Container treatment system

Abstract

Disclosed is a container treatment system (100) for treating containers (180), such as bottles, comprising a first treatment block (101) with a first single-line container exit point (112), further comprising a downstream second treatment block (102) having a wet region and / or temperature control region (123) with a mass conveyor for containers, a first single-line container feed point (121) upstream of the mass conveyor and a second single-line container exit point (122) downstream of the mass conveyor, and comprising a third treatment block (103) that is located downstream of the second treatment block (102) and has a second single-line container feed point (131), wherein the first single-line container exit point (112) of the first treatment block (101) is connected to the first single-line container feed point (121) of the second treatment block (102) via a first single-line conveying device (152), and the second single-line container exit point (122) of the second treatment block (102) is connected to the second single-line container feed point (131) of the third treatment block (103) via a second single-line conveying device (153).

Description

[0001] Container treatment plant

[0002] The present invention relates to a container treatment plant according to independent claim 1 and a range of container treatment plants according to claim 12 as well as a method for treating containers, such as bottles, according to claim 14.

[0003] State of the art

[0004] Container treatment systems, particularly block-type container treatment systems, are already known from the prior art. Various container treatment machines, such as a filler and sealer, a downstream pasteurizer, and a downstream decoration device, such as a printing press or a labeling machine, are usually operated at least partially synchronized, so that the containers are continuously conveyed through the system and treated in the process. Transport systems are arranged between the individual container treatment machines in a container treatment system. To compensate for any failures of individual container treatment machines without having to stop the upstream or downstream container treatment machines or adversely affecting their operation, extensive buffer systems are provided in the transport systems arranged between the machines.These can accommodate a large number of containers and thus maintain the operation of the container treatment plant at least partially, for example in the event of a failure of a downstream container treatment machine or in the event of a failure of an upstream container treatment machine.

[0005] For this purpose, the buffer systems must be large enough to provide sufficient buffer capacity at a typical throughput of several thousand or tens of thousands of containers per hour in order to avoid the adverse effects of a production interruption in a plant described above.

[0006] This entails considerable space requirements and restrictions regarding the positioning of the container handling machines relative to each other, as the buffer systems must be provided between them.

[0007] Based on the known state of the art, the technical problem to be solved is to essentially maintain the operation of a container treatment plant with several container treatment machines even in the event of failure of individual container treatment machines, while keeping the space requirements as low as possible.

[0008] Solution

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by the container treatment system according to independent claim 1 as well as the range of container treatment systems according to claim 12 and the method for treating containers according to claim 14. Advantageous developments of the invention are covered in the subclaims.

[0010] The container treatment system according to the invention for treating containers, such as bottles, comprises a first treatment block with a first single-row container outlet, a second treatment block arranged downstream comprising a wet and / or tempering area with a mass conveyor for containers, a first single-row container inlet upstream of the mass conveyor and a second single-row container outlet downstream of the mass conveyor, and a third treatment block arranged downstream of the second treatment block with a second single-row container inlet, wherein the single-row container outlet of the first treatment block is connected to the single-row container inlet of the second treatment block by a first single-row transport device and the single-row container outlet of the second treatment block is connected to the single-row container inlet of the third treatment block by a second single-row transport device.

[0011] The invention is not limited to precisely one single-row container outlet or container inlet at the respective treatment blocks. Thus, several (e.g., two, three, or more) single-row container outlets and / or single-row container inlets can also be provided for respective treatment blocks, which can be arranged horizontally and / or vertically offset from one another.

[0012] For the purposes of the invention, a treatment block is understood to be an arrangement of at least one, but possibly also several, container treatment machines that carry out a treatment of containers jointly or separately and are not separated from one another by the first or second single-row transport device. In particular, within a treatment block, transport can take place using other transport devices, in particular star conveyors. Preferably, the throughput of the container treatment machines within a treatment block is the same and / or the operation of the container treatment machines in a treatment block is synchronized, so that the same number of containers is treated per unit of time by each container treatment machine in a treatment block.

