Vertical Treatment Carousel With Integrated Lifting Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing treatment systems for containers, particularly in the beverage industry, have a poor relationship between container throughput and the required floor space, limiting their efficiency and effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

The treatment system incorporates a transfer device with lifting elements that directly adjoin container receptacles, allowing for efficient use of installation space and optimizing container throughput by using multiple transfer carousels and rotating components to minimize the lifting distance between treatment levels, with synchronized movement of lifting elements and treatment carousels to ensure direct transfer between levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional treatment systems with separate transfer mechanisms are used, then container throughput is maintained, but the required floor space increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontainer throughputVSAvoidfloor space
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the transfer device and treatment carousel into a single integrated unit where the transfer device is arranged within the treatment carousel. The lifting elements are positioned directly adjacent to container holders, eliminating the need for separate transfer mechanisms and reducing floor space while maintaining throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement to vertical arrangement by stacking multiple treatment levels vertically. Containers are transferred between levels using lifting elements that move in the vertical dimension, allowing multiple treatment stages to occupy a smaller horizontal footprint

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If multiple treatment levels are arranged vertically, then floor space is reduced, but the complexity of transferring containers between levels increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor spaceVSAvoidtransfer mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment system is divided into multiple independent treatment levels that can be vertically stacked. Each level has its own container holders and can be serviced independently, while the lifting mechanism is segmented into discrete lifting elements that can be positioned at specific locations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting elements serve as intermediary components between different treatment levels. These elements are positioned directly adjacent to container holders and provide a simple, direct transfer path without requiring complex intermediate transfer mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4321459A1Treatment system for treating containers and method
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 KHS GMBH
  • EP4321459A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4321459A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4321459A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a treatment system for treating containers (1) with a treatment carousel (5) having at least two treatment levels (2, 3, 4) arranged one above the other, wherein each of the treatment levels (2, 3, 4) has a plurality of container holders (6) arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction, and wherein a transfer device (7) with a plurality of lifting elements (12) for transporting the containers (1) between the at least two treatment levels (2, 3, 4) is provided. According to the invention, in a transfer position, the lifting elements (12) are each directly adjacent to one of the container holders (6).