Abstract
Provided is an apparatus for processing containers, in particular plastic containers and plastic parisons, including at least one processing device which processes the containers in a predetermined manner, and including at least one transfer device, which transfers the containers, individually, to the processing device in a transfer region and/or to which the containers are transferred from the processing device in a transfer region. At least one inspection device is provided, which is suitable and intended for visually inspecting at least a part of the processing device and or the transfer region at least at sections and completely, at least temporarily during a transfer process of a container.
Claims
1. An apparatus for processing containers, in particular plastic containers and plastic parisons, comprising: at least one processing device which processes the containers in a predetermined manner, and at least one transfer device which transfers the containers, individually, to a treatment device in a transfer region and/or to which the containers are transferred from the treatment device the transfer region, wherein at least one inspection device is provided, which is suitable and intended for visually inspecting at least a part of the processing device and/or the transfer region, at least temporarily during a transfer process of a container.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is arranged inside a clean room.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is a feed starwheel and/or discharge starwheel associated with the processing device.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is a sterilisation module or a blow moulding module.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device inspects the transfer region from below.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inspection device is arranged stationary in the apparatus.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inspection device and all inspection devices are arranged and entrained on a moving element of the processing device.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inspection direction of the inspection device extends substantially in or contrary to the transport direction of the containers.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an illumination device is provided on the inspection device or adjacent thereto, and illuminates at least a part of the processing device the transfer region at least temporarily during an image recording of the inspection device.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mobile operating device can be provided, by means of which changes to settings can be carried out on the inspection device and/or the transfer device, and/or a mobile display device can be provided, by means of which data recorded by the inspection device can be output and/or displayed.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has an operating device arranged stationary on the apparatus.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a storage device for at least temporary storage of recorded image sequences.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a control device which is suitable and intended for automatically and/or manually carrying out, as a function of the data recorded by the inspection device, changes to the transfer parameters of the transfer device and/or the processing device.
14. The apparatus according to at least claim 1, the inspection device is arranged on the apparatus by means of a clamp fastening or a quick fastening.
15. A method for monitoring and/or adjusting an apparatus for processing containers, in particular plastic containers and plastic parisons, the method comprising: processing by at least one processing device which processes the containers in a predetermined manner, and transferring by at least one transfer device, which transfers the containers to the processing device a transfer region and/or to which the containers are transferred from the processing device in a transfer region, wherein by means of at least one inspection device at least in sections and completely at least a part of the processing device and/or the transfer region is visually inspected at least temporarily during a transfer process of a container.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the inspection device is arranged inside a clean room and changes to the settings are carried out automatically and/or manually on the inspection device and/or the transfer device by means of a particularly mobile operating device arranged outside the clean room, and/or by means of a particularly mobile display device arranged outside the clean room.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all inspection devices are arranged stationary in the apparatus.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0065] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
[0066] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a processing device of an apparatus for processing plastic containers;
[0067] FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation of an embodiment of an apparatus for processing plastic containers;
[0068] FIG. 3 shows a detail of the processing module with inspection device;
[0069] FIG. 4 shows a representation of a transfer from the processing module into the blow moulding module in an apparatus in a further embodiment;
[0070] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a receiving device;
[0071] FIG. 6 shows a representation of a mobile inspection device on the blow moulding wheel;
[0072] FIG. 7 shows a perspective representation of a mobile inspection device on the blow moulding wheel obliquely from above;
[0073] FIG. 8 shows a detail of the arrangement of the inspection device on the blow moulding station;
[0074] FIG. 9 shows a further detail of the arrangement of the inspection device on the blow moulding station;
[0075] FIG. 10 shows a representation of a mobile inspection device on the blow moulding wheel with the inspection direction in the running direction;
[0076] FIG. 11 shows a further representation of an embodiment of a mobile inspection device on the blow moulding wheel with the inspection direction contrary to the running direction;
[0077] FIG. 12 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of an apparatus with stationary inspection devices;
[0078] FIG. 13 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of an apparatus with mobile inspection devices; and
[0079] FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of an apparatus with an overall view of possible monitoring points.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0080] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a processing device 20 of an apparatus 1 for processing plastic containers. This is introduced into a housing 24 in order to be able to provide in the interior thereof a clean room 22 in which the containers can be protected against external influences and can be processed under aseptic conditions. The objective is on the one hand to be able to provide the apparatus 1 overall in the most compact construction possible but on the other hand at the same time to be able to provide the highest possible user-friendliness for necessary settings and adjustments inter alia at the transfer points or transfer regions such as the starwheel transfers into the processing chamber 20 and the transfer to a blow moulding station 64 in the blow moulding module 60.
