NL2029228B1

NL2029228B1 - A system for processing containers during transport

Info

Publication number: NL2029228B1
Application number: NL2029228A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Leny Marcel Budé Rob; Agostine Andre Wybo Samuel
Original assignee: Fillix B V
Priority date: 2021-09-23
Filing date: 2021-09-23
Publication date: 2023-03-30
Also published as: WO2023048563A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for processing containers during transport in the system which comprises: - at least one carousel with processing units for processing containers, wherein the processing units are rotatable around a rotation axis of the carousel, and - a conveyor having a track with a loading track section in which carriers of the conveyor are configured to receive and retain containers for transport along the track of the conveyor, a release track section configured to release processed containers from the track of the conveyor, and at least one processing track section located between the loading track section and the release track section.

Description

Title: A system for processing containers during transport

Description:

The invention relates to a system for processing containers during transport in the system which comprises at least one carousel with processing units for processing containers, wherein the processing units are rotatable around a rotation axis of the carousel.

The invention also relates to a method for processing containers during transport by means of the system.

US10519018 B2 discloses a receptacle handling apparatus for capping receptacles. The apparatus comprises a carousel with capping units for capping the receptacles during rotation, wherein the capping units and associated gripping units are rotatable around the rotation axis of the carousel. A drawback of the known apparatus is that the number of transfers of the receptacles for processing the receptacles is relatively high. Hence, for each transfer the risk of an incorrect transfer exists, wherein an incorrect transfer may cause unwanted delays, e.g. even repairs, in the process to be performed by the apparatus. It is also a drawback of the known apparatus that as a result of the relatively high number of transfers, it is relatively time consuming and/or complex and/or not cost effective to adapt the apparatus for processing different types of receptacles, for example receptacles with a different shape and/or different volume. Further, the number of receptacles that can be processed per unit of time may be relatively low as a result of the relatively large number of transfers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for processing containers during transport and/or a non-complex system with a relatively low number of transfers and/or a system with a relatively high productivity per unit time.

At least one of these objects is achieved by the system as defined in claim 1.

The system is configured to process containers during transport. The system comprises:

- at least one carousel with processing units for processing containers, wherein the processing units are rotatable around a rotation axis of the carousel, and - a conveyor having a track with a loading track section in which carriers of the conveyor are configured to receive and retain containers for transport along the track of the conveyor, a release track section configured to release processed containers from the track of the conveyor, and at least one processing track section located between the loading track section and the release track section. In the system the at least one carousel is spaced from the loading track section and/or the release track section and in the system the at least one carousel is arranged to at least partially overlap the at least one processing track section for processing the containers retained by the carriers by the processing units.

The containers retained by the carriers of the conveyor require no transfer during processing the containers in the system, such that the risk of an incorrect transfer is minimized in the system. An incorrect transfer may result in shutting down the system and/or may result in maintenance work. Further, by using a conveyor as disclosed in this disclosure in combination with a carousel, the number of containers that can be processed per unit of time is relatively high. Hence, a non-complex system is provided by this combination which is adapted to process containers at high speeds (6000 containers per hour or more). Further, it is an advantage that along the track of the conveyor between the loading and release track section further processing operations on the containers may be performed, for example by providing multiple processing track sections, wherein in each processing track section a different processing task can be performed, such that a complete end product or almost complete end product can be discharged in the release track section from the track of the conveyor. In addition, the improved system as disclosed in this disclosure is a universal system, i.e. the system can be adapted in a relatively fast, simple and cost effective manner to process various kinds of containers, because there are minimal transfers. The carriers of the system may have to be adapted for processing various types of containers in the system. The carriers may require a modification, for example an automatic modification, to carry/retain different types of containers, for example containers with a different shape and/or different volume. In one aspect, each container is retained by more than one carrier, for example two carriers. Using two or more carriers to retain and transport one container along the track also increases the flexibility of the system to carry/retain different types of containers. In the universal system the carriers of the conveyor may have to be changed, i.e. the carriers of the conveyor may be detachably connected to the track .

In the system the carriers of the conveyor may have to be changed or may require a modification to carry different types containers, but as the number of transfers is low no or only minimal other modifications are required to process a different kind of container with the system, for example containers with a different shape and/or different volume.

