Disclosed are various embodiments of a laser treatment facility having a laser treatment device designed to apply laser treatment to a treatment area of a container in an area to be treated. The laser treatment facility also includes a detection device designed to detect the position of the area to be treated and a device for orienting the container designed to rotate the container by an angle of rotation determined according to the detected position of the area to be treated. The orientation device is designed to place the area to be treated in front of the laser treatment device.
B65G 29/00 - Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones
B65G 43/08 - Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed, or discharged
B65G 47/244 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles by turning them about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying plane
B65G 47/86 - Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being grippers
Provided is a plastic preform for manufacturing containers by stretch-blow molding, having a body rotationally symmetrical about a vertical central axis, an outer wall, and an inner wall. The preform has an open neck that extends as a continuation from an upper end of the body, and a base which closes the body at a lower end. The base is rotationally symmetrical about the central axis and the body has, over a cone height Hc, from an annular collar towards the base, a conical outer wall and/or a conical inner wall, where the walls include means suitable for reducing the intensity of the refracted ray and/or for modifying the angle of said refracted ray, the incident radiation source being located outside said preform.
Described is a device for removing dust from inside preforms by injection of gas. The device can include a conveying device having holding members for holding the preforms and at least one injection tube mounted on a mobile support so as to be able to be moved while being coincident with a holding member. Each injection tube can be mounted with the ability to slide axially on the mobile support by means of a carriage between an active axial position inserted into a preform and a retracted axial position. The device also includes mobile sensing elements for detecting the presence of a carriage in a determined first axial position, with each mobile sensing element being mounted on the mobile support.
B08B 9/093 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by the force of jets or sprays
B08B 9/20 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought
B08B 9/42 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought the apparatus being characterised by means for conveying or carrying containers therethrough
B29C 49/42 - Component parts, details or accessoriesAuxiliary operations
Provided are a carousel machine and methods for creating a vacuum in a container that is to be treated by the carousel machine. The machine includes at least one treatment station having at least one evacuation volume and a plurality of pressure sources. The evacuation volume is placed, successively and for a predetermined duration, in fluidic communication with each pressure source via at least one associated pipe associated with each pressure source and an airtight rotary coupling. The pressure in the evacuation volume is progressively reduced by establishing successive fluidic communications. The predetermined duration of fluidic communication between the evacuation volume and at least one associated pipe is substantially less than or is equal to the time taken for equilibrium between the pressure in the evacuation volume and the pressure in the associated pipe to become established.
Described is a labeling module for a labeling machine configured to label containers designed to contain a pourable product by means of labels obtained from a strip of labeling material. Also described is a packaging line for packaging a pourable product, the packaging line including the labeling machine. Also described are methods for labeling containers for a pourable product using the labeling machine.
Disclosed are embodiments of a plastic preform for manufacturing containers by stretch-blow molding. The preform body is rotationally symmetrical about a vertical central axis and has an outer and an inner wall, the radial distance therebetween defining a wall thickness. The wall thickness increases from a collar towards a base over a cone height Hc, where cone height Hc is the mean of cone height Hc1 of the outer wall and cone height Hc2 of the inner wall. The body has a first wall thickness E2 under the collar at an under-neck reference height Hr, a second wall thickness E at cone height Hc, and a third wall thickness E1 at the lower end of the body, where E1 is between 0.7 E and 1.2 E and E2 is between 0.5 E and 1.0 E. E corresponds to the greatest wall thickness at the cone height Hc1 or Hc2.
Provided is a method for determining a value representative of the absorption coefficient of a thermoplastic material constituting a preform, when the preform is transported in a facility for manufacturing containers by the shaping of preforms. The method includes measuring a value representative of the transmittance of infrared radiation through at least one wall of the preform during its movement; measuring the thickness of the wall of the preform during its movement; and calculating the value representative of the absorption coefficient of the plastics material independently of the thickness of the preform on the basis of the measurement of the value representative of the transmittance and of the measurement of the thickness.
Disclosed is a plastic preform for manufacturing containers by stretch-blow molding having a body rotationally symmetrical about a vertical central axis. The body has an outer and an inner wall with a wall thickness defined by a radial distance therebetween. An open neck extends as a continuation of the body. The body has a substantially cylindrical shape in which the wall thickness increases from the collar towards the base over a variation height Hv that is a mean of the variation height Hv1 of the outer wall and the variation height Hv2 of the inner wall. A thickness of the body wall between the height Hv and the lower end is substantially constant and equal to a greatest wall thickness E1 at the variation height Hv1 or the variation height Hv2. Container forming methods and molds for molding the preform are also provided.
Disclosed are plastic preforms for manufacturing containers by stretch-blow molding. The preform body is rotationally symmetrical about a vertical central axis and has an outer and an inner wall. A radial distance between walls defines a wall thickness. The preform has an open neck that extends from an upper end separated from the body by an annular collar and a base that closes the body at a lower end. The body has a frustoconical shape widening from the base to the neck and a portion that is concave in axial section. The body has a wall thickness E2 beneath the collar at an under-neck reference height Hr. Towards the base, the body has a wall thickness E over a cone height Hc and a wall thickness E1 at the lower end. Thickness E1 is between 0.7 E and 1.2 E and thickness E2 is between 0.5 E and 1.0 E.
Disclosed are various embodiments of a facility for manufacturing thermoplastic containers, the facility having at least one device for conveying hollow bodies provided with a neck, having a frame fixed with respect to the ground and a gripping member for individually gripping a hollow body by its neck, which is movable along a production pathway. The facility has a suction-extraction device having at least one suction nozzle mounted on a structural element that is fixed with respect to the frame and which is arranged in the vicinity of a given region of the pathway of the necks of hollow bodies in order to extract dust generated by the rubbing of the hollow bodies as they pass through said given region without interfering with the travel thereof.
