Device for Separating Containers Connected to Container Groups and Corresponding Method

Abstract

A device for separating containers, particularly ampoules, connected to container groups includes a separating unit and a positioning unit. The separating unit is configured to separate at least one container of a container group that is in a foremost position along an advancing direction from at least one further container in the container group located upstream of the at least one container along the advancing direction via a separating process. The separating process acts in a separating region of the separating unit in a direction crosswise to the advancing direction. The positioning unit is configured to interlockingly position the at least one further container of the container group during the separating process.

Claims

1. A device for severing containers that are connected in container groups, comprising: a severing unit that is configured to sever at least one container located at a foremost position in a container group in a feed direction from at least one further container in the container group located upstream of the at least one container via a severing procedure that acts along a severing region of the severing unit, in a direction transverse to the feed direction; and a positioning unit that is configured to form-fittingly position the at least one further container along the feed direction during the severing procedure.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is further configured to form-fittingly position the at least one further container of the container group in a direction opposite to the feed direction during the severing procedure.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning unit includes at least a first wedge arranged along the feed direction, and a second wedge arranged the feed direction, the first wedge and the second wedge each having respective faces that are oriented at least partly opposite each other.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second wedge has a first severing blade of the severing unit.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an onward transport unit including at least one holder that defines a receiving region configured to receive the at least one container severed in a severing procedure.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the onward transport unit is further configured to transport a plurality of containers in an onward transport movement that, at least directly downstream of the severing procedure, has a principal motion component oriented perpendicular to the feed direction and transverse to a principal extent of the severing region.

7. The device at least as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: at least one holder that has a further severing blade of the severing unit.

8. The device at least as claimed in claim 5, wherein the onward transport unit has a plurality of holders arranged in a cycle.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: two severing blades that are configured to move past each other with a severing clearance in a shearing movement to enable the severing procedure.

10. A supply device for containers, comprising: a device for severing containers that are connected in container groups, the device including: a severing unit that is configured to sever at least one container located at a foremost position in a container group in a feed direction from at least one further container in the container group located upstream of the at least one container via a severing procedure that acts along a severing region of the severing unit in a direction transverse to the feed direction; and a positioning unit that is configured to form-fittingly position the at least one further container during the severing procedure.

11. A method for severing at least one container from containers that are connected in a container group, the method comprising: operating a severing unit to perform a severing procedure along a severing region of a severing unit to sever at least one container in the container group from at least one further container the container group, the severing procedure acting in a direction transverse to a feed direction for feeding the container group through the severing unit and during the severing procedure, operating a positioning unit to form-fittingly position the at least one further container along the feed direction.

Description

DRAWING

[0016] Further advantages will become apparent from the description of the drawing below. The drawing illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The drawing, the description and the claims include numerous features in combination. Those skilled in the art will advantageously also consider the features individually and put them together into useful further combinations.

[0017] In the drawing:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a device for severing containers that are connected in container groups,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the container group, with the containers,

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of possible variants of holding faces,

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a supply device having the device for severing containers that are connected in container groups,

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a detail from the device in FIG. 4,

[0023] FIG. 6 shows the device for severing containers that are connected in container groups, in operation, with containers, and

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a shearing movement of a first and a further severing blade in a plan view, perpendicular to a feed direction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a sketch of the principle of a device 10 for severing containers 14 that are connected in container groups 12, having a severing unit 16 that is provided for severing a container 20, which is foremost in a feed direction 18, of the container group 12 from a further container 22 of the container group 12 along a severing region 24, in a severing procedure transverse to the feed direction 18.

[0026] A positioning unit 26 is provided for form-fittingly positioning the container 22 of the container group 12 during the severing procedure, wherein the container 22 is arranged upstream of the severing region 24, as seen in the feed direction 18, and adjoins the severing region 24.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a card-like container group 12, which is formed by six vial-like containers 14 that are arranged next to one another in a container group direction 60.