[0081] FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation of an embodiment of an apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention for processing plastic containers in the view from a heating module of the apparatus 1 into a processing module 26, which may in particular be a sterilisation module, in which for instance the plastic parisons can be supplied with sterilising agent such as hydrogen peroxide. The drawing shows a processing device 20 with a housing 24, inside which a clean room 22 is formed during the production mode. A retaining device 48 (fixedly installed), on which an inspection device 40 (not shown in FIG. 2) can be fastened, is arranged on the inner wall of the housing 24. The retaining device 48 serves for (quick) fastening of the inspection device 40 to the apparatus 1. This offers the advantage that the inspection devices, which cannot remain in the sterilising device while hydrogen peroxide is being used therein, can be quickly arranged or removed if required. With the inspection device 40 it should be possible for the transfer point 34 of the containers into the processing module 20, in this case the sterilisation module, to be monitored by an operator located outside the housing 24.
[0082] FIG. 3 shows a detail of the processing module 26 with inspection device 40, which can be pushed onto the retaining device 48 and is fixed thereto with a snap fastening. The retaining device 48 is arranged on the inner wall of the housing 24 in the region below the transfer region 32 between a transfer device 30 (not shown) and the processing device 20. In this case the inspection device 40 is arranged so that the inspection direction 50 thereof extends in a non-parallel manner to the inner wall of the housing 24 or also in a non-parallel manner to the normal to the ground surface, but obliquely from below inspects the transfer region 32 which may be located at least in sections in a recess or an opening in the housing 24.
[0083] FIG. 4 shows a representation of a transfer from the processing module 26, which may for instance be a sterilisation module, into a blow moulding module 60 of an apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention in a further embodiment. In turn, a retaining device 48, which may be fixedly fitted to the housing 24 and to which an inspection device 40 can be fastened, is arranged in a region of the inner wall of the housing 24 of the processing device 20. This retaining device is suitable and intended to receive, obliquely from below, the transfer region 32 or the transfer point 34 of the plastic parisons to the blow moulding module 60 or to a blow moulding station 64 of the blow moulding module 60.
[0084] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a receiving device 43, to which the inspection device 40 transmits its recorded data or images or videos. There they can be displayed for the operator by means of a display device 46 in real time. Moreover, the receiving device 43 can have an operating device 44, by means of which the operator can perform settings on the apparatus 1 or the transfer parameters. In this case the desired changes are communicated by the receiving device 43, for example wirelessly, to the apparatus 1 or to the processing device 20 and/or to the transfer device 30. In this case the receiving device 43 can be configured in the manner of a wristwatch which can be worn on the wrist by the operator.
[0085] Furthermore, it is also possible that by means of the operating device 44 further settings are performed, such as in particular but not exclusively settings on the inspection device 40.
[0086] FIGS. 6 and 7 show a representation or a perspective representation obliquely from above of a mobile inspection device 40 on a blow moulding wheel 62 in a blow moulding module 60. The blow moulding module 60 has a blow moulding wheel 62 with a plurality of blow moulding stations 64 arranged thereon, to which plastic parisons are transferred separately and are expanded into containers in the respective blow moulding station 64. In this case the inspection device 40 is arranged on the pivot bearing 66, particularly on the pivot bearing housing 68, advantageously by means of a retaining device 48 which may be in the form of a retaining bar. In this case, at a predetermined angular position of the blow moulding station 64 at which the inspection device 40 is arranged, the inspection direction 50 of the inspection device 40 extends in the direction of the transfer region of the parisons on the delivery device 70. The delivery device 70 can be designed as a transfer wheel and by means of a plurality of holding receptacles 72 arranged thereon transports the parisons to the individual blow moulding stations 64 of the blow moulding module 60.
[0087] However, also at a predetermined angular position of the blow moulding station 64 on which it is arranged, the inspection direction 50 of the inspection device 40 extends in the direction of the transfer region of the finally blow moulded containers onto the discharge device 80. The discharge device 80 can be designed as a transfer wheel and by means of a plurality of holding receptacles 82 arranged thereon discharges the containers from the individual blow moulding stations 64 of the blow moulding module 60. In this case the inspection device 40 arranged on the blow moulding station 64 is entrained together with the plurality of blow moulding stations 64 around the axis of rotation of the blow moulding wheel 62 (rotationally), so that in this case this is a mobile camera/inspection device 40.
[0088] FIGS. 8 and 9 each show a detail of the arrangement of the inspection device 40 on the blow moulding station 64. In this connection a retaining device 48 is provided which can be fixedly installed on the blow moulding station 64 and on the pivot bearing 66 and particularly on the pivot bearing housing 68 of the blow moulding station 64. The retaining device 48 can be designed in such a way that a quick fastening of the inspection device 40 on the retaining device 48 is possible, for example in that the inspection device 40 can be pushed onto the retaining device 48 and tightened by means of a star grip 41. Optionally an illumination device 42 (video light) can be arranged directly adjacent to the inspection device 40 on the retaining device 48. This illuminates the region of the apparatus 1 to be inspected by the inspection device 40.
