Robot for handling preforms

Abstract

The invention relates to a container treatment plant (100) for the production of containers, comprising: a manufacturing machine (102) for producing preforms, at least one unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms, a robot (101) for transferring preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine to the unit for producing containers from the preforms, wherein the robot (101) has at least one gripper, and wherein the at least one gripper is configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine (102) and transfer them to the unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms.

Description

State of the art

[0001] The invention relates to means and methods for transferring preforms produced by injection molding processes or other processes to subsequent processes of a container treatment plant, in particular a plant in the food and beverage industry, in which the preforms are formed into containers, e.g. by stretch blow molding.

[0002] In known manufacturing processes for containers, in particular containers made of plastic, by stretch blow molding from preforms, the production of the preforms and the production of containers from the preforms take place separately in terms of location and time.

[0003] For example, the preforms are produced in one location, stored as bulk material and later transported to a container manufacturing facility at another location, where they are sorted and separated again and fed into a stretch blow molding machine.

[0004] These well-known manufacturing processes are logistically very complex, expensive and prone to disruption, and also have a poor carbon footprint due to the long transport routes. Task

[0005] It is therefore an object of the invention to improve means and methods for transferring preforms produced by injection molding processes or other processes to subsequent processes in a plant in the food and beverage industry in which the preforms are formed into containers, e.g. by stretch blow molding.

[0006] In particular, it is an object of the invention to improve the efficiency, economy, environmental compatibility, quality, hygiene and susceptibility to failure of known techniques and methods for transferring preforms produced by injection molding processes or by other processes to subsequent processes of container production from said preforms. Solution

[0007] This is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0009] In particular, the invention provides a plant or container treatment plant for the production of containers, which may comprise the following components: • A manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, for producing preforms, • at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, • and at least one robot which can be configured or programmed for the transport and / or transfer of preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection moulding machine, to the unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0010] Said robot may comprise at least one gripper, wherein the at least one gripper may be configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and to transfer them to the unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0011] The container treatment plant can be designed in such a way that it has only one or exactly one robot that is configured or programmed for the transport and / or transfer of preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. the injection molding machine, to / to a unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0012] The preform manufacturing machine can be designed as an injection molding machine. However, it is also conceivable that other types of preform manufacturing machines could be used. In particular, preform manufacturing machines that can produce preforms using compression molding or injection-compression molding processes are conceivable.

[0013] The containers and preforms described herein can be understood in particular to mean containers and preforms which consist of material which comprises plastic materials, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or which consist of plastic materials, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0014] The production of containers from the preforms can be understood, for example, as a stretch blow molding process in which the containers are produced from preforms by stretch blow molding.

[0015] In other words, the unit for producing containers from the preforms can, for example, be a stretch blow molding machine.

[0016] A plant or container treatment plant for the production of containers can also be understood here as a plant which not only has units for the production of containers, but also includes units for the treatment of the preforms, e.g. for cleaning or sterilizing or storing or tempering the preforms, as well as units for the treatment of the produced containers, e.g. for cleaning or sterilizing or storing or tempering the produced containers.

[0017] The treatment of a container or preform may include, among other things, steps for transport, storage, cleaning, sterilization, temperature control, filling, inspection, packaging, etc. of the containers or preforms.

[0018] A unit for producing containers from the preforms can also be understood to mean that said unit for producing containers comprises various units for treating the preforms.

[0019] A unit for producing containers from the preforms can also be understood as meaning, for example, a unit of one of the following types: inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine, inlet unit of a heating section, cooling unit, conveyor unit, push-off device unit, sorting unit, singulator unit, inlet of a preform cleaning unit, storage unit, reject collection unit.

[0020] A robot can be understood here as, among other things, a programmable robot that can be controlled by a digital control unit.

[0021] The transfer of preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to the unit for producing containers from the preforms by the said exemplary robot can be understood as a direct or indirect transfer.

