CONTAINER FEEDING SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING CONTAINER, AS WELL AS PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING CONTAINER

Abstract

A container feeding system for transporting a container along a transport path from a container source to a container receiver. The container feeding system includes a carrier for receiving and transporting the container, a pulling element connected to the carrier in such a way that the carrier can be moved along the transport path, a guide arranged along the transport path for guiding the carrier along the transport path. The carrier is arranged at the guide in such a way that the carrier can be moved by the pulling element in a sliding manner along a first surface of the guide.

Claims

1. A container feeding system for transporting a container along a transport path from a container source to a container receiver, comprising: a carrier configured to receive and transport the container; a pulling element connected to the carrier such that the carrier is capable of moving along the transport path; a guide arranged along the transport path configured to guide the carrier along the transport path, the carrier arranged at the guide such that the carrier is capable of being moved by the pulling element in a sliding manner along a first surface of the guide.

2. The container feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a sliding element having at least a first sliding surface, and the sliding surface is arranged at the first surface such that the carrier is capable of being moved in a sliding manner along the first surface of the guide via the sliding element.

3. The container feeding system according to claim 2, wherein the sliding element is a separate element from the carrier and is fixed to the carrier, the sliding element arranged between the carrier and the guide.

4. The container feeding system according to claim 2, wherein the sliding element and the carrier are made in one piece so that the sliding element is an integral element of the carrier.

5. The container feeding system according to claim 2, wherein the first sliding surface is a first supporting surface, which rests on the first surface such that the carrier is capable of being moved in a sliding manner along the first surface of the guide via the supporting surface.

6. The container feeding system according to claim 5, wherein the sliding element comprises a second sliding surface, and the second sliding surface is arranged at the supporting surface such that the second sliding surface is capable of being moved in a sliding manner along a second surface of the guide.

7. The container feeding system according to claim 6, wherein the sliding element comprises a third sliding surface, and the third sliding surface is arranged at the supporting surface, and spaced from the second sliding surface, such that the third sliding surface is capable of being moved in a sliding manner along a third surface of the guide.

8. The container feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the guide comprises at least one straight portion and at least one curved portion.

9. The container feeding system according claim 1, further comprising a circulating track, the circulating track, with respect to a direction of movement of the carrier, comprising a first portion between the container source and the container receiver and comprising a second portion between the container receiver and the container source, the container is capable of being transported along the transport path by the first portion in an operating state.

10. The container feeding system according to claim 1, further comprising a drive coupled to the pulling element such that the pulling element is capable of being moved by the drive.

11. The container feeding system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of carriers, the plurality of carriers connected to the pulling element.

12. The container feeding system according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyor track with a transport surface for the containers, the conveyor track arranged along the guide such that the container is capable of being moved by the carrier in a sliding manner across the transport surface.

13. The container feeding system according to claim 12, further comprising a container guiding device is arranged at the conveyor track such that a movement of the container on the conveyor track is capable of being restricted by the container guiding device, the container guiding device extending parallel to the guide.

14. The container feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the pulling element is a belt, a rope, or a strap.

15. The container feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the pulling element is arranged spaced from the guide such that no contact occurs between the pulling element and the guide during the movement of the carrier along the first surface.

16. The container feeding system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is arranged at the guide such that the carrier is capable of being exclusively moved in a sliding manner along the guide.

17. A processing device for processing a container, comprising: a container source; a container receiver; and claim 1, the container receiver arranged between the container source and the container receiver, and configured to transport the container from the container source to the container receiver.

18. The processing device according to claim 17, 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.

19. The processing device according to claim 17, wherein the container source is a filling station configured to fill the container with a filling material or the container receiver is a sealing module configured to seal the container by a lid.

20. A method for transporting containers, comprising: providing a container feeding system according to claim 1; receiving the container by the carrier in a receiving area from the container source; transporting the container by the carrier along the transport path, the carrier moving in a sliding manner along the first surface; and delivering the container to the container receiver in a transfer area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The disclosure will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

[0053] FIG. 1 illustrates feeding system known from the state of the art;

[0054] FIG. 2 illustrates a sealing module having a container feeding system according to the disclosure:

[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of a container feeding system according to the disclosure between a container receiver and a container source:

[0056] FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of a container feeding system according to the disclosure:

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment according to the disclosure of a carrier and its arrangement with pulling element, sliding element and guide, as a cross-sectional drawing:

[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment according to the disclosure of a carrier and its arrangement with pulling element, sliding element and guide, as an overview drawing:

[0059] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment according to the disclosure of a carrier and its arrangement with pulling element, sliding element and guide, as a top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] As already mentioned, FIG. 1 illustrates the state of the art. To avoid confusion, reference signs to features from this drawing are provided with an inverted comma, reference signs to features from FIGS. 2 to 7 are used without an inverted comma.

