Patents Assigned to Krones AG
  • Patent number: 11331846
    Abstract: A forming unit (20) for forming plastic preforms into plastic bottles, wherein the forming unit comprises a blow mould (20) having a first lateral portion (4), a second lateral portion (6) and a bottom portion (2), wherein said lateral portions as well as the bottom portion (2) form a cavity (15), within which the plastic preforms (10) can be formed into the plastic bottles, wherein the bottom portion (2) can be moved relative to the lateral portions (4) in a closed condition of the blow mould, wherein the forming unit (20) comprises a drive unit in order to move the bottom portion (2) relative to the lateral portions (4, 6), wherein the drive unit preferably has a movable piston element (32) which ist movable along a predefined stroke path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Pense, Thomas Philipp, Gerald Huettner, Dieter Finger, Andreas Steiner
  • Patent number: 11332325
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for coating containers having an inlet where containers are handed over to the apparatus, and an outlet where containers leave the apparatus, having at least one vacuum device for producing a vacuum, having at least one treatment station for coating containers with a plasma, wherein the treatment stations are in fluid connection with the vacuum device and wherein the treatment stations have at least one treatment device into which is able to be introduced into a container, wherein the apparatus has a first and a second transport device for transporting containers, wherein the first transport device feeds the containers at least indirectly to a treatment station, wherein the first transport device is able to be switched off at least temporarily, resulting in the feeding of containers to the treatment station being interrupted, and the second transport device being an at least sectionally linear transport device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Martin Kammerl, Michael Neubauer, Klaus Voth
  • Patent number: 11318492
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hot glue unit for a labeling machine in the beverage processing industry. The hot glue unit includes a housing, a glue roller disposed in an interior of the housing, a glue container, and a filter unit including an extractor connected to the housing. The extractor is to extract gases from the interior of the housing and supply the gases to the filter unit before the gases are to exit the hot glue unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Benjamin Aumer, Elmar Reese, Gabriel Seibold, Konrad Senn, Soeren Meissner, Christian Holzer, Bernd Schroll
  • Patent number: 11312060
    Abstract: A fluid channel of a container processing system for processing containers, such as bottles, is described, the container processing system comprising a blow molding machine and a container processing machine arranged downstream of the blow molding machine in the process direction. The fluid channel is arranged downstream of the blow molding machine and upstream of the downstream container treatment machine in the process direction and comprises at least one component, through which the fluid can flow and which comprises at least one outlet opening through which the fluid can escape from the fluid channel in the direction of a bottom of a container transported in the process direction. The component is produced by a generative manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Robert Heilmeier, Markus Glamsch, Thomas Jehl
  • Patent number: 11286452
    Abstract: A fermentation tank having a first supply or discharge line with a first central opening arranged at the lower end of the fermentation tank for supplying or discharging a product. The fermentation tank also has a second and a third supply or discharge line, each with a centrally arranged opening for supplying or discharging a product, the three openings being arranged at different height levels. Also, a method of fermentation using the fermentation tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Konrad Müller-Auffermann, Severin Thomandl
  • Patent number: 11279605
    Abstract: A rotary cleaning nozzle for cleaning surfaces of a beverage bottling installation using a fluid, comprising a nozzle assembly which has a feed duct for the fluid, and a nozzle head which is mounted rotatably on the nozzle assembly and has at least one nozzle outlet opening from which, during operation, fluid flowing through the feed duct and the nozzle head emerges in the form of a cleaning jet. The rotary cleaning nozzle furthermore comprises an electrical generator for the induction of electrical energy by way of rotation of the nozzle head, and a control unit for indicating a rotation of the nozzle head in dependence on the induced electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Soellner, Matthias Stubenhofer, Holger Mueller
  • Patent number: 11274024
    Abstract: A filling member for filling a container with a filling product, for example in a beverage filling system, includes a product outlet which is designed to dispense the filling product into a container located thereunder; and an equipment portion which as a first equipment means includes a screen device with a screen and which is designed to transfer the screen as required into a screen state, in which the screen is located between the product outlet and the container so that the filling product is filtered by the screen when introduced into the container, and out of the screen state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knitl, Juergen Soellner, Sven Fischer
  • Patent number: 11260571
