Title of Invention | A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING PACKAGING UNITS |
---|---|
Abstract | The invention relates to a method for forming packaging units each consisting of a container (1) sealed with a keg fitting (3) and filled with a liquid product, the method comprising the steps of : providing the respective container (1) made of plastic; feeding and inserting the respective Fittings (3) into a container opening (2.1); producing a sealed connection between the container (1) and the fitting (3); and filing the container (1) with a liquid product, with their fittings (3) oriented upward; wherein the respective container (1) is having a container volume of 10- 20 Itrs and configured as disposable keg, and wherein the step of providing the container is effected by blow-moulding of the container. |
Full Text | The invention pertains to a method and device for forming packaging units. We know of disposable kegs for beverages, particularly for mineral water or table water, large-volume plastic containers that are produced by blow moulding from PET preforms and are filled with the fluid substance. These containers have for example a volume of 10-20 litres. The production takes place in such a way that the ready blown containers are guided to a filing machine for filling with the fluid filling substance and after filling are sealed with a suitable seal or fitting, which allows release of the fluid filling substance in case of an application, through a release fitting or a plug fitting. It is the task of this invention to present a method with which the production of such kegs, especially also disposable kegs, can be simplified, particularly also with respect to the machine-technical requirement. For fulfilling this task, a method according to patent claim 1 has been designed. A device for conducting the method forms object of the patent claim 13. The method according to the invention is preferably carried out in a plant, in which readying of the containers (also referred to as PET-kegs) produced from a plastic material, preferably from PET, takes place through blow moulding of the affiijbilfefe by using plastic performs directly before their application. For the *ftri^l|^|q(PNifg to the invention there are various variants with respect to the sequence of the individual process steps, mainly among others: Variant 1 Blowing of the containers, placing the fittings on the containers, guiding the containers prepared with the fittings to a filling machine, joining the fittings and the containers in the filling machine and subsequent filling of the containers with the fluid filling substance through the fittings. Variant 2 Blowing of the containers, placing and fitting of the containers and joining the fittings with the containers in a station or machine preceding the filling machine, subsequently guiding the containers mounted with the fittings on to the filling machine and filling the containers through the fittings with the fluid filling substance. Variant 3 Blowing of the containers, readying the fittings in the filling machine, guiding the fittings on to the containers in the filling machine, joining the fittings with the containers in the filling machine and filling the containers with the fluid filling substance through the fittings. The fittings are preferably designed as disposable fittings and consist of a plastic fitting body to be joined with the respective container through screwing, pressing or clicking and a fitting valve insert made of high grade steel. Independent of the respective design of the method according to the invention and the time-wise sequence of the individual process steps, filling of the containers with the fluid filling substance takes place continuously through the respective fitting after final joining of the fittings with the containers. Extensions of the invention form object of the sub-claims. The invention is described in details below on the basis of figures of design examples. The following are shown: Fig. 1 In partial depiction, a container (PET-keg) in the region of the keg mouth, along with a disposable fitting provided at the keg mouth, partly cut; Fig.2 In a schematic block diagram, a plant for forming and subsequently filling the PET-kegs; Fig.3-5 A container in a depiction similar to fig. 1, in different phases of the treatment. In the figures, 1 is a large-volume container that has been produced by blow moulding from a plastic material, e.g. from PET, as disposal keg with a volume of 10 - 20 litres. The container 1 filled with a fluid filling substance, e.g. mineral water, table water, beer or similar beverage, is tightly sealed in the region of its container neck 2 shown in the upper part of fig. 1 by a disposable fitting 3. In the depicted design form, the fitting 3 is made of plastic with a fitting-valve-insert 4 made of high quality steel and is kept permanently sealed by using a sealing ring 5 by pressing or clicking on to a flange 2.2 formed at the container neck 2. Fig. 2 shows in a very simplified depiction and as block diagram or functional diagram, a plant 6 for producing the container 1, for mounting respectively one fitting 3 to each container 1 and for subsequent filling of each container 1 with the fluid filling substance through the fitting 3 or the valve insert 4 there. In fig. 2,7 denotes a blowing machine that has several blow moulds 9 on a rotor 8 that is can be driven to circulate around