Described is a unit for a screw for feeding, setting the pitch of and/or setting the orientation of containers. The unit includes a central body extending from an upstream end to a downstream end along a longitudinal axis, and a substantially helical thread rigidly attached to the body, the thread comprising a plurality of helixes, each helix having a crest, an upstream flank and a downstream flank, the thread being configured to be engaged between the containers. The unit includes for each helix at least a first substantially helical groove at the level of the upstream flank of the helix to receive a first wear ring, and a second substantially helical groove at the level of the downstream flank of the helix to receive a second wear ring. Also described is a feed screw, an installation for processing containers, and a method of feeding an entry of a processing machine.
Provided is a device for inverting the articulation of the shoulder of a container produced from a plastics preform having a shoulder articulable between an extended position and a retracted position. The device includes at least one framework through which a conveyor conveying containers along a path between an inlet and an outlet can extend. An arm mounted on the framework can bear a belt stretched between a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a squashing pulley extending therebetween such that the belt has an upper strand and a lower strand extending in line with the conveyor. The lower strand has a squashing segment extending between the driven pulley and the squashing pulley to form an angle of 1.5° to 5° with the horizontal, and a pressure reducing segment extending between the squashing pulley and the driving pulley to form an angle of −2° to −7° with the horizontal.
Provided is a marking installation for thermoplastic containers, the installation including two conveyors to convey the containers along two distinct conveying paths on two distinct packaging lines from an inlet to an outlet of each conveyor, and a plurality of laser marking devices to apply information in an information region, each marking device being positioned between the two conveyors and being configured to apply information alternately in the information region of a container of a first conveyor then in the information region of a container of the second conveyor.
B65B 61/26 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for marking or coding completed packages
B29C 71/04 - After-treatment of articles without altering their shapeApparatus therefor by wave energy or particle radiation
Described is a laser scanning head for marking items, the scanning head having a housing including a laser entry window adapted to receive the laser beam emitted by a laser source, at least one galvanometric mirror mounted on the rotation shaft of a motor for rotating said galvanometric mirror, and an exit window through which the marking laser beam is emitted towards an item. The housing includes two opposite exit windows and means for emitting two marking laser beams emitted through the exit windows from the laser beam emitted by the laser source passing through the entry window.
Provided is a device for folding a strip-made of material based on plant fibers for packaging a batch of containers. The strip includes means for folding at least one longitudinal edge of the strip, an unwinding surface. on which the lower face of the strip unwinds, at least one shoe on one side for folding the corresponding longitudinal edge. The shoe includes a profiled element partially overlapping the unwinding surface that is and inclined convergently in the longitudinal direction of unwinding, so that the corresponding longitudinal edge of said strip can be folded overlapping its upper face. The device includes a freely rotatable press roller mounted in alignment with the at least one shoe, the press roller bearing against said unwinding surface at the top.
One aspect of the invention relates to a computer-implemented method (20) for detecting the position of a plurality of containers (14), each container (14) comprising an upper surface (141), the method comprising:—acquiring (21) at least one image (I1) of the plurality of containers (14);—obtaining (23) local bit patterns (I2) in the acquired image (I1) on the basis of a dimension of the upper surface (141) of each container (14) of the plurality of containers (I4), the dimension of the upper surface (141) of each container (14) being calculated on the basis of a predefined upper surface size (141) of the containers (14);—applying (24) a colour mask to the acquired image (I1) on the basis of a predefined upper surface colour (141) of the containers (14) to obtain a masked image (I3);—combining (25) the partially masked image (I3) and the local bit patterns (I2) to obtain sets of pixels representing the upper
Provided is a device for locking and/or unlocking at least one spinner nose mounted on a thermal conditioning unit. The device includes a frame, a preform conveying device that has a support and circulates along the frame, and a mandrel that is mounted on the support of the conveying device to rotate about the longitudinal mandrel axis. Each mandrel can include an end that securely attaches the spinner nose to the mandrel. The locking and/or unlocking device also includes a means for preventing each spinner nose from rotating, and a means for locking and/or unlocking the attachment means securing the spinner nose to the mandrel.
Provided is a plastic container obtained by blow moulding or stretch blow moulding. The container has a body wall, a shoulder in the upper end of the body, a neck in the extension of the shoulder, and a petaloid bottom. The bottom has an outwardly convex wall, from which feet extend from a central region of the bottom. The tops of the feet are coplanar and jointly form a circular base via which the container can rest on a flat surface. Each foot has an end face extending in a gentle slope from the central region of the bottom towards the bottom of the foot. The end face of has a central section extending in the direction of the top of the foot with an outwardly facing concavity, and a peripheral section extending to the bottom of the foot with an outwardly facing convexity.
Disclosed is a device for locking and/or unlocking at least one spinner nose mounted on a thermal conditioning unit. The thermal conditioning unit includes a frame, a preform conveying device that includes a plurality of supports and circulates along the frame, and a mandrel mounted on each support of the conveying device so as to be able to rotate about the longitudinal mandrel axis. Each mandrel has at least one attachment means that secures the spinner nose to the mandrel, the spinner nose being able to receive the plastic preform; The device further comprises means for locking and/or unlocking an attachment means securing the spinner nose to the mandrel and positioned in line with the conveying device.
Provided is a gripping device to be mounted on a robot for a palletizing system, for loading, transporting and unloading articles of the box or crate type. The device includes a support for fastening to the robot, and a guide means mounted on the support. The device is has at least two jaws that face one another and are mounted movably on the guide means, for clasping the sides of at least one article with the support above the article. And an actuating means for moving the jaws independently of one another along the guide means between a spaced-apart position and a clasping position. Also provided is a system for loading, transporting and unloading articles, and to a process for palletizing articles.
Provided is an automated tracking system in a packaging plant for packaging a pourable product, the automated tracking system having a first marking unit to mark each primary packaging unit in the primary packaging machine with a respective primary marking; a second marking unit to mark each secondary packaging unit in the secondary packaging machine with a respective secondary marking; a first imaging module, to image the first conveying unit; and a control unit having: an acquisition module to acquire a first set of information at least from the first marking unit, said first imaging module, and the second marking unit; and a prediction module to process the acquired first set of information in order to track the primary packaging units in the path between the primary and secondary packaging machines.
