Treatment plant for treating containers with multiple treatment levels, as well as methods for treating containers

Abstract

Treatment system for containers (1) with a treatment carousel (3) having at least a first and a second treatment level (4, 8), wherein the treatment levels (4, 8) each have a plurality of container receptacles arranged one behind the other in which the containers (1) are movable between a loading position (B) and an unloading position (E) along a transport section, wherein the loading positions (B) and the unloading positions (E) of the treatment levels (4, 8) are arranged at angular positions of the treatment carousel (3) and wherein a first transfer device (6a) is provided which is configured to transfer the containers (1) between an unloading position (E) of the first treatment level (4) and a loading position (B) of the second treatment level (8), characterized in that the length of the transport sections is at least between the first and the second treatment level (4,8) to differ from each other.

Description

The present invention relates to a treatment system for containers having a treatment carousel which has at least a first and a second treatment plane, wherein the treatment planes each have a multiplicity of container receptacles arranged one behind the other, in which the containers can be moved along a transport section section between a loading position and a unloading position, wherein the loading positions and the unloading positions of the treatment planes are arranged at angular positions of the treatment carousel and wherein a first transfer device is configured to transfer the containers between an unloading position of the first treatment plane and a loading position of the second treatment plane.The invention relates to treatment installations in which the treatment planes are arranged one above the other in the treatment carousel. In particular, the invention relates to treatment systems which are used in the beverage industry. Against this background, the containers are in particular beverage containers, for example beverage bottles made of plastic or of glass. Particularly preferred within the scope of the invention are beverage bottles which are formed from polyethylene terephthalate (PET).Treatment installations of the type described at the beginning are fundamentally known from the prior art and serve to divide the transport section required for the treatment into a plurality of treatment planes lying one above the other in the vertical direction. This advantageously makes it possible to make particularly effective use of the available installation space, while at the same time permitting a high container throughput.A treatment plant of the generic type is known, for example, from EP 0 998 418 B1. The containers are supplied via a first transport star to a treatment carousel in a first treatment plane and, after passing through a first transport section section, are removed via a second transport star and supplied to a transfer carousel. In the transfer carousel, the containers can be transported to the height of the second treatment level and then fed again via the first transport star to the second level of the treatment carousel and moved there along a second transport section section. After passing through the second transport section, the containers are removed via the second transfer star and fed to a further device. Such a configuration has in principle proved advantageous since it is possible, for example, to provide different types of treatments on both treatment levels.Embodiments according to EP 0 998 418 B1 are limited in their flexibility, however, since both transport paths are configured identically with respect to their length. Since, moreover, the two treatment planes are also positively coupled to one another, both correspondingly also have the same rotational speed, with the result that an identical time interval is accordingly available for both treatment steps.However, it is also known from practice that different types of treatment require different time intervals for the treatments.For example, during sterilization of the interior of the containers, a sterilization medium, e.g. hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). is introduced. A comparatively small time interval is required for the introduction of this sterilization medium. The subsequent exposure time should also be carried out no longer than necessary so that no residues of this sterilization medium can accumulate on the inner walls of the containers. In contrast, for example, a significantly greater time interval must be provided for filling the containers. If different forms of treatment are to be implemented together in a single treatment carousel having a plurality of treatment levels, the solutions known hitherto from practice are therefore not expedient since, owing to their rigid construction, they can be poorly adapted to the individual types of treatment.The object of the invention is to provide a treatment system for containers which is distinguished by greater flexibility compared to the solutions hitherto, while at the same time a high container throughput and a high effectiveness of the treatment can be ensured.The object and solution of the invention is a treatment plant according to claim 1 and a method for treating the containers according to claim 19.According to the invention, it is provided that the length of the transport path sections differ from one another at least between the first and the second treatment plane. In other words, the length of the transport route section of the first treatment level is different from the length of the transport route section of the second treatment level. Due to the different length of the transport path sections, different treatment durations can be realized in the individual treatment levels.