SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HANDLING ARTICLES MOVED IN MASS FLOW, SUCH AS BEVERAGE CONTAINERS OR THE SIMILAR

Abstract

A system (1) for handling items (3) moved in a mass flow, such as beverage containers (5) or the like, is disclosed. The system (1) includes a transport device (10) through which a plurality of items (3) can be transported. Furthermore, the system (1) includes a specific handling device (7) that can sort and discard selected items (3) transported by said transport device (10) and whose respective longitudinal axis is inclined relative to a horizontal orientation, and / or that can transfer them into a vertical orientation.It is provided that said handling device (7) determined is in communication with a control and / or adjustment unit (S), in which said handling device (7) determined can be controlled via said control and / or adjustment unit (S) to perform at least one additional handling task, which at least one additional handling task goes beyond the action of sorting and discarding and / or standing up the selected articles (4) carried by said transport device (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a system for handling articles moved in mass flow, such as beverage containers or the like. Articles, such as beverage containers, are often transported along a conveyor line and, during this process, are typically fitted with at least one additional package. Subsequently, the articles with their respective additional packaging, or the beverage containers grouped together to form a multipack, can be pre-assembled onto a palletized layer. From this layer, a finished palletized layer is created by compressing the individual articles or multipacks. Multiple palletized layers can then be stacked onto a pallet and prepared for transport. During processing steps, or during the transport of related items, individual items may tip over during transport, causing problems in the processing of these items and the uninterrupted continuation of individual work steps. It may therefore be necessary to stop individual machines or an entire installation, or to take them out of service for a short period until the disruption caused by the tipping of individual items can be eliminated. If necessary, such items can be manually removed from the respective processing line. In order to avoid interrupting individual processing steps and to ensure that the personnel cost for eliminating disruptions is as low as possible, prior art systems employing a manipulator for this purpose are known. Such a system is disclosed, for example, in document WO 2015 / 185957 A1. The system described in the published WO patent application comprises a horizontal transport device on which a plurality of bottles are moved in a disordered mass flow. A robot is positioned next to the horizontal transport device. The robot can remove individual bottles that have spilled from the horizontal transport device or from the disordered mass flow. Practice has shown that other disturbances can occur during a production line that cannot always be reliably eliminated by means of devices according to the published WO patent application. This is why an object of the invention may consist of providing a system, or an installation arrangement, and a method characterized by greater flexibility. Furthermore, the system must be simple in construction and inexpensive to produce. Beyond this, the method must be easy to implement and cost-effective. The objects of the invention are achieved by a system, an installation arrangement, and a method that have the characteristics shown below. Other advantageous configurations are also described. The invention relates to a system for handling items moved in a mass flow, such as beverage containers or the like. The system comprises a transport device through which a plurality of items can be transported. This transport device can be implemented as a horizontal conveyor. Furthermore, this transport device can be implemented as a circulating conveyor belt. Items can be placed upright on this circulating conveyor belt, and when the circulating conveyor belt is driven, they can be moved or transported. This transport device can be connected to a control and / or adjustment unit that continuously drives the transport device or is designed to operate it continuously. Furthermore, the system includes a specific handling device that can sort and remove selected items transported by a transport device whose longitudinal axis is inclined relative to a horizontal, and / or that can transfer them into a vertical orientation. This specific handling device may be positioned laterally to or beside the transport device. Therefore, it is possible that items or beverage containers whose longitudinal axis is inclined relative to a horizontal may not stand upright on the transport device or may have tipped over on it.It is also possible that said specific manipulation device may be implemented as a stationary component of the system or be removably connected, via screws or the like, to a . bottom surface or be mounted in a fixed position relative to said transport device. In the system according to the invention, it is provided that said a specified handling device is in communication with a control and / or adjustment unit, in which said specified handling device can be controlled via said control and / or adjustment unit to perform at least one additional handling task, which at least one additional handling task goes beyond the action of sorting and discarding and / or standing up the selected articles carried by said transport device. In practice, certain embodiments have proven successful in which the system - includes at least one other transport device intended for transporting a plurality of articles, which at least one other transport device is spaced apart from the first transport device, in which, as part of said at least one additional handling operation, said specific handling device can sort and discard articles selected and transported by said at least one other transport device and whose respective longitudinal axis has an inclined orientation with respect to a horizontal, and / or can transfer them into a vertical orientation, and / or in which system - said a specific handling device is made, within the framework of said at least one additional handling operation, to carry out adjustment work for the transport device and / or for at least one other transport device intended to transport a plurality of articles, which at least one other transport device is spaced from said transport device, and / or in which - the system includes at least one sensor assembly intended to detect and / or recognize at least one predetermined quality criterion of said plurality of articles transported by the transport device and / or of a plurality of articles transported by at least one other transport device, which at least one other transport device is spaced out from said transport device, in which said one determined handling device is carried out, within the framework of said at least one additional handling operation, taking into consideration said at least one predetermined quality criterion detected respectively by means of said at least one sensor assembly, to sort and eliminate articles which are transported by said one transport device and / or said at least one other transport device and which do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion. At least one predetermined quality criterion can be achieved, for example, such as the intended position of a label applied to the articles or to the beverage containers of said plurality. Similarly, at least one predetermined quality criterion can be achieved such as the intended fill level of the plurality of articles formed by a plurality of beverage containers. In preferred embodiments, it may be provided that said transport device has an article transport direction opposite to that of said at least one other transport device. Consequently, the plurality of articles may be moved first by said transport device, after which the direction of the plurality of articles is reversed and they are brought to said at least one other transport device, which at least one other transport device is spaced relative to said transport device. An article may pass through the specified handling device several times, in different directions. During this process, at least one predetermined quality criterion may be observed and / or recognized by means of at least one sensor assembly. This allows the respective predetermined quality criterion to be observed and / or recognized from different perspectives or angles. In practice, several sensors may also be provided that observe and / or recognize different quality criteria and / or that observe and / or recognize whether a respective longitudinal axis of an article moved by the transport device has a vertical orientation. It is also possible to install a blow molding machine, a filling machine, and / or a sealing machine for the containers upstream of the conveying device, in the direction of transport of the formed items, which may be beverage containers. The blow molding machine can be adaptable. Furthermore, it is possible for the blow molds of the blow molding machine to be interchangeable so that beverage containers with different shapes or geometries can be produced using said blow molding machine. Furthermore, said transport device and / or said at least one other transport device may include several adjacent guide rails between which a respective transport lane for articles is created. In conceivable embodiments, said given handling device may adapt, within the framework of a Adjustment work involves the relative spacing of adjacent guide rails between a transport device. It is also possible that a given handling device may, through adjustment work, adapt or modify the relative spacing of adjacent guide rails between at least one other transport device. Where applicable, the aforementioned several adjacent guide rails can be held in their respective positions or immobilized in their respective positions by at least one locking device. It is conceivable that a specific handling device is designed to unlock or remove the at least one locking device that immobilizes the aforementioned several adjacent guide rails in their respective positions. Furthermore, the aforementioned handling device can be designed, where applicable, to immobilize the aforementioned several adjacent guide rails by means of the aforementioned at least one locking device. To immobilize and / or remove or unlock the aforementioned at least one locking device, proven embodiments exist in which the specified handling device mechanically actuates, for example, by means of a tool, the aforementioned at least one locking device. A given handling device may include at least one working arm which, in order to adjust the relative distance between adjacent guide rails, can be inserted between the respective adjacent guide