Apparatus for handling articles and method for regenerating a suction surface of a gripping device

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for handling articles, having a gripping device (16) which can be subjected to negative pressure for the grasping of the articles using suction, and having a cleaning device (36) which can interact with the gripping device (16) in order to remove contaminants present therein or thereon. The invention also relates to a method for regenerating a suction surface (18) and / or air-conducting portions (32) of a gripping device (16), which comprises a movably suspended plate-like suction device which can be areally subjected to negative pressure in order to, on an underside, suction and grasp a plurality of articles by suctioning the articles onto an air-permeable elastic layer (26) when suction pressure is applied. In the method, a cleaning operation is provided, in which contaminants and / or deposits are removed at least from the elastic layer (26) and / or from the air-conducting portions (32) of the gripping device (16).

Description

[0001] Device for handling articles and method for regenerating a suction surface of a gripping device

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for handling articles and a method for regenerating a suction surface of a gripping device. The present invention thus relates to a device and a method for handling articles, in particular before further processing, for example, before filling and sealing containers such as empty cans. Such a device could, for example, find practical application in the beverage industry.

[0003] For example, in the production of beverage cans, the empty cans used are typically delivered as new container cans in pallet layers and prepared for further processing. These new container cans are specifically empty cans without top lids. In the following, we will refer to them as empty cans, while the pallet layers can also be called empty can layers.

[0004] Typically, several layers of empty cans are stacked on top of each other on a pallet, with an intermediate layer of a flat material, such as a paper layer, a thin plastic layer, a cardboard intermediate layer, or similar, placed between each stacked layer of empty cans.

[0005] The empty can layers can be fully gripped by a gripping device and transferred to a transport device for further processing. Further processing includes, in particular, filling the empty cans and sealing them from the top by placing a can lid on top.

[0006] Layer grippers can also be used, which have a foam surface that can be subjected to negative pressure. By drawing in air in this way, the empty cans can also be suctioned and held on the layer gripper. The foam surface is placed on the layer of empty cans, and the foam is designed and equipped in such a way that preferably little or no ambient air is drawn in when the empty cans are suctioned and lifted by applying a vacuum. The design and operation of such a surface suction gripper for suctioning and handling objects using a vacuum applied to a gripping surface are described, for example, in EP 1 052 201 A1 or EP 3272 475 A1.

[0007] The repacking and loading / unloading of empty cans described above is often accompanied by condensation, which is partly due to temperature fluctuations within the system. This condensation, which is unavoidable in many cases, leads to handling problems, as the foam surfaces are sensitive to moisture. Furthermore, hygiene issues arise from the inevitable promotion of bacterial growth in the increasingly humid environment of the foam layers. Especially when handling items or cans filled with sugary drinks, additional problems can occur due to the adhesion of beverage residues and other sugary beverage deposits.

[0008] Such problems can generally occur with suction grippers used in the packaging industry, including those used for handling other containers, packaging units, packaging materials such as films, cardboard, etc.

[0009] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved and reliable handling device for handling articles such as empty cans, which operates with consistent reliability even under adverse conditions and after prolonged use. Furthermore, a method for maintaining and, if necessary, restoring the desired operating conditions is to be provided, which can also be used to address emerging hygiene risks.

[0010] The objectives are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Features of advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are found in the respective dependent claims.

[0011] To achieve at least some of the aforementioned objectives, the invention proposes a device with the features of the independent claim, which can be used in particular for handling articles such as empty cans. The device according to the invention comprises a device for handling articles, which includes a gripping device that can be pressurized with a vacuum for suction-based grasping of the articles. Furthermore, the device includes a cleaning device or is at least temporarily connectable to a cleaning device, which cleaning device can interact with the gripping device to remove any contaminants present in or on it.

[0012] In the device according to the invention, the vacuum-operated gripping device can in particular be equipped with a vacuum-operated suction surface for suction gripping the articles, which suction surface can in particular be covered with an elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer, so that the articles can be picked up and handled by suction with the vacuum.

[0013] Furthermore, the cleaning device can preferably interact at least with the layer associated with or forming the suction surface in order to remove moisture and / or contaminants bound or adhering therein.

[0014] Thus, the device according to the invention can, in particular, include a gripping device with a suction surface for grasping the articles by suction. If the gripping device is equipped with such a suction surface, the entire suction surface or defined sections of the suction surface can be subjected to negative pressure in order to suction, grasp, and pick up the articles. Furthermore, the suction surface can be covered with the aforementioned elastically deformable layer, which is at least partially permeable to air. The device is equipped with a cleaning device or can be coupled to a cleaning device, at least temporarily. This cleaning device is designed and equipped accordingly.configured to interact with the gripping device and / or with the layer attached to or forming the suction surface, in order to at least partially remove deposits or contaminants contained therein or adhering therein.

[0015] The term "suction surface," used here and generally in this context, refers specifically to the suction area of ​​the gripping device that comes into contact with the articles to be gripped and brought to adhere to the suction surface by means of negative pressure. This suction area, formed essentially by the suction surface, can optionally also be considered and optionally described as the suction area, the contact surface, or the working area of ​​the gripping device that can be subjected to negative pressure.

[0016] The term "articles" used here, which are handled by the device according to the invention using its gripping device, can in principle refer to a wide variety of objects, packaging units, containers, etc., that are intended to be and / or can be gripped by suction. Typically, a larger number of similar articles are gripped simultaneously, for example, those located in a pallet layer or a palletized layer.

[0017] In principle, such suction plate grippers, as the gripping device according to the invention can be considered or described, can be used to grasp a wide variety of articles by means of negative pressure, for example, flat packaging materials, e.g., interleaving sheets made of cardboard, plastic, or wood, or optionally also of cellulose-containing materials. Alternatively, such suction plate grippers of the gripping device according to the invention can also be used to grasp containers of all kinds or packaging units, bundles, or pallet layers by means of negative pressure.

[0018] A practical application for such a suction plate gripper, or for the device according to the invention, is the gripping and handling of cans, particularly empty cans, but optionally also filled cans, each fitted with a lid and sealed. The term "empty cans," used here and elsewhere in this description, which can be handled by the device according to the invention using its gripping mechanism, refers in this context specifically to beverage containers in the shape of cans, made of metal or sheet metal, with openings on the top. These containers generally have a hollow cylindrical shape with a flat or partially concave end face. When not yet filled with liquid contents such as a beverage, the flat top lid may be partially or completely missing.The hollow cylindrical shape of such cans can be produced, in particular, by means of a deep-drawing process for the plastic deformation of sheet metal sections, provided they are not plastic cans or those made of a composite material. Therefore, when empty cans with openings on the top are mentioned in this context, this normally refers to empty cans in their raw state, which must be handled in larger numbers before being filled with liquid contents and sealed airtight by applying a lid. This handling can include, for example, grouping, repositioning, unstacking, depalletizing, or similar tasks. Regrouping or stacking the empty cans is also possible in this context.The lids, which are to be applied to the cans after they have been filled, can be placed on them and preferably applied to the upper end faces of the respective cans by means of a sealing crimp connection, after which the cans filled and sealed in this way can be subjected to further treatment and / or handling steps, which, however, is not of further interest in the present context.

[0019] Further processing steps, to which such beverage cans often undergo, can include, for example, printing on the can's exterior or applying printed labels. These additional handling steps refer in particular to grouping, bundling, and packaging processes, as several cans are often combined into containers before being formed into larger units or pallet layers. These pallet layers can then be stacked on top of each other in larger numbers and combined into stacks of filled cans.

[0020] However, it should be emphasized that the application of the device according to the invention is by no means limited to the handling and vacuum-controlled gripping and positioning of empty cans, but that very different articles, individual items, packaging units, containers, etc. can be handled with it, as has already been briefly clarified above.

[0021] The device according to the invention, described here in different embodiments, can be used in particular in connection with the delivery and provision of prepared and / or empty cans to be filled. ±Alternatively, it can also be used for handling other items or products, whereby both the delivery of a large number of empty cans on pallets and their preparation for filling with liquid contents, especially beverages, may require the gripping device of the apparatus to pick up a large number of empty cans. However, the present gripping device, or rather the suction plate gripper under consideration here, is equally suitable for handling filled cans, i.e., beverage cans or the like, which can be filled with beverages of all kinds.With cans filled with sugary drinks, residues of the beverage can remain on the outside of the cans after filling and sealing. This can cause the contact surface or suction surface of the gripping device to become wetted by the beverage residue. After prolonged use, this can lead to more or less severe contamination and the problem of beverage residue deposits, including their sugary components, not only on the suction surface but also on all air-conducting lines, valves, channels, etc., of the entire handling device. The present invention aims to eliminate these deposits repeatedly in order to restore and ensure the proper operational readiness of the gripping device.

[0022] In general, the device according to the invention can also be used in connection with the delivery and provision of prepared and / or to-be-filled primary packagings, containers, etc., whereby both when a large number of such primary packagings or containers are delivered on pallets and when they are prepared for filling with liquid contents such as beverages, it may be necessary to grasp a large number of primary packagings or containers using the gripping device of the device.