G05B 19/418 - Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
Provided is a method for controlling a heating station of a facility for manufacturing containers by shaping preforms made of thermoplastic material using heating electromagnetic radiation. The method includes a first step of measuring the absorption spectrum of a wall of a preform in the visible light range upstream of a heating area, and a second step of controlling the power of the heating electromagnetic radiation on the basis of the absorption spectrum measured during the first step, in order to heat the body of the preforms to a set temperature.
Provided is a device for packaging at least two containers in one batch, the containers being bottles having a bottom, a body, and a shoulder connecting the body to a neck, or cylindrical cans. The device includes a sheet of semi-rigid or rigid material, provided with at least two openings for receiving the necks of the containers. The can be a multilayer cellulose raw structure obtained by forming from at least a first layer of dry-formed cellulose fibers and a second layer of a structure of cellulose fiber strips by stacking the at least first layer and second layer in contact with one another and placing the stacked layers in a forming mold in which the stacked layers are pressed and heated so as to obtain a two-dimensional or three-dimensional fibrous composite sheet having a single bi-layer configuration.
B65D 71/42 - Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottlesBales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank formed by folding a single blank into a single layer element
Described are forming machines for forming containers from preforms and methods of sterilizing. The machine has a blowing network having ducts that connect a controlled source of compressed blowing gas to a blowing nozzle and a sterilizing device. The device has a controlled source of a pressurized hot drying gas connected to the blowing network at a supply junction, a controlled source of sterilizing vapor, and a chamber for mixing the sterilizing vapor with the drying gas to form a sterilizing gaseous mixture. The method includes heating the ducts of the blowing network by injection of the pressurized hot drying gas, then injecting the sterilizing gaseous mixture into the blowing network. Injecting is initiated when the coldest point of the blowing network reaches a treatment temperature higher than both a condensation temperature of the vapor at the cold point, and lower than the hot drying gas at the supply junction.
Described is a device for treating products, which includes at least one tool and at least one movable support, the tool being mounted on the support for treatment of products. The device includes at least one rail, each support being mounted to slide along the rail between several positions. Each support includes a blocker actuatable from locking against the rail to unlocking allowing movement along the rail. The device includes an actuator for locking and unlocking the blocker, an energy supply for the actuator, at least one coupling element with the support, and a relative motorization between the element and support indexed relative to the rail. The element incorporates the actuator, allowing energy to be supplied to the blocker.
B65G 47/91 - Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
B65G 21/20 - Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
26.
DECORATION MACHINE FOR DECORATING CONTAINERS WITH LASER DECORATION UNITS PROVIDED WITH SWITCHING FUNCTIONALITY
Described is a decoration machine for decorating containers adapted to contain a pourable product. The machine includes for each group of container support members, a respective laser decoration unit for engraving a decoration on the containers supported by the support members. Each laser decoration unit includes: a respective laser source configured to emit a laser beam; at least two respective laser engraving devices, each configured to receive the laser beam and each associated with one respective support member for engraving a container supported thereon with the laser beam, where each device is integral with the advancement of the associated support member; and a respective switching device operatively interposed between the laser source and each laser engraving device of the unit, where the switching device selectively directs the laser beam towards each engraving device.
Provided is a container obtained by blow molding or stretch blow molding from a preform made of polyethylene terephthalate and manufacturing methods of containers. The container includes a body, a shoulder extending the upper end of the body, a neck extending from the shoulder, and a bottom which extends at a lower end of the container. The neck can be open and form a rim of the container. The container can be intended to receive a liquid or semi-liquid dairy product such as milk, which can be distributed through a cold chain or at ambient temperature.
Provided is a washing machine for washing empty containers. The machine includes a conveyor having seats for respective containers to convey a plurality of containers in their respective seats along a washing path. The machine includes at least one treatment station including a tank for holding a cleaning medium for washing the containers, the washing path extending through the tank, and at least one ultrasonic wave generator arranged adjacent to the washing path. Also included is a sensor unit for sequentially inspecting each seat for detecting the presence of containers therein downstream of the inlet station, and for generating signals correlated to the absence of containers in the inspected seats. Also included is a control unit configured to receive said signals and to control the ultrasonic wave generator based on the received signals for modulating a level of ultrasonic wave generation.
B67C 7/00 - Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottlesProcesses or devices for at least two of these operations
B08B 9/30 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought the apparatus cleaning by splash, spray or jet application, with or without soaking and having conveyors
B08B 9/42 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought the apparatus being characterised by means for conveying or carrying containers therethrough
B08B 13/00 - Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
32.
PRESSURISED CONTAINER WITH DEFORMABLE SHOULDER AND DEFORMABLE BOTTOM
Described are containers and moulds for producing containers. The container is obtained by blow moulding or stretch blow moulding from a blank made of plastic material. The container includes a body, a shoulder extending from the shoulder, and a bottom at the lower end of said body. The shoulder is articulated between an extended position and a retracted position. The bottom is articulated to the lower end of the body between an extended position and a retracted position. When the container is filled and closed, the movement of the shoulder from the extended position into the retracted position causes the bottom to move from the retracted position into the extended position and vice-versa.
Described is a device for packaging at least two containers in a batch and methods for packaging containers using the device. The containers can be bottles with a neck. The device includes at least one sheet of semi-rigid or rigid material. The sheet has at least two parts, a first support part with at least two orifices for receiving the necks of the containers, and a second reinforcing part with at least one opening. The sheet has at least one fold line separating the first part and the second part, and the opening is able to cover at least one of the orifices of the support part in a covering folding position of the reinforcing part.
B65D 71/44 - Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottlesBales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank formed by folding a single blank into a single layer element characterised by the handle
34.
PACKAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A COMPACT BATCH OF GROUPED CONTAINERS
Provided is a packaging device for a compact batch of at least two grouped containers and methods of packaging containers in a batch using such a device. The device includes a strip, the strip having an inner face, an outer face and two longitudinal edges. The packaging device forms a belt surrounding the containers or a handle for handling the batch. At least one of the longitudinal edges is folded against one of the faces, of the strip so as to form at least one fold.