[0022] The term transfer of preforms can also include that the preforms are transported by the robot, e.g. that the preforms are transported by the robot from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a subsequent unit container treatment plant, for example to a unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0023] An indirect transfer can be understood as meaning that the robot first transfers the preforms taken from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a unit of the container treatment plant, where the preforms are treated before they are formed into containers.

[0024] The said exemplary robot can then also be configured to remove the treated preforms from this unit of the container treatment plant and subsequently transfer them to a unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0025] Such a container treatment plant for the production of containers offers numerous advantages over known plants.

[0026] In particular, by directly linking or linking the preform manufacturing process and the production of containers from the preforms at the same location, it is possible, for example, to significantly reduce or completely eliminate transport and storage costs for the preforms, since the preforms no longer have to be transported over long distances from a preform manufacturing plant to the container manufacturing plant.

[0027] The container treatment plant described here can achieve an improved carbon balance compared to known plants and can thus be made more sustainable.

[0028] Undesirable damage to preforms, which can occur, for example, during storage or transport of the preforms as bulk material, can also be almost completely avoided.

[0029] Since the preforms produced by the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, can be transferred by the robot directly and immediately or almost immediately or without any lengthy delay to the container manufacturing process, the sterility of the preforms provided by the manufacturing process, e.g. an injection molding process, can also be maintained, which can improve the hygiene of the container manufacturing process.

[0030] The use of the robot also allows a well-defined and orderly transfer of the preforms to a subsequent unit of the container treatment plant, ie in particular a well-defined and orderly transfer of the preforms to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0031] This eliminates the need for complex and failure-prone units or devices for separating and / or sorting the preforms before further processing of the preforms in the container treatment plant.

[0032] The time between the production of the preform and the production of the container from the preform can be significantly reduced compared to known container production processes.

[0033] Potential undesirable changes in the preform's properties, e.g., regarding its material properties and / or dimensional stability, which could result from long storage or transport times of the preform and which could adversely affect the stretch blow molding process, can also be reduced or avoided. This can have a positive impact on the quality of the manufactured containers.

[0034] Said exemplary robot can be multi-axis and configured and programmed to move to different positions in a three-dimensional workspace.

[0035] This can improve the efficiency and flexibility in transferring preforms from the forming tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a unit of the container handling plant, e.g. the unit for manufacturing containers from the preforms.

[0036] For example, the robot may have an arm with multiple joints, wherein the at least one gripper may be arranged, for example, at one end of the arm.

[0037] The at least one gripper of the robot can be attached to the robot in an interchangeable manner.

[0038] This can improve the flexibility and efficiency of the container handling system because, for example, if the preform type changes due to a change in the type of container to be produced, the robot can be easily and quickly converted to handle the new preform type.

[0039] The robot can be stationary on or near the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, or the robot can be movable and can be moved to or near the manufacturing machine.

[0040] The robot can also be designed in particular in such a way that it can move or travel back and forth between the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and any unit of the container treatment plant, so that it can pick up preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and can transport the preforms to any unit of the container treatment plant and hand them over to this.

[0041] The robot can therefore flexibly distribute the preforms picked up from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to different units of the container processing system.

[0042] The at least one gripper of the robot can also have a plurality of gripping elements, wherein the gripping elements are each clearly assignable or can be assigned to a preform of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0043] This can facilitate a well-defined and orderly transfer of the preforms to the unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0044] The exemplary gripping elements of the at least one gripper of the robot can be arranged in a grid or in a matrix, which can correspond to the grid or which of the matrix in which the preforms can be arranged in the forming tool of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0045] A grid or matrix can be understood herein as, among other things, an arrangement that defines an arrangement with several rows and columns and that allows the position of a preform in the forming tool or the position of a preform in the gripper to be clearly specified by a pair of row index and column index.

[0046] This can also further facilitate a well-defined and orderly transfer of the preforms to the unit for manufacturing containers from the preforms and improve the efficiency of the transfer.

[0047] The exemplary gripping elements of the at least one gripper of the robot can also be designed to be individually controllable.

[0048] This can improve the flexibility and precision of the handover.

