Push-off device for preforms

Abstract

The invention relates to a container treatment system (500) for producing containers, comprising: a production machine (501), e.g. an injection molding machine, for producing preforms, at least one unit (503) for producing containers from the preforms, at least one push-off device (502) for supplying the preforms onto the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, wherein the push-off device (502) is configured so as to receive a plurality of the preforms (109) produced by the production machine (501) in a sorted manner in the shape of a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and supply same in a sorted manner to the at least one unit (503) for producing containers from the preforms.

Description

[0001] Push-off device for preforms

[0002] State of the art

[0003] The invention relates to means for transferring preforms produced, for example, by injection molding processes or by other processes to subsequent processes of a container treatment plant, in particular a plant in the food and beverage industry, in which the preforms are converted into containers, for example by stretch blow molding.

[0004] In known manufacturing processes for containers, in particular containers made of plastic, by stretch blow molding from preforms, the production of the preforms and the production of containers from the preforms take place separately in terms of location and time.

[0005] For example, the preforms are produced in one location, stored as bulk material and later transported to a container manufacturing facility at another location, where they are sorted and separated again and fed into a stretch blow molding machine.

[0006] These well-known manufacturing processes are logistically very complex, expensive and prone to failure.

[0007] Handling preforms in bulk often leads to damage and contamination. Complex sorting equipment is also required to sort the preforms in bulk before they can be fed in an orderly manner to a stretch blow molding machine.

[0008] Task

[0009] It is therefore an object of the invention to improve means for transferring preforms produced by injection molding processes or other processes to subsequent processes in a plant in the food and beverage industry in which the preforms are formed into containers, e.g. by stretch blow molding.

[0010] In particular, it is an object of the invention to improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, environmental compatibility, quality, hygiene, and susceptibility to failure of known techniques and methods for transferring preforms produced by injection molding or other processes to subsequent processes for container production from said preforms. Solution

[0011] This is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0013] In particular, the invention provides a plant or a container treatment plant for producing containers, which may comprise the following components:

[0014] • A manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, for producing preforms,

[0015] • at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms,

[0016] • at least one pushing device for feeding the preforms to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, e.g. a stretch blow molding machine, wherein the pushing device is configured to receive a plurality of the preforms produced by the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, in an orderly manner in the form of a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and to feed them in an orderly manner to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0017] The arrangement form of a two-dimensional matrix can be understood here in particular as a form in which preforms can be arranged in several rows and columns.

[0018] An exemplary two-dimensional matrix arrangement form of the push-off device can correspond, for example, to a two-dimensional matrix arrangement form in which preforms can be arranged in a forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0019] The push-off device can also be called a push-off table or transfer device.

[0020] The preform manufacturing machine can be designed as an injection molding machine. However, it is also conceivable that other types of preform manufacturing machines could be used. In particular, preform manufacturing machines that can produce preforms using compression molding or injection compression molding processes are conceivable.

[0021] The containers and preforms described herein can be understood in particular to mean containers and preforms which consist of material which comprises plastic materials, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or which consist of plastic materials, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0022] A unit for producing containers from preforms may in particular be a stretch blow moulding machine.

[0023] However, a unit for producing containers from the preforms can also be understood as units for handling or treating the preforms, e.g. units for cleaning or sterilizing or storing or tempering the preforms.

[0024] The handling or treatment of a preform can also include, among other things, steps for transporting or inspecting the preforms.

[0025] An orderly feeding of the preforms from the discharge device to at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms can be understood, among other things, to mean that the preforms can be transferred to the unit for producing containers from the preforms in a row (in particular in a single lane or single row) and at a predeterminable pitch or at a predeterminable spacing of adjacent preforms.

[0026] Such a container treatment plant for the production of containers offers numerous advantages over known plants.

[0027] In particular, by directly linking or linking the preform manufacturing process and the production of containers from the preforms at the same location, it is possible, for example, to significantly reduce or completely eliminate transport and storage costs for the preforms, as the preforms no longer have to be transported over long distances from a preform manufacturing facility to the container manufacturing facility. The logistics of container production can thus be significantly simplified and reduced.