rails, and which at least one working arm is designed to move the guide rails. In particular, said at least one working arm, for insertion between adjacent guide rails, may be designed to be lowered vertically or to be moved downwards with a vertical component. It is also possible that said at least one working arm is designed to be moved horizontally so that said at least one working arm can, by means of its horizontal movement, move adjacent guide rails to adjust their relative distance between them.In preferred embodiments, said manipulation device may include exactly one working arm which, where appropriate, may be formed of several sections movable relative to one another. Thus, said at least one working arm or said exactly one working arm may have at least two and in particular at least three joints to allow relative movement of said several sections with respect to one another. Furthermore, a free end zone of said at least one working arm or said exactly one working arm may be able to rotate about a longitudinal axis of a . section of said at least one or indeed exactly one working arm, which forms the end zone. In a preferred embodiment, said specified manipulation device may be a robot having at least four and, preferably, at least five axes. It is also conceivable that said at least one sensor assembly is implemented to detect and / or recognize the actual position of a plurality of neighboring guide rails, and that a specific manipulation device can be controlled, by being actively linked to said at least one sensor assembly, to adjust the relative distance of neighboring guide rails with respect to one another. These are proven embodiments in which said at least one sensor assembly is implemented as at least one optical sensor assembly or as at least one camera system. It is also possible that said at least one sensor assembly is implemented by means of at least one photoelectric barrier.Said at least one sensor assembly may be in communication with a control and / or adjustment unit, which control and / or adjustment unit may detect and / or recognize, at least approximately in real time, by means of said at least one sensor assembly, a respective actual position of several neighboring guide rails. It is conceivable that a given manipulation device may be implemented as an articulated arm robot or as a parallel kinematic robot. For example, a given manipulation device may be implemented as a parallel kinematic robot, with the manipulation device implemented as a parallel kinematic robot being positioned suspended above a transport plane for items formed by the transport device. If the given manipulation device is implemented as an articulated arm robot, the manipulation device implemented as an articulated arm robot may be positioned laterally to, or beside, the first transport device. For example, the given manipulation device may be implemented as a tripod.Therefore, a given manipulation device can manipulate selected articles by means of a coordinated movement of three working arms. In conceivable embodiments, said particular manipulation device may have at least one pneumatic working tool; it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool that said particular manipulation device a) can grasp selected articles by vacuum for sorting and disposal and / or for transferring them into a vertical orientation, and / or it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool that (b) said handling device can perform adjustment work for said transport device and / or for said at least one other transport device, and / or it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool that (c) said a specified handling device can grasp articles by suction for sorting and disposal, which articles do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion, and / or it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool that (d) said handling device may receive other tools, such as mechanical tools designed for fitting work, and / or it is by means of said device at least one pneumatic working tool that (e) said a particular handling device may cause an exchange or a change in format of or in certain parts of a transport device or packaging machine. Beyond this, the aforementioned handling device may be able to sort and remove parts of articles using the pneumatic working tool. The term "parts of articles" can be understood, for example, as fragments or pieces of articles often found in practice on transport devices when transporting articles made of glass bottles. It is also possible that a given manipulation device may have at least one mechanical gripping tool; it is by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool that said given manipulation device a) can grasp selected articles by clamping them for sorting and disposal and / or for transferring them into a vertical orientation, and / or it is by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool that (b) said handling device can perform adjustment work for said transport device and / or for said at least one other transport device, and / or it is by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool that (c) said a specified handling device can grasp by clamping articles for sorting and disposal, which articles do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion. In this regard, it should be noted that, in conceivable embodiments, said handling device may possess a mechanical gripping tool and a pneumatic working tool. Thus, said handling device may comprise two working arms, one working arm being associated respectively with the pneumatic gripping tool and the other with the mechanical gripping tool. It is also conceivable, with regard to said at least one mechanical gripping tool, that the handling device may receive, lift, and, where appropriate, sort and dispose of parts of articles. In conceivable embodiments, said transport device and / or said at least one other transport device may be made as an article buffer and be in communication with a control and / or adjustment unit made as a component of the system, said control and / or adjustment unit being able to control said transport device made as an article buffer and / or said other transport device made as an article buffer, for the temporary storage of articles when articles are sorted and disposed of and / or stood upright and / or during the implementation of an adjustment job. Alternatively, or in addition, it is also possible to designate the system so that the specified handling device can perform a switching function. In this way, it may be possible, for example, for the specified handling device to be located at a junction where a flow of items is divided into two flows of items, for example, at or within the aforementioned transport device. By changing a switch and / or inserting a diversion (for example, a deflector) in a transport path on the transport device using the specified handling device, it may be possible to control the distribution of a flow of items. In doing so, the specified handling device can perform one of the aforementioned tasks on the first transport device, if applicable. Alternatively or in addition, it is also conceivable to provide in the system that the said specified handling device removes parts of articles and / or other residues from the first and / or other transport device. This can be done, in particular, outside of a service mode in which, for example, items are transported. For this purpose, the aforementioned tool can be used as a working tool. pneumatic work already mentioned. Alternatively, a broom can be used as a working tool. Furthermore, it is possible that the aforementioned handling device can perform one of the tasks already mentioned on the first transport device. Furthermore, it is possible that said at least one sensor assembly may be implemented as at least one optical sensor assembly and, in particular, as at least one camera system. In this case, it is possible that a detection zone of said at least one optical sensor assembly implemented, in particular, as at least one camera system may extend at least in zones over said transport device and said at least one other transport device. Furthermore, the system may include a storage unit into which sorted and discarded items can be introduced by means of the specified handling device. The storage unit may be positioned, where appropriate, laterally to one or more transport devices. If one or more transport devices are provided, the storage unit may be positioned between one and at least one other transport device. In addition, a work tool intended to receive items to be sorted and eliminated and / or to be stood upright and / or to carry out adjustment work may be detachably attached to said specific handling device. Furthermore, the system may include a magazine that holds at least two tools. This magazine may be positioned between one transport device and at least one other transport device. Specifically, a specific location may be assigned to each of the at least two tools within the magazine, and this location may be stored in the control and / or adjustment unit. In the case of the aforementioned at least two tools, these may be mechanical tools, such as gripping claw devices, brooms, hex keys, hex keys, and / or pneumatic tools, such as suction cups of different sizes, or chemical “tools” (in this sense of spray bottles for example), such as lubricants for the belts of transport devices, and / or measuring instruments, such as torque meters. In the case of said one transport device and said at least one other transport device, these may be components of exactly one bottling line, the articles in the form of containers or beverage containers being transported on said transport device and, after that, on said at least one other transport device. In particular, it is possible that said at least one sensor assembly and said control and / or adjustment unit are designed to recognize free positions (where applicable, surfaces not occupied by articles) on the transport device and / or on said at least one other transport device. In this way, it is possible to place articles that have been positioned vertically by means of said specified handling device into the free positions or to introduce them into the free positions. In this way, where appropriate, it is also possible to remove selected articles from said transport device by means of the determined handling device and to place these in free positions already described above in said at least one other transport device or to introduce these into free positions in said at least one other transport device. In particular, a selected article may be removed from said transport device and placed in a free position on said at least one other transport device or be introduced into a free position on said at least one other transport device, said at least one other transport device being disposed downstream, in a direction of movement of articles, relative to said transport device. In