Method and device for processing beverage containers

Abstract

Provided is a method and a device for processing containers, the containers being transported along a predefined transport path and being combined with at least one product that can be defined in terms of its amount, such that the product is supplied to each individual container in a predetermined supply region of the transport path, the product being guided to the supply region along a supply path.

Claims

1. The method for processing containers, wherein the containers being transported along a predefined transport path and being combined with at least one product that can be defined in terms of its amount, such that the product is supplied to each individual container in a predetermined supply region of the transport path, wherein the product being guided to the supply region along a supply path, comprising, in a detection region, which is arranged along the supply path of the product or upstream of the supply region in a transport direction of the containers, at least one characteristic state which is individually determined, prior to the processing, and/or at least one further characteristic state is determined by a detection unit, which characteristic state and/or further characteristic state is representative of an output fitting amount of the product to be supplied in relation to at least one fitting device, wherein the further characteristic state is calculated by the detection unit such that a mathematical average of the characteristic state and of an expected value, not determined by the detection unit, is determined, it being possible to assign the expected value, uniquely, to the particular product and/or the particular fitting device and wherein a remaining amount of the product to be supplied, on the fitting device, being determined on the basis of said characteristic state and/or said further characteristic state during operation, and a representative signal for a fitting changeover being emitted on the basis of said remaining amount.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic state is determined by the detection unit such that initially, during a determination process, the total amount of the previously produced products for a predefinable number of fitting devices is determined, and a mathematical average of the amount of the product produced per fitting device is subsequently determined in order to thus obtain an output fitting amount per fitting device, and the total amount being determined from a sum of sub-characteristic states of the individual fitting devices.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, if a sub-characteristic state determined by the detection unit deviates from an expected value that is uniquely representative of the fitting device, the sub-characteristic state is not taken into account by the detection unit for the determination of the characteristic state.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a representative signal for a fitting changeover is emitted only on the basis of the further characteristic state, and/or in that a deviation of the further characteristic state from the characteristic state is determined.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein if the further characteristic state deviates from the characteristic state by more than one, the determination of the characteristic state and/or of the further characteristic state is not taken into account and the determination process starts from the beginning.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit detects a type changeover and subsequently changes the characteristic value, which can be assigned, to a particular type, or erases the previous characteristic value from a memory of the detection unit.

7. The method according to claim 2, the detection unit detects, and saves, a changeover of the fitting device, and the characteristic state being approved for processing the containers only if a predefinable number of changeover processes in relation to various fitting devices is exceeded.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the fitting device comprises at least one label roll, and the product to be supplied is labels.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the labels are wrap-around labels and/or self-adhesive labels.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein a representative signal for a fitting changeover is emitted on the basis of the remaining amount when a predefinable remaining amount minimum number on the current fitting device is reached, and a switch is subsequently made to a different, fully stocked, fitting device.

11. A device for processing containers, wherein the containers can be transported along a predetermined transport path and can be combined with at least one product that can be defined in terms of its amount, such that the product is supplied to each individual container in a predetermined supply region of the transport path, the product being guided to the supply region along a supply path, wherein in a detection region, which is arranged along the supply path of the product or upstream of the supply region in a transport direction of the containers, at least one characteristic state which is individually determined, prior to the processing, and/or one further characteristic state can be determined by a detection unit, which characteristic state and/or further characteristic state is representative of an output fitting amount of the product to be supplied in relation to at least one fitting device, wherein the detection device is configured to calculate the further characteristic state such that a mathematical average of the characteristic state and of an expected value, not determined by the detection unit, is determined, it being possible to assign the expected value, uniquely, to the particular product and/or the particular fitting device, wherein the detection unit includes a memory apparatus and wherein it being possible to determine a remaining amount of the product to be supplied, on the fitting device, on the basis of said characteristic state and/or said further characteristic state during operation, and it being possible to emit a representative signal for a fitting changeover on the basis of said remaining amount.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following FIGURES, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device according to embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device 1, according to embodiments of the invention, for processing containers 10. The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an installation that provides filled bottles with labels. This representation is, however, intended to be understood by way of example and can also be applied to other devices that process or furnish containers in a predefined manner, such as closure devices, filling installations, disinfecting apparatuses and the like.

(4) Reference sign T refers to a transport pathway, along which the containers, already filled in this case, are transported. In an accumulation region 4, a plurality of rows of containers 10 can be transported one next to the other. The arrows shown in FIG. 1 indicate the transport direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the containers 10 are carried from a plurality of lanes or from wider lanes to fewer lanes or to narrower lanes, respectively. However, it is also conceivable to arrange the individual lanes in a different manner.

(5) Reference sign 18 denotes a supply portion for the containers that extends between a point A which is located in a detection region 8, and a point B which, in this case, marks the end of the supply portion 18. Preferably, it is known or can be determined how many containers 10 are located in said supply region 18 during working operation. However, it may be sufficient for the number of containers in the supply portion 18 to be known only roughly.