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

[0029] The orderly reception of the preforms in the discharge device and the orderly transfer or feeding of preforms received in the discharge device to the / a subsequent unit for the production of containers from the preforms eliminates the need for complex and failure-prone sorting devices for the preforms.

[0030] In addition, the orderly reception of the preforms in the discharge device and the orderly discharge of the preforms from the discharge device to the unit / a unit for producing containers from the preforms enables improved tracking, i.e. an improved track & trace of the preforms through the system, which facilitates the quality monitoring of the system or the container production.

[0031] The time between the production of the preform and the production of the container from the preform can be significantly reduced compared to known container production processes.

[0032] Possible undesirable changes in the properties of the preform, e.g. with regard to its material properties and / or its dimensional stability, which could result from long storage times or long transport times of the preform and which could have a detrimental effect on the stretch blow forming process, can also be reduced or avoided.

[0033] This can have a positive impact on the quality of the containers produced.

[0034] Likewise, the risk of microbial contamination of the preforms can be avoided or reduced by shortening the production process between the production of the preform and the production of the container from the preform, as well as by avoiding transport or storage of the preforms as bulk material. For example, the sterility of the preforms provided by the manufacturing process, e.g., an injection molding process, can be better utilized, since the preforms, heated and sterilized by the manufacturing heat during the manufacturing process, e.g., an injection molding process, can be processed immediately.

[0035] This allows higher sterility rates and improved hygiene of the containers produced to be achieved.

[0036] The discharge device can also be configured to simultaneously and orderly receive a multiple of the number of preforms that can be produced per cycle of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0037] In particular, the push-off device can be configured to accommodate 50 to 300 preforms simultaneously in an orderly manner.

[0038] The matrix arrangement form of the push-off device can, for example, be dimensioned such that a matrix arrangement form of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, can be a partial matrix of the matrix arrangement form of the push-off device.

[0039] For example, if 100 preforms of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, are arranged in a 10 x 10 matrix, the matrix arrangement form of the push-off device can be designed, for example, as a 20 x 10 matrix, so that the push-off device can accommodate two cycles of preforms produced by the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0040] Alternatively, the matrix arrangement shape of the push-off device can, for example, be dimensioned such that it can exactly correspond to the dimensioning of the matrix arrangement shape of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, so that the push-off device can accommodate exactly the number of preforms that can be produced in one cycle of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0041] The above-mentioned exemplary coordination of the dimensioning of the matrix arrangement form of the push-off device and the matrix arrangement form of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, can improve the efficiency of the container treatment plant for the production of containers.

[0042] As already indicated above, the unit for producing containers from preforms can be understood as a general unit of the container treatment plant for producing containers, which can be used for handling or treating preforms.

[0043] In particular, the unit for producing containers from the preforms may be of one of the following types or kinds: inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine, inlet unit of a heating section, conveyor unit, diverter unit, inlet of a preform cleaning unit, inspection unit, reject collection unit.

[0044] The discharge device can therefore be used flexibly and can feed preforms to a wide variety of units in the container processing plant.

[0045] The container treatment plant may further comprise at least one automated handling unit, e.g. a robot.

[0046] Said possible automated handling unit, e.g. a robot, can have at least one gripper and the at least one gripper can be configured to remove preforms from the shaping tool of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and to transfer them to the push-off device in an arranged manner, e.g. in the form of the / a two-dimensional matrix arrangement of the push-off device and / or e.g. in the form of the / a two-dimensional matrix arrangement of the shaping tool of the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine.

[0047] Alternatively or additionally, the automated handling unit, e.g. a robot, can be designed to remove the preforms from another removal device, e.g. a cooling device, and to transfer them in an orderly manner to the discharge device.

[0048] The said possible removal device can be arranged between the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and the automated handling unit, e.g. a robot.

[0049] For example, the gripper of the automated handling unit, e.g. the gripper of a robot, can itself have a plurality of gripping elements arranged in a matrix arrangement that corresponds to the two-dimensional matrix arrangement of the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, and / or the two-dimensional matrix arrangement of the push-off device.

[0050] The possible use of an automated handling unit, e.g. a robot, for the direct and immediate orderly transfer of preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, to the discharge device can also improve the efficiency, quality and sterility of the container manufacturing process.

[0051] The discharge device of the container treatment plant can have at least one track for transporting the received preform(s) and at least one exit.