[0023] In general, the device according to the invention can also be used in connection with the handling, transport and / or repositioning of processed primary packagings, containers, etc., filled with liquid contents such as beverages, whereby both when picking up or receiving a large number of such primary packagings or containers from pallets or other staging areas and when handling them further, it may be necessary to capture a large number of such primary packagings or containers using the gripping device of the device.

[0024] As explained above, the device according to the invention can be used in particular in the field of filling and packaging technology, i.e., especially in the field of beverage processing or the processing of other liquid, pasty, or granular products. Such gripping devices or suction plate grippers can be used advantageously, in particular, for handling a large number of identical objects, articles, packages, or containers.

[0025] The device according to the invention, in all its applications and embodiments, is normally assigned a first position for placing and / or receiving articles, which is preferably used for stacking and unstacking. Furthermore, the device is assigned a second position for placing and / or receiving articles, wherein the articles can be transferred from the first to the second position and / or vice versa by means of the gripping device.

[0026] To enable this, the device according to the invention comprises a movably suspended gripping device equipped with an underside suction surface to which the articles, containers, empty cans, or the like, grasped at their upper end faces, can adhere when they are to be picked up from a base or a storage area and transferred to a defined destination. For this purpose, the entire underside suction surface of the gripping device can be subjected to negative pressure, allowing the suction surface to grip several grouped articles, containers, empty cans, or the like.

[0027] The gripping device can, in particular, have a support plate equipped on its upper side with a suspension that ensures its mobility within a defined range of motion. This suspension can be achieved, for example, by being connected to a movable gantry extending over the range of motion, to a movable arm of a multi-axis or articulated robot, or the like. The range of motion should sensibly extend at least from a staging area where a group of items, containers, empty cans, or the like is picked up, to a destination where the picked-up items, containers, empty cans, etc., are placed down again.

[0028] As will be explained in more detail below, there may be other components in this movement area with which the gripping device interacts, e.g. a camera to detect a current cleaning requirement or an immersion tank for immersing the suction surface, optionally also a counter-support surface for targeted influence on air distribution in the suction surface and / or on the distribution of a rinsing fluid within the suction surface.

[0029] In order to reliably grip the items, containers, empty cans, or the like, the suction surface located on the underside of the gripper's support plate is covered with an elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer to which the items, such as empty cans, adhere as soon as the suction surface is subjected to sufficient negative pressure. This area of ​​the suction surface can therefore also be considered the suction area or operating area of ​​the suction plate gripper or device according to the invention.

[0030] Ideally, the layer, which is at least partially permeable to air, is dimensionally adapted to the carrier plate so that its basic shape is essentially repeated in the elastic layer anchored to it. The carrier plate's basic shape can be, for example, square or rectangular, but can optionally be adapted to the specific grouping of items to be captured, such as a grouping of empty cans.

[0031] In principle, the dimensions of the carrier plate, including the at least partially air-permeable layer attached to its underside, are determined by the specific practical handling requirements, i.e., in particular, the requirements of the goods to be handled. The individual items or articles to be handled and / or detected are typically formed by groupings of containers that are closely spaced and in contact, especially at their outer surfaces, such as empty or filled beverage cans. Each grouping to be detected can comprise, for example, more than twenty up to more than 200 empty or filled beverage cans, or other items.

[0032] Optionally, the items to be handled and / or grasped can be arranged together in a rectangular pattern. However, pallet layers or groupings can also be grasped and picked up by the gripping device if the items are not arranged in a regular rectangular pattern, but, for example, in a denser spherical packing or a hexagonal arrangement. In principle, the gripping device of the inventive device would also be suitable for handling disordered accumulations of items, provided that these are in an upright position with their outer surfaces vertically oriented, so that their open or closed upper surfaces face the suction surface of the gripping device and can thus all be contacted by the layer and drawn in by means of negative pressure.According to a practical application of the present invention, the empty or filled beverage cans to be handled and / or gripped can be grouped together in a rectangular arrangement. However, pallet layers or groupings can also be gripped and picked up by the gripping device in which the empty or beverage cans are not grouped in a regular rectangular arrangement, but, for example, in a denser spherical packing or in a hexagonal arrangement. In principle, the gripping device of the inventive apparatus would also be suitable for handling disordered accumulations of empty cans, filled beverage cans, or other items, provided that these are in an upright position with their outer surfaces vertically oriented so that their open tops face the suction surface and can thus all be contacted by the layer and drawn in by means of negative pressure.

[0033] The cleaning device associated with the device, or at least temporarily coupled to it, can be designed in a variety of ways in practice. The most important function of the cleaning device is its interaction with the layer attached to the suction surface, as well as with other air-conducting sections, lines, and / or valves, to at least partially remove deposits or contaminants adhering to or bound within this layer, the lines, and / or valves. Thus, the cleaning device can preferably interact not only with the suction surface but also with air-conducting lines and / or valves of the gripping device in order to remove deposits or contaminants bound or adhering to them as well.

[0034] To pick up items or containers such as empty cans, the gripping device is lowered onto the group to be grasped. The flexible layer can be gently pressed onto the upper parts of the items or containers, for example, onto the top edges of the cans, to prevent excessive loss of the vacuum required for suction. The items, containers, empty cans, etc., thus suctioned to the layer, can be lifted from the staging area by appropriate movement of the gripping device and moved in the desired direction to a defined destination.

[0035] The suction of the items, containers, empty cans, or similar items in the group to be picked up is achieved by activating a vacuum source. This source is capable of establishing connections between itself and the at least partially air-permeable layer via air channels as soon as the layer is placed on the tops of the items or containers to be picked up, i.e., the empty cans. To distribute the suction pressure generated by the vacuum source across the entire underside suction surface of the carrier plate, the air channels in the carrier plate preferably branch out multiple times, thereby achieving an almost uniform distribution of the suction pressure across the air-permeable layer.

[0036] Thus, it becomes understandable that essentially all air-carrying sections, pipes, valves, etc. can become burdened with deposits or impurities after a certain period of operation, which can gradually settle, accumulate, and accumulate in the air-carrying areas due to the suction, picking up, and handling of items, cans, containers, etc., that are not completely dry or still wet with beverage residue.

[0037] It therefore becomes clear that it can be advantageous to equip the cleaning device of the device according to the invention with a rinsing device suitable for rinsing at least the layer associated with or forming the suction surface with liquid. Furthermore, it can be advantageous to use the rinsing device for rinsing air-carrying lines and / or valves of the gripping device and to equip and configure it accordingly.

[0038] Since the elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer can be, in particular, a foam layer with an open-pore structure, it is suitable, on the one hand, to serve as an air-conducting layer that distributes the suction pressure generated by the vacuum source, evenly distributed via the lines, and introduced into the layer, largely homogeneously across the entire underside suction and contact surface of the carrier plate. Furthermore, its elastic deformability makes it particularly well-suited to reliably hold a large number of grouped items, containers, empty cans, etc., without creating the risk of mis-sucking and all its associated dangers, such as individual items, containers, empty cans, or the like being missed or falling off.

[0039] The air-conducting and air-permeable layer, which distributes the intake air almost homogeneously in its volume, in combination with the elastic properties of the layer, ensures the desired reliability in the vacuum-induced pickup, adhesion and separation of the grouped articles, containers, empty cans or the like from the intake surface at the desired destination by deactivation of the vacuum.

[0040] On the other hand, such open-pored foam layers, like the one formed by the air-conducting and air-permeable layer described here, generally tend to absorb and retain moisture, condensation, and beverage residues such as sweeteners and / or sugary components. This general tendency to absorb moisture and accumulate drying beverage residues depends on the prevailing ambient conditions, but in this particular application, it is further promoted by the constantly repeated application of suction pressure.

[0041] While the collected items, containers, empty cans, etc., should normally be free of moisture unless they have been previously sterilized and / or cleaned using cleaning fluid or hot water, the prevailing ambient conditions with normal humidity are sufficient for this moisture to accumulate in the air-conducting and air-permeable layer after a certain period of use and multiple cycles of activating and deactivating the suction pressure provided by the vacuum source. This is compounded by the aforementioned problems with filled beverage cans, which are usually not handled in a completely dry state and are therefore often still wet with beverage residue.

[0042] Experience has shown that such moisture accumulation in the open-cell foam layer not only slightly reduces suction pressure, which can easily be compensated for by adjusting the vacuum source's power, but also disrupts air distribution. This can lead to an increased number of items, containers, empty cans, etc., being incorrectly or incompletely vacuumed, and consequently to errors when lifting the items. Furthermore, the accumulation of deposits and contaminants is encouraged by this moisture accumulation.Because the open-pored foam structure has very fine channels, the bound water, along with any impurities or deposits it carries, cannot be ignored, as it noticeably and negatively affects air distribution. These problems are even more pronounced with deposits of dried beverage residue.