[0013] The mass conveyor of the wet and / or temperature control area is to be understood as a transport device in which the containers are transported essentially in an unordered manner.

[0014] In contrast to the mass conveyor, a single-row transport device is a transport device (such as a conveyor belt or air conveyor) in which containers can only be transported in exactly one row, i.e. one container after the other.

[0015] A wet and / or temperature-controlled area also includes any device that either heats and / or cools the containers and / or applies a liquid to them. This includes, in particular, pasteurizers and container washing machines.

[0016] According to the invention, the bulk conveyor or part of the bulk conveyor is advantageously used as a buffer area, since a large number of containers can be transported in this bulk conveyor. This avoids the need for additional buffer devices downstream or upstream of the second treatment block, which reduces the space requirements for the transport devices between the treatment blocks and thus the container treatment plant as a whole. In particular, this not only saves space but also advantageously allows for a flexible arrangement of the treatment blocks relative to one another through appropriate settings or design of the first and second single-row transport devices. Single-row transport devices are more flexible in terms of their spatial arrangement and space requirements than buffer areas, which must meet a predetermined buffer capacity (number of containers that can be accommodated).

[0017] This allows changing space requirements, such as those of different customers, to be taken into account, although the design of the individual treatment blocks can always remain the same.

[0018] In one embodiment, the wet and / or tempering area is designed as a pasteurizer and / or the second treatment block comprises a blow-off system for blowing off liquid from the surface of the containers. Since the containers in a pasteurizer are usually transported in a mass flow, this is particularly suitable for achieving the necessary buffering effect. It can also be provided that an area is arranged at the inlet and / or outlet of the pasteurizer in which containers can be buffered in an unordered manner after they have left the pasteurizer or before they are fed to it. This can prevent containers from remaining in the pasteurizer for too long, even when there is a large buffer requirement.

[0019] Furthermore, it can be provided that the first single-row container outlet, the first single-row transport device, and the first single-row container inlet are designed for the single-row transport of containers in at least two vertical transport paths; and / or that the second single-row container outlet, the second single-row transport device, and the second single-row container inlet are designed for the single-row transport of containers in at least two vertical transport paths.

[0020] This configuration increases the throughput of the container treatment plant and, in particular, the container transport capacity between the individual treatment blocks. It can be provided that a height-overcoming device is assigned to the treatment blocks at the inlet and / or outlet, so that the containers transported along different vertical transport routes are brought back to a single height before being fed to a treatment machine in the respective treatment block, or are distributed across two different height levels to be fed to the respective transport routes after leaving the treatment block at the outlet. In particular, the second treatment block can comprise a mass conveyor that allows containers to be treated at two height levels corresponding to the vertical transport routes, so that a height-overcoming device is not required in this area.

[0021] In one embodiment, it is provided that the first treatment block comprises a filler and / or a closer and / or an inspection device for inspecting the containers.

[0022] These devices can advantageously be arranged outside a treatment block that includes a wet area and can thus continue to operate even if, for example, the third treatment block fails, since buffering of the containers is realized in between.

[0023] Furthermore, it can be provided that the third treatment block downstream of the second container inlet comprises a lane division for dividing the containers from the second single-row transport device into a plurality of lanes and / or wherein the third treatment block comprises an inspection device for inspecting the containers and / or wherein the third treatment block comprises a labeling machine and / or a direct printing machine.

[0024] The lane division allows for increased throughput of the third treatment block. Since the subsequent treatment of the containers following a pasteurization is usually not time-critical (i.e., a certain downtime of the containers prior to this treatment is possible without adversely affecting the containers), labeling machines or direct printing machines designed for decorating the containers can advantageously be arranged in this treatment block.

[0025] It can further be provided that the second treatment block and / or the third treatment block comprises a coding device for applying a code to containers.

