Method for producing beverage containers and system for producing beverage containers

Abstract

A method for producing beverage containers includes the steps of: delivering plastic parisons to a transforming device; transforming the plastic parisons into plastic containers using the transforming device; transporting the plastic containers to a filling device; filling the plastic containers with a liquid using the filling device, and closing the filled containers with closures. Product changeover from one product to another is facilitated.

Claims

1. A production method for producing beverage containers filled with a liquid in a production system comprising the steps of: delivering plastic parisons to a transforming device; transforming the plastic parisons into plastic containers using the transforming device; transporting the plastic containers to a filling device using a transport device; filling the plastic containers with a first liquid using the filling device, wherein the filling device has a storage container for the first liquid; and closing the filled containers with closures; wherein a product change from first containers to be filled with the first liquid to second containers to be filled with a second liquid is carried out, and wherein in order to effect the product change, a desired quantity of the first containers filled with the first liquid is determined and a residual quantity of the first liquid is determined, wherein when one of the first liquid, the first containers or first container closures is consumed, then the first liquid, the first containers and the first container closures which are not completely consumed are discharged from the production system before the product change, the production method is altered and whereupon the filling device is subjected to a rinsing operation and/or a cleaning operation and/or a sterilising operation, and wherein the delivery of the plastic parisons to the transforming device is continued without interruption during the product change.

2. The method according to claim 1, including the step of estimating at least a residual quantity of the plastic parisons, first plastic containers, first container closures or the first liquid before the product change.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein delivery of at least the first containers, the first container closures or the first liquid is stopped before the product change.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a percentage running time of the transport device or the filling device is determined at a time of product change.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a residual quantity of the first containers or first liquid still located in the transport device or filling device, respectively, is determined at a time of product change.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a quantity of the plastic parisons, the first containers, first container closures and the first liquid is taken into consideration as a buffer at a time of product change.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product change is commenced during said delivering, transforming, transporting, filling and said closing steps.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon a determination that the first liquid is completely consumed any remaining unfilled first containers or closures for the first containers are discharged from the production system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rinsing operation, the cleaning operation and/or the sterilizing operation is initiated automatically.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product change includes a change to new plastic parisons.

11. A production system for producing beverage containers filled with liquids, said production system including a delivery device for delivering plastic parisons, a transforming device for transforming the plastic parisons into first plastic containers, a filling device disposed after the transforming device in a transport direction of the plastic containers for filling the first plastic containers with a first liquid, and a closure device which closes the first plastic containers with a closure, wherein the system has a first detecting device for detecting a quantity of the first liquid which is located in the system and for sending a first signal to a processing device, as well as a second detecting device for detecting a quantity of the first plastic containers located in the system and for sending a second signal to the processing device, and wherein a quantity of filled first containers capable of being produced by said first and second detected quantities is calculated by the processing device, wherein the processing device controls a product change on a basis of the first and second signal outputs by the first and second detecting devices as well as the calculation of the quantity of containers capable of being produced, wherein in an event of a product change or a production quantity fulfilment a determination is made whether the first liquid, the plastic parisons, the first plastic containers and container closures are fully consumed, wherein when the calculation determines full consumption of the first liquid to be bottled, the first beverage containers or container closures, the production system is altered and whereupon a rinsing operation and/or a cleaning operation and/or a sterilising operation is conducted, and wherein in the delivery device, the delivery of the plastic parisons is continued without interruption during the product change or the production quantity fulfilment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and embodiments are apparent from the appended drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows two flow diagrams for illustrating the method according to the invention;

(5) FIGS. 3a, 3b show two flow diagrams for illustrating the determination of the products located in the delivery device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a view of an arrangement 1 according to the invention for producing beverage containers 20. In this case this system has as system parts a transforming device 2, by means of which plastic parisons are transformed into plastic containers, a filling device 4 as well as a closing device 6.

(7) The reference numeral 22 relates to a storage device for plastic parisons and the reference numeral 24 relates to a conveying device for conveying the plastic parisons. The reference numeral 10 relates to a plastic parison (only illustrated schematically and not with exact details) which is delivered via a transport route 26 and a delivery channel 32 initially to an oven 34 and then to the actual transforming device 2. The reference numeral 36 identifies a first discharging device for discharging plastic parisons. The reference numeral 28 relates to a second discharging device (which is, however, concealed) for discharging plastic parisons, in particular preceding a changeover process.