[0052] At least a part of the at least one path can define at least one row or at least one column of the two-dimensional matrix arrangement in which the preforms can be or have been picked up by the push-off device.

[0053] The push-off device can also be configured to transport or convey the picked-up preforms along the at least one path to at least one exit of the push-off device.

[0054] The at least one track enables the preforms to be transported within the push-off device to at least one exit in an orderly manner, e.g. in a row.

[0055] The width of the track can be dimensioned such that it can correspond to the average diameter of a preform (e.g. measured below the support ring of the preform) and can be slightly smaller than the average diameter of the support ring of the preform.

[0056] Different parts or segments of the at least one track can define different rows or different columns of the two-dimensional matrix arrangement in which the preforms can be or have been received by the push-off device.

[0057] The various parts or segments of the at least one path can thus be at least partially rectilinear and connected to one another by curved segments. Overall, the at least one path can thus define a serpentine or winding path for the preforms, in which curved segments and rectilinear parts or segments of the path can alternate, and wherein the rectilinear parts or segments of the path can be arranged parallel or nearly parallel to one another.

[0058] This design of the track can contribute to improved order and efficiency of the transport of preforms in the plant.

[0059] The push-off device can have a plurality of support bars which define the at least one track, and wherein the support bars are designed such that the preforms can be transported with their support rings hanging in the support bars, in particular hanging vertically and in the direction of gravity.

[0060] The at least one track can also be regarded as a channel or shaft in which the preforms can move or in which the preforms can be transported.

[0061] The support bars can define the edges or boundaries of at least one track. The preforms can then be transported within the track, for example, suspended between adjacent support bars with their support rings.

[0062] The support bars can also be regarded as guide bars which guide the preforms through the push-off device and whereby the preforms slide along the support bars via their support rings.

[0063] The push-off device can be configured to transport the preforms along the at least one track by means of compressed air.

[0064] For example, the pushing-off device can have air shafts with gills along the at least one track, via which the compressed air can be applied to move or convey the preforms along the at least one track.

[0065] Alternatively or additionally, the push-off device may be configured to transport the preforms mechanically along the at least one track.

[0066] For example, the push-off device can have a plurality of mechanically drivable drivers, e.g. driver cams, which can be configured to transport the picked-up preforms along the at least one path defined by the support strips to at least one exit of the push-off device.

[0067] The exemplary drivable carriers can be configured such that they can come into contact with the preforms, e.g. into contact with the support rings of the preforms and / or into contact with a surface of the preform below and / or above the support ring.

[0068] The exemplary drivable carriers can extend into the at least one track. For example, the drivable carriers can extend into the track up to the center line of the at least one track or even further.

[0069] The pushing-off device can further comprise circulating transport means, e.g. conveyor belts or conveyor chains or conveyor belts, which can be assigned to the support bars and wherein the carriers for transporting the preforms can be attached to the circulating transport means.

[0070] The circulating transport means can, for example, be driven by controllable drive rollers.

[0071] The exemplary circulating transport means may be connected to the support rails or may be spaced apart from them, ie not be in contact with the support rails.

[0072] The push-off device can be configured such that the preforms can move along at least one well-defined direction of movement or along at least one well-defined transport movement direction along the at least one path.

[0073] The direction of movement of the preforms can, for example, correspond to the direction of movement of the carriers of the circulating transport means or be parallel to it.

[0074] Alternatively, however, it is possible for the direction of movement of the carriers of the circulating transport means to enclose an angle, e.g., an angle of 1° or greater, with the direction of transport movement of a preform along at least a portion, in particular along a rectilinear portion or segment, of the track. This can prevent, among other things, carriers of different circulating transport means assigned to adjacent and opposing support rails from colliding with each other. Damage to the push-off device can thus be avoided.

[0075] Alternatively or additionally, carriers of different circulating transport means, which are assigned to adjacent and opposite support strips, can be arranged offset from one another.

[0076] The push-off device can further be configured to transport the preforms selectively along different, in particular opposite, directions of movement or opposite transport movement directions.

[0077] Alternatively or additionally, the push-off device may have a plurality of exits for the preforms, wherein the push-off device may be configured to transport the preforms selectively to one exit or to a plurality of exits.

