Device and method for transporting containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for conveying containers, preferably in a beverage filling plant, the device having a conveying wheel, the conveying wheel having a central coupling designed to fix the conveying wheel on a central rotary shaft such that a rotation of the central rotary shaft about its rotary axis can be transmitted to the conveying wheel, a plurality of disks stacked one above the other in axial direction concentrically relative to the rotary axis and each having at least one recess, the recesses together forming a receiving area arranged on the outer circumference of the conveying wheel and designed to at least partially accommodate containers, wherein at least one of the disks is a fixed disk fixed relative to the coupling via a support structure and at least one of the disks is an adjustment disk rotatably supported relative to the fixed disk about the rotary axis, and an adjustment mechanism designed to rotate the adjustment disk relative to the fixed disk by an adjustment angle, whereby the size of the receiving area can be adjusted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for conveying containers, preferably in a beverage filling plant, wherein the device has a conveying wheel with at least one adjustable holding area for containers. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the case of a beverage filling plant of the carousel type with a series of sequentially connected disc conveyors in which the containers to be processed are subjected to processing, the containers to be processed are usually conveyed between the disc conveyors by means of a transfer star, in which the containers are held. For example, containers to be filled are filled with filling product in a filler disc conveyor and subsequently capped in a downstream capper disc conveyor. The transfer of the filled containers between the filler disc conveyor and the capper disc conveyor is usually carried out by means of one or more transfer stars.

[0003] For this purpose, the transfer stars usually have a plurality of pockets which are designed to accommodate one container each. By rotating the transfer star, the containers held by the respective pockets and possibly external guides are conveyed along a segment of the transfer star.

[0004] The pocket size can be fixedly preset, in which case the transfer star can only be used for a specific container size and / or container shape. In such a plant, a change to a different container format is not easy and is associated with high acquisition costs and high work effort for retrofitting the plant.

[0005] Transfer stars with variable pocket size have been developed for this purpose, see for example EP 2 447 194 A1 and DE 694 05 650 T2. The pockets are formed here by recesses of a plurality of vertically stacked discs which can be adjusted or rotated relative to one another, whereby the pockets can be enlarged or reduced in size as required. It is considered important in the prior art that the adjustment is carried out in such a way that the position of the pockets in the circumferential direction of the transfer star, i.e. the position of the inserted containers, and the pitch between the pockets remain unchanged when adjusting. Otherwise the synchronization with upstream and / or downstream transfer stars or disc conveyors and the relative position of possible further holding sections, for example for holding the neck region of the containers, can be lost.

[0006] In the prior art mentioned, the adjustment of the pocket size, while maintaining the position of the pockets in the circumferential direction and while maintaining the pitch between adjacent pockets, is achieved by rotating the discs that constitute the pockets in an angularly symmetrical manner in opposite directions during adjustment. One disadvantage of this method is the relatively complex mechanics. Thus, the rotation of the main shaft must be converted into a scissor-like movement of the discs either manually or via an actuator, for example a servo motor. However, the possible self-locking of the mechanism for the scissor-like steering can impair the reliability of the adjustment. Furthermore, the complex mechanism and the tolerances that go with it can prevent the pockets from being set precisely for different container formats. SUMMARY

[0007] It is an object of the application to further improve the transport of containers, in particular to propose a device suitable for transporting different formats of containers with improved reliability.

[0008] The object is achieved by the device according to the application and by the method according to the application. Advantageous refinements emerge from the following description of the figures and preferred embodiments of the application.

[0009] The device is used for transporting containers and is particularly preferably used in a beverage filling plant, for example for filling water (distilled or carbonated), soft drinks, beer, wine, fruit juice, milk shake, dairy products, mixed drinks, etc.

[0010] The device is constructed in the type of a rotary table structure and for this has a transport wheel with a central coupling designed to fix the transport wheel on a central rotary shaft having a rotary axis, such that a rotation of the central rotary shaft about its rotary axis can be transmitted to the transport wheel. The device also has a plurality of discs which are stacked one above the other in an axial direction concentrically relative to the rotary axis and each have at least one recess which together constitute a receiving area arranged on the outer circumference of the transport wheel and are designed to at least partially accommodate a container. The one or more receiving areas, for example recesses, recesses, pockets, etc., serve to at least partially hold one container each, preferably the base body, for example the bottle body, of the container. By rotating the transport wheel, the containers can thus be transported along a circular path. In this sense, the receiving areas also serve as guide areas, in which the containers can be supported or guided radially inwards by fixed external guides if necessary.

