U.S. patent application number 16/628066 was filed with the patent office on 2021-05-20 for apparatus for guiding containers for a conveyor.
The applicant listed for this patent is KHS GmbH. Invention is credited to Andreas Fahldieck.
Application Number | 20210147151 16/628066 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005565004 |
Filed Date | 2021-05-20 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210147151 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fahldieck; Andreas |
May 20, 2021 |
APPARATUS FOR GUIDING CONTAINERS FOR A CONVEYOR
Abstract
A container guide includes a guide rail and a single piece
having a main body and retainers. At least one of the retainers is
arranged in either a through passage or a recess in a surface-area
portion of the main body. Each retainer includes a bent rail bar
and a rail support. A a portion of the rail support comprises a
support arm that is perpendicular to a plane defined by the
surface-area portion of the main body. The guide rail is arranged
directly on the support arms for guiding the container.
Inventors: |
Fahldieck; Andreas;
(Idar-Oberstein, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KHS GmbH |
Dortmund |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005565004 |
Appl. No.: |
16/628066 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
June 28, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2018/067402 |
371 Date: |
January 2, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 2207/26 20130101;
B65G 2201/0244 20130101; B65G 21/2072 20130101; B65G 21/06
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65G 21/20 20060101
B65G021/20; B65G 21/06 20060101 B65G021/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 7, 2017 |
DE |
10 2017 115 239.3 |
Claims
1-13. (canceled)
14. An apparatus comprising a container guide for guiding a
container, said container guide comprising a guide rail and a
single piece having a main body and retainers, at least one of said
retainers being arranged in at least one of a through passage and a
recess in a surface-area portion of said main body, wherein each of
said retainers comprises a bent rail bar and a rail support,
wherein a portion of said rail support comprises a support arm that
is oriented to be perpendicular to a plane defined by said
surface-area portion of said main body, and wherein said guide rail
is arranged directly on said support arms for guiding said
container.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said guide rail connects to
said support arm without any other separately configured connecting
means.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said support arm is a first
support arm, wherein said apparatus further comprises a second
support arm, said first and second support arms being configured as
a single piece with said rail support, wherein said guide rail is
arranged between said first and second support arms.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said guide rail is a first
guide rail, wherein said apparatus further comprises a second guide
rail, said first and second guide rails being attached to said rail
support said that said first and second guide rails are parallel to
each other.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said support arm is a first
support arm, wherein each of said retainers comprises a second
support arm and a rail bridge that that connects between said first
and second support arms.
19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said rail bar is a first
rail bar, wherein each of said retainers comprises a second rail
bar and a rail bridge that that connects between said first and
second rail bars.
20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said support arm comprises a
support upon which said guide rail is arranged.
21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said support arm is a first
support arm and wherein each of said retainers comprise a second
support arm and a rail bridge that extends between said first and
second support arms and that supports a section of said guide
rail.
22. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a
container-treatment plant, wherein said container-treatment plant
comprises said container guide.
23. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a
container-treatment plant, wherein said container-treatment plant
comprises a container stopper in which is arranged said container
guide.
24. A method comprising producing a container guide, wherein
producing said container guide comprises providing a main body that
has a surface-area portion, producing at least one of
through-passages and recesses in said surface-area portion,
producing at least one retainer for retaining a container guide
rail in a region of at least one of said through passages and
recesses, wherein each retainer comprises rail bars connected to
said main body and a rail support with a support arm, using a
bending apparatus, bending said retainer in a region of said rail
bars, wherein said support arm is oriented to extend perpendicular
to a plane defined by said surface-area portion and wherein said
rail bar is made to define an arch.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein bending said retainer comprises
using said bending apparatus to press said support arms starting
from a back of said main body such that said support arms bend
outward from a front surface of said surface-area portion.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein bending said retainer comprises
using said bending apparatus to pull out said support arms starting
from a front surface of said surface-area portion.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein bending said retainer comprises
using a manually-operable bending apparatus.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein bending said retainer comprises
using a bending lever.
29. An apparatus for guiding containers having a main body which
comprises a surface-area portion having a multiplicity of
through-passages and/or recesses, a multiplicity of retaining
means, with at least one retaining means each being arranged in the
region of a through-passage and/or of a recess, and each retaining
means comprises at least one bent rail bar which is connected at a
first end with the surface-area portion and at a second end lying
opposite the first end with a rail support, with the rail support
comprising at least one support arm which is oriented largely
square to the plane of the surface-area portion, and a guide rail
arranged directly on the support arms for the guiding of containers
wherein the surface-area portion of the main body and the retaining
means being configured as a single piece with rail bar, rail
support and support arm.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the guide rail is connected
to the at least one support arm without any other separately
configured connecting means.