B65B 35/30 - Arranging and feeding articles in groups
B65B 61/14 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for incorporating, or forming and incorporating, handles or suspension means in packages
B65B 65/00 - Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided forArrangements of such details
Disclosed is a system for managing a production line. The system includes at least one human-machine interface (HMI) connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC), or to a distributed control system (DCS) of a machine of the production line, and/or a portable device. At least one remote terminal is rigidly connected to the machine or to a safety enclosure thereof and connected to the HMI or connected to the PLC. The remote terminal can detect the presence of the portable device inside a predetermined perimeter and connect the portable device to the HMI and/or to the PLC of the machine. The system also includes a device for generating vibrations capable of generating vibrations when the HMI emits an alarm.
G05B 19/418 - Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
G05B 19/05 - Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
36.
DEVICE FOR PACKAGING IN A BATCH OF AT LEAST TWO CONTAINERS
Disclosed are various embodiments of a device for packaging in a batch of at least two containers and methods of making the same. The device can be a sheet made of semi-rigid or rigid material, provided with at least two orifices for receiving necks of said containers. The sheet can have a substantially rectangular shape and include parallel rows of cups which are substantially frusto-conical, hemispherical or frusto-pyramidal. An internal wall of each cup bears against a shoulder of a container and the top of each cup has an orifice to receive the container neck. The device can be formed from a slip having decomposable and/or biodegradable vegetable fiber materials and additives, and the slip is suctioned to form the mold.
B65D 71/50 - Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottlesBales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
B31D 1/00 - Multiple-step processes for making flat articles
B65D 65/46 - Applications of disintegrable, dissolvable or edible materials
Described is a decorating machine for decorating containers that includes a monitoring unit that automatically and visually monitors the deformation of the containers being conveyed to automatically detect, based on the monitored deformation, the operative condition of at least one device of the transporting units of the machine and the level of defectiveness of the containers.
Described is a facility for palletising products and a method for palletising products. The facility has a pick area for picking up the products, and two place areas for placing products on pallets. The facility includes a work station situated between the two place areas and the facility includes a separating wall that moves between a first position between the work station and the first place area, and a second position between the work station and the second place area, so as to alternately separate one of the two place areas from the work station.
Provided is a container made from plastic and provided with a body and a base extending from a lower end of the body. The base includes at least one peripheral heel defining a seat and an arch that extends from a central zone to the heel, the heel rising up a connecting wall connecting with the wall of the body of the container. The base has a plurality of radial undulations extending from at least the central zone to the vicinity of the seat, extending in the arch. The undulations have a concave face and a convex face facing outward, the depth between the peak of a convexity and the trough of a concavity, of said undulations increasing from the central zone to the vicinity of the seat. Also described is a mold base for manufacturing such a container.
Provided is a labelling module for labelling containers adapted to contain a pourable product, the labelling module having a feed roller for advancing a web of labelling material along a feed path; a cutting member downstream of the feed roller, for repeatedly cutting the web to separate a sequence of labels therefrom; and a transfer drum rotatable about a rotation axis in an angular direction of rotation, and configured to transfer the labels to an application station for the application thereof onto the respective containers; the transfer drum includes a plurality of receiving sectors each configured to cyclically receive and retain a label, the receiving sectors including, a leading pad for retaining a leading edge of the label and a trailing pad for retaining a trailing edge of the label.
Provided is a method of producing a container by deforming a heated preform. The method includes: determining at least two formed zones along the container axis in the body, said formed zones being produced using a different quantity of material, each formed zone corresponding to at least one heated zone of a body of the preform; heating the body of the preform using at least two heating elements that each heat one of the heated zones of the body of the preform; deforming the heated preform to form the container; and before the step of heating the body of the preform, adjusting a heating power of each heating element wherein the heating power of each heating element is adjusted as a function of the quantity of material in the formed zone of the body of the container corresponding to the zone heated by each heating element.
There is described a washing machine configured to wash empty containers adapted to be filled with a pourable product, the washing machine includes: a conveyor device configured to convey a plurality of containers along a washing path in an advancement direction; at least one tank for holding a cleaning medium, the washing path extending within and along the tank; and a hollow passage which extends through the tank and which is fluidly isolated from the tank. The washing machine further includes a pair of extraction devices arranged in fluid communication with the tank, fluidly isolated from the hollow passage, and configured for detaching/removing labels from the containers advanced in the tank and for receiving the detached/removed labels, thereby extracting such labels from the tank.
B08B 9/24 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought the apparatus cleaning by soaking alone and having conveyors
Described is a web feeding system for feeding a web of labelling material to a labelling module that includes a splicing device. The feeding system includes a positioning device for automatically positioning the web leading portion of the web in a splicing position with respect to the splicing device.
B65C 9/18 - Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
B25J 15/06 - Gripping heads with vacuum or magnetic holding means
B65B 61/02 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
B65C 9/02 - Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station
A process for regulating a cyclical production of containers by stretch blow molding from preforms, comprising an initializing phase, a regulated production phase, and a stabilizing phase. In the regulated production phase, the preblowing curve is measured and stored, and a real instant and/or a real pressure is calculated, corresponding to a characteristic point. A new value of at least one operating parameter of the machine is calculated as a function of a difference between a real instant and a reference instant and/or between a real pressure and a reference pressure. The regulated production phase monitors for change, imposed by the operator, of a value of an operating parameter of the machine and automatically updates the regulating parameters in the stabilizing phase while production is continued. The process also corrects the reference instant and/or the reference pressure as a function of the real pressure and/or real instant values stored.
G05B 13/02 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric
46.
METHOD FOR REGULATED HEATING OF A SUCCESSION OF PREFORMS
Provided is a method for heating a succession of preforms. The method includes heating a body of a first preform using two heating elements that each heat a heated area of the body. The method includes determining a target heating temperature for each heated area according to the container to be produced, measuring the temperature of one of the heated areas of the body upon completion of the heating step, and modifying the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the heated area of the body if the measured temperature of the heated area is different from the target heating temperature. The method further includes heating the body of the other preforms of the succession of preforms with the modified heating power.