In one aspect, the track of the conveyor is a closed loop track, wherein the processing track section comprises at least one loop of the closed loop track. By using a loop of the track or a partion thereof, the processing units of the carousel are able to follow the moving containers such that a processing task can be performed by the processing units on the containers. The closed loop track may have any shape, such as a L-shape. The conveyor may be configured or designed to move each carrier by magnetic induction along the track, such that the speed of the carriers and the distance between adjacent carriers can be controlled accurately and/or with a relatively high throughput rate. In a further aspect, the at least one carousel and the track of the conveyor are arranged to at least temporary align at least one of the processing units with at least one of the containers moving along the processing track section such that the containers can be processed by the processing units. The time interval that the processing units are temporary aligned with the containers can be set and varied dependent on the operation to be performed on the container. In this manner, the system can be applied for a relatively large number of operations. For example, by varying the length of the overlapping route of carrier and processing unit or by varying the traveling speed of the carriers and the processing units in the processing track section, the time that the processing units are aligned with the containers can be varied.

In another aspect, the conveyor is configured to transport the containers retained by the carriers of the conveyor between the loading track section and the release track section without stops. A continuous transport without stops along the track of the conveyor may be beneficial to process containers at relatively high speeds.

The conveyor may comprise a filling track section which is located between the loading track section and the release track section, in particular between the loading track section and the processing track section. In the filling track section the containers retained by the carriers of the conveyor can be filled for example with a liquid substance such as soap. Hence, the system disclosed in this disclosure provides the advantage that no transfer of a filled container between various processing steps in the system is required, for example between a filling step and a capping step. In a capping step a closure is provided on a filled container. In fact, the carousel may be a capping carousel, wherein the system further comprises a closure feeding device for the capping carousel, wherein the closure feeding device comprises a transport mechanism for transporting closures to a transfer section in which closures can be transferred to the processing units, wherein in the transfer section the transfer mechanism is configured to move a closure in a path having a radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of curvature of the rotating processing units. The advantage is that a wide variety of containers and associated caps can be handled by the system disclosed in this disclosure without or with only a minimal number constructional modifications. Further, the corresponding radii of curvature provide a reliable transfer between the transfer mechanism and the capping carousel, in particular the processing units of the capping carousel, wherein the speed of the number of transfers can be varied easily by varying the feed speed of the closures and the rotating speed of the carousel.

In the system the carousel is spaced from the loading track section and/or the release track section. In this disclosure “spaced from” means that there is a distance between the carousel and the loading track section (and/or the release track section), such that a portion of the track extends between the carousel and the loading track section (and/or the release track section). It is also possible that there is no distance between the release track section (and/or the loading track section) and the carousel, e.g. the release track section is in the processing track section such that the containers may be released from the system in the processing track section. An example is that if the processing track section comprises a loop, e.g. half a circle, than the containers may arrive at the release track section (and exit the system) after being transported over a section of the loop of the processing track section, e.g. a quarter of the loop.

The invention also relates to a method for processing containers by a system disclosed in this disclosure. In one aspect of the method, the containers are processed by the processing units in the processing track section by temporary aligning the processing units with the moving containers in the processing track section. Hence, a method is provided which can be used to perform many different processing steps on the containers, because the time that the processing units are aligned with respect to the containers to process the containers can be varied. Further, the conveyor is able 5 totransport the containers retained by the carriers of the conveyor between the loading track section and the release track section without stops. Such a continuous transport along the track of the conveyor may be beneficial to process containers at high speeds.

The conveyor may comprise a filling track section which is located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein in the filling track section the containers retained by the carriers of the conveyor are filled. For example, in the filling track section at least one moving filler unit is filling a number of moving containers retained by the carriers.

The system and the method will be explained in more detail below with reference to the appended figures showing an exemplary embodiment of the system.

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a top view of the system;

Figures 2a-c diagrammatically show the system in perspective views from different angles;

Figures 3a-c show a portion of a carousel of the system and the conveyor of the system in a number of schematic views from different angles;

Figures 4a, b show a schematic top view and a side view of a filler unit of the system.

In the following description identical or corresponding parts have identical or corresponding reference numerals. Each feature disclosed with reference to a specific figure can also be combined with another feature disclosed in this disclosure, unless it is evident for a person skilled in the art that these features are incompatible.