[0043] In addition, both the accumulation of moisture in the layer located on the underside of the suction surface, which forms a contact layer for the articles, containers, empty cans, etc., captured and handled by it, and the accumulation of beverage residues and similar deposits, due to the associated potential for bacterial growth, represent a hygiene problem that becomes increasingly severe with longer operating times, so that in practical operation the layer anchored to the carrier plate has to be replaced frequently and repeatedly.

[0044] At the start of a handling cycle, the air-conducting and air-permeable layer has a very low moisture content and level of contamination, as it contains very little condensed liquid. However, after prolonged operation and a large number of handling cycles, the air-conducting layer can exhibit an increased moisture content and level of contamination that is no longer acceptable for continued operation. To remove this unwanted moisture, which consists mainly of absorbed condensate, as well as deposits from the layer and from other air-conducting areas, valves, pipes, etc., as far as possible, or at least to significantly reduce the moisture content in the layer, the aforementioned cleaning system is used.

[0045] In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the flushing device for flushing the air-carrying valves can preferably be operated in such a way that a switch is possible, allowing bypass lines to be flushed instead of the valves. Thus, it is possible to selectively clean either the valves or their bypass lines.

[0046] It is advantageous for the flow direction during flushing of the suction surface and / or the air lines and / or valves of the gripping device to have a directional component that is parallel to the direction of a gravitational force acting on the flushing fluid. As a rule, the device is therefore flushed not against gravity, but in the direction of gravity, particularly if check valves are present for applying a vacuum to the suction surface. These check valves are normally designed to exert their blocking effect when pressurized and / or flushed with flushing fluid from bottom to top.

[0047] In particular, the rinsing device can have a supply point for a liquid rinsing medium located on the upper side, away from the suction surface of the gripping device. This can be, for example, a water connection on the upper side, which can be arranged parallel to the vacuum air connection. Such a connection for water or rinsing fluid can preferably remain permanently on the gripping device, since this device normally requires frequent cleaning, especially after a definable number of gripping cycles and / or after a certain operating time.

[0048] It should be noted at this point that different terms are used in the present context, all of which can mean the same thing. For example, the text sometimes refers to a liquid that can be used in the cleaning mechanism of the device according to the invention. This liquid is usually called a rinsing fluid. In some places, the term liquid rinsing medium is also used, without these different terms necessarily implying any substantive difference. These terms may be understood as synonyms.

[0049] In addition to using liquid rinsing medium, it can also be beneficial to support the rinsing and / or cleaning process by using airflow reversed in the direction of flow. For example, an existing blower used to create negative pressure at the intake surface can support the cleaning process by reversing its airflow direction, i.e., by blowing additional air out at the intake surface.

[0050] Furthermore, the device can optionally be equipped with a counter-support or support plate, or similar contact surface, for the suction surface in order to at least partially cover the air channels or open pores located there. Such a counter-support or support plate can improve the distribution of the cleaning fluid within the air-conducting elastic layer of the gripping device, since direct flow is at least partially prevented and the rinsing fluid is deflected laterally.

[0051] Furthermore, as an additional option, all cleaning processes can be intensified by pressing out and / or actively drying the suction surface after cleaning, preferably with warm air.

[0052] For example, electric heating wires can be provided that run within the layer and can be structurally integrated there. These electric heating wires can be connected to a suitable electrical power supply as needed and thus heated, which in turn can ensure the removal of the condensed moisture bound in the layer. Instead of electric heating wires, sections of foil can optionally be integrated into the air-permeable layer, which function as electrical heating conductors and can be heated by connecting them to the electrical power supply. Alternatively, such a drying device of the apparatus according to the invention can also be formed by a heatable carrier plate to the underside of which the air-conducting and air-permeable layer is attached, so that this layer can be heated via the heatable carrier plate.

[0053] For example, cylindrical rollers can be suitable for pressing out the elastic layer of the suction surface. The support plate of the gripping device can be rolled horizontally on such a cylindrical roller at a constant distance from the roller, compressing the layer and forcing out the condensation trapped within it. Such a preferably cylindrical roller is normally understood as a passive component, i.e., a non-driven roller that is set in rotation by the rolling of the layer pressed against the roller and simultaneously compressed. The roller preferably has a width that corresponds at least to the width of the support plate or the air-permeable layer arranged on it.

[0054] In this context, it can be advantageous to move the gripping device by appropriately moving the support plate, mounted on the upper suspension, along with the air-conducting and air-permeable layer located on its underside, towards the stationary roller, which is rotatable about its longitudinal center axis. Alternatively, such a roller can also be moved towards the support plate and the air-conducting and air-permeable layer located on its underside, and along the stationary support plate, in order to squeeze the moisture out of the layer.

[0055] By rolling the elastic layer onto the rotating roller, the layer is significantly compressed while the backing plate moves relative to the roller. Depending on the desired or achievable degree of compression of the elastic layer, the backing plate can be positioned very close to the roller. The closer the backing plate gets to the roller during rolling, and the more the elastic layer is compressed, the more water bound within it can be squeezed out.

[0056] Optionally, the rotating roller can also be profiled on its outer surface and, for example, provided with ribs, pins or the like, which can particularly improve traction when rolling the layer on the roller and may also intensify the pressing process.

[0057] Optionally, the device can be equipped with or coupled to a collection system for collecting and, if necessary, draining the water removed from the elastic, air-conducting layer, as well as any rinsing fluid generated during a cleaning process. For example, a collection basin can be provided below the gripping device in which the fluid, extracted from the layer by the cleaning device (which operates in various ways) and flowing through the entire gripping device, can be collected, collected, and subsequently reused, preferably after prior cleaning and / or treatment. The collection system can, for example, include a suitable collection vessel with a return line to reuse the extracted water and / or the used rinsing fluid for further rinsing.In this context, it may be useful to drain some of the used rinsing fluid and replace it by adding fresh water.

[0058] In this context, cleaning in a water bath or immersion bath containing cleaning fluid can also be a useful option, in addition to the flushing of the air-carrying areas described above. This water bath or immersion bath with cleaning fluid can be used as an additional or alternative cleaning option. The rinsing fluid, e.g., water, can also be temperature-controlled. In many cases, temperature-controlled rinsing fluid can improve cleaning effectiveness, possibly in conjunction with cleaning additives.

[0059] In a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the suction surface can remain attached to the gripping device during a cleaning process, with a cleaning position being defined by an additional target position of the gripping device. The suction surface or the air-conducting layer to be cleaned can, in particular, remain attached to the gripping device, which is suspended from and guided by a robot arm, for example, during any cleaning process. This also makes it possible to carry out the cleaning processes during phases in which the filling and / or packaging system or the module in which the device is located is stationary, such as during any format changeovers or other planned breaks or interruptions in the filling and / or packaging operation.

[0060] The cleaning position, into which the gripper can be moved to perform a cleaning process, is sensibly located within a design-defined reach of the gripper and preferably differs from both the picking position for the items and the placement position for the items. The cleaning position may therefore be within the movement radius of the robot guiding the gripper, but remains separate from the can removal position and the stacking position. The cleaning position can thus represent an additional position of the robot, particularly with regard to its program-controlled motion control.

[0061] As further useful options, different triggering mechanisms can be used in the device according to the invention to establish a suitable starting point for a cleaning process. For example, a cleaning cycle can be triggered after the detection of a cleaning need and / or after exceeding a time limit and / or after exceeding a predetermined number of movement cycles of the gripping device. If time-controlled cyclic cleaning (e.g., once daily, once weekly) is not desired, the number of item gripping operations can be counted and used as a criterion for a cleaning process (e.g., number of can gripping operations and cleaning after a defined number of gripping operations). If such experience-based cleaning cycles are not to be used, sensor-detected parameters during regular use of the device can also be used to determine a suitable cleaning start point.For example, the compressed air flow rate of the vacuum supply can be measured, and a cleaning process can be triggered if the suction air flow rate falls below a defined threshold, possibly also in conjunction with a changing suction pressure. Both the air flow rate and the applied vacuum can be monitored and measured by sensors.

[0062] Another indicator of the need for cleaning could be a decrease in the gripping device's suction power, for example, if optical sensors detect that an increasing number of cans, items, or containers are not being picked up and instead remain at the receiving station. This failure to pick up items would be a clear indication of reduced suction power, which can be related to increased deposits, adhesions, and / or moisture in the system.

[0063] As a particularly advantageous further variant of the device according to the invention, it is also possible to detect, by means of an optical monitoring device, whether there are increased deposits on the suction surface and / or the surface of the air-conducting layer, in order to trigger a cleaning process as needed. For example, a camera image can be used to trigger a cleaning process as required. In this context, it can be advantageous to use a camera already located near the device to make the underside of the suction plate accessible to the camera optics by means of a corresponding swiveling movement of the robot guiding the gripping device, and thus to check the extent of the deposits. Such existing cameras could, for example, be room surveillance cameras that are located near such systems for safety reasons, e.g., to monitor the system.To be able to initiate safety shutdowns in the event of unauthorized personnel entering the system during operation. Since the gripping device is a particularly hazardous component when guided by a robotic arm, meaning no personnel may be present in the vicinity of the operating area, it is advisable to implement room monitoring, for example, using cameras. Such cameras can be used, at least temporarily, to detect deposits. In addition to all cleaning cycles triggered by sensor monitoring, time recording, and / or the detection of gripping actions, the device can also be manually initiated by the operator at any time.