[0078] The possible exemplary outputs of the discharge device can each lead to said at least one unit for producing containers, e.g. to a stretch blow molding machine.

[0079] Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the possible plurality of outputs can lead to another unit of the container treatment plant, e.g. to an inspection unit or to a reject collection unit.

[0080] As already described, the push-off device can be configured to transport the preforms selectively along different, in particular opposite, directions of movement or opposite transport movement directions.

[0081] For example, the pushing-off device can comprise rotating transport means whose transport direction can be controlled and reversed.

[0082] This allows the preforms to be transported to the various possible exits in an orderly and controlled manner. This increases the flexibility of the discharge device and thus the efficiency and flexibility of the system.

[0083] For example, the preforms can be pushed from the push-off device via an output of the push-off device directly and in one lane or one line to a blow molding machine (which can, for example, operate continuously) or to a subsequent conveyor or to a subsequent switch.

[0084] In addition, preforms found to be defective can be discharged via another output of the discharge device, e.g. to a reject collection unit, e.g. a wire mesh box and / or at least some of the preforms can be fed to an inspection unit during production in order, for example, to check the preforms, e.g. to measure and / or weigh them.

[0085] By arranging the preforms in a row and, for example, separating them by the carriers of the circulating transport means, it is also possible to position individual preforms above a discharge device and to discharge them in a targeted manner.

[0086] The possible orderly, single-row or single-track output of preforms in a row, spaced from each other by the drivers of the circulating transport means via the output or via the output push-off device allows a more precise control and management of the flow of preforms through the container handling system.

[0087] The exemplary support strips mentioned can each be formed from individual modules, whereby the modules can be arranged in series.

[0088] Alternatively, a plurality of support strips can be formed from one unit.

[0089] This exemplary modular design allows for easy adaptation of the application possibilities, dimensions and capacity of the discharge device to different production requirements or production changes, such as adaptation to different production rates or different container types or different preform types.

[0090] The invention therefore not only provides a container treatment plant for producing containers as described above, but also a preform discharge device for use in a container treatment plant for producing containers as described above, and wherein the discharge device can be configured to receive a plurality of preforms produced by an injection molding machine in an orderly manner in the form of a two-dimensional matrix or a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and to feed them in an orderly manner to a unit for producing containers from the preforms.

[0091] The push-off device may have some or all of the features described above.

[0092] Further exemplary aspects of the invention or exemplary aspects of the claim features are illustrated by way of example by the following figures.

[0093] Fig. 1a: Example of a push-off device

[0094] Fig. 1 b: Example of an alternative push-off device

[0095] Fig. 1c: Example enlarged section of Fig. 1a or Fig. 1b

[0096] Fig. 2a: Example support bar module, example support bar

[0097] Fig. 2b: Example alternative support rail module

[0098] Fig. 3a: Example support rail module

[0099] Fig. 3b: Example enlarged section of Fig. 3a

[0100] Fig. 4: Example container treatment plant

[0101] Fig. 1a illustrates an exemplary top view of an exemplary push-off device 100 which has received a plurality of preforms 109 in an exemplary two-dimensional matrix arrangement.

[0102] These preforms 109 can, for example, originate directly from a shaping tool of a manufacturing machine (not shown), e.g. an injection molding machine, or can have been transferred from the shaping tool of a manufacturing machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, into the discharge device 100 by an automated handling unit (not shown), e.g. a robot.

[0103] In the example shown, this is a matrix arrangement with eight rows and eighteen columns, i.e., an 8 x 18 matrix, in which 144 preforms are accommodated and can be transported within the push-off device 100 along the exemplary track 115. The width of the track 115 can, for example, correspond to the average diameter of the preforms 109 and can be slightly smaller than the average diameter of the preform support rings.

[0104] Other matrix arrangements or other fillings of the discharge device 100 are also conceivable. Thus, not every matrix position needs to be filled with preforms. In fact, in the example shown, not all matrix positions are occupied; rather, there are still free positions or gaps available into which additional preforms could be accommodated.

[0105] The filling of the discharge device 100 can be flexibly adapted to desired pitches or timings for the ordered preform flow to be output.

[0106] In the example shown, the push-off device 100 has two exemplary exits 113, 114 and the exemplary path 114 extends between the two exits 113, 114.