[0011] It is pointed out that the terms "receiving area", "recess", "container", etc. are generally used in the singular for reasons of linguistic simplicity. However, the plural is included unless this is technically or expressly excluded. Thus, the transport wheel generally has a plurality of receiving areas in order to be able to transport a plurality of containers simultaneously.

[0012] According to the invention, at least one of the discs is a fixed disc fixed relative to the connecting member via a support structure, and at least one of the discs is an adjusting disc rotatably supported relative to the fixed disc about a rotation axis. The transmission wheel also has an adjusting mechanism designed to rotate the adjusting disc relative to the fixed disc by an adjusting angle, thereby changing the size of the receiving area. Thus, the adjusting disc is rotatably supported via the adjusting mechanism at least at a maximum adjusting angle, which, for example, corresponds to the maximum size of the receiving area.

[0013] One or more adjusting discs are twisted relative to one or more fixed discs to set the size of the receiving area via an adjusting mechanism, thereby significantly simplifying the mechanical device used for adjustment. The scissor-like mechanical steering that requires force to be supplied to the adjusting mechanism is no longer needed. This reduction in mechanical complexity is accompanied by improved reliability and accuracy of the setting, as well as cost savings due to fewer components. Installation of the device is also simplified.

[0014] Preferably, the transfer wheel comprises exactly three discs, two of which are fixed discs, and one of these discs is an adjusting disc positioned between the two fixed discs when viewed axially along the axis of rotation. In other words, the adjusting disc is sandwiched between the two fixed discs, thereby forming the receiving area by a total of three recesses. The walls of the axially outer recesses of the two fixed discs stabilize the container, preventing it from tilting to the other side due to the action of the wall of the central recess of the adjusting disc. Furthermore, the receiving area can be adapted to different container sizes by adjusting only a single disc. Therefore, containers can be safely and reliably held and transferred with minimal mechanical structural costs.

[0015] In an alternative solution, two adjustment discs and one fixed disc can also be provided.

[0016] Preferably, the disc has the same number of grooves so that the receiving area can be formed in a clearly defined manner. Alternatively or additionally, the grooves can be arranged with a constant angular spacing and / or have the same shape, thereby simplifying the manufacture, installation, and operation of the device. The grooves can, for example, be semi-circular pouch-like portions, i.e., recesses relative to the outer circumference. In this case, the maximum size and shape of the receiving area correspond to the size and shape of the groove forming the receiving area. The maximum size can be given here by the radius or diameter of the semi-circular groove.

[0017] Preferably, the adjusting mechanism has a rotating adjusting actuator fixedly mounted on a support structure, wherein the adjusting actuator includes a motor with an output shaft that allows control of the angular position of the output shaft. In this way, the adjusting angle can be reliably and accurately set without high mechanical consumption. The motor is, for example, a stepper motor, a servo motor, or a torque motor, with a stepper motor being particularly preferred in this application.

[0018] The regulating actuator is preferably powered via a slip ring, which can be positioned above the transmission wheel. The regulating actuator is particularly preferably implemented as or includes a servo motor, which re-finds or sets the desired angular position without a reference motion. The regulating actuator is preferably fixed to the transmission wheel without a housing, particularly to a support structure. Preferably, the regulating actuator and the components involved in the regulating mechanism are resistant to the medium used in the device. The counter-torque is adjusted and generated via a pinion on the output shaft and a rack and gear on the transmission wheel.

[0019] Preferably, a pneumatic cylinder is provided in the transfer wheel, which is designed to ensure that, especially under greater forces, no undesirable adjustment occurs on the transfer wheel. This anti-adjustment device, not shown in the figures, can also be implemented in other ways and is particularly useful in the case of high speeds and / or large containers, such as bottles exceeding 1.25L.

[0020] Preferably, the adjusting mechanism has a pinion and a rack. The pinion is securely connected to the output shaft of a rotating adjusting actuator and can be rotated via the output shaft. The rack meshes with the pinion and can be translated, preferably along an arc, by rotating the pinion, wherein the rack is securely mounted on the adjusting disc. In this way, the adjusting disc can be adjusted / torsional relative to the fixed disc at a specific adjustment angle via a mechanically simple and reliable adjusting mechanism.

