Apparatus and method for manufacturing filled containers

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing filled containers includes a transport unit that is suitable and designed for transporting containers that are filled with a liquid and are closed with a closure cap. The apparatus includes a penetration unit that is suitable and designed for generating an opening in at least an area of the closure cap and/or of the container, and an application unit that applies a flowable and in particular gaseous medium onto an internal space of the container through this opening (or feeds gaseous medium into this intern space). Further the apparatus includes a closing unit that re-closes the opening.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing filled containers comprising a transport unit configured for transporting containers that are filled with a liquid and are closed with a closure cap, a penetration unit configured for generating an opening in at least an area of the closure cap and/or of the container, an application unit configured to apply a flowable and in particular gaseous medium to an internal space of the container through the opening, and a closing unit configured to close the opening, wherein the closing unit has an ultrasound generation unit.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closing unit has a feed unit configured to feed at least one component of the ultrasound generation unit towards the opening.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound generation unit includes a sonotrode.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ultrasound generation unit is integrated, at least at times, into the container or the stamp contacting the closure cap.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound generation unit includes a generator unit that is configured for generating ultrasound having a frequency of more than 20 kHz, and/or in that the ultrasound generation unit includes a generator unit that is configured for generating an ultrasound having a frequency of less than 80 kHz.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a sensor unit configured to determine at least one parameter that is characteristic of the ultrasonic welding process.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound generation unit has a processing head that is fed towards the opening, with a surface that is turned towards the opening, which surface is configured for urging molten material in the direction of the opening.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the surface is curved and is in particular curved to be concave.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the surface has a spherical shape.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound generation unit is configured to fed towards the opening in such a way that a longitudinal direction of the ultrasound generation unit encloses an angle (a) with a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the closure cap, which is between 5 and 50, preferably between 10 and 40, preferably between 15 and 30 and preferably between 17 and 23.

11. A method for manufacturing containers that are filled with liquids and closed, wherein a transport bast is used to transport containers filled with a liquid and closed with a closure cap, and a penetration unit is used to produce an opening in at least an area of the closure cap and/or of the container, and an application unit is used to apply a flowable and in particular gaseous medium into an internal space of the container through the opening, and subsequently the opening is re-closed using a closing unit, wherein the closing unit closes the opening by an effect of ultrasound.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one component of the closing unit contacts an area of the opening, at least at times, during the closing process.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the closing unit sets, at least at times, at least a section of the container or of the closure cap into mechanical vibration.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closing process is monitored, at least at times, by a sensor unit.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ultrasound generation unit has a processing head that is fed towards the opening, with a curved surface that faces the opening.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ultrasound generation unit includes a sonotrode.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the ultrasound generation unit is integrated, at least at times, into the container or the stamp contacting the closure cap.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the surface has a spherical shape.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the closing unit sets, at least at times, at least a section of the container or of the closure cap into mechanical vibration.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the closing process is monitored, at least at times, by a sensor unit.

Description

[0204] Further advantages and embodiments will become evident from the attached drawings, wherein:

[0205] FIG. 1a-1h show schematic views of an apparatus according to the invention for illustrating a method to be carried out;

[0206] FIG. 2 shows a view of an apparatus according to the invention in a schematic illustration;

[0207] FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of the illustration shown in FIG. 2;

[0208] FIG. 4 shows a further lateral view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

[0209] FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram for illustrating a method according to the invention;

[0210] FIG. 6 shows a roughly schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0211] FIG. 7a, b, show two embodiments of ultrasound generation units according to the applicant's internal prior art; and

[0212] FIG. 8a, b show two views of a particularly preferred embodiment of ultrasound generation units.

[0213] FIG. 1a shows a schematic view of an apparatus 1 according to the invention for treating containers. Only a closure cap 12 of the container is shown here. The apparatus according to the invention has a penetration unit 6 that is implemented here as a needle and that is supposed to pierce a predetermined area of the closure cap 12. This penetration unit 6 is provided here on a drive unit so as to be movable, and can thus, according to FIG. 1a, be fed towards the closure cap in a vertical direction and can pierce the latter.

[0214] Reference numeral 104 identifies a guide unit that is used for guiding the penetration unit 6. Reference numeral 102 roughly identifies a guide cylinder, within which the penetration unit 6 is movable with its drive unit 8.