[0107] The exemplary track 115 is formed by the arrangement of the exemplary support bars or support bar modules 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, which can transport the preforms 109 with their support rings hanging in the support bars, wherein, for example, the support rings of the preforms can be carried and guided by opposing support bars.

[0108] In other words, the preforms 109 can be transported with their support rings hanging in the track channel 115, which can be formed by two opposing support bars.

[0109] The path 115 may include a plurality of rectilinear segments that may be parallel to one another and may define the rows of the exemplary two-dimensional matrix arrangement.

[0110] Said straight-line segments of the path 115 can be connected to one another via curved segments.

[0111] By way of example, in the figure, the uppermost straight-line segment of the path 115 is provided with the reference number 134, which adjoins the curved segment 135.

[0112] The support rails or support rail modules 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 can each comprise circulating transport means 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, which can be designed, for example, as circulating transport belts with carriers. The exemplary circulating transport means 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 or the circulating transport belts can each be driven by drive rollers.

[0113] The exemplary circulating transport means 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 can also have deflection rollers (not shown), which can be opposite the respective drive rollers.

[0114] For reasons of clarity, only the transport belt 110 with carriers 111 and drive roller 112 have been provided with reference symbols.

[0115] The drive rollers and their directions of rotation are controllable, so that, for example, the directions of rotation of the drive rollers can be reversed.

[0116] Exemplary directions of rotation of the drive rollers are provided with the reference numerals 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133.

[0117] In the exemplary configuration of the drive rollers shown, the preforms 109 picked up by the push-off device are guided, for example, to the output 113 and there, for example, output to a unit (not shown) for producing containers from the preforms.

[0118] For example, the reference numeral 108 indicates preforms output at the output 113.

[0119] In an exemplary reversal of the directions of rotation 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133 of the drive rollers, the preforms 109 picked up by the push-off device 100 would, for example, be guided to the exit 114 and could there be output to another unit (not shown) of the container treatment plant, e.g. an inspection unit.

[0120] In order to improve the susceptibility to failure of the push-off device 100 and to ensure trouble-free transport of the preforms 109 within the push-off device 100, the circulating transport means can be configured such that the direction of movement of the carriers of the circulating transport means can enclose an angle, e.g. an angle of 1° or greater, with a transport movement direction of a preform along a rectilinear segment of the track.

[0121] The contour of the circulating transport means 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 can therefore be conical.

[0122] In the example shown, for example, the direction of movement 118 of the drivers of the circulating transport means 124 and the transport movement direction 107 of the preforms along the straight path segment between transport means 124 and transport means 125 were marked and the exemplary angle 116 between the two directions was drawn.

[0123] Opposing carriers of opposing transport means can therefore move parallel to each other along the straight track segments and extend into the track up to the center line of the straight track segments in order to be able to establish optimal contact with the preforms to be transported.

[0124] A collision between opposing carriers during operation of the push-off device 100 can thus be avoided.

[0125] Alternatively, however, it is conceivable that the push-off device can be designed in such a way that the direction of movement of the preforms corresponds to the direction of movement of the carriers of the circulating transport means or can be parallel to it.

[0126] In this case, for example, carriers of different circulating transport means, which are assigned to adjacent and opposite support strips, could be arranged offset from one another.

[0127] Fig. 1b shows an exemplary alternative push-off device 200, the functional principle of which essentially corresponds to the functioning of the push-off device 100 from Fig. 1a.

[0128] The push-off device 200 is also modularly composed of a plurality of support bars or support bar modules 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206.

[0129] The push-off device 200 can also accommodate preforms 209 in an exemplary two-dimensional matrix arrangement, which, as in the push-off device 100, can correspond to a matrix arrangement with eight rows and eighteen columns, i.e., an 8 x 18 matrix. As in the push-off device 100, the support bars or support bar modules 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206 each have circulating transport means 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, which can be designed, for example, as circulating transport belts with carriers.

[0130] The exemplary circulating transport means 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 or the circulating transport belts can each be driven by drive rollers.

[0131] For reasons of clarity, only the conveyor belt 210 with carriers 211 have been provided with reference symbols.

[0132] The illustrated drive rollers of the transport means 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 have not been provided with reference symbols for reasons of clarity.