[0064] To make the required rinsing fluids available to the optional rinsing unit as needed, the rinsing unit can be connected to an existing media supply, such as a rinsing fluid supply for a filling plant or similar. Depending on the existing media system, this rinsing fluid can be, for example, cleaning lye, cleaning acid, or another suitable cleaning fluid.

[0065] Furthermore, it can be advantageous to add further additives to the cleaning fluid, e.g. amylase or other, preferably sugar-splitting additives, which can contribute to improving the cleaning effect in the case of sugary residues from beverages.

[0066] In a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, a cleaning and / or rinsing cycle can optionally be provided with fresh water or sterilized water. This can be particularly advantageous if previously performed cleaning steps involve chemical additives, so that at least one subsequent rinsing cycle with fresh or sterile water is required. Optionally, after a rinsing and / or cleaning cycle, separate sterilization may be useful, e.g., using hydrogen peroxide, chlorine-containing rinsing fluid, or steam heated to an elevated temperature of more than approximately 121 °C.

[0067] It should be noted in this context that cleaning does not mean rinsing, as these steps are often necessary cumulatively. While the cleaning cycles primarily serve to remove dirt and deposits, additional sterilization may be required if microorganisms need to be reliably eliminated.

[0068] To achieve at least some of the aforementioned objectives, the invention proposes, in addition to the device described in various embodiments according to the invention, a further method for regenerating a suction surface of a gripping device. This device comprises a movably suspended, plate-like suction cup that can be subjected to negative pressure over its entire surface. This suction cup is designed to draw in and grip a multitude of articles, containers, empty cans, or the like from its underside by drawing them against an air-permeable elastic layer under suction pressure. The method can include cleaning processes that are carried out regularly or as needed, in which contaminants and / or deposits are removed, at least from the elastic layer and / or from the air-conducting sections of the gripping device.

[0069] The term "suction surface" used here, in the inventive method, refers in particular to a suction area of ​​the gripping device used in the method, which comes into contact with the articles to be gripped and brought to adhere to the suction surface by means of a vacuum. This suction area, formed essentially by the suction surface, can optionally also be considered and described as a suction area, a contact surface, or an area of ​​operation of the gripping device that can be subjected to a vacuum.

[0070] The procedure may in particular include rinsing the elastic layer and / or the air-conducting sections of the gripping device with a liquid for cleaning purposes.

[0071] The process serves to regenerate a damp and / or contaminated elastic layer as needed and can be carried out, in particular, with a device according to one of the previously described embodiments. Furthermore, the process serves to clean air-conducting areas of the gripping device and to regenerate these areas in order to free them from contaminants and / or deposits.

[0072] It is also clear from the foregoing that the handling device and / or the method according to the invention can generally also be considered a regeneration process that serves to restore favorable operating conditions of the described gripping device by removing moisture and / or adhesions from the air-guiding and air-permeable layer on the underside of a plate-like gripper for receiving groups of articles, groups of containers, groups of empty cans or layers of empty cans, and thereby bringing it into an improved and preferably an optimal operating condition with regard to its gripping properties, its reliability in gripping the articles, containers, empty cans or the like, as well as with regard to its hygienic parameters.

[0073] The same applies to air-conducting areas, valves, pipes, etc. of the gripping device, which can also be freed from moisture and / or from adhesions of all kinds by means of the method according to the invention.

[0074] As already explained several times, the regeneration of the air-carrying and air-permeable layer as well as the other air-carrying areas, valves, pipes, etc. can be carried out as required and, for example, sensor-supported, which can be determined in particular by the loading of the layer with unwanted condensate and / or the loading with adhesions and residues from beverage bottling.

[0075] To determine when the accumulation of condensation and / or adhering substances has reached an unacceptable level, various sensor principles can be employed, and the output signals from different sensors can be processed. These sensors provide information about the moisture content or degree of contamination in the air-conducting layer and, if applicable, in other air-conducting areas of the gripping device. However, if sufficient empirical data is available for operating such a system, this type of sensor evaluation may be unnecessary, and repeated regeneration cycles can be carried out at regular intervals or after a defined number of handling steps.

[0076] Other actions can also be triggered based on the signals provided by such a sensor. For example, a fault signal can be generated, indicating to a person responsible for monitoring the device that a regeneration cycle and / or the replacement of a layer burdened with excessive moisture and / or excessive adhesion may be necessary.

[0077] Finally, some further connections should be noted that facilitate the understanding of the invention and that can be seen in connection with embodiments of the device and / or method described above. When, in this context, an elastically deformable layer that is at least partially permeable to air is mentioned, this layer can optionally be an elastic layer or a foam layer with a partially open-pored or closed-pored structure, which may be equipped with numerous intake and air guide openings.Thus, a larger number of such intake and air guide openings can optionally be provided in the layer, whereby typically the arrangement and number of intake and air guide openings to be provided and present can correspond to the number of articles or empty cans to be received and their positions within the respective grouping.

[0078] In this design variant, the air drawn in at the underside of the intake surface can thus pass through the intake and air guide openings within the elastic layer made of foam or another elastic material and flow largely unhindered directly through the air guides and be drawn in by the vacuum source as soon as it is activated to receive the articles or empty cans.

[0079] The suctioned items or empty cans preferably rest only on the foam or on the underside of the elastic layer, which seals the respective intake and air duct openings from the environment. The deformability of the layer, made of foam or other elastic materials, ensures a particularly effective seal.

[0080] It should therefore be clarified at this point that the air-conducting layer does not necessarily guide the aspirated air through its structural design, as is the case, for example, with an open-pore foam structure without the optional intake and air-conducting openings, but rather that, depending on the design variant, only the appropriately arranged and appropriately designed intake and air-conducting openings can represent the air-conducting elements within the layer.

[0081] Depending on the chosen variant of the device according to the invention, the foam structure of the layer does not directly form the air-conducting layer, but primarily serves to house the intake and air-conducting openings and, furthermore, to prevent or at least limit the intake of false air that could flow through gaps between the articles or empty cans and the intake surface when and as soon as the articles or empty cans to be held are in contact with the layer. Thus, due to its elastic deformability and the large number of its intake and air-conducting openings, the layer structured in this way is also particularly well suited to reliably holding a large number of grouped articles or empty cans without the risk of mis-intake with all its associated risks, such as individual articles or empty cans not being held or falling out.

[0082] Alternatively, the structure, as described here using the example of a partially open-cell or closed-cell foam, can also be formed by an elastic layer with the aforementioned openings, whose elasticity arises not from a foam structure but from the elastic material properties. Thus, it should be clarified at this point that the layer can be formed by any elastic layer with the described intake and air guide openings.

[0083] Furthermore, suction plate grippers like the ones described here can optionally be equipped with valve controls. A larger number of valves can be assigned to the air-conducting layer. These valves can be formed by balls or freely movable valve bodies within the intake and air-conducting openings or within the air lines in the area of ​​the contact or support plate located above them. These balls or freely movable valve bodies can open the corresponding supply line to each of the intake and air-conducting openings as soon as the vacuum generated by the vacuum source is present there.

[0084] Such a valve control system can offer the additional advantage that only those intake and air supply openings are activated where a product to be drawn in—i.e., an item, a container, or, for example, an empty can—is actually located. If this is the case, the valve remains open due to the suction force exerted by the vacuum. Conversely, if the respective intake and air supply opening is unoccupied because there is no product to be drawn in at that location, the valve can close, preventing unnecessary air intake and thus preventing the vacuum system from unnecessarily pumping air.

[0085] The mention of this optional valve control also makes it plausible that flushing such an arrangement with flushing fluid is preferably only useful in one direction, which in particular has a directional component parallel to gravity, because in an opposite flushing direction such valves tend to close, which at least significantly hinders, if not makes impossible, the flushing process.

[0086] The arrangement and number of any intake and air duct openings, as well as any optional valves, depend on the size and number of objects to be gripped. For larger packaging units to be picked up by the gripping device, the intake and air duct openings can be adapted accordingly, arranged appropriately, and, if necessary, made larger in diameter.

[0087] As a precautionary measure, it should be noted once again at this point that the device according to the invention is also capable of picking up a wide variety of articles using the gripping device. Therefore, whenever empty cans are mentioned at any point in this description, this term can, in principle, be replaced by other terms, such as: individual items, articles, containers, cans, beverage cans, flat packaging sheets, or packaging blanks, etc. Such a shift or modification of terms does not affect or alter the statements regarding the nature of the present invention in any way.

[0088] Furthermore, in all the aforementioned embodiments of the device according to the invention, suitable sensors for detecting the need for cleaning the parts can optionally be provided. Optionally, several such sensors can be provided, which can be located at different points. Advantageously, such sensors can be coupled to a control unit and supply their output signals to the control unit, which in turn can control and activate the cleaning device in different ways, depending on the embodiment, i.e., as needed.

