U.S. patent application number 13/580285 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-13 for monitoring device for container processing systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to KRONES AG. Invention is credited to Johannes Boehm, Wolfgang Hahn, Timo Pronold.
Application Number | 20120311962 13/580285 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43902839 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120311962 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hahn; Wolfgang ; et
al. |
December 13, 2012 |
MONITORING DEVICE FOR CONTAINER PROCESSING SYSTEMS
Abstract
An apparatus for handling containers with a plurality of
handling units for handling the containers, which handling units
contain at least one filling device for filling the containers with
a flowable medium, a closure device disposed downstream in a
transport direction of the containers for closing the filled
containers with closures, and with a labelling device for labelling
the containers, and with a transport device for transporting the
containers. The apparatus has at least one information output
device, which is configured in such a way that it outputs
information about the occurrence of malfunctions of the apparatus,
wherein the information output device has at least one first
information output element, which outputs a first information item
about a specific malfunction in such a way that the first
information item can be perceived in a first region and a second
information output element which outputs a second information item
about the same malfunction in such a way that the second
information item can be perceived in a second region, wherein the
first region and the second region are at least partially
different.
Inventors: |
Hahn; Wolfgang;
(Neutraubling, DE) ; Pronold; Timo; (Neutraubling,
DE) ; Boehm; Johannes; (Neutraubling, DE) |
Assignee: |
KRONES AG
Neutraubling
DE
|
Family ID: |
43902839 |
Appl. No.: |
13/580285 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
February 15, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2011/052174 |
371 Date: |
August 21, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/281 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67C 3/007 20130101;
B65C 9/40 20130101; B67B 3/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/281 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/04 20060101
B65B003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 23, 2010 |
DE |
10 2010 009 137.5 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for handling containers with a plurality of
handling units for handling the containers, which handling units
contain at least one filling device for filling the containers with
a flowable medium, a closure device disposed downstream in a
transport direction of the containers for closing the filled
containers with closures, and with a labelling device for labelling
the containers, and with a transport device for transporting the
containers, wherein the apparatus has at least one information
output device, which is configured in such a way that it outputs
information about the occurrence of malfunctions of the apparatus,
wherein the information output device has at least one first
information output element, which outputs a first information item
about a specific malfunction in such a way that the first
information item can be perceived in a first region and a second
information output element which outputs a second information item
about the same malfunction in such a way that the second
information item can be perceived in a second region, wherein the
first region and the second region are at least partially
different.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second region
completely encloses the first region geometrically.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
information output element is designed in such a way that it
outputs information about the location of a malfunction and/or
information which are characteristic of the malfunction or the
correction of the malfunction.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine has an
input unit via which commands can be passed to the apparatus by a
user.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a
third information output element which outputs a third information
item about the malfunction in such a way that the information can
be perceived in a predetermined third region, wherein the third
region differs from both the first region and the second
region.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one region
is selected from a group of regions which includes an immediate
geometric region around the input unit, a working region of a user
of the apparatus, a higher-level region for a plurality of handling
units and a higher-level region of the entire apparatus.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
information output element only outputs information relating to
precisely one handling unit.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
information output element is configured in such a way that it
outputs different information items which relate to different
handling units.
9. Apparatus The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
transport path along which the containers are conveyed through the
machine remains constant.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective first
information output element is assigned to at least two handling
units and these information output elements are assigned to an
information output element.
11. A control system for controlling an apparatus for handling
containers having a plurality of handling units for handling the
containers, which handling units contain at least one filling
device for filling the containers with a flowable medium, a closure
device disposed downstream in a transport direction of the
containers for closing the filled containers with closures, and
with a labelling device for labelling the containers, and with a
transport device for transporting the containers, wherein the
apparatus has at least one information output device, which is
configured in such a way that it outputs information about the
occurrence of malfunctions of the apparatus, wherein the
information output device has at least one first information output
element, which outputs a first information item about a specific
malfunction in such a way that the first information item can be
perceived in a first region and a second information output element
which outputs a second information item about the same malfunction
in such a way that the second information item can be perceived in
a second region, wherein the first region and the second region are
at least partially different, whereupon information regarding a
malfunction and its location maybe output to a user.
12. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second
region completely encloses the first region geometrically.
13. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one
information output element is designed in such a way that it
outputs information about the location of a malfunction and/or
information which are characteristic of the malfunction or the
correction of the malfunction.
14. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the machine
has an input unit via which commands can be passed to the apparatus
by a user.
15. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
apparatus has a third information output element which outputs a
third information item about the malfunction in such a way that the
information can be perceived in a predetermined third region,
wherein the third region differs from both the first region and the
second region.
16. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one
region is selected from a group of regions which includes an
immediate geometric region around the input unit, a working region
of a user of the apparatus, a higher-level region for a plurality
of handling units and a higher-level region of the entire
apparatus.
17. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one
information output element only outputs information relating to
precisely one handling unit.
18. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one
information output element is configured in such a way that it
outputs different information items which relate to different
handling units.
19. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a transport
path along which the containers are conveyed through the machine
remains constant.
20. The control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a respective
first information output element is assigned to at least two
handling units and these information output elements are assigned
to an information output element.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling
containers. A large number of such handling plants are known from
the prior art, such as for example filling plants, which fill empty
containers with a liquid such as a beverage. However, in addition
plants such as transforming units for blow moulding of plastic
parisons to form plastic containers, or transport or palletising
equipment and the like are known.
[0002] The present invention is described with reference to a
filling plant in which the invention proves particularly
advantageous. However, it is pointed out that, if appropriate, the
invention can also be used in other plants in the industrial sector
which produce beverages.
[0003] A general tendency in such filling plants in the beverages
industry is that the staffing costs and thus the number of
operators should be reduced. One possibility for operating with
lower staffing levels, if appropriate, consists of providing such
plants with buffer means which can compensate for a temporary
stoppage of a machine, for example as a consequence of a fault.
However, because of the costs it is also desirable to reduce plant
parts with functions which do not add value, such as for example
transport equipment and buffers. In addition a further concern is
to reduce the space required for such plants.
[0004] Ideally such filling plants should be operated largely
without staff, but on the other hand buffers and transport routes,
which in the past helped to bypass malfunctions, are avoided.
However, in this case it should be borne in mind that even a plant
which is almost perfectly equipped in terms of machinery has to
process material which on occasions is not optimised in terms of
cost and in terms of processing for the product to be produced, and
thus can cause malfunctions. In addition, disruptions can result
from the interaction of machines and material.
[0005] Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide
a handling plant for containers, which on the one hand can be
operated with a small number of staff and which on the other hand
also largely dispenses with factors which do not add value and
which are used to bypass malfunctions. This is achieved according
to the invention by an apparatus as claimed in claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments and modifications are the subject matter
of the subordinate claims.
[0006] An apparatus according to the invention for handling
containers has a plurality of handling units for handling the
containers, wherein the handling units contain at least one filling
device for filling the containers with a liquid medium, a closure
device disposed downstream in a container transport device for
closing the filled containers with closures, and preferably also
with a labelling device for labelling the containers. Furthermore
the machine also has a transport device for transporting the
containers.
[0007] According to the invention the apparatus has at least one
information output device, which is configured in such a way that
it outputs information about the occurrence of malfunctions of the
apparatus, wherein the information output device has at least one
first information output element which outputs a first information
item about a specific malfunction in such a way that the first
information item can be perceived in a first region and a second
information output element which outputs a second information item
about the same malfunction in such a way that the second
information item can be perceived in a second region, wherein the
first region and the second region are at least partially
different.
[0008] It is therefore proposed to output information about
malfunctions on different areas of the apparatus so that in the
most efficient manner possible a few staff or only one user is/are
informed about the occurring malfunction regardless of their
location.
[0009] The information output device preferably provides
information about malfunctions occurring during operation of the
apparatus. In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus also
has a transforming device which transforms plastic parisons into
plastic containers. This transforming device is in particular a
so-called stretch blow moulding machine having a stretching rod
which also expands the containers in the longitudinal
direction.
[0010] It is therefore proposed to install a plant malfunction and
information management system in order to reduce the consequences
of these malfunctions or to reduce the duration of the
malfunctions.