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the angular positions of the loading positions and / or the angular position of the unloading positions differ between the first and the second treatment plane. By means of the targeted setting or fixing of the angular position, the length of the transport route sections can accordingly be determined or fixed more or less freely.A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that at least the loading position of the first treatment plane and the unloading position of the second treatment plane have the same angular position. This can be effected, for example, by a common transport carousel which is arranged at a specific angular position on the treatment carousel. This transport carousel then has a transport star on two different transport levels, as a result of which the containers are first fed to the first treatment level and finally removed from the second treatment level. In such a case, the containers would only be moved over a specific circumferential section in the first treatment plane and then fed to the second treatment plane via the first transfer device. Then, the containers are moved in the transport section section of the second treatment level between the transfer arrangement and the transport carousel. By means of the angular position of the transport carousel, the ratio of the two lengths of the transport route sections to one another can then be adjusted in a targeted manner.Alternatively, it can be provided that at least the loading positions of the first treatment plane and the unloading positions of the second treatment plane have different angular positions. This can then be effected via different transport carousels, wherein the transport stars for the individual treatment levels no longer coincide.The first and / or the second transfer device can each be arranged on a movable platform. In particular, the platform can be mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation of the first and / or second treatment plane. This makes it possible to adjust the angular position of the first and / or the second transfer device flexibly in a simple manner by adjusting the angular position of the platform. The platform can be guided, for example, on a circular or circular arc-shaped guide, in particular in the base region.According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the treatment carousel has at least one third treatment plane. By incorporating a third treatment level, it is possible to provide a further treatment form in the treatment carousel. All treatment levels are preferably arranged one above the other. In particular, it can be provided that all treatment planes are rotatable about a common axis of rotation.Starting from such a configuration, a second transfer device can either be configured to transfer the containers between a discharge position of the second treatment plane and the loading position of the third treatment plane or it can furthermore be configured to transfer the containers between a loading position of the second treatment plane and the discharge positions of the first treatment plane. Accordingly, the third treatment plane may be arranged above the second treatment plane or below the first treatment plane in a vertical direction.By incorporating a third treatment level, it is not only possible to treat the containers flexibly and in different ways. The individual transport paths can also be set in the desired manner by the configuration and arrangement of the transfer devices.It is thus possible, for example, to provide the two transfer devices on a transfer carousel. So that the loading positions starting from the transfer devices are always at the same angular position.Alternatively, the first and the second transfer device can each be formed on a transfer carousel, wherein the transfer carousel is arranged at different angular positions of the treatment carousel. Accordingly, the transfer carousels have axes of rotation running parallel to one another.Particularly preferably, the transfer carousels are also movable in the circumferential direction along the treatment carousel, so that the treatment installation does not have to be fixed beforehand with regard to the specification of the transport route sections. Rather, on the basis of the containers and on the basis of the desired treatment, the individual transport route sections can then be adjusted by moving the transfer carousel along the circumference of the treatment carousel. This applies equally also via any transport carousel via which the containers can be introduced into the treatment carousel and removed. Its position can also be adjustable with respect to the circumferential position. In addition, it is also conceivable to provide the loading and / or the unloading of the treatment carousel via transport stars which are formed on a transfer carousel. Accordingly, the containers would only be moved along the transfer carousel but would not be changed in their height position.According to a further embodiment, the individual treatment carousels are coupled to one another in the individual treatment planes, so that each treatment plane accordingly has the same rotational speed. This makes it possible to couple the individual components to one another in a simple manner, since it is always ensured that the containers always have the same transport speed. The available treatment time is then measured after the time interval in which the containers are moved along the transport path within a transport path section, wherein for adjustment only the length of the transport path sections can be adjusted by defining the loading and unloading positions.An alternative embodiment of the invention provides in this context that the treatment planes are decoupled from one another and can thus rotate at different rotational speeds. Such a configuration is particularly useful when the treatment carousel has diameters of different sizes in the first and the second treatment plane. During the operation of such a treatment plant, it must be ensured that the containers always have the same transport speed, since this is necessary for a constant flow of the containers through the treatment plant. Starting from this, the treatment plane with a larger diameter has a lower rotational speed than the treatment plane with a smaller diameter. The rotational speeds are here directly predefined by the diameter of the treatment planes and the transport speed of the containers, so that in principle the treatment planes can be positively coupled to one another via a gear arrangement.Alternatively, each treatment plane can have an independent drive device, wherein it must then be ensured via an electronic controller that each treatment plane rotates according to its diameter. Thus, if, for