[0021] The spacing between adjacent receiving areas is referred to herein as “pitch”. Pitch can be measured or given, for example, as angular spacing or arc length. Because the adjusting disc is twisted relative to the fixed disc to set the size of the bag-like portion, i.e., specifically the circumferential dimension of the receiving area, the radial line of symmetry of the receiving area is shifted, if such a radial line of symmetry exists. In other words, the position of the receiving area, and consequently the position of the container it contains, i.e., in the case of a cylindrical container, its column axis shifts circumferentially during adjustment. This shift is also referred to herein as “pitch offset”. Even in the case of only a single receiving area, “pitch offset” is clearly defined because it describes the relative displacement of the receiving area, rather than the spacing between adjacent receiving areas.

[0022] Preferably, the transfer wheel is designed to allow manual and / or automatic compensation for pitch misalignment caused by the adjustment angle of the adjusting disc relative to the fixed disc. In other words, the transfer wheel allows for correction of pitch misalignment. By setting the size of the receiving area and correcting pitch misalignment by twisting one or more adjusting discs relative to one or more fixed discs, not only is the mechanical device used for adjustment significantly simplified, but the position of the receiving area relative to other devices or components and the pitch between the receiving areas can also be kept constant. In this way, synchronization with upstream and / or downstream conveyor stars or disc conveyors and relative position with possible other receiving sections, such as those used to hold the neck region of the container, can be maintained without further adjustments.

[0023] It should be noted that pitch offset compensation can be performed before, during, and / or after adjusting the adjusting disc relative to the fixed disc. The compensation preferably means that the transmission wheel as a whole, i.e., including all discs, rotates in the opposite direction to the adjustment angle with a specific correction angle. The magnitude of the correction angle can here be equal to the magnitude of the adjustment angle; however, it is also possible to correct any deviation therefrom based on the container and / or process parameters and / or machine parameters to be transmitted.

[0024] Preferably, the device also includes a driver designed to position the central rotating shaft in rotation. Here, the driver is or includes a motor that allows control of the angular position of the central rotating shaft. Stepper motors, servo motors, or torque motors are particularly preferred, with stepper motors being especially favored. Thus, the driver forms a main driver that rotates the transfer wheel for conveying the container as a whole.

[0025] The drive can be designed to compensate for pitch misalignment. According to this particularly preferred embodiment, the drive not only serves as the main drive, but also collaboratively undertakes the function of compensating for pitch misalignment, thereby enabling the device to be implemented in a particularly simple and reliable manner in mechanical engineering.

[0026] Preferably, the device has a controller that communicates with the drive and the adjustment mechanism and is designed to operate the adjustment mechanism to rotate the adjustment disc relative to the fixed disc by an adjustment angle, and to operate the drive to compensate for the resulting pitch misalignment. The controller communicates wirelessly or wiredly with the corresponding components and can be a programmable, computer-aided facility. The controller can be implemented as a central or distributed computing unit, capable of operating autonomously or as part of process control, using cloud-based or internet-based applications, etc.

[0027] Preferably, the controller is designed to determine the correction angle from the adjustment angle and to manipulate the drive such that the position of the receiving area on the outer circumference is corrected by the correction angle. The correction angle can be determined based on one or more process parameters and / or machine parameters and / or container-related parameters, for example, by calculation or from a table.

[0028] Preferably, the controller is designed to receive input regarding the adjustment angle, or to determine the adjustment angle, for example, from the aforementioned process parameters and / or machine parameters and / or container-related parameters, and accordingly manipulate the adjustment mechanism to rotate the adjustment disc relative to the fixed disc by the adjustment angle. In this way, pitch misalignment can be compensated for fully automatically.

[0029] The above objective is also achieved by a method for preferably transferring containers in a beverage bottling facility. This method uses a device or transfer wheel according to one of the above-described embodiments. The method includes: conveying a container to a receiving area of ​​the transfer wheel; transferring the container along a circular track by rotating the transfer wheel about a central axis of rotation; and removing the container from the receiving area; rotating an adjusting disc relative to a fixed disc by an adjusting angle to change the size of the receiving area. The transfer and adjusting steps can be performed in any order and sequence.