[0026] By providing appropriate coding devices, containers can be tracked through the container processing plant, even if the containers are transported in an unorganized manner in the bulk conveyor and thus in the buffer area for the container processing plant. If a coding device is installed in both the first and third processing blocks, this allows precise tracking of where each container was processed in the first and third processing blocks, despite the possible mixing of the containers in the second processing block.

[0027] In one embodiment, no treatment of containers takes place in the area of ​​the first transport device and / or in the area of ​​the second transport device. The first and second transport devices thus serve only to transport the containers, without any treatment of the containers taking place during this process.

[0028] It can further be provided that a fourth treatment block with a wet and / or tempering area comprising a mass conveyor for containers is arranged upstream of the first treatment block, wherein the fourth treatment block comprises a third single-row container outlet and the first treatment block comprises a third container inlet, wherein the third single-row container outlet is connected to the third single-row container inlet by a third single-row transport device.

[0029] The wet and / or temperature control area with the mass conveyor can also serve as a buffer, for example, to compensate for a failure of the downstream first treatment block. In particular, the fourth treatment block can include a container washing machine. Since the treatment of the containers in a container washing machine is not time-critical, a longer dwell time and thus a buffering effect of the container washing machine is possible without adversely affecting the containers, thus compensating for any failure of downstream container treatment machines.

[0030] It can further be provided that the third single-row container outlet, the third transport device, and the third single-row container inlet are designed for single-row transport of containers in at least two vertical transport lines. This allows the throughput of containers in the single-row transport devices to be increased.

[0031] In one embodiment, the fourth treatment block and / or the second treatment block comprise a buffer area for randomly buffering containers outside the wet and / or tempering area and downstream of the container inlet of the treatment block and upstream of the container outlet of the treatment block.

[0032] By providing external buffer areas, excessively long treatment of the containers can be avoided.

[0033] According to the invention, a range of container treatment systems is further provided, wherein each of the container treatment systems comprises a container treatment system according to one of the preceding embodiments and wherein for two different container treatment systems of the range of container treatment systems, the first single-row transport device and / or the second single-row transport device and / or the third single-row transport device have a different shape.

[0034] Advantageously, the container treatment plants can only vary with regard to the design of the transport equipment. This allows the design of different container treatment plants to suit spatial conditions without requiring significant modifications to the individual treatment blocks.

[0035] In particular, it can be provided that the treatment blocks for two different container treatment systems within the range of container treatment systems are essentially identical. This design enables flexible adaptation of the container treatment system to different spatial conditions without requiring a fundamentally new design of the entire system, including the treatment blocks.

[0036] It can also be provided that the treatment blocks for two different container treatment systems from the range of container treatment systems are designed essentially the same. The fact that the treatment blocks are designed essentially the same means, in particular, that they differ, if at all, only with regard to the container inlet and / or the container outlet, for example, the position or orientation of the container inlet and / or the container outlet. Since these elements can be designed as a modular part of a treatment block, changing these elements does not require a fundamentally new design of the treatment block itself, which increases the flexibility in adapting a container treatment system to different spatial conditions while simultaneously reducing the effort involved in designing the container treatment systems.

[0037] Furthermore, a method for treating containers, such as bottles, is provided, wherein the containers are treated in a container treatment plant according to one of the preceding embodiments and at least one treatment step is carried out on the containers in each of the first treatment block, the second treatment block and the third treatment block.

[0038] Short description of the characters

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a container treatment plant according to an embodiment.

[0040] Fig. 2a and b show schematic embodiments of the container transport in the transport devices and the treatment blocks.

[0041] Fig. 3a to c show different implementations of container treatment plants from a range of container treatment plants.

[0042] Detailed description

[0043] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a container treatment system 100 for treating containers 180, such as bottles, cans, or the like, according to one embodiment. In the view shown in Fig. 1, the container treatment system comprises a first treatment block 101 and, downstream of the first treatment block in the transport direction of the containers 180, a second treatment block 102, as well as a third treatment block 103, downstream of the second treatment block 102 in the transport direction of the containers 180.