[0133] The exemplary circulating transport means 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 may also have deflection rollers (not shown) which may be opposite the respective drive rollers.

[0134] As with the push-off device 100, the circulating transport means of the push-off device 100 can be configured such that the direction of movement of the carriers of the circulating transport means can enclose an angle, e.g. an angle of 1° or greater, with a transport movement direction of a preform along a rectilinear segment of the path.

[0135] In the example shown, for example, the direction of movement 218 of the drivers of the circulating transport means 226 and the transport movement direction 217 of the preforms along the straight path segment between transport means 226 and transport means 227 were marked and the exemplary angle 216 between the two directions was drawn.

[0136] In contrast to the push-off device 100, however, the push-off device 200 has two separate tracks 219 and 220, each having two exits.

[0137] Thus, the track 219 has the exits 212 and 213 and the track 220 has the exits 214 and 215. In total, the push-off device 100 thus provides four exits to which the picked-up preforms 209 can be guided or transported and thus distributed to various units of the container treatment plant.

[0138] This increases the flexibility and efficiency of the pusher and the container handling system in which it can be used.

[0139] In the configuration shown, for example, the preforms are output at outputs 213 and 214.

[0140] The reference numeral 207 denotes, for example, preforms output at the output 213 and the reference numeral 208 denotes, for example, preforms output at the output 214.

[0141] In addition, switches (not shown) can be connected to the various outputs 212, 213, 214, 215, which can further divide and forward the output preforms or the output preform streams.

[0142] Alternatively or additionally, it would also be conceivable for the discharge device to be designed to be laterally displaceable so that the preforms discharged via the various outputs can be fed one after the other to single-track conveyors.

[0143] Fig. 1c shows an exemplary enlarged section of the lower two support bars 205, 206 or support bar modules of the push-off device 100 or 200, in which, for the sake of simplicity, the reference numeral convention of the push-off device 200 from Fig. 1b has been adopted.

[0144] The direction of movement 216 of the carriers of the side 221 of the circulating transport means 226 and the transport movement direction 217 of the preforms along the rectilinear path segment 229 between the transport means 226 and the transport means 228 enclose the angle 216, as mentioned above.

[0145] In this section, angle 216 is more clearly visible than in Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b. The contour of the circulating transport means can, as mentioned, be conical, and the opposite sides of opposing transport means can be aligned parallel to each other. As shown, for example, side 228 of transport means 227 runs parallel to side 221 of transport means 226.

[0146] In other words, the direction of movement (not marked) of the drivers of the side 228 of the circulating transport means 227 and the transport movement direction 217 of the preforms along the rectilinear path segment 229 between transport means 226 and transport means 228 can also enclose an angle which has the same amount as the angle 216.

[0147] This exemplary embodiment of the geometry of rectilinear track segments and the circulating transport means surrounding the rectilinear track segments can apply to each rectilinear track segment of each push-off device in the general case, and in particular to the embodiments according to Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b.

[0148] Fig. 2a shows an exemplary support bar 300 or an exemplary support bar module which can be used in a push-off device described herein.

[0149] For example, the push-off devices 100, 200 described in Fig. 1a, 1b and 1c may comprise such support bars 300 or such support bar modules.

[0150] A plurality of such support bars 300 or support bar modules can be combined with one another as desired in order to achieve various configurations of a push-off device described herein.

[0151] In particular, with different combinations of such support bars 300 or such support bar modules, different paths or different path guides of the preforms within a / the push-off device and a plurality of different outputs of a / the push-off device can be realized.

[0152] Fig. 2b shows an exemplary support bar module 301 for a push-off device, which can, for example, be designed from multiple support bars or individual support bar modules of the type of support bar 300 from Fig. 2a, or which can consist of a combination of two different support bar modules 302, 303 of a different type. The advantage of using larger support bar modules, which themselves can have multiple support bars, e.g., of the type of support bar 300, is, among other things, that seams or transitions between the different support bars can be dispensed with.

[0153] This can, among other things, improve the cleanability and hygiene of the push-off device.

[0154] In the example shown, the combination of the support bar modules 302, 303 realizes a track 304 for the preforms (not shown) of a push-off device with two outputs 305, 306.