Described is a method for producing thermoplastic material containers by blow-molding or stretch-blow-molding a hollow body previously heated in an oven and placed in a mold. The method includes a preliminary calibration step of: producing containers on the basis of first control parameters; measuring the wall thickness on extraction from the mold at two or more different heights; storing a reference thickness in a memory unit; modifying at least one control parameter; measuring the wall thickness at two or more different heights after the modification of each control parameter; storing the thicknesses; comparing said stored measured thicknesses with theoretical thicknesses that would have been obtained after modification of the control parameter(s) according to predetermined correction coefficients; and modifying the predetermined correction coefficients so that the thicknesses measured after modification of the control parameter(s) correspond to the theoretical thicknesses that would have been obtained with the aforementioned predetermined coefficients.
Provided is a thermal treatment unit for preforms that includes an element for blocking radiation toward the neck of the preforms. The unit can include a first wall having a first heating element and a second wall having a second heating element, a first grip and move system for gripping and moving preforms on a first row, a second grip and move system for gripping and moving preforms on a second row. The unit also includes a blocking element extending between the first and second rows to block radiation emitted by the first heating element and the second heating element toward the second grip and move system and toward the first grip and move system, respectively.
Provided is a method for diagnosing a forming fluid leak in at least one station for forming hollow bodies during a production cycle sequence. Each cycle includes a first phase of pressurizing the hollow body by connection to a source of forming fluid compressed to a maximum blowing pressure, followed by a second phase of passively maintaining pressurization during which the hollow body is isolated from the forming fluid source. The diagnostic method includes a determining the change in the pressure of the forming fluid in the hollow body by carrying out a series of multiple pressure measurements successively during the second phase.
G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
52.
STRAP CUTTER CARRIAGE AND METHOD FOR CUTTING A STRAP
Provided is a strap cutter carriage for cutting a strap and methods for cutting a strap. The strap cutter carriage includes a displacement chassis and a cutting chassis (204). It also includes a separating tongue fixedly mounted on the cutting chassis, the tongue including a ramp surface having a front end configured to slide between a strap and a reference surface of a bundle of elements such that the ramp surface separates the strap from the reference surface during the displacement of the displacement chassis. Also included is a guide fixedly mounted on the cutting chassis to guide the front end of the tongue relative to the reference surface, a presence detector for a strap which is in contact with the tongue, and a cutting blade configured to cut the strap.
A method for producing containers from preforms. In example embodiments, the containers can have different formats. In example embodiments, the method includes thermal conditioning of a preform made of a thermoplastic material, moulding by blow-moulding or stretch blow-moulding of the container by means of a unit for forming containers, and calibration. The calibration includes providing a sample preform for said format; placing, on said sample, at least two reference markers distributed along the height of said sample; thermally conditioning the sample and blow-moulding the sample in order to obtain a container according to said format; reading off the position of the reference markers on said container obtained; and assigning each of the heating means to at least one of the three portions on the basis of the position of the reference markers on said container obtained. The invention also relates to a facility implementing the production method.
A method for producing containers made of thermoplastic material from preforms. In example embodiments, the method includes comparing a thickness measurement with a stored thickness setpoint, by use of a control unit, and modifying an electrical power of at least two rows of radiation sources while keeping the sum of the electrical powers being supplied to all rows of radiation sources the same, by use of the control unit, if the measured thickness is different from the thickness setpoint. A computer program product and data processing device using the method is also disclosed.
A labelling module for applying labels that are obtained from a web of labelling material and onto articles adapted to contain a pourable product. In example embodiments, the labelling module includes a feed system, a cutting unit, a cutting station, and a transfer device. In example embodiments, the feed system is configured for feeding the web along a feed path, the cutting unit is configured for repeatedly cutting the web at a cutting station arranged along the feed path, thereby obtaining a sequence of labels. And the transfer device is configured for receiving the sequence of labels and for transferring them to an application station for the application thereof onto the respective articles.
B65C 9/18 - Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
B26D 1/143 - Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting memberApparatus or machines thereforCutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a cutting member moving about an axis with a circular cutting member, e.g. disc cutter rotating about a stationary axis
A Process for decontaminating an inner face of a neck of a preform made of thermoplastic material running along a production path in an installation for manufacturing containers. In example embodiments, the decontamination process includes, in succession, at least a treatment step and a sterilizing activation step. The treatment step includes exposing at least the inner face of the neck to a sterilizing jet having a sterilizing agent in a first treatment zone of the production path, and the sterilizing agent activation step includes directly exposing the inner face of the neck thus coated with sterilizing agent to ultraviolet radiation, in a second activation zone of the production path located downstream of the treatment zone.
Described is a decoration machine for decorating containers adapted to contain a pourable product. The machine includes: a rotary conveyor for conveying a plurality of containers along a decoration path using a rotary movement; a plurality of support members mounted on the conveyor for being advanced by the conveyor along the decoration path, each support member being integral with the rotary movement to support in advancement a respective container; a plurality of decorating units each configured to print or engrave a decoration on a respective container; wherein each decorating unit is mounted on the conveyor is integral with the rotary movement of the conveyor, and is arranged for decorating each container being supported and conveyed along decoration path by a respective support member, each decorating unit being associated with the respective support member, for printing or engraving a decoration on the respective container supported and conveyed thereon.
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41F 17/18 - Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for for printing on filamentary or elongated articles or material, or on articles with cylindrical surfaces on articles of finite length on curved surfaces of articles of varying cross-section, e.g. bottles, lamp glasses
B41J 2/44 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material using single radiation source, e.g. lighting beams or shutter arrangements
60.
Display screen with animated graphical user interface
A method for manufacturing containers from thermoplastic materials by blow molding or extrusion blow molding a preform that has been pre-heated in a furnace then placed in a mold consisting of two half-molds that define a molding cavity, said preform being blown into the mold, optionally with a pre-blowing step. In example embodiments, the method includes at least the following steps of: i) selecting at least one production configuration from a GUI (graphical user interface), each production configuration being associated with one or more control parameters; ii) compiling the various control parameters corresponding to the selected production configurations; and iii) executing said selected and compiled control parameters. In other example embodiments, the invention relates to computer program product, a data processing device, and a computer-readable storage medium implementing the steps of the method.