[0030] The features, technical effects, advantages, and embodiments described regarding the device and transmission wheel are similarly applicable to this method.

[0031] Therefore, for the reasons mentioned above, it is preferable to compensate manually and / or automatically for pitch offset caused by rotating the adjusting disc relative to the fixed disc at an adjusting angle, in particular by rotating the transmission wheel as a whole in the opposite direction to the adjusting angle at a correction angle.

[0032] Preferably, for the reasons mentioned above, compensation for pitch offset is performed via a drive, in particular by rotating the transmission wheel as a whole by the drive in the opposite direction to the adjustment angle by a correction angle.

[0033] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments. The features described herein can be implemented individually or in combination with one or more of the foregoing features, provided that these features do not contradict each other. The preferred embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Other preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Herein lies:

[0035] Figure 1 A top view of the transfer wheel of the device used to transfer containers is shown;

[0036] Figure 2A partial view of the transfer wheel of the device used to transfer containers, viewed from below; and

[0037] Figure 3 A side view of the transfer wheel of the device used to transfer containers is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Preferred embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, identical, similar, or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals in different drawings, and repeated descriptions of these elements are omitted in part to avoid redundancy.

[0039] Figures 1 to 3 The apparatus 1 for transferring a container (not shown in the accompanying drawings) is shown from different perspectives.

[0040] The device 1, also known as a "transfer star," is preferably used in container handling facilities and is used therein to transfer containers, for example, from one processing station to the next. In this way, it is possible to transfer containers between processing tray conveyors (not shown in the figures) that offer different processing possibilities. The corresponding processing tray conveyors are capable of providing one or more of the following processing possibilities: filling containers with filling products, sealing filled containers with caps, pivoting, rotating, labeling, shrinking, blow molding, stretch blow molding, opening, dome cutting, cleaning, sterilizing, activating, rinsing (gas and / or liquid), immersion, heat preservation, heating, cooling, blowing, burning, removing static charge, pre-filling, final filling, pre-sealing by means of pre-sealing, placing a first sealing component and / or placing a second sealing component. Particularly preferably, the device 1 is used in beverage bottling facilities, for example, for bottling water (distilled or carbonated water), soft drinks, beer, wine, juice, milkshakes, dairy products, mixed beverages, etc.

[0041] Multiple devices 1 can also be sequentially arranged in the container handling facility to form a serpentine transport path, for example, between two container handling tray conveyor belts.

[0042] The device 1 has a transfer wheel 10 with a plurality of receiving areas 11 on its outer circumference U, which are designed to receive containers. The receiving areas 11 are grooves, recesses, pouches, etc., to at least partially surround each container, preferably surrounding the base of the container, such as a bottle. By rotating the transfer wheel 10, the containers are thus transported along a circular track. Therefore, the receiving areas 11 are also guiding areas, whereby the containers can, if necessary, be radially supported or guided inward by fixed external guides (not shown in the figures), so that the containers remain firmly within the receiving areas 11 during transport and do not move outward.

[0043] The transmission wheel 10 is securely connected to a central rotating shaft (not shown in the figures) via a central connector 12, such that rotation of the central rotating shaft about its own axis of rotation A is transmitted to the transmission wheel 10. The transmission wheel 10 is preferably adjustable in height, i.e., in the axial direction. The central rotating shaft is connected via... Figure 1 The driver 2, schematically shown, is positioned in rotation. The driver 2 is preferably an electric motor that allows control of angular position, such as a stepper motor, servo motor, or torque motor.

[0044] The transmission wheel 10 includes multiple, in this embodiment, three disks 20, 30, and 40. These disks preferably have the same outer circumference U and are concentrically stacked vertically relative to the same rotation axis A along the axial direction. The transmission wheel 10 also has a support structure 13, which is as follows: Figure 1 and 2 As shown, it can be configured in a spoke-like shape and designed to connect discs 20, 30, and 40 to connector 12, so that the rotation of the central axis of rotation can be transmitted as a whole to discs 20, 30, and 40.