31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the rail support comprises
two support arms configured as a single piece with the rail bar,
with the guide rail arranged in particular between the support
arms.
32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein two or more guide rails are
attached to the rail support parallel and next to one another.
33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the retaining means
comprises a rail bridge connecting at least two support arms and/or
two rail bars.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is the national stage of international application
PCT/EP2018/067402, filed on Jun. 28, 2018, which claims the benefit
of the Jul. 7, 2017 priority date of German application 10 2017 115
239.3.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to an apparatus for guiding containers
and a method for producing the apparatus.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In a container treatment plant, it is often necessary to
move containers along a path. Such containers include bottles,
tetra packs, and similar containers. A transport device handles
moving the container. However, it is often necessary to have a
couple a guide to the transport apparatus so that the containers
slide along the guide.
[0004] A typical container-treatment plant is called upon to handle
many kinds of containers of different sizes and shapes. These are
often called "container formats." Certain components of a
container-treatment plant may change when the container format
changes. These parts are often called "format parts." The guide is
often such a format part. Thus, when switching over to a different
container format, it is often necessary to also switch the
guide.
[0005] Container guides are also susceptible to being contaminated
by food, for example as a result of container breakage or of a
container tipping over. It is therefore useful if the guide can be
cleaned easily.
SUMMARY
[0006] An object of the present invention is that to provide, for
containers, a guide that is easy to produce and rapidly
interchangeable as well as being resistant to contamination and
easy to clean.
[0007] The inventive apparatus for guiding containers comprises a
surface-area portion with a multiplicity of through-passages and/or
recesses and a multiplicity of retainers. At least one retainer is
arranged in the region of a through-passage and/or of a recess and
each retainer comprises at least one arched rail bar that is
connected at a first end to the surface-area portion and at a
second end lying opposite the first end to a rail support. The rail
support comprises at least one support arm that is oriented largely
square to the plane of the surface-area portion. Guide rails for
guiding containers are also arranged directly on the support arms,
with the surface-area portion of the main body and the retainer
each being configured as one piece with rail bar, rail support and
support arm.
[0008] The one-piece configuration makes the production of the
apparatus for guiding (also referred to below as a "guide
apparatus") particularly simple and rapid, since for example there
is no need to assemble the apparatus from individual parts. The
simple and rapid cleanability of the apparatus is also guaranteed
because its one-piece form means there are few angled or poorly
accessible regions.
[0009] The main body can be configured in any desired form.
However, it is preferably plate-shaped or comprises at least one
plate-shaped component. By "surface-area portion" is meant in
particular a portion having a largely flat surface on which a
plurality of retainer can be arranged in a row (linearly) one after
the other. The surface-area portion can also be arched. A plurality
of rows of retainer can also be arranged adjacent to one another.
In this context, "one after the other" means in the longitudinal
axis direction of the guide rail. The words "adjacent to one
another" can therefore be understood as a direction square to the
longitudinal axis direction of the guide rail.
[0010] Through-passages are for instance holes that pass right
through the main body and have no opening to the outer edge. A
recess on the other hand comprises an opening to the outer
edge.
[0011] The retainer are provided to accommodate the guide rail,
i.e., they are in direct contact with the guide rail. This contact
is caused in particular by their support arms. The one-piece
configuration of the main body and of the retainer is due in
particular to the retainer and the main body being formed from the
same workpiece. When the through-passages/recesses are created, the
retainer is shaped in the workpiece (or from the already shaped
main body), in particular stamped out or cut out. In the process
the retainer remains connected by its rail bar to the main body (or
to the workpiece residue) preferably at all times, including during
and after manufacture.
[0012] Consequently the words "in the region of the
through-passage/recess" must be understood to mean that before a
subsequently performed bending operation in the through-passage or
in the recess the retainer is arranged in particular flush with the
front and rear surface of the main body and is connected to the
main body by an edge of the through-passage/recess.