[0089] The control unit can, for example, use the output signals from suitable sensors and / or the image signals from the aforementioned camera to control and activate the cleaning system in various ways as needed, i.e., to initiate the respective cleaning process. It is also conceivable, however, that a fault message is derived from the output signals and issued by the control unit and / or transmitted to other connected units or machine modules. Such a fault message issued by the control unit could then, for example, trigger manual or machine-assisted intervention by an operator or service personnel.

[0090] In connection with the explanation of the preferably existing control device, it should be noted that such a control device can optionally be a subassembly of a machine control system, which preferably not only controls the regeneration processes of the device according to the invention, but can also generally control all its actions for receiving, handling, and positioning articles such as containers, cans, or empty cans. Since devices such as those described here normally have such control devices, it should be clarified at this point that the device according to the invention can be one that is controlled and operated by a suitable control device. This also implies, however, that the control device can optionally be assigned to the device according to the invention or be a part of this device.

[0091] This control device, which is optionally assigned to the device according to the invention or which forms a component of the device according to the invention, can in turn, according to a preferred embodiment, process the sensor signals mentioned above, whereby in particular the sensor signals of the said sensors and / or the image signals of at least one camera can be meant in order to control the regeneration cycles effectively and to carry them out at the appropriate time.

[0092] It is clear from the foregoing that the device according to the invention can also be considered a regeneration system that can serve to restore favorable operating conditions of the gripping device by removing moisture and / or adhesions from the air-conducting and air-permeable layer on the underside of a plate-like gripper for receiving groups of articles, container groups, empty can groups or layers of empty cans, and thereby bringing it into an improved and preferably an optimal operating condition with regard to its gripping properties, its reliability in gripping the articles, containers, empty cans, etc., as well as with regard to its hygienic parameters.This regeneration of the air-conducting and air-permeable layer can be carried out as needed, which can be determined in particular by the accumulation of unwanted condensation and / or detected contaminants in the layer. The same applies to other air-conducting areas of the gripping device, which can also be cleaned and regenerated in this context.

[0093] Provided sufficient experience is available for the operation of such a system, sensor evaluation as explained above may be unnecessary, and repeated regeneration cycles can be carried out at regular intervals or after a defined number of handling steps.

[0094] It should therefore be noted here that the device equipped with the cleaning device, or at least temporarily and / or as needed capable of being coupled to the cleaning device, according to one of the embodiments described above, can also be considered and described as a regeneration system. This also means that the reader could substitute the alternative term "regeneration system" wherever the term "device" is used, without this affecting or altering the nature of the invention.

[0095] It should be expressly mentioned here that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the inventive device for handling articles equally relate to or can constitute partial aspects of the inventive method for regenerating an intake surface and / or air-conducting sections of a gripping device. Therefore, whenever certain aspects, relationships, and / or effects are mentioned in the description or in the claim definitions of the inventive device, this applies equally to the inventive method.Conversely, the same applies, so that all aspects and embodiments explained in connection with the inventive method for regenerating an intake surface and / or air-conducting sections of a gripping device equally relate to, or can be related to, aspects of the inventive device for handling articles. Therefore, whenever certain aspects, relationships, and / or effects are mentioned in the description or in the claim definitions of the inventive method, this applies equally to the inventive device. The following exemplary embodiments, illustrated by the accompanying figures, will further explain the invention and its advantages.The relative sizes of the individual elements in the figures do not always correspond to the real relative sizes, as some shapes are simplified and other shapes are enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

[0096] Fig. 1A shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a device for detecting articles, which is based on a grouping of articles, each formed by empty cans. ± is set up.

[0097] Fig. 1B shows the device according to Fig. 1A, which has captured a grouping of articles, each formed by empty cans, and picked them up from a staging area.

[0098] Fig. 2A shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the device for detecting articles, which is based on a grouping of articles, each formed by empty containers. ± is set up.

[0099] Fig. 2B shows the device according to Fig. 2A, which has captured a grouping of articles, each formed by empty cans, and picked them up from a staging area.

[0100] Fig. 3A shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the device according to Figures 1A to 2B, which is operated in a cleaning mode to remove contaminants from air-conducting areas of the device.

[0101] Fig. 3B shows the device according to Fig. 3A, which is equipped with an additional collecting device for catching rinsing fluid, which is passed through the air-conducting areas of the device during the cleaning mode.

[0102] Fig. 30 shows a schematic side view of another embodiment of the device according to Figures 1A to 2B, which is also operated in a cleaning mode for removing contaminants from air-conducting areas of the device.

[0103] Fig. 3D shows the device according to Fig. 30, which is equipped with an additional collecting device for catching rinsing fluid that is directed through the air-conducting areas of the device during the cleaning mode. Figures 4A and 4b show another alternative variant of the cleaning mode for the device according to one of Figures 1A to 3D, in which an additional support plate is used to influence the distribution of rinsing fluid in the air-conducting areas of the device.

[0104] For identical or similarly acting elements of the invention, the following figure description generally uses the same reference numerals. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, in many cases only those reference numerals are used in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely represent examples of how the device or method according to the invention may be configured and do not constitute an exhaustive limitation. Moreover, the features described below are not to be understood as closely related to other features of the respective embodiment, but may be provided for or used in a general context.

[0105] Figures 1A and 1B each show schematic side views of an embodiment of a device 10 according to the invention, which serves for handling articles 12. In the embodiment shown here, these articles 12 are each formed by empty cans 14. In this context, the term "empty cans 14" refers in particular to beverage containers in the shape of cans, made of metal or sheet metal, with openings on the top. These containers generally have a hollow cylindrical shape with a flat upper end cap and a flat or partially concave bottom surface. In the case of empty containers, such as...In a state filled with a beverage, the upper lid may still be partially or completely missing, so that the empty cans 14 are essentially characterized by a hollow cylindrical shape with a closed bottom and an open top, which hollow cylindrical shape can be produced in particular by means of a deep drawing process for the plastic forming of sheet metal sections.

[0106] Therefore, when the present context refers to empty containers 14 with openings on the top, this normally means a raw state of the empty containers 14, which, before being filled with liquid contents and sealed airtight by applying a lid (not shown here), must be grouped, repositioned, unstacked, depalletized, restacked (possibly in a different grouping), or otherwise handled in larger numbers. The lids, which are to be applied to the containers after filling—now no longer to be referred to as empty containers 14—are generally placed on top and can be applied, in particular, by means of a sealing press-fit and / or crimp connection to the upper end faces of the respective containers, after which the filled and sealed containers can be subjected to further processing and / or handling steps.

[0107] Further processing steps can include, for example, printing on the outer surface or applying printed labels. Additional handling steps refer in particular to grouping, bundling, and packaging processes, as several cans are often combined into containers before being formed into larger containers or pallet layers. These pallet layers can then be stacked on top of each other in larger numbers and combined into stacked pallets of filled cans.

[0108] However, it should be emphasized again at this point, as already mentioned above, that the device 10 according to the invention is not only intended to be suitable for handling articles 12 formed by empty cans 14, but that the articles 12, which are gripped, picked up and placed at a destination by means of a vacuum, can also be formed by other items, such as filled cans, bottles, containers, packaging units, bundles or the like. The articles 12, which are picked up by the device 10 using a vacuum, can optionally also be formed by flat objects such as packaging materials, interleaves for use between stacked pallet layers, etc.

[0109] Therefore, if, in the present embodiment, the device 10 according to the invention for handling articles 12 and the functioning of this device 10 are illustrated by means of handling empty cans 14, the reader, who is skilled in the art, should understand this as an application example for handling articles 12, whereby these articles 12 can be a wide variety of individual items, which can optionally be handled in larger numbers or in grouped form. However, this should also not be understood as a limitation, because the device 10 is also fundamentally capable of handling individual items or articles 21, or a few ordered or unordered articles 12, simultaneously.The device 10 shown by way of example and in schematic side views in Figures 1A to 4B can be used in particular in connection with the delivery and provision of prepared and / or empty cans 14 to be filled, whereby both when a large number of empty cans 14 are delivered in pallets and when they are prepared for filling with liquid contents such as beverages, it may be necessary to detect a large number of empty cans 14 by means of such a device 10.

[0110] However, the device 10 shown in Figures 1A to 4B can also be used in connection with the handling of already filled and sealed cans (here without reference numeral). Both during the delivery of a large number of cans filled with liquid beverages in palletizable arrangements (so-called pallet layers) and during their subsequent handling, it may be necessary to capture a large number of cans using such a device 10. Particularly in such a context, i.e., when handling filled cans, parts of the device can become contaminated with beverage residues, sugar residues, etc., which can lead to problems and possibly even malfunctions after prolonged use. Therefore, the device 10 according to the invention is equipped with a cleaning device 36 (see Figures 3A ff.) that can remove such deposits, contaminants, and residues.

