Device, retrofit kit, system and method for determining a position of a receptacle for a moulding tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for determining a position of a receptacle (11, 40, 42) for a moulding tool, comprising at least one main body (12) and at least one first positioning element (14) for determining the position of the device (10), in particular by means of a force sensor (38) of a robot arm (32), wherein the at least one first positioning element (14) is arranged on the main body (12), characterised in that the main body (12) also has at least one second positioning element (16) for positioning the device (10) in the receptacle (11, 40, 42) and, when the device (10) is in an assembled state in which the device (10) is positioned in the receptacle (11, 40, 42) by means of the at least one second positioning element (16), the at least one first positioning element (14) is arranged outside the receptacle (11, 40, 42). The device (10) has increased flexibility and can be used with little effort.

Description

[0001] Device, retrofit kit, system and method for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool

[0002] The invention relates to a device, a retrofit kit, a system and a method for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool.

[0003] When producing containers from preforms, preforms can be formed into containers in molds. The molds are provided by forming tools that have at least partial sections of the outer contour of the container to be produced as a negative mold. If the size of the container and / or the outer contour of the container needs to be changed, the forming tools must be replaced. This replacement can be carried out automatically using a robot. The robot removes the forming tools from a forming station and stores them in a magazine. The robot can also remove the forming tools for the newly produced containers from the magazine and place them in the forming station. In order to bring the forming tools into the correct position, the robot needs knowledge of the precise alignment and positioning of the forming station or magazine.

[0004] Document DE 10 2014 103 159 A1 describes a force-controlled removal or placement of blow molds using a robot arm. To determine the exact position of the molds or the holder in the magazine, reference points can be moved to the forming station, the holder for the blow mold carriers, or the magazine.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a device which has increased flexibility and can be used with little effort.

[0006] The object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description. In a first aspect, in a device for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool, comprising at least one base body and at least one first positioning element for determining the position of the device, in particular by means of a force sensor of a robot arm, wherein the at least one first positioning element is arranged on the base body, it is provided according to the invention that the base body further has at least one second positioning element for positioning the device in the holder and, when the device is in an assembled state in which the device is positioned in the holder by means of the at least one second positioning element, the at least one first positioning element is arranged outside the holder.

[0007] With the device explained above, holders for mold tools can be equipped with a reference point provided by the at least one first positioning element. For this purpose, the device has at least one second positioning element with which the device can be positioned in the holder. The device is arranged in a defined orientation and position in the holder by the second positioning element. Furthermore, the first positioning element is then arranged outside the holder and can thus be measured, for example by a suitably equipped robot arm. The at least one second positioning element and the at least one first positioning element can, for example, be arranged on two sides of the base body facing away from one another. This means that the first positioning element also has a defined position in the holder.This means that the device can be used to provide a reference point with a defined position which defines the position of the holder for the molding tool. A robot arm can move to the at least one first positioning element in order to detect the position of the holder. Furthermore, a plurality of first positioning elements can be provided on the device so that a plurality of reference points can be determined using the robot arm. This makes it possible to determine a plane in which the reference points or the first positioning elements lie, so that an orientation of the holder, i.e. an inclination in one of the three spatial directions, can also be determined. The molding tool can then be inserted into the holder by the robot in the optimal orientation. If a plurality of holders are firmly connected to one another, the position and orientation of all holders can be detected using the device which has a plurality of first positioning elements.The device is therefore flexible in its application and can also be used on fixtures, forming stations, or magazines that previously lacked reference points for a robot arm. Furthermore, the device is easy to use, as it simply needs to be inserted into the corresponding fixture, with at least one second positioning element determining the orientation and position of the device within the fixture.

[0008] According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the at least one first positioning element can have a recess which preferably has a conical geometry.

[0009] Then, for example, a robot arm with a measuring tip can measure the recess using force control. If the recess is designed as a conical geometry, the measuring tip can be used to determine the position of the cone's tip. This allows for particularly precise determination of the position of the recess.

[0010] However, this does not exclude the possibility that the at least one first positioning element may be a projection which may preferably have a conical geometry.

[0011] According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the device can have at least three first positioning elements arranged at different positions on the base body.

[0012] With at least three first positioning elements arranged at different positions, a plane can be spanned, which can be used to determine not only the position of the device but also the orientation of the device. This allows the insertion or removal of molding tools to be carried out with increased precision. According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the at least one first positioning element can be formed as at least one first outer surface section of the base body.