[0061] The designations of the individual components in FIG. 1 correspond to the equivalent components of the components according to the disclosure, even though their structure and the materials used and thus the technical effect achieved can differ. FIG. 1 illustrates a container 1 which is moved on a transport surface 5 along a transport path A on a conveyor track 3 by a carrier 4a. However, only a roller chain 4 is shown here as a pulling element, whereas the pulling element in embodiments according to the disclosure, as already described above, can also be, inter alia, a rope, a belt, or a strap. In addition, the carriers 4a represented here have no sliding contact with any guide, since no corresponding guide is provided.

[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates a sealing module in the form of a can sealer 1000 with a container feeding system 3 according to the disclosure. When filling beverage cans or food cans, the cans 1 pass through a can sealer 1000 after being filled with the beverage or foodstuff, wherein the filled can bodies enter along the transport path via a feed path A by the container feeding system 3 by being guided by carriers 4a. Can lids 2 enter via a further feed path C by the lid feeder 11.

[0063] The can sealer 1000 usually has several similar stations arranged in a carousel shape, in each of which a can body is sealed with a can lid 2. The can lids 2 are guided onto the can bodies, wherein the can bodies are gassed along the arrow D by the gas supply 16. Subsequently, the can lids are held on the can body, wherein the holding serves to fix the cans 1 against breaking out of the circular path passed by the cans 1 in the can sealer 1000 due to the centrifugal force.

[0064] The can bodies are seamed with the can lid 2 over a seaming roll at the edges and thus sealed in the can sealer 1000. Normally, the can body with the can lid 2 is additionally rotated around its own axis of symmetry by the seaming head. For rotation, the seaming rolls and seaming heads are arranged on a respective seaming shaft.

[0065] FIG. 3 illustrates the schematic interaction of container source 20, transport path 101 and container receiver 10. The containers 1 are received in a receiving area by the carriers 4a, transported by the carriers 4a along the transport path 101 to the transfer area where the containers 1 are received by the container receiver 10. In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the pulling element 4 is designed as a circulating pulling element. There are two guides 6, which extend in a straight area along the transport path 101.

[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of the container feeding system 3 for the transport of a container along a transport path 101 from a container source to a container receiver. In particular, the container can be a can. The reception of the container from the container source and the transport to the container receiver is carried out by a carrier 4a which is designed as a finger. The carrier 4a is connected to a pulling element 4 in the form of a toothed flat belt 4 and is driven by it so that the carrier 4a can be moved along the transport path 101. In addition, a guide 6 is arranged along the transport path 101, which guide serves to guide the carrier 4a along the transport path 101. The carrier 4a is arranged at the guide 6 in such a way that it can be moved on a first surface 18 of the guide 6 in a sliding manner by the pulling element 4 and is guided along the transport path 101 in this way.

[0067] FIG. 5 to 7 show a preferred embodiment for an arrangement of the carrier 4a according to the disclosure with a sliding element 40.

[0068] As can be seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the carrier 4a is firmly connected to the pulling element 4, as well as to the sliding element 40. Here, the pulling element 4 is directly attached to the carrier 4a, but the pulling element 4 could also be connected to the sliding element 40, so that the carrier 4a is connected to the pulling element 4 via the sliding element 40. However, the arrangement represented is preferred because the pulling element 4 is thus further spaced from the guide 6 and contact between the pulling element 4 and the guide 6 can be avoided.

[0069] The sliding element 40 has three different sliding surfaces; a first sliding surface 40c which is also the supporting surface 40c, a second sliding surface 40a, and a third sliding surface 40b. The sliding surfaces 40c, 40a and 40b are arranged such that the sliding element 40 has a rectangular recess which corresponds to the shape of the guide 6, since the guide has a rectangular cross-section. Of course, the guide and the recess can also have a round or oval-shaped cross-section.

[0070] Here, the sliding element 40 sits on the guide 6 in such a way that it can be guided on it in a sliding manner, whereby the supporting surface 40c is in contact with the first surface 18 of the guide 6 over its entire surface, thus supporting the carrier 4a on the guide 6. In the embodiment shown here, the sliding element 40 is in contact in a sliding manner with three surfaces of the guide 6. In addition to the contact already described between the first surface 18 and the supporting surface 40c, there is also a contact between the second surface 18a and the second sliding surface 40a, and between the third surface 18b and the third sliding surface 40b. The second sliding surface 40a and third sliding surface 40b function here as side surfaces that laterally delimit the movement of the sliding element 40 at the guide.