[0111] As already clarified above, the device 10 according to the invention can be used in particular in the field of filling and packaging technology, i.e., especially in the field of beverage processing or the processing of other liquid, pasty, or granular products. In this context, such gripping devices 16 or suction plate grippers, as described below, can be advantageously used, in particular, for handling a larger number of identical items, Article 12, packages, or containers.

[0112] The device 10 shown comprises a movably suspended gripping device 16, which is equipped with an underside suction surface 18 to which the articles 12 or empty cans 14 grasped from above can adhere when they are picked up from a base or a staging area 20 and transferred to a destination (not shown or specified here). The entire suction surface 18 located on the underside of the gripping device 16, or defined areas of this suction surface 18, can be subjected to negative pressure for this purpose, enabling the suction surface 18 to grip several grouped articles 12 or empty cans 14.

[0113] As schematically illustrated in Fig. 1A, the gripping device 16 can, in particular, have a support plate 22 which is provided on its upper side with a suspension 24 that ensures its mobility within a movement space not specified here, by connecting the suspension 24, for example, to a movable gantry suspension spanning the movement space, to a movable arm of a multi-axis or articulated robot, or the like. The movement space sensibly extends at least from the staging area 20, from which a group of articles 12 or empty containers 14 is picked up, to a destination where the picked-up articles 12 or empty containers 14 are placed down again. The terms used here for the picking-up location and the destination location can also change with each individual handling cycle, so that the same articles 12 or empty containers 14 can be picked up and placed down multiple times, if necessary.including to and from previously used recording or destination locations.

[0114] In order to reliably grip the articles 12 or empty cans 14, the suction surface 18 located on the underside of the carrier plate 22 of the gripping device 16 is covered with an elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer 26, to which the articles 12 or empty cans 14 adhere as soon as the suction surface 18 is subjected to sufficient negative pressure. Advantageously, the dimensions of this at least partially air-permeable layer 26 are adapted to the carrier plate 22, so that its basic shape, in particular square or rectangular, is essentially repeated in the layer 26 anchored to it.

[0115] The dimensions of the carrier plate 22, including the at least partially air-permeable layer 26 arranged on its underside, depend on the specific requirements. For example, the schematic side views in Figures 1A and 1B show an exemplary grouping 28 of closely spaced empty cans 14, which touch each other, particularly at their outer surfaces. This grouping comprises twelve empty cans 14 along its visible longitudinal side. If the grouping 28 is a square arrangement or pallet of identical empty cans 14, it comprises a total of one hundred and forty-four empty cans 14.

[0116] These figures are merely examples, however, as the grouping 28 to be handled by the gripping device 16 of the apparatus 10 may comprise fewer or more than the one hundred and forty-four empty containers 14 mentioned. Furthermore, the gripping device 16 of the apparatus 10 may optionally handle groupings 28 of articles 12 other than the empty containers 14 shown, optionally in different sizes of the grasped groupings 28 than shown.

[0117] Since, in addition, such pallet layers or groupings 28 can also be easily grasped and picked up by the gripping device 16 in which the articles 12 or empty cans 14 are not grouped in a regular rectangular arrangement, but, for example, in a denser sphere packing or in a hexagonal arrangement, the illustrated embodiment is not to be understood as restrictive in this respect, but is essentially intended to illustrate the principles of the interaction of the gripping device 16, its air-permeable layer 26 covering the suction surface 18, and the articles 12 or empty cans 14 held thereon by means of negative pressure.

[0118] In principle, the gripping device 16 of the device 10 would also be suitable for handling disorderly accumulations of other articles 12 or empty cans 14, provided that these are in the position shown, in which their outer surfaces are vertically oriented, so that their open tops point towards the suction surface 18 and thus can all be contacted by the layer 26 and sucked in by means of negative pressure.

[0119] Figures 2A to 4B, which are explained below, also show various embodiments of a cleaning device 36, which can be an integral part of the device 10 or which can be coupled to the device 10, at least temporarily. The most important function of the cleaning device 36 is its interaction with the layer 26 attached to the suction surface 18, as well as with other air-conducting areas, in order to at least partially remove contaminants and / or deposits, residues of beverages, etc., bound or adhering to the layer 26 and / or other air-conducting areas.

[0120] While Fig. 1A shows the gripping device 16 located vertically above the grouping 28 with the empty cans 14 (or other articles 12) with the suction surface 18 spaced apart from the open tops of the empty cans 14, which is lowered onto the grouping 28 standing on the staging area 20 by corresponding movement of the suspension 24 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1B illustrates the empty cans 14 suctioned onto the layer 26, which, after being suctioned, can also be lifted from the staging area 20 by corresponding movement of the gripping device 16 and moved in the direction of the arrow to a destination not shown here.

[0121] The suction of the empty cans 14 of the received grouping 28 is effected by activating a vacuum source 30, which is only schematically indicated in Fig. 1B. This vacuum source is capable of establishing connections between the vacuum source 30 and the at least partially air-permeable layer 26 via air-conducting lines 32 as soon as the layer 26 is placed on the upper sides of the empty cans 14. In order to distribute the suction pressure generated by the vacuum source 30 over the entire underside suction surface 18 of the carrier plate 22, the air-conducting lines 32 preferably branch out multiple times in the carrier plate 22, thereby achieving a uniform, surface-wide distribution of the suction pressure into the air-conducting layer 26.Furthermore, the air-conducting lines 32 may contain valves (not shown here), which may be designed in particular as check valves, and which ensure that unoccupied areas of the air-permeable layer 26 do not draw in air without resistance, so that any missing empty canisters 14 do not lead to an undesirable consumption of drawn-in air and a reduced effectiveness of the gripping device 16. These valves or check valves (not shown here) will be systematically assigned to the air-conducting lines 32 or, more generally, to the air-conducting areas located in the carrier plate 22 of the gripping device 16 in the following description.

[0122] The vacuum source 30 can sensibly be formed by a suction pump (not explained in detail here) or by a suction port of a more complex supply system.

[0123] Since the elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer 26 can, for example, be a foam layer with an open-pore structure, it is suitable, on the one hand, to serve as an air-conducting layer 26 that can distribute the suction pressure generated by the vacuum source 30, which is uniformly distributed via the lines 32 (and the valves preferably located therein) and introduced into the layer 26, largely homogeneously over the entire underside suction and contact surface 18 of the carrier plate 22. Furthermore, the layer 26 specified in this way is particularly well suited, due to its elastic deformability, to reliably hold a large number of grouped empty cans 14 without the risk of incorrect suction with all its associated risks, such as individual items 12 or empty cans 14 not being held or falling off.However, such a false intake can also be prevented by the check valves described above.

[0124] The air-conducting and intake air-distributing layer 26, which, depending on the design variant, distributes the air-permeable layer 26 in an almost homogeneous manner in its volume, in combination with the elastic properties of layer 26, ensures the desired reliability in the vacuum-induced uptake, adhesion and separation of the grouped empty cans 14 from the intake surface 18 at the desired target location by deactivation of the vacuum.

[0125] However, such open-pored foam layers, as can optionally be formed by the air-guiding and air-permeable layer 26 shown here, generally tend to accumulate and store moisture and residues, e.g., from beverage bottling. This general tendency to accumulate contaminants depends on the prevailing environmental conditions as well as on the articles 12 being handled and their degree of contamination, but in the present application, it is further promoted by the constantly repeated application of suction pressure.

[0126] Of the deposits and impurities mentioned here, sugar residues can be particularly problematic, especially those originating from beverage bottling in connection with the handling of sugary drinks. These sugar residues not only lead to blockages and reduced effectiveness of the suction of Article 12, but can also promote bacterial growth, so they must be removed repeatedly.

[0127] Although the collected empty cans 14 or other collected items 12 normally do not contain moisture or impurities, unless they have been previously sterilized and / or cleaned using cleaning fluid or hot water, or unless unfilled cans are to be collected to which filling residues from beverage filling may still adhere, the normally prevailing ambient conditions with their normal humidity levels and small residues of sugary beverages are sufficient for the moisture and impurities contained in the aspirated air to accumulate increasingly in the air-conducting and air-permeable layer 26 after a certain period of use and multiple or numerous cycles of activating and deactivating the suction pressure supplied by the vacuum source 30.

[0128] Practical experience has shown that such an accumulation of moisture and / or the deposition of contaminants in the layer 26, consisting of the open- or closed-cell foam, is not only capable of gradually reducing the suction pressure, at least slightly, which could easily be compensated for by a corresponding adjustment of the vacuum source 30. However, practical experience has also shown that the reliability of the suction is gradually reduced by increasingly impermeable fine pores in the foam, particularly due to contaminants and encrustations located therein, as a result that not all empty cans 14 experience the same holding force as under optimal conditions and with a dry layer.In addition, there are corresponding deposits and impurities in all air-carrying lines 32 and / or valves, which can also lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the gripping device 16 as well as to the problems already mentioned above in the functioning of the valves.

