Method and device for pretreating insert elements for injection-moulded parts

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for pretreating insert elements (1) for being fitted on injection-moulded parts, in particular pipette tips, wherein the insert elements (1) are transported as bulk material from a supply container (2) to a storage container (3), the base of which is designed as a screen plate (4) having corresponding openings or bores (4.1) into which the insert elements (1) are preferably transferred, by way of a vibrating movement, in order to be transported onward or used in the process for being fitted on the injection-moulded parts, wherein the method is characterized by the steps of: - introducing the insert elements (1) into a rotatable transport drum (5) that is equipped with openings (5.1) or apertures (5.2) of such a shape or size that the insert elements (1) remain in the transport drum (5) during the pretreatment; - at least intermittently rotating the transport drum (5) about an axis X about which the transport drum (5) is rotatably mounted; - conveying the insert elements (1) through the transport drum (5) such that the filter elements (1) repeatedly come into contact with the inner wall of the transport drum (5) and with one another over a predetermined duration of a pretreatment; - discharging the pretreated insert elements (1) from the transport drum (5).

Description

[0001] Method and device for pretreating insert elements for injection-molded parts

[0002] The present invention relates to a method and a device for the pretreatment and conveyance of insert elements which are intended for the loading of injection-molded parts, in particular of pipette tips produced by injection molding, into which the insert elements are inserted in order to complete the pipette tips for use.

[0003] In pipette tips or other injection-molded parts, insert elements, for example in the form of filter elements, are frequently used. These are provided as separate parts and assigned to a specific injection-molded part. For example, pipette tips that are exposed to the risk of contamination by foreign substances during later use are provided with insert elements in the form of cylindrical filter elements made of a porous material that are inserted into the pipette tips. Such filter elements are used in high-performance automation systems for the processing and handling of plastic injection-molded parts such as pipette tips. However, difficulties sometimes arise on assembly lines regarding the handling, further processing, and use of such cylindrical filter elements.

[0004] In known filter assembly lines of such automated systems, for example, cylindrical filter elements are placed as bulk material in a storage container whose base is formed in the form of a sieve plate with predefined holes or openings. The openings of the sieve plate of such storage containers have diameters that essentially correspond to those of the filter elements and may be slightly larger or have a conical extension towards the top to allow the filter elements to be inserted into the holes in the sieve plate. The filter elements are then removed from the sieve plates as defect-free, acceptable parts for loading the injection-molded parts and transported further, while the defective parts that do not fit into the openings of the sieve plate must be removed.However, the smooth processing of filter elements in such a system depends heavily on the quality and dimensional accuracy of the filter elements supplied from a previous filter element manufacturing process. For example, burrs may be present on the edges of cylindrical filter elements or two or more filters may stick together. Likewise, parts may break off the filter elements or contaminants may be present on the outside of the filter elements or in the filter elements supplied as bulk material, for example in the form of chippings or material particles. This can lead to difficulties in the screen plate and in the downstream process, and in particular in the process for loading injection-molded parts as described above, resulting in system downtime and a deterioration in the quality of the final products.

[0005] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for pretreating insert elements, such as filter elements, for the assembly of injection-molded parts. This method and device enable the handling and reliable assembly of insert elements in injection-molded parts as accurately as possible and reliably separate out defective parts before the injection-molded parts are assembled. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide such a method and such a device in which automated handling of the step of providing and processing insert elements for injection-molded parts is achieved while maintaining high end product quality.

[0006] This object is achieved by a method having the steps according to claim 1 and a device having the features according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, a method for pretreating insert elements for equipping injection-molded parts, in particular pipette tips, is provided, wherein the insert elements are transported as bulk material from a feed container to a storage container, the bottom of which is designed as a sieve plate with corresponding bores or openings, into which the insert elements are preferably transferred by means of a vibrating movement for further transport or use in the assembly process of the injection-molded parts, wherein the method according to the invention is characterized by the steps:

[0008] Inserting the insert elements into a rotating transport drum which is provided with openings or perforations of such a shape or size that the insert elements remain in the transport drum during the pretreatment;

[0009] Rotating the transport drum at least temporarily about an axis X about which the transport drum is mounted for rotation;

[0010] Conveying the insert elements through the transport drum so that the insert elements repeatedly come into contact with the inner wall of the transport drum and with each other over a predetermined period of pretreatment;

[0011] Removing the pretreated insert elements from the transport drum.

[0012] According to the invention, the insert elements for the injection-molded parts are fed into a preferably cylindrical transport drum which is mounted for rotation about an axis X and which is provided with openings or perforations of such a shape or size that the insert elements remain in the transport drum during pretreatment. The transport drum is rotated so that any buildup, projections or burrs are removed from the insert elements located therein. The transport drum is advantageously arranged between a feed container and a storage container provided at its outlet end and can be moved in its at least temporary rotational movement either continuously or periodically or in a combination movement in order to, on the one hand, convey the insert elements and, on the other hand, to simultaneously carry out a treatment, in particular a surface treatment, on the insert elements during this process.With the surface treatment, for example, burrs on the edges can be removed, protruding material components can be ground off, or several adhering insert elements can be separated from one another and thus isolated. For this purpose, the insert elements are conveyed through the transport drum with at least one intermittent rotation of the transport drum in such a way that the insert elements repeatedly come into contact with the inner wall of the transport drum and with one another. This occurs in the transport drum according to the invention by an at least intermittent rotation of the transport drum and the contacts between the individual insert elements on the one hand, and the abutment against the inner walls of the transport drum on the other, which essentially carries out a type of vibratory grinding process with the insert elements.If necessary, the function and type of pretreatment can be further enhanced by forming a profile with elevations and / or depressions on the inside of the transport drum, at least in sections.

[0013] In one embodiment of the invention, an average residence time of the insert elements in the transport drum is adjusted by adjusting the rotational movement, direction of rotation, shape, inclination, and / or other movement profiles on or in the transport drum. In addition to the average residence time, the type and intensity of the surface treatment applied to the insert elements can be effectively adjusted using the proposed measures.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, the pretreated insert elements, after the specified average residence time in the transport drum, are discharged at an exit of the transport drum into a designated storage container for orderly insertion into bores in the screen plate or into a storage container as bulk material for intermediate storage of the insert elements. Due to the treatment of the outer surface, the insert elements pretreated in this way have greater dimensional accuracy than before and no protruding elements, such as burrs, that interfere with handling. Insertion into the bores provided for this purpose with appropriate diameters or shaped openings in the screen plate, or further processing in other subsequent handling steps in the automation systems, is thus possible without errors.The pretreatment of the insert elements according to the invention has the advantage of significantly reducing downtimes and downtimes of such systems, resulting in less scrap in the production of injection-molded parts equipped with insert elements, such as pipette tips. With the lower scrap rate, higher quality, and dimensional accuracy of the insert elements, safe handling in such pipette tip assembly processes can also be achieved.

[0015] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a combined conveying and pretreatment of the insert elements takes place in the transport drum, in particular vibratory grinding, for deburring, separating, or cleaning the insert elements while simultaneously transporting them further. Thus, according to the invention, two combined process steps are preferably carried out within the transport drum in an automated manner: Firstly, the insert elements are transported from the feed container to a storage container by the transport drum or by additional means provided on or in the transport drum. These means can be mechanical means, such as conveyor elements, scoops, sliding parts, or the like, which function in conjunction with the partial rotational movement of the transport drum.Alternatively, these means for transporting the insert elements in this step can also be provided externally on the transport drum, for example, by pneumatic nozzles, actuators, or similar. The means can also be implemented by simple gravity and an inclined position, so that during a rotational movement of the transport drum, the insert elements are moved quasi-automatically from an input side to an output side of the transport drum. In combination with this, the pretreatments or surface finishing of the insert elements are also carried out in the same process step according to the invention.