[0071] As can be seen from FIG. 5 to 7, the carrier 4a is arranged at the guide 6 in such a way that it can be exclusively moved in a sliding manner along the guide 6, i.e., there is only a sliding contact between the sliding element 40 and the guide 6. Thus, there is no further contact, e.g., by a rolling element, and the surfaces of the sliding element sliding on the guide 6 are constant surfaces. i.e., the same surfaces are guided in a sliding manner along the entire guide 6.

[0072] Due to the contact of the carrier 4a via the sliding element 40 with the guide 6, forces and moments generated during the container transport can be absorbed by the guide 6 and consequently adverse vibrations can be suppressed.

[0073] It is understood that in other embodiments, the sliding element 40 can be designed such that it is in contact in a sliding manner with only one or two surfaces of the guide 6.

[0074] In addition, it can be seen from FIG. 6 that the sliding element 40 is attached to the carrier 4a by bores 21. The bores 21 are designed in such a way that, for example, a screw or a bolt can be guided through them through the carrier 4a into the sliding element 40, wherein the head of the screw or bolt is inserted into the hole of the bore 21 on the carrier side.

[0075] There are also embodiments according to the disclosure in which no sliding element 40 is necessary and the carrier 4a is directly in contact in a sliding manner with a surface of the guide 6. In these embodiments, a corresponding recess is preferably provided at the carrier. This recess allows the carrier 4a to have sliding contact with three surfaces of the guide 6. Here, the sliding element can be an integral component of the carrier. In this regard, embodiments are conceivable that allow contact between only one or two surfaces of the guide 6 and the carrier 4a Embodiments are also conceivable in which the sliding element 40 is an integral component of the carrier 4a.

[0076] The technical effect of the guide 6 is in particular to absorb the vibrations of a drive 60 according to FIG. 4 (such as a motor) so that they cannot be transmitted to the container, thus avoiding spillage of the contents.

[0077] As represented in FIG. 1, the container feeding systems known from the state of the art are moved via a pulling element 4, which is a chain. As described at the beginning, these chains 4 transmit vibrations of the motor almost undamped to the carriers 4a. In addition, the chains require lubricants and microfilms can form in the dead spaces of the chains 4 which have to be removed regularly.

[0078] According to the disclosure, in order to avoid this, in addition to the guide, instead of a chain, a belt, a rope or particularly preferably a strap can be used. FIGS. 4 and 7 show how the carriers 4a are attached to this type of pulling element 4. Here, the carriers are curved in an L-shape such that they each form a right angle. Of course, a right angle is not mandatory, however. One arm of the angle thus formed is connected to the sliding element 40, wherein the sliding element 40 is arranged at the inside of the angle. The other arm of the angle is connected to the pulling element 4. In this case, the pulling element 4 is arranged at the side facing away from the right angle. Thus, the carrier 4a is connected only to the outward-facing surface of the pulling element 4.

[0079] However, since the vibrations caused by the motor are also absorbed by the sliding of the carrier 4a or the sliding element 40 on the guide 6 and are thus no longer transmitted to the container, embodiments according to the disclosure are also conceivable in which a chain or another component made up of links is still used, in which adjacent links are connected to one another.

[0080] In FIG. 4, the interaction of these critical parts is shown. In addition, it can be seen that the force of the drive 60 is transmitted to the carriers 4a via the pulling element 4 coupled to it, whereby the carriers 4a are moved along the transport path 101. In FIG. 4, the pulling element 4 is designed as a flat toothed belt. This is also preferable to a chain, since higher transport speeds can be achieved, and a chain expands due to the connections.

[0081] Here, it can be seen from FIG. 4 that the guide 6 is interrupted in the area of the drive 60, i.e., it comprises two parts arranged in series. In addition, the guide 6 is designed to be narrower at its ends to enable the carriers 4a to be guided on more easily.

[0082] For example, the guide 6 shown in FIG. 4 can be made of a metal, in a preferred embodiment made of or coated with an alloy.

[0083] The sliding element 40 preferably consists of or is coated with a ceramic material or consists of or is coated with a thermoplastic material.

[0084] It is understood that the discussed specific embodiments of the disclosure are to be understood as merely exemplary and the disclosure is of course not limited to these alone. In particular, the person skilled in the art understands that the described embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner and that simple further embodiments obvious to the person skilled in the art are naturally also comprised by the claimed scope of protection.