two particular embodiments, namely the first and second container-treatment machines  1   a ,  1   b , in which the form of container treatment is sealing. However, the principles of the invention are not limited to what is done with the containers. Thus, the container-treatment machine can also be another machine of a rotating design, such as a filling machine.