[0013] The at least one positioning element and the base body can thus be formed integrally. For example, if the at least one first positioning element is formed as a recess or as a projection, the recess or projection can be machined into the base body or machined out of the base body. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one first positioning element can be manufactured simultaneously with the base body. This can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0014] According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the at least one second positioning element can be designed to be complementary to the receptacle, at least in sections.

[0015] Thus, the second positioning element can be designed to fit a part of the holder so that the device can be inserted into the holder with little or no play.

[0016] According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the at least one second positioning element can be designed as at least one second outer surface section of the base body.

[0017] The at least one second positioning element can thus be formed integrally with the base body. The base body and the at least one second positioning element can thus be manufactured simultaneously. This can further reduce manufacturing costs.

[0018] Furthermore, in a second aspect, the invention relates to a retrofit kit for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool, comprising at least two devices according to the preceding description, wherein the at least one second positioning element of a first of the at least two devices is designed to position the device in at least one holder for at least one molding tool in a molding station for molding containers from preforms of a container manufacturing machine, and the at least one second positioning element of a second of the at least two devices is designed to position the device in at least one holder for at least one molding tool in a magazine for storing molding tools.

[0019] The advantages and effects, as well as further developments, of the retrofit kit are derived from the advantages and effects, as well as further developments, of the device described above. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the previous description in this regard.

[0020] In a third aspect, the invention relates to a system for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool, comprising at least one device according to the preceding description and at least one changing device with at least one robot arm which has at least one measuring device for determining a position of the at least one first positioning element of the device.

[0021] The advantages and effects, as well as further developments of the system, are derived from the advantages and effects, as well as further developments of the device and retrofit kit described above. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the previous description in this regard.

[0022] According to some embodiments, it is conceivable that the measuring device can have a measuring sensor and a force sensor, wherein the measuring sensor has a first measuring section which can be designed to be complementary to a second measuring section of the at least one first positioning element.

[0023] The combination of the measuring probe and the force sensor can be used to measure the first positioning element. The arm can then measure the geometry of the first positioning element in such a way that the measuring probe triggers a signal on the force sensor upon contact with the first positioning element. By complementing the first measuring section on the measuring probe with the second measuring section on the first positioning element, the measurement accuracy can be further increased. In this case, the force sensor can detect that the measuring probe cannot be moved further except in a direction pointing away from the first positioning element.

[0024] In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a method for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool, comprising at least the following steps: positioning at least one device according to the preceding

[0025] Inserting the device into a holder for a molding tool by means of the at least one second positioning element; determining the position of the at least one first positioning element by means of a measuring device; and removing the device from the holder.

[0026] Advantages and effects, as well as further developments of the method, arise from the advantages and effects, as well as further developments of the device, retrofit kit, and system described above. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the previous description in this regard.

[0027] The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a device for determining a position of a recording;

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the device in the assembled state according to a first embodiment;

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a system for determining a position of a holder on a container manufacturing machine;

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a changing device; Figure 5a, b is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the position determination process;

[0032] Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the device in the assembled state according to a second embodiment; and

[0033] Figure 7 is a flowchart of a method for determining a position of a recording.

[0034] The device according to Figure 1 is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 below.

[0035] The device 10 is designed to determine the position of a holder for a molding tool. For this purpose, the device 10 comprises at least one base body 12, at least one first positioning element 14, and at least one second positioning element 16.

[0036] In this embodiment, the device 10 has three first positioning elements 14. The three first positioning elements 14 are arranged at different positions on the device 10 and thus span a plane.

[0037] Furthermore, in this example, the at least one positioning element 14 is formed as a first outer surface portion of the base body 12. However, this should not preclude the possibility that the at least one first positioning element 14 may be formed on a separate component that may be mounted on the base body 12.

[0038] In this example, the base body 12 is essentially cylindrical. This shape essentially corresponds to the outer contour of at least two matching molds, which, in combination, can provide a negative mold of a container to be produced. The negative mold can form the entire outer contour of the container or a partial section of the outer contour. At least a second outer surface section of the base body 12 can form the second positioning element 16. However, this does not preclude the possibility of the second positioning element 16 being formed as a separate component that can be mounted to the base body 12.

[0039] According to Figure 2, the second positioning element 16 is designed, at least in sections, to complement a receptacle 11 of at least one mold carrier 18, 20. Figure 2 shows two mold carriers 18, 20, which are shown in a closed position. The mold carriers 18, 20 can, for example, be pivotably mounted about a common axis and pivoted into an open position. In the closed position, the mold carriers 18, 20 can at least partially enclose the device 10, which has been inserted into the receptacle 11. The second positioning element 16 is received in the receptacles 11 of the mold carriers 18, 20.

