Beverage crate with centring function for bottles and additional recess for serialisation application

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for inspecting bundles, wherein receiving containers equipped with containers are transported by a first transport device and wherein the containers each have a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers, wherein an image recording device records at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and at least one information is output which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting bundles, wherein receiving containers equipped with containers are transported by a first transport device and wherein the containers each have a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers, wherein an image recording device records at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and at least one information is output which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image recording device is arranged stationary and the receiving containers are transported past the image recording device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving containers are gripped by a gripping device and are brought into an image receiving area of the image receiving device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving containers are transported by a second transport device, which differs from the first transport device, for the purpose of image recording.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second transport device removes the receiving containers from the first transport device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a movement of the receiving containers is stopped at least temporarily in order to take an image of the bottom regions.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the containers are positioned in predetermined positioning relative to the receiving containers.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the containers is removed from the receiving container.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one container or the portion of containers is removed in response to an image captured by the image recording device.

10. A receiving container for receiving containers, wherein the receiving containers having a plurality of receiving areas for receiving the containers separately from one another and in the same orientation, wherein one container is received in each receiving area, and wherein the receiving container having at least one wall delimiting this receiving container, and wherein each of these receiving areas having a bottom in order to support the containers via their bottom regions, wherein each of these bottoms has a recess through which a bottom of a container located in this receiving area can be observed.

11. The receiving container according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the receiving areas comprises a positioning device and/or centring device which centres a container relative to said receiving area.

12. An apparatus for inspecting bundles, having a first transport device configured to transport receiving containers fitted with containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein the containers each having a marking in their bottom regions which unambiguously identifies the containers and/or which is characteristic of at least one property of the containers, wherein the apparatus has an image recording device configured to record at least one image of the bottom regions of the containers located in the receiving container and to output at least one information which is characteristic of the markings arranged on the containers and/or of the containers and/or of at least one property of the containers.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a second transport device configured to transport the receiving containers to the image receiving device and/or to transport the receiving containers away from the image receiving device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a container removal device which is configured to remove individual containers from the receiving container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] Further advantages and embodiments can be seen in the attached drawings:

[0072] In the drawings:

[0073] FIG. 1 shows a representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed illustration of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0075] FIG. 3 shows a representation of a receiving container; and

[0076] FIG. 4 shows a view of a loaded receiving container from below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus 1 according to the invention, which has a transport device 2 in the form of a conveyor belt on which receiving containers 10 for containers (not shown) are transported along the transport path T. The reference signs P1 and P2 indicate two possible positions of the receiving containers10 on the transport device 2. Preferably, the first transport device 2 transports the receiving containers 10 in a straight line.

[0078] The reference sign 6 indicates a second transport device which is used to grip the receiving containers 10 and to pivot them over an image recording device 4 so that the latter can record images of the undersides of the containers 20. Preferably, this second transport device 6 enables transport or movement of the receiving containers 10 in at least two directions perpendicular to each other and preferably in three directions perpendicular to each other.

[0079] Preferably, a transport path of the containers 20 transported by the second transport device 6 is changeable and in particular freely programmable.

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed representation of this removal of the receiving containers 10. Here, the second transport device 6 has a drive device 62 which can pivot a pivoting arm 64. The actual gripping device 66, which grips the containers 20, is arranged on this pivoting arm 64 via a rotary drive 68.

[0081] The receiving containers 10 can be transported over the image recording device 4. As mentioned above, the transport can be stopped when the receiving device 10 is positioned above the image recording device 4.

[0082] The reference sign 42 indicates illumination devices which can illuminate the underside of the receiving container 10 and/or the containers 20 from below for the purpose of image recording. This illumination and also the image recording can be optimised for the respective containers 20 used and the marking 12 arranged thereon.

[0083] FIG. 3 shows an illustration of a receiving container 10, which has a plurality of receiving areas (only two receiving areas 32, 34 shown here) into each of which containers 20 can be placed.

[0084] FIG. 4 shows a receiving container 10 filled with containers 20 from below. Here, containers 20, such as bottles, are located in the receiving containers 10 or in the individual receiving areas 32, 34 . . . respectively. These bottles each have a marking 12 which is arranged on the container bottom 14.

[0085] The reference sign 42 indicates centring devices and/or positioning devices which centre and/or position the containers 20 relative to the receiving areas 32.

[0086] The image recording device 4 can record an image of the receiving containers 10 with the total of twelve containers 20. Furthermore, the image evaluation device allows the evaluation of the individual markings 12 and thus also a statement about characteristic properties of the individual containers 20.

[0087] The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided that they are individually or in combination new compared to the prior art. It is further pointed out that the individual figures also describe features which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person immediately recognises that a certain feature described in a figure can also be advantageous without adopting further features from this figure. Furthermore, the skilled person recognises that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual figures or in different figures.