Method and device for buffering containers

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a container treatment system, where said containers are entered into storage on at least one infeed conveyor belt in an infeed direction, moved in a single row on a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to said infeed direction, and are removed from storage on at least one outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in said buffering direction, wherein said shuttles, said infeed conveyor belt, and said outfeed conveyor belt are controlled in dependence of target positions, target speeds, and/or target accelerations/decelerations stored specifically for a format and/or material of said containers, and/or said shuttles are controlled in dependence of target positions, target distances and/or target speeds stored specifically for modes of operation for initializing said shuttles in a first mode, for said shuttles following preceding shuttles in a second mode, and for moving said shuttles to route positions in a third mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading out said shuttles as a part of the first mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, where maximum values for the deceleration and/or acceleration and/or speed of said infeed conveyor belt and/or outfeed conveyor belt and/or said shuttles are calculated from at least one of the following parameters specifically for types of containers to be processed and that are stored as retrievable: height, weight, center of gravity, tilt angle, material, envelope curve, base geometry, nominal filling level and/or material of the type of container.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the maximum values for the deceleration and/or acceleration and/or speed of said infeed conveyor belt and/or outfeed conveyor belt and/or said shuttles further take into account at least one friction coefficient of said infeed conveyor belt, said outfeed conveyor belt, said buffer area, a conveyor belt upstream of said infeed conveyor belt, and/or a conveyor belt downstream of said outfeed belt.

5. The method according to claim 3, where values of the parameters used to calculate said maximum values are determined from measurements on said containers of a respective type of the types of containers in said container treatment system, retrieved from a database with container properties, and/or on the basis of statistical evaluations of treatment outcomes with the respective type of container in container treatment systems previously commissioned.

6. The method according to claim 3, where said target positions, target speeds, target accelerations, and/or target decelerations of said shuttles, said infeed conveyor belt, and said outfeed conveyor belt are determined on the basis of said maximum values and compared with target positions, target speeds, target accelerations, and/or target decelerations of said containers in upstream and/or downstream transport routes and/or distribution units for said containers.

7. The method according to claim 6, where differences between said target speeds, target accelerations, and/or target decelerations determined for said shuttles, said infeed conveyor belt (5a), and/or said outfeed conveyor belt (6a) and those in the upstream and/or downstream transport routes and/or distribution units are then reduced, and wherein the differences are minimized by an adaptation that is specific to the respective type of container.

8. The method according to claim 1, where said shuttles themselves regulate in a decentralized manner their speed and/or their distance from one another and/or the movement to said target positions specified for them in dependence of an operating state that is transmitted to said shuttles by an open-loop master controller, comprising at least one automated initialization operation for moving to a route zero point and/or for assigning an electronic identity/address to said shuttles, a follow operation for moving up in an automated manner behind preceding shuttles, and a positioning operation for moving to target positions specified by said open-loop master controller.

9. The method according to claim 8, where said shuttles at one of said target positions during the initialization operation and/or after a predetermined number of buffer cycles, switch to said initialization operation and are zeroed in the initialization operation with respect to said route zero point and/or are assigned an electronic identity by said open-loop master controller.

10. The method according to claim 7, where information relating to an operating time performed/a distance traveled by individual shuttles and/or wear indicators for individual shuttles is exchanged in said initialization operation between said shuttles and said open-loop master controller.

11. The method according to claim 7, where said open-loop master controller in said initialization operation furthermore issues an operator recommendation to remove shuttles that have been recognized as being worn or defective and/or triggers an automated removal of such shuttles.

12. The method according to claim 7, where said open-loop master controller transmits to said shuttles target positions for starting/exiting said follow operation in dependence of operating states and/or malfunction states and/or container properties.

13. The method according to claim 12, where said open-loop master controller transmissions comprise a continuous adaptation of said target positions to changes in operating states, malfunction states, and/or container properties.

14. The method according to claim 7, where said open-loop master controller transmits to said shuttles target positions for starting/exiting said positioning operation in dependence of operating states and/or malfunction states and/or container properties, and/or target positions for route positions to be moved to in said positioning operation, wherein said open-loop master controller transmissions comprise a continuous adaptation of said target positions to changes in operating states, malfunction states, and/or container properties.

