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Last Updated: March 29, 2024

Claims for Patent: 7,900,422


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Summary for Patent: 7,900,422
Title:Device and method for the production of plastic containers
Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for producing containers, such as e.g. bottles, in which different types of bottles are produced. Alternative treatment methods are used depending on the type of bottle to be produced. For example, a cooling treatment is carried out when producing bottles for carbonated beverages and a sterilisation treatment is carried out when producing bottles for non-carbonated beverages.
Inventor(s): Fischer; Sven (Obertraubling, DE)
Assignee: Krones AG (DE)
Application Number:12/305,932
Patent Claims:1. A device for producing plastic containers, wherein the device comprises at least one container production machine, a container treatment station and a container filling machine, wherein an outlet of the container production machine is actively connected to an inlet of the container treatment station and an outlet of the container treatment station is actively connected to an inlet of the container filling machine, and wherein the container treatment station comprises a plurality of treatment units, wherein at least two treatment units are provided for different types of plastic containers, wherein different treatments can be carried out depending on the type of container, characterized by a control system for activation of or deactivation of the treatment units, depending on whether the containers are being produced for carbonated beverages or for non-carbonated beverages.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment units are cooling units and/or sterilisation units and/or decorating units.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the container treatment station has a cooling tunnel as a further cooling unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment units are located at least partially in a chamber which is closed off from the ambient conditions.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container treatment station forms a chamber which is substantially closed off from the ambient conditions.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container treatment station comprises a plurality of transport star wheels.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container treatment station comprises a plurality of treatment star wheels and also a plurality of transfer star wheels which securely transport the containers in the mouth region.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the treatment star wheels are assigned nozzles which rotate therewith and through which a treatment medium can be introduced into the containers.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the treatment star wheels and/or the nozzles are arranged in a height-adjustable manner so that the relative distances thereof with respect to one another can be varied.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the nozzles are connected to a distributor which has a rotating part and a stationary part, wherein the stationary part of the distributor is connected to an evaporator.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the nozzles are connected to a distributor which has a rotating part and a stationary part, wherein the stationary part of the distributor is connected to an evaporator.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container treatment station comprises at least one cooling unit for the internal and/or external treatment of the containers.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cooling unit operable with liquid nitrogen.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the container treatment station is equipped with at least two cooling units.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the container treatment station is equipped with at least two cooling units.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein airlocks are provided at the inlet of the container treatment station and at the outlet of the container treatment station.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container production machine, the container treatment station and the container filling machine are configured to be driven synchronously.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to activate or deactivate at least one of said treatment units, depending on the type of container being produced.

19. A method for producing plastic containers, comprising the steps of producing the containers in a container production machine; treating the containers in a container treatment station; and filling of the containers in a container filling machine, wherein the step of treating the containers takes place temporally between the production step and the filling step and may include different treatments, wherein plastic containers with different mechanical properties can be produced, characterized in that at least two treatment units of the container treatment station, which execute different treatments of the containers and which are activated or deactivated by a control system, depending on whether the containers are being produced for carbonated beverages or for non-carbonated beverages.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein sterilisation of the container interior by a sterilisation medium is carried out in the container treatment station.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein sterilisation of at least part of the container outer wall by a sterilisation medium is carried out in the container treatment station.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein a sterilisation medium in liquid and/or gas and/or vapour form is used during the sterilisation.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the sterilisation in the container interior is carried out using hydrogen peroxide in vapour form.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein a cleaning of the container outer wall is carried out using sterile water.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein sterilisation of at least part of the container outer wall by a sterilisation medium is carried out in the container treatment station.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein a sterilisation medium in liquid and/or gas and/or vapour form is used during the sterilisation.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein the containers to be produced are transported between the container production machine and the container filling machine by means of transport star wheels in the container treatment station, wherein the treatment in the container treatment station takes place while the containers are being transported.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein the sterilisation of the container interior takes place in treatment star wheels and a sterilisation of the container outer wall takes place in transfer star wheels.

29. The method according to claim 19, wherein the containers are held by at least two treatment star wheels and at least one transfer star wheel during transport through the container treatment station.

30. The method according to claim 19, wherein the container treatment station comprises at least four treatment star wheels and three transfer star wheels, wherein a treatment with hydrogen peroxide and a rinsing with sterile air takes place in the treatment star wheels, and wherein no treatment or a sterilisation of the container outer wall takes place in the transfer star wheels.

31. The method according to claim 19, wherein the containers to be treated still possess a residual heat as they enter the container treatment station, which allows an immediate dry sterilisation using sterilisation media in vapour form without condensation thereof.

32. The method according to claim 19, wherein liquid nitrogen is introduced into the containers in order to cool the bottom, wherein the introduction of nitrogen takes place while the container is located in a hand-over star wheel, a transfer star wheel or a treatment star wheel.

33. The method according to claim 19, wherein treatment units for cooling are active when producing containers for carbonated beverages and treatment units for sterilisation are active when producing containers for non-carbonated beverages.

34. The method according to claim 19, wherein the control system selectively activates or deactivates at least one of said treatment units, depending on the type of container being produced.

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