[0016] Such pretreatment within the scope of this invention means that the insert elements are treated with regard to their dimensional accuracy, cleanliness, separation, etc., in such a way that rejects due to missing parts in the provision of insert elements and in the fitting of pipette tips are avoided as far as possible, or at least significantly reduced. The pretreatment of the insert elements, which is provided in combination with the conveying process, can be carried out in various ways. Preferably, this is a treatment by means of a type of vibratory grinding, i.e.that the individual insert elements come into contact with one another and with outer walls or corresponding projections, elevations or the like on the inner walls of the transport drum due to a rotary movement of the transport drum in order to prepare the insert elements accordingly in terms of dimensional accuracy, shape accuracy and the like so that they are optimally adapted for the subsequent processing steps, in particular to bores of a sieve plate of the storage container or of a handling system that are adapted to the dimensions of the diameters of the insert elements. In this step of pretreating the insert elements, the insert elements are machined, for example by vibratory grinding or a similar process, in such a way that they are deburred, several adhering insert elements are separated and the insert elements are cleaned.According to the invention, considerable technical advantages are achieved with regard to the quality and effectiveness in the production and provision of the insert elements.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by sorting out defective parts of the insert elements before or during insertion into the storage container with the sieve plate. After pretreatment and conveyance of the insert elements through the transport drum, good parts are sorted out from defective parts of the insert elements with regard to dimensional accuracy and shape precision or any damage to the insert elements. In this sorting step, the pretreated insert elements are divided into good parts and bad parts using appropriate devices, such as optical sensors, pre-sorting masks, mechanical or pneumatic actuators, or nozzles. Thus, only good parts subsequently reach the storage container.The further processing and use of the insert elements for equipping the injection-molded parts is thus ensured without any problems and with high quality in the insert elements used, such as the cylindrical filters for pipette tips. For the step of sorting out defective parts according to the invention, various measures, devices, and means suitable for detecting and sorting out defective parts can be used.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, defective parts of the insert elements are suctioned out and / or ejected at or in front of the sieve plate of the storage container. The insert elements located in front of the sieve plate, which, for example, have not reached the designated openings or bores in the sieve plate, are removed in this step by a pneumatic means, namely a suction device, or alternatively by a mechanical means, such as a slide, a lock, a rake, or the like. Defective parts can also be ejected directly at the sieve plate in such a way that defective parts that have become jammed in the openings of the sieve plate are removed from below using a push plate or ejection unit provided with protruding pins.This measure of suction and / or ejection of defective parts significantly increases the proportion of good parts without defects in the dimensional accuracy and shape of the insert elements at the end of the process.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a pre-sorting mask is used to eject defective parts from the insert elements after they have been removed from an exit or exit opening of the transport drum. Such a pre-sorting mask can, for example, be installed between the transport drum and the downstream storage container. A pre-sorting mask can be formed by appropriately shaping the mask openings so that only good parts exit the insert elements after passing through the pre-sorting mask. Various shapes and configurations of such pre-sorting masks can be used within the scope of the invention. The pre-sorting mask can, for example, also be combined with an ejection means such as a suction or ejection process.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by setting a predetermined inclination of the transport drum at an angle α relative to the horizontal for a defined average duration or residence time of the insert elements for pre-treating the insert elements in the transport drum. For this purpose, the transport drum is provided with a device with which the angle of inclination α of the axis of rotation X of the transport drum can be easily adjusted in relation to the horizontal, for example in a range from 0° to 30°. With this measure, the insert elements fed in at the inlet side of the transport drum are automatically transported by gravity and in combination with the at least temporary rotational movement of the transport drum from the inlet side to the outlet side facing the storage container, with simultaneous pre-treatment within the transport drum by the shape of the transport drum (e.g.B. round or square cross-sectional shape), any profiling or other measures within the space of the transport drum. This allows an effective setting of the average desired residence time and duration of the pre-treatment of the insert elements to be specifically defined and varied using relatively simple design measures. Onward conveyance occurs more or less automatically due to gravity and in conjunction with the rotation of the drum with or without the assistance of further profiling inside the transport drum. A residence time and thus duration of the pre-treatment of more or fewer insert elements to be treated can be adjusted as required, thus achieving a high-quality result and a large number of good parts, i.e. a low scrap rate.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by conveying and pretreating the insert elements in the transport drum in a combined manner by means of at least one helical profiling or a section of a helical or scoop-shaped profiling on the inside of the transport drum. Such a helical or helical profiling running inside the cylindrical transport drum can be formed, for example, by a raised portion or a recess. The helical, spiral, or helical profiling has the advantage that, even solely due to a rotational movement, further conveyance of the insert elements introduced as bulk material occurs simultaneously with pretreatment by, for example, vibratory grinding or a type of vibration inside the transport drum.In this way, any burrs on the edges of the insert elements are safely removed and residues, dust or chippings from the process are filtered out through the openings or perforations (slots) of the.

[0022] Transport drum. This allows for further transport, for example, even without an incline or with a very slight incline of the transport drum relative to the horizontal, and pretreatment can be carried out over a relatively short distance within the designated transport drums. Last but not least, the insert elements come into contact with the profiling and each other more frequently due to the greater mixing during treatment provided by the spiral shape.

[0023] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by screening and removing material particles, dirt particles, or fragments from the pretreatment process of the insert elements from the transport drum via the openings or perforations. For this purpose, appropriate measures are provided on or in the transport drum in addition to the openings (bores) or perforations or slots. For example, the corresponding material particles or dirt particles are actively extracted from the interior of the transport drum or, alternatively, are simply removed from the process by gravity and a collecting container below the transport drum of appropriate dimensions and design. Compressed air or fluid application can also be used to remove particles.This prevents such particles and debris from leading to rejects or system downtime during further processing and the assembly of injection-molded parts. This effectively prevents insert elements that do not fit into the holes of a sieve plate, for example, a storage container, from being conveyed onward as good parts or from entering the holes and then jamming in the holes or bores of the sieve plate. This prevents the automated process from being unnecessarily interrupted or the need for time-consuming manual intervention to continue the process with insert elements of the correct quality and with precise dimensions.

[0024] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by applying compressed air to the transport drum from below for targeted swirling of the insert elements during pretreatment. By supplying compressed air or compressed air from below to the transport drums provided with openings or bores, the insert elements located inside are swirled even more intensely and are essentially rubbed against each other and against the inner walls of the transport drum, and are cleaned or deburred. The application of compressed air is a structurally simple means of achieving even faster pretreatment in the transport drums of the method according to the invention. The process duration can thus be further reduced while still achieving a virtually fully automated process of combined further conveyance and pretreatment for cleaning, deburring, or separating the insert elements.

[0025] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method is characterized by an at least temporary rotational movement of the transport drum during the pre-treatment process of the insert elements, preferably a continuous rotational movement, an alternating forward-backward rotational movement, a rotational movement stopped in the meantime, or a rotational movement in a piling step (several forward movements, one backward movement), or a combination thereof. With such a rotational movement of the transport drum at least temporarily during the pre-treatment process of the insert elements, it is achieved that the insert elements fed in as bulk material come into greater contact with one another and with the inner walls as well as with any profiles present there. Thus, due to the friction between one another or with the walls of the transport drum or its profiles, they are treated as quickly as possible in the sense of a type of vibratory grinding.Protruding burrs on the edges are quickly removed and removed from the process, and effective separation of multiple adhering insert elements is achieved. The at least partial rotation of the transport drum during the pretreatment process can preferably be a continuous rotation. Alternatively, an alternating forward-backward rotation similar to the rotation of a washing machine drum can be provided, or a rotation that is stopped intermittently, or a rotation similar to a pilger step. As required, the corresponding pretreatments can be adapted to the process and the insert elements to be treated.This ensures effective pretreatment of the insert elements, and the insert elements at the exit of the transport drum can be used to a large extent as good parts in the process of loading the injection-molded parts and for further handling. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fill level of the storage container downstream of the transport drum is detected in order to control the quantity of insert elements undergoing pretreatment. The fill level can be detected, for example, using corresponding sensors on the storage container with an associated control unit set up and adapted for this purpose. The detection of the fill level has the advantage that the supply, further conveyance and residence time of the insert elements in the pretreatment step of the transport drum can be adjusted accordingly.If further pretreatment of insert elements is not required, the process can also be temporarily paused. This allows a virtually fully automated process for the insertion, pretreatment, and further transport of the insert elements to be carried out in an automation system for the assembly of insert elements in injection-molded parts such as pipette tips, which offers significant technical and economic advantages in the handling of such critical individual parts in the pipette tip assembly process.

[0026] According to the invention, a device is also proposed, in particular for carrying out the method according to the invention for the pretreatment of insert elements, in particular filter elements, for equipping injection-molded parts, in particular pipette tips, wherein the insert elements are transported as bulk material from a feed container or bunker to a storage container, wherein the bottom of the storage container is designed as a sieve plate with openings or bores into which the insert elements are transferred by means of a shaking movement for further transport or for use in the assembly process of the injection-molded parts or in another subsequent process step, characterized in that a transport drum which is rotatable about an axis X is provided between the feed container and the storage container.By rotating the transport drum, the insert elements are conveyed from an input side to an output side or output opening, with the surfaces being treated, for example, to remove burrs or the like. The insert elements abut the inner wall of the transport drum and also abut one another. According to one embodiment of the invention, the transport drum is provided with openings or perforations or bores or slots or the like that have a smaller diameter than that of the filter elements or a different shape or size than the insert elements. In this way, the insert elements are held in the transport drum for a certain period and there, according to the invention, are pretreated in a type of vibratory grinding process, in particular according to the method described above.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the invention, the transport drum is provided on its inner side, at least in sections, with at least one profile consisting of elevations and / or depressions, and means are provided for automatically conveying the insert elements through the transport drum from an input side to an output side, with at least temporary rotation of the transport drum for pretreating the insert elements. The device according to the invention thus comprises a specifically designed transport drum between a feed container and a subsequent storage container for the insert elements, which is designed such that further conveyance or transport takes place in the transport drum while simultaneously pretreating or processing the filter elements inside the transport drum.For this purpose, the transport drum has means that automatically transport the filter elements as bulk material from an inlet side to an outlet side. The walls of the transport drum are provided with openings or holes or perforations or slots of a smaller diameter than that of the filter elements themselves. Both a round cylindrical shape and a polygonal, e.g., hexagonal or octagonal, drum can be used as a transport drum. Metal or plastic drums can also be used according to the invention.