[0044] Each of these treatment blocks 101 to 103 comprises at least one container treatment machine that can perform a treatment step on the containers. Treating containers includes any action performed on the containers, in particular filling, closing, or cleaning, as well as heating, cooling, or applying a liquid, but also providing the containers with decorative elements, such as labels or printed images. Inspecting the containers can also be understood as treating the containers. Likewise, applying a code or other identification marking, for example, for tracking individual containers through the treatment system, as well as reading such a code, can be understood as treating the containers.Thus, in particular as part of the first and / or third treatment block 101 and 103, a coding device for applying a code to the containers and / or a reading device for reading such a code and / or an inspection device for inspecting the containers can also be provided.

[0045] Thus, the first treatment block 101 can comprise at least one container treatment machine in the form of a carousel 113, indicated schematically here, along whose periphery a plurality of container receptacles and / or treatment stations for treating the containers are arranged (not shown in detail here). The treatment machine can be designed in particular as a filler or closer or a combined filler-closer treatment machine. The first treatment block 101 can also comprise container treatment machines arranged one after the other (in the transport direction of the containers), wherein each of these machines can be designed as a carousel and / or as a linear machine. For example, a filler can be designed as a linear machine and a subsequent closer can be realized as a rotary machine.

[0046] The second treatment block 102 comprises a wet and / or tempering area 123. This is designed as a mass conveyor, so that the containers are transported randomly in the area of ​​the wet and / or tempering area 123. The mass conveyor can have a length of several meters (for example, 5 m or 10 m or more) and can be designed as a conveyor belt or transport belt on which containers are guided through the wet and / or tempering area 123. The transport belt can, in particular, have a width transverse to the transport direction of the containers 180 in the area 123 that is a multiple of the diameter of a container, so that a plurality of containers can be transported next to one another and randomly.

[0047] Preferably, the wet and / or tempering area can be designed as a pasteurizer and can heat and / or cool the containers 180 guided through the wet and / or tempering area 123 either by radiation and / or air or by exposure to a liquid medium (for example water).

[0048] The second treatment block 102 may further preferably comprise, downstream of the wet and / or tempering area, a blow-off device which, if the containers were exposed to a liquid in the wet and / or tempering area 123, can cause the containers to dry.

[0049] The third treatment block 103 can then comprise one or more decoration devices and / or inspection devices. These can also be designed, as shown here, as one or more carousels 133, along whose periphery container receptacles and / or container treatment stations are arranged to carry out the respective treatment step. For example, if the treatment block 103 is designed as a labeling machine comprising a carousel 133 with container receptacles, fixed labeling units can be arranged along whose periphery to apply the labels to the containers transported in the carousel. Alternatively or additionally, a printing press, in particular a direct printing press, can also be provided as part of the third treatment block 103. This can, for example, comprise rotating (i.e., arranged on the carousel) or fixed print heads that apply printing ink to the containers.

[0050] Optionally, a fourth treatment block 104 can be arranged upstream of the first treatment block 101, which can comprise a mass conveyor 143 as part of a wet and / or tempering area 143. The fourth treatment block 104 can, in particular, comprise a container washing machine as an implementation of the wet and / or tempering area 143. Analogous to the second treatment block 102, it can also be provided here that a blow-off device is arranged downstream of the wet and / or tempering area 143, which realizes drying of the containers.

[0051] According to the invention, single-row transport devices for single-row transport of the containers are arranged between the individual treatment blocks. Thus, a first single-row transport device 152 is arranged between the first treatment block 101 and the second treatment block 102. A second single-row transport device 153 is arranged between the second treatment block 102 and the third treatment block 103, and a third single-row transport device 151 can be arranged between the optionally provided fourth treatment block 104 and the first treatment block 101.

[0052] The transport devices 151, 152, and 153 can be designed, in particular, as conveyor belts that transport containers consecutively in only one row (viewed transversely to the transport direction of the containers in the respective transport device). Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the transport devices can also be designed as air conveyors, in which the containers are arranged suspended from the support ring in a guide channel and are transported in the transport direction by an air flow.