Figures 1-2c show views of the complete system 1 for processing containers 10in a schematic manner. The system 1 comprises a carousel, in particular a capping carousel 3, which is provided with processing units 5 for processing containers 10, wherein the processing units 5 are rotatable around a rotation axis of the carousel 3 as indicated by arrow P1 in figure 1. The system 1 further comprises a conveyor 11,

for example a conveyor of the linear synchronous motor (LSM) design and a plurality of carriers 13 which are moveable along the track of the conveyor 11. In other words, the conveyor 11 is configured to move the carriers 13 by magnetic induction. The multiple carriers 13 are configured to be independently controlled on the track of the conveyor. The track as shown in the figures, see for example figure 1, is a closed loop track comprising two opposite loops L1, L2 (fig. 2a) and two straight track parts, wherein each straight track part is connected to the two opposite loops. As shown, the carousel 3 is arranged to at least partially overlap a first one L1 of the two opposite loops. As indicated by the circle 15 in figure 1, it is also possible to arrange the carousel for processing containers 10 or an additional carousel for processing containers in an overlapping arrangement on the second L2 of the two opposite loops.

Different lay-outs of the track of the conveyor 11 are possible than shown in the figures.

The track of the conveyor of the system disclosed in this disclosure comprises at least three container track sections, or at least four container track sections such as in the system 1 depicted in the figures. The first track section is a loading track section indicated by arrow L in which carriers 13 of the conveyor 11 are configured to receive and retain containers 10 for transport along the track of the conveyor 11. A transfer mechanism 21a, b can be used to transfer the containers 10 from a supply means 23 into the system 1, in particular the loading track section L. The transfer mechanism 214, b and the supply means 23 are not part of the system 1 as disclosed in this disclosure, and any other mechanism for feeding the carriers 13 with containers 10 in the loading track section L than the mechanism shown in the figures may be used. The final track section of the track of the conveyor is a release track section, which is indicated by arrow R in figure 1. The release track section R is configured to release processed containers 10° from the track of the conveyor 11 by using a release mechanism 27 for detaching a container 10’ from the carriers 13. After the release track section R the empty carriers are moved/returned to the loading track section L.

Between the loading track section L and the release track section R at least one processing track section P is located which is defined by at least one of the two semi- circular loops L1, L2 of the conveyor 11. As can be seen in the figures 1-2c, the carousel 3 is spaced from the loading track section L and/or the release track section

R and in the system the carousel 3 is arranged to at least partially overlap the processing track section L1 for processing the containers 10 by the processing units 5, wherein during processing by the processing units 5 the containers 10, 10’ are retained by the carriers 13 and moved along processing track section L1. The processing track section L1 is further provided with a container support 12 (Fig. 2b), i.e. a plate-like support in a horizontal plane to provide additional support to the containers 10 during processing by the processing units 5. The container support 12 may extend into the release track section R, wherein in the release track section R additional means (not shown) may be provided to move the processed containers 10’ further, such as a conveyor belt 12’ (Fig. 2b).

The conveyor 11 of the system further comprises a filling track section which is indicated by arrow F in figure 1. The filling track section F is located between the loading track section L and the processing track section L1. The system 1 comprises two filler units 31, 33 which can be moved along the track of the conveyor 11 in the filling track section F. Each filler unit 31, 33 is configured to simultaneously fill a number of moving containers 10 retained by the carriers 13. In the embodiment shown in the figures each filler unit 31, 33 is capable of filling six containers 10 simultaneously. The filler units 31, 33 will be discussed in more detail below.

The system 1 further comprises a closure feeding device 41 for the capping carousel 3, wherein the closure feeding device 41 comprises a transport mechanism 43 for transporting closures 45 to a transfer section, indicated by arrow T in figure 1.

In the transfer section T closures 45 can be transferred to the processing units 5. In the transfer section T the transfer mechanism 43 is configured to move a closure 45 in a path having a radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of curvature of the processing units rotating in a direction indicated by arrow P1. The transfer mechanism 43 comprises a drive to move a carrier with fingers 47 clockwise seen from above, see figure 1. The fingers 47 protrude in a substantially horizontal plane from the carrier and the fingers 47 are loaded by units 49a,b with closures 45. Then, the fingers 47 with the closures 45 are moved towards the transfer section T, in which the carrier has an adapted shape as can be seen in figure 1, i.e. the path of the carrier has a partly circular shape seen from above (figure 1) corresponding to the circular shape of the carousel 3. As a result of this adapted shape, the closure 45 supported by the finger 47 is moved in the transfer section T in a path having a radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of curvature of the processing units 5 rotating in a direction indicated by arrow P1. In the middle of the partially circular path of the carrier, the closure 45 supported by the finger 47 is positioned under a processing unit 5 or vertically aligned with the center line of the processing unit 5 such that the closure can be picked up by the processing unit 5 of the carousel. The transfer mechanism 3 is very reliable and robust, such that relatively high number of closures can be loaded by the carousel per unit time.