[0155] Fig. 3a shows an exemplary spatial view of an exemplary further embodiment of a support bar 407 or a support bar module for a push-off device described herein, and how it can also be used, for example, in the push-off devices 100 or 200.

[0156] Fig. 3b shows an enlarged section of the part marked by the dashed line in Fig. 3a.

[0157] It can be seen that the support bar module 407 can be designed as a two-story structure, for example, wherein the upper part or the support bar 404 comprises a circulating transport means which is designed as a circulating belt 403 with driver cams 402, which can come into contact, for example, with a preform 400 in the area of ​​the mouth or in the area of ​​the support ring 401 or in the area around the support ring 401 of the preform 400 in order to move or transport the preform.

[0158] The lower part 406 or the lower floor of the support bar module 407 can also take the shape of the upper support bar and serve as a support bar or as a guide bar 408 for the shaft of the preform 400.

[0159] For this purpose, the guide bar 408 can also comprise a circulating transport means, which is also designed as a circulating belt 405 with driver cams 409, and wherein the driver cams 409 can come into contact with the shaft of the preform in order to move or transport the preform.

[0160] Fig. 4 shows, by way of example and schematically, a container treatment plant 500 for producing containers, comprising a production machine 501, e.g. an injection molding machine, for producing preforms and a push-off device 502, which is configured to receive a plurality of the preforms produced by the production machine, e.g. an injection molding machine, in an orderly manner in the form of a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and to feed them in an orderly manner to at least one subsequent unit 503, 504 of the container treatment plant 500.

[0161] The exemplary unit 503 may, for example, be a unit for producing containers from the preforms, e.g. a stretch blow molding machine.

[0162] The further exemplary unit 503 may, for example, be a unit for inspecting the preforms.

[0163] The following figures are Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b and 4.

[0164] The reference symbols are assigned as follows.

[0165] 100 push-off device

[0166] 101 , 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 module or support bar or support bar module

[0167] 108 preforms or dispensed preforms

[0168] 109 preforms or picked up preforms

[0169] 110 belt or rotating belt

[0170] 111 Driver or driver cam

[0171] 112 Drive roller

[0172] 113 Exit

[0173] 114 Exit

[0174] 115 Railway or canal or railway canal

[0175] 116 Angle between transport movement direction of the preforms and movement direction of the carriers

[0176] 117 Transport direction of the preforms

[0177] 118 Direction of movement of the carriers of the belt 110 of the transport means 119

[0178] 119, 120, 121 , 122, 123, 124, 125 Circulating means of transport

[0179] 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131 , 132, 133 Direction(s) of movement of the drive roller(s)

[0180] 134 Straight-line path segment

[0181] 135 Curve segment of the track

[0182] 200 push-off device

[0183] 201 , 202, 203, 204, 205, 206 Module or support bar or support bar module 207 Preforms or dispensed preforms

[0184] 208 preforms or dispensed preforms

[0185] 209 preforms or picked up preforms

[0186] 210 belt or rotating belt

[0187] 211 Driver or driver cam

[0188] 212 Exit

[0189] 213 Exit

[0190] 214 Exit

[0191] 215 Exit

[0192] 216 Angle between transport movement direction of the preforms and movement direction of the carriers

[0193] 217 Transport movement direction of the preforms

[0194] 218 Direction of movement of the carriers of the belt 221 of the transport device 226

[0195] 219 Railway or canal or railway canal

[0196] 220 Railway or canal or railway canal

[0197] 221 Belt or rotating belt

[0198] 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 Circulating means of transport

[0199] 228 belt or rotating belt

[0200] 229 Straight-line path segment

[0201] 300 support rail or individual support rail module

[0202] 301 support rail module

[0203] 302 support rail module

[0204] 303 support rail module

[0205] 304 Railway

[0206] 305 Exit

[0207] 306 Exit

[0208] 400 preforms

[0209] 401 Preform support ring

[0210] 402 Driver or driver cam

[0211] 403 Rotating transport means or rotating belt

[0212] 404 Support bar, or upper floor or upper part of the support bar module

[0213] 405 Rotating transport means or rotating belt

[0214] 406 Lower part or lower floor of the support rail module

[0215] 407 Support bar or support bar module Guide bar Driver or driver cam Container treatment plant Manufacturing machine for preforms, e.g. injection molding machine Push-off device Unit of the container treatment plant Unit of the container treatment plant