[0028] In this way, and due to the at least temporary rotation of the transport drum, in addition to the onward conveyance, a special pretreatment process, particularly of the surfaces, takes place in the transport drum: The individual insert elements are abraded on the walls and against each other and, in a kind of vibratory grinding, deburred, cleaned, and separated, so that a larger number of insert elements of sufficient quality and dimensionally appropriate size can be ejected as good parts at the exit end of the transport drum. The pretreatment serves to maintain dimensional accuracy, clean and remove dirt particles, and separate, for example, multiple insert elements that may have stuck together from a previous insert element manufacturing process.For this purpose, the transport drum has corresponding openings or perforations with a different cross-section than that of the elements or with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the insert elements themselves. In addition, there is preferably at least one profiling in the transport drum. This enhances the effect of the pretreatment. In this way, the dirt particles, broken pieces or small particles can be effectively removed from the interior of the transport drum after they have been removed from the insert elements. The insert elements thus arrive in a cleaned and deburred manner in the storage container of the device according to the invention, which is arranged downstream of the transport drum. The means for automatically conveying the insert elements inside the transport drum can be implemented in various ways, for example by simple gravity or by a slight incline or slope of the arrangement of the transport drum.The conveying means inside the transport drum can also be active means, such as slides or fluid-powered actuators such as air nozzles. The means for conveying and handling the insert elements inside the transport drum can also be implemented as protruding elements, scoops, or profiles in the transport drum.

[0029] According to an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transport drum is provided with means for variably adjusting an inclination or tilt at an angle a relative to the horizontal, and a control unit is provided which is designed and adapted to variably adjust the inclination of the transport drum according to the desired residence time and process duration of the pretreatment of the insert elements. With such an inclination or tilt of the transport drum between a higher input side and a lower output side, the further conveyance of an at least temporarily rotating transport drum can be achieved in a simple structural manner by means of gravity.The insert elements introduced as bulk material at the inlet side move piece by piece during pre-treatment inside the transport drum and, after a variably adjustable residence time and treatment duration of the pre-treatment, arrive at the outlet end in a cleaned, deburred, and singularized form in the storage container. This means that further processing in the subsequent loading process of pipette tips or similar can be easily carried out automatically from the sieve plate without significant waste. To adjust the inclination, the transport drum can be easily adjusted slightly along its longitudinal axis using appropriate actuators, for example on the pivot bearings. The inclination of the transport drum can also be achieved by adjusting the drive axis of a drive motor.Other forms of inclination adjustment according to the desired residence time of the insert elements in the transport drum, as used for such conveyor devices in automation technology, are also familiar to the person skilled in the art and can be used within the scope of this invention with the described advantages of combined pretreatment and transport.

[0030] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transport drum is provided with means for further conveying insert elements inside the transport drum or outside the transport drum. The means for further conveying the insert elements can be of very different types and shapes, as long as they allow the insert elements to be transported or conveyed from the inlet side to the outlet side of the transport drum during their treatment. For example, profiles or elements can be provided inside the transport drum that cause the filter elements to move forward, with or without rotation of the transport drum, and simultaneously effect pretreatment. Such movement means can also be attached outside the transport drum, for example in the form of pneumatic actuators or the like.With this feature, according to the invention, the pretreatment step in the transport drum initiates both the pretreatment itself intended for cleaning or deburring and the further conveyance or transport of the insert elements to the output side and the downstream storage container of the device. A fully automated execution of the pretreatment step is thus possible even without a separate handling system, such as a gripper or transfer unit.

[0031] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the means for conveying the insert elements through the transport drum are formed in the form of profiles or at least one profile with elevations and / or depressions on an inner side or inner wall of the transport drum. The profile is provided at least partially inside the drum. Such a profile can, for example, be provided in the form of an inwardly projecting profile in a straight, spiral, or helical shape such that it extends obliquely along an inner wall of the transport drum from an input side to an output side.It is also possible to provide several combined profiles, for example, two intertwined coils with the same spiral direction or helical shape, inside the transport drum to achieve controlled movement and pretreatment of the insert elements inside the transport drum, for example, through a rotating movement of the transport drum. Such a profiled form of transport means can also be realized by profiles formed with recesses or with protruding web sections inside the transport drum.The profile or multiple profiles in the transport drum can have different cross-sectional shapes, depending on the desired burr or the intensity of the pretreatment provided by a type of vibratory grinding of the surfaces of the insert elements. For example, profiles with a semicircular cross-section, trapezoidal cross-section, triangular cross-section, or even free-form profiles in the form of protruding sections in a helical or spiral shape can be provided inside the transport drum. The profiles can also vary in pitch to achieve slower or faster conveyance in different areas.Those skilled in the art are familiar with a wide variety of different shapes and types of such profiles, which can be used for conveying the insert elements and for simultaneous pretreatment inside the transport drum according to the invention for the purposes of the present invention. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a suction unit, preferably operated with vacuum or negative pressure, is provided on an outer side of the transport drum for removing dirt, particles, or fragments from the pretreatment of the insert elements from the bores or openings of the transport drum.Such a suction unit, which can be installed, for example, underneath or to the side and below the transport drums, has the advantage that dirt particles, broken pieces, or dust residues are actively extracted from the insert elements treated as bulk material through the openings or holes, allowing them to be disposed of. The insert elements then conveyed to the storage container at the exit of the transport drum are thus of a high degree of purity and exhibit good dimensional accuracy due to the pretreatment via a type of vibratory grinding or swirling and abutment inside the transport drum. They can be introduced into the storage container as 100% acceptable parts and effectively used in subsequent processes for the assembly of pipette tips.

[0032] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a pressure generating device is provided on an outer side of the transport drum to additionally pressurize the insert elements from below or from one side through the bores or openings in the transport drum during pretreatment. This measure achieves even greater mixing and turbulence of the insert elements, so that improved pretreatment is achieved even with relatively short transport drums and a shortened dwell time inside the transport drum. The deburring and separation of sticking insert elements can thus be actively accelerated and supported from the outside.

[0033] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one profile in the form of a helical coil, preferably a helical double coil or multiple coil, is provided on an inner side of the transport drum. Even with a single helical or spiral coil extending on an inner wall of the transport drum and which can be provided, for example, as a semicircular projecting cross-sectional profile or bulge in the material of the drum, active further conveyance with simultaneous pretreatment is achieved due to the projecting or projecting profile of the coil. With an increased number of, for example, a double coil or multiple coil, this measure can be further enhanced. The sufficient pretreatment can thus also be achieved with a reduced rotary movement or a shortened form of such transport drums with a high-quality end result, i.e.This allows for insert elements that are deburred in their external dimensions and optimized in diameter. This also enables the further transport of the insert elements and their pretreatment with a transport drum that is only aligned horizontally, without the need for, for example, a separate tilting device or inclination device.

[0034] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a helical profile with a constant or variable pitch is provided on an inner side of the transport drum, which has a semicircular, trapezoidal, or triangular protruding profile in cross-section. Such a protruding profile can be produced by embossing, for example, a sheet metal material or perforated sheet by pressing or embossing. Alternatively, the protruding profile can also be created by applying a wire structure with a correspondingly shaped cross-section. A semicircular cross-sectional shape has a lesser influence on the deburring or grinding of the surfaces of the insert elements than a trapezoidal or triangular shape, whereas the triangular or trapezoidal shape requires more intensive grinding during pretreatment due to the edges.

[0035] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the transport drum is a perforated sheet with circular openings or bores or with rectangular apertures, which is made from a cylindrical sheet element bent into a circle or drum, which is open at both ends. Alternatively, the drum can also be formed as a bent polygon, e.g., hexagonal. With such a perforated sheet or a transport drum made of sheet material, an effective shape for the purposes of conveying and pretreating the insert elements in the transport drum can be easily realized in a combined manner.Alternatively, the transport drum can also be made of a wire mesh with a clear mesh size or another such element with openings or apertures - also made of plastic - in which the mesh size or the apertures are formed correspondingly smaller than the outer diameter or the outer geometry of the insert elements themselves in order to realize the transport and further conveyance with combined pre-treatment of the insert elements in the transport drum.

[0036] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a variable drive with a control unit is provided to generate at least a partial rotational movement of the transport drum. This control unit can be used to set the transport drum in a continuous, constant rotational movement or to move it alternately, for example, in a right-left direction. Alternatively, the transport drum can also be controlled in a combined manner with an interim stopping or pause of the rotational movement, in order to implement the two combined steps of transport and pretreatment according to the invention via a type of vibratory grinding inside the transport drum.The drive of the transport drum is preferably mounted on the transport drum and connected to the X axis of the transport drum in such a way that the inlet side and the outlet side allow a sufficiently large opening for the insertion and removal of the insert elements as bulk material from an upstream bunker or the like.

[0037] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a storage container is provided at the outlet of the transport drum and features automatic fill level detection via a fill level sensor or similar. The process of transporting and pretreating the insert elements in the transport drum can thus be actively regulated and controlled by the device according to the need for cleaned and pretreated insert elements in subsequent processes. When the storage container at the outlet side of the transport drum is sufficiently filled, a signal is returned to the system via the control system and from the fill level sensor, so that the further transport and pretreatment of new insert elements can be temporarily stopped or slowed down. In this way, fully automatic handling of such insert elements in the pretreatment step via the transport drum with the fill level sensor on the storage container is possible.A fill level sensor can, for example, be provided in the form of an optical sensor above a top-open storage container. Alternatively, a fill level sensor can also be implemented in the form of a sensor element attached to the side of the storage container or via a sensor unit that can detect the current fill weight of the storage container.