15. A device for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a container treatment system, comprising: an infeed region with at least one infeed conveyor belt, an outfeed region with at least one outfeed conveyor belt, a buffer area extending therebetween transverse in a buffering direction, and a transport system arranged thereabove that comprises shuttles guided on rails and driven independently of one another with row pushers aligned transverse to said buffering direction and present thereon, wherein a control system configured to control said shuttles, said infeed conveyor belt, and said outfeed conveyor belt in dependence of target positions, target speeds and/or target accelerations/decelerations stored specifically for a format and/or material of said containers, and/or configured to control said shuttles in dependence of target positions, target distances, and/or target speeds, stored specifically for modes of operation for initializing said shuttles in a first mode, for said shuttles following preceding shuttles in a second mode, and for moving said shuttles to route positions in a third mode.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to read out said shuttles as a part of the first mode.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein said row pushers are present on the transport system in pairs for moving said containers in a single row on said buffer area from said infeed region to said outfeed region.

18. The device according to claim 15 said control system comprising: closed-loop slave controllers arranged on said shuttles for said drives of said shuttles; and an open-loop master controller for parameterization of said closed-loop slave controllers specific to the mode of operation of operating states comprising at least one automated initialization operation for moving to a route zero point and/or for assigning an electronic identity/address to said shuttles, a follow operation for moving up said shuttles in an automated manner behind preceding shuttles, and a positioning operation for moving to route positions specified by said open-loop master controller.

19. The device according to claim 15, further comprising an initialization station arranged in a region of said transport system for zeroing a position of said shuttles and/or for assigning an identity issued by said open-loop master controller to said shuttles and/or for reading out an operating time performed/distance travelled by individual shuttles and/or wear indicators for individual shuttles for said open-loop master controller.

20. The device according to claim 15, where said row pushers comprise guide channels, which run transverse to said buffering direction and are defined both in and opposite to said buffering direction, each for receiving said containers in a single row.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) An example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated by drawing, where

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view onto the device;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device;

(4) FIG. 3 shows motion profiles of the shuttles when circulating on the transport system;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the control system; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of determining motion parameters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, device 1 for buffering containers 2/rows of containers 2a grouped in a single row comprises a substantially horizontal and stationary buffer area 3 as well as a transport system 4 arranged thereabove for moving containers 2/rows of containers 2a on buffer area 3 in a buffering direction PR from an infeed region 5 with at least one infeed conveyor belt 5a to an outfeed region 6 with at least one outfeed conveyor belt 6a. Containers 2 are, for example, bottles.

(8) At least one infeed conveyor belt 5a runs in an infeed direction ER and outfeed conveyor belt 6a in an outfeed direction AR, each transverse and in particular orthogonal to buffering direction PR of transport system 4.

(9) Transport system 4 comprises independently driven shuttles 7 and rails 8 configured as a closed circulation path along which shuttles 7 run.

(10) Shuttles 7 may comprise at least one row pusher 9 being anterior (viewed in buffering direction PR) and one row pusher 10 being posterior in this regard. Shuttles 7, however, could also each comprise only one of row pushers 9, 10.

(11) Row pushers 9, 10 arranged consecutively in the buffering direction on shuttle 7 can also be viewed as twin row pushers. Each row pusher 9, 10 is configured to receive containers 2 in a single row, i.e. a respective row of containers 2a spatially separated in buffering direction PR, and is oriented transverse, in particular orthogonally, to buffering direction PR. Row pushers 9, 10 can therefore also be viewed as buffer lines, that are movable in buffering direction PR and spatially separated from one another, for the individual groups of containers 2a.

(12) Row pushers 9, 10 are configured for the respective leading and trailing guidance of containers 2 grouped in a single row and therefore for their guidance both in buffering direction PR, i.e. when they are advanced in buffering direction PR, for example, when accelerating the advancement, as well as opposite to buffering direction PR, in particular when decelerating the advancement.

(13) Row pushers 9, 10 for this purpose each comprise an anterior row guide 9a, 10a leading containers 2 and a posterior row guide 9b, 10b trailing containers 2, as well as guide channels 9c, 10c defined by the former for receiving and guiding containers 2/individual rows of containers 2a on both sides. Posterior row guide 9b and anterior row guide 10a can be formed arranged fixedly relative to one another on shuttle 7 or can also be formed integrally.

(14) Row pushers 9, 10 or their guide channels 9c, 10c, respectively, each have a clear width 11 defined between anterior row guide 9a, 10a and posterior row guide 9b, 10b which can be adapted to the respective container width/the respective container diameter (not shown).