[0053] The first treatment block 101 further comprises a first container outlet 112, which transfers containers from the treatment block 101 to the first single-row transport device 152. For example, a suitable transfer of the containers from a neck-handling transport or from a transport in corresponding container receptacles within the first treatment block 101 to the first single-row transport device 151 can take place here. Corresponding means are known from the prior art.

[0054] The second processing block 102 comprises a first container inlet 121, via which the containers are transferred from the first single-row transport device 152 to the second processing block 102. This first container inlet 121 can comprise one or more guide elements or gates to distribute the containers from the single-row transport to the mass conveyor. For example, guide gates that fan out in the transport direction of the containers are suitable, thus ensuring unstructured mass transport or a corresponding transfer to the mass conveyor, if possible, across the entire width of the mass conveyor.

[0055] The second treatment block 102 further comprises, downstream of the wet and / or tempering area 123, a second container outlet 122, which transfers the containers from the bulk conveyor to a downstream, second, single-row transport device 153. For this purpose, the second container outlet 122 can be configured "inversely" to the first container inlet 121, so that it separates the containers from the initially random transport in the bulk conveyor 123 and transfers them to the second, single-row transport device. Suitable guide slots can also be provided for this purpose, which accommodate the containers in several rows, which are then brought together to effect single-row transport.

[0056] In one embodiment, it can be provided that the first container inlet 121 and / or the second container outlet 122 comprise buffer areas (not shown in detail here), which can essentially be designed as standing areas or conveyor belts and can be used as buffers if the container treatment is interrupted downstream or upstream of the second treatment block (for example, due to a malfunction). It is then possible to block the second container outlet and to buffer the incoming containers in the buffer area or in the mass conveyor until they have reached their respective capacity limits. It can be provided that the buffer areas assigned to the first container inlet 121 and / or the second container outlet 122 can accommodate up to 10,000 or up to 20,000 containers or more.

[0057] The second single-row transport device 153 then feeds the containers to the third treatment block 103, which comprises a second container inlet 131, in which the containers can be taken over by the second single-row transport device 152 and fed to a container treatment machine of the third treatment block 103. Here, for example, the containers transported in the conveyor belt of the second single-row transport device 152 can be transferred to the neck handling (for example, by arranging a rotating star and a blocking device for successively feeding the containers to the rotating star). Subsequently, a transfer to the actual container treatment machines in the third treatment block 103 can take place.

[0058] The third treatment block 103 may further comprise a container outlet 132, through which containers can be fed, for example, to further container treatment machines or further processed as packaged pallets. However, this is not essential to the invention.

[0059] If a fourth treatment block 104 is provided, it comprises a third container outlet 142, via which containers can be fed to a third single-row transport device 151. Analogous to the second container outlet 122 of the second treatment block 102, this too can, via suitable guides, cause containers from the mass conveyor 143 to be separated before they are transferred to the third single-row transport device 151. If a fourth treatment block 104 is provided, the first treatment block 101 further comprises a third container inlet 111, via which containers from the third single-row transport device 153 can be fed to the first treatment block 101 and in particular to a container treatment machine of this treatment block. Here, in accordance with the embodiments already described above, suitable separation of the containers orThe containers must be moved apart so that they can then be fed to the respective container treatment machines.

[0060] The fourth treatment block 104 may further comprise a container inlet 141, through which containers can be fed to the fourth treatment block 104. The container inlet may be configured analogously to the previously described embodiments.

[0061] The first treatment block 101 and / or the third treatment block 103 can also include a lane division at the respective container inlet, which divides the containers from the single-row transport into several lanes, in which the containers are transported in an orderly manner and in a row, one behind the other. From these lanes, the containers can then be fed to container treatment machines. For example, each lane can lead to a different labeling machine. This can increase the throughput of treatment blocks 101 and 103.