[0040] The second positioning element 16 is accommodated in the receptacles 11 of the mold carriers 18, 20 in such a way that the at least one first positioning element 14 is arranged outside the receptacle 11. Furthermore, the at least one first positioning element 14 is then arranged in a defined position and orientation relative to the receptacle 11.

[0041] Figure 3 shows part of a system for producing and / or treating containers. It depicts a container manufacturing machine 22 with a plurality of forming stations 23. Each forming station 23 has at least two mold carriers 18, 20, each of which has a receptacle 11.

[0042] A first transport wheel 24 can transport preforms to and transfer them to the container manufacturing machine 22. A second transport wheel 26 can receive the finished containers from the container manufacturing machine 22.

[0043] During a format change, i.e., when the outer contour of the containers to be produced needs to be changed, a changing device 28, which may, for example, comprise a robot arm 32 with a gripper 34, can be used to change the molds. The molds can be removed from the mold carriers 18, 20 by the changing device 28 and inserted into a magazine 36. Furthermore, molds with the new outer contour can be removed from the magazine 36 and inserted into the receptacle 11 of the mold carriers 18, 20.

[0044] The changing device 28, together with the device 10 explained above, can form a system for determining a holder for a molding tool.

[0045] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the changing device 28. In this embodiment, the changing device is designed as a robot having a robot arm 32. A force sensor 38, which can be designed as a load cell, can be attached to a free end piece of the robot arm 32.

[0046] A holding device 39, to which a gripper 34 and a measuring device 30 can be attached, can be connected to the force sensor 38. The measuring device 30 can be designed as a measuring probe with a measuring tip. The measuring device 30, in combination with the force sensor 38, can be used to measure the geometry of a first positioning element 14.

[0047] Alternatively, the force sensor 38 can be integrated into the measuring tip.

[0048] This is illustrated by way of example in Figures 5a and 5b. After the device 10 has been inserted into the receptacle 11, the robot arm 32 can guide the measuring device 30 to an approximate position of the first positioning element 14. The approximate position can be determined, for example, using a camera. The robot arm 32 can then insert the measuring device 30 into the first positioning element 14 until contact is established between the measuring sensor and the first positioning element 14. A force is then exerted on the force sensor 38, the magnitude of which can be output by the force sensor 38 as a measurement signal. In this way, the exact position of the first positioning element 14 can be determined using the robot arm 32 and the measuring device 30. In this exemplary embodiment, the at least one first positioning element 14 is designed as a recess having a conical shape.In other embodiments, the at least one first positioning element 14 can be designed as a projection, which can also have a conical shape, for example. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the measuring device 30 can have a measuring sensor with a recess that can be configured to match the conical shape of the projection.

[0049] Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a magazine 36. The magazine 36 has at least one receptacle 40 for a molding tool, which may have a negative mold of a base of a container to be produced. In this embodiment, the magazine 36 has nine receptacles 40. The receptacles 40 each have at least one flat section on which the molding tool for the base to be produced can be placed. It is also conceivable that the receptacles 40 can have holding and / or centering elements with which the molding tools can be held or centered in the receptacle.

[0050] A further embodiment of the device 10 can be used for the receptacles 40. In this embodiment of the device 10, the base body 12 has a second positioning element 16, which can be flat and thus complementary to a part of the receptacle 40.

[0051] In this embodiment, the second positioning element 16 can also be part of the base body 12. However, this should not preclude the possibility that the second positioning element 16 can be formed as a separate component that can be mounted on the base body 12.

[0052] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the first positioning element 14 is also part of the base body 12. It should also not be excluded that the first positioning element 14 can be designed as a separate component and mounted on the base body 12. The magazine 36 can further comprise receptacles 42 for molding tools, which can have shapes that can form the area between a mouth region and the base region of a container. These molding tools can, for example, be mold halves that are arranged above the base mold and can be attached to two mold carriers 18, 20.

[0053] A third embodiment of the device 10 can be used for the receptacles 42. In this embodiment, the device 10 can have a base body 12 in the shape of a half-cylinder. The curved outer surface of the half-cylinder can form the second positioning element 16. The first positioning element 14 can be arranged on a side of the half-cylinder opposite the curved outer surface.

[0054] In this exemplary embodiment, the first positioning element 14 and / or the second positioning element 16 can also be formed integrally with the base body 12. Alternatively, the first positioning element 14 and / or the second positioning element 16 can each be arranged on a separate component, which can be mounted on the base body 12.

[0055] The device 10 of this embodiment can be held on holding elements 44, on which the molding tools can be held in the receptacle 42.