[0049] The at least one gripper of the robot or at least one gripping element of the gripper of the robot can be configured or designed such that the force for gripping and / or holding the preforms can be transmitted by force locking and / or friction locking and / or form locking and / or in combination with the use of a fluid flow, e.g. by means of vacuum application.

[0050] This can also improve the flexibility and precision of the handover.

[0051] The at least one gripper of the robot or at least one gripping element of the gripper of the robot can have at least one mechatronic actuator which can be configured to carry out the dispensing or ejection of picked-up preforms.

[0052] This can also help improve the flexibility and precision of the handover.

[0053] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one gripper of the robot or at least one gripping member of the gripper of the robot can be configured to be able to discharge or eject picked-up preforms by changing a fluid flow, e.g. by switching off a vacuum application.

[0054] This can also help improve the flexibility and precision of the handover.

[0055] As already mentioned, the unit for producing containers from the preforms can be a unit of the following type: inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine, inlet unit of a heating section, preform cooling unit, preform conveying unit, preform push-off device unit, preform sorting unit, preform separating unit, inlet of a preform cleaning unit, preform storage unit, preform reject collection unit.

[0056] This can improve the flexibility and efficiency of the container treatment plant's operation.

[0057] The container treatment plant described herein may comprise a cooling unit for preforms, which may be arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, and wherein the at least one gripper of the robot may further be configured to remove preforms from the cooling unit and transfer them to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0058] As previously indicated, the robot or gripper can be configured in such a way that it can also transfer the preforms picked up from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to the previously mentioned cooling unit.

[0059] This can improve the flexibility and efficiency of the container treatment plant's operation.

[0060] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one gripper of the robot can have a cooling unit for cooling the preforms removed from the molding tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g., an injection molding machine. For this purpose, the gripper can, for example, have a corresponding fluid cooling system with channels containing cooling fluid.

[0061] Cooling the preforms can optimize and improve the properties of the preforms for the stretch blow molding process, e.g., shape stability, and, for example, prevent the preforms from deforming in an undesirable way before the desired forming into containers.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, the container treatment plant described herein may comprise a storage unit for preforms, which may be arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0063] In this exemplary storage unit for preforms, the preforms can be stored temporarily, for example in the event that an operation stop of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms is necessary.

[0064] The storage unit can, for example, be designed as a lattice box.

[0065] The at least one gripper of the robot can further be configured to transfer the preforms picked up from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to the storage unit.

[0066] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one gripper of the robot can be configured to remove preforms from the storage unit and to transfer them to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0067] The robot or at least one gripper of the robot can also be configured to be able to carry out an exchange of a shaping tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0068] This can improve the flexibility and efficiency of the container processing system and, among other things, facilitate the conversion of the container processing system when changing preform types. Furthermore, maintenance or repair processes on the manufacturing machine, such as an injection molding machine, can be simplified and improved.

[0069] The container treatment plant described herein may also comprise at least one sorting unit, e.g. a roller sorter or a disc sorter, which may be arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0070] Such a sorting unit can improve the orderly transfer and separation of preforms before the preforms are fed to the unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0071] The robot described herein can be configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and to transfer them to the at least one sorting unit.

[0072] An exemplary method for transferring preforms from a forming tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a unit of a container treatment plant for producing containers within the framework of a container treatment plant, which may have all or only some of the features described above, may comprise the following steps: • Removing preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection moulding machine, by means of a robot or removing preforms from a storage unit or from a cooling unit, • Transfer or transport and transfer of the removed preforms by means of the robot to a subsequent unit of the container treatment plant, or to a / the unit of the container treatment plant for the production of containers from the preforms, e.g. to an inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine.

[0073] The removal of the preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and the transport and transfer of the preforms to the unit of the container treatment plant for the production of containers from the preforms can therefore be carried out with one and the same robot.

[0074] This makes it possible, among other things, to avoid more complex and complicated handover procedures.

[0075] It should be emphasized again that a unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers from the preforms can be understood as a variety of different types of units, including units for further treatment of the preforms.