[0038] According to an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transport drum is provided with means for removing the insert elements after pretreatment, with which means the completely pretreated insert elements can be removed from the transport drum and conveyed further. For removing the insert elements, means in particular in the form of an outlet opening of the transport drum itself at its outlet end, a flap or a control for reversing the direction of rotation or changing the angle of inclination a of the axis X of the transport drum can be provided. With an outlet opening at the outlet end, the insert elements can be removed by gravity, for example by adjusting the inclination. Both radial openings and openings pointing in the axial direction are possible. Alternatively, an actively opened flap can also be provided on the transport drum itself.Flaps or rotation direction controls of the transport drum can also be provided such that when the direction of rotation is changed, the fully pretreated insert elements are automatically removed from the transport drum. According to a related aspect of the invention, an outlet opening at the end of the transport drum for emptying the insert elements can be designed such that during a forward movement of the transport drum, the outlet opening remains closed by a type of roof profile, and during a backward movement, the opening at the outlet end of the transport drum is opened for emptying. This type of closing / opening mechanism is also known, for example, as a so-called "lottery drum," in which the outlet opening is essentially in the rotational shadow.

[0039] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a means for sorting out defective parts from good parts of the insert elements is provided between an outlet of the transport drum and upstream of the storage container of the device, in particular in the form of a pneumatic suction device, a slider, an ejector, and / or a piercing unit with respect to the bores or openings in the sieve plate. With a pneumatic suction device, for example, as well as with the mechanical means for sorting out defective parts, the differentiation and separation of defective parts and good parts between the transport drum and the predetermined area can be carried out effectively. This ensures that ultimately only good parts reach the storage container, so that the defective parts or broken insert elements can be removed from the process beforehand.In this context, it is also possible to implement a sorting means in the form of a region of the device, for example the sieve plate, being moved laterally out of the area of ​​the storage container by means of a moving unit. Alternatively, an adjustment movement of the sieve plate itself can also be carried out in order to realize such sorting of defective parts with the device according to the invention. In all of these variants, it is also possible to temporarily stop a further supply of insert elements from the transport drum via a closable bulkhead. Combinations of the described pneumatic or mechanical means for sorting out defective parts can also be used at this point in the device according to the invention.

[0040] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a detection means for detecting missing parts of insert elements is provided downstream of the transport drum in the conveying direction of the insert elements. Such a detection means can be a sensor, for example, an optical sensor. Camera-based detection means can also be used. Alternatively, it is also possible to use so-called pre-sorting masks, through which the good parts can be detected from the bad parts and moved out of the process in corresponding different conveying directions.

[0041] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a means is provided for sorting out undersized parts of the insert elements which lie in at least one dimension below a specified tolerance size of the insert elements, in the form of a sieve mask with sieve openings dimensioned according to the tolerance size. The insert elements which have been pre-treated and accordingly processed in the transport drum are then passed through a sorting means in the form of a sieve mask which is provided with openings in the sieve in such a way that insert elements which are too small in a certain dimension, such as width or diameter, are sieved out and only the so-called good parts with dimensions within the tolerance range which are deemed to be within the tolerance are conveyed on. The sorting means have a type of sieve mask or perforated grid with sieve openings orHole sizes in such a way that, for example, the diameter of cylindrical insert elements has a minimum size for holding above the sieve mask. Insert elements that fall below this minimum size fall through the sieve openings or holes and can be removed from the process as so-called reject parts. In this way, the quality and dimensional accuracy of the ultimately manufactured and pre-treated insert elements can be further improved. Even parts that were treated in the transport drum to remove burrs or unwanted protruding elements during pre-treatment but then no longer meet the minimum size are easily sorted out by the sieve mask before being conveyed to the containers for good parts or to a downstream process of automated assembly into pipette tips or similar.The proportion of failures or defective parts in the final products is thus further significantly reduced.

[0042] According to a further related embodiment of the invention, the device is provided with a means for sorting out undersized parts of the insert elements in the form of a screen, which is provided at least in sections with an incline relative to the horizontal and is arranged in particular above a container for reject parts. The screen for filtering out undersized parts is thus arranged at a type of incline or slope relative to the horizontal, for example, above a collecting container or a conveyor belt. The reject parts thus simply fall out through the screen openings of the screen due to gravity after screening, and the acceptable parts remain above the inclined screen.They can then be collected in another container for good parts or, in a downstream process, transported directly on a conveyor belt or similar for further use, in particular for insertion into the injection-molded parts. The means for sorting out undersized parts are thus comparatively simple in design and highly efficient. The separation between good parts and rejects thus takes place in another downstream device section after the pretreatment of the insert elements within the transport drums. According to a further related aspect of the invention, the sieve plate can also be provided with a vibrating movement as a vibrating plate. This further increases the speed and efficiency when sorting out undersized parts that lie below a predetermined lower dimension of the tolerance range of such insert elements.

[0043] Further advantageous embodiments, features, and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail below using several exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0044] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first

[0045] Embodiment of an inventive device for pretreatment and transport of filter elements for pipette tips;

[0046] Fig. 2a to

[0047] Fig. 2c shows various views of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention for pretreating filter elements for pipette tips with two perspective views (Fig. 2a, Fig. 2c) and a plan view (Fig. 2b);

[0048] Fig. 3 to

[0049] Fig. 3d shows various views of an embodiment of a transport drum according to the invention for a device for pretreating and conveying filter elements, with perspective views (Fig. 3, Fig. 3d), a top view (Fig. 3a), a side view (Fig. 3b) and a sectional view according to AA (Fig. 3c); and

[0050] Fig. 4 an alternative embodiment of a transport drum for

[0051] Use in an embodiment of a device and method according to the invention in a perspective view with slot-shaped openings instead of holes or round openings; Fig. 5a to

[0052] Fig. 5c various detailed views of a storage container according to an embodiment of the device according to the invention for receiving and sorting out filter elements pretreated in the transport drum;

[0053] Fig. 6 shows three schematic views (top view and cross section) of variants for a transport drum according to the invention of a pretreatment device for filter elements with different possibilities for inserting or removing the insert elements into the transport drum with, in Fig. 6a, a radial opening in the form of a flap, Fig. 6b an axial opening in the form of a nozzle and Fig. 6c a removal via a reversal of the direction of rotation;

[0054] Fig. 7, Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b show various schematic views of an embodiment of the device according to the invention for pretreating filter elements with a square cross-sectional shape of the transport drum and a suction unit provided at different openings;

[0055] Fig. 8 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a form of sorting unit for missing parts of the device according to the invention with lateral suction;

[0056] Fig. 9, Fig. 9a and Fig. 9b are schematic views of a further embodiment of a sorting unit for defective parts according to the device for pretreating insert parts with a suction unit 13 and lateral movement possibilities of the sieve plate to an ejector;

[0057] Fig. 10 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a sorting unit according to the invention for missing parts from the device for pretreating the insert elements with an adjustable funnel in front of the sieve plate of the storage container;

[0058] Fig. 11 ,

[0059] Fig. 11a and Fig. 11b are schematic side views of further embodiments of a sorting unit for missing parts according to the invention on the storage container of the device for pretreating the insert elements;

[0060] Fig. 12a to

[0061] Fig. 12e shows various variants in schematic side views for different operating modes of the transport drum for the pretreatment of the insert elements according to the invention;

[0062] Fig. 13 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention for pretreating and transporting insert elements for injection-molded parts with a downstream ejection of undersized parts; and

[0063] Fig. 13a,

[0064] Fig. 13b and Fig. 13c show various detailed views of variants of a screen mask for sorting out undersized parts in the embodiment of a device for treating insert elements according to Fig. 13.

[0065] Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a first embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention for pretreating and transporting insert elements, such as cylindrical filter elements 1 for equipping injection-molded parts such as pipette tips, which are provided in the form of bulk material in a feed container 2, which in this embodiment is realized as a funnel-shaped hopper that is open at the top and widened. The filter elements 1 are then fed from the feed container 2 via a transport drum 5 with perforations or openings 5.1 via its inlet 5.3, which have a smaller dimension or a different shape than the diameter or cross-sectional shape of the filter elements 1, wherein the transport drum 5 is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis X.

[0066] In addition to transport, the transport drum 5 also serves to pretreat the filter elements 1, in particular by means of a type of surface treatment also known as vibratory grinding, in order to remove any burrs on the edges or deformities or to separate adhering filter elements 1 inside the transport drum 5. For this purpose, the transport drum 5 is driven so as to rotate about the main axis X and, in this example, is provided with corresponding devices and means for pretreatment inside it. The means for pretreatment can be a profiling 6 or simply a shape of the wall of the drum 5, such as a polygonal cross-sectional shape. For this purpose, a drive motor 11 is provided on the rotational axis X of the transport drum 5, which drive motor can be actuated via a control unit 9 according to a desired duration of the pretreatment and the residence time of the filter elements 1 in the transport drum 5.In this example, the transport drum 5 has a cylindrical shape and is formed with a plurality of similar and uniformly provided openings 5.1 or bores in the material, for example a metal sheet. The transport drum 5 can alternatively also have a polygonal instead of round cylindrical cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport drum 5 is inclined at an angle α in an orientation slightly inclined to the horizontal. The filter elements 1 fed from the feed container 2 or bunker are therefore treated in the pretreatment step in the transport drum 5 by an at least temporary rotational movement of the transport drum 5 together with conveying in combination with gravity on their surface in order to exit at a lower outlet end 5.4 of the transport drum 5 cleaned and deburred so that it can be reused according to the invention, in particular in a pipette tip assembly process.