In the processing track section L1 the carousel 3 and the track of the conveyor are arranged to at least temporary align a number of processing units with a number of containers 10 moving along the processing track section L1, see figures 2a-c and figures 3a-c. In the processing track section L1 the distance between adjacent carriers 13 moving along the track of the conveyor is substantially identical. As can be seen in figure 3a, the closure 45 on the finger 47 is grasped by the processing unit 5, and then the processing unit 5 rotates further in the direction of arrow P1. In the processing track section L1, the track of the conveyor 11 is aligned with the rotational movement of the processing units 5 in the direction of arrow P1. For capping the containers 10 with closures 45 by means of the processing units 5, the containers 10 are aligned with respect to the processing units 5 for approximately half a round of the processing units 5 rotating around the rotation axis of the carousel 3. The processing units 5 may also perform different processing steps than capping on the containers 10, wherein the alignment path between the processing units 5 and the containers 10 may also be less than half a round of the processing units 5, i.e. it is also possible that the processing units 5 are only aligned at a single point in the processing track section L1 with the containers 10. As can be seen in figures 3a-3c the processing units 5 are lowered towards the conveyor after picking up a closure 45. The closures may for example be screw caps or a trigger sprayer with or without tubes. The processing units 5 are configured to process containers with a threaded neck and a mouth to be closed by a cap (closure) 45, in that the processing units 5 are able to rotate around their center line as indicted by arrows P2 to fit a screw cap 45 on the threaded neck of the container 10. After applying the screw cap 45 on the container the processing unit is moved vertically upwards away from the conveyor (figure 3b) to a position to pick up a new screw cap 45 (figure 3c). As shown in figure 3c the processed container 10’, i.e. a container 10 provided with a closure 45, is transported towards the release track section R with the release mechanism 27 which as mentioned above is configured to release processed containers 10’ from the track of the conveyor 11.

In the system 1, the conveyor 11 is configured to transport the containers 10, 10’ retained by the carriers 13 of the conveyor 11 between the loading track section L and the release track section R continuously, i.e. without stops or with minimal stops.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, it is for example possible to stop the carriers on the track to collect a number of containers required for filling with the filler units 31, 33.

The universal system 1 as disclosed in this disclosure for processing containers 10 has minimal transfers such that only the carriers of the system have to be adapted for processing various types of container in the system. In the system the carriers of the conveyor may have to be changed, i.e. each carrier of the conveyor may be detachably connected to the track and/or each carrier may require a (automatic) modification to carry different types of containers, for example containers with a different shape and/or different volume. As the number of transfers of the system is relatively low in the process of processing containers, no or only minimal other modifications are required in the system to switch between different kinds of containers to be processed in the system.

Figures 4a,b demonstrate how the filler units 31, 33 work together to fill the containers 10 in an effective manner. As can be seen in the top view of figure 4b the filler units 31, 33 are mounted in a moving manner on opposite sides of the conveyor.

The first filler unit 31 and the second filler unit 33 are configured to move in a filling modus between a start position (filler unit 31) and an end position (filler unit 33) along the track of the conveyor 10 in the filling track section F for filling containers moved by the carriers 13 along the track of the conveyor 11 and in a non-filling return modus to move back to the start position. The first filler unit 31 and the second filler 33 unit are configured to alternately be in the filling modus (the second filler unit 33) and return modus (the first filler unit 31). In this manner, containers can be filled in a substantially continuous manner. In other words, when the first filler unit 31 is in the filling modus, the second filler 33 is in the return modus or vice versa. As shown in figure 4a, each filler unit 31, 33 comprises tubes 32, 34 to be inserted partially inside the container 10 to fill the container with a substance during the filling modus. In the filling modus, the filler units 31, 33 are moved in the transportation direction S1 (fig. 4a) of the containers

10 along the filling track section F the carrier 11. In the return modus, the filler units 31, 33 are moved in a direction opposite to transportation direction S1 of the containers 10, but also moved in a vertical direction as indicated by arrow P4, i.e. after filling the containers the filler units 31, 33 are moved upwards, then in a direction opposite to transportation direction S1 and then moved downwards in the start position to start filling containers 10 . Further, it is noted that figures 4a and 4b are not showing the filler units 31, 33 at the same moment in time, i.e. in figure 4a the second filler unit 33 is in the return modus, whereas in figure 4b the second filler unit 33 is in the filling modus. In the filling track section F the distance d1 between adjacent carriers 13 moving along the track of the conveyor 10 is substantially identical. This equidistant arrangement of the carriers configured to carry the containers to be filled in the filling track section F and equidistant of the tubes 32, 34 of the filler units 31, 33 makes it possible to fill containers 10 moving in transportation direction S1 at relatively high speed.