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for heating plastic preforms, with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein this transport device has a plurality of holding elements for holding the plastic preform, and with at least one first heating section which is arranged along the transport path, and at least one second heating section which is arranged along the transport path downstream of the first heating section, wherein the heating sections each include a plurality of independently controllable heating elements which allow heating of the plastic preforms in several heating zones, lying above each other in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, with a temperature profile which changes in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, wherein the apparatus includes a control device for controlling these heating sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kitzinger, Dieter Finger
  • Patent number: 11260572
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for molding plastic preforms into plastic containers, with at least one blow molding arrangement, which includes at least a first mold carrier, a second mold carrier and a blow-molding device having at least two blow mold side parts and a base part, wherein the blow molding device can be releasably arranged on the mold carriers via a locking mechanism and forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms can be molded into the plastic containers, wherein during the molding process, the mold carriers can be latched together by a latching device, and the apparatus includes a changeover robot which is suitable and intended for extracting the blow-molding device in an assembled state from the mold carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Matthias Wahl
  • Patent number: 11260573
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for heating plastic parisons, including a transport device or transporter, which transports the plastic parisons at least in sections along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device or transporter has a plurality of holding devices or holders for holding the plastic parisons, with a heating device or heaters for heating the plastic parisons at least at times, while they are being transported by the transport device or transporters, wherein the apparatus has at least one heat shielding device or heat shield which is suitable and intended to counteract the heating of mouth regions of the plastic parisons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Steiner, Roland Reiner
  • Patent number: 11260574
    Abstract: Provided is a device for treating containers, comprising a heating device for heating plastic preforms, wherein the heating device has a plurality of heating stations which are suitable for individually heating the plastic preforms, and wherein the heating device has a transport device which transports the plastic preforms individually through the heating device, and comprising a reshaping device which is suitable and intended for reshaping the plastic preforms heated by the heating device into plastic containers. This reshaping device is arranged downstream of the heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, and the reshaping device has a movable support, on which a plurality of reshaping stations are arranged for reshaping the plastic preforms into the plastic containers. The device also comprises a transport device, for transporting the heated plastic preforms individually from the heating device to the reshaping device, and a decorating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Stefan Poeschl, Wolfgang Hausladen
  • Patent number: 11254521
    Abstract: Mover for a transport apparatus in the beverage processing industry, the packaging industry, or the warehouse industry, where the mover can form a linear drive together with a guide rail and a long stator of the transport apparatus, and the mover comprises rolling mechanisms for moving along the guide rail, where the mover comprises a base body and one secondary part or two secondary parts, which, in the case of two secondary parts, are arranged on oppositely disposed sides of the base body and are suitable to interact with an electromagnetic field generated by the transport apparatus to drive the mover along the guide rail characterized in that the mover comprises a device for the continuously variable adjustment of the relative position of a secondary part relative to the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Manfred Kieslinger, Stefan Elsperger
  • Patent number: 11247888
    Abstract: A method for tightness control of a filling-sealing unit (1) for containers (9) is described. According thereto, a pressure chamber formed at the filling-sealing unit is sealed by way of a first seal around a sealer that is movable therein and by way of a second seal around a pressure supply that is movable therein. According to the invention, a third seal formed for sealing the pressure chamber around a container neck finish is sealed from the outside with an attachment, a positive pressure and/or negative pressure is generated in the pressure chamber, the pressure line used for this purpose is closed, and then a pressure profile in the pressure chamber is measured. This allows a leakage to be selectively detected at the first and/or second seal and be distinguished from a leak at the third seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Josef Knott, Florian Habersetzer
  • Patent number: 11247890
    Abstract: Container holder and filling device for filling containers with a filling product, for the open jet filling of containers with a beverage in a beverage filling plant. The container holder comprises: a holding portion which is set up for the receiving and holding of a container; a main carrier which is attachable to the filling device; and a compensation carrier which is adjustable in a compensation direction relative to the main carrier and to which the holding portion is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Ralf Urban, Heinz Hennek