[0028] The container group 12 is made in a blow fill seal method, known to those skilled in the art, from a polypropylene material. The containers 14 have a container part 62 in which there is a filling material, for example a liquid medicament such as eye drops or similar. The containers 14 are connected to one another by connection webs 64. In each case centrally between the container parts 62 there are arranged weakened lines that form severing points 66. The severing points 66 extend in the direction of a principal extent 68 of the containers, which is perpendicular to the container group direction 60. In the principal direction 68 of extent, the containers 14 have a head part 70 at one end of the container part 62 and a foot part 72 at the opposite end. The containers 14 can be opened by breaking off the head part 70 to remove the filling material. End regions of the head part 70 and the foot part 72 take the form of flat guide surfaces 74. These guide surfaces 74 make it easier to position and guide the container group 12 in devices, using suitable transport and guidance devices. A plurality of such container groups 12 is supplied to the device 10, one after the other in the feed direction 18. As an alternative, it would also be possible for the container groups 12 to be discharged into the device 10, for example from a stack that is perpendicular to the feed direction 10 and to the principal extent 68, and then moved in the feed direction 18 for the purpose of severing the containers 20. As an alternative, the container groups 12 could also be pushed into the device 10 transversely, in the direction of the principal extent 68.

[0029] The positioning unit 26 has a first wedge 28, as seen in the feed direction 18, having a holding face 32, and a second wedge 30, as seen in the feed direction 18, having a holding face 34, wherein the holding faces 32, 34 are arranged opposite one another. In the example shown, the holding faces 32, 34 are of planar construction and position the container 22 by coming into contact with the container part 62 and thus pushing the container 22 into a target position and/or immobilizing it in this target position. During this, the container 22 is supported on its underside, which is remote from the holding faces 32, 34, in this example the respective underside of the guide surfaces 74, on a suitably constructed container support 76 that is also part of the positioning unit 26. In the example shown, the container support 76 is formed by dead plates, on which the containers 14, 20, 22 are pushed in the feed direction 18, and on which they are supported by means of their container parts 62 and guide surfaces 74. It is also conceivable for the containers 14 to be supported on the dead plate only by means of their container parts 62 or their guide surfaces 74.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows possible alternative shapes of the holding face 32. If a support face, by means of which the holding face 32 comes into contact with the container part 62, is to be made larger, a construction according to the holding face 32 is advantageous. The holding face 32 is of concave construction and snugly follows a surface of the container part 62. In this way, the container part 62 can be treated with particular care. As an alternative, a holding face 32 that is of convex construction may be advantageous if as small as possible an overall support face is to be achieved. The container part 62 may also have grooves in which a holding face 32 of convex construction may advantageously engage. Those skilled in the art will determine the actual construction of the holding face 32 for the respective application case. The holding face 34 may be of a different construction to the examples that are shown here of the holding face 32. Instead of or in addition to the container part 62, the holding faces 32, 34 may also position the container 14 at the head part 70 or the foot part 72 or in a combination of container part 62 and/or head part 70 and/or foot part 72.

[0031] The wedges 28, 30 further have wedge edges 78, 80. The wedge edge 78 of the wedge 28 also forms part of the positioning unit 26 and comes into contact with the connection web 64 in the region of the severing point 66. Since the severing point 66 forms a depression into which the wedge edge 78 reaches, the container 22 is additionally immobilized. In particular for the purpose of processing particularly flexible container groups 12, it is possible additionally to provide a counter-piece that, from the side of the connection web 64 that is opposite the wedge edge 78, exerts thereon a counter-force to the force that is exerted by the wedge edge 78, and thus clamps the connection web 64 firmly.

[0032] The second wedge 30 further has a first severing blade 36 of the severing unit 16. The severing blade 36 is formed by the wedge edge 80 of the second wedge 30 and, at the start of the severing procedure, comes into contact with the connection web 64 between the container 22 and the container 20 that is to be severed, at the severing point 66 of this connection web 64. This region at the same time forms the severing region 24. Simultaneously, this contact also assists positioning of the containers 20, 22 in respect of the severing region 24 of the severing unit 16. In cases in which contact with the container part 62 is to be avoided, the positioning unit 26 may also position the container 20 exclusively with the aid of the contact of the wedge edges 78, 80 at the connection webs 64 or at the head part 70 or at the foot part 72.