example, the diameter increases by a factor of two from the first to the second treatment plane, the rotational speed of the second plane must also be reduced, i.e. halved, by a factor of two.The individual treatment planes, in particular the at least first and the second treatment plane, can have axes of rotation offset parallel to one another. In this way, it is possible, for example, to provide only one transfer device despite different diameters. In addition, further treatment levels can also be operated with the same transfer device. Of course, however, it is also within the scope of the invention that different transfer devices are provided between individual treatment levels.The transfer devices can connect to one of the treatment levels via at least one transport star. If, for example, containers are removed from a treatment plane with a smaller diameter and are fed to a treatment plane with a larger diameter, an additional transport star can be provided at least on the treatment plane with the smaller diameter, which star bridges the difference in diameter. In principle, however, it is also within the scope of the invention for the transfer devices to connect to the treatment levels to be connected in each case via a transport star. In any case, however, the loading positions and the unloading positions in the individual treatment planes differ from one another with respect to the transfer arrangement.A particularly preferred embodiment provides that the diameter of the treatment carousel increases in the vertical direction starting from a lower treatment plane, in particular the first treatment plane. Depending on the number of treatment levels, they therefore increase upwards starting from the lowermost level. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous if the containers are arranged suspended in the container receptacles of the treatment carousel. A suspended arrangement can be realized, for example, in that the container receptacles have a so-called neck holder ring, in which the containers, which are embodied as bottles, in particular as plastic bottles, are fastened to the container receptacles via the neck ring. If the containers were then to fall out of the neck ring holders, these would fall freely downwards and could not damage the bottles arranged underneath. This results in an arrangement in the manner of an inverted pine tree.Irrespective of the specific configuration of the treatment plant, it can be provided that at least one of the treatment levels is assigned a treatment device which is configured to treat the containers along the transport section section. In the context of the invention, a treatment is understood to mean any physical influencing of the containers. This can relate to the container itself as well as to the contents of the containers. Correspondingly, a treatment of the containers could then take place in at least one of the treatment levels, while the second and optionally also the third treatment level are provided exclusively for transporting the containers. Alternatively, a treatment device can be arranged in the second or the third treatment plane.Although only the inclusion of only one treatment device is possible, a particularly preferred embodiment provides that at least two of the treatment levels or else all of the treatment levels are each assigned a treatment device, wherein the treatment devices preferably differ from one another in the type of treatment. It is of course also within the scope of the invention that a treatment takes place in the same way in some or else also in all treatment levels. By incorporating different treatment devices, however, a plurality of treatment steps can be combined with one another in only one treatment carousel.Particularly preferably, at least one of the treatment devices has a plurality of fluid feeds, wherein in each case one fluid feed is assigned to a container receptacle. Accordingly, it is provided that the containers can be treated by introducing a fluid. The treatment device can be selected from the group consisting of filling device, sterilizing device, rinsing device and outlet device. In this context, a filling device is understood to mean a device in which a fluid, in particular a liquid, is introduced into the containers via the fluid feeds, which is provided to remain in the container permanently until delivery to the end user. Accordingly, the fluid is a beverage, in particular water, juice, mixed beverages, beer or the like.With the aid of a sterilizing device, the containers can be sterilized before filling, in order to extend, for example, the shelf life of the beverages to be introduced. Sterilization is effected by introducing a sterilization medium via the fluid feeds. The sterilization medium is preferably hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide or peracetic acid. The sterilizing medium remains in the container for a certain time interval and is then blown out via the blowing device. Within the scope of such an ejection device, compressed air is usually introduced into the containers. In addition, the containers can also be rinsed with the aid of a rinsing device. This process is generally also referred to as rinsene. For this purpose, a flushing medium, in particular flushing water, is introduced into the containers and immediately removed again. The flushing water can also be admixed accordingly with a cleaning agent.By incorporating several treatment levels, the individual treatment devices can be combined with one another and the required time intervals can be determined by defining the loading and unloading positions. For example, the containers can first be sterilized in the first treatment plane, then dried in the second treatment plane and finally filled in the third treatment plane. Accordingly, the first treatment level has a treatment device in the form of a sterilization device and the third treatment level has a treatment device in the form of a filling device. In the second treatment level, treatment by a treatment device does not take place directly. Rather, the containers are dried exclusively during transport through the second treatment plane.Alternatively, filling can take place in several, in particular in all, treatment levels, wherein, for example, time-controlled filling then takes place in the first