a vertical machine axis; the individual containers 1 are formed on these blow moulds by stretch blowing from preforms 10. The preforms 10 made of a thermoplastic synthetic substance, namely from PET, are fed to the blowing machine 7 or to the blow moulds 9 there individually and preferably preheated, through a conveyer stretch or conveyer rail 11. The containers 1 produced by blow moulding are forwarded by the blowing machine 7 to a transporting element 13, against which the containers 1 are held with their container axis BA oriented in vertical direction and with the container mouth 2.1 lying above and held suspended against a flange or neck ring 2.3 formed similarly below the flange 2.2 on the container neck 2 and standing away outwards radial above the container neck 2, as indicate in fig. 1 with the two-part container carrier 14. With the help of suitable conveying agents, e.g. by using conveying air, the containers 1 are conveyed to a working station 15 (arrow A). The preforms 10 are already preformed with the container neck 2, with the container mouth 2.1 and both the flanges 2.2 and 2.3. While blow moulding the container 1 from the preforms 10 the wall thickness or the material thickness of these container elements are retained as far as possible, so that each container 1 has an enhanced stability in the region of its container neck 2 and the flanges 2.2 and 2.3 there. In the workstation 15, as shown in fig. 3, a fitting 3 is inserted with a centralizer and handover element 16 into the container mouth 2.1 of each container that is held suspended with its flange 2.3 against the container carrier 14. The fittings 3 are fed to the station 15 through a conveyor stretch from a supply unit 17. The container 1 thus provided with a fitting 3 then along with its flange 2.3 suspended against the container carrier 14 reaches a station 18 that is design as filling machine and in which, according to fig. 4, first the respective fitting 3 pre-mounted with the sealing ring 5 is fixed permanently sealed by pressing at the container mouth 2.1. The pressing takes place with the help of a ring-shaped sealing and pressing tool 19, which for example can be moved in the direction of the container axis BA and with which by lowering the respective fitting 3 one can press into the container opening 2.1 to the extent that it ultimately grips the flange 2.2 on the container neck 2 in a tight fit, i.e. it is held against the container neck 2 by clicking, and the ring seal 5 seals the gap between the container neck 2 and the fitting 4. The sealing and pressing tool 19 is preferably designed also simultaneously as centring tool, in order to fix the respective fitting 3 centred with respect to the container axis BA against the container opening 2.1 by pressing. Each container 1 thus mounted with a fitting 3, held further at its flange 2.3 against the container carrier 14 then reaches a station 20, in which according to fig. 5 filling of each container 1 with the fluid filling substance takes place from above with a filling element 21 against which the containers 1 lie tightly with their fitting 3 during filling. The station 20 thus forms the actual filling machine. This is designed, for example, as leaner filling machine, or even as filling machine of circulating type with several filling positions respectively having a filling element 21 as well as the container carrier 14 on the circumference of a rotor driven to circulate around a vertical machine axis. The filled containers 1 are then guided by a protractor 22 in conveying direction A to a further application and/or processing, e.g. to a labelling machine. It has been assumed above that insertion of the fittings 3 into the container openings 2.1, pressing of the fittings 3 against the respective container opening 2.1 and filling of the containers 1 in various successive stations 15, 18 and 20 takes place in transporting direction A. In a preferred design form of the invention, at least the functions of the stations 18 and 20 are combined into one station or device, namely in a filling machine of leaner or circulating type, in which respectively by a relative movement between the respective container 1 and the pressing tool 19 and eventually the filling element 21, tight fastening of the respective fitting 3 to the concerned container 1 takes place in the vertical axis or in the container axis BA, and the sealing condition between the respective container or its fitting 3 and the filling element 21 is reached for the filling sequence. The stroke movement required for pressing the fitting 3 against the container 1 and for creating the sealing condition between the filling element 21 and a container 1 or its fitting 3 can be generated by means of a common stroke element, for example by suitable lifting of the respective container carrier 14 and the container 1 held against it, first against the pressing tool 19 and subsequently against the filling element 21. If the filling machine is designed at such a circulating type, then on the circumference of the rotor driven to circulate around a vertical machine axis several filling positions are foreseen with respectively a filling element 21, with a container carrier 14, with a pressing tool 19 and with agents that allow a controlled relative movement in vertical direction between the pressing tool 19 and the container carrier 14 as well as between the filling element 21 and the container carrier 