(15) Shuttles 7 each comprise a drive 12 for the individual movement along rails 8 and an individual closed-loop slave controller 13 (only shown in separate regions of a shuttle 7 for the sake of clarity in FIG. 1), which is parametrized by an open-loop master controller 14 present on the device 1 and which, based thereupon, is configured for autonomous closed-loop control of associated drive 12.

(16) Open-loop master controller 14 and closed-loop slave controller 13 are components of a control system 15 which, for example, can comprise further units (not shown) for controlling infeed conveyor belt 5a and outfeed conveyor belt 6a.

(17) Control system 15 may further comprises an initialization station 16 which is arranged in the region of transport device 4. As can be seen in FIG. 2 in this regard, transport device 4 comprises a lower transport level 4a in which row pushers 9, 10 with containers 2 are moved over buffer area 3 in buffering direction PR, and an upper transport level 4b in which emptied shuttles 7 again return in a direction opposite to buffering direction PR and may be upside down from outfeed region 6 to infeed region 5.

(18) Initialization station 16 may be located in upper transport level 4b and in the region of a route zero point 17 at which individual shuttles 7 are zeroed during the initial operation, after a predetermined number of buffer cycles, and/or with each buffer cycle with respect to route zero point 17 in the sense of a reference point for the subsequent route travel. This serves to assign individual route positions along rails 8 in order to initiate certain sequences of motions of shuttles 7 at the route positions, as shall be described in detail in FIG. 3 by way of example.

(19) Also indicated schematically in upper transport level 4b is an empty shuttle buffer 18 in which previously emptied shuttles 7 are waiting for a new buffer cycle and for this purpose move up in an automated manner one after the other in a follow operation, which shall be described below.

(20) Row pushers 9, 10 may extend substantially over entire width 3a of buffer area 3 and may have a width (transverse to buffering direction PR) of 3 to 6 m, in particular of 4 to 5.5 m.

(21) Drives 12 of shuttles 7 are each independent of one another and can, for example, be a linear motor drive or a servo motor (not shown in detail), so that individual shuttles 7 can be driven independently of one another at different speeds along rails 8.

(22) Individual shuttles 7 can therefore in principle be moved to any route positions on the circulation path defined by rails 8 and, for example, be positioned there. For this purpose, shuttles 7 can be accelerated and decelerated independently of one another. Certain modes of operation of shuttles 7 can also be initiated at certain route positions, for example, an initialization operation for initializing and/or reading out shuttles 7, a follow operation for moving up a certain shuttle 7 in an automated manner behind preceding shuttles 7, and a positioning operation for moving to target positions 19 predetermined by open-loop master controller 14 with shuttle 7, as shall be described below with reference to FIG. 3.

(23) The distances between individual shuttles 7 can be changed with control system 15, for example, to traverse empty regions of buffer area 3. A sequence of several shuttles 7, however, can instead also be moved at a constant target distance 20 relative to one another, for example, when shuttles 7 move up to a filled region of buffer area 3 toward outfeed region 6. This is also indicated schematically in FIG. 3.

(24) Shuttles 7 can be configured as runners of linear motors, the active components of which may then be arranged on rails 8. Accordingly, shuttles 7 would then be equipped with associated permanent magnets. With long stators, they form individual drives for individual shuttles 7, as is known.

(25) Instead, however, other drives 12 are also conceivable on shuttles 12, for example, servomotors with drive pinions that can run along a toothing that is formed along rails 8 (neither shown). The chasses of shuttles 7 can comprise guide and running rollers (not shown) which interact with rails 8 in a known manner.

(26) The drive energy could be transmitted to the servomotors or similar drives 12 of the shuttles in a contactless manner, i.e. without conductor lines, as well as by way of sliding contacts or the like.

(27) Shuttles 7 can also have energy stores for their individual drives 12, such as power capacitors, batteries or the like. In this way, peaks in the power consumption can be compensated for, for example, when accelerating shuttles 7, or an energy supply can be maintained in sections of rails 8 in which no permanent energy feed from a stationary energy source is possible.

(28) Data transmission in control system 15 with regard to shuttles 7 can be effected by way of leakage waveguides and/or in a radio-supported manner, for example, by way of wireless LAN.

(29) FIG. 3 illustrates schematically motion profiles (not shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity) of shuttles 7 while circulating on rails 8. Advance speed V of shuttles 7 is shown for this purpose schematically as an orthogonal curve distance from the respective direction of motion of shuttles 7 along rails 8.