[0056] At least two of the three embodiments of the device 10 can together form a retrofit kit with which reference points for receptacles in magazines or mold carriers can be subsequently provided. This avoids the need to subsequently manufacture positioning elements that can provide reference points on a large number of magazines and / or container manufacturing machines. This reduces the effort required to provide reference points, thus saving costs.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, for example, one embodiment of the device 10 can be used for all of the above-explained receptacles 11, 40, 42. This avoids having to use a separate embodiment of the device 10 for each of the receptacles 11, 40, 42.

[0058] Figure 7 shows a flow chart of the method 100 for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool.

[0059] The method 100 comprises at least step 102, in which at least one of the above-described devices 10 can be arranged in a receptacle for a molding tool. The device 10 is inserted into the receptacle with the at least one second positioning element. The first positioning element 14 of the device 10 is aligned in a defined manner with respect to the receptacle.

[0060] In a further step 104, the position of the at least one positioning element 14 can then be determined. This determination can be performed using a measuring device 30. The measuring device 30 can, for example, be attached to a robot arm. Furthermore, the measuring device 30 can have a sensor and a force sensor with which the first positioning element 14 can be measured.

[0061] In a further step 106, after determining the position of the at least one first positioning element 14, the device 10 can be removed from the receptacle. A molding tool can then be inserted into the receptacle.

[0062] Insertion can also be carried out using a robot arm to which a gripper for holding a molding tool can be attached.

[0063] The example described above does not limit the invention in any way. Rather, the invention can be modified in many ways. All of the features of the invention described above can be essential to the invention alone or in combination with one another. List of reference symbols

[0064] 10 Device

[0065] 11 Recording

[0066] 12 basic bodies

[0067] 14 first positioning element

[0068] 16 second positioning element

[0069] 18 mold carriers

[0070] 20 mold carriers

[0071] 22 Container manufacturing machine

[0072] 23 Forming station

[0073] 24 Transport wheel

[0074] 26 Transport wheel

[0075] 28 Changing device

[0076] 30 measuring device

[0077] 32 robot arm

[0078] 34 grippers

[0079] 36 Magazine

[0080] 38 force sensor

[0081] 39 Holding device

[0082] 40 recordings

[0083] 42 recording

[0084] 44 Holding element

Claims

Claims 1. A device (10) for determining a position of a receptacle (11, 40, 42) for a molding tool, comprising at least one base body (12) and at least one first positioning element (14) for determining the position of the device (10), in particular by means of a force sensor (38) of a robot arm (32), wherein the at least one first positioning element (14) is arranged on the base body (12), characterized in that the base body (12) further has at least one second positioning element (16) for positioning the device (10) in the receptacle (11, 40, 42) and, when the device (10) is in an assembled state in which the device (10) is positioned in the receptacle (11, 40, 42) by means of the at least one second positioning element (16), the at least one first positioning element (14) is arranged outside the receptacle (11, 40, 42).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one first positioning element (14) has a recess which preferably has a conical geometry.

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device (10) has at least three first positioning elements (14) which are arranged at different positions on the base body (12).

4. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one first positioning element (14) is designed as at least a first outer surface section of the base body (12).

5. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one second positioning element (16) is designed at least in sections to be complementary to the receptacle (11, 40, 42).

6. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one second positioning element (16) is designed as at least one second outer surface section of the base body (12).

7. Retrofit kit for determining a position of a holder (11, 40, 42) for a molding tool, comprising at least two devices (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one second positioning element (16) of a first of the at least two devices (10) is designed to position the device (10) in at least one holder (11, 40, 42) for at least one molding tool in a molding station (23) for molding containers from preforms of a container manufacturing machine (22), and the at least one second positioning element (16) of a second of the at least two devices (10) is designed to position the device (10) in at least one holder (11, 40, 42) for at least one molding tool in a magazine (36) for storing molding tools.

8. System for determining a position of a holder (11, 40, 42) for a molding tool, comprising at least one device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and at least one changing device (28) with at least one robot arm (32) which has at least one measuring device (30) for determining a position of the at least one first positioning element (14) of the device (10).

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the measuring device (30) has a measuring sensor and a force sensor (38), wherein the measuring sensor has a first measuring section which is designed to be complementary to a second measuring section of the at least one first positioning element (14).

10. A method (100) for determining a position of a holder for a molding tool, comprising at least the following steps: Positioning (102) at least one device according to one of claims 1 to 6 in a receptacle for a molding tool by means of the at least one second positioning element (16); Determining (104) the position of the at least one first positioning element (14) by means of a measuring device (30); and Removing (106) the device from the receptacle (11, 40, 42).

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