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing containers from thermoplastic materials by blow moulding or extrusion blow moulding a preform that has been pre-heated in a furnace then placed in a mould consisting of two half-moulds that define a moulding cavity, said preform being blown into the mould, optionally with a pre-blowing step. Said steps of heating the preforms, pre-blowing and blowing are controlled by a control unit on the basis of various control parameters such as the temperature in the furnace, the blowing pressure in the mould and/or the pre-blowing pressure and/or the pre-blowing flow rate and/or the speed of the stretching rod, for example. Said method is characterised in that it comprises at least the following steps: i) measuring the wall thickness of said containers at at least two different heights upon exiting the mould; ii) comparing the thickness measurements with setpoint values determined for each height of the containers; iii) if the difference between the thickness measurements and the determined setpoint values is greater than a determined threshold, modifying at least one of the control parameters, said modified control parameter(s) being selected at least by calculating the theoretical effects of the variation for each parameter on the thicknesses, then selecting the parameter or parameters that cause the smallest difference between the measured thickness values and the theoretical thickness values; iv) steps i) to iii) are repeated until the differences between the thickness measurements and the determined setpoint values are below said determined threshold.
A palletizing device for container packs including a structure and a loading surface of the packs with side-by-side parallel rollers mounted on mobile frames with a freely rotation. Two side parts are movable from a closed position to an open position, and reversely. When a locking system of the rollers with a locking means with a cart with a locker mobile from a folded position to an unfolded position, and reversely, is in the unfolded position, the locker is blocking the freely rotation of the rollers, and the locking system has a fixed locking actuator cooperating with the locking actuator to move the locker from the folded position to the unfolded position to lock the rollers of the two sides parts during the movement from the closed to the opened position. In some examples, displacement of the loading surface can cause the locker to either engage or disengage.
B65G 57/24 - Stacking of articles of particular shape three-dimensional, e.g. cubiform, cylindrical in layers, each of predetermined arrangement the layers being transferred as a whole, e.g. on pallets
68.
Installation for angular orientation of hollow bodies for production of containers
An installation for regulation of the angular position of hollow bodies in an installation for production of containers. The hollow bodies are moved by individual support members each of which is equipped with means for causing the hollow body to turn about its axis. The installation includes a means for measuring, in a first step an angular offset of at least one particular hollow body relative to a reference angular position in a particular measurement zone. The installation also includes a means for compensating, in a second step the angular position of the subsequent hollow bodies in a compensation zone upstream of said measurement zone during which the angular orientation of the subsequent hollow bodies is modified by an updated compensation angle that is a function of the angular offset measured for the at least one particular hollow body.
An installation for accumulating and transferring products including a device having an upstream conveying system and at least two downstream conveying systems emerging longitudinally in a hold zone, at least one output conveyor, an accumulation surface, and transfer means. In example embodiments, at least two batches of products, which are formed successively by a division system and sent, for one of them, on one of the downstream conveying systems and, for the other, on the other downstream conveying system, arrive substantially at the same moment at said hold zone. Methods for accumulating and transferring products in a packaging line are also disclosed.
B65G 47/71 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor the articles being discharged to several conveyors
B65G 47/69 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor the articles being accumulated temporarily
A heating station of a container manufacturing installation, the heating station having a plurality of laser emitters wherein each laser emitter includes a plurality of laser chips mounted on an external face of at least one support. In example embodiments, each laser chip includes at least one laser diode arranged to emit laser radiation in the infrared range in an emission direction substantially perpendicular to the external face of the support. In example embodiments, each laser diode includes at least two active regions stacked on one another in the emission direction, wherein each active region participating in the laser radiation emitted by said laser diode.
H01S 5/34 - Structure or shape of the active regionMaterials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
A device for conveying a cap-type capping elements, which are pushed aeraulically to circulate the capping elements in a forward direction. In example embodiments, the device includes firstly an elongate plenum in which a gaseous fluid circulates, and secondly a channel in which the capping elements circulate in a forward direction and that has a front face, a rear face, and two edge faces. In example embodiments, the device comprises an aeraulic circuit to convey the gaseous fluid from the plenum to the channel to push the capping elements, the rear face of said channel being arranged against the plenum and the front face thereof being at least partially closed by a back-plate of the device. In example embodiments, the back-plate may be removable.
A batch comprising at least two containers and at least one strip. The strip holds the containers together, wherein each of said containers has a body and a bottom aligned in a main direction, the at least one strip covers said batch at the peripheral wall of the body of said container. In example embodiments, the at least one strip comprises semi-extensible paper. Additional aspects of the present invention relate to a method for packaging such a batch of containers and a paper retaining strip for such a batch and to the use, in the form of a strip, of such a semi-extensible paper for holding the containers together within such a batch.
The present invention relates to a stretching rod (1) for a molding unit (15) for manufacturing a container (2) from a preform (3) and to a method for manufacturing a container (2) by stretch blow molding. 5
The present invention relates to a stretching rod (1) for a molding unit (15) for manufacturing a container (2) from a preform (3) and to a method for manufacturing a container (2) by stretch blow molding. 5
Said stretching rod (1) extends longitudinally, parallel to a main axis Y, and comprises a body (4) of cylindrical or tubular form, a distal end (5) in the continuation of said body (4), a flat (6) situated at the distal end (5) of the stretching rod (1) and an end fitting (7) protruding from said flat (6). Said rod (1) is characterized in that it comprises an annular skirt (8) in the continuation of said body (4), at said distal end (5), said skirt 10 (8) having a height (80) less than the height (70) of said end fitting (7).
A conveyor device for advancing articles adapted to contain a pourable product and having an input station, at which the articles are fed to the conveyor device; an output station, at which the articles exit the conveyor device; a fixed endless track defining an endless path passing through the input station and the output station; and at least one article-holding device movably coupled to the track and configured to receive and support one article at a time and to advance the article along the endless path from the input station to the output station. The endless path comprises a rotation branch arranged downstream of the input station and upstream of the output station, relative to the direction of advancement of the articles along the endless path. Each article is rotatable about its longitudinal axis along the rotation branch by magnetic-inductive interaction between the article-holding device and the track.