(30) According thereto, waiting empty shuttles 7 move up to infeed region 5, for example, at a first target speed V1, are there accelerated to a second target speed V2, and decelerated such that they initially come to a standstill above an infeed conveyor belt 5b being posterior (as viewed in buffering direction PR). Respective anterior row pushers 9 are there populated with containers 2 in a single row.

(31) For subsequently moving to an infeed conveyor belt 5a being anterior (as viewed in buffering direction PR), shuttles 7 are again accelerated to second target speed V2 and then decelerated again to a standstill. Posterior row pushers 10 are populated with containers 2 in a single row from anterior infeed conveyor belt 5a.

(32) Second target speed V2 may be greater than first target speed V1, as a result of which the entry into storage is accelerated and, if necessary, can be adapted to the conveying speed of the arriving flow of containers.

(33) It is also shown by way of example that shuttles 7 are in the region of posterior infeed conveyor belt 5b at a first route position SP1 and stopped there, in the region of anterior infeed conveyor belt 5a at a second route position SP2.

(34) Route positions SP1, SP2 are each assigned a target position 19 by open-loop master controller 14. Target position 19 can be adapted, for example, in dependence of the container diameter. For example, when the container diameter to be buffered is reduced, target position 19 could be moved in buffering direction PR so that the advance position of guide channel 9c, 10c to be populated is aligned with infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b. It would also be conceivable to enter the containers into storage with only one of infeed conveyor belts 5a, 5b, so that first or second route position SP1, SP2 is not moved to and therefore no target position 19 is assigned to the latter.

(35) Such adaptations of individual target positions 19 for certain route positions SP1, SP2 can in principle be adapted by control system 15 to any container properties and/or modes of operation of device 1.

(36) Also shown schematically in FIG. 3 are target distances 20 between successive shuttles 7 when moving up on buffer area 3 towards outfeed region 6 and/or when moving up empty shuttles 7 in the region of empty shuttle buffer 18.

(37) Target accelerations 21 and target decelerations 22 in the sense of acceleration ramps and deceleration ramps between individual target speeds V1 to V4 and/or standstill V0 are also shown only by way of example.

(38) Different target accelerations 21 and/or target decelerations 22 could also be specified by open-loop master controller 14 along the circulation path. Target accelerations 21 and/or target decelerations 22 are generally based on container properties, such as the height, weight, center of gravity, tilt angle, material, envelope contour, base geometry, nominal filling height, and/or material of the respective type of container of containers 2 and/or the friction coefficient of Infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b, outfeed conveyor belt 6a, buffer area 3, and/or conveyor belts upstream of infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b/downstream of outfeed conveyor belt 6a.

(39) For example, depending on the type of container and the properties of the individual conveying devices, it can therefore be useful to specify a uniform target acceleration 21 and/or target deceleration 22 for several conveyor belts or target accelerations 21 and/or target decelerations 22 specifically adapted to the respective combinations of container 2 and the conveyor belt.

(40) In particular, target accelerations 21 and/or target decelerations 22 can be specified in a flexible software-controlled manner by open-loop master controller 14 in dependence of the properties of a specific type of container and specified to closed-loop slave controllers 13 of shuttles 7 in the sense of a parameterization of the respective sequences of motions. The individual sequences of motions are then regulated in closed-loop slave controllers 13 of shuttles 7 within the framework of the specified parameterization.

(41) Two-sided row pushers 9, 10, namely leading and trailing ones, there ensure that containers 2/rows of containers 2a received by the former can be carried along in buffering direction PR and positioned precisely and largely secured against falling over both when accelerating and when decelerating shuttles 7.

(42) Nevertheless, it can be useful to limit the target acceleration 21 and/or target deceleration 22 of shuttles 7, or to specify it according to the type of container, so as not to mechanically overload containers 2 when accelerating/decelerating.

(43) Infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b may be operated at a target speed VE, and outfeed conveyor belt at a target speed VA. If intermittent operation of infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b and/or outfeed conveyor belt 6a is required during entry into storage/retrieval therefrom, a target acceleration 23 and/or target deceleration 24 may be specified by open-loop master controller 14 for this purpose. This as well can be flexibly adapted in a software-controlled manner to the respective type of container and/or its material pairing with infeed conveyor belt 5a, 5b and/or outfeed conveyor belt 6a.

(44) According to FIG. 3, when shuttles 7 are subsequently driven over an empty buffer region 3b of buffer area 3, they may be accelerated again to second target speed V2 and therewith moved to a buffer region 3c of buffer area 3 occupied by shuttles 7 and are decelerated to be connected to populated shuttles 7 already positioned there.