Claims

Claims 1. Container treatment plant (500) for producing containers, comprising: a production machine (501) for producing preforms, in particular an injection molding machine, at least one unit (503) for producing containers from the preforms, at least one pushing device (502) for feeding the preforms to the at least one unit for producing containers from the preforms, wherein the pushing device (502) is configured to receive a plurality of the preforms (109) produced by the production machine (501) in an orderly manner in the form of a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and to feed them in an orderly manner to the at least one unit (503) for producing containers from the preforms.

2. Container treatment plant (500) according to claim 1, wherein the push-off device (502) is configured to simultaneously receive in an orderly manner a multiple of the number of preforms that can be produced per cycle of the production machine (501).

3. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the push-off device (502) is configured to receive 50 to 300 preforms simultaneously in an orderly manner.

4. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one unit (503, 504) for producing containers from the preforms is a unit of the following type: inlet unit of a stretch blow molding machine, inlet unit of a heating section, conveyor unit, inlet of a preform cleaning unit, inspection unit, reject collection unit.

5. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one automated handling unit, in particular a robot, wherein the automated handling unit, e.g. the / a robot, has at least one gripper and the at least one gripper is configured to remove preforms from the forming tool of the manufacturing machine (501) and / or from a removal device which is arranged between forming tool and automated handling unit, and to transfer it to the push-off device (502) in an orderly manner in the form of / a two-dimensional matrix arrangement.

6. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the push-off device (502, 100) has at least one track (115) for transporting the received preforms and at least one exit (113, 114), wherein a part of the at least one track defines at least one row of the two-dimensional matrix arrangement and wherein the push-off device (502, 100) is configured to transport the received preforms along the at least one track to the at least one exit (113, 114) of the push-off device (502, 100).

7. Container treatment plant (500) according to the preceding claim, wherein the pushing device (502, 100) has a plurality of support strips (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107) which define the at least one track (115), and wherein the support strips (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107) are designed such that the preforms can be transported hanging with their support rings in the support strips.

8. Container treatment plant (500) according to the preceding claim, wherein the push-off device (502) is configured to transport the preforms along the at least one track by means of compressed air and / or air flow, and / or wherein the push-off device is configured to transport the preforms mechanically along the at least one track.

9. Container treatment plant (500) according to the preceding claim, wherein the push-off device (500, 100) has a plurality of mechanically drivable carriers (111) which are configured to transport the received preforms along the at least one path (115) defined by the support strips to the at least one output (113, 114) of the push-off device (500, 100).

10. Container treatment plant (500) according to the preceding claim, wherein the pushing-off device further comprises circulating transport means (119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125), e.g. conveyor belts or conveyor chains or conveyor belts, which are assigned to the support strips and wherein the drivers (111) for transporting the preforms are attached to the circulating transport means.

11. Container treatment plant (500) according to the preceding claim, comprising a plurality of support strips (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107) and a plurality of circulating transport means (119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125), wherein the direction of movement (118) of the drivers of the circulating transport means encloses an angle (116) with a transport movement direction (117) of a preform along at least part of the path.

12. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the pushing device (502) is configured to transport the preforms selectively along different, in particular opposite, transport movement directions and / or wherein the pushing device has a plurality of outputs for the preforms, wherein the pushing device is configured to transport the preforms selectively to one output or to a plurality of outputs, wherein the outputs each lead to at least one unit (503) for producing containers and / or wherein at least one output leads to another unit (504) of the container treatment plant (500).

13. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the pushing device (502) comprises circulating transport means whose transport direction of rotation is controllable and can be reversed.

14. Container treatment plant (500) according to one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the support bars of the push-off device (502) are each formed from individual modules, wherein the modules can be arranged in series, or wherein a plurality of support bars are formed from one unit.

15. A push-off device (100, 200, 502) for preforms for use in a container treatment plant (500) for producing containers according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the push-off device is configured to receive a plurality of the preforms produced by a production machine in an orderly manner in the form of a two-dimensional matrix arrangement and to feed them in an orderly manner to a unit for producing containers from the preforms.

Images