[0067] While the filter elements 1 are located inside the transport drum 5, the drum is rotated at least temporarily in one direction or alternately in a forward and reverse direction by the drive motor 11 via the control unit 9, so that the filter elements 1 inside the transport drum 5 collide with one another and strike the inner sides of the transport drum 5. In the process, the burrs on the edges or other projections sometimes found on the filter elements 1 are completely removed, and the filter elements 1 are separated from one another even if they are stuck together. The openings 5.1 or bores in the cylindrical shell wall of the transport container 5 are circular openings 5.1 in this example. The openings 5.1 have, according to the invention, a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the filter elements 1, which in this example are also cylindrical, so that the filter elements 1 remain inside the transport drum 5, but splintered material particles, microscopic fragments or dirt particles are effectively removed from the transport drum 5 via the openings 5.1. During the pretreatment of the filter elements 1 in the transport drum 5, the filter elements 1 are thus moved, in particular by the rotational movement and preferably the inclination or slant at an angle a of the axis X of the drum 5, from an inlet 5.3 on the side of the feed container 2 towards an outlet 5.4 in the direction of the storage container 3 and are simultaneously pretreated in one step by the individual filter elements 1 rubbing against one another and rubbing against an inner wall of the transport drum 5.

[0068] The inner wall of the transport drum 5 can, for example, also be provided with an inwardly projecting or internally recessed profile 6 along the longitudinal direction of the axis X, whereby this pretreatment of the filter elements 1 by removing deformities such as burrs or the like can be even more effectively carried out during the period (residence time) of the filter elements 1 in the transport drum 5. After the burrs, residual particles, fragments, or material dust have been removed from the openings 5.1 in the drum 5, the filter elements 1 then reach a storage container 3 as good parts at the outlet 5.4 of the drum 5 in a cleaned form with the desired dimensional accuracy. In this embodiment, the storage container 3 is provided with a base designed as a sieve plate 4, which has a series of openings 4.1 corresponding to the outer diameter of the filter elements 1, into which these are inserted into the individual bores 4.1 by a type of shaking movement in order to automatically prepare them for further processing (cf. also Fig. 5a to Fig. 5c). Thus, only filter elements 1 emerge from the transport drum 5 which are prepared in terms of dimensional accuracy, quality and shape in such a way that they do not lead to undesired downtimes in the largely automated handling of such filter elements 1 or to increased waste in the subsequent process. In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a suction unit 7 is provided on the underside of the transport drum 5, which uses negative pressure or vacuum to reliably remove the particulate matter and dirt particles emerging from the openings 5.1 of the transport drum 5 before the filter elements 1 are then emptied into the storage container 3.In this example, a fill level sensor 12 is also present on the storage container 3, via which the control of the residence time in the transport drum 5 or the feeding of filter elements 1 from the feed container 2 can be controlled using the control unit 9 according to the requirements in the further processing of filter elements 1. The control unit 9 is designed so that, on the one hand, the angle of inclination a of the transport drum 5, a rotational movement about the axis X of the transport drum 5 or the feeding of filter elements 1 from the feed container 2 can be automatically controlled according to the desired residence time and the desired number of filter elements 1 to be treated during the pipette tip loading process.

[0069] In the example of Fig. 1, a movement unit 14 is shown next to the storage container 3, via which the individual cleaned and pretreated filter elements 1 can be removed from the sieve plate 4 of the storage container 3 and further processed, for example by means of a handling system or a transfer plate and buffer plate. To the left of the storage container 3, a cleaning unit 13 is shown, by means of which the filter elements 1 located in the storage container 3 are further cleaned and defective parts are removed. This cleaning unit 13 incorporates a filter extraction system with an upwardly directed suction unit. If the storage container 3 is in a laterally displaced position, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 (reference numerals 3', 4'), defective parts can be removed upwardly via the filter extraction system of the cleaning unit 13, so that only good parts remain in the container 3 and the sieve plate 4.The transport drum 5 according to this embodiment has a circular-cylindrical shape with completely open inlet and outlet ends 5.3, 5.4 and can, for example, be made of a perforated sheet with uniform round openings 5.1 or bores and be made of a bent and joined sheet metal. Alternative shapes of non-circular openings 5.1 are conceivable, as are a partially closed outlet end 5.4 or polygonal, e.g., hexagonal, cross-sections of the transport drum 5.

[0070] On the inside of the transport drum 5, a profiling 6 may or may not be provided according to the further exemplary embodiments described below. Such a profiling 6 may, for example, be a helical, inwardly projecting profiling 6 with a predetermined cross-section. The transport drum 5 may also be implemented with other means for further conveying the filter elements 1 during the pretreatment process in the transport drum 5, for example with pneumatic actuators or nozzles for further transport and / or for swirling the filter elements 1 inside the transport drum. This, too, together with the control unit 9, allows the average desired residence time and thus the duration of the pretreatment in the transport drum 5 to be variably adjusted as required according to the invention.

[0071] With the device 10 thus formed for pretreating and conveying filter elements 1 in a placement process for injection-molded parts, such as pipette tips, fully automated handling of the placement process can be further optimized. The filter elements 1 resulting from the pretreatment in the device 10 according to the invention are significantly better in terms of dimensional accuracy and quality than in previous systems of this type. Downtime and rejection of filter elements 1 deemed to be unsatisfactory can be significantly reduced. This significantly improves filter quality and increases the efficiency of such a filter assembly line in automated systems. The filter elements 1 no longer have any protruding burrs on their edges when they emerge from the pretreatment step according to the method according to the invention in the device 10 or its transport drum 5.In this way, the dissolution of filter elements 1 stuck together (so-called double filters) can also be effectively carried out by the rubbing and sliding of the filter elements 1 against each other inside the transport drum 5, including on the profiles 6. The resulting breakages, material dust, micro-breakages, fragmented filters, etc. can preferably be automatically removed from the process and from the transport drum 5, either directly or in the described subsequent separation step in the cleaning unit 13. If they do not exit the bores or openings 5.1 on their own or with vacuum assistance, they can also be removed at an outlet 5.4 of an inclined transport drum 5 using appropriate devices and units 13 before entering the storage container 3.The invention thus has the considerable technical advantage that it is possible to remove filters and filter elements 1 that are not dimensionally accurate, or that a large number of filter elements 1 that are found to be of good dimensional accuracy are produced at the output of the pretreatment steps.

[0072] 2a, 2b and 2c show, in different views, a second exemplary embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention for pretreating and conveying filter elements 1 in a process for loading pipette tips or the like. In this second exemplary embodiment, the transport drum 5 is oriented without any inclination in a horizontal direction according to its axis of rotation X, i.e. at an angle a = 0 (angle of inclination a = 0°). The feed container 2 is not designed as an upwardly open filling funnel for the filter elements 1 provided as bulk material, but as a closed, obliquely aligned box or hopper. In this exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2a to 2c, too, the transport drum 5, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation X, has openings 5.1 or bores which are different in shape or smaller in diameter than the outer diameter orExternal geometry of the filter elements 1 such that the filter elements 1 remain inside the transport drum 5 during the pretreatment step, while abrasion, particles, debris, or dust particles from the process can be effectively removed by gravity through the openings 5.1 of the transport drum 5 by a suction unit 7 or the like. In this exemplary embodiment, various means for transporting and conveying the filter elements 1 from an inlet side of the feed container 2 to an outlet side of the transport drum 5 can also be provided inside the transport drum 5, which means are preferably implemented in the form of one (or more) helical or spiral profile(s) 6 (not shown, cf. Fig. 3, Fig. 4).When the transport drum 5 rotates about the X axis via the drive motor 11 by means of the control unit 9, the filter elements 1 in the transport drum 5 are pushed against one another and treated on the walls and on the protruding profiles 6 in the transport drum 5 in a manner similar to vibratory grinding. This removes any protruding burrs on the edges, and the filter elements 1, whose dimensional accuracy has thus been improved, are made available for further processing in the preferably automated pipette tip loading process in a downstream storage container 3 (see also, for example, the embodiment of the storage container 3 according to Figs. 5a to 5c). Here, too, the storage container 3 is implemented with a fill level sensor 12, via which, according to a controller 9, the current fill level and the requirement for filter elements 1 to be pretreated are determined and the pretreatment steps in the transport drum 5 are controlled.Here, too, a handling system or a movement unit 14 is provided on the storage container 3, via which the filter elements 1 to be reused can be transferred to the assembly process. In this second embodiment of Figs. 2a to 2c, a device for changing an angle of inclination α of the transport drum 5 relative to the horizontal can also be provided. However, this is only optional and not required for the implementation of the invention. In this embodiment, as in the previous first embodiment, a suction unit 7 is provided on an underside of the transport drum 5. Here, the removal of material particles from the openings 5.1 of the transport drum 5 is improved and accelerated by means of a vacuum, and the filter elements 1 cleaned in the pretreatment step thus reach the subsequent storage container 3 with the sieve plate 4 without any disruptive residual particles or breakages.

