DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONVEYING CONTAINERS

Abstract

A container guiding device has a railing with two guide elements that are spaced from one another, that extend in the transport direction of a container transport device, and that guide containers or packages. At least one guide element can be adjusted transversely to the transport direction relative to the other guide element by an adjusting device. The adjusting device has a drive body which can be rotated about a rotational axis and a coupling element which is connected to the at least one guide element and to the drive body such that a rotation of the drive body produces a translation of the coupling element transversely to the transport direction. The drive body has a control element which is in engagement with the coupling element and which runs in a spiral shape about the rotational axis of the drive body, at least along some sections.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A container guiding device, comprising: a railing having two guide elements for guiding containers or packages, said guide elements being arranged at a spacing distance from one another and extending in a transport direction of a container transport device; at least one of said guide elements being transversely adjustable relative to an oppositely disposed said guide element; an adjusting device for transversely adjusting said at least one guiding element, said adjusting device having a drive body, which is rotatable about a rotational axis, and a coupling element connected to said at least one guiding element and to said drive body in such a way that a rotation of said drive body causes a displacement of said coupling element transversely to the transport direction; said drive body being a one-part or multi-part drive body with a control element in engagement with said coupling element, said control element having a spiral-shaped course, at least in sections, about the rotational axis of said drive body.

17. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said control element is a control groove configured to displaceably receive a control bolt connected to said coupling element.

18. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said drive body is rotatably arranged in a housing of said adjusting device, said housing being formed with a guide opening securing said coupling element in a circumferential direction of said drive body.

19. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said adjusting device comprises two drive bodies, with corresponding control grooves opposing one another in a direction of the rotational axis, and wherein each of said control grooves is configured to receive a control bolt connected to said coupling element.

20. The container guiding device according to claim 16, further comprising a drive shaft extending in a direction of the rotational axis, said drive body being non-rotatably connected to said drive shaft.

21. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said coupling element is in engagement with said drive body on a side facing away from said guide element in relation to the rotational axis.

22. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said adjusting device comprises two coupling elements in engagement with said drive body and an adjustment of said drive body causes an opposite adjustment of said coupling elements.

23. The container guiding device according to claim 22, wherein each of said two coupling elements is connected by a respective link that is connected to a respective one of said guide elements that are arranged opposite one another.

24. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein each of said two guide elements of said railing is displaceable by a respective adjusting device transversely to the transport direction, wherein each of said adjusting devices comprises a drive body with a control element extending in spiral form around the rotational axis of said drive body and in engagement with said coupling element.

25. The container guiding device according to claim 16, further comprising a drive shaft and a motor driving said drive shaft.

26. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said adjusting device is one of a plurality of adjusting devices arranged adjacent one another and connected to one another by a common drive shaft.

27. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said guide elements define a run course which is curved, at least in sections, along the transport direction, and wherein: a first adjusting device includes a coupling element, which is rigidly affixed in the transport direction to one of said guide elements; and at least one further adjusting device includes a coupling element, which is adjustably connected in the transport direction to said one guide element.

28. The container guiding device according to claim 16, wherein said guide elements are configured for detachably receiving respective railing elements of said railing.

29. The container transport device for transporting containers along a transport direction, said container transport device comprising at least one container guiding device according to claim 16.

30. A method for setting a spacing interval of guide elements of a railing, the method comprising: providing a container guiding device according to claim 16; rotating the drive body in order to displace at least one guide element of the railing relative to an oppositely disposed guide element, transversely to the transport direction; and upon reaching the spacing interval to be set, ending a rotation of the drive body to secure the guide elements relative to one another.

Description

[0045] FIG. 1 In a perspective view, a part region of a first exemplary embodiment of a container guiding device;

[0046] FIG. 2a In a perspective view, a part region of a second exemplary embodiment of a container guiding device;

[0047] FIG. 2b a further perspective view of the container guiding device from FIG. 2a;

[0048] FIG. 3a a perspective view of an adjusting device of the container guiding device from FIG. 1 in a first end position;

[0049] FIG. 3b a perspective view of the adjusting device from FIG. 3a in an intermediate position, and

[0050] FIG. 3c a further perspective view of the adjusting device from FIG. 3a, in a second end position;

[0051] FIG. 4a a perspective view of a third embodiment of the adjusting device, in a first railing position;

[0052] FIG. 4b a perspective view of the adjusting device from FIG. 4a, in a second railing position;

[0053] FIG. 4c a perspective view of the adjusting device from FIG. 4a, in a third railing position;

[0054] FIG. 5 a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the adjusting device, and

[0055] FIG. 6 a further perspective view of the adjusting device from FIG. 5.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, a first embodiment of a section of a container guiding device 1a, which is suitable for arranging on a container transport device, not represented here, which transports, for example by means of a transport belt, containers, such as bottles or packages of bottles, along a container handling system, likewise not represented here.