[0011] Advantageously the second region encloses the first region
geometrically at least partially and advantageously completely.
Thus it is possible that the first region is a proximal region
relative to an operating means or a display and the second region
is the working area in which the user the usually stops the
plant.
[0012] In a further advantageous embodiment at least one
information output element is designed in such a way that it
outputs information about the location of a malfunction and/or
information about it which is characteristic of the malfunction or
the correction of the malfunction. Therefore the staff responsible
for the plant advantageously obtain information about the fact that
a malfunction has occurred, advantageously also about where in the
plant the malfunction is located, more advantageously where on the
individual machine the malfunction is located and finally also
information about the malfunction itself or information about the
cause and the correction of the malfunction.
[0013] Thus the user is able to correct malfunctions quickly and
effectively and to start the production again. Thus the present
invention is applicable in particular to large plants in which the
exact location of the malfunction can be displayed very quickly to
the user. Thus for example an information output element can
provide information to the effect that (somewhere in the plant) a
malfunction has occurred.
[0014] A further information output element provides information to
the user about the location on the plant, for example in the
filler, where the malfunction has occurred. A further information
output element provides information to the user as to where on a
specific machine, i.e. in this case where on the filling device,
the malfunction lies. Therefore the information items from the
individual information output elements advantageously relate to the
same malfunction, but these information output elements
advantageously exhibit different characteristics of the malfunction
for example with regard to of the location of the malfunction.
Thus, starting from the information that there is a malfunction,
the user can obtain ever more detailed information about the
malfunction via further information output elements. Thus
advantageously all information output elements are designed in such
a way that they output information about the location or the
malfunction itself, wherein however the output information items
are advantageously different and are also dependent upon the region
in which the information is output.
[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus has an
input unit via which commands can be passed to the machine by a
user. This input unit may for example be an input field such as a
touchpad via which the user passes his commands to the machine.
[0016] Advantageously the apparatus has a third information output
element which outputs a third information item about the
malfunction in such a way that the information can be perceived in
a predetermined third region, wherein the third region differs from
both the first region and the second region. The third region
encloses the second region and preferably also at least one first
region, advantageously a plurality of first regions geometrically
at least partially and advantageously completely. Thus a third
region encloses a plurality of second regions and these second
regions in turn can enclose a plurality of first regions.
[0017] In particular by the output of the information on at least
three levels a specific malfunction can be located quickly in a
particularly efficient manner.
[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment at least one region is
selected from a group of regions which includes an immediate
geometric region around the input unit, a working region of a user
of the apparatus, a higher-level region for a plurality of handling
units and a higher-level region of the entire apparatus.
[0019] Thus a reporting system on at least two levels is proposed
here, in particular for a filling plant. In this case the first
level may be a region on or in the machine or on the operating
unit. In this case this information output element can output
detailed information and/or also the display of a malfunction
location on the operating element and/or in the machine, such as
for example the identification of a malfunction location by means
of a light source.
[0020] At the second level this may be a proximal region of the
machine, i.e. a working area of the operator. An indicator light
and/or a siren can for example be provided here.
[0021] Furthermore a higher level for a plurality of machine groups
or for the entire plant may be provided as the third level.
[0022] Furthermore it would also be possible that a further level
is not limited substantially locally, so that for example a report
is output to a user by radio or mobile telephone. These information
output elements preferably output information about essential main
functions of the plant, for example blow moulding, filling,
labelling, packing and also palletising.
[0023] Therefore in a further advantageous embodiment at least one
information output element is disposed on the input unit.
[0024] Advantageously is even at least one information output
element is selected from a group of information output elements,
which include elements with acoustic output, elements with optical
output, elements with tactile output, lighting means, sirens,
combinations thereof and the like.
[0025] Advantageously at least one information output element also
only outputs information relating to precisely one handling unit.
This may for example be a proximal region level, so that the user
can recognise that the assigned information output element relates
to this specific machine part.
[0026] In a further advantageous embodiment at least one
information output element is configured in such a way that it
outputs different information items which relate to different
handling units. This may preferably be a higher-level information
output element to which a plurality of plant parts are assigned.