[0013] The rail bar was stamped out/cut out during the creation of
the retainer. The bending movement is caused in a direction away
from the surface of the surface-area portion. In its end position
the rail bar preferably has a bending angle of approximately
90.degree. so that at least the support arms of the supporting
apparatus are arranged largely perpendicular to the plane of the
surface-area portion, for example to the surface of the
surface-area portion. The "arching" of the rail bar can be taken to
mean that the median longitudinal axis of the rail bar comprises a
radius and is not straight (linear). The term "arched rail bar" is
therefore specifically not understood to mean a rail bar that is
twisted about its longitudinal axis (e.g. helically).
[0014] The guide rail can be configured in the manner of a track.
It can thus be provided to be pushed into the retainers, which are
arranged one after another. It can comprise undercuts, recesses,
grooves, through-passages, blind holes and/or detents for arranging
on the at least one support arm. The guide rail comprises a contact
face or sliding face on which the containers lie or slide along
during transport. The guide rails can for instance comprise plastic
or consist entirely of plastic, while the main body and the
retainer are preferably of metal.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention the guide rail
is connected to the at least one support arm without any other
separately formed connecting means. As a result both the
interchangeability of the guide rails and the cleanability of the
apparatus as a whole is rendered especially simple to perform
because contamination, especially in the region of connecting
means, can often only be cleaned with difficulty, and the guide
rails can also be replaced, e.g. when worn, without the
time-consuming undoing of numerous connecting means.
[0016] The term "separate connecting means" refers to other
components that are not configured as a single piece with the
support arms and/or guide rail. Thus the guide rail for instance is
in direct contact with the support arms. It is arranged for
instance on the at least one support arm of each retainer.
[0017] Because no other connecting means such as for instance
screws or adhesives are used, a clamping or latching connection is
preferably configured between the support arm of the retainer and
the guide rail. Corresponding latching means can for instance be
formed from the support arm and/or the guide rail itself. The guide
rail can for instance be configured so it can be clipped on to the
support arm or support arms, and can accordingly comprise
grooves/recesses, blind holes and/or through-passages for this
purpose. Where a plurality of support arms are arranged on a
retainer, the guide rail can also be arranged for instance between
two or more support arms, e.g. can be clamped in between these
support arms. The cleanability of the guide apparatus is further
improved as a result.
[0018] For a particularly simple connection between the guide rail
and the support arms of the rail support, in one embodiment of the
invention there is provision for the rail support to have at least
two support arms configured as one piece with the rail bar, the
guide rail being arranged in particular between the support arms.
This significantly improves a secure mounting of the guide rail. To
improve stability yet further, the rail support can also comprise
more than two support arms for connecting with the one guide rail.
The at least two support arms can be arranged next to one another
preferably in a direction square to the longitudinal direction of
the guide rail.
[0019] In an especially preferable embodiment the rail support can
also be configured to allow two or more guide rails to be attached
to it, e.g., parallel to one another. To this end the rail support
can comprise for instance two support arms with each support arm
connected to a guide rail. These support arms too are arranged next
to one another preferably in a direction square to the longitudinal
direction of the guide rail. The rail support can also comprise
more than two support arms, for instance four support arms. Two
support arms together can be connected to a single guide rail. A
variant having three support arms and in which two guide rails are
in contact with the central support arm is also conceivable.
[0020] In order to improve the stability of the retainer, one
embodiment of the invention makes provision for the retainer to
comprise a rail bridge connecting at least two support arms and/or
two rail bars. The rail bridge is connected to the two support arms
and/or to the two rail bars. The rail bridge is part of the
retainer and so is also configured as one piece with the support
arms, rail bars and main body.
[0021] To improve the positioning of the guide rail on the support
arms it is particularly preferable for the support arms to comprise
a support for arranging the guide rail. The support is used for
laying out the guide rail. The support can therefore be configured
for example as a recess or projection on the support arm. It is
particularly preferable for the rail bridge to be configured as a
support so that the guide rail lies on the rail bridge formed
between two support arms or between two rail bars and is for
instance held with the free ends of the support arms.
[0022] The apparatus for guiding containers, i.e. the guide
apparatus for the containers, is arranged particularly preferably
in a container treatment plant. Here the apparatus for guiding
containers can be deployed both at individual work stations such as
cleaning devices, fillers or rinsers for instance, and in the
transport regions between the individual work stations of the
container treatment plant. The apparatus for guiding containers is
used particularly preferably in a container stopper, in particular
a bottle stopper, arranged in the container treatment plant.