[0057] The container guiding device 1a comprises curve-shaped guide elements 3a, arranged at a spacing interval from one another, which are configured so as to receive a curve-shaped railing 2. The railing width in this situation depends on the spacing interval of the opposing guide elements 3a. In order to adjust the spacing interval of the guide elements 3a, in this situation the container guide device 1a comprises several adjusting devices 4a, which are arranged adjacent to one another along the transport direction, and can be displaced by means of their mutually opposing guide elements 3a transversely to the transport direction.

[0058] In order to adjust the position of the guide elements 3a, the adjusting devices 4a comprise in each case a drive body 5a, arranged rotatably inside a housing half 10a of a housing 9a, which comprises control element, extending in a spiral shape around the rotational axis, which is configured as a control groove 7a. The control groove 7a serves to receive a control bolt 8, extending parallel to the rotational axis through a coupling element 6a, which can be displaced inside the spiral-shaped control groove 7a. The coupling element 6a extends in turn through a guide opening 11 of the housing half 10a, and is connected by its end facing away from the control bolt 8, by means of a connecting element 18, to a section of the guide element 3a.

[0059] A rotation of the drive body 5a inside the housing half 10a therefore causes, as a function of the rotational direction, an axial displacement of the coupling element 6a inside the guide opening 11, wherein, as a dependency of the rotational direction of the drive body 5a, the guide element 3a is adjusted, in the direction of the opposing guide element 3a or in the opposite direction to this. By analogy, an adjustment of the opposing guide element 3a of a railing 2 takes place, such that, by an actuation of the adjusting devices 4a of the opposing guide elements 3a, an adjustment of the width of the railing 2 can be put into effect.

[0060] For the rotation of the drive bodies 5a of the adjacently arranged adjusting devices 4a, a drive shaft 12a extends through shaft receivers 14a of the drive bodies 5a of the adjusting devices 4a, arranged adjacent to one another. Cardan shafts 15, arranged between the adjusting devices 4a, in this situation ensure a transfer of the rotational movements of the individual segments of the drive shaft 12a, running at an angle to one another.

[0061] For the defined setting of the railing width, the coupling elements 6a comprise a scale 17, which allows the operating personnel to carry out a predetermined setting of the guide elements 3a, which are secured between clamping jaws 16 of the connecting element 18, in an exact manner in relation to the housing 9a.

[0062] For arranging the container guiding device 1a, or the individual adjusting devices 4a of the container guiding device 1a, the adjusting devices 4a comprise in each case a holding element, formed as a carrier 13, which makes it possible for the adjusting devices 4a to be positioned at a desired position on the container transport device.

[0063] Represented in FIGS. 2a and 2b is a part region of a container transport unit, wherein, as a departure from the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 1, the guide element 3a exhibits a straight line course. The housings 9a are represented in the opened state, such that a half of the drive body 5a, with the spiral-shaped control groove 7a, can be identified. In the completed state of the entire drive body 5a, it is formed from two opposing disk-shaped halves, between which the coupling element 6a is arranged. As a departure from the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 1, the drive shaft 12a comprises a single-piece configuration, and extends, in the manner represented heretofore, through the shaft receivers 14a of the drive bodies 5a of the individual adjusting devices 4a, wherein a configuration of the drive shaft 12a as quadratic in cross-section ensures a reliable transfer of the rotational movement of the drive shaft 12a onto the drive bodies 5a.

[0064] Represented in FIG. 2b are the adjusting devices 4a, represented in FIG. 2a, with a closed housing 9a, wherein the housing 9a of the adjusting device 4a is formed from a first housing half 10a and a second housing half 10b. The second housing half 10b comprises in this situation, analogously to the housing half 10a, a drive body 5a, which corresponds to the drive body 5a in the housing half 10a. The control bolt 8 of the coupling element 6a is therefore, in the closed state of the housing 9a, guided in the control grooves 7a of the two drive bodies 5a arranged in the housing 9a.

[0065] The function mode of the adjusting devices 4a is represented in supplementary form in FIGS. 3a to 3c, wherein, in FIG. 3a, the coupling element 6a is arranged in a first end position, in FIG. 3b the coupling element 6a is arranged in an intermediate position, and in FIG. 3c the coupling element 6a is arranged in a second end position in relation to the adjusting device 4a. In the first end position, the control bolt 8 is in the position nearest to the rotational axis, inside the control groove 7a. In the intermediate position represented in FIG. 3b, the control bolt 8 is located in a region of the control groove 7a between the first end position and the second end position. In FIG. 3c, the control bolt 8 is located in the point of the control groove 7a which is furthest away from the rotational axis.