(6) Reference sign 14 refers to a supply unit, said supply unit 14 in this case being a labelling apparatus that supplies labels to the containers 10 or attaches said labels to the containers 10 from a label strip 20 (shown only schematically). Here the labels are supplied to the supply unit 14 from a magazine 16 (also referred to as the fitting device) via a supply path 6. The labels therefore constitute the product described at the outset. Reference sign D denotes the supply region, in which the product is supplied to the containers 10. In this case, the supply region is arranged in the region of the labelling apparatus 14.

(7) According to embodiments of the invention, in the detection region 8, which is arranged along the supply path 6, at least one characteristic state Z which is individually determined, in particular prior to the processing, and/or a further characteristic state Zw is determined by a detection unit 9, which characteristic state Z and/or further characteristic state Zw is representative of an output fitting amount of the product to be supplied in relation to at least one fitting device 16.

(8) A remaining amount M of the product to be supplied, on the fitting device 16, is determined on the basis of said characteristic state Z and/or said further characteristic state Zw during operation, a representative signal for a fitting changeover being emitted on the basis of said remaining amount M.

(9) In other words, the number of labels that are located in the supply path 6 during working operation can therefore be determined in order to carry out a roll changeover in a timely manner. Said value may be an absolute number of labels (for example, an output fitting amount), however, it would also be conceivable for a length of the label strip between the magazine 16 and the supply unit 14 to be defined as the output fitting amount.

(10) If, for example on account of an imminent product changeover, there are no more containers 10 in said detection region 180, this information can be transmitted to the provision unit or the magazine 16. On the basis of the number of containers between points A and B (that has been determined or is still to be determined) and on the basis of the also known number of labels in the supply path 6, the magazine or a controller (the detection unit 9 or the additional detection unit 26, for example) within said magazine can decide when the supply of labels 20 should be interrupted.

(11) The user can thus be advised to cut the label strip at a particular point, for example. Preferably, the region of the labels that is still located in the supply path 6 can then still be attached to the containers 10. In this way, said portion of labels is not wasted and does not have to be removed from the supply path in the event of a product changeover, which is sometimes very time-consuming.

(12) Thus, in a procedure given by way of example, a filling apparatus 2 may also signal an imminent product changeover, and/or transmit a signal that indicates that the filling apparatus is empty, to the labelling apparatus (also referred to as the supply unit) 14 or the magazine 16, or an additional detection unit 26 can, as mentioned, detect a shortage of containers. The magazine can then start to deplete its label store. As soon as a particular minimum is reached, the labelling device 14 preferably reduces its speed in order to minimize the risk of the strip tearing in the event of a malfunction.

(13) However, it would also be possible for another additional detection unit to detect a shortage of containers, i.e. an absence of the containers. Said detection unit is arranged in a region of the transport pathway in which the containers are stood one adjacent to the other in a single lane such that the number of containers between points C and B is known on the basis of the type. In the case of piece-by-piece transportation, the number of containers is known anyway.

(14) Furthermore, it would also be possible, in particular if the method is continued using a different product, for an end portion of a roll, having a kind of label that has just run out or is to be no longer used, to be connected to an initial portion of a roll having a new kind of label, such that production can be continued seamlessly from one type of product to another type of product. This has the advantage that the new label strip does not have to be time-consumingly threaded into the supply path, but is rather fed in, together with the preceding strip, almost automatically. This procedure may also be applied to products that are supplied to the process piece-by-piece, such as pallets. However, in this case, it is not necessary for the old roll to be completely used up, and the new roll may be already partially spent.

(15) It is also possible for a barrier to close on account of the shortage of containers and for the supply unit 14 to terminate the labelling process. In this case, a few remaining labels are preferably left behind in order to compensate for potential failure, in particular of other machine parts. Subsequently, a switch can made to a new product on the supply unit 14, and production can finally be started using the new product.

(16) After the labels 20 have been attached to the containers 10, the containers 10 are transported further along the transport pathway T. Here it is possible for packaging or assembly units to be provided that group the containers. Assembly units of this kind may also be integrated in the installation in the manner according to embodiments of the invention. Thus, it may similarly be signalled to an assembly apparatus of this kind, for example, that a flow of (possibly already labelled) containers 10 has been interrupted and therefore only the containers that are located in a portion 22 are to be provided with a particular packaging material or to be assembled in a particular manner.

(17) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(18) 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. The mention of a unit or a module does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(19) A point A B point B C point C D point D/supply region M remaining amount T transport path Z characteristic state ZA expected value Zi sub-characteristic state Zw characteristic state 1 device 4 accumulation region 6 supply path 8 detection region 9 detection unit 10 containers 14 supply unit/labelling apparatus 16 fitting device/magazine 18 supply portion for the containers 10 20 label (strip) 22 portion 26 additional detection unit 180 detection region