CONTAINER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR THE TRANSPORT OF A CONTAINER

Abstract

A container supply system for the transport of a container along a transport route from a container source to a container receiver includes a movement device configured to receive and transport the container along the transport route, a transport belt stretching along the transport route with a length, the container moveable upon the transport belt along the transport route by the movement device, and a sensor arranged at the transport belt to detect the container. The sensor stretches along a width of the transport belt running perpendicular to the length of the transport belt such that the container moving along the transport route is detectable by the sensor.

Claims

1. A container supply system for the transport of a container along a transport route from a container source to a container receiver, comprising: a movement device configured to receive and transport the container along the transport route; a transport belt stretching along the transport route with a length, the container moveable upon the transport belt along the transport route by the movement device; and a sensor arranged at the transport belt to detect the container, the sensor stretching along a width of the transport belt running perpendicular to the length of the transport belt such that the container moving along the transport route is detectable by the sensor.

2. The container supply system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged in, below or above the transport belt.

3. The container supply system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an inductive sensor.

4. The container supply system according to claim 1, wherein the transport belt is a conveyor belt, so that the container is moveable along the transport route by a movement of the conveyor belt.

5. The container supply system according to claim 1, wherein the transport belt is a gliding belt, so that the container is moveable in a gliding manner over a gliding surface of the gliding belt along the transport route.

6. The container supply system according to claim 1, wherein the movement device includes a carrier for the reception and the transport of the container and a pulling element connected to the carrier such that the carrier is moveable along the transport route by a movement of the pulling element.

7. The container supply system according to claim 6, further including a drive coupled to the pulling element such that the pulling element is moveable by the drive.

8. The container supply system according to claim 6, wherein the movement device includes a plurality of carriers, and the plurality of carders are connected to the pulling element.

9. The container supply system according to claim 6, wherein the pulling element is a chain, a belt, a rope, or a strap.

10. A processing device for processing a container, comprising: a container source; a container receiver; and the container supply system according to claim 1, the container supply system arranged between the container source and the container receiver to transport the container from the container source to the container receiver.

11. The processing device according to claim 10, wherein the container source is a container dispenser configured to provide empty containers or the container receiver is a filling station configured to fill the container with a filling material.

12. The processing device according to claim 10, wherein the container source is a filling station configured to fill the container with a filling material or the container receiver is a sealer configured to seal sealing the container with a lid.

13. A method for the transport of the container, comprising: providing a container supply system according to claim 1, and transporting the container by the container supply system along the transport route.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the transporting the container includes receiving the container by the movement device in a reception area of the container source, transporting the container by the movement device along the transport route, and detecting the container moving along the transport route by the sensor.

15. A sealer comprising: a container supply system according to claim 1 to supply the container to a working space of the sealer.

16. A method for sealing a container, comprising providing a sealer; and supplying the container to a working space by the container supply system according to claim 1; detecting the container; and sealing the container with a lid in the working space.

17. The container supply system according to claim 6, wherein the movement device includes a plurality of carriers, and the plurality of carriers are attached directly to the pulling element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0066] FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a container supply system from the state of the art;

[0067] FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of a can sealer according to the disclosure;

[0068] FIG. 3A illustrates a side view of a first embodiment of a container supply system according to the disclosure;

[0069] FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of a second embodiment of a container supply system according to the disclosure;

[0070] FIG. 3C illustrates a side view of a third embodiment of a container supply system according to the disclosure;

[0071] FIG. 3D illustrates a side view of a fourth embodiment of a container supply system according to the disclosure;

[0072] FIG. 4 illustrates a plan view of an additional embodiment of a container supply system according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] FIG. 1 has already previously been described during the description of the state of the art.

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a can sealer 1000 according to the disclosure. In general, the sealing process occurs analogously to the state of the art.

[0075] The can sealer 1000 according to FIG. 2 includes a lid providing device 11 for providing a lid 101, a gassing rotor 15 for supplying gas to the can 100 and for guiding and transporting the lid 101 to the can 100. Additionally, the sealer includes a seaming process/carousel with seaming stations 14 for sealing the can 100 with the lid 101. Therein the seaming process 14 is arranged in a working area 2 of the can sealer 1000 enclosed by a casing 3.

[0076] The lid 101 is brought into the working space 2 of the can sealer 1000 by the lid providing device 11 along the arrow C. Herein the lids 101 are deposited on the gassing rotor 15. The lids 101 are transported further by rotation of the gassing rotor 15.

[0077] The cans 100 are guided from a container dispenser 9 in direction of arrow A to the working space 2 by the carriers 12, arranged on a chain, of the container supply system 1 according to the disclosure. There, the cans 100 are brought into the container receivers 17 of the gassing rotor 15. There, in area D, the can is gassed with a gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen and united with the lid 101. The providing of a lid 101 by the lid providing device 11 is made possible by the sensor (not depicted here), which detects the can 1000 entering the working space 2.