B65G 47/84 - Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
B65C 9/04 - Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station having means for rotating the articles
B65G 17/00 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriersEndless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface
The invention relates to a method for inspecting a container (2) made of plastic material obtained by molding, the method comprising:
a step of capturing a thermal image of the container (2) on leaving the mold (31);
a step of characterization of the container (2), in which a rule for acceptance or rejection of the quality of the container (2) is applied, as a function of the thermal image of the container (2) on leaving the mold (31),
wherein, prior to the characterization step, the method comprises a step of identification, on the thermal image, of at least critical zone corresponding to a structural part of the container (2),
and wherein the acceptance rule is parameterized to consider a container (2) as acceptable if, for each identified critical zone, the temperature of the container is lower than a predetermined threshold temperature.
Provided is a thermal conditioning method of preforms. The method includes heating each preform by transport along a heating path exposed to heating radiation with a determined production rate; transporting the preforms (in line along a diffusion path; transforming the preforms in forming units at the determined production rate. The diffusion path includes a final buffer section along which the preforms travel for an adjustable duration.
Disclosed is a process and a device for sterilizing gas filtration unit, characterized in that the sterilization process includes at least: —an application step consisting in circulating, through the gas filtration unit, a gas mixture including hot air and a determined amount of hydrogen peroxide vapor, in which the determined amount of hydrogen peroxide vapor is obtained by sequentially injecting, with a given time interval (t) between two successive injections, a given dose of hydrogen peroxide in the liquid state into the hot air; and—a sterilization step consisting, during the time interval (t), in circulating hot air through the filtration unit in order to eliminate, by evaporation, all or some of the hydrogen peroxide deposited on the filtration unit during the application step.
Provided is a vibratory support device for an installation for conveying products, the device having a fixed chassis and guides mounted on the chassis that are parallel to one another and oriented in a longitudinal direction. The guides are configured as sliding supports for an endless-type belt of a conveying installation and are mounted movably with respect to the chassis with a vibratory movement in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane. Also provided is an installation for conveying products that is equipped with a vibratory support device for supporting a portion of the length of its conveyor belt.
B65G 47/68 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
B65G 27/16 - Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements of vibrators, i.e. devices for producing movements of high frequency and small amplitude
B65G 27/26 - Applications of devices for generating or transmitting jigging movements of vibrators, i.e. devices for producing movements of high frequency and small amplitude with elastic coupling between vibrator and load-carrier
83.
Interface, method and system for supervising the supply of consumables to stations of a production line
Provided is an interface for supplying consumables to a product processing station, with an entry accessible to an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) transporting a consumable corresponding to the processing station and means for automatic transfer of the consumable from the AMR to a reception space. The reception space can be integrated with the processing station, where the transfer means has an automatic loading means dedicated to the consumable to be transferred and to each reception space of particular processing stations to be supplied with the corresponding consumable. Also provided is a production line in which at least one of the stations is equipped with the interface, as well a method for managing the supply of consumables to this production line. Also provided is a system for supervising the supply of consumables to particular stations.
Provided is a device for transferring products in a longitudinal direction of movement from upstream to downstream, having a transfer region and a structure supporting the transfer region. The structure has at least two parallel and contiguous rows of rollers mounted in rotation so as to be aligned along transverse axes, including a first row of first rollers and an adjacent second row of second rollers. The transfer region is inclined with a slope decreasing longitudinally. The rollers have bearings mounted in rotation about the axes and the first rollers of the first row are mounted in staggered fashion with respect to the second rollers of the second row, forming a generally planar transfer face. Also provided is conveying installation equipped with the transfer device.
Provided are methods for automatically positioning ramps in a station for the heating of preforms. The method includes acquiring an image of a preform traveling along a slot delimited by a pair of ramps, where at least one of the ramps is transversely mobile to vary the width of the slot (56) and where a motorized device transversely moves the at least one mobile ramp and is controlled automatically by an electronic control unit. The method further includes automatically determining the diameter below the neck of the preform by computer processing the image and automatically adjusting the width of the slot by moving the at least one mobile ramp according to the determined diameter below the neck.
Provided is a method for verifying holding members in a heating station equipped with a device for transporting the preforms. The device includes a plurality of movable supports circulating in a closed circuit and members for individually holding the preforms by their neck, where each of the holding members is borne by a movable support. The method includes setting the movable supports in movement to bring them successively into an acquisition zone, acquiring an image of each individual holding member in the acquisition zone, and automatically verifying the presence of a holding member on each of the images taken.
Described is a device for treating products, which includes a tool and a movable support of the tool for treating products. Each support is slidably mounted along a rail and includes a blocker that can be actuated by locking, an actuator for locking and unlocking the blocker, a power supply for the actuator, at least one member for coupling with said support, a relative and indexed motorization between the member and the support. The member incorporates the actuator, allowing power to be supplied to the blocker.
B65G 47/91 - Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
B65G 21/20 - Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
Described herein is a system including at least one manufacturing machine that has at least one actuator module, a computer, and a first communication means. The system can also include a remote server that has an information storage means, a second communication means connected to the first communication means by a communication channel. For each product to be manufactured, the system includes at least one identifier and means for reading the identifiers. The means are coupled to the computer, the computer is configured to control the actuator module(s) on the basis of a reading of an identifier carried out by a reading means.
Method for the production of containers from a series of plastic preforms heated in a container production facility having at least one heating station, a forming machine with a number of forming stations, one or more treatment machines with a number of treatment stations. The method includes: forming the preforms in the forming machine; treating the individual containers in the treatment machine; and circulating each container held individually between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s). The method also includes individual identification of each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period, an individual identification phase including a marking step during which each individual container that is produced during the tracking period receives a marking that matches the container, making it possible to identify individually the container by distinguishing it from all of the other containers produced by the production facility during the tracking period.