[0073] In addition, and in contrast to the first embodiment of Fig. 1, this second embodiment also features a pressure generating device 8 on the underside of the transport drum 5. This pressure generating unit 8 can be used to induce further targeted turbulence and mixing of the filter elements 1 to be pretreated inside the transport drum 5. The compressed air introduced via the openings 5.1 increases the throughput and speed of the treatment in the transport drum 5, thus enabling a shorter dwell time during the pretreatment.

[0074] Fig. 3 shows a perspective detailed view of an embodiment of a transport drum 5 according to the invention for use in a method and a device 10 according to the present invention. According to Fig. 3, the transport drum 5 is also a cylindrical, round structure in the form of a type of perforated plate with a uniformly arranged row of openings 5.1 or bores. The openings 5.1 have a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the cylindrical filter elements 1 to be treated, so that these remain in the transport drum 5 during the pre-treatment and further conveyance step, while broken pieces, material particles, dirt particles, etc. can be automatically discharged from the process according to the invention. In the device shown in Fig. 3 and in plan views (Fig. 3a, Fig. 3b), a sectional view according to Fig. 3c and the detailed view according to Fig. 3e from Fig.In the example of a transport drum 5 according to the invention shown in Fig. 3d (perspective view), a profiling 6 is provided on the inside of the transport drum 5. The profiling 6 is formed here as a type of double helix with an inwardly projecting spiral profile (see Fig. 3e). The spiral-shaped profiling 6 has a semicircular profile in cross-section, as can be seen from the detailed view in Fig. 3e.

[0075] The spiral or profiling 6 has the advantage that, when the transport drum 5 rotates, the filter elements 1 abut each other on the one hand and on the other hand abut the protruding profiling 6, thus improving the degree of cleaning and pre-treatment in a type of contact grinding. At the same time, the profiling functions as a spiral in the manner of a screw conveyor and accomplishes the transport from the inlet 5.3 to the outlet 5.4. The profiling 6 can also have a cross-section other than a semicircular cross-section, for example a triangular, trapezoidal, or a free-form cross-section, depending on the degree of pre-treatment to be achieved. The spiral profiling 6 shown here has a uniform pitch, but can also be varied with an increasing or decreasing pitch and provided with an increased or reduced number of turns.The profiling 6 can be provided as a single helical or screw-shaped coil or as a multiple coil having more than two coils. The transport drum 5 can, for example, be made from a perforated sheet by bending and welding a prefabricated perforated sheet. It is also possible to realize other shapes of transport drums 5 in which the respective openings 5.1 or apertures 5.2 have a cross-sectional shape other than round. It is also conceivable to manufacture such transport drums 5 from a wire mesh with a smaller mesh opening than the diameter of the filter elements 1 or as a plastic drum with openings.What all of these elements of a possible design of the transport drum 5 have in common is that the filter elements 1 which are in the rotational movement about the axis X and are being conveyed by the transport drum 5 are simultaneously pretreated during transport by chipping off or removing protruding burrs or the like, separating filter elements 1 which are sticking together and discharging and removing particles or defective parts which disrupt the subsequent process by, for example, a suction unit 7 or a downstream cleaning unit 13 or simply by gravity from the openings 5.1 or 5.2.

[0076] In the further embodiment of a transport drum 5 as a detail from the device 10 according to the invention shown in Fig. 4, a transport drum 5 is shown in which slot-shaped openings 5.2 are provided, in contrast to the circular bores or openings 5.1 of the previous examples. The slot-shaped openings 5.2 also have a smaller diameter or width than those of the filter elements 1, so that the pretreatment and removal of the dirt particles and a high quality of the filter elements 1 thus forwarded can be achieved. In this embodiment of Fig. 4, a profiling 6 in the form of a double helix with an inwardly projecting profile is also shown.Alternatively, a profiling 6 realized as a recess can be provided or a shape other than a helical profiling 6, for example individual projecting webs in the interior of the transport drum 5 in the form of guide vanes or the like.

[0077] In all embodiments according to the invention, a drive 11 of the transport drum 5 and a control unit 9 can be provided such that a continuous rotary movement or an interrupted rotary movement about an axis X can be provided. The control unit 9, which was described above, can be designed such that the rotary movement can be generated or interrupted as required for the filter elements 1 to be pretreated. It is also thus possible to interrupt and temporarily stop the rotary movement about the axis X of the transport drum 5, for example, in order to increase the mixing and speed of the pretreatment of the filter elements 1. Figs. 5a, 5b and 5c show detailed views of a storage container 3, which is provided in the device 10 of the invention of the transport drum 5 as described above. In the storage container 3 (cf. also Figs. 1 to 5).2c), the cleaned, dimensional-optimized, and pretreated filter elements 1 are picked up as good parts from an output side 5.4 of the transport drum 5 and, with a shaking motion, inserted into designated openings or bores 4.1 of a sieve plate 4 (see enlarged view, Fig. 5c). For this purpose, the bores 4.1 of the sieve plate 4 have a funnel-shaped, widened upper inlet and are slightly longer than the length of the filter elements 1. Below the sieve plate 4, which forms the bottom of the storage container 3, a retaining means 4.2 in the form of a buffer plate, a bulkhead, or a transfer plate can be provided. The filter elements 1, then provided in this orderly and cleaned state, can be removed from the storage container 3 via the transfer plate as 100% good parts, if required, and can be further processed automatically via a handling system (not shown).As an alternative to such a storage container 3, the filter elements 1 coming from the transport and pretreatment drum 5 can also be used as bulk material in another storage container 3 for storage and provision for subsequent automated or manual processes of equipping pipette tips or the like with filter elements 1.

[0078] In Fig. 6 and in corresponding front views and cross-sections in Fig. 6a, Fig. 6b and Fig. 6c, several alternative embodiments for the shape of a transport drum 5 for use in the device 10 according to the invention are shown, with different possibilities for inserting and removing filter elements 1 via the inlets 5.3 and the outlets 5.4 or outlet opening 18. In these examples in Fig. 6, the transport drum 5 is realized in cross-section as a polygonal drum structure instead of a circular, cylindrical transport drum 5 as in the previous examples. Instead of a transport drum 5 open on both sides with an inlet 5.3 and an outlet 5.4, here in Fig. 6a the drum is closed at the side, and the inlet / outlet 5.3, 5.4 is implemented in the form of a radial opening, for example as a flap 19, through which the filter elements 1 are brought in and can be taken out again from the transport drum 5 after the pretreatment step. A further alternative for inserting and removing the filter elements 1 into and from the transport drum 5 is shown in Fig. 6b in a corresponding side view and cross-sectional illustration. Here, the transport drum 5 is completely closed on one side and has a type of axial opening at the right-hand end with a reduced cross-section compared to the outer dimensions of the transport drum 5. In this example, this axial opening is in the form of a nozzle 22, through which the filter elements are brought in, as shown by the arrow, and after the pretreatment, are transported out again via the profiling 6 inside the transport drum 5.In the further alternative for inserting or removing the filter elements 1 according to Fig. 6c, a radial or axial opening is formed in a rotating shadow such that the reversal of the direction of rotation of the drum 5 around the X axis, as indicated by the arrows, opens or closes the opening serving as both the inlet 5.3 and the outlet 5.4. When rotating clockwise around the X axis, the filter elements are conveyed out of the interior of the transport drum 5, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6c, whereas when rotating counterclockwise, the filter elements 1 remain in the transport drum 5 for the specified residence time of the pretreatment by means of profiling or without profiling in the manner of vibratory grinding. Alternative shapes for the inlets 5.3 and outlets 5.4 of the transport drum 5 can also be provided within the scope of the claims of the patent application, which are not separately shown.

[0079] Figure 7 and Fig. 7a, Fig. 7b each show, in a cross-sectional view and a partial cross-sectional view and partial plan view, a further embodiment of the device according to the invention with regard to the suction unit 7 for removing particles, dust, and dirt from the interior of the transport drum 5 during the pretreatment process. In the embodiment shown here, the suction unit 7 is arranged on an underside of the rotatably mounted transport drum 5 and creates suction by means of negative pressure or vacuum to extract dirt particles or small parts from the surface treatment step of the filter elements 1 inside the transport drum 5. In this example, the transport drum 5, like in Fig. 6, is realized as a polygonal, for example hexagonal, drum 5, and smaller slots 5 are located at the corners of the hexagon.2, while larger slots 5.2 are located approximately in the center of the straight sections of the transport drum 5 (see Figs. 7a and 7b). This allows different dust removal and cleaning effects to be achieved with the suction unit 7, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7a.

[0080] In a schematic view, Fig. 8 shows another example of a sorting unit 20 according to the invention for separating good parts from defective parts of the filter elements 1 after they have been removed from the transport drum 5 through its outlet 5.4. A hopper 3.2 of the storage container 3 is closed and opened as needed via a bulkhead 21 (see arrow in Fig. 8). A cleaning unit 13 operating via compressed air and suction is attached to the left and right sides of the hopper 3.2. The compressed air is introduced below the sieve plate 4 on the right side of the storage container 3 in order to remove filter elements 1 or filter element residues that have become jammed with compressed air through the openings or bores 4.1 of the sieve plate 4. These can then be removed via the filter suction system of the cleaning unit 13 shown on the left in Fig. 8 in the step of separating and discharging defective parts.A sealing plate 4.1 is provided on the underside of the sieve plate 4 as a retaining device to enable the lateral removal of defective parts by means of compressed air and fresh air by means of the sorting unit 20. Subsequently, only good parts from the sieve plate 4 are discharged into the container shaft 3.1 of the storage container 3.