[0078] The gassing occurs along the arrow B with the gas supply 16 via the gassing rotor 15. After gassing, the can 100 with the lid 101 is guided further by the container transfer 13 from the gassing rotor 15 to the seaming process 14 and sealed there. Alternatively to the gassing rotor 15, a lid rotor with tracks can also be used for the transport of the lids, wherein the gassing is executed via a linear gassing device, which is arranged stationary. The lids then merely rest on the tracks and are moved by the lid rotor.

[0079] The cans 100 with lids 101 are clamped and sealed by the seaming process 14. The sealed can is forwarded to the can exit 18 by a further rotor.

[0080] During the gassing, the gas is conveyed to an underside of the lid 101. In this way, it can be guaranteed that a remaining volume of the can 100, within which no foodstuff is arranged, is for the most part filled with gas before sealing, wherein the air which was originally present in the remaining volume is displaced as completely as possible by the gas. Hereby a longer shelf life can possibly be achieved for the foodstuff arranged in the can 100.

[0081] FIG. 4 depicts a plan view of an additional embodiment of a container supply system 1 according to the disclosure. According to the disclosure, the container supply system 1 for the transport of a container 100 along a transport route S from a container source to a container receiver includes a movement device 19 with carrier 12 for the reception and the transport of the container 100 along the transport route S and a transport belt 6 stretching along the transport route S with its length, upon which transport belt 6 the container 100 is moveable along the transport route S by the movement device 19. For the detection of the container 100 the container supply system 1 also includes a sensor 4 arranged at the transport belt.

[0082] Herein the sensor 4 stretches across a width B of the transport belt 6, running perpendicular to the length L of the transport belt 6 (meaning not across the entire width B, but rather only partially/segmentally across the width B of the transport belt 6) in such a way that the container 100 moving along the transport route S can be detected.

[0083] FIG. 3A shows a side view of a first embodiment of a of a container supply system 1 according to the disclosure, in which the containers 100 are moved in a gliding manner across the transport belt 6, designed as a gliding belt 6, along the transport route S in direction A.

[0084] Instead of a detection system on the side, a detection system with a sensor 4 is used, which is located beneath the gliding belt 6, meaning arranged beneath the gliding belt. In order to reduce the distance to the can 100 and to ensure a detection, the gliding belt 6 is modified in such a way that the sensor 4 is close to the can 100, by being arranged within a recess in the gliding belt 6.

[0085] Additionally, the sensor 4 is designed as an inductive sensor 4.

[0086] The sensor 4 (specifically its positioning) does no longer need to be adjusted during a change in the diameter of the container. Additionally, the sensor 4 is less vulnerable to contamination or cleaning media since it is partially integrated into the gliding belt 6 and is located beneath the gliding belt 6. Additionally, no attachment on the side must be provided any more.

[0087] FIG. 3B shows a side view of a second embodiment of a container supply system 1 according to the disclosure. Generally, the system is designed analogously to the system according to FIG. 3A, however the sensor 4 is located in the gliding belt 6.

[0088] FIG. 3C shows a side view of a third embodiment of a container supply system 1 according to the disclosure. Therein the sensor 4 is arranged in the gliding belt 6, in opposition to the embodiment according to FIG. 3A, and it is designed as an optical sensor 4.

[0089] An optically transparent window 7 is provided above the sensor 4, through which the sensor 4 can detect the containers moving over the sensor 4.

[0090] Alternatively, the sensor 4 can also be provided without a window 7. However, the sensor 4 can then be more easily be damaged by containers 100 moving over the sensor 4.

[0091] FIG. 3D shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of a container supply system 1 according to the disclosure. In opposition to the embodiments according to FIG. 3A-C, the sensor 4 however is arranged above the transport belt 6, so that the containers 100 move between the transport belt 6 and the sensor 4 and are not moved over the sensor 4.

[0092] In this embodiment the transport belt 6 can be designed as a conveyor belt 6.

[0093] The container supply system 1 preferably transports the containers 100 from a container source in form of a filler to a container receiver in form of a sealer.

[0094] As the sensor 4 is not arranged on the side next to the transport belt 6, but rather stretches along the width of the transport belt 6, the sensor 4 does not need to change its position during a change in format to another container diameter, as a distance to the container 100 moving past is the same for every container diameter.

[0095] Preferably, the sensor 4 is arranged centrally in relation to the width B of the transport belt 6, meaning in the center of the transport belt 6.

[0096] The sensor 4 is also part of the non-depicted detection system, so that a signal which is triggered by the container 100 moving past the sensor 4 can be translated into a control signal which controls the lid supply in form of the lid providing device 11 and enables a providing of the lid 101.

[0097] The disclosure is not limited to the revealed embodiments. Other variations of the revealed embodiments can be understood and effected by experts while putting into practice a claimed disclosure from a study of the drawings, the revelation, and the dependent claims. In the claims the word including in no way excludes any other elements or steps and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a multitude. The mere fact that specific measures are repeated in dependent claims which differ from one another, does not mean that a combination of these measures cannot be utilized advantageously. Any reference signs in the claims should not be interpreted as limitation of the scope.