14 of each filling position. The containers individually reach a container inlet at one of the filling positions. The filled containers are forwarded at a container outlet on to the protractor 22. Pressing of the fittings 3 and subsequent filling then take place in the angular region of the rotation movement of the rotor between the container inlet and the container outlet. There is also the possibility of integrating even the function of the station 15 into the filling machine, in case of a filling machine of circulating type in such a way that after handing over the respective container 1 to a filling position of the rotor, first the fitting 3 is placed on it and subsequently fastened by pressing on the container. There is also the possibility of integrating the functions of the stations 15 and 18 into one machine or device, so that the containers 1 mounted completely with the fittings can be fed to the filling machine forming the station 20; the bottles 1 are held suspended against their flange 2.3 from above in this filling machine and filled with the fluid filling substance. For all the above described design forms it is common that the containers 1 are produced by blow moulding only immediately before their application, i.e. immediately before filling with the fluid filling substance; after production the containers 1 during the entire process (mounting the fittings 3 and filling the containers 1) are held suspended continuously against their flange 2.3, i.e. no new orientation and/or new positioning of the containers 1 is necessary; joining of the fittings 3 with the containers 1 takes place respectively by placing the fittings on the container mouths 2.1 and by subsequent pressing, and that too in case of containers supported against their container neck 2 or the flange 2.3 there, i.e. by supporting the containers at a container region that has a higher stability on account of its greater wall thickness; the filling takes place only after mounting the fittings 3. List of reference signs 1. Container 2. Container neck 2.1 Container mouth 2.2, 2.3 Flange at the container neck 3. Fitting 4. Valve insert 5. Sealing ring 6. Plant 7. Blowing machine 8. Rotor 9. Blow mould 10. Preform 11. Supply unit 12. Conveyor stretch 13. Conveyor stretch 14. Container carrier 15. Station for joining the container 1 and fittings 3 16. Centering or handover element 17. Supply unit 18. Station for permanent tight joining of fitting and container 19. Pressing tool 20. Station for filling the containers 21. Filling element 22. Conveyor stretch A Conveying or transporting direction We Claim: 1. A method for forming packaging units each consisting of a container (1) sealed with a keg fitting (3) and filled with a liquid product, the method comprising the steps of: - providing the respective container (1) made of plastic; - feeding and inserting the respective Fittings (3) into a container opening (2.1); - producing a sealed connection between the container (1) and the fitting (3); and - filing the container (1) with a liquid product, with their fittings (3) oriented upward; wherein the respective container (1) is having a container volume of 10- 20 Itrs and configured as disposable keg, wherein the respective fitting (3) is disposable fitting (3), and wherein the step of providing the container is effected by blow-moulding of the container. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps of providing the containers (1), feeding and inserting the fittings (3) into the containers (1), sealing the fittings (3) with the container opening and filling the containers with liquid product, are carried out in a plant (6) immediately and sequentially one after the other. 3. A method as claimed in one of the previous claims, wherein the step of filing the containers (1) takes place respectively in a filling machine (20) of the plant (6). 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of producing a sealed connection between the containers (1) and the fittings (3) takes place within said filling machine. 5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of feeding and inserting the fitting (3) on the container opening (2.1) takes place within the filling machine. 6. A method as claimed in any claims 3 to 5, wherein the step of feeding and inserting the fittings (3) on the container (1) as well as the step of producing a sealed connection between the fittings (3) and the container openings (2.1) are carried-out in a station (15,18) preceding the filling machine. 7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein producing a sealed connection between the containers (1) and the fittings (3) takes place by screwing the fittings on to the containers (1). 8. A method as claimed in one of the previous claims, wherein said sealed connection is produced by pressing and/or clicking the fittings (3) on to the containers (1). 9. A device for forming packing units consisting of a container (1) sealed with a keg fitting (3) and filled with a fluid filling substance, with at least one filling position with filling element (21) against which the respective container (1) with its fitting (3) to be filled and held against a container carrier (14) can be pressed for the filling process through relative movement between the filing element (21) and the container carrier (14), characterized in that at least one tool (19) is provided at the filling position for creating a joint between the respective container (1) and the fitting before the filling process, wherein the respective container (1) is having a container volume of 10-20 Itrs and configured as a disposable keg, wherein the respective fitting (3) is disposable fitting (3), and wherein the container is provided to the device by blow-moulding. 