[0062] Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows a control device 160, which is connected to each of the provided treatment blocks 101, 102, 103, and 104, preferably for bidirectional data exchange. In addition, the control unit 160 can also be connected to the respective single-row transport devices, preferably for bidirectional data exchange. The control unit can be designed as a control unit of the container treatment system and control all components of the container treatment system. Alternatively or additionally, each of the treatment blocks 101 to 104 can be assigned a respective control unit, which can assume control of the functions of the treatment blocks. The control units can, in particular, be designed as computers.

[0063] 2a and 2b show different embodiments of sequentially arranged treatment blocks, wherein at least one of the treatment blocks has a mass conveyor. Therefore, the first treatment block 101 and the second treatment block 102, which includes a mass conveyor, are shown as examples in FIGS. 2a and 2b. In FIG. 2a, the transport from the first treatment block 101 to the second treatment block 102 takes place via the single-row transport device 152, in which the containers 180 are transported in a single row. In the first container inlet 121, the containers are then divided by the single-row transport, as described with reference to FIG. 1, for example via suitable guides, so that they can be fed to the mass conveyor 123, preferably across its entire width.

[0064] It is preferred if the mass conveyor 123 is moved more slowly than the transport speed of the containers 180 in the first single-row transport device, so that the capacity of the mass conveyor 123 is utilized as fully as possible. In particular, the transport speed of the containers in the mass conveyor can correspond to the reciprocal value of the maximum number of containers transported across the width of the mass conveyor perpendicular to the transport direction of the containers in the mass conveyor 123 multiplied by the transport speed of the containers in the first single-row transport device 152. If, for example, ten containers can be transported across the width of the mass conveyor perpendicular to the transport direction of the containers in the mass conveyor, the transport speed of the containers in the mass conveyor 123 can correspond to approximately one-tenth of the transport speed of the containers in the transport device 152.A lower belt occupancy in the transport device of the mass conveyor is also conceivable.

[0065] Furthermore, the transport speed of the containers in the mass conveyor can also correspond to the reciprocal value of the maximum possible average occupancy per row, assuming the densest packing of the bottles, multiplied by the transport speed of the containers in the first single-row conveyor 152. This densest packing is theoretically the hexagonal packing, where one row of bottles is offset from the adjacent row by half the diameter of the bottles perpendicular to the transport direction. This dense packing is often not achieved perfectly, but only to a certain percentage. If, for example, an occupancy of the mass conveyor of 90% or 97.5% of the densest possible packing can be achieved during operation, this value can be used to determine the transport speed in the single-row conveyor.

[0066] It can also be provided that the transport speed of the containers in the mass conveyor 123 is used as a guideline, since the transport speed of the containers in the mass conveyor 123, if this is implemented, for example, as part of a pasteurizer, is essentially determined by the treatment time necessary for pasteurizing the products or the residence time of the containers in the pasteurizer. Fig. 2b shows an alternative embodiment to Fig. 2a, in which the containers are transported in the first single-row transport device via two transport lines 251 and 252 arranged at a vertical distance from one another, which together form the single-row transport device 152. These transport containers 180 at different levels, so that the throughput of the containers that can be transported by the second single-row transport device 152 can be increased.

[0067] In this embodiment, it can be provided that the containers in the first treatment block 101 are only treated in one level. For example, a carousel can only comprise one level of container receptacles. In order to distribute the containers onto the transport routes 251 and 252, suitable guide devices can be used to divide the containers. For example, it can be provided that the container treatment takes place in the first treatment block at the level of the transport route 252 and the containers 180 are transferred from this height to a lower height corresponding to the transport route 251 and fed to this by a suitable vertical guide device. This can be done, for example, by suitable transport stars, wherein every second container can be fed to the second transport route 251 and the remaining containers to the first transport route 252.For example, the transport star can have lowering elements that allow containers to be lowered individually.

[0068] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2b, the second treatment block is designed such that the mass transporter comprises two mass transporters 231 and 232, each at the level of the transport path 251 and 252, respectively.

[0069] The first container inlet 121 is then preferably designed such that it can distribute the containers transported in single rows in the respective transport lines 251 and 252 to the respective mass conveyors 231 and 232.