particular, a free space or position may be larger than the required base area or the area of ​​a horizontal cut through a given selected item. This may be necessary if, for example, a horizontal item is received by a suction cup and must be uprighted by rotating it approximately 90°. In this case, the tool and its adjacent arm of the handling device may themselves require free space to receive the selected item. The system may include an article transport device, a sensor assembly for detecting misoriented articles on said transport device, and a specified handling device, said specified handling device being capable of grasping misoriented articles and sorting and discarding or redirecting them, within an access zone of said specified handling device, at least one other article transport device being disposed of on which the same device of Determinate manipulation can capture misoriented items and sort and eliminate or redirect them. Beyond this, the invention relates to a filling system for articles consisting of beverage containers. The filling system comprises a first bottling unit and at least one second bottling unit, as well as a system according to an embodiment of the preceding description. It is provided that said conveying device is implemented as a component of the first bottling unit and that said at least one other conveying device is implemented as a component of the second bottling unit. Thus, the first bottling unit can be spaced apart from the second bottling unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for handling items moved in a mass flow, such as beverage containers or the like. Features described above in connection with various embodiments of the system or installation arrangement can also be provided for the method described below and are not mentioned redundantly. In addition, features described below that relate to various embodiments of the method can be provided for the system already described above or for the installation arrangement already described above. In the process according to the invention, a plurality of articles are transported in a mass flow. In particular, said plurality of articles can be transported with the same direction of transport in said mass flow. Furthermore, selected individual items from said plurality, whose respective longitudinal axes have taken on an inclined orientation relative to a horizontal, are sorted and eliminated and / or placed upright by a specific handling device. In the case of the selected items from said plurality, these may therefore be items that are transported upside down or lying down. Furthermore, it is expected that said particular handling device performs at least one additional handling job before sorting and discarding and / or standing the selected individual articles and / or after doing this, which at least one additional handling job goes beyond the action of sorting and discarding and / or standing the selected articles transported in a mass flow. In practice, proven embodiments exist in which, within the framework of at least one additional manipulation task, at least one of the following steps is implemented by a specific manipulation device: - sort and eliminate and / or stand up individual articles selected from at least one other plurality, which other plurality is transported in at least one other mass flow which is moved at spacing relative to said mass flow, and which respective longitudinal axis of the selected articles from said at least one other plurality has taken an inclined orientation relative to a horizontal, and / or - to perform adjustment work for a transport device carrying a plurality of items in mass flow and / or for at least one other transport device that is spaced apart from the transport device carrying the plurality of items in mass flow, and / or - to identify and / or recognize at least one predetermined quality criterion for the plurality of items and / or at least one other plurality of items that are moved at a spacing relative to said mass flow into at least one other mass flow, and to sort and eliminate items from said mass flow and / or said at least one other mass flow, which items to be sorted and eliminated do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion, and / or - remove remnants of articles and / or soiling from said transport device and / or from at least one other transport device which is spaced away from said transport device. If necessary, said at least one other mass flow may be moved relative to said mass flow with a parallel, identical or opposite direction of transport. In conceivable embodiments, during the adjustment process, the relative distance of immediately adjacent guide rails forming a respective transport path for articles, a transport device, and / or at least one other transport device may be adjusted by means of a specific handling device. For this purpose, a specific handling device, or a working arm of a specific handling device, may be positioned between immediately adjacent guide rails and may subsequently move the immediately adjacent guide rails relative to one another. For relative movement, the working arm is mobile in the horizontal direction or can be moved in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, during the adjustment process, at least one stop device associated with adjacent guide rails, forming a respective transport path for items, may be unlocked or removed. The relative movement can also be achieved using the aforementioned pneumatic tool, for example, by having a suction cup engage with a guide rail and, if necessary, lift and then move it. For this movement, the pneumatic tool itself, or another tool, or the working arm itself, can come into contact with the guide rail and exert a lateral force on it. Beyond this, it is conceivable that, during the adjustment process, at least one stop device for immediately adjacent guide rails forming a respective transport path for articles, said transport device, and / or said at least one other transport device, is released by said specific handling device. To this end, said specific handling device may have a working tool which, where appropriate, is positioned on a free end area of ​​a working arm of said specific handling device. The working tool may be mechanically engaged with the stop device and / or with an actuation means designed to release or remove said at least one stop device and may be rotated by means of said specific handling device to release or remove said at least one stop device. Furthermore, it is possible that said transport device and / or said at least one other transport device may act as a buffer for items, said transport device and / or said at least one other transport device temporarily storing items while items are being sorted and discarded and / or stood upright and / or during the implementation of an adjustment operation. Thus, said transport device and / or said at least one other transport device may be ordered for the storage of items while items are being sorted and discarded and / or stood upright. It is conceivable that a selected item transported by means of said transport device may be sorted and discarded and / or stood upright, said at least one other transport device being ordered for the storage of items while said selected item, moved by means of said transport device, is being stood upright and / or sorted and discarded.Furthermore, it is possible that an item that is selected may not be standing and that. is moved by means of said at least one other transport device, be sorted and disposed of and / or stood up, said one transport device being ordered for the storage of articles while said article which is selected or is not standing up and which is moved by means of said at least one other transport device is stood up and / or sorted and disposed of. The predetermined quality criterion can also be detected and / or recognized by at least one optical sensor assembly, and in particular by at least one camera system. In the case of the predetermined quality criterion, this could be, for example, a predetermined position of labels applied to respective articles formed by beverage containers. Furthermore, this predetermined quality criterion could be a predefined fill level for the articles formed by beverage containers. Furthermore, the predetermined quality criterion may be achieved through marking applied, at least indirectly, by an inspection device to a given article, such as a wall thickness measuring device located upstream of a blow molding machine. If this device detects, for example, that the wall thickness of a given article at a specific location is too low, it may send a signal to a control and / or adjustment unit, which then triggers a marking job for a print head located downstream of the inspection device. The marking may also be achieved electronically, for example, if the control and / or adjustment unit can track the given article to a position within the coverage area of ​​the specified handling device. In addition, sorted and discarded items may be introduced into a store by means of said at least one specific handling device. The following examples of embodiments are intended to explain the invention and its advantages in more detail, with reference to the accompanying figures. The proportions of the individual elements relative to each other in the figures do not always correspond to the actual proportions because some shapes are represented in a simplified manner and other shapes, for better illustration, are shown enlarged relative to other elements. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a system according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a system according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of a third embodiment of a system according to the invention; Figure 4 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the system in Figure 3, explaining other aspects; Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the system of figures 3 and 4, explaining other aspects; Figure 6 shows in a functional diagram the individual steps as they can be foreseen in a conceivable embodiment of the process according to the invention. Identical reference numerals are used for elements of the invention that are identical or have the same effect. Furthermore, for clarity, only the reference numerals necessary for describing the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The embodiments shown are merely examples illustrating how the invention can be implemented and do not constitute a definitive limitation. Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention. The system 1 is designed for handling articles 3, which in this case are formed by beverage containers 5. To this end, the system 1 comprises a transport device 10 and another transport device 20. This transport device 10 and the other transport device 20 have parallel transport directions for the items 3, consisting of beverage containers 5 or bottles. The transport directions are each indicated by an arrow. Items 3 or beverage containers 5 are fed in a mass flow 12, via a transverse conveyor 2, to a transport device 10. After a change of direction or a 90° deflection via guardrails 96, this mass flow 12 continues to move along the transport device 10, with the individual items 3 or beverage containers 5 arriving between a plurality of guide rails 14 adjacent to the first transport device 10.The guide rails 14 of said first transport device 10 each extend parallel to the direction of transport of said first transport device 10, with the immediately adjacent guide rails 14 forming a respective transport lane for . a respective row of articles 3 or beverage containers 5. The transport device 10 is implemented as a horizontal transport device and has a guided and driven conveyor belt in circulation on which the articles 3 or the beverage containers 5 are placed. Beyond this, it is clear from Figure 1 that the guide rails 14 are positioned only in sections along a longitudinal extension of said transport device 10 so that the articles 3 or the beverage containers 5, when passing through said transport device 10, are initially moved in a disordered mass flow 12. The guide rails 14 can extend to or into a packaging device 52 not shown here (see Figure 2). A specific manipulation device 7, which is implemented as a component of system 1 and which, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, is implemented as an articulated arm robot 8 or a multi-axis robot, is positioned laterally relative to said transport device 10. In this case, the manipulation device 7 or the articulated arm robot 8 has a working arm 9 that can be raised and lowered, moved laterally, and rotated relative to said transport device 10. In this case, a working area or access area 92 of the manipulation device 7 or of the working arm 9 extends at least in sections onto said transport device 10.In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a working area of ​​the manipulation device 7 or of the working arm 9 extends over an area of ​​said transport device 10, where the articles 3 or beverage containers 5 are transported in a disordered mass flow 12, as well as over an area where the articles 3 or the beverage containers 5 are already divided into several adjacent parallel rows by said guide rails 14. A pneumatic working tool 62 (see Figure 3) which can pneumatically grasp individual articles 3 or beverage containers 5 transported by means of said transport device 10, and can release them after a manipulation which will be further described, is arranged on the free end area of ​​the working arm 9 of the manipulation device 7 or of the articulated arm robot 8.We can also see a control and / or adjustment unit S which is in communication with said manipulation device 7 determined. In this example, the tool is a suction cup made of an elastic material which is able to adapt in zones to the contours of the articles 3. Furthermore, system 1 includes another transport device 20 on which a plurality of articles 3 or beverage containers 5 are transported in another mass flow 22. This other transport device 20 initially moves the articles 3 or beverage containers 5 in a disordered mass flow. Then, the articles 3 or containers to The beverage 5 is divided into several rows by several neighboring and parallel guide rails 24 of the other transport device 20, which are moved parallel to each other. The transport direction of the transport device 10 is parallel to the transport direction of the other transport device 20. The manipulation device 7, or the articulated arm robot 8, is positioned between the transport device 10 and the other transport device 20. As shown in Figure 1, a beverage container 6, which is not upright, is located between guide rails 14 adjacent to the first transport device 10. To ensure the smooth handling of items 3 or beverage containers 5, it is necessary that all items 3 or beverage containers 5 leave the first transport device 10 in a vertical orientation or in an upright position. To guarantee this, the system 1 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 includes an optical sensor assembly 32, implemented as a camera system 34, which communicates with the control and / or adjustment unit S. A detection zone of the optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34 is represented by the number 36.The control and / or adjustment unit S has an image evaluation so that the control and / or adjustment unit S can recognize, using the optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34, beverage containers 6 that are not upright as selected items 4. If the control and / or adjustment unit S recognizes such a beverage container 6 that is not upright, the specified handling device 7 is commanded to grasp, by means of a vacuum, the said beverage container 6 that is not upright or the selected item 4, to remove it from a mass flow 12 of the said transport device 10 and then transfer it to the magazine 30. To transfer the respective selected item 4 or the respective beverage container 6 that is not upright to the magazine 30, the working arm 9 of the specified handling device 7 or of the articulated arm robot 8 is rotated. The detection zone 36 of the optical sensor assembly 32 or of the camera system 34 extends further in sections onto said other transport device 20. A selected item 4 or a beverage container 6 that is not upright is also located on said other transport device 20. If the selected item 4 or the beverage container 6 that is not upright and is being transported by means of said other transport device 20 reaches the detection zone of the optical sensor assembly 32, the control and / or adjustment unit S is able to recognize this beverage container 6 that is not upright or this Article 4 is selected by means of an appropriate image evaluation. If the control and / or adjustment unit S recognizes such a beverage container 6 that is not upright and is being transported by means of said other transport device 20, the specified handling device 7 is commanded to grasp, by means of a vacuum, said beverage container 6 that is not upright or the selected article 4, to remove it from said other mass flow 22 of said other transport device 20, and then transfer it to the storage 30. The working arm 9 of the specified handling device 7 or of the articulated arm robot 8 is also rotated to transfer a beverage container 6 that is not upright and is being transported by means of said other transport device 20. Figure 1 further shows that the detection zone 36 of the optical sensor assembly 32 extends over a respective area or section of the first transport device 10 and the other transport device 20, where respective guide rails 14 or 24 are positioned to move the articles 3 or beverage containers 5 in parallel rows. Beyond this, the detection zone 36 of the optical sensor assembly 32 extends over a respective area or section of the first transport device 10 and the other transport device 20, which is located upstream of the respective guide rails 14 or 24 in a direction of transport of the articles 3 or beverage containers 5 and within which the articles 3 or beverage containers 5 are transported in disordered mass flow.Thus, if necessary, the handling device 7 can remove beverage containers 6 that are not upright and moved between immediately adjacent guide rails 14 or 24 from the first transport device 10 or the second transport device 20 and can transfer them, if necessary, to the store 30. In addition, if necessary, the handling device 7 can remove beverage containers 6 that are not upright from the first transport device 10 or the other transport device 20, before they enter transport lanes formed by immediately adjacent guide rails 14 or 24, and can transfer them, if necessary, to the store 30.Advantageously, it can thus be guaranteed that, even in the case of a plurality of beverage containers 6 which are not upright and transported by the first transport device 10 or said other transport device 20, the specified handling device 7 can receive all of these beverage containers 6 which are not upright and, where appropriate, transfer them to the store 30. It would also be possible to install another storage facility within access zone 92 in the form of a conveyor (not shown) on which the items 3 are placed in a vertical orientation by the handling device 7 specified. Due to the fact Given that the storage unit is located after a transport device 10 and / or another transport device 20, it would be possible to introduce the items 3 at a time when there is little or no accumulation pressure or a gap in the flow of items. The presence of a free space or a gap can also be detected by the optical sensor assembly 32. In particular, it has been considered that items 3 that meet the quality criteria are placed on the other storage unit and that items 3 that do not meet a quality criterion are deposited and discarded in the storage unit 30 (not shown). Due to an image evaluation stored in the control and / or adjustment unit S, it is possible to recognize, at least approximately in real time, by means of said optical sensor assembly 32 or camera system 34, a respective real position of a beverage container 6 which is not upright, so that the determined handling device 7 can receive on the respective real position the respective beverage container 6 which is not upright, while continuing to drive said transport device 10 and said other transport device 20, and can, where appropriate, transfer it to the store 30.Thus, said transport device 10 and said other transport device 20 can transport articles 3 or beverage containers 5 without interruption, even while a respective beverage container 6 that is not upright or a selected article 4 is removed from said transport device 10 or said other transport device 20. It should also be noted that the control and / or adjustment unit S can determine, by means of the optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34, whether the articles 3 or the beverage containers 5 meet predetermined quality criteria. These quality criteria include a predetermined intended position of an adhesive label applied to the beverage containers 5 and a predetermined intended liquid fill level of the beverage containers 5.If the control and / or adjustment unit S determines by means of the optical sensor assembly 32 or by means of the camera system 34 that a beverage container 5 transported by said transport device 10 or said other transport device 20 does not meet at least one predetermined quality criterion, this respective beverage container 5 may be received as selected item 4, according to the preceding description, by said handling device 7 determined and, where appropriate, be transferred to the store 30 or be sorted and disposed of. Furthermore, said first transport device 10 and said other transport device 20 can be made as components of different bottling plants which are not shown together in the figures in this patent