treatment level, in which a partial quantity of a desired desired setpoint quantity is introduced into the containers. In the further treatment levels, the remaining filling quantity can then be introduced. For this purpose, for example, filling height probes or load cells can be provided for measurement, which are assigned in particular to the container receptacles in the treatment planes. In addition, different components of a filling product can also be introduced in the individual treatment levels.According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and / or the second transfer devices have a multiplicity of lifting elements which can be moved in the vertical direction via an associated lifting device. This lifting device moves the containers in the vertical direction, so that a transfer from one treatment plane to another is made possible and wherein the individual treatment planes are arranged at different heights of the treatment carousel. If, for example, at least two transfer devices are arranged on a transfer carousel, the lifting elements can have two transfer elements arranged one above the other, so that at the same time, only one movement of the lifting element can be used to move one container between two different treatment levels. For example, a container can be moved between the first and the second treatment level and at the same time a further container can be moved between the second and the third treatment level. Alternatively, it is of course possible for the lifting elements to have only one transfer element.For moving the lifting elements in the vertical direction, a lifting device is provided. The lifting device can be a mechanical and / or electrical lifting device. Particularly preferably, the lifting device has a cam control. A cam control is composed of a guide roller arranged on the corresponding lifting element, which guide roller rolls along a guide cam. The guide curve has a predefined height profile on which the guide roller and thus also the lifting element roll during the rotation. By appropriate configuration of the height profile, the lifting elements can then be moved solely on account of the rotation in or counter to the vertical direction.The invention also relates to a method for treating containers in a treatment plant according to the invention,wherein the containers are supplied to the first treatment plane at a first loading position and are moved along a first transport path section,wherein the containers are subsequently removed from the first treatment plane at a first discharge position and are supplied to the second treatment plane at a second loading position via a first transfer device,wherein the containers are then moved along a second transport path section and removed from the second treatment plane at a second discharge position.According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the containers are moved in the first and in the second transport section section for a time interval of different length. In other words, the time interval in which the containers are moved along the first transport route section differs from the time interval in which the containers are moved along the second transport route section.According to a further development of the method, the first and the second treatment plane have different diameters and each rotate in such a way that the containers are moved along the transport section section at the same transport speed.Such a configuration is also provided in particular when more than two treatment planes are provided. In this connection, it has already been explained above that the treatment planes within the treatment carousel still have the same axis of rotation, but are separated from one another with respect to the rotational movement. The rotational speed is then determined on the basis of a previously defined transport speed and is substantially dimensioned on the basis of the diameter, so that correspondingly treatment planes with a large diameter rotate more slowly than treatment planes with a smaller diameter.Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the containers are treated in a first manner in at least one of the treatment levels. During the course of the treatment, the containers can be sterilized, blown out, rinsed or filled, for example.In particular, it is additionally provided that the containers are treated in a second manner deviating therefrom in at least one further treatment level.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. The following are shown: FIGS. 1A, 1B show a treatment plant in a schematic illustration according to the prior art, FIG. 2 shows a treatment plant according to the invention according to a first embodiment in a sectional illustration, FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C show the treatment plant according to FIG. 2 in a schematic illustration, FIG. 4 shows a treatment plant according to a second embodiment in a sectional illustration, FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C show the treatment plant according to FIG. 4 in a schematic illustration, FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C show a treatment plant according to a third embodiment in a sectional illustration.FIGS. 1A and 1B show a schematic representation of a treatment plant according to the prior art. The containers 1 are fed via a transport star 2 to a treatment carousel 3 in a first treatment plane 4 at a first treatment position B 1 and are then guided by rotation of the treatment carousel in the first treatment plane 4. At the first unloading position E 1 the containers 1 are removed and fed via a further transport star 5 to a first transfer device 6a. This first transfer device 6 ais arranged on a transfer carousel 7 and, by rotating lifting elements, brings about a movement of the containers 1 in a vertical direction V from the first treatment plane 4 into a second treatment plane 8 of the treatment carousel 3.The containers 1 are fed into the second treatment plane 8 at the loading point B 2. The containers 1 then also rotate here within the second treatment plane 8 and are removed at the second discharge position E 2 via the second transport star 5. A comparison of the two FIGS. 1A and 1B shows that the loading positions B 1, B 2 and the unloading positions E 1, E 2 in the individual