[0045] Disks 20, 30, and 40 each have multiple grooves 21, 31, and 41 relative to their outer circumference U, which together constitute a receiving area 11. In other words, one groove 21, 31, and 41 from each of disks 20, 30, and 40, therefore, in this embodiment, a total of three grooves 21, 31, and 41 together constitute the receiving area 11. The grooves 21, 31, and 41 are configured as empty portions, recesses, pouch-like portions, etc. Preferably, the number of grooves 21 in the first disk 20, the number of grooves 31 in the second or central disk 30, and the number of grooves 41 in the third disk 40 are the same, and they are also preferably the same as the number of receiving areas 11. Furthermore, the grooves 21, 31, and 41 can have the same shape and a constant spacing between them.

[0046] One or more of discs 20, 30, and 40, preferably two outer discs 20 and 40, are fixed relative to the connecting member 12, that is, also fixed relative to the central axis of rotation. These fixed discs 20 and 40 are also referred to herein as “fixed discs”, and they are characterized in that they cannot be adjusted in the circumferential direction relative to the connecting member 12 and thus relative to the central axis of rotation.

[0047] In contrast, at least one of the disks 20, 30, and 40, preferably the central disk 30, is adjustable relative to the fixed disks 20 and 40. This adjustable disk 30 is also referred to herein as an "adjusting disk," and is characterized in that it is adjustable in the circumferential direction relative to the fixed disks 20 and 40, and consequently relative to the connecting member 12 and the central axis of rotation, at least by a certain maximum adjustment angle. For this purpose, the adjusting disk 30 is preferably slidably supported via one or more, for example, ten, sliding bearings 32.

[0048] The adjustment disc 30 is adjusted via an adjustment mechanism 50. The adjustment mechanism 50 includes a rotating adjustment actuator 51 having an output shaft 51a, fixedly mounted on the support structure 13, and preferably implemented as a motor allowing control of angular position. In particular, a stepper motor, servo motor, or torque motor is considered here. According to this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 50 also has a pinion 52, which is rigidly connected to the output shaft 51a of the rotating adjustment actuator 51 and can be positioned in rotation via the output shaft, and a rack 53 that meshes with the pinion 52 and moves translationally, preferably along an arc, by the rotation of the pinion 52. The rack 53 is again rigidly mounted on the adjustment disc 30, thus the adjustment disc 30 can be adjusted or twisted relative to the fixed discs 20, 40 by an adjustment angle via the adjustment mechanism 50.

[0049] The regulating actuator 51 is preferably powered via a slip ring located above the transmission wheel 10. The regulating actuator 51 can be implemented as a servo motor, capable of finding or setting the desired angular position again without a reference motion. The regulating actuator 51 is preferably fixed to the transmission wheel 10 without a housing, particularly to the support structure 13. Preferably, the regulating actuator 51 and the components involved in the regulating mechanism 50 are resistant to the medium used in the device 1. The counter-torque is adjusted and generated via a pinion 52 on the output shaft 51a and a rack 53 and gears on the transmission wheel 10.

[0050] Preferably, a pneumatic cylinder is provided in the transfer wheel 10, which is designed to ensure that, especially under greater forces, no undesirable adjustment occurs on the transfer wheel 10. This anti-adjustment device, not shown in the figures, can also be implemented in other ways and is particularly useful in the case of high speeds and / or large containers, such as bottles exceeding 1.25L.

[0051] By adjusting the adjusting disc 30 relative to the fixed discs 20 and 40, the size of the accommodating area 11 can be changed, as shown in this example. Figure 1 The following are examples of container diameters shown using different container diameters – the values ​​are expressed in millimeters.

[0052] Because the adjusting disc 30 is twisted relative to the fixed discs 20 and 40 to set the size of the bag-shaped portion, i.e., the dimension of the receiving area 11 in the circumferential direction, the radial symmetry line of the receiving area 11 is shifted if such a radial symmetry line exists. In other words, the position of the receiving area 11, and consequently the position of the container it contains, i.e., in the case of a cylindrical container, the axis of its column is shifted in the circumferential direction, such as from... Figure 1 The displacement is derived from the container diameter shown in the example. This displacement is also referred to herein as "pitch offset".

[0053] If necessary, pitch offset can be compensated, preferably taking into account at least one machine parameter or process parameter, such as parameters related to the container and / or the adjustment angle. This compensation can be performed manually by adjusting the transmission wheel 10 relative to a fixed reference point.