B65B 61/02 - Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
Provided is a stretching rod for a molding unit for manufacturing a container from a preform and a method for manufacturing a container by stretch blow-molding. The stretching rod extends longitudinally, parallel to a main axis Y, and comprises a body of cylindrical or tubular form, a distal end in the extension of said body, at least one internal channel to allow the circulation of a cooling gas to said distal end, a flat situated at the distal end of the stretching rod, an end-fitting protruding from said flat and a plurality of orifices, said orifices being fluidically connected with said internal channel and being distributed around said end-fitting on said flat. The rod can include an annular skirt in the extension of said body, at said distal end, said skirt having a height less than the height of said end-fitting.
Provided is an inspection system for an article treatment machine for the packaging of pourable food products and having an isolation chamber delimiting an inner environment from an outer environment. The inspection system includes at least a separation housing mounted to the isolation chamber protruding into the inner environment. The separation housing includes a cavity fluidically separated from the inner environment. The inspection system further includes a camera at least partially arranged within the cavity.
B67C 3/00 - Bottling liquids or semiliquidsFilling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatusFilling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
B67C 3/22 - Bottling liquids or semiliquidsFilling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus Details
B67C 7/00 - Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottlesProcesses or devices for at least two of these operations
Described is a container made of plastics material, provided with a body and with a bottom in the continuation of the body at a lower end of the body. The bottom has an oblong curved contour and includes a seating surface forming a standing plane of the container. The standing plane has an oblong closed curved shape extending along a longitudinal median axis and a transverse median axis. The standing plane also has an arched area extending from the seating surface as far as a central zone of the bottom, the arched area delimiting a concavity oriented toward the outside of the container.
Disclosed is a process for treating at least one hollow body made of thermoplastic material, such as a preform or a cap, the treatment process successively including at least the following steps: a first step, consisting in treating at least the inside of the hollow body using hydrogen peroxide; a second step, consisting in heating the hollow body; a third step, consisting in treating the hollow body with plasma in order to reduce the concentration of hydrogen peroxide residues. Also disclosed is a plant for manufacturing containers in which the process is carried out in particular by way of a unit for the plasma treatment of the preforms.
The invention relates to a device (I) for packaging products, including at least a first container (2A) and a second container (2B) that are each intended to contain a product, the first container (2A) and the second container (2B) being intended to be grouped together to form a pack, each of the first container (2A) and the second container (2B) being provided with a label (3) forming a sheath in which the first container (2A) or the second container (2B) is received, characterized in that each label (3) has at least an attachment face (31) and at least a receiving face, the attachment face (31) of the label (3) of the first container (2A) being secured to the receiving face of the label (3) of the second container (2B) by breakable means of connection between said attachment face (31) and said receiving face.
B65D 71/50 - Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottlesBales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
B65D 21/02 - Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
95.
Production line and Method for treatments of products
Provided is a production line for treatments of container products having an upstream conveyor loaded with products into a multi-lane flow, moving the products along a stream direction through successive treatment workstations with one comprising a multi-lane treatment module along the upstream conveyor, a distribution surface located at an end of the upstream conveyor feeding the distribution surface with a multi-lane flow of products, a downstream conveyor located at an output of the distribution surface, transversally moving the products along a single-lane flow, a transfer means longitudinally transferring relative a row of the products from the distribution surface to the transversal downstream conveyor, wherein the distribution surface is orientated longitudinally along the stream direction and is aligned with the upstream conveyor. Also provided is a conveying device, a production method, and use of a distribution surface for converting a multi-lane flow of products into at a single-lane flow of products.
B65G 47/68 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
B65G 47/06 - Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines
B08B 9/20 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought
B65B 55/24 - Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging
Described is a device for inverting the base of a container, comprising means for inverting the base, and at least one tool for holding the container, each holding tool having a retaining member, characterized in that the retaining member has a bearing end that is brought to bear against a container, and in that each holding tool also comprises a centering member mounted inside the retaining member, the centering member being moveable inside the retaining member.
B65G 47/248 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles by turning over or inverting them
A process for angular indexing of a pre-form having a body and a neck. The process includes a step of marking the neck of the pre-form which consists of production of at least one reference point on the neck of the pre-form. The process also includes a step of a heating station taking charge of the pre-form, during which the pre-form is transported along a heating course by a support unit, known as a spinner, which makes it possible to turn the pre-form around its axis, and during which the body of the pre-form is heated. The marking step is carried out during the step of taking charge, when the pre-form, supported by a spinner, travels along the heating course.
Provided is a container preform made of plastics material having a body exhibiting symmetry of revolution about a central axis and a bottom closing the body from one of its ends. The bottom has an annular bead forming a standing plane of the preform, and the bottom has an external skin oriented toward the outside of the preform and an internal skin oriented toward the inside of the preform. At least one of the internal skin and the external skin has, radially from the central axis as far as the annular bead, a profile having a break in curvature.
A thermal conditioning device for thermally conditioning preforms, comprising a heating module provided with an enclosure with a transport volume for said preforms; a heating means and a cooling means that are oriented toward the volume; a control means for controlling said heating and cooling means; said cooling means comprising a circulating means for circulating a flow of air with a nominal flow rate determined by said control means; a channel between said circulating means and said enclosure and leading toward said volume; wherein it comprises, along said channel, a measuring means for measuring the actual flow rate and an adjusting means for adjusting said nominal flow rate with respect to said actual flow rate, by controlling the control means. The invention also relates to a corresponding thermal conditioning method.
A robotic arm comprising a first arm portion, a second arm portion, the second arm portion moveable between a first axial position, in which the first arm portion and the second arm portion are mutually spaced from each other along said axis, and a second axial position, in which a first end of first arm portion and a second end of the second arm portion are in contact to define a housing, a head rotatable with respect to the first arm portion and around said axis; and a robotic joint. The joint is configured for adopting an operative condition, to make the second arm portion integral with the head. The robotic arm is configured so that said operative condition corresponds to said second axial position and said second angular position and the robotic arm is configured so that, in said operative condition, the joint is located within said housing.
patents