[0070] Alternatively, it can be provided that in the second treatment block 102, as shown in Fig. 2a, the mass conveyor only transports containers on one level. In this embodiment, it can then be provided that the first container inlet 121 enables the containers to be transferred, for example, from the transport path 252 to the level of the mass conveyor 231. This can be achieved analogously to the first container outlet 112 using suitable rotating stars that enable all containers arriving on the transport path 252 to be lowered. This can be designed such that two independent guides are arranged at the level of, but upstream of, the mass conveyor 231, which ensure that the containers are distributed across the mass flow 231, so that accidental container collisions do not occur. The first arrangement of guides can distribute the containers on the transport path 251 at a consistent height.The second arrangement of gates can distribute the containers lowered from the transport path 252 before they are fed to the mass conveyor 231 with the other containers.

[0071] In the second container outlet 122, depending on the downstream single-row transport device (not shown here), the containers can then be arranged either on only one transport level or on two transport levels.

[0072] For example, the containers can first be separated again from the respective mass conveyors 231 and 232 (via corresponding guides) and then transferred to the downstream single-row transport device by transferring them to corresponding rotary star systems with suitable guide devices for lowering or lifting the containers.

[0073] Figs. 3a to 3c show different configurations of the container treatment system to illustrate a range of container treatment systems. In Fig. 3a, the container treatment system 380 is arranged in a space 301, such as a factory hall, which has an elongated shape. To accommodate this, the respective treatment blocks 311 to 314 are arranged one after the other in a row in the transport direction of the containers. The single-row transport devices 315 to 317 extend between them and connect the container outlet of one treatment block with the downstream container inlet of the next treatment block.

[0074] Since buffering of containers, if necessary, is already realized by the treatment blocks with a mass conveyor, corresponding buffer areas, which would take up a lot of space, can be avoided in the single-row transport devices 315 to 317. The single-row transport devices 315 to 317 can be adapted in particular to the space requirements of the room 301, in particular shortened or lengthened, depending on the available space. The treatment blocks 311 to 314 can, however, always be of the same design regardless of the length of the room 301, so that adaptation to a shorter space in the transport direction of the containers can be achieved by shortening the single-row transport device when planning the container treatment system 380. A structural redesign of the treatment blocks is, however, not necessary, which simplifies the design of the container treatment system 380.It can also be provided that the treatment blocks are always designed identically except for the arrangement of the container inlets and / or outlets, so that by adjusting the single-row transport devices and the arrangement of the container inlets and outlets, adaptation to spatial conditions is achieved without the treatment blocks themselves having to be changed.

[0075] Fig. 3b shows another embodiment of the container treatment system 380. Here, the available space 302 is essentially rectangular and does not allow, for example, a linear arrangement of the treatment blocks 321 to 324 one after the other, as was the case in Fig. 3a. Since the treatment blocks are preferably designed essentially the same as the treatment blocks 311 to 314 according to Fig. 3a, adaptation to the spatial conditions can be achieved by changing the single-row transport devices 325 to 327, wherein, for example, the single-row transport device 326 transports the containers along a curve, so that the container transport device is reversed and space can be saved. Depending on the length and width of the space 302 (for example, a factory hall), the length and / or curvature of the individual single-row transport devices can be adjusted, if necessary.

[0076] As an alternative to the embodiments of Figs. 3a and 3b, Fig. 3c shows a container treatment system 380 that is to be arranged in a substantially L-shaped space 303. Here, too, treatment blocks 331 to 334 are provided, which are designed essentially identically to the treatment blocks according to the embodiments of Figs. 3a and 3b. Adaptation to the available space 303 can again be achieved here by suitable configurations of the single-row transport devices 335 to 337, with the transport direction being changed by 90° in the transport device 336 in order to accommodate the L-shape of the available space 303.