Because of its low overall depth the point of rotation of a stopper
arm and the contact face of the guide rail are particularly close
to one another. This keeps down the loads on the container stopper
and the stopper can comprise a particularly short path of
motion.
[0023] The object of the invention is further achieved by a method
for producing an apparatus for guiding containers, having the
following steps: providing a main body having a surface-area
portion, producing through-passages and/or recesses in the
surface-area portion, with at least one retainer for container
guide rails being created in the region of each
through-passage/each recess, with each retainer comprising at least
one rail bar that has a rail support and that is connected to a
main body edge of the recess, attaching a bending apparatus to the
retainer, bending round the retainer in the region of the rail bar,
with at least one support arm being positioned largely
perpendicular to the plan of the surface-area portion and a portion
of the rail bar being shaped in the form of an arch.
[0024] The main body consists preferably of metal. Accordingly the
through-passages and/or recesses are produced for instance by way
of a cutting or stamping method. A laser cutting method is used
preferably because this facilitates a particularly accurate
production of the through-passages/recesses and of the retainer.
The rework effort is also limited with a laser cutting method. The
through-passages/recesses and retainer provided to accommodate a
guide rail are preferably arranged along a straight line (linearly)
one after another.
[0025] After the through-passages and/or recesses and the retainer
are formed, the retainer is bent in sections, i.e. the formed rail
bars are for instance plastically deformed so that they adopt an
arch-like shape. In this process the rail bars preferably receive
an angle of approximately 90.degree. so that at least the support
arm and if required also the rail supports with the rail bridges
are oriented square to the plane of the surface-area portion. Owing
to the linear arrangement of the retainer, following the bending
operation of all retainer in a row, the guide rails can be pushed
onto or between the vertical support arms of the retainer.
[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention the bending of
the retainer is caused by a bending apparatus that comprises or is
configured as a bending tool such as a bending lever, for example.
The bending apparatus can press the support arms out from the
surface-area portion starting from the back. Here, the bending
apparatus is configured for instance as a bending lever that is
attached, starting from the back of the surface-area portion, to a
rail bridge connecting two support arms and moved in the direction
of the rearward surface of the main body. The retainer is moved
from a starting position in which it is arranged largely flush with
the surface-area portion to its end position (e.g. square to the
surface of the surface-area portion). The bending of the retainer
in the region of the rail bar is therefore caused by the movement
of the bending apparatus.
[0027] As an alternative to the retainer being pressed out,
according to one embodiment of the invention there is provision for
the retainer to be bent by way of a bending apparatus that pulls
the support arms out starting from the front of the surface-area
portion.
[0028] In this case the bending apparatus can for instance also be
configured as a bending lever. Starting from the front of the
surface-area portion the bending lever is introduced by a free end
into the through-passage and the retainer is engaged behind it, for
example. Supported on an edge of the through-passage the bending
apparatus is then moved toward the surface of the front of the
surface-area portion so that the retainer is moved out of the
surface of the surface-area portion from the starting position
(flush with the surface-area portion). A gripping portion of a
bending apparatus is subsequently arranged in the region of the
free end of the retainer, e.g. by way of a groove, and bent into
its end position by a pivoting motion of the bending apparatus
toward that end of the retainer lying opposite the free end.
[0029] The bending of the retainer can be carried out mechanically,
however it is carried out particularly preferably by hand with the
aid of a manually operable bending apparatus, in particular a
bending lever. As a result, short runs and spare parts in
particular are simple to produce, and repairs or adjustments
(maintenance) of the retainer can be carried out quickly and
without difficulty.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] The invention is now presented by reference to a different
embodiments. In the figures:
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a main body
with retainer;
[0032] FIG. 2a shows a perspective view of a section of a main body
and a first bending apparatus in a starting position;
[0033] FIG. 2b shows the image of FIG. 2a with the bending
apparatus in an end position;
[0034] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of a section of a main body
with a second bending apparatus;
[0035] FIG. 3b shows the image of FIG. 3a in a horizontal
section;
[0036] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of an apparatus for guiding
containers having a container stopper; and
[0037] FIG. 4b shows the image of FIG. 4a in a horizontal
section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] FIG. 1 shows an article that has been manufactured from a
single workpiece. For convenience of exposition, certain portions
of this article are given different names. However, portions of the
article never existed as separate components and were therefore
never connected to each other. The various portions of the article
continue to define a single integral structure.