[0076] In other words, a unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers from the preforms can simply be understood as a unit or device or machine of the container treatment plant that is downstream of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0077] In the method described herein, it is also possible for at least a portion of the preforms removed by the robot from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to be transferred to a storage unit or a reject collection unit.

[0078] In the reject collection unit, preforms which are defective can be collected and discharged, whereby these defects can be detected, for example, by an inspection unit which can be located, for example, on the robot and / or in the vicinity of the forming tool of the production machine, e.g. an injection moulding machine.

[0079] The reject collection unit can be designed as a grid box, for example.

[0080] When the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms is stopped, the preforms removed by the robot from the forming tool of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, can be transferred to a storage unit.

[0081] This can, for example, prevent the production of preforms in the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, from having to be interrupted.

[0082] An exemplary robot for use in a container handling system for producing containers from preforms, wherein the container handling system may have some or all of the features described above, may be designed or configured as follows.

[0083] The robot may be configured and programmed to transfer preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a unit for manufacturing containers from the preforms.

[0084] The robot can have at least one gripper, wherein the at least one gripper can be configured to remove preforms from a / the forming tool of a / the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and to transfer them to a / the unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0085] As mentioned, a unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers from preforms can simply be understood as a unit or device or machine of a container treatment plant that is downstream of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0086] The robot may also have all or some of the other features described above.

[0087] Further exemplary aspects of the invention or exemplary aspects of the claim features are illustrated by figures. Fig. 1: Example container treatment plant Fig. 2: Example procedure

[0088] The Fig. 1 schematically shows an exemplary container treatment plant 100 with several units 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105.

[0089] The number of units is only an example.

[0090] For example, the robot 101 or the robot unit is arranged between a manufacturing machine 102, e.g. an injection molding machine, for producing preforms and an exemplary unit 103 for producing containers from the preforms, e.g. a stretch blow molding machine or inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine.

[0091] The robot 101 or the robot unit can, for example, be configured so that it can remove preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine 102, e.g. an injection molding machine, and can transfer them directly to the unit 103 for producing containers from the preforms.

[0092] Alternatively or additionally, the robot 101 can be configured such that it can remove preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine 102, e.g. an injection molding machine, and transfer them to another unit 104, 105 of the container treatment plant, e.g. a storage unit or a cooling unit 105 and / or a reject collection unit.

[0093] For example, preforms can be temporarily stored in a storage unit 105 and / or the preforms can be cooled in a cooling unit 104 and / or defective or damaged preforms can be discharged by the robot 101 into a reject collection unit.

[0094] Alternatively or additionally, the robot 101 may be configured to remove preforms from another unit or from one of the other units 104, 105 and transfer them directly to the unit 103 for producing containers from the preforms.

[0095] The exemplary arrows indicate exemplary transport directions for the preforms, whereby arrows with two heads indicate that the transport and / or transfer and / or removal can take place in both transport directions.

[0096] The robot 101 or the robot unit can therefore be used flexibly in order to be able to distribute the preforms produced with the production machine 102, e.g. an injection molding machine, to any subsequent units of the container treatment system 100 and to transport them back and forth between the subsequent units of the container treatment system.

[0097] The Fig. 2 shows an exemplary flow diagram for an exemplary method 200 for the transport and / or transfer of preforms from a forming tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to a subsequent unit of a container treatment plant for producing containers.

[0098] The exemplary method 200 may include, among other things, the following steps: • Removing 201 preforms from a / the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, by means of a robot or removing preforms from a storage unit or from a cooling unit, • Transfer 202 or transport and transfer of the removed preforms by means of the robot to a subsequent unit of the container treatment plant, or to a / the unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers from the preforms, e.g. to an inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine.