application. In addition, the reference number 91 designates a tool store where different tools can be stored and which is located in the access area 92 of the specified handling device 7. The tools may be, for example, gripping devices having at least two gripping prongs for holding beverage containers 6 that are not upright. The gripping devices may have dimensions depending on the respective beverage container 6 being handled, which is not upright. Another tool may be a wrench, for example in the form of a male hex key or a Phillips screwdriver. Another tool may be a suction cup. However, it is also possible that a suction cup can be used both for grasping and manipulating (e.g. sorting and discarding or standing up) items or containers and for removing other tools from the store for other tasks. The specified handling device 7 can be controlled via the control and / or adjustment unit S to dispense a suitable tool. Furthermore, information concerning the position of the magazine 91 or of the respective tool received in the magazine 91 can be stored in said control and / or adjustment unit. The access zone 92 is the area in which the specified manipulation device 7 can manipulate objects, such as guide rails 14 and articles 3, without the specified manipulation device 7 having to be detached from an anchorage that is not shown in the figures of this patent application and is fixedly connected to the mounting surface. If the specified manipulation device 7 is implemented as an articulated arm robot, the access zone 92 may be, for example, essentially spherical or round (viewed from above) (not shown). If the specified manipulation device 7 is in gantry construction (not shown), the access zone 92 may be essentially rectangular or rectangular in shape. In the access zone 92 of the specified handling device 7, at least part of the first transport device 10 is disposed. In particular, part of the second transport device 20 may be disposed in the access zone 92. In addition, a store 30 for items 3 to be sorted and disposed of may be disposed in the access zone 92. In access zone 92, there may also be another, unshown, storage area where sorted and discarded items of a different type or format are collected. Specifically, when there are two storage areas, each is associated with its own transport system. They can also be associated with items 3 of the same transport device 10 so that items 3 can be automatically removed from another store 30, when, for example, a store 30 is full, while the full store is being exchanged (emptied and replaced) by an operator or other handling device. In particular, said optical sensor assembly 32 also monitors the fill level of the store 30 or stores. When a maximum fill level is detected, a signal is transmitted to the control and / or adjustment unit S which initiates measures to eliminate the problem (error message issued to the operator, instruction given to the specified handling device 7, consisting of sorting and disposing of items 3 in another store). Position marker 93 indicates a guard whose dimensions roughly correspond to those of access zone 92, but it can also be larger than access zone 92 or, if necessary, completely encompass access zone 92. The guard consists of an enclosure, for example, a grille, that prevents an operator from reaching access zone 92 during operation. In particular, access zone 92 may have a door through which an operator can pass and which, if necessary, is automatically locked during system 1 operation. Furthermore, the guard may have an opening, possibly with a door, for changing magazine 30. Alternatively, the articles 3 can be removed from said access zone 92 of the manipulation device 7 determined via a slide not shown. With regard to Figure 1, the dimensioning of the working arm 9 should be understood only schematically so that, in practice, the working arm 9 may have a proportionally larger dimension than that shown in the schematic representation of Figure 1. Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention. By means of the system 1 of the exemplary embodiment in Figure 2, beverage containers 5 (see Figure 1) can be produced from preforms; the beverage containers 5 can further be filled and sealed, joined together to form a respective multipack, and placed on an associated pallet. To this end, the device 1 includes a tempering device 40. Thermal energy is applied to preforms by means of this tempering device 40. Afterward, the thermally heated preforms are fed into a blow molding machine 42, which forms beverage containers 5 or PET bottles from the heated preforms. The beverage containers 5 are then conveyed to a filling and sealing station 44, where each container is filled with liquid and then sealed. Position 45 indicates an equipment machine, such as a labeling or printing machine, by means of which the containers are equipped after the sealing operation. The filled, closed, and labeled or printed beverage containers 5 reach, via a transport section 48, a transport device 10 which is implemented as a buffer 50 and is capable of receiving and storing a plurality of beverage containers 5 and, if necessary, transferring them to another transport device 20. To this end, said buffer 50 has a transfer trolley 101 which is movable from right to left and vice versa and which transfers the items 3 from a conveyor belt 100 whose transport direction extends to the right side in Figure 2, to a discharge belt 102 whose transport direction extends to the left side in Figure 2. The capacity of the buffer 50 is determined according to its position. A packaging station 52 is arranged downstream of another conveying device 20, in a direction of transport for the beverage containers 5; by means of said packaging station 52, a plurality of beverage containers 5 are fitted with a common thermoplastic additional wrapper. These multiple beverage containers 5, with their common thermoplastic additional wrapper, enter a shrink tunnel 53 inside The additional common thermoplastic packaging is applied by shrink-wrapping around the multiple beverage containers 5, resulting in the multiple beverage containers 5 being joined to form a multipack. Alternatively, multipacks can be formed by directly gluing individual containers together in a gluing station (not shown). A machine 54 is arranged downstream of said shrink tunnel 53 or gluing station, which can apply a carrying handle to the beverage containers 5 as they exit the shrink tunnel 53 as a multipack. Next, the multipacks equipped with a carrying handle are brought to a layer formation station 56, which creates a palletizable layer from several multipacks by orienting them accordingly. The resulting palletizable layer is then placed onto an associated pallet using the palletizing station 60. Between a transport device 10, implemented as a buffer 50, and another transport device 20, located directly upstream of the packaging station 52, is positioned a specific handling device 7, which in this case is implemented as an articulated arm robot 8. A working area 70 of the handling device 7, implemented as an articulated arm robot 8, extends both over the first transport device 10 implemented as a buffer 50 and over the other transport device 20, which is located directly upstream of the packaging station 52. Furthermore, the specific handling device 7 is in communication with the control and / or adjustment unit S. The device 1 of the exemplary embodiment in Figure 2 also includes an optical sensor assembly 32 (see Figure 1), implemented as a camera system 34, which is not shown in Figure 2.The optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34 is in communication with the control and / or adjustment unit S. A detection zone 36 of the optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34 (see Figure 1) extends over the first transport device 10 implemented as a buffer 50, as well as over the other transport device 20. The control and / or adjustment unit S can recognize, using the optical sensor assembly 32 or the camera system 34, by means of an appropriate image evaluation, beverage containers 6 that are being transported by the transport device 10 or the other transport device 20 and that are not upright (see Figure 1). The control and / or adjustment unit S can then control the specific handling device 7, which manipulates the respective beverage container 6 that is not upright and moves it into a vertical orientation. Then, the . beverage container 5 placed in vertical orientation (see figure 1) can be moved by means of said transport device 10 or said other transport device 20. In practice, proven embodiments exist in which the non-upright beverage container 6 is moved continuously, maintaining its respective transport speed, when placed in a vertical orientation. Advantageously, this allows the transport device 10 and the other transport device 20 to be operated continuously or without interruption while a non-upright beverage container 6 is being handled or placed upright, so that handling a non-upright beverage container 6 does not cause any delays. It is also conceivable that the specified handling device 7 sorts and discards a respective non-upright beverage container 6 and transfers it, if necessary, to a storage unit 30, instead of placing it upright as shown in Figure 1. A component of system 1 in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2 is further defined as another manipulation device 7, which is also implemented as a robot with an articulated arm 8, but which, in other conceivable embodiments, can also be implemented as a tripod. This other manipulation device 7 is located between the other transport device 20 and the machine 54, which can apply a carrying handle to beverage containers 5 joined to form a respective multipack. This other manipulation device 7 can be provided in addition to the manipulation device 7 already described and positioned between the first transport device 10 and the other transport device 20. In general, it can also be said that the said handling device 7 determined is suitable for handling both bottles and multipacks composed of bottles. It is also conceivable, in various embodiments, that a system 1 comprises either a specific handling device 7 positioned between a transport device 10 and another transport device 20, or a handling device 7 positioned between another transport device 20 and the machine 54 used to apply a carrying handle. Both the configuration and function of the specific handling device 7 positioned between a transport device 10 and another transport device 20, and the configuration and function of the specific handling device 7 positioned between the other transport device 10 and another transport device 20, are also relevant. transport 20 and machine 54 are not closely related to the embodiment example in Figure 2, but can be understood in the general context. A work area 72 of said other handling device 7 extends over said other transport device 20 and the machine 54, or an area of ​​the machine 