treatment planes 4, 8 are arranged exactly at the same angular positions in the treatment carousel, so that the transport route sections defined between the loading positions B 1, B 2 and unloading positions E 1, E 2 are exactly the same size. Because both treatment levels 4, 8 moreover have the same rotational speed, the transport path sections also form an identical time interval in which treatment of the containers 1 is made possible. The treatment system can therefore be used relatively inflexible.FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the treatment plant according to the invention in a sectional illustration in comparison thereto, wherein a total of three treatment levels 4, 8, 9 are provided which treat the containers 1 in different ways. All three treatment levels 4, 8, 9 have fluid feeds 10, wherein the containers 1 are sterilized in the first treatment level 4, dried in the second treatment level 8 and filled in the third treatment level 9. All forms of treatment require a different period of time, which is made possible by the configuration and arrangement of the discharge and loading positions B 1, B 2, B 3, E 1, E 2, E 3.FIG. 2 shows in this context that here too, in accordance with FIG. 3A, the containers 1 are first of all supplied via a first transport star 2 at a loading point B 1 of the first treatment plane 4 of the treatment carousel 3 and then, after a comparatively short transport route section, are removed at a unloading position E 1 via a second transport star 5 and supplied to a first transfer device 6 a, wherein the first transfer device 6 ais formed on a first transfer carousel 7.FIG. 3B then shows the course of the containers 1 in the second treatment level 8, wherein the containers 1 are supplied to the second loading level 8 at a loading position B 2 of the second transport star 5 and, after a second transfer section section which is larger than the first transport section section, are removed at a unloading position E 2 via a third transport star 11 and are supplied to a second transfer device 6 bin a second transport carousel which transfers the containers 1 at the level of a third treatment level 9.According to FIG. 3C, the containers 1 are then fed via the third transport star 11 to the third treatment plane 9 at a third loading position B 3 and are then removed at a third unloading position E 3 via a fourth transport star 12. By the arrangement of the individual components it is thus possible to create transport path sections which differ from one another in terms of their length, wherein in the example shown the transport path sections continuously increase from the first treatment level 4 up to the third treatment level 9. Thus, a particularly large time interval is available for filling the containers 1, while the sterilization is effected only over a short transport section.FIGS. 4 and 5A to 5C show a second embodiment of the treatment system according to the invention, in which the diameter of the treatment carousel 3 in the individual treatment planes differs from one another.In the example shown, the first treatment plane 4 has the smallest diameter and the third treatment plane 9 has the largest treatment diameter, wherein the diameter increases in the vertical direction. This has the advantage that the containers 1 cannot strike the containers 1 lying underneath in the event of falling out of the container receptacles.FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C show in this context the course of the individual transport route sections. Accordingly, the containers are first of all supplied via a first transport star 2 to the first treatment plane at the loading position B 1 and then removed at the unloading position E 1. Because the diameter in the first treatment plane 4 is comparatively small, the associated transport section section is also short.The containers 1 are then removed via a second transport star 5 and fed to the first transfer device 6 a. Because the diameters in the individual treatment planes 4, 8, 9 are designed differently, an adaptation to the diameter of the second treatment plane 8 must take place via a third transport star 11 adjoining the latter. The containers are supplied at the loading point B in 2 and are supplied to the second transfer device 6 bvia a fourth transport star 12. A comparison between FIGS. 5A and 5B reveals that transfer sections of different lengths can be formed both by the different angular positions of the individual loading positions B 1, B 2 and the unloading positions E 1, E 2 and by the different diameters in the treatment planes.According to FIG. 5C, the containers are then fed to the third loading plane 9 at a third loading position B 3 and removed at the third unloading position E 3.Such a configuration has the advantage that, due to the diameters of different sizes, an even more flexible length can be provided for the individual transport path sections.In this connection, however, it should be noted that the treatment planes 4, 8, 9 are decoupled from one another and rotate at different rotational speeds, wherein the rotational speeds are oriented to the diameter of the respective treatment planes 4, 8, 9. The larger the diameter, the lower the rotational speed. In this case, it must then be ensured that the containers 1 always have the same transport speed along the individual transport path sections.According to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, treatment planes 4, 8, 9 with diameters of different sizes are likewise provided, wherein the diameter increases in the vertical direction starting from the first treatment plane 4.The special feature here is that the treatment planes 4, 8, 9 each have an axis of rotation D 1, D 2, D 3 wherein the axes of rotation D 1, D 2, D 3 of the treatment planes 4, 8, 9 are offset parallel to one another and the treatment planes 4, 8, 9 have a common point along the circumference. This point coincides with the loading points B and unloading points E of the individual treatment planes 4, 8, 9, so that only one transfer device 6 is required to move the containers 1 between the treatment planes 4, 8, 9.List of reference characters1 Container 2 First transport star 3 Treatment carousel 4 First treatment level 5 Second transport star 6, 6 a, 6 b Transfer device 7 Transfer carousel 8 Second treatment level 9 Third treatment level 10 Fluid feeds 11 Third transport star 12 Fourth transport star B, B 1, B 2, B 3 Loading position E, E 1, E 2, E 3 Unloading position D 1, D 2, D 3 Axis of rotation