[0054] Alternatively or additionally, the driver 2 of the central rotating shaft can be used to correct pitch offset. If the driver 2 includes a motor that allows control of angular position, such as a stepper motor, servo motor, or torque motor, it can be corrected in a mechanically simple and reliable manner according to the container to be transmitted or the applied adjustment angle.

[0055] For this purpose, device 1 preferably includes a controller 60, which communicates wirelessly or wiredly with the central drive 2 and the regulating actuator 51. The regulating actuator 51 is now designed to transmit the current adjustment angle of the regulating disc 30, or the difference in adjustment angle relative to a reference angle, to the controller 60. The controller 60 determines the correction angle and manipulates the drive 2 to correct the receiving area 11 by the correction angle. Alternatively, the controller 60 can track and record the current adjustment angle, making information transmission from the regulating actuator 51 to the controller 60 not absolutely necessary.

[0056] The correction or compensation of the adjustment angle can be further automated by having the controller 60 receive or determine input regarding the angle to be adjusted, for example, from one or more container-related parameters of the container to be transported. The container-related parameters may include information about the container's specifications, size, diameter, geometry, and / or similar information. The controller 60 then determines the adjustment angle from this information and accordingly manipulates the adjustment actuator 51 and the driver 2 to correct for pitch misalignment.

[0057] According to an alternative embodiment variation, correction for pitch offset can be performed without knowing the adjustment angle or without using a calculation formula for the adjustment angle, in a manner that the correction is performed relative to a fixed reference point. For example, the transmission wheel 10 can be rotated manually or by the control device 60 to perform the correction, such that the radial symmetry line of the receiving area 11 or another suitable point of the receiving area 11 coincides with a fixed reference point at a fixed facility component.

[0058] By rotating one or more adjusting discs 30 relative to one or more fixed discs 20, 40 to set the size of the bag-shaped portion and perform correction for pitch misalignment, the mechanical device for adjustment can be significantly simplified. The adjusting discs 30 and the fixed discs 20, 40 each have grooves 21, 31, 41, which together form the bag-shaped portion or receiving area 11. The scissor-like mechanical steering of the force provided by the adjusting actuator 51 is no longer required. This reduction in mechanical complexity is accompanied by improved reliability and accuracy of setting, as well as cost savings due to fewer components. Installation of the device 1 is simplified. By adjusting the height of the transmission wheel 10, the device 1 is variable in height and can be adapted to different diameters / sizes of the containers to be transported.

[0059] Wherever possible, all individual features shown in the embodiments can be combined and / or interchanged with each other without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0060] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0061] 1. Device for transferring containers

[0062] 2 drives

[0063] 10 Transfer Wheels

[0064] 11. Accommodation Area

[0065] 12 Central Connector

[0066] 13 Supporting Structure

[0067] 20 plates

[0068] 21 Grooves

[0069] 30 discs

[0070] 31 Groove

[0071] 32 sliding bearing

[0072] 40 discs

[0073] 41 Groove

[0074] 50 Adjustment Mechanism

[0075] 51. Regulating actuator

[0076] 51a output shaft

[0077] 52 small gears

[0078] 53 Gear

[0079] 60 controllers

[0080] U outer ring perimeter

[0081] A. Central axis of rotation

Claims

1. A device (1) for transferring a container, wherein the device has a transfer wheel (10), the transfer wheel having: A central connector (12) is designed to fix the transmission wheel (10) on a central rotating shaft so that rotation of the central rotating shaft about its rotation axis (A) can be transmitted to the transmission wheel (10). Multiple discs (20, 30, 40) are stacked concentrically in the axial direction relative to the rotation axis (A) and each disc has at least one groove (21, 31, 41). These grooves collectively form a receiving area (11) on the outer circumference (U) of the transfer wheel (10), designed to at least partially accommodate a container. At least one of the discs (20, 30, 40) is a fixed disc (20, 40) fixed relative to the central connector (12) via a support structure (13), and at least one of the discs (20, 30, 40) is an adjusting disc (30) rotatably supported about the rotation axis (A) relative to the fixed discs (20, 40). An adjustment mechanism (50) is designed to rotate the adjustment disc (30) relative to the fixed discs (20, 40) at an adjustment angle, thereby adjusting the size of the receiving area (11). The transmission wheel (10) comprises exactly three discs (20, 30, 40), each with two fixed discs (20, 40) and one adjustment disc (30). The adjustment disc (30) is positioned between the two fixed discs (20, 40) when viewed along the axial direction of the rotation axis (A). The support structure (13) is designed to support the discs (20, 30, 40). The adjustment mechanism (50) is connected to the central connecting member (12), wherein the adjustment mechanism (50) has a rotating adjustment actuator (51) fixedly mounted on the support structure (13), wherein the adjustment mechanism (50) has a pinion (52) and a rack (53), wherein the pinion is firmly connected to the output shaft (51a) of the rotating adjustment actuator (51) and can be placed in rotation via the output shaft, wherein the rack meshes with the pinion (52) and can be translated by rotating the pinion (52), wherein the rack (53) is firmly mounted on the adjustment disc (30).

2. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The disks (20, 30, 40) have the same number of grooves (21, 31, 41), and / or all the grooves (21, 31, 41) of the disks (20, 30, 40) have the same shape, and / or the grooves (21, 31, 41) of each disk (20, 30, 40) are arranged with a constant angular spacing.

3. The apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The regulating actuator (51) includes a motor having the output shaft (51a), which allows control of the angular position of the output shaft (51a).

4. The apparatus (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, A slip ring is provided, which supplies power to the motor of the regulating actuator (51).

5. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The transmission wheel (10) is designed to allow manual and / or automatic compensation for pitch offset caused by the adjustment angle of the adjustment disc (30) relative to the fixed disc (20, 40).

6. The apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The device also has a driver (2) designed to put the central rotating shaft in rotation, wherein the driver (2) is an electric motor that allows control of the angular position of the central rotating shaft.

7. The apparatus (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The driver (2) is designed to compensate for the pitch offset.

8. The apparatus (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The device has a controller (60) that communicates with the driver (2) and the adjustment mechanism (50) and is designed to control the adjustment mechanism (50) so that the adjustment disk (30) rotates relative to the fixed disk (20, 40) by an adjustment angle, and to control the driver (2) so as to compensate for the resulting pitch offset.

9. The apparatus (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller (60) is designed to determine a correction angle from the adjustment angle and to manipulate the driver (2) such that the position of the receiving area (11) on the outer circumference (U) is corrected by the correction angle.

10. The apparatus (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller (60) is designed to receive input about the adjustment angle or determine the adjustment angle, and accordingly manipulate the adjustment mechanism (50) to rotate the adjustment disk (30) relative to the fixed disk (20, 40) by the adjustment angle.

11. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The device (1) is configured for transferring containers in a beverage filling facility.

12. The apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, All the grooves (21, 31, 41) of the disks (20, 30, 40) have a semi-circular shape.

13. The apparatus (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electric motor mentioned therein is a stepper motor, a servo motor, or a torque motor.

14. The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rack can move along an arc by rotating the pinion (52).

15. The apparatus (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electric motor mentioned therein is a stepper motor, a servo motor, or a torque motor.

16. The apparatus (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The controller (60) is designed to determine the adjustment angle from one or more process parameters and / or machine parameters and / or container-related parameters.

17. A method for transferring a container by means of the apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises: The container is conveyed to the receiving area (11) of the transfer wheel (10), the container is transported along a circular track by rotating the transfer wheel (10) about the rotation axis (A), and the container is removed from the receiving area (11); The adjusting plate (30) is rotated relative to the fixed plate (20, 40) at the adjusting angle in order to adjust the size of the receiving area (11).

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, Manual and / or automatic compensation is provided for pitch offset caused by rotating the adjusting disc (30) relative to the fixed disc (20, 40) at the adjusting angle.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The container is transported by means of the transport wheel (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 10, and the compensation for the pitch offset is performed via the driver (2).

20. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The device (1) is configured for transferring containers in a beverage filling facility.

21. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The pitch offset caused by rotating the adjustment disc (30) relative to the fixed disc (20, 40) at the adjustment angle can be compensated manually and / or automatically by rotating the transmission wheel (10) as a whole in the opposite direction to the adjustment angle at the correction angle.

22. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The compensation for the pitch offset is performed via the driver (2) by rotating the transmission wheel (10) as a whole by the driver (2) in the opposite direction to the adjustment angle by a correction angle.

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