A system for filling containers during transport in the system which comprises at least two filler units and a conveyor having a track with a loading track section in which carriers of the conveyor are configured to receive and retain containers for transport along the track of the conveyor, a release track section configured to release processed containers from the track of the conveyor, and at least one filling track section located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein the at least two filler units comprise a first filler unit and a second filler unit, wherein the first filler unit and the second filler unit are configured to move in a filling modus between a start position and an end position along the track of the conveyor in the filling track section for filling containers retained and moved by carriers along the track of the conveyor and in a non-filling return modus to move back to the start position, wherein the first filler unit and the second filler unit are configured to alternately be in the filling modus and the return modus. Downstream of the filling track section a capping station can be provided to close the containers. The capping station is not restricted to the carousel 3 as shown in the figures. Other features mentioned with respect to the system for processing containers mentioned in this disclosure can also be used in the system for filling containers as disclosed in this paragraph.

Claims

CONCLUSIONS

1. System for handling containers during transport in the system comprising: - at least one carousel with handling units for handling containers, the handling units being rotatable about the axis of rotation of the carousel, and - a conveyor carrying a has a track with a loading track section in which carriers of the conveyor are configured to receive and hold containers for transport along the track of the conveyor, a release track section configured to release processed containers from the track of the conveyor, and at least one processing track section located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein in the system the at least one carousel is spaced from the loading track section and/or the release track section and in the system the at least one carousel is arranged to at least partially support the at least one overlap processing path section for processing containers held by the carriers using the processing units.

The system of claim 1, wherein the track is a closed loop track, the processing track section comprising at least one loop of the closed loop track.

A system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the track comprises two opposing loops and two track sections, each track section being connected to the two opposing loops, the at least one carousel being arranged to at least partially overlap at least one of the two opposing loops.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor is configured to move the carriers by magnetic induction.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the processing track section the at least one carousel and the conveyor track are arranged to at least temporarily align at least one of the processing units with at least one of the containers moving along the processing path section.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor is configured to transport the containers held by the carriers of the conveyor between the loading track section and the release track section without intermediate stops.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the processing track section the distance between two adjacent carriers moving along the track is substantially identical.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor comprises a filling track section located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein in the filling track section the containers held by the carriers of the conveyor can be filled.

The system of claim 8, wherein the filling track section is located between the loading track section and the processing track section.

10. System according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the system is provided with a filling unit that is movable along the path of the conveyor in the filling track section for simultaneous filling of a number of moving containers held by the carriers.

The system of claim 10, wherein the system includes a second filling unit, the filling unit and the second filling unit configured to move in a filling mode between a start position and an end position along the path of the conveyor in the filling path section for filling of moving containers and in a non-filling return mode to move back to the starting position, the filling unit and the second filling unit being configured to be alternately in the filling mode and in the return mode.

12. A system according to any one of the preceding claims 8-11, wherein in the filling track section the distance between the adjacent carriers moving along the track is substantially identical.

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carousel is a closing carousel, wherein the system further comprises a seal supply device for the closing carousel, wherein the seal supply device is provided with a transport mechanism for transporting seals to a transfer section in which seals can be transferred to the processing units, wherein in the transfer section the transfer mechanism is configured to move a seal in a path with a radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of curvature of the rotating processing units.

14. Method of handling containers during transport by means of a system comprising: - a carousel with handling units for handling containers, the handling units being rotated about the axis of rotation of the carousel, and - a conveyor comprising a loading track section has carriers of the conveyor receiving and holding containers for transport along a path of the conveyor, a release track section in which processed containers are released from the path of the conveyor, and at least one processing track section located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein the carousel is spaced from the loading track section and/or the release track section and the carousel is arranged to at least partially overlap the at least one processing track section for processing using the processing units of the containers held by the carriers.

The method of claim 14, wherein the containers are processed by the processing units in the processing path section by temporarily aligning the processing units with the moving containers in the processing path section.

A method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the conveyor transports the containers held by the carriers of the conveyor between the loading track section and the release track section without intermediate stops.

A method according to claims 14-16, wherein the conveyor is provided with a filling track section located between the loading track section and the release track section, wherein in the filling track section the containers held by the carriers of the conveyor are filled.

The method of claim 17, wherein in the filling lane section a moving filling unit fills a plurality of moving containers held by the carriers.