(45) For this purpose, the beginning of occupied buffer region 3c of buffer area 3 can be assigned a target position 19 by open-loop master controller 14, for example, in that the filling of buffer area 3 is monitored by sensors and open-loop master controller 14 receives information about where occupied buffer region 3c begins when shuttle 7 arrives.

(46) Accordingly, shuttle 7 travels through empty buffer region 3b to the beginning of occupied buffer region 3c, i.e. up to determined target position 19, in a positioning operation 25 up to a route position SP3 at the transition from empty buffer region 3b to occupied buffer region 3c. Target position 19 then corresponds substantially to third route position SP3. At target position 19, shuttle 7 then changes from positioning operation 25 to an automated follow operation 26 in which the shuttle follows respective preceding shuttle 7 while maintaining target distance 20.

(47) Follow operation 26 is then maintained, for example, until respective shuttle 7 reaches outfeed region 6, the beginning of which, for example, is assigned a further target position 19. At this point, shuttle 7 would then switch back to a positioning operation 25 in order to therewith move to a fourth route position SP4 in which shuttle 7 is stopped for the removal of containers 2 from associated row pushers 9, 10.

(48) Target distance 20 can depend, for example, on clear width 11 of guide channels 9c, 10c and is accordingly specified by open-loop master controller 14 in the sense of a parameterization to closed-loop slave controllers 13 of shuttles 7. In occupied buffer region 3c, shuttles 7 then move up, in particular in a step-by-step manner, at a third target speed V3 toward outfeed region 6, for example, while maintaining target distance 20.

(49) Third target speed V3 in occupied buffer region 3c can be lower than first target speed V1 in the infeed region and second target speed V2 in empty buffer region 3b.

(50) For the removal from storage, shuttles 7 are accelerated, for example, to a fourth target speed V4 and then decelerated to a standstill V0 above associated outfeed conveyor belt 6a. Outfeed conveyor belt 6a can there stand still and then be selectively accelerated for the removal from storage or it can also run continuously.

(51) Depending on the drive of outfeed conveyor belt 6a, row pushers 9, 10 can be positioned in alignment with respectively associated transport aisles 6b. For example, containers 2/rows of containers 2a can exit selectively transverse to buffering direction PR from guide channels 9c, 10c of row pushers 9, 10 by a start-stop control of at least one outfeed conveyor belt 6a and then be associated with individual transport aisles 6b arranged adjacently. A separately controllable/driven outfeed conveyor belt 6a may then be associated with each transport aisle 6b.

(52) However, it is also conceivable to remove containers 2 from storage from guide channels 9c, 10c by way of a continuously running outfeed conveyor belt 6a, by way of an additional acceleration belt running alongside, and/or with the aid of guide rails for merging rows of containers 6a exiting from guide channels 9c, 10c.

(53) Fourth target speed V4 in outfeed region 6 can be, for example, greater than third target speed V3 and lower than second target speed V2.

(54) Emptied shuttles 7 can be driven, for example, at fourth speed V4 up to the end of outfeed region 6 and decelerated there to first speed V1 in order to finally drive the shuttles along a curved segment 8a of rails 8, and may be configured as a clothoid 8a, into upper transport level 4b.

(55) Shuttles 7 could then be moved in the positioning operation to a fifth route position SP5 in the sense of a further target position 19 at which shuttles 7 change from positioning operation 25 to an initialization operation 27.

(56) In initialization operation 27, shuttles 7 are zeroed, for example, with respect to route zero point 17 and/or are assigned an electronic identity 28 by open-loop master controller 14. In initialization operation 27, information 29 relating to the operating time performed and/or the distance traveled by individual shuttles and/or wear indicators for individual shuttles 7 can also be exchanged between closed-loop slave controller 13 of shuttles 7 and open-loop master controller 14.

(57) On this basis, open-loop master controller 14 can issue, for example, an operator recommendation to remove a shuttle 7 that has been recognized as being worn or defective and/or trigger an automated removal of such a shuttle 7.

(58) A track switch can be present for this purpose in upper transport level 4b, for example, to discharge worn/defective shuttles 7 and/or to feed in operational shuttles 7.