[0081] A similar variant with a pneumatically operated sorting unit 20 is shown in the further example in Fig. 9. As before, the defective parts of the filter elements 1 are removed from the device by suction from the hopper 3.2 and in front of the sieve plate 4 via a cleaning unit 13 using negative pressure. The filter elements coming from a feed chute 3.3 are located in the storage container 3 initially above the sieve plate 4, with only good parts of the filter elements 1 reaching the corresponding openings 4.1 of the sieve plate because they fit there under the vibration. In the step of removing defective parts or de-interference with the device 10, 20, in the example in Fig. 9, the sieve plate 4, together with the hopper 3.2, is displaced laterally to the left of the container chute 3.1 using a corresponding displacement unit (see arrow in Fig. 9 and reference numerals 4', 3.2').The cleaning unit 13 located there is equipped with a filter suction system so that the filter elements identified as missing parts or located above the sieve plate 4 can be easily vacuumed away. Additionally or alternatively, an ejector 16 is provided on the underside, with which the filter elements located in the holes 4.1 of the sieve plate 4' can be pushed out by protruding rods or pins, and then removed again using the suction system of the cleaning unit 13. In order to detect the presence of missing parts or defective parts on the sieve plate 4 of the storage container 3, a missing part sensor 17, for example a camera-based sensor, can be provided in the device 10. This is thus directed towards the upwardly open area of ​​the hopper 3.2 of the storage container 3, that when missing parts are detected, the step of troubleshooting or sorting out missing parts, as can be realized with the sorting unit 20, is carried out.

[0082] In a further schematic side view of Fig. 10, an alternative example of a sorting unit 20 within the device 10 according to the present invention is shown. In this example, the sieve plate 4 is not moved sideways, but rather only the funnel 3.2 of the storage container 3 located above it is moved to the left during the sorting step, i.e. after detecting missing parts of the filter elements 1 on the sieve plate 4, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 10. The funnel 3.2 of the storage container therefore simultaneously serves as a slider 15, by means of which filter elements 1 located on the surface of the sieve plate 4, which have not reached the bores 4.1 provided for them due to being too large, having burrs or the like, can be pushed out sideways. In order to also remove particles that are stuck in the bores 4.1, an optional ejector 16 is also shown here on the underside of the sieve plate 4, via which the filter elements stuck in the bores 4.1 can be removed upwards for removal from the storage container 3. Thus, after treatment in the sorting unit 20, only good parts reach the container shaft 3.1 of the storage container as filter elements 1 for further use in the process of equipping injection-molded parts. Another alternative form of a sorting unit 20 of the device 10 according to the invention is shown in various states in Fig. 11 and the detailed views Fig. 11a, Fig. 11b. Here, the filter elements 1, which reach the container 3 via a feed shaft 3.3, are removed from the hopper 3.2 via a slide 15 that can be moved in from the side. Here too, an ejector 16 can be provided on the underside of the housing provided with holes or bores 4.1, in order to completely remove jammed filter elements 1 from the sieve plate 4 and thus from the storage container 3. The advantage here is that the sieve plate 4, which is implemented as a type of oscillating unit for generating the shaking movement, is provided as a fixed component, while only the hopper 3.2 of the storage container is displaced laterally (Fig. 10) or the slide 15 is mechanically actuated in a lateral movement (Fig. 11). This enables simple movement sequences for removing defective parts from the storage container 3 by means of the sorting unit 20.

[0083] 12a to 12e show various possible operating modes of the device 10 with a drum 5 for pretreating filter elements 1, in order to treat the filter elements 1 for the surface treatment inside the transport drum 5 and simultaneously transport them from an inlet 5.3 to an outlet 5.4 or exit opening after the preset residence time. Figures 12a and 12b show an operating mode of a pass from an inlet 5.3 provided on one side to an outlet 5.4 of the transport drum 5 on the opposite side. In Fig. 12a, for the conveying and pretreatment of the filter elements 1, the transport drums 5 are provided in a horizontal orientation and rotated about the central axis X, wherein a profiling 6 is provided inside for further conveying and pretreatment. Instead of the horizontal orientation thus provided, the transport drum 5 can also be arranged according to Fig.12b with a slope at an angle a, which can be varied. The introduction of filter elements 1 also takes place here at an inlet 5.3, and the filter elements are moved further to the outlet 5.4 by the gradient and gravity with simultaneous rotation of the transport drum 5. The advantage of this variant of an operating mode according to the inventive method is that no change of direction is necessary. The rotation of the transport drum 5 can be constant in one direction, and there are only relatively short filling times. Furthermore, filling and pretreatment as well as removal of filter elements 1 can take place in parallel. The individual steps can be carried out virtually simultaneously with the device 10 according to the invention in such an operating mode of the transport drum 5.

[0084] Figures 12c and 12d show two further variants of alternating operation of the device 10 according to the invention with a change in the direction of rotation of the transport drum 5, as indicated by the arrows. In Fig. 12c, the transport drum 5 is filled directly with filter elements 1 from a radial opening, for example a radial flap 19 (cf. Fig. 6a). The filter elements are emptied, for example, via an outlet 5.4 in the rotational shadow, i.e., the pretreated, finished filter elements 1 are removed by changing the direction of rotation of the rotating drum 5. In the example of Fig. 12d, the elements are introduced via the inlet 5.3 on the right-hand side. At the same time, the filter elements 1 are removed at the outlet 5.4 by reversing the direction of rotation. These two forms of operating mode with a change in the direction of rotation have the advantage of ensuring a clear processing time per batch.In addition, different discharge directions can be realized on the transport drum 5 in order to simplify the process in existing preceding and subsequent units.

[0085] Fig. 12e again shows a cyclical operating mode of the transport drum with regard to rotation and for the insertion and removal of the filter elements 1. The transport drum 5 is provided here with various chambers 5.5, and a change from one chamber 5.5 to the next chamber 5.5 is achieved by reversing the direction of rotation. The untreated filter elements 1 are introduced at the inlet 5.3 and treated by the slope or inclination of the transport drum 5 when rotating in one direction. When the direction of rotation is reversed, they are transported from the first chamber 5.5 to the next second chamber 5.5 and further treated there. In this example, this occurs via four different individual chambers 5.5. The filter elements 1 are then removed from the last chamber via the outlet 5.4. The advantage of this operating mode with cyclical rotation is that parallel processing and filling is possible.This also makes it easy to control the dwell time and thus the processing time through the cycle.

[0086] Fig. 13 shows a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention for pretreating and transporting insert elements for injection-molded parts, such as pipette tips. Here, too, the insert elements are first provided from above in the form of bulk material into a feed container 2 and, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 13, reach a transport drum 5 arranged underneath. The transport drum 5 is also provided here with an internal profiling 6 and rotates about an axis of rotation X. The insert elements introduced from the inlet 5.3 of the transport drum 5 (not shown in Fig. 13) are thus treated internally by rotation about the axis of rotation X and by impacting against the profiling 6, so that any deformations or protruding burrs from the previous manufacturing process are removed.The suction unit 7 located underneath serves to remove material grains and dust emerging from the openings of the transport drum 5. After a certain period of pre-treatment in the transport drum 5, the insert elements 1 then pass through the outlet 5.4 of the transport drum 5 and fall into a sieve plate 4, in which openings are provided as previously described in the other exemplary embodiments. As a result, the insert elements identified as good parts that pass through the openings of the sieve plate 4 are passed on. The defective parts are removed from the process using a laterally arranged cleaning unit 13, for example in the form of a filter suction system. Alternatively or additionally, a type of ejector 16 can also be brought up to the sieve plate 4 from below, as is schematically illustrated in Fig. 13. In this further exemplary embodiment according to Fig.13, a further means for sorting out missing parts in the form of a sieve mask 23 is now provided after the sieve plate 4.

[0087] The sieve mask 23 below the sieve plate 4 is provided above the containers 3a and 3b. The insert elements 1 emerging from the sieve plate 4 are essentially caught on the sieve mask 23. For this purpose, the sieve mask 23 has sieve openings 24 or holes shaped such that insert elements 1 that are below a lower, predefined tolerance limit, i.e., have a size that is too small or undersized, fall into the container 3a below for reject parts or onto a conveyor belt. This means that with this sieve mask 23, the parts that are too small are separately ejected and removed from the process as undersized parts. Due to the inclined arrangement of the sieve mask 23, only those good parts of the insert elements 1 progress further into the process and, in this embodiment, fall into a second, adjacent container 3b for good parts. Due to the inclined arrangement of the sieve mask 23, this occurs solely through gravity.In addition to accelerating the process of separating undersized parts, a vibrating motion can be generated on the screen mask 23. In this embodiment, the containers 3a (rejected parts) and 3b (good parts) are each provided with funnel-shaped hoppers 3.2 that extend upwards. Instead of the containers 3a, 3b, other means for conveying or disposing of the insert elements can also be provided accordingly.

