Apparatus and method for manufacturing plastic containers with container rotation on transfer starwheels

Abstract

Apparatus for producing plastic containers includes having a forming device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, a preform first transport device arranged downstream of the forming device and a second transport device for transporting formed containers from the forming device to a filling device, wherein the second transport device has a first transport unit and a second transport unit each having a movable carrier, on each of which a plurality of container gripping devices, wherein the gripping devices are each arranged pivotably with respect to the carriers such that a gripping device with a plastic container held by this gripping device can be pivoted with respect to a predetermined pivot angle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing plastic containers, having a forming device which forms plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein the forming device has a first transport device configured to transport the plastic preforms during their forming and with a filling device which is arranged downstream of the forming device in the transport direction of the plastic containers and configured to fill the plastic containers with a liquid, wherein the apparatus has a further second transport device configured to transport the containers from the forming device to the filling device, wherein the second transport device has at least a first transport unit and a second transport unit configured to transport the plastic containers, wherein these two transport units each having a movable carrier, on each of which a plurality of gripping devices are arranged, which are configured for gripping the plastic containers, wherein these gripping devices are each arranged pivotably with respect to these carriers in such a way that a gripping device with a plastic container held by this gripping device can be pivoted with respect to a predetermined pivot angle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pivot plane in which the gripping devices are pivotable relative to the carriers is arranged parallel to a transport plane of the plastic containers.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a movable carrier of at least one transport unit is a carrier rotatable about a predetermined axis of rotation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transport device comprises a third transport unit and said third transport unit comprises a movable carrier on which a plurality of gripping devices are arranged which are configured for gripping the plastic containers.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pivot angle is greater than 5° and/or the predetermined pivot angle is less than 80°.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming device is configure to form plastic containers having a main body with a cross-section deviating from a circular cross-section.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a clean room within which the plastic preforms and/or the plastic containers are transported at least in sections.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device comprises gripping clamps configured to grip the containers at their outer surface.

9. A method for producing plastic containers, comprising providing an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a forming device forms plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein the forming device has a first transport device which transports the plastic preforms during their forming and wherein a filling device arranged in the transport direction of the plastic containers downstream of the forming device fills the plastic containers with a liquid, wherein the apparatus has a further second transport device which transports the containers from the forming device to the filling device, wherein the second transport device has at least a first transport unit and a second transport unit which transport the plastic containers, wherein these two transport units each have a movable carrier, on each of which a plurality of gripping devices are arranged, which grip the plastic containers, wherein these gripping devices are each arranged pivotably with respect to these carriers in such a way that a gripping device with a plastic container held by this gripping device is pivoted with respect to a predetermined pivot angle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the gripping device with the plastic containers arranged thereon are pivoted through the predetermined angle relative to the carrier from a first pivot position into a second pivot position and then the gripping devices without plastic containers held thereon are pivoted from the second pivot position into the first pivot position.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pivot angle is greater than 10° and/or the predetermined pivot angle is less than 60°.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pivot angle is greater than or equal to 15° and/or the predetermined pivot angle is less than 40°.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pivot angle is less than 30°.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pivot angle is less than 20°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Further advantages and embodiments can be seen in the attached drawings:

[0049] In the drawings:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a representation of the second transport device with three transport units;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating the pivoting movement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. This has a heating device 12, such as an infrared oven, which heats plastic preforms 10. These plastic preforms are then transferred to the forming device 2 by means of a transport starwheel 32. This has a rotatable carrier 21 on which a plurality of forming stations 22 are arranged. After forming, the manufactured plastic containers 20 are transported to a filling device 6 by a second transport device 4. This second transport device 4 here has three transport units 42, 44 and 46, each of which is equipped with gripping devices 42a for gripping the plastic containers 20.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a representation of the second transport unit 4 and the pivoting movement caused by it. Here you can again see the gripping device 42a (only shown schematically), which is part of the first transport unit 42 and which is arranged on a carrier 52. The containers gripped by the gripping device 42 are pivoted with the gripping devices in a pivot area A by a predetermined pivot angle, for example 15°.

[0055] The plastic containers are then transferred to the second transport unit 44. Finally, in a return area R, the gripping device is pivoted back into the starting position in which a further plastic container can be picked up.

[0056] Also by means of the transport unit 44, the plastic containers in the area A are again pivoted with the gripping devices by a predetermined pivot angle and then transferred to the third transport unit 46. Also during the transport by means of this transport unit 46, a pivoting of the gripping devices with the plastic containers held on them takes place in the area A, as well as a pivoting back of the now unoccupied gripping devices also in the area R.

[0057] In this way, the plastic containers as a whole are not only transported further by this transport, but also rotated by 3× a predetermined angle, for example 3×45°.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention. Here again a carrier 38 is shown, on which a gripping element such as a gripping clamp (not shown) is arranged. This carrier 38 is pivotable by a predetermined pivot angle with respect to a pivot axis S. For this purpose, two adjusting cams 34 may be provided, each of which effects this pivoting movement. The reference sign 36 indicates a stop which limits the pivoting movement of the carrier 38 with respect to the pivoting axis S. It would be possible that by changing the position of the stop 36, the maximum pivot angle of the carrier 38 and thus of the gripping devices 42a, 44a, 46a is also changed.

[0059] The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided they are individually or in combination new compared to the prior art. It is further pointed out that the individual figures also describe features which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person immediately recognises that a certain feature described in a figure can also be advantageous without adopting further features from this figure. Furthermore, the skilled person recognises that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual figures or in different figures.