(59) Target positions 19 for starting/exiting positioning operation 25, follow operation 26, and initialization operation 27 are transmitted from open-loop master controller 14 to closed-loop slave controllers 13 of shuttles 7 with associated control commands, so that closed-loop slave controllers 13 each independently perform an associated motion pattern and associated data exchange between open-loop master controller 14 and closed-loop slave controllers 13 can take place.

(60) Shuttles 7 pass through empty shuttle buffer 18 in a direction opposite to buffering direction PRR and may be in an upside-down manner with regard to their alignment on buffer area 3, for example, in the follow operation 26.

(61) Empty shuttle buffer 18 generally comprises a receptive buffer region 18a, i.e. one that is not occupied with empty shuttles 7, and a buffer region 18b occupied with empty shuttles 7. Unoccupied buffer region 18a can be traversed, for example, in positioning operation 25 at second target speed V2. To move up in occupied buffer region 18b, empty shuttles 7 can again be accelerated step-by-step to third target speed V3 and decelerated to a standstill V0.

(62) Leading and trailing row pushers 9, 10 enable comparatively high target speeds V1 to V4 of populated shuttles 7 with exact positioning of containers 2/rows of containers 2a in and opposite to buffering direction PR in guide channels 9c, 10c while preventing individual containers 2 of rows of containers 2a from falling over, both at an associate target acceleration 21 as well as at an associated target decelerating 22 of shuttles 7.

(63) In addition, guide channels 9c, 10c favor the precise entry into and removal from storage transverse to buffering direction PR, for example, on at least one outfeed conveyor belt 6a during the distribution of containers 2/rows of containers 2a to different transport aisles 6b or similar manipulation of containers 2.

(64) FIG. 4 illustrates schematically control system 15 of device 1 with open-loop master controller 14 and closed-loop slave controllers 13 (only one of which is indicated by way of example).

(65) According thereto, infeed conveyor belts 5a, 5b are each driven at target speed VE and outfeed conveyor belt 6a at target speed VA. Target speeds V1 to V4 of shuttles 7 are set and regulated by closed-loop slave controllers 13 in dependence of target positions 19, target distances 20, and target speeds V1 to V4.

(66) Also indicated is a database 31 in which, for example, measured values, material properties or similar parameters for determining target positions 19, target distances 20, target accelerations 21, 23, target decelerations 22, 24, and target speeds V1 to V4, VE, VA are stored. In particular, database 31 contains information with permissible maximum value 32 for the deceleration, acceleration and/or speed of containers 2 respectively for a certain type of container and/or the respective conveying surfaces of infeed conveyor belt 5a, outfeed conveyor belt 6a, and buffer area 3.

(67) Such maximum values 32 can be determined, for example, from measurements on containers 2 of the respective type of container in the container treatment system or device 1 and stored in database 31. Database 31 can also comprise container properties that are not directly dependent on device 1 and/or data based on statistical evaluations of treatment outcomes with that type of container in previously commissioned container treatment systems, i.e. data obtained outside respective device 1 or container treatment system.

(68) FIG. 5 shows schematically how, for example, maximum values of the parameters used to calculate the target values can be obtained. According thereto, for example, a gap detection 33 between incoming containers 2 is performed on infeed conveyor belt 5a and an evaluation as to whether containers 2 slip relative to one another when infeed conveyor belt 5a is decelerated. This means that it is verified whether existing gaps 34 between containers 2 decrease or increase. This can be done at different speeds of infeed conveyor belt 5a with decelerating ramps possibly of different steepness or the like between an infeed speed VE and standstill V0. It can be determined therefrom, for example, from which speed and/or acceleration 23 or deceleration 24 of infeed conveyor belt 5a a container 2 of a certain type of container begins to slip relative to at least one adjacent container 2.

(69) Such monitoring can take place both in advance, for example, before device 1 is commissioned for the first time, as well as during operation. For example, it can turn out that there is an increased tendency of containers 2 to slip due to contamination of infeed conveyor belt 5a and a changed maximum speed and/or maximum deceleration of infeed conveyor belt 5a is therefore determined under the current operating conditions.

(70) A target speed VE of infeed conveyor belt 5a would then be lowered accordingly for reliable and fault-free operation. Based thereupon, possibly necessary cleaning of infeed conveyor belt 5a could possibly also be concluded or similar maintenance measures could be initiated.

(71) Control system 15 enables flexible process optimization for different types of containers with regard to the individual sequences of motion of containers 2 on infeed conveyor belt 5a, outfeed conveyor belt 6a, and when moving in buffering direction PR in row pushers 9, 10.