(8) The product to be bottled, or in this case a syrup which is mixed to produce the beverage, is stored in storage containers 42 and initially reaches a mixing device 44. From there the product to be bottled passes via a supply line 46 into the filling device 4 designated as a whole by 4. The containers filled in this way are transferred further to a closer device 6 and the containers 20 are closed by means of this closer device.

(9) The reference numeral 62 relates to a storage device for closures, the reference numeral 64 relates to a first conveying device, such as for instance an inclined conveyor, and the reference numeral 68 relates to a further transport device which conveys the closures to the closer 6. The reference numeral 66 identifies a discharge path for discharging the plastic parisons. Within the context of the present invention discharge paths or discharge devices are understood to be those devices which discharge a specific product component before the point where it is joined together with other product components from the system.

(10) The reference numeral 12 relates to a first detecting device (only illustrated schematically) which serves to detect a quantity of the product to be bottled in the respective supply lines 46. The reference numeral 14 identifies a second detecting device which detects the quantity of containers located in the system. In this case it is possible to detect both the number of plastic parisons 10 and also the number of containers or plastic parisons which are for example located in the oven 34 or in the transforming device 2 itself.

(11) The reference numeral 18 designates a third detecting device (likewise only illustrated schematically) which detects the number of container closures in the transport system 64 and 68.

(12) If a product change is carried out, these individual detected numbers are co-ordinated with one another in such a way that it is possible for example for the product still located in the lines to be completely consumed and to make the necessary number of containers and container closures available for this purpose. Then excess containers or in particular plastic parisons are in each case discharged by the discharging devices 36 and 28.

(13) The reference numeral 50 designates a control device, which in particular control this product change, wherein this control device can also in particular take into consideration the respective values determined by the detecting devices. In this case this control device can communicate with the individual detecting devices, wherein it would also be conceivable for these detecting devices to be integrated into the controller. The control device also has a processor device 52 which controls the product change of the system as a function of the respectively detected or ascertained quantities. As mentioned, the individual detecting devices may also be contained in the machine controller.

(14) The second discharging device 28 for the plastic parisons serves in particular so that the plastic parison channel 32 does not have to be run completely empty, but, as described above, the old plastic parisons can be followed directly by the new plastic parisons. Therefore between the plastic parison channel 32 and the oven a further discharge (not shown) is provided in order to be able to discharge remaining old plastic parisons after a product change.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a comparison between a method according to the prior art (left-hand side) and a method according to the invention.

(16) In this case, both in the prior art and also in the method according to the invention, the number of containers still required is determined or predetermined (for instance by a user input). In the prior art, however, a permanently input content (or a specified number of product components still located in the transport devices) is compared with the required number and accordingly the change is carried out.

(17) Additionally within the context of the invention it is proposed that the content is also determined on the transport, i.e. in particular the number of containers or of closures or also of the product. Thus in the case of the invention a co-ordination of the content with the required number takes place, instead of the predetermined content in the prior art. In this case the method step shown here of determining the content can be repeated for a plurality of product components and, as illustrated, can also be carried out during the current production system.

(18) FIG. 3a shows a representation for illustrating the determination of the content. In this case it is conceivable that either the filling time is determined manually or is determined automatically. This value is in turn output and the system parameters relating to the filling time are stored.

(19) Furthermore the quantity in the respective filling lines can in turn be determined, and the corresponding values are then stored. This quantity can be determined for example by means of flow meters and/or taking into account a diameter as well as a length of the respective lines. This method for determining the content is preferably only carried out once, for instance during the configuration and/or commissioning of the system.

(20) Furthermore it is also conceivable (cf. FIG. 3b) that during each production process the respective measurements are carried out. In this case the start/stop time of the transport devices or transport belts are determined and then, as stated above, the percentage running time can be determined. Thus with further use of the output of the processing machine as a basis, the content can also be determined in the transport device, for example the number of closures or containers or also of the product. If now, additionally, the filling time illustrated above is taken into consideration, in this way it is possible to determine precisely when precisely the change can be carried out. Also the system can initiate a changing operation as a function of the results thus determined.

(21) The applicant reserves the right to claim all the features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention in so far as they are individually or in combination novel over the prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(22) 1 arrangement 2 transforming device 4 filling device 6 closing device 10 plastic parison 12 detecting device 14 detecting device 18 detecting device 20 beverage containers 22 storage device 24 conveying device 26 transport path 32 plastic parison channel 28 second discharging device 32 delivery channel 34 oven 36 second discharging device 42 storage container 44 mixing device 46 supply line 50 control device 52 processor device 62 storage device 64 conveying device 66 discharge path 68 further transport device