[0129] Furthermore, any accumulation of moisture and / or foreign matter in layer 26, located on the underside of or forming the suction surface 18 and serving as a contact layer for the empty cans captured and handled therein, poses a hygiene problem that worsens with prolonged operation due to the associated potential for microbial growth. Therefore, in practical operation, layer 26, which is anchored to the carrier plate 22, must be replaced frequently and repeatedly. Since contaminants and deposits of beverage residues, sugar, etc., in all air-conducting lines 32 and / or in the valves can also contribute to microbial growth, the removal of such residues and contaminants after extended periods of operation is essential.

[0130] In principle, layer 26 can also be designed as shown in the sectional views of Figures 2A and 2B. For example, the elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer 26 can also be a foam layer with a partially open-pored or closed-pore structure, which has intake and air guide openings 34, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B respectively, while the foam structure essentially ensures that the intake and air guide openings 34 arranged in layer 26 are sealed against the environment when and as soon as the articles 12 or empty cans 14 to be accommodated are in contact with layer 26.Thus, the layer 26 designed in this way is also particularly well suited, due to its elastic deformability and the large number of its intake and air guide openings 34, to reliably receive a large number of grouped articles 12 or empty cans 14 without the risk of incorrect suction with all its associated risks, such as individual articles 12 or empty cans 14 not being received or falling off.

[0131] Even partially open-pored or closed-pore foam layers can be equally prone to absorbing and storing moisture and condensation. The above also applies to the contamination of layer 26, the intake and air guide openings 34, and all air-carrying lines 32 in the gripping device 16.

[0132] To illustrate in Figures 1A to 4B that the air-conducting and air-permeable layer 26 initially has a very low moisture content and a low degree of contamination, and that it contains only a few deposits, the layer 26 is partially depicted in different shades (but not in Figure 2B). Thus, the light shade of the layer 26 in Figure 1A indicates a still low level of contamination, as the device 10 may be in an operating state in which only a few handling cycles have been performed. In contrast, the dark shade of the layer 26 in Figure 1B indicates an increased moisture content and / or level of contamination that is no longer acceptable for further operation, as the device 10 may be in an operating state after a larger number of handling cycles have been performed.

[0133] Apart from the intake and air guide openings 34 located in the air-conducting layer 26, the design and function of the variant of the device 10 shown in Figures 2A and 2B corresponds to that shown in Figures 1A and 1B, so that with regard to all other components and details designated by reference numerals, reference can be made to the above explanations which deal with the embodiment variant according to Figures 1A and 1B.

[0134] In order to remove the aforementioned undesirable contaminants from layer 26 as far as possible, the device 10 according to the invention is equipped with the cleaning device 36 already mentioned, or at least can be temporarily coupled to such a cleaning device 36. This cleaning device 36 can interact with all air-conducting lines 32, valves (not shown here), and with the air-permeable layer 26 attached to the support plate 22, thus forming the intake surface 18, and can flush this layer with a rinsing fluid in order to at least partially remove and rinse away the contaminants bound or adhering to it, and thus reduce the degree of contamination to a level acceptable for the further operation of the device 10. The operation of the cleaning device 36 is illustrated in more detail with reference to Figures 3A to 4B and described below.

[0135] The schematic side views in Figures 3A to 3D illustrate different variants of a method according to the invention for regenerating the air-permeable layer 26 of the suction surface 18, as well as the air-conducting lines 32 and sections of the gripping device 16, including any valves and other air-conducting components located therein (not shown here). This method comprises a cleaning process in which contaminants and / or deposits are removed at least from the air-permeable elastic layer 26 and / or from the air-conducting sections and lines 32 of the gripping device 16. This is essentially achieved by rinsing the air-conducting elastic layer 26 and / or the air-conducting sections and lines 32 of the gripping device 16 with a rinsing fluid, which is illustrated by way of example with reference to Figures 3A to 3D and will be described below.

[0136] In a first embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention and in a first method for regenerating the device 10, which is illustrated in the schematic side views of Figures 3A and 3B, a cleaning mode can be realized in particular by coupling the cleaning device 36 already mentioned above to the air lines 32 instead of the vacuum source 30 connected to the air lines 32 (see Figures 1A to 2B) and supplying and rinsing these, for example by means of a rinsing device 38, with a rinsing liquid 40.

[0137] The schematic view in Fig. 3A illustrates the rinsing fluid 40 exiting downwards from the suction surface 18 of the gripping device 16. This fluid is guided by the rinsing device 38, which may include a pressure pump 42, through the lines 32 that normally carry the intake air and through the air-permeable elastic layer 26, in order to effectively rinse virtually all air-carrying sections of the gripping device 16 and clean them of any deposits and impurities. The same cleaning mode can also be applied to the embodiment of the gripping device 16 shown in Figures 2A and 2B, in which the intake and air-carrying openings 34, shown schematically, are located in the air-carrying layer 26, which provides the suction surface 18 for receiving the articles 12 or empty cans 14.

[0138] Furthermore, the device 10 can optionally be equipped with or coupled to a collection device 44 for collecting and, if necessary, draining the rinsing fluid 40 that emerges downwards from the air-conducting layer 26. Figure 3B illustrates such an option in the form of a collection basin 46 arranged below the gripping device 16, in which the rinsing fluid 40, conveyed from the air-conducting lines 32 and from the air-permeable layer 26 by means of the cleaning device 36, which operates as a rinsing device 38, can be collected, collected, and, if necessary, subsequently reused or disposed of.

[0139] Since such a collection device 44, as shown schematically in Fig. 3B, does not affect the effectiveness of the cleaning device 36, it is generally not to be considered mandatory, but rather optional. However, the collection device 44 can be used particularly advantageously if a return line (not shown here) to a treatment plant is connected to the collection basin 46, with subsequent reuse of the rinsing fluid 40 for a further rinsing of the air-carrying areas 32 and 26 of the gripping device 16.

[0140] Alternatively, in a second embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention and in a second method for regenerating the device 10, which is illustrated in the schematic side views of Figures 3C and 3D, a cleaning mode can be implemented by additionally connecting the cleaning device 36 already mentioned above to the air lines 32, in addition to the vacuum source 30 (see Figures 1A to 2B) which is still connected to the air lines 32, and supplying and rinsing these with rinsing fluid 40 by means of the rinsing device 38.

[0141] While in the first variant of the device 10 according to Figures 3A and 3B the cleaning device 36 is normally exchanged for the vacuum source 30 and is therefore not connected to the gripping device 16 when not in use, in the second variant according to Figures 3C and 3D it can be permanently connected and coupled to the gripping device 16, e.g. via a longer supply line 48, which can lead, for example, to the cleaning device 36 located stationary near the device 10, which, however, is only symbolically indicated and not shown graphically in the schematic representations of Figures 30 and 3D.

[0142] The rinsing device 38 of the cleaning device 36, formed in particular by a pressure pump 42, can thus be fluidically coupled to the air-carrying lines 32 via the supply line 48, preferably by fixed installation in the gripping device 16, e.g. formed by a correspondingly installed supply line 48 in the support plate 22, as schematically illustrated in Figures 3C and 3D. The basic mode of operation during the rinsing process is the same as in the first embodiment described above (see Figures 3A and 3B), so that again the schematic view of Fig.Figure 3C illustrates the rinsing fluid 40 exiting downwards from the suction surface 18 of the gripping device 16, which is conveyed by means of the permanently connected pressure pump 42 of the rinsing device 38 through the lines 32 which normally carry the intake air and through the air-permeable elastic layer 26 in order to effectively rinse as many air-carrying sections of the gripping device 16 as possible and to clean them of any deposits and impurities.

[0143] The same cleaning mode can also be applied to the embodiment of the gripping device 16 shown in Figures 2A and 2B, in which the schematically shown intake and air guide openings 34 are located in the air-conducting layer 26, which provides the suction surface 18 for receiving the articles 12 or empty cans 14.

[0144] Furthermore, the modified device 10 with the permanently connected cleaning device 36 can optionally be equipped with or coupled to the collecting device 44 for collecting and, if necessary, draining the rinsing fluid 40 that escapes downwards from the air-conducting layer 26, which is illustrated as an option in the schematic representation of Fig. 3D.

[0145] Since in the second embodiment of the device 10 the cleaning device 36 is coupled to the gripping device 16 in addition to the vacuum source 30, the vacuum source 30 can be used to operate in reverse mode and thus contribute to supporting the rinsing device 38 by blowing air into the lines 32 in addition to the rinsing liquid 40, in order to increase the cleaning effect and to better remove deposits and impurities from the lines 32 and / or from the pores of the air-permeable layer 26 by means of additional impulses due to the blown-in air.

[0146] However, the vacuum source 30, which is normally used to generate the vacuum for the regular suction function of the gripping device 16 (see Figures 1A to 2B), can also be used as a drying device 50. In this case, the vacuum source 30 also operates in reverse mode, but is only activated after a completed rinsing process using the cleaning device 36, which functions as a rinsing device 38. In this way, it can act as an air conveying device coupled to the suction surface 18 and the air-conducting layer 26 for blowing out the layer 26 and the air-conducting lines 32 in the carrier plate 22, thus reducing the residual moisture contained therein.