[0077] Since the single-row transport systems do not have to provide a buffering effect, they can be selected practically arbitrarily in terms of their length and thus their container capacity (the maximum number of containers that can be present in the respective single-row transport system at a given time), thus enabling adaptation to the spatial conditions. The buffering effect is ensured by the treatment blocks themselves, which are essentially always of the same design. The embodiments shown as examples in Fig. 3a to 3c make it possible to create a range of container treatment systems that can be adapted practically arbitrarily to the available space, for example in a factory hall. This is achieved by adapting the single-row transport systems for single-row transport between the treatment blocks, whereas the individual treatment blocks are preferably always of the same design.Minor deviations in the treatment blocks may be provided for container treatment systems in this range, particularly regarding the container inlet and / or outlet. This particularly affects transport in one or more transport levels, but also, for example, the angle at which the containers exit from the respective container outlet or the angle at which they enter the respective container inlet. This depends on the orientation of the transport equipment and can be modified accordingly.

[0078] However, the container treatment machines within the respective treatment blocks are preferably always designed and constructed in the same way for each container treatment plant of such a range.

Claims

Claims: Container treatment plant for treating containers, such as bottles, comprising a first treatment block with a first single-row container outlet, a second treatment block arranged downstream comprising a wet and / or temperature control area with a container mass conveyor, a first single-row container inlet upstream of the mass conveyor and a second single-row container outlet downstream of the mass conveyor, and a third treatment block arranged downstream of the second treatment block with a second single-row container inlet, wherein the single-row container outlet of the first treatment block is connected to the single-row container inlet of the second treatment block by a first single-row transport device and the single-row container outlet of the second treatment block is connected to the single-row container inlet of the third treatment block by a second single-row transport device.Container treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the wet and / or tempering area is configured as a pasteurizer and / or the second treatment block comprises a blow-off device for removing liquid from the surface of the containers. Container treatment system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first single-row container outlet, the first single-row conveying device, and the first single-row container inlet are configured for the single-row conveying of containers in at least two vertical conveying sections; and / or wherein the second single-row container outlet, the second single-row conveying device, and the second single-row container inlet are configured for the single-row conveying of containers in at least two vertical conveying sections. Container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first treatment block comprises a filler and / or a capper and / or an inspection device for inspecting the containers.Container treatment plant according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the third treatment block downstream of the second container inlet comprises a lane divider for dividing the containers from the second single-row transport device into several lanes and / or wherein the third treatment block comprises an inspection device for inspecting the containers and / or wherein the third treatment block comprises a labeling machine and / or a direct printing machine. Container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second treatment block and / or the third treatment block comprises a coding device for applying a code to containers. Container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein no treatment of containers takes place in the area of ​​the first transport device and / or in the area of ​​the second transport device. Container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein upstream of the first treatment block a fourth treatment block with a wet and / or temperature control area comprising a bulk conveyor for containers is arranged, wherein the fourth treatment block comprises a third single-row container outlet and the first treatment block comprises a third container inlet, wherein the third single-row container outlet is connected to the third single-row container inlet by a third single-row transport device.Container treatment system according to claim 8, wherein the fourth treatment block comprises a container washing machine. Container treatment system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the third single-row container outlet, the third transport device, and the third single-row container inlet are configured for the single-row transport of containers in at least two vertical transport sections. Container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fourth treatment block and / or the second treatment block comprise a buffer zone for the random buffering of containers outside the wet and / or temperature-controlled zone and downstream of the container inlet of the treatment block and upstream of the container outlet of the treatment block.Assortment of container treatment systems, wherein each of the container treatment systems comprises a container treatment system according to one of claims 1 to 11 and wherein, for two different container treatment systems of the assortment of container treatment systems, the first single-row transport device and / or the second single-row transport device and / or the third single-row transport device have different shapes. A range of container treatment systems according to claim 12, wherein the treatment blocks for two different container treatment systems of the range of container treatment systems are substantially identical. A method for treating containers, such as bottles, wherein the containers are treated in a container treatment system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and in the first treatment block, the second treatment block, and the third treatment block, at least one treatment step is carried out on the containers.

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