[0039] The portions of the article includes a main body 1 with a
surface-area portion 2, retainers 3, a rail support 22, arched rail
bars 5a, 5b, support arms 7, and rail bridges 9.
[0040] The retainers 3 are arranged in two rows 10 on the main body
1. Only the retainers 3 near the end of the main body 1 are shown
and only half of the retainers 3 in the upper row 10 can be
seen.
[0041] The rows 10 of retainers 3 are arranged next to one another.
Within a row 10, the retainers 3 are arranged in a line that is
parallel to a longitudinal axis of a guide rail 18. As shown in
FIGS. 4 and 4b, the retainers 3 along a row 10 engage a guide rail
18 that has been pushed in towards the rail bridges 9.
[0042] Each retainer 3 is configured in a through-passage 4 through
the main body 1. Alternatively the retainer 3 could also be
arranged in the region of a recess. Such an arrangement would be
present in an edge region of the main body 1 that is open to at
least one side.
[0043] Each retainer 3 comprises the two rail bars 5a, 5b. Each
rail bar 5a, 5b is formed by bending support arms 7 away from the
main portion 1 by about ninety degrees. As a result, each support
arm 7 is essentially perpendicular to the surface 2a of the
surface-area portion 2.
[0044] A first end 6a, 6b of each rail bar 5a, 5b merges with the
surface-area portion 2 to form a single piece. A second end, which
lies opposite the first end 6a, 6b, connects to a rail support 22
that has two support arms 7, each of which comprises a free end 8a,
8b.
[0045] A rail bridge 9 bridges a gap between the two support arms
7. As a result, the support arms 7 and the rail bridge 9 define a
U-shaped profile.
[0046] The main body 1 and the retainer 3 with the rail support 22,
the rail bars 5a, 5b, the support arms 7 and the rail bridges 9 are
configured as a single piece. This means that they are manufactured
from a single workpiece. The individual components never existed as
single pieces. As a result, they were never interconnected
subsequent to their formation since they were all formed
together.
[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, each rail bridge 9 functions
as a support. In an alternative embodiment, each rail bridge 9 is a
connecting element rather than a support.
[0048] The free ends 8a, 8b of the support arms 7 thicken along a
direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. As a result, the
free ends 8a, 8b are able to attach the guide rail 18 to the
retainer 3. This renders superfluous other connecting means. Thus,
other separate connecting means need not be used. In particular,
neither mechanical connecting means, such as screws, nor adhesives,
are used to connect or fasten the guide rail 18 to the retainer
3.
[0049] In an alternative embodiment, a retainer 3 has only one rail
bar 5a, 5b and one rail support 22 with only one support arm 7.
Such a support arm 7 is one that is shaped like a pin. In such
embodiments, the guide rail 18 pushes onto this pin-like support
arm 7.
[0050] In other embodiments, each retainer 3 includes a rail
support 22 having more than two support arms 7. Among these are
embodiments in which there are three or four support arms 7. As a
result, in these embodiments, it is possible to arrange a
corresponding plurality of guide rails 18 on the retainer 3.
[0051] FIGS. 2a and 2b show a bending apparatus. The illustrated
bending apparatus includes first bending tool 12 having a first end
13 and a second end 14. The second end 14 is formed as a gripper
tool. In the illustrated embodiments, the bending tool 12 is a
bending lever that bends the retainer 3 from its starting position,
which is shown in FIG. 2a, to its ending position, which is shown
in FIG. 2b.
[0052] The bending operation occurs in two stages. In some
practices, a different bending tool is used for each stage. In
other practices, different sections of the bending tool 12 are used
for each stage.
[0053] FIG. 2a shows a main body 1 in which the through-passages 4
have already been formed with the retainer 3 in a starting
position. The retainer 3 is configured as shown in FIG. 1.
[0054] To bend the retainer 3 into its end position, in which it is
bent 90.degree. relative to the plane of the surface-area portion
2, the first bending tool 12 is inserted with its first end 13 into
a through-passage 4. In this position, an edge 11 of the through
passage 4 supports the bending tool 12 as its first end 13 engages
behind the free ends 8a, 8b of the support arms 7.
[0055] FIG. 2a shows a first step in which the bending tool 12 is
pivoted so that its second end 14 moves toward the front surface 2a
of the surface-area portion 2. This forces the retainer 3 to moved
slightly out from the front surface 2a.