Thus this may for example be a higher-level information output
element to which both the filler and the labelling machine are
assigned.
[0027] The region in which this information output element outputs
the information may be a working area of the user.
[0028] Therefore advantageously more possible fault locations are
assigned to the second information output element than to the first
information output element.
[0029] In a further advantageous embodiment at least one
information output element is configured in such a way that it
outputs information items which relate to any region of the whole
apparatus. This may for example be a warning light which indicates
to the user that a fault has occurred somewhere in the plant.
[0030] In a further advantageous embodiment at least one
information output element is configured in such a way that it
outputs information to a receiving device which is outside a region
of the machine. Thus for example an output to a radio device or a
mobile telephone may be provided.
[0031] In a further advantageous embodiment output characteristics
the information output by at least one information element output
can be varied. Thus it is possible for example that the volume can
be varied, that intervals of an acoustic signal can be varied, or
also the brightness and the like. Thus it is proposed here that the
individual information output elements can be adapted individually
to the installation situation of the plant, for example the use of
signal lamps and horns or sirens, which allow different tones,
intervals and volumes and the like. It is also possible that the
individual regions in which the information can be perceived can be
varied, for example due to pivotability of an information output
element or the like.
[0032] In this case it is preferably possible that the output
characteristics can be varied via the input device of the apparatus
by the client itself. In this way the particular operator situation
(one or more machine operators) and the visibility of the machines
for example from the position of the supply unit (parisons,
closures, packaging material, etc.) can be taken into account.
[0033] In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus has at
least one sensor unit which detects or can detect a malfunction of
the apparatus. In this case it is possible that this sensor unit
communicates directly or indirectly with the information output
elements, so that they can output information about this
malfunction. Furthermore the apparatus advantageously has a memory
unit in which procedures for correcting specific malfunctions are
stored.
[0034] Advantageously a transport path along which the containers
are conveyed through the apparatus also remains constant in the
event of a malfunction. It is therefore proposed that no buffer
routes or the like are provided on which the containers can divert.
The drive costs for the apparatus can be reduced by this procedure
in conjunction with the invention.
[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus has a
control unit, which causes at least two information output elements
to output information about the same malfunction substantially
simultaneously. However, it would also be possible that first of
all the information output element which can be perceived in the
largest area outputs the information and then further information
output elements do so. Due to the substantially simultaneous output
the user can also be led very quickly to the location of the
malfunction.
[0036] In a further advantageous embodiment at least two handling
units are each assigned to a first information output element and
these two first information output elements are in turn assigned to
a further information output element. The number of first
information output elements is advantageously higher than the
number of second information output elements. In this case an
assignment is understood to mean that information about a specific
malfunction is output to the information output elements which are
assigned to one another.
[0037] In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus has a
packaging unit which produces packs from a plurality of containers.
In a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus also has a
palletising unit which assembles a plurality of packs into layers
of packs and also an apparatus which produces pallets from a
plurality of layers.
[0038] Further advantages and embodiments are apparent from the
appended drawings, in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus
according to the invention; and
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a representation to illustrate the interaction
of the information output elements.
[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus
according to the invention. This has a feeding unit 28 for plastic
parisons such as for example a roller grader. Starting from this
roller grader 28 the plastic parisons pass through a furnace 26 and
into a transforming device 16 which transforms the plastic parisons
into plastic containers. In this case a sterilising unit 14 can
also be provided for sterilising the plastic parisons.
[0042] Starting from the transforming device 16 the containers
produced in this way pass via a further transport device 17,
optionally a further sterilising unit 18, to a filling device 2
which fills the containers with a liquid and in particular a
beverage. In the transport direction T of the containers a closure
device 4 for closing the containers adjoins this filling device 2,
followed by a labelling device 6 for labelling the containers. The
reference 30 identifies quite schematically a collating device
which collates a large number of containers to form a pack, and the
reference 32 relates, equally schematically, to a palletiser.
[0043] The reference 5 relates to a third information output
element, which is disposed at a higher level, so that signals which
are output by this third information output element 5 can be picked
up in the region B3 which in principle comprises the entire plant.
