An apparatus for printing on containers includes a transport arm and a lift that cooperate to form a first container-transport device that moves a container at a container-loading position into a printing position. The transport arm is arranged on the lift and pivotable about a pivot axis thereof. The lift is axially displaceable and displaces the transport arm axially in relation to the pivot axis. At the printing position, a print head prints on the container.

The present invention is aimed at an adjustment system, in particular for adjusting the distance apart of at least two guide mechanisms for the transport of, for instance, preforms for plastics containers, wherein the at least two guide mechanisms are respectively connected to a setting unit, and wherein the setting unit comprises in each case at least one piston-like element, which is pneumatically movable to and fro between a first stop and a second stop within the setting unit.

An apparatus (1) and a method for optical inspection of parisons (2) made of thermoplastic material comprises: a conveyor (3) comprising a pair of lateral, under-flange guides 31A for holding each parison by its flange, and configured to transport the parisons (2) in succession along an inspection path; an inspection station (41, 42, 43, 51, 52), located along the inspection path and including at least one inspection camera (410, 411, 412, 413, 421, 431, 510, 511, 520, 521, 522), configured to capture image data of a parison (2) positioned in the inspection station (41, 42, 43, 51, 52), wherein the conveyor (3) has a first operating configuration for transporting parisons (2) of a first size and a second operating configuration for transporting parisons (2) of a second size, different from the first size, the conveyor (3) including at least one adjustment actuator (7), configured to move the conveyor (3) between the first and the second operating configuration.

A device for holding a container in a container treatment device, for example for holding a bottle at the bottle neck thereof, includes a first clasp arm, which is arranged on a clasp carrier so as to be pivotable about a first pivot axis, and a second clasp arm, which is arranged on the clasp carrier so as to be pivotable about a second pivot axis. The first clasp arm is of longer design than the second clasp arm. The first clasp arm and the second clasp arm are pivotally coupled to one another via a coupling arrangement, wherein the clasp arms are magnetically preloaded into a closed position, and the clasp arms can be opened to receive a container passively by inserting the container. A treatment device for treating a container is also described.

An apparatus includes a linear feeding-unit having a first linear section and a transfer device that transfers containers, as a group, from the linear feeding-unit to a clocked processing-machine and an entry device having a main feeding-unit distribution-stars. The first distribution-star receives containers from the main feeding-unit at a first transfer-region and transfers and the second distribution-star receives containers from the main feeding-unit at a second transfer-region. A periphery of the first distribution-star comprises a receiving section that receives containers from the main feeding-unit and an empty section interrupts receiving of the containers. The empty section is devoid of supporting-and-retaining elements. However, the receiving section comprises as many supporting-and-retaining elements as there are containers in the container group.

Transfer star-wheel (1) of containers (100) made of thermoplastic material provided with concave closures (200), comprising: a rotary carousel (2) having a plurality of supporting stations (3) for supporting the containers (100), each supporting station (3) comprising a pocket (4) at the external circumference of the rotary carousel (2) for receiving and supporting the neck (100b) of one of the containers (100), characterized in that each supporting station (3) comprises a striking element (5) located above the corresponding pocket (4), said striking element (5) being configurable in an operative position in which it is in contact with the concave closure (200) of the container (100) supported in the corresponding pocket (4), and a neutral position in which it is spaced from the concave closure (200).

A device and a plurality of methods for transporting are disclosed. One method includes moving a plurality of transport movement devices (14) along a guide track (22) by use of a linear motor system. A long stator (16) of the linear motor system has, along a portion of the guide track (22), a predetermined functional region. The method includes portion-wise varying of a magnetic field generation of the long stator (16) within the predetermined functional region (46) for successive transport movement devices of the plurality of transport movement devices (14). It is thus possible to achieve various advantages, such as for example prolonging the motor service life, preventing emergency shut-offs, increased performance of the long stator linear motor and/or allowing smaller dimensioning of the long stator (16).

A method and a device for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a filling system are described. For this purpose, the containers are entered into storage on at least one infeed conveyor belt in the infeed direction, moved in a single row onto a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to the infeed direction, and are removed from storage on at least one outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in the buffering direction. Due to the fact that the row pushers receive the containers in a single row in a guide channel formed/defined by an anterior row guide leading in the buffering direction and by a trailing posterior row guide, the groups of containers can be moved in the buffering direction and positioned precisely, quickly and secured against falling over without back pressure.

A method and a device for buffering containers in a container treatment plant are disclosed. The containers are stored in single rows by at least one inlet conveyor belt in an inlet direction, are shifted in single rows on a buffer surface transversely adjacent by shuttles with row pushers guided on rails and driven individually into a buffer direction extending transversely to the inlet direction in single rows, and are withdrawn by at least one outlet conveyor belt adjacent to the buffer surface in the buffer direction in an outlet direction extending transversely to the buffer direction, or by at least one planar motor armature that can be driven towards the buffer surface and that is in particular driven two-dimensionally. Thus, the containers can be decelerated/accelerated with respect to the inlet/outlet conveyor belt in a controlled manner.

A method and a device for buffering containers in a container treatment system are disclosed. The containers enter into storage on an infeed conveyor belt in the infeed direction, are moved in a single row onto a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to the infeed direction, and are removed from storage on an outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in the buffering direction. The shuttles and the infeed/outfeed conveyor belts are controlled in dependence of target positions, target speeds and/or target accelerations stored specifically for the container type, and/or the shuttles are controlled in dependence of target positions, target distances and/or target speeds stored specifically for modes of operation for initializing and reading out the shuttles, for following preceding shuttles, and for moving to route positions.