[0033] The device 10 further has a conveyor belt 82 (FIGS. 4-6) and an upper belt 84 that is arranged opposite on the side with the wedges 28, 30, and these act from both sides on the guide surfaces 74 of the container groups 12 and drive and guide the latter in the feed direction 18. A toothed counting wheel 86 engages in the part of the container group 12 that has the container parts 62 such that the container parts 62 engage in recesses in the toothing and thus turn the counting wheel 86 form-fittingly, in accordance with the current position of the container parts 62. The counting wheel 86 is connected to a control unit (which is not illustrated in more detail), which controls and regulates the movements of the device 10 by means of drives (which are not illustrated in more detail). The information from the counting wheel 86 serves to transport the container group 12 and the containers 14 correctly in the feed direction 18 so that the severing points 66 come to lie at the desired positions during the severing procedures and, if containers 14 are not positioned correctly, trigger an alarm and/or a machine stoppage.

[0034] An onward transport unit 38 has a plurality of holders 40, which are arranged in a cycle 52. The cycle 52 is formed by a transport wheel 90 on which the holders 40 are arranged. The holders 40 form receiving regions 42 for receiving the containers 20 that are each severed in a severing procedure. Mounted on the transport wheel 90, on sides of the holders 40 that are opposite the receiving regions 42, are counter-holders 92 that are displaceable in a closing movement 118 such that they can be pushed over the receiving regions 42 for the purpose of securing containers 14 that have been inserted in the receiving regions 42. The holders 40 for this purpose have further severing blades 50 of the severing unit 16. The severing unit 16 is thus formed by the severing blades 36, 50 and the positioning unit 26. The severing blades 50 are formed by edges 88 of the holders 40. The onward transport unit 38 is provided for the purpose of transporting severed containers 14 onward in an onward transport movement 44 that, directly downstream of the severing procedure, has a principal motion component 46 perpendicular to the feed direction 18 and transverse to a principal extent 48 of the severing region 24.

[0035] The onward transport movement 44 forms a shearing movement 56 during the severing procedure. The severing procedure is performed by the severing blades 36, 50, which are moved past one another with the shearing movement 56 at a minimum severing clearance 54 at 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0036] FIG. 7 shows the movement in the closing direction 96 of the first, and the shearing movement 56 of one of the further, shearing blades 36, 50, in a plan view perpendicular to the feed direction 18. The wedge edge that forms the first shearing blade 36 is advantageously, as can be seen in this figure, inclined in relation to the severing region 24 by an angle 116 such that when the two severing blades 36, 50 are moved past one another by the shearing movement 56 the severing point 66 between the container 20, which is not illustrated in this figure, and the container 22 is severed in a punctiform shearing.

[0037] With reference to FIGS. 4-6, which show a supply device 58 having the device 10 for severing containers 14 that are connected in container groups 12, functioning of the device 10 will be explained in more detail.