[0056] FIG. 2b shows a second step in which the gripper tool at the
second end 14 grips the free ends 8a, 8b are gripped by a gripper
tool 14 and bends them their end positions. In the illustrated
embodiment, the end position is one in which the gripper tool bends
them 90.degree. away from the surface 2a of the surface-area
portion 2.
[0057] In the illustrated embodiments, the second end 14 has a
slot-shaped recess 23 or channel that fits onto the free ends 8a,
8b to form the gripper tool. However, in other embodiments, the
gripper tool is a separate bending tool.
[0058] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a second bending tool 15 that is also
configured as a bending lever. The second bending tool 15 carries
out a second bending method in which a single-stage bending
movement bends the retainer 3 from its starting position, in which
it is flush with the surfaces 2a, 2b of the surface-area portion 2,
to its end position, in which it has been bent by 90.degree.
relative to the surface of the surface-area portion 2. Both FIGS.
3a, 3b show a retainer 3 in its end position with the second
bending tool 15 still attached to the retainer 3.
[0059] In the second bending method, the bending begins from behind
of the main body 1, with the second bending tool 15 being moved
with a hook-shaped free end 16 through the through-passage 4. In
this embodiment, the front surface 2a supports a hook-shaped free
end 16.
[0060] The second tool 15 grips with a contact face 17 in the
region of the rail bridge 9 that connects the two support arms 7.
In order to bend the retainer 3 into its end position, the free
second end 16a, which lies opposite the hook-shaped end 16 of the
second bending tool 15, is moved toward the rearward surface 2b of
the main body 1. With this movement the retainer 3 is pressed
outward from the front surface 2a and raised into its end position,
which in this case is one that results from a 90.degree. bending
angle between the support arm 7 and the front surface 2a of the
surface-area portion 2.
[0061] In contrast to the two-stage bending method described
earlier, this single-stage bending method causes the retainer 3 to
be pushed out of the through-passage 4.
[0062] An advantage of the first bending method is that it can be
used with the retainer 3 that has one or more support arms 7. An
advantage of the second bending method is that it reduces the
possibility of an unintended distortion of the support arms 7. Such
distortion would make it difficult to push in the guide rail 18
under certain circumstances.
[0063] Both bending operations can be performed mechanically. This
is useful for mass production.
[0064] Alternatively, the bending tools 12, 15 can also be operated
manually by a person. The manually operable bending tools 12, 15
guarantee a particularly high precision such that any additional
reworking or aligning of the retainer 3 is rendered largely
unnecessary. With one-off production in particular, it is a simple
matter to quickly and easily create a guide for guiding the
containers 19 using a manually operable bending tools 12, 15.
Supplying spare parts is also particularly simple to manage based
on the manual bending method. As shown in FIGS. 2a-3b, the bending
tools 12, 15 can be understood as bending apparatuses or
alternatively configured as part of a bending apparatus.
[0065] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b show the apparatus for guiding the
containers 19 in combination with a container stopper 20. The guide
comprises a main body 1 with a surface-area portion 2. The
retainers 3, which are like those shown in FIGS. 1-3b, are arranged
along rows 10 with the retainer 3 in the main body 1. A guide rail
18 has been pushed into engagement with the retainers 3 of a row
10. The guide rails 18 are connected to the retainer 3 without any
other separate connecting means, i.e. they are held on the retainer
3 purely by virtue of the geometry of the support arms 7 and the
matching geometry of the guide rails 18.
[0066] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a container 19, in this case a bottle,
which lies against two stopper arms 21. Two further
through-passages 22 through which the stopper arms 21 project
starting from the back of the main body 1 are arranged in the main
body 1 for the two stopper arms 21 of the container stopper 20. The
container stopper 20 is arranged on the back of main body 1 and can
be displaced in the longitudinal axis direction of the guide rails
18.
[0067] The stopper arms 21 can be moved between a stop position
shown here, in which the container 19 lies against the stopper arms
21, and a release position in which the container 19 slides along
the guide rails 18. The apparatus for guiding the containers 19
facilitates a particularly low overall depth, with the result that
a distance A between the guide rail 18 and the point of rotation of
the stopper arms 21 is particularly short. This allows the stopper
arms 21 to be particularly short and to keep the operational loads
on the container stopper 20 low.
[0068] The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4b feature a metal main
body 1, metal retainers 3, and metal guide rails 18. However, in
other embodiments, one or more of these can be plastic.
* * * * *