[0215] Reference numeral 19 identifies a further drive unit that can be generally moved relative to a housing 18 also in the vertical direction. At the same time, a pressure may be applied to the container by the application unit 8. Reference numeral 4 identifies a closing unit that is designed to re-close the container closure cap after piercing and filling with the gas.

[0216] In one embodiment, this closing unit may include an ultrasound generation unit 42. This may be applied to the closure cap and may heat the latter locally by means of vibrations to such a degree that the (plastic) material of the closure cap 12 melts.

[0217] Reference numeral 300 identifies in a rough schematic form an inspection unit that is suitable and designed to inspect units of the apparatus 1 and/or to inspect a working result, for example a bored hole. It is possible here for such inspection units to be arranged to be stationary and to be moved past the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1a.

[0218] However, it would also be conceivable for the inspection unit to be installed stationary relative to the apparatus shown in FIG. 1a, for example on the transport unit (not shown), on which the apparatus itself is disposed.

[0219] Reference numeral 302 identifies roughly schematically a monitoring unit that monitors the process described above, for example by monitoring pressures, temperatures or other process parameters.

[0220] In the situation shown in FIG. 1b, no component of the apparatus is fed towards the closure cap of the container, so that this marks the beginning of a corresponding method.

[0221] In the view shown in FIG. 1c, the closing unit, such as a tempering element, is initially fed towards the closure cap, for example in order to melt or soften the latter. However, this method step is optional.

[0222] In the situation shown in FIG. 3d, the closing unit is moved back again.

[0223] In the situation shown in FIG. 1e, the element 102 is initially fed towards the closure cap 12. In this way, for example sterillsation of the closure cap 12 may be achieved, by sterilising for example the surrounding areas of the area in which the opening is supposed to be generated, which may be carried out for example by means of UV light, as will be explained in more detail below, or by means of the effect of heat or also by means of a sterilisation medium.

[0224] In the situation shown in FIG. 1f, the penetration unit 6 is used to pierce a hole into the closure cap of the container. In the situation shown in FIG. 1g, the penetration unit is retracted. As a result, an opening or a hole 20 has now been generated in the closure cap 12. In the situation shown in FIG. 1h, this hole 20 is re-closed. This may be carried out, as mentioned above, by melting the material, however a sonotrode may also be used, which effects an even more favourable closing of the opening 20.

[0225] FIG. 2 shows a view of an apparatus according to the invention. Here, a housing 30 is provided that may have for example a linear drive unit for a needle or the sonotrode. Reference numeral 4 again identifies the closing unit, which as shown in FIG. 2 is guided at an angle and can therefore also be fed to the container (not shown) at an angle. Reference numeral 32 identifies a pressurised air feed that is used for actuating the pneumatic drive.

[0226] In the situation shown in FIG. 3, apart from the pressurised air feed 32, also a second connection 34 can be seen, which can altogether effect the movement of the piston 36.

[0227] Reference numeral 6 in turn identifies the penetration unit and reference numeral 52 identifies a temperature sensor that can monitor for example the temperature of the closure cap of the container.

[0228] Reference numeral 102 identifies a sterlisation unit that is here implemented as a pulsed UV lamp and that sterilises the area of the opening generated or to be generated.

[0229] In the situation shown in FIG. 4, a valve block is provided that may be used for feeding the gas, for example nitrogen. Moreover, this valve block may also be sterilised using a sterilisation gas. Moreover, sterilisation using H.sub.2O.sub.2 is also possible.

[0230] Reference numeral 104 identifies a cooling unit for cooling the UV lamp or generally the sterilisation unit. This may for example be liquid cooling.

[0231] Reference numeral 520 identifies a pressure application space in order to seal the area between the closure cap and the pressurised air application and in order to apply in this way the overpressure on the container closure cap and thus also the container (not shown).

[0232] FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram layout of an apparatus according to the invention having a treatment station. This shows a container 10 that has pressurised air applied thereto. Here again, an application chamber 520 is provided that can supply pressures p1 and p2 using two pressurised air lines. A pressure reservoir 514 may be used to supply initially a pressure Px to a rotary distributor 430 via a control stage 508 and a control unit 512.

[0233] This rotary distributor 430 distributes the pressurised air to the individual containers or the individual application units. Reference numeral 500 identifies the application unit in its entirety.