[0066] Possible forces taking effect on the coupling element 6a in its longitudinal direction, as a consequence of a loading incurred by packages or containers being guided, will not lead to any incorrect movement of the guide elements 3a connected to the coupling element 6a, due to their perpendicular alignment in relation to the control groove 7a, such that a self-limiting effect pertains of the position which has been set of the guide elements 3a, by way of the drive bodies 5a.

[0067] Represented in FIGS. 4a to 4c is a third embodiment of a container guiding device 1b in different positions of the railing elements 19a, 19b, determining the railing width, detachably arranged at the guide elements 3b, 3c.

[0068] In a curved region of the container guiding device 1b, three adjusting devices 4b are connected to the guide element 3c, on the outside of the container guiding device 1b. In this situation, it is the middle adjusting device 4b alone, in the middle section of the curved run course in the transport direction, which is connected to the guide element 3c in a fixed position by means of clamping jaws 16 forming a connecting element. Conversely, the adjusting devices 4b connected to the guide element 3c, adjacent to this adjusting device 4b in the curved section, are coupled by means of connecting elements 20 to the guide element 3c, which can be displaced in a sliding manner in the transport direction along the guide element 3c.

[0069] On both sides in the transport direction, adjacent to the curved section of the container guide device 1b, the curved guide elements 3c are connected by connection elements 20 to the guide elements 3b, extending in a straight line, which allow for a compensation of length.

[0070] By means of a rotation of the drive bodies 5a arranged in the housing 9b, a displacement takes place of the railing elements 19a, 19b connected to the guide elements 3b, 3c, between the position represented in FIG. 4a, in which the container guiding device 1b exhibits the greatest spacing interval between the railing elements 19a,19b, and the position of the railing elements 19a, 19b, represented in FIG. 4c, in which these exhibit the smallest spacing interval from one another. Represented in FIG. 4b is an intermediate position between the end positions represented in FIGS. 4a and 4c.

[0071] Represented in a perspective representation in FIG. 5 is a further embodiment of a section of a container guiding device 1c. With this embodiment of the container guiding device 1c, one single drive body 5b of an adjusting device 4c serves to adjust the spacing interval of the two guide elements 3a. For this purpose the adjusting device 4c comprises, seen in the transport direction, two coupling elements 6b, 6c, on opposing sides, in working connection with the control groove 7b by means of control bolts 8, wherein the two control bolts 8 are arranged, seen in the transport direction, diametrically opposite the drive body 5b, in engagement with the control groove 7b. The control bolt 8, arranged at the drive body 5b facing towards the guide elements 3a, is connected to a coupling element 6b, which extends in a longitudinally displaceable manner through guide openings 26 at two holding elements 24, which are connected, at a spacing interval from one another, in each case to a base rail 25. The control bolt 8, arranged at the greatest spacing interval from the guide elements 3a, is connected to the coupling element 6c, which likewise extends in a longitudinally displaceable manner through guide openings 26 at the holding elements 24.

[0072] A rotation of the drive bodies 5b by means of a drive shaft 12b, extending through shaft receivers 14b, which is arranged in a rotatable manner on carrier elements 23, connected to the holding elements 24, causes a longitudinal displacement of the coupling elements 6b, 6c, wherein, as a dependency of the rotational direction of the drive body 5b, the connecting elements 18 are moved towards one another or apart from one another, wherein the connecting elements 18 are connected in each case by means of a link 22 to the coupling elements 6b, 6c.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0073] a, 1b, 1c Container guiding device [0074] Railing [0075] 3a, 3b, 3c Guide element [0076] 4a, 4b, 4c Adjusting device [0077] 5a, 5b Drive body [0078] 6a, 6b, 6c Coupling element [0079] 7a, 7b Control element/control groove [0080] Control bolt [0081] 9a, 9b Housing [0082] 10a, 10b Housing half [0083] Guide opening [0084] 12a, 12b Drive shaft [0085] Holding element/carrier [0086] 14a, 14b Shaft receiver [0087] Cardan shaft [0088] Clamping jaw [0089] Scale [0090] Connecting element [0091] 19a, 19b Railing element [0092] Connecting element [0093] Guide body [0094] Link [0095] Carrying element [0096] Holding element [0097] Base rail [0098] Guide openings