[0147] To utilize this drying mode, it is advantageous to reverse the direction of flow of the vacuum source 30, which is required to generate the suction pressure. This creates a positive pressure at the lines 32, as well as in layer 26 and the suction surface 18, instead of a negative pressure, and directs it through the open-pored layer 26. This leads to the blowing out of the open-pored layer 26 and the gradual removal of the residual moisture bound therein. This desired state is illustrated in Figures 3B and 3D by the lighter tint of the air-permeable layer 26, which is intended to represent the reduced moisture content in the layer 26.

[0148] In both Figure 3C and Figure 3D, the exiting rinsing fluid 40, indicated symbolically there, is to be understood as being mixed with, or formed by, the drying air blown through the air-carrying areas, lines 32 and layers 26 by the pressure generating unit 50 operating in this manner from the reverse-operated vacuum source 30 and thus as a drying device 50.

[0149] When a vacuum source 30 is mentioned in this context, it can optionally be a vacuum pump or, for example, a suction port of a compressed air or vacuum supply system, so that the drying device 50 can be implemented by a differently connected suction pump that can operate under pressure, or by a positive pressure port of the compressed air supply system. Optionally, it can also be provided that the blowing device acting as the drying device 50, i.e., possibly the vacuum source 30 operating in reverse, is supplied and operated with heated or tempered blowing air, so that the heated air generated in this way leads to faster drying of the layer 26 and the pipes 32 and thus to an even more effective and rapid reduction of the moisture bound therein.

[0150] In the operating variant of the cleaning device 36 and its interaction with the drying device 50 shown in Figures 3C and 3D, an air dryer (not shown here) can optionally be used to make the drying process even more effective when the air-carrying lines 32 and the air-permeable layer 26 are blown out with compressed air. The optional use of an additional air dryer can thus accelerate the drying process when blowing out the lines 32 and the layer 26, since the removal of at least some of the moisture bound there proceeds more quickly when the blown-in drying air contains less moisture itself.

[0151] Furthermore, the device 10 according to the invention can optionally be equipped with a counter-support or support plate 52 or the like, a contact surface for the suction surface 18, in order to at least partially cover the air channels or suction and air guide openings 34 (see Figures 2A and 2B) or open pores located there. Such a counter-support or support plate 52 can improve the distribution of the cleaning and rinsing fluid 40 within the air-conducting elastic layer 26 of the gripping device 16, since direct flow is at least partially prevented and the rinsing fluid 40 is deflected laterally.

[0152] According to a further embodiment (see Figures 4A and 4B) of the device 10 according to the invention, the cleaning device 36 can optionally also include such a counter-support or support plate 52 onto which the gripping device 16 can be lowered during a cleaning process in such a way that the air-permeable layer 26 with its entire lower suction surface 18 is pressed onto the support plate 52.

[0153] The schematic side view in Fig. 4A illustrates the process of lowering the gripping device 16 in the direction of the arrow towards the support plate 52. The air-conducting and air-permeable layer 26 of the gripping device 16 can contain a certain, but in particular a reduced, amount of rinsing fluid 40 bound therein or circulating therein, which is indicated by the light color of the layer 26 in the drawing.

[0154] The schematic side view in Fig. 4B illustrates the gripping device 16, which is pressed evenly from above against the support plate 52. This can lead to a slight compression of the air-conducting and air-permeable layer 26, but its main purpose is to ensure that, during the rinsing process (see Figures 3A to 3D), the openings or pores of the layer 26 located on the underside at the suction surface 18 are largely covered and closed. This allows the rinsing fluid 40 circulating or bound within the layer to escape only at the narrow, circumferential side surfaces. The improved penetration of the layer 26 by the rinsing fluid 40 is indicated in the drawing by the darker shade of the air-permeable layer 26.

[0155] The cleaning device 36 (see Figures 3A to 3D) activated during this cleaning process, as well as the drying device 50 (see Figures 3C and 3D) which may also be activated, are not shown in Figures 4A and 4B, but are present and used in the same way as previously explained with reference to Figures 3A to 3D.

[0156] In all the variants shown and described above, the rinsing fluid 40 used, e.g., the water, can also be heated. In many cases, heated rinsing fluid 40 can have an improved cleaning effect, possibly in conjunction with cleaning additives.

[0157] Furthermore, in all variants of the device 10 shown and described above, it can be advantageous to add further admixtures to the cleaning and rinsing liquid 40, e.g. amylase or other, preferably sugar-splitting additives, which can contribute to improving the cleaning effect in the case of sugary residues from beverages.

[0158] In addition, in all embodiments of the device according to the invention described here, 10 cleaning and / or rinsing cycles can be optionally provided using either fresh water or sterilized water as the rinsing liquid 40. This can be particularly advantageous if previously performed cleaning steps involve chemical additives, making at least one subsequent rinsing cycle with fresh water or sterile water useful or necessary. Optionally, after a rinsing and / or cleaning cycle, separate sterilization may be useful, for example, using hydrogen peroxide, chlorine-containing rinsing liquid, or steam heated to an elevated temperature of more than approximately 121 °C.

[0159] It should be noted in this context that the described cleaning processes do not necessarily include rinsing, as these steps are often necessary cumulatively. While the cleaning cycles primarily serve to remove dirt and deposits, additional sterilization or rinsing may be required if microorganisms need to be removed and rendered harmless.

[0160] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable to a person skilled in the art that modifications or alterations of the invention can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

[0161] List of reference signs

[0162] 10 Device, handling device, device for handling articles

[0163] 12 items

[0164] 14 empty cans

[0165] 16 Gripping device

[0166] 18 Intake area

[0167] 20 staging area

[0168] 22 Carrier plate

[0169] 24 Suspension, top-mounted suspension

[0170] 26th layer, air-permeable layer, air-conducting layer

[0171] 28 Grouping, article grouping, grouping of empty cans

[0172] 30 Vacuum source

[0173] 32. Conduit, air-carrying conduit, air-carrying sections

[0174] 34 intake openings, air guide openings, intake and

[0175] Air duct openings

[0176] 36 Cleaning equipment

[0177] 38 Flushing device

[0178] 40 Liquid, rinsing liquid, cleaning liquid

[0179] 42 Pressure pump

[0180] 44 Collection facility

[0181] 46 collection basins

[0182] 48 Supply line

[0183] 50 drying equipment

[0184] 52 Counter plate, support plate

Claims

- 44 - Claims 1. Device (10) for handling articles (12), which device (10) comprises a vacuum-operated gripping device (16) for suction gripping the articles (12), wherein the device (10) comprises a cleaning device (36) or is at least temporarily coupleable with a cleaning device (36), which cleaning device (36) can cooperate with the gripping device (16) to remove impurities present in or on it.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum-operated gripping device (16) is equipped with a vacuum-operated suction surface (18) for suction gripping the articles (12), which suction surface (18) is covered with an elastically deformable and at least partially air-permeable layer (26).

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning device (36) can interact at least with the air-permeable layer (26) associated with or forming the suction surface (18) in order to remove impurities bound or adhering therein.

4. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning device can interact with air-carrying lines (32) and / or valves of the gripping device (16) to remove impurities bound or adhering therein.

5. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the cleaning device (36) comprises a rinsing device (38) for rinsing at least the layer (26) which is associated with or forms the suction surface (18), and / or air-carrying lines (32) and / or valves of the gripping device (16) with liquid.

6. Device (10) according to claim 5, in which the rinsing device (38) has a supply for supplyable liquid rinsing medium, in particular on the upper side, facing away from the suction surface (18) of the gripping device (16). - 45 - 7. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, to which a counter-holder or support plate (52) is assigned for attaching the suction surface (18) in order to at least partially cover the air channels or open pores located there.

8. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which deposits can be detected by means of an optical monitoring device in order to trigger a cleaning process as required.

9. Device (10) according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the rinsing device (38) can be coupled to an existing media supply in order to extract rinsing fluid (40) from there.

10. Method for regenerating a suction surface (18) and / or air-conducting sections (32) of a gripping device (16) comprising a movably suspended plate-like suction cup which can be subjected to negative pressure over its entire surface in order to suction and capture a plurality of articles (12) on an underside by drawing these articles (12) against an air-permeable elastic layer (26) under applied suction pressure, wherein the method provides a cleaning process in which contaminants and / or deposits are removed at least from the elastic layer (26) and / or from the air-conducting sections (32) of the gripping device (16).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the elastic layer (26) and / or the air-conducting sections (32) of the gripping device (16) are rinsed with a rinsing liquid (40) for cleaning purposes.

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the rinsing liquid (40) is temperature-controlled.

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the rinsing liquid (40) is supplemented with admixtures such as amylase or other, preferably sugar-splitting, additives.

14. Method according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein a cleaning position is formed by an additional target position of the gripping device (16) which differs from a receiving position for taking over the articles (12) and from a setting-down position to which the articles (12) are brought.

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