54 on which beverage containers 5 joined to form multipacks are transported during and / or after the application of the transport handle. Said other handling device 7 is in communication with the control and / or adjustment unit S. The control and / or adjustment unit S can command said other handling device 7 to stand upright beverage containers 6 that are not upright and are being transported by means of said other transport device 20 (see Figure 1).It may also be provided that the control and / or adjustment unit S can control said other handling device 7 to sort and dispose of beverage containers 6 that are not upright and, where appropriate, to transfer to a store 30 according to figure 1 the beverage containers that are not upright. As already mentioned above, beverage containers 6 that are not upright can be recognized by the control and / or adjustment unit S by means of an optical sensor assembly 32 (see figure 1) not shown in figure 2. Since the coverage area 70 of said handling device 7 and the coverage area 72 of said other handling device 7 each extend over said other transport device 20, the control and / or adjustment unit S can selectively control the handling device 7 or said other handling device 7 to sort and discard and / or to stand upright a beverage container 6 that is not upright and is being transported by means of said other transport device 20 (see figure 1).In particular, in this case, the control and / or adjustment unit S may selectively control the specified handling device 7 or said other specified handling device 7, taking into account its momentary use, to sort and dispose of and / or to stand upright a respective beverage container 6 which is not upright and is being transported by means of said other transport device 20 (see figure 1). As already mentioned above, a work area 72 of said other handling device 7, which is positioned between said other transport device 20 and the machine 54 used to apply a carrying handle, extends over an area of ​​the machine 54 on which articles 3 or beverage containers 5, assembled to form a respective multipack, are transported during and / or after the application of a carrying handle. The control and / or adjustment unit S can control the other handling device 7 so that the articles 3 or beverage containers 5, assembled to form a respective multipack, are placed in an orientation, even before entering the layer forming station 56, that is oriented towards a palletizable layer to be created by the layer forming station 56. Thus, the other handling device 7 and the layer forming station 56 can act together to create a respective palletizable layer. Furthermore, the other handling device 7 and the layer forming station 56 can each communicate with the control and / or adjustment unit S and can be actuated in a coordinated manner by the control and / or adjustment unit S to create a respective palletizable layer. With regard to the embodiment example in Figure 2, it is also conceivable that the control and / or adjustment unit S checks, using an optical sensor assembly 32 (see Figure 1), the respective carrying handles applied to multipacks by means of the machine 54, for the presence of a respective intended position on the multipack. If a respective actual position of a respective carrying handle on the multipack deviates from the respective intended position, the control and / or adjustment unit S can command said other handling device 7 determined to sort and dispose of the respective multipack and, where appropriate, to transfer the respective multipack to a magazine 30 as shown in Figure 1.Quality criteria for multipacks can also include: the correct application, by shrinking, of shrink film; the correct formation of the multipack with regard to the number of items 3; the correct gluing of items 3 to each other, which can be recognized, for example, by a real relative distance of the items 3 to each other. Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of a third embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention. The system 1 is intended for the manipulation of articles 3 moved in a mass flow 12 which, in this case, are made as beverage containers 5 or as bottles. System 1 includes a transport device 10. Said transport device 10 has a plurality of guide rails 14 extending parallel to each other, in which immediately adjacent guide rails 14 form a respective transport lane for a respective row of articles 3 or of beverage containers 5. Drinking containers 5 are guided in four parallel rows between the guide rails 14. In the outermost row shown on the left is a container to beverage 6 which is not upright. As already described in connection with the embodiment examples in figures 1 and 2, the control and / or adjustment unit S is able to recognize, as selected item 4, said beverage container 6 which is not upright. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the handling device 7 has a working tool 62. By means of this working tool 62, the handling device 7 can pneumatically receive beverage containers 6 that are not upright and, after receiving them, can either stand them upright or transfer them to a storage compartment 30 (see Figure 1). The working tool 62 is suspended on a spindle 65. This spindle 65 can be rotated by means of the drive 61, with the working tool 62 being moved over individual transport tracks formed between adjacent guide rails 14, or it can alternate between the individual transport tracks formed between adjacent guide rails 14. The drive 61 communicates with the control and / or adjustment unit S for the rotary movement of the spindle 65. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, an additional working tool 63 is located on the spindle 65, which can also pneumatically receive selected items 4 or beverage containers 6 that are not upright and, after receiving them, can either stand them upright or transfer them to a magazine 30 (see Figure 1). In other embodiments of a system 1 as shown in Figure 3, the additional working tool 63 can also be omitted. Furthermore, the working tool 62 is connected to a threaded spindle 74, which can be rotated by an actuator or drive not shown in Figure 3. As a result, the working tool 62 can be moved either in the direction of the image plane or in the opposite direction to the image plane. The threaded spindle 74, the spindle 65, the drive 61, the working tool 62, and, where applicable, the additional working tool 63, form part of a suspension 77 of the manipulation device 7. The suspension 77 is removably attached, by a mechanical coupling 76, to a horizontally oriented support arm 78 of the manipulation device 7. The entire suspension assembly 77 can be moved, by means of said actuator 79, in the direction of the column 85 implemented as a component of the specified handling device 7, as well as in the opposite direction to the column 85 implemented as a component of the specified handling device 7. The figure 80 designates an actuator, schematically represented, through which the entire suspension assembly 77 can be moved. in the direction of the image plane as well as in the opposite direction to the image plane. An actuator designated by the number 81 in figure 3 is used to raise and lower vertically, along the column 85, said support arm 78 in conjunction with the suspension assembly 77. Figure 4 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of system 1 of Figure 3, further illustrating other aspects. Figure 4 also shows a guide rail 14 which, together with an immediately adjacent guide rail 14 in the direction of the image plane, forms a transport lane for articles 3 or beverage containers 5. This guide rail 14 is held in position by means of second locking devices 64. The respective locking device 64 can be released by an associated actuation means 65 so that, after releasing both locking devices 64, the guide rail 14 can be moved into position. Looking at figures 4 and 5 together, we see that the support arm 78 of the handling device 7, determined jointly with the suspension 77 and the working tool 62, is lowered in the direction of an actuating means 66 provided for the stopping device 64, so that the working tool 62 engages in a fixed rotational manner on the actuating means 66 provided for the stopping device 64. In the context of an adjustment operation planned for the guide rail 14, the stopping device 64 can be released by a corresponding rotational movement of the actuating means 66 via the working tool 62.After the respective guide rail 14 has been placed in a predetermined relative position with respect to another neighbouring guide rail 14, the working tool 62 can again engage in a rotationally fixed manner on the respective actuating means 66, can act by means of a rotational movement of the respective actuating means 66 on the respective stopping device 64 and thus fix the guide rail 14 in its position. Figure 6 shows in a functional diagram the individual steps as they can be envisaged in a possible embodiment of the process according to the invention. Thus, in a first step, a plurality of articles 3 (see Figures 1 to 3), which can be formed, for example, by a plurality of beverage containers 5, is transported in a mass flow 12. Another step of the process provides that individually selected articles 4 are sorted and removed from said plurality of articles by means of a determined handling device 7. A respective longitudinal axis of the selected articles 4 has taken a inclined orientation relative to a horizontal. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, an adjustment operation for a transport device 10 transporting said plurality of articles 3 in a mass flow 12 is performed by said handling device 7 determined, in a subsequent step, after sorting and eliminating selected individual articles 4. For this purpose, it is possible, for example, to unlock or remove a stop device 64 for a guide rail 14 according to an overview and following the preceding description relating to Figures 4 and 5. List of reference figures 1 system 2 transverse conveyors 3 articles 4 selected articles 5 drink containers 6. Drinking container that is not upright 7. Determinate manipulation device 8 articulated arm robots 9 working arms 10 transport device 12 mass flow 14 guide rails (of the transport device 10) 20 other transport device 22 other mass flow 24 guide rails (other transport device 20) 30 stores 32 optical sensor assembly 34 camera system 36 detection zone 40 tempering device 42 blow molding machine 44 filling and closing station 46 labeling stations / equipment machines 48 transport section 50 tampon 52 packing stations retraction tunnel application machine with a carrying handle layer training station palletizing station training work tool additional working tool stopping device pin actuation means work area work area threaded boche mechanical coupling suspension supporting arm actuator actuator actuator column access zone guardrail return trolley drainage strip control and / or adjustment unit