[0099] The following figures Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0100] The reference symbols are assigned as follows. 100 Example container treatment plant for the production of containers 101 Example robot, example robot unit 102 Example unit of the container treatment plant, example manufacturing machine for preforms, e.g. injection molding machine or compression molding machine or injection compression molding machine 103 Example unit of the container treatment plant, e.g. stretch blow molding machine or inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine 104 Example unit of the container treatment plant, e.g. reject collection unit 105 Example unit of the container treatment plant, e.g. storage unit or cooling unit 200 Exemplary method for the transport and / or transfer of preforms from a forming tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine or a compression molding machine or an injection compression molding machine, to a subsequent unit of a container treatment plant for the production of containers 201 Example process step 202 Example process step

Claims

[1] Container treatment plant (100) for producing containers, comprising: a manufacturing machine (102) for producing preforms, in particular an injection molding machine, at least one unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms, a robot (101) for transferring preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine to the unit for producing containers from the preforms, wherein the robot (101) has at least one gripper, and wherein the at least one gripper is configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine (102) and to transfer them to the unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms. [2] Container treatment plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein the robot (101) is multi-axis and is configured to move to different positions in a three-dimensional workspace. [3] Container treatment system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) has a plurality of gripping elements, wherein the gripping elements can each be clearly assigned to a preform of the forming tool of the injection molding machine (102). [4] Container treatment plant (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the gripping elements of the at least one gripper of the robot (101) are arranged in a grid which corresponds to the grid in which the preforms are arranged in the forming tool of the manufacturing machine (102). [5] Container treatment system (100) according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the gripping elements of the at least one gripper of the robot (101) are designed to be individually controllable. [6] Container treatment plant (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) or at least one gripping member of the gripper of the robot (101) is configured to transmit the force for gripping and / or holding the preforms by force locking and / or friction locking and / or form locking and / or in combination with the use of a fluid flow, e.g. by means of vacuum application. [7] Container treatment system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) or at least one gripping member of the gripper of the robot (101) has at least one mechatronic actuator and is configured to carry out the delivery or ejection of picked-up preforms and / or the at least one gripper of the robot (101) or at least one gripping member of the gripper of the robot (101) is configured to carry out the delivery or ejection of picked-up preforms by changing a fluid flow, e.g. by switching off a vacuum application. [8] Container treatment plant (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms is a unit of the following type: inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine, inlet unit of a heating section, cooling unit, conveyor unit, push-off device unit, sorting unit, separating unit, inlet of a preform cleaning unit, storage unit, reject collection unit. [9] Container treatment plant (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a cooling unit for preforms, which is arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms and wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) is further configured to remove preforms from the cooling unit and to transfer them to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms and / or wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) has a cooling unit for cooling the preforms removed from the forming tool of the production machine (102), and / or comprising a storage unit for preforms which is arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms and wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) is further configured toTo remove preforms from the storage unit and to transfer them to at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms. [10] Container treatment system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) is configured to carry out an exchange of a forming tool of the injection molding machine (102). [11] Container treatment system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one gripper of the robot (101) is replaceably attached to the robot. [12] Container treatment plant (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one sorting unit, e.g. a roller sorter or a disc sorter, which is arranged upstream of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, and wherein the robot (101) is configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of the production machine and to transfer them to the at least one sorting unit. [13] Method (200) for transferring preforms from a forming tool of a manufacturing machine (102) to a unit of a container treatment plant (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: Removing (201) the preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine (102) by means of a robot (101); Transfer (202) of the removed preforms by means of the robot (101) to the unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers from the preforms, e.g. to an inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine. [14] Method (200) according to the preceding claim, wherein at least a part of the preforms removed by the robot is transferred to a storage unit or a reject collection unit, and / or wherein, in particular during an operation stop of the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, the preforms removed by the robot are transferred to a storage unit. [15] Robot (101) for use in a container treatment plant (100) for producing containers from preforms according to one of the preceding container treatment plant claims, wherein the robot (101) is configured and programmed to transfer preforms from a forming tool of the manufacturing machine (102) to a unit for producing containers from the preforms, wherein the robot (101) has at least one gripper, and wherein the at least one gripper is configured to remove preforms from a forming tool of a manufacturing machine (102) and to transfer them to a unit (103, 104, 105) for producing containers from the preforms.

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