[0038] The upper belt 84 and the conveyor belt 82 act from both sides on the guide surfaces 74 of the container groups 12 and transport them in the feed direction 18, in the direction of the severing region 24 of the severing unit 16. The counting wheel 86 monitors this feeding. The control unit (which is not illustrated) controls and regulates the movements of the supply device 58 having the device 10. The wedges 28, 30 are mounted on a linear unit 94 that drives the wedges 28, 30 together in a stroke movement, in a closing direction 96 that is perpendicular to the feed direction 18 and to the principal extent 48 of the severing region 24. The closing direction 96 forms an angle 100 of 90 with the feed direction 18. Once the container group 12 has been moved far enough in the feed direction 18 for the severing point 66 between the container 22 and the container 20 that is to be severed to be located in the severing region 24 of the severing unit 16, the linear unit 94 lowers the wedges 28, 30 in the direction of the container group 12 until the wedges 28, 30 come into contact with the container 22 and position it. The wedge 28 is mounted, such that it is resilient in the closing direction 96, on the linear unit 94 by a spring element (which is not illustrated in more detail). The second wedge 30 is set back in the closing direction 96 by approximately 1 mm in relation to the first wedge 28 in the relaxed condition. When the wedges 28, 30 are lowered in the closing direction 96 onto the container 22, first the wedge edge 78 and the holding face 32 of the first wedge 28 come into contact with the container 22. The linear unit 94 moves the wedge 30 further in the direction of the container 22, while the wedge 28 begins to undergo spring compression and so remains in its position. Consequently, the holding face 34 of the second wedge 30 now also comes into contact with the container part 62 of the container 22 and urges the container 22 in the direction of the first wedge 28. The container 22 is centered and positioned between the holding faces 32, 34. As a result of a spring force of the spring element, the first wedge 28 additionally firmly clamps the container 22 at its severing point 66, by means of its wedge edge 78, without severing the severing point 66 as a result of excessive force. The wedge edge 80 of the second wedge 30 is now located in the severing region 24, in the position for severing the containers 20, 22.

[0039] In the illustration of FIGS. 4-6, the transport wheel 90 rotates clockwise with the onward transport movement 44, which in the severing region 24 is approximately perpendicular to the feed direction 18. In the exemplary embodiment, the onward transport movement 44 is continuous, but a discontinuous onward transport movement 44 is also conceivable. In particular, the onward transport movement 44 may be controlled in dependence on a downstream machine 114. The counter-holders 92 of the holders 40 are retracted in the direction of a center of rotation of the transport wheel 90 before the holders 40 pass the severing region 24, with the result that the receiving regions 42 of the holders 40 have openings for receiving the containers 20 that are to be severed. The holder 40 that is closest to the severing region 24, in the direction opposed to the onward transport movement 44, moves past the severing point 24. A respective upper side 98 of the holders 40, in which the openings of the receiving regions 42 are made, is inclined in relation to a radius of the transport wheel 90 such that the upper surface 98 forms an angle 102 of 10 with the feed direction 18, starting from the edge 88. The holder 40 comes into contact with the container 20 and takes up the side of the container part 62 that faces the receiving region 42, while the guide surfaces 74 of the container 20 come to lie on the upper side 98. Because of the inclination by the angle 102, the container 20 is urged from the severing point 24 in the direction of a center of rotation 104 of the transport wheel 90. The counter-holder 92 that is opposite the holder 40 is now displaced away from the center of rotation 104 over the receiving region 42, with the result that the counter-holder 92 secures the container 20 at the guide surfaces 74 of the container 20 (see FIG. 2) in the receiving region 42 to prevent it from falling out. The container 20 that is thus secured is now severed from the container 22. The edge 88 of the holder 40 forms one of the further severing blades 50 and moves past the first severing blade 36 with the severing clearance 54, and now severs the container 20 in the severing region 24. A control cam 106, with which control followers 108 of the counter-holders 92 engage, has a suitable deflected portion 110 at the corresponding position in the cycle 52, in order to trigger the counter-holder 92 such that, when it passes the severing region 24, it secures the container 20. After half a rotation of the transport wheel 90, the holder 40 reaches a discharge region 112. Since the transport wheel 90 has by now rotated through 180, the container 20 is now supported on the counter-holder 92. The counter-holder 92 is moved somewhat away from the holder 40 by the control cam 106 and is extended far enough from the center of rotation 104 for the container 20 to be released by the holder 40 and to be discharged by the counter-holder 92 to the downstream machine 114, for example a packaging machine. This process is repeated continuously with each holder 40 in the cycle 52 of the transport wheel 90, and with each severed container 20. During this, the transport wheel 90 can advantageously rotate at a constant speed or be controlled in dependence on a requirement of the downstream machine 114.