[0088] This further improves the quality of the insert elements 1 emerging from the pretreatment device 10. The defective parts of the insert elements 1 fall through the screen mask 23 downstream of the screen plate 4 because they are too small and, in a specific dimension, smaller than the dimensions of the screen openings 24 in the screen mask 23. The good parts, however, are diverted laterally along the screen mask 23 due to the inclination or slope and fall either into a container 3b for good parts or onto a conveyor belt for downstream use in the process for equipping the plastic injection-molded parts. For this purpose, the screen mask 23 has specific screen openings 24 such that, in at least one axial configuration or dimension of the insert elements 1, they are smaller than a predefined minimum dimension of the good parts of the insert elements 1.For example, the diameter of cylindrical insert elements 1 is set to a predetermined lower tolerance size and the openings 24 of the screen mask 23 have a corresponding size.

[0089] The sieve mask 23 can be provided in various forms with at least one oblique or partially oblique orientation. Fig. 13a, Fig. 13b and Fig. 13c show three exemplary variants of the relevant feature of the device 10 according to the invention. Fig. 13a shows a sieve plate 23a, which is arranged with a simple one-sided bevel above a reject container 3a for defective parts, i.e. insert elements 1 which are undersized below a predetermined minimum size of this dimension. In Fig. 13b, in turn, a sieve mask 23b is provided with a gable roof-shaped design, so that from a center point on the left and right, the good parts are sorted out for further use due to the bevel of the side parts of the sieve mask 23b.Figure 13c shows a fan-like arrangement of a third variant of the screen mask 23c, also with an overall oblique orientation relative to the horizontal. The insert elements 1 emerging from the top of the screen plate 4 thus fall onto the fan-like sections of the screen mask 23c and are separated by the screen openings 24 provided therein with the corresponding dimensions of the undersize into reject parts in the container 3a and, for example, into good parts in an adjacent container 3b.

[0090] In all of these embodiments of Fig. 13 to Fig. 13c, an additional shaking movement of the screen mask 23 can be provided to increase the speed of sorting and efficiency in quality assurance, which, however, is not necessary for the basic function of this ejection method for undersized parts of the insert elements 1.

Claims

Claims Method for pretreating insert elements (1) for inserting into injection-molded parts, in particular pipette tips, wherein the insert elements (1) are transported as bulk material from a feed container (2) to a storage container (3), the bottom of which is designed as a sieve plate (4) with corresponding openings or bores (4.1), into which the insert elements (1) are preferably transferred by means of a vibrating motion for further transport or use in the inserting process of the injection-molded parts, characterized by the steps: Inserting the insert elements (1) into a rotatable transport drum (5) which is provided with openings (5.1) or perforations (5.2) of such a shape or size that the insert elements (1) remain in the transport drum (5) during pretreatment; Rotating the transport drum (5) at least temporarily about an axis X about which the transport drum (5) is mounted to rotate; conveying the insert elements (1) through the transport drum (5) so that the filter elements (1) repeatedly come into contact with the inner wall of the transport drum (5) and with each other for a predetermined period of pretreatment; removing the pretreated insert elements (1) from the transport drum (5). A method according to claim 1, characterized by setting an average residence time of the insert elements (1) in the transport drum (5) by adjusting the rotational movement, direction of rotation, shape, inclination, and / or other movement profiles on or in the transport drum (5). A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by using a conveying means for transporting the insert elements (1), in particular a shape or profile (6) on the inside of the transport drum (5). a tilt of the axis X or a control of the rotational movement of the transport drum (5). A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by sorting out defective parts of the insert elements (1) before or during their introduction into the storage container (3) with the sieve plate (4). A method according to claim 4, characterized by suction and / or ejection of defective parts at or in front of the sieve plate (4). A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by using a pre-sorting mask for removing defective parts of the insert elements (1) after discharge from an outlet (5.4) or outlet opening (18) of the transport drum (5). A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by setting a predetermined tilt of the transport drum (5) at an angle α to the horizontal for a defined average duration of the pretreatment of the insert elements (1) in the transport drum (5).A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by conveying and pretreating the insert elements (1) in the transport drum (5) by means of at least one egg-shaped profile (6) or an egg-shaped section of a profile (6) on the inside of the transport drum (5). A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by sieving and removing material particles, dirt particles, or fragments from the pretreatment process of the insert elements (1) from the transport drum (5) via the openings (5.1) or through-holes (5.2). A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by applying compressed air to the underside of the transport drum (5) to agitate the insert elements (1) during pretreatment. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by at least intermittent rotation of the transport drum (5) during the pretreatment process of the insert elements (1), preferably a continuous rotation, an alternating forward-backward rotation, a rotation that is stopped intermittently, or a rotation in a stepwise fashion. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by detecting the fill level of the storage container (3) downstream of the transport drum (5) for controlling the quantity of insert elements (1) undergoing pretreatment.Device (10) for pretreating insert elements (1), which are particularly intended for use in injection-molded parts, especially for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the insert elements (1) are transported as bulk material from a feed container (2) or hopper to a storage container (3), wherein the bottom of the storage container (3) is designed as a sieve plate (4) with openings or bores (4.1) into which the insert elements (1) are transferred by means of a vibrating motion for further transport or use in the assembly process of the injection-molded parts or in another subsequent process step, characterized in that a transport drum (5) rotatable about an axis X is provided between the feed container (2) and the storage container (3). Device (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the transport drum (5) has openings (5.1) or perforations (5.2) is provided with a smaller diameter than that of the filter elements (1) or with a different shape or smaller size than the outer circumference of the insert elements (1). Device (10) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the transport drum (5) is provided on its inner side at least sectionally with. The device (10) is provided with at least one profile (6) consisting of protrusions and / or depressions, and is equipped with means for automatically conveying the insert elements (1) through the transport drum (5) from an inlet side to an outlet side, with at least intermittent rotation of the transport drum (5) for the pretreatment of the insert elements (1). The device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 15 is characterized in that the transport drum (5) is provided with means for variably adjusting an inclination or tilt at an angle α relative to the horizontal, and that a control unit (9) is provided which is designed and adapted to variably adjust the inclination of the transport drum (5) according to the desired residence time and process duration of the pretreatment of the insert elements (1).Device (10) according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the transport drum (5) is provided with means for conveying insert elements (1) inside or outside the transport drum (5). Device (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that the means for conveying the insert elements (1) through the transport drum (5) are formed in the form of profiles (6) or sections of profiles (6) with protrusions and / or depressions on an inner surface or inner wall of the transport drum (5). Device (10) according to any one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that a suction unit (7), preferably operated by vacuum, is provided on an outer surface of the transport drum (5) for removing dirt, particles, or fragments from the pretreatment of the insert elements (1) from the bores (5.1) or openings (5.2) of the transport drum (5).

20. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 19, characterized in that a pressure generating device (8) is provided on the transport drum (5) in order to supply the insert elements (1) in particular from below with compressed air during pretreatment through the bores (5.1) or openings (5.2) of the transport drum (5).

21. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 20, characterized in that at least one profile (6) in the form of a helical spiral, preferably a double spiral or multiple spiral, is provided on an inner side of the transport drum (5).

22. Device (10) according to claim 21, characterized in that a spiral profiling (6) with a constant or variable pitch is provided on an inner side of the transport drum (5), which has a semicircular, trapezoidal or triangular projecting profile in cross-section.

23. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 22, characterized in that the transport drum (5) has a perforated sheet with circular openings (5.1) or bores or with rectangular openings (5.2) which is made from a sheet element bent into a circle.

24. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 23, characterized in that a variable drive (11) with a control unit (9) is provided to generate the at least partial rotary movement of the transport drum (5), by means of which the transport drum (5) can be set into a rotary movement continuously and consistently, can be moved alternately in a clockwise / counterclockwise direction or can be controlled in combination with an intermediate stopping or halting of the rotary movement.

25. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 24, characterized in that a storage container (3) provided at the outlet (5.4) of the transport drum (5) is provided with an automatic level detection via a level sensor (12).

26. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 25, characterized in that the transport drum (5) is provided with means for removing the insert elements (1) after their pretreatment, in particular in the form of an outlet opening (18), a flap (19) or a control for reversing the direction of rotation or changing the angle of inclination a of the axis X.

27. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 26, characterized in that between an outlet (5.4, 18) of the transport drum (5) and in front of the storage container (3) a means for sorting out defective parts of the insert elements (1), in particular a pneumatic suction device (13), a slide (15), an ejector (16) and / or a piercing unit of the sieve plate (4) is provided for.

28. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 27, characterized in that a detection means (17) for detecting defective parts of the insert elements (1) in the conveying direction after the transport drum (5) is provided for.

29. Device (10) according to one of claims 13 to 28, characterized in that a means for sorting out undersized parts of the insert elements (1), which are below a specified tolerance size of the insert elements (1) in at least one dimension, is provided in the form of a sieve mask (23) with sieve openings (24) dimensioned according to the tolerance size.

30. Device (10) according to claim 29, characterized in that the sieve mask (23) is at least sectionally inclined relative to the horizontal, in particular above a container (3a) for reject parts.

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