Claims

Demands 1. System (1) for handling articles (3) moved in mass flow, such as beverage containers (5) or the like, comprising a transport device (10) by means of which a plurality of articles (3) can be transported, a handling device (7) determined which can sort and eliminate articles (3) selected and transported by said transport device (10) and whose respective longitudinal axis has an inclined orientation with respect to a horizontal, and / or which can pass them into a vertical orientation, characterized in that said handling device (7) determined is in communication with a control and / or adjustment unit (S), in which said handling device (7) determined can be controlled via said control and / or adjustment unit (S) to perform at least one additional handling task, which at least one additional handling task goes beyond the action of sorting and discarding and / or standing up the selected articles (4) transported by said transport device (10), in which a work tool (62), intended to receive articles to be sorted and eliminated and / or to be stood up and / or to carry out adjustment work for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device, is detachably fixed on said a specific handling device (7).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, which system (1) includes at least one other transport device (20) for transporting a plurality of articles (3), which at least one other transport device (20) is spaced apart from the first transport device (10), in which, as part of said at least one additional handling operation, said specific handling device (7) can sort and discard articles (3) selected and transported by said at least one other transport device (20) and whose respective longitudinal axis has an inclined orientation with respect to a horizontal, and / or can transfer them into a vertical orientation, and / or in which system said handling device (7) specified is made, within the framework of said at least one additional handling operation, to carry out adjustment work for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device (20) intended to transport a plurality of articles (3), which at least one other device of transport (20) is spaced from said transport device (10), and / or in which the system (1) comprises at least one sensor assembly for detecting and / or recognizing at least one predetermined quality criterion of said plurality of articles transported by said one transport device (10) and / or of a plurality of articles (3) transported by at least one other transport device (20), which at least one other transport device (20) is spaced from said one transport device (10), in which said one handling device (7) determined is carried out, within the framework of said at least one additional handling operation, taking into consideration said at least one predetermined quality criterion detected respectively by means of said at least one sensor assembly, to sort and eliminate articles (3) which are transported by said one transport device (10) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) and which do not satisfy said at least one predetermined quality criterion.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein said transport device (10) has a direction of transport of articles (3) opposite to that of said at least one other transport device (20).