[0089] The two FIGS. 10 and 11 each show a representation of an embodiment of a mobile inspection device 40 on the blow moulding wheel 62 in a blow moulding module 60 with the inspection direction 50, in the case of FIG. 10 in the running direction, and in the case of FIG. 11 contrary to the running direction of the blow moulding wheel 62 or the blow moulding stations 64 arranged thereon. In this case the blow moulding station 64 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 in the left-hand region of the two figures moves on a portion of a circular path (out of the drawing plane in the direction of the observer and) towards the right (and then back again into the drawing plane), in the direction of the illustrated blow moulding station 64 in the right-hand region of the two figures. In this case in turn, optionally in addition to the inspection device 40, in order to ensure good lighting conditions of the region to be recorded an illumination device 42 can be provided which likewise can be arranged on the retaining device 48 of the inspection device 40.
[0090] FIGS. 12 and 13 each show a schematic representation of an embodiment of a further apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention. The reference 62 designates a blow moulding wheel in a blow moulding module 60, on which a plurality of blow moulding stations 64 are arranged. Inside each blow moulding station 64 a plastic parison is transferred to the respective blow moulding station 64 by a transfer device 30 which can be designed in the form of a feed starwheel 70 with retaining receptacles 72. Whilst the blow moulding wheel 62 rotates together with the blow moulding stations 64 arranged thereon about its axis of rotation, the plastic parison located in the blow moulding station 64 is expanded into a container (bottle) and is transferred from this processing device 20, the blow moulding module 60, to a further transfer device 30. The latter can likewise be designed as a transfer wheel, a discharge starwheel 80 with retaining receptacles 82 for the containers. In the case of FIG. 12 two inspection devices 40a which are immobile (that is to say arranged stationary in the apparatus 1) are provided for observation of the two transfer points 34, of which one is located at the transfer of the plastic parisons from the feed starwheel 70 onto the blow moulding wheel 62 or a blow moulding station 64 arranged thereon, and the other is located at the transfer of the finally blow moulded plastic containers from the blow moulding station 64 to the discharge starwheel 80. These, in some embodiments, do not move with the containers to be processed, not even in sections or temporarily. In this case the two stationary inspection devices 40a can be arranged between the feed starwheel 70 and the discharge starwheel 80. Only precisely two stationary inspection devices 40a may be necessary for each blow moulding wheel 62.
[0091] On the other hand, mobile inspection devices 40b are provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 13. There are a number of possible arrangements for this. On the one hand they can be arranged on the blow moulding station 64 of the blow moulding wheel 62. However, they can also be arranged directly or additionally on the blow moulding wheel 62 itself. For each blow moulding station 64 a mobile inspection device 40b is arranged on the blow moulding station 64 and a further one is arranged on the blow moulding wheel 62 in the immediate proximity of this blow moulding station 64. One mobile inspection device 40b can then be used for monitoring the one transfer point 34 when receiving the plastic parisons and the second can be used for monitoring of the transfer point 34 when discharging the finally blow moulded containers onto the discharge starwheel 80. A further possibility is to arrange the mobile inspection devices 40b or at least one mobile inspection device on the (for example, rotating) transfer devices 30. For example, the mobile inspection devices 40b can be arranged on the retaining receptacles 72 of the feed starwheel 70 and/or the retaining receptacles 82 of the discharge starwheel 80. For each retaining receptacle 72/82 one mobile inspection device 40b is arranged in the feed starwheel 70 or in the discharge starwheel 80.
[0092] Finally, FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of an apparatus 1 according to embodiments of the invention with several transfer devices 30 with an overall view of possible monitoring points 34 which can be monitored by means of stationary inspection devices 40a and/or by means of mobile inspection devices 40b. In this case a part of the transfer device is arranged inside a housing 24 in which a clean room 22 prevails.
[0093] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed, and further variations can be inferred by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.
[0094] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0095] 1 apparatus [0096] 20 processing device [0097] 22 clean room [0098] 24 housing [0099] 26 processing module [0100] 30 transfer device [0101] 32 transfer region [0102] 34 transfer point [0103] 40 inspection device [0104] 40a stationary inspection device [0105] 40b mobile inspection device [0106] 41 star grip [0107] 42 illumination device [0108] 43 receiving device [0109] 44 operating device [0110] 46 display device [0111] 48 retaining device [0112] 50 inspection direction [0113] 60 blow moulding module [0114] 62 blow moulding wheel [0115] 64 blow moulding station [0116] 66 pivot bearing [0117] 68 pivot bearing housing [0118] 70 delivery device [0119] 73 retaining receptacle [0120] 80 discharge device [0121] 82 retaining receptacle