Claims

Treatment plant for containers (1) having a treatment carousel (3) which has at least a first and a second treatment plane (4, 8), wherein the treatment planes (4, 8) each have a multiplicity of container receptacles arranged one behind the other, in which the containers (1) are movable along a transport section section between a loading position (B) and a unloading position (E), wherein the loading positions (B) and the unloading positions (E) of the treatment planes (4, 8) are arranged at angular positions of the treatment carousel (3) and wherein a first transfer device (6a) is provided which is configured to transfer the containers (1) between an unloading position (E) of the first treatment plane (4) and a loading position (B) of the second treatment plane (8), characterized in that, the length of the transport path sections at least between the first and the second treatment plane (4, 8) differ from one another.Treatment plant according to claim 1, characterised in that the angular positions of the loading positions (B) of the first and the second treatment plane (4, 8) differ from one another and / or the angular positions of the unloading positions (E) of the first and the second treatment plane (4, 8) differ from one another.Treatment plant according to claim 2, characterised in that at least the loading position (B) of the first treatment plane (4) and the unloading position (E) of the second treatment plane (8) have the same angular position.Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment carousel (3) has at least one third treatment plane (9).Treatment plant according to claim 4, characterised in that a second transfer device (6b) is provided, which is either configured to transfer the containers (1) between a discharge position (E) of the second treatment plane (8) and the loading position (B) of the third treatment plane (9) or is configured to transfer the containers (1) between a loading position (B) of the second treatment plane (8) and the discharge position (E) of the first treatment plane (4).Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or the second transfer device (6a, 6b) is formed on a transfer carousel (7).Treatment plant according to claim 6, characterised in that the first and the second transfer device (6a, 6b) are each formed on a transfer carousel (7), wherein the transfer carousel (7) are arranged at different angular positions of the treatment carousel (3).Treatment plant according to claim 7, characterised in that at least one of the transfer carousels (7) is movable in the circumferential direction along the treatment carousel (3).Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment carousel (3) has diameters of different sizes in the first and at least the second treatment plane (4, 8), and wherein the treatment planes (4, 8) are rotatable independently of one another.Treatment plant according to claim 9, characterised in that at least the first treatment plane (4) has an axis of rotation (D 1) which is arranged parallel and offset to an axis of rotation (D 2) of the second treatment plane (8).Treatment plant according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the diameter of the treatment carousel (7) increases in the vertical direction starting from a lower treatment plane (4, 8, 9).Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or the second transfer device (6a, 6b) adjoins the loading position (B) and / or the unloading position (E) of the associated treatment plane (4, 8, 9) at least via a transport star (2, 5, 11, 12).Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the treatment planes (4, 8, 9) is assigned a treatment device and which is configured to treat the containers (1) along the transport section section.Treatment plant according to claim 13, characterised in that at least two of the treatment planes (4, 8, 9) are each assigned a treatment device, wherein the treatment devices differ from one another in the type of treatment.Treatment plant according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that at least one of the treatment devices has a plurality of fluid feeds (10), wherein in each case one fluid feed (10) is assigned to a container receptacle.Treatment plant according to claim 15, characterised in that the treatment device is selected from the group consisting of filling device, sterilisation device, flushing device and blowing device.Treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or the second transfer device (6a, 6b) has a multiplicity of lifting elements which can be moved in the vertical direction via an associated lifting device.Treatment plant according to claim 17, characterised in that the lifting device has a cam control.Method for treating containers (1) in a treatment plant according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the containers (1) are supplied at a first loading position (B 1) to the first treatment plane (4) and moved along a first transport section section, - wherein the containers (1) are subsequently removed at a first unloading position (E 1) of the first treatment plane (4) and are supplied via the first transfer device (6a) to the second treatment plane (8) at a second loading position (B 2) - wherein the containers (1) are then moved along a second transport section section and removed at a second unloading position (E 2) of the second treatment plane (8).Method according to claim 19, wherein the containers (1) are moved in the first and the second transport section for a time interval of different length.Method according to claim 19 or 20, characterised in that the first and the second treatment plane (4, 8) have different diameters and each rotate in such a way that the containers (1) are moved along the transport section section at the same transport speed.Method according to any of claims 19 to 21, wherein the containers (1) are treated in a first manner in at least one of the treatment levels (4, 8, 9).Method according to claim 22, wherein the containers (1) are treated in a second manner different therefrom in at least one further treatment level (4, 8, 9).

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