10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one tool (19) is configured as thrusting or pressing tool (19) for creating the joint between the fittings (3) and the containers (1) by pressing and/or clicking. 11. A device as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the at least one tool is enabled to produce a screw joint between the containers (1) and the fittings (3). 12. A device as claimed in claim 9, comprising a machine or station (15) disposed preceding the filling machine, in which feeding the fittings and inserting the fittings (3) on the containers (1) takes place. 13. A device as claimed in one of the previous claims, wherein the filling machine is linear type. 14. A device as claimed in one of the previous claims, wherein the filling machine is of circulating type. 15. A device as claimed in one of the previous claims, wherein the filling machine comprises means for feeding the fittings (3) and placing the fitting (3) on the containers (1). ABSTRACT TITLE " A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING PACKAGING UNITS" The invention relates to a method for forming packaging units each consisting of a container (1) sealed with a keg fitting (3) and filled with a liquid product, the method comprising the steps of : providing the respective container (1) made of plastic; feeding and inserting the respective Fittings (3) into a container opening (2.1); producing a sealed connection between the container (1) and the fitting (3); and filing the container (1) with a liquid product, with their fittings (3) oriented upward; wherein the respective container (1) is having a container volume of 10- 20 Itrs and configured as disposable keg, and wherein the step of providing the container is effected by blow-moulding of the container. |
---|
4979-KOLNP-2008-(18-10-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(21-08-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(21-08-2012)-AMANDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(21-08-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(24-10-2011)-EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECIEVED.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(24-10-2011)-FORM 3.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-ABSTRACT.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-FORM-1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-FORM-2.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-FORM-3.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-FORM-5.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-OTHERS.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-(29-06-2012)-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-CANCELLED PAGES.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE 1.4.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE-1.2.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-CORRESPONDENCE-1.3.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-correspondence.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-description (complete).pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-DRAWINGS-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-ENGLISH TRANSLATION.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 1-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 18 1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 2-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 3 1.3.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 3-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 5 1.2.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-FORM 5-1.1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-FORM 3.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-FORM 5.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-GRANTED-SPECIFICATION-COMPLETE.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-INTERNATIONAL EXM REPORT.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-INTERNATIONAL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-international publication.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT 1.1.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-international search report.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-OTHERS PCT FORM.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-PCT REQUEST.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf
4979-KOLNP-2008-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-specification.pdf
4979-kolnp-2008-translated copy of priority document.pdf
Patent Number | 258155 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indian Patent Application Number | 4979/KOLNP/2008 | ||||||||
PG Journal Number | 50/2013 | ||||||||
Publication Date | 13-Dec-2013 | ||||||||
Grant Date | 10-Dec-2013 | ||||||||
Date of Filing | 08-Dec-2008 | ||||||||
Name of Patentee | KHS GMBH | ||||||||
Applicant Address | JUCHOSTRASSE 20, 44143 DORTMUND, GERMANY | ||||||||
Inventors:
|
|||||||||
PCT International Classification Number | B65 B3/00,B65B39/00 | ||||||||
PCT International Application Number | PCT/EP2007/004600 | ||||||||
PCT International Filing date | 2007-05-24 | ||||||||
PCT Conventions:
|