[0234] Reference numeral 510 identifies a pressure storage unit that is provided for storing a certain pressure, either the higher pressure p1 or the lower pressure p2.

[0235] Reference numeral 516 identifies a control valve that is suitable for controlling the pressure P exiting the reservoir to the individual containers.

[0236] Moreover, also the cleaning function of the apparatus is shown. Here again, a reservoir 414 is provided that can make available for example a cleaning agent such as vapour. Reference numeral 408 identifies a valve that can effect the supply of vapour into the unit 512, the rotary distributor 430, but also the individual lines of the application unit 500.

[0237] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. Here, a transport unit 2 is provided that may be implemented for example as a rotary carrier. On this carrier, a plurality of treatment stations 40 is provided, which may include here, as mentioned above, the individual units such as the application unit and the like.

[0238] Reference numeral 430 in turn identifies a rotary distributor, and reference numeral 510 shows roughly schematically the reservoir that may be used for providing or storing a pressure stage.

[0239] FIGS. 7a, 7b show a view of an ultrasound generation unit known from the applicant's internal prior art. Each of these have a body 44 as well as a head 146 which have, as can be seen here, a curved and in particular hemispherical outwardly curved surface. As mentioned, this circular sonotrode shape may contribute towards achieving a beautiful weld, however, as is shown in particular in FIG. 7b, it may occur that molten material is urged away towards the outside, i.e. away from the opening, so that the latter is therefore not reliably closed. Reference sign M identifies molten material of the container lid. It can be seen that this is urged away from the opening as indicated by the arrow P10.

[0240] FIGS. 8a, 8b show an advantageous embodiment of the sonotrode. Here, two sonotrode elements 48 with surfaces 48a are provided on the head 46. The tip or the surface, which is shown on the left-hand side in FIG. 8a, is not used here for carrying out a working process but is provided for reasons of symmetry. Reference sign L relates to the longitudinal direction of the sonotrode (as well as to the direction in which the sonotrode is fed towards the closure cap). Thus, the concave shaping is here present on both sides of the sonotrode (in relation to the longitudinal direction L).

[0241] As shown in FIG. 8b, the concave shaping achieves an urging of a vast majority of the molten material M in the direction of the opening 20, or an urging of the material into this opening, so that as a result a secure sealing of the opening 20 is achieved.

[0242] Reference sign a identifies the angle under which the sonotrode is fed towards the lid.

[0243] The applicant reserves the right to claim all of the features disclosed in the application documents as being essential to the invention, insofar as they are novel over the prior art either individually or in combination. It is further pointed out that whilst the individual figures also describe features that may be advantageous if taken by themselves, however, a person skilled in the art will immediately recognise that a certain feature described in a figure may be advantageous even without adopting other features from this figure. A person skilled in the art will further recognise that also advantages may be achieved by a combination of several features as shown in individual or in different figures.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0244] 1 Apparatus [0245] 2 Transport unit [0246] 4 Closing unit [0247] 6 Penetration unit [0248] 8 Application unit [0249] Container [0250] 12 Closure cap [0251] 18 Housing [0252] 19 Drive unit [0253] 20 Hole [0254] 30 Housing [0255] 32 Pressurised air supply [0256] 34 Second connection [0257] 36 Piston [0258] 40 Treatment stations [0259] 42 Ultrasound generation unit [0260] 44 Body of the ultrasound generation unit [0261] 46 Head of the ultrasound generation unit [0262] 48 Sonotrode element [0263] 48a Surface [0264] 52 Temperature sensor [0265] 102 Guide cylinder [0266] 102 Element [0267] 102 Sterilsation unit [0268] 104 Guide unit [0269] 104 Cooling unit [0270] 408 Valve [0271] 414 Reservoir [0272] 430 Rotary distributor [0273] 300 Inspection unit [0274] 302 Monitoring unit [0275] 500 Application unit [0276] 508 Control stage [0277] 510 Pressure storage unit [0278] 510 Reservoir [0279] 512 Control unit [0280] 514 Pressure reservoir [0281] 516 Control valve [0282] 520 Pressure application space [0283] P1 Higher pressure [0284] P2 Lower pressure [0285] PX Pressure [0286] M Molten material [0287] P10 Urging direction of the molten material [0288] a Angle of the feed direction relative to the direction that is perpendicular to the closure cap 12