The reference 13 identifies the information output by the third
information output element 5. This may for example be merely the
information that a malfunction has occurred somewhere in the
plant.
[0044] Simultaneously with the output of this information the
machine can for example be stopped.
[0045] The references 51, 52 and 53 each relate to second
information output elements which are disposed on different plant
parts, such as in this case the filling device, the transforming
device 16 and the palletiser region. In this case these regions are
each individually identified by the references B2. All the regions
B2 lie within the large region B3. Information items 12 which
relate to the malfunction are in turn output on these information
output elements 51, 52 and 53.
[0046] The references 511, 512, 521 and 531 each denote first
information output elements which in this case are each disposed on
input devices 24 for operating the machine in the part of the
plant. Accordingly the regions B1 in which signals output by these
information output elements 511, 512, 521, 531 can be perceived are
smaller and are each inside the regions B2 assigned thereto. A
plurality of information output elements 511, 512, 521, 531 could
also be disposed within the region B2. The reference 11 relates to
the information output by the first information output
elements.
[0047] The reference numeral 40 identifies a control unit for
controlling the plant. In this case this control unit can also
control the information output device, i.e. in particular the
interaction of the individual information output elements and can
for example assign to a specific malfunction those information
output elements which output this malfunction to the user.
[0048] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an information output device 12
for output of the particular information on the malfunctions. In
this case a higher-level information output element 5 is again
provided, to which three second information output elements 51, 52
and 53 are assigned in this example. Three information output
elements 511, 512, 513; 521, 522, 523; 531, 532, 533 are in turn
assigned to each of these second information output elements. In
this case this assignment is represented by the respective
connecting lines L. This assignment is understood so that at one of
the assigned information output elements in each case information
about a certain malfunction is output, and is also output on the
higher-level information output element (for example 51-53).
[0049] In this case the third information output element 5 is
assigned to the entire plant, the second information output
elements 51, 52 and 53 are assigned to individual plant areas and
the first information output elements 511, 512, 513; 521, 522, 523;
531, 532, 533 are each assigned to specific plant parts. These
first information output elements 511-533 are therefore assigned to
specific machine parts. In this case the regions B1 (not shown) are
the respective proximal regions of the relevant information output
element 511 . . . 533. However it is pointed out that the location
of the malfunction may also differ from the location of the first
information output elements 511 . . . 533.
[0050] If for example a malfunction to which the first information
output element 512 is assigned occurs on a machine part, then this
information output element 512 will output an information item
about the malfunction. However, substantially at the same time the
second information output element 51 and the third information
output element 5 will also output an information item about the
malfunction. Thus regardless of where the user is he can quickly
reach the location of the actual malfunction.
[0051] Optionally the information output element 5 can also be
assigned to a further higher-level information output element 5a
and can for example be in radio communication therewith. This
further information output element 5a may for example be a remote
computer or a user's mobile telephone, so that in the event of
malfunction a user is informed about this by mobile telephone.
[0052] It will be seen in FIG. 2 that this arrangement can be
changed both with regard to the number of information output
elements and with regard to the cascading depth. However, it has
been ascertained that at least three of the four levels I to IV
shown here are useful in order to provide efficient malfunction
management.
[0053] The applicant reserves the right to claim all the features
disclosed in the application documents as essential to the
invention in so far as they are individually or in combination
novel over the prior art.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0054] 1 apparatus [0055] 2 filling device [0056] 4 closure device
[0057] 5, 5a third information output element [0058] 6 labelling
device [0059] 12 information output device [0060] 14 sterilising
unit [0061] 16 transforming device [0062] 17 transport device
[0063] 18 sterilising unit [0064] 24 input device [0065] 26 furnace
[0066] 28 feeding unit, roller grader [0067] 30 collating device
[0068] 32 palletiser [0069] 40 control unit [0070] 51, 52, 53
second information output element [0071] 511, 512, 513, [0072] 521,
522, 523, [0073] 531, 532, 533 first information output element
[0074] T transport direction [0075] 11, 12,13 output information
[0076] B1 first region [0077] B2 second region [0078] B3 third
region [0079] I-IV levels [0080] L connecting lines
* * * * *