4. System according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said transport device (10) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) comprise several adjacent guide rails (14, 24) between which is provided a respective transport track for articles (3), wherein said determined handling device (7) can adapt, as part of an adjustment operation for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device, a relative spacing with respect to each other of adjacent guide rails (14) of said transport device (10), and / or wherein said determined handling device (7) can adapt, as part of an adjustment operation for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device,a relative spacing of guide rails (24) adjacent to said at least one other transport device (20).

5. System according to claim 4, wherein said a determined handling device (7) comprises at least one working arm (9) which, in order to adapt the relative distance of neighboring guide rails (14, 24) to each other, can be introduced between respective neighboring guide rails (14, 24), and which at least one working arm (9) is made to move guide rails (14, 24).

6. System according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said at least one sensor assembly is made to detect and / or recognize an actual position of the plurality of neighboring guide rails (14, 24), said a determined manipulation device (7) being able to be controlled, by being in active connection with said at least one sensor assembly, to adapt the relative distance of neighboring guide rails (14, 24) to each other.

7. System according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said manipulation device (7) determined is realized as an articulated arm robot (8) or as a parallel kinematic robot.

8. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 6 or according to claim 7 in combination with claim 2, wherein said a determined handling device (7) has at least one pneumatic working tool (62), and it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool (62) that said determined handling device (7) (a) can grasp selected articles (4) by vacuum for sorting and disposal and / or for transferring them into a vertical orientation, and / or it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool (62) that (b) said handling device (7) specified can perform adjustment work for said transport device (10) and / or for said at least one other transport device (20), and / or it is by means of said at least one pneumatic working tool (62) that (c) said handling device (7) determined can grasp by suction articles (3) for sorting and disposal, which articles (3) do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion.

9. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 6 or 8, or according to claim 7 in combination with claim 2, wherein said handling device (7) determined has at least one mechanical gripping tool, and by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool, said handling device (7) determined a) can grasp by clamping selected articles (3) for sorting and disposal and / or for passing them into a vertical orientation, and / or by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool that b) said handling device (7) determined can perform adjustment work for said transport device (10) and / or for said at least one other transport device (20), and / or it is by means of said at least one mechanical gripping tool that c) said handling device (7) determined can grasp by clamping articles (3) for sorting and disposal, which articles (3) do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion.

10. System according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said transport device (10) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) is made as a buffer (50) for articles (3) and is in communication with the control and / or adjustment unit (S), said control and / or adjustment unit (S) being able to control said transport device (10) made as a buffer (50) for articles (3) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) made as a buffer (50), for the temporary storage of articles (3) when articles (3) are sorted and discarded and / or stood upright and / or during the implementation of an adjustment job for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device.

11. System according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein said at least one sensor assembly is realized as at least one optical sensor assembly (32) and, in particular, as at least one camera system (34).

12. System according to claim 11, wherein a detection zone (36) of said at least one optical sensor assembly (32) made in particular as at least one camera system (34) extends at least in zones over said one transport device (10) and said at least one other transport device (20).

13. System according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising a store (30) into which sorted and discarded items can be introduced by means of the specified handling device (7).

14. A filling installation arrangement for articles (3) formed by beverage containers (5), comprising at least one first bottling installation and at least one second bottling installation, as well as a system (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein said conveying device (10) is implemented as a component of the first bottling installation and said at least one another transport device (20) is made as a component of the second bottling plant.

15. A method for handling articles (3) moved in mass flow, such as beverage containers (5) or the like, comprising the following steps: to transport a plurality of articles (3) in a mass flow, sorting and eliminating and / or standing selected individual articles (4) from said plurality by a determined handling device (7), which respective longitudinal axis of the selected articles (4) has taken an inclined orientation relative to a horizontal, characterized by the fact that said determined handling device (7), on which is detachably fixed a working tool (62) intended to receive articles to be sorted and eliminated and / or stood up and / or to carry out adjustment work for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device, performs at least one additional handling operation before sorting and eliminating and / or standing up the selected individual articles (4) and / or after having done this,which at least one additional handling task goes beyond the action of sorting and eliminating and / or standing up the selected articles (4) transported in a mass flow.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein, within said at least one manipulation operation, at least one of the following steps is carried out by said manipulation device (7) determined: sort and eliminate and / or stand up individual articles (3) selected from at least one other plurality, which other plurality is transported in at least one other mass flow (22) which is moved at a spacing relative to said mass flow (12), and which respective longitudinal axis of the articles (4) selected from said at least one other plurality has taken an inclined orientation relative to a horizontal, and / or perform adjustment work for a transport device (10) transporting the plurality of articles (3) in mass flow (12) and / or for at least one other transport device (20) which is spaced relative to said transport device (10) transporting the plurality of articles (3) in mass flow, and / or to observe and / or recognize at least one predetermined quality criterion of the plurality of items (3) and / or of at least one other plurality of items (3) which is moved at spacing relative to said mass flow (12) in at least one other mass flow (22), and to sort and remove items (3) from said mass flow (12) and / or from said to less another mass stream (22), which articles (3) to be sorted and eliminated do not meet said at least one predetermined quality criterion (7).

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein, within the framework of the adjustment work for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device, a relative distance of immediately adjacent guide rails (14) forming a respective transport path for articles (3), of said transport device (10) and / or of said at least one other transport device (20) is adapted by said determined handling device (7).

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the adaptation of the relative distance of immediately adjacent guide rails (14) forming a respective transport lane for articles (3), of said transport device (10) and / or of said at least one other transport device (20), is monitored using at least one sensor assembly (32), preferably optical.

19. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, in the context of the adjustment work for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device, at least one stop device (64) for immediately adjacent guide rails (14, 24) forming a respective transport path for articles, of said transport device (10) and / or of said at least one other transport device (20) is unblocked by said one determined handling device (7).

20. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein said transport device (10) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) is a buffer (50) for articles (3), said transport device (10) and / or said at least one other transport device (20) temporarily storing articles (3) when articles (3) are sorted and discarded and / or stood upright and / or during the implementation of an adjustment job for the transport device (10) and / or for at least one other transport device.

21. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the predetermined quality criterion is ascertained and / or recognized by means of at least one optical sensor assembly (32) and, in particular, by at least one camera system (34).

22. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein sorted and discarded articles are introduced into a store (30) by means of said at least one specified handling device (7).

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