  • Patent number: 11241890
    Abstract: A method and a direct-printing machine for printing on containers of different types of materials in a direct-printing process, wherein containers of a first type of material are conveyed by means of a conveyor and printed on, in several layers, with a plurality of printing units by means of direct-printing heads with a first basic ink compatible with the first type of material (102) and, on top of the first basic ink, with at least one colored ink. The first basic ink may be exchanged for a second basic ink, which is compatible with the second type of material, when a change to containers of a second type of material takes place, and the containers of the second type of material may then be printed on, in several layers, with the second basic ink (105) and, on top of the second basic ink, with the at least one colored ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Sonnauer, August Peutl
  • Patent number: 11235592
    Abstract: The invention relates to a direct printing device for applying a circumferential print onto containers with at least one container seam, comprising a printhead which is configured to print directly onto a container, a detection device which is adapted such that at least one predetermined feature of the container is detected, a computing device which is configured to determine whether and possibly how the container is to be oriented in order to be moved from an actual container orientation to a predetermined target container orientation, and an orientation device which is configured to orient the container to the target container orientation on the basis of the determination by the computing device. The target container orientation is predetermined such that the container seam is oriented relative to the printhead such that a print seam, which is produced during the application of a circumferential print, substantially coincides with the container seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Anton Niedermeier
  • Patent number: 11224240
    Abstract: A device for pasteurizing and filling medium into containers includes a short time heating system for pasteurizing the medium, a single buffer container downstream of the short time heating system for receiving the medium, and a rotary filling device downstream of the buffer container. The filling device is connected to the buffer container in a buffer-free manner and pipes and/or one or more rotary distributors are disposed between the filling device and the buffer container. A method for pasteurizing and filling medium into containers, where filling the containers with the medium is performed by way of a device in a buffer-free manner using a filling device, includes: pasteurizing the medium in the short time heating system, buffering the pasteurized medium in the buffer container, and filling the pasteurized medium into the containers. The pasteurized medium is transported in a buffer-free manner from the buffer container to the filling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Roland Feilner, Torsten Runge, Stefan Hoeller, Thomas Oehmichen
  • Patent number: 11220448
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for enriching silicate content in drinking water that includes separating raw water via reverse osmosis into a permeate comprising demineralised raw water and a retentate comprising mineral enriched raw water. The permeate is mixed with a water glass solution comprising sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate. An ion exchange process is used to reduce the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions in at least part of the mixture. At least part of the retentate is supplied to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions to provide a silicate-enriched drinking water. Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing a drinking water enriched with silicate. The apparatus includes a reverse osmosis unit, a mixing unit, an ion exchanger, and a feed unit for feeding at least part of the retentate to the mixture after reducing the concentration of sodium and/or potassium ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Dirk Scheu
  • Patent number: 11220037
    Abstract: Provided is a device for reshaping plastic parisons into plastic containers, including a plurality of blow moulding stations each having blow mould devices which form a cavity, inside which the plastic parisons can be reshaped into plastic containers, and including at least one application device by which a flowable medium can be applied to the plastic parisons for expansion thereof, and at least one valve device which is arranged between at least one pressure reservoir and at least one application device and by which the supply and/or removal of the flowable medium, in particular under high pressure, in particular the blowing pressure and/or volume flow thereof, to the application device can be influenced or controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Gerald Huettner
  • Patent number: 11213993
    Abstract: A reshaping station for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein the reshaping station includes a blow mold for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, the blow mold having a base part, a first lateral part, and a second lateral part is provided. In the assembled state of the blow mold, the base part together with the lateral parts forms a cavity within which the plastic preforms can be expanded in order to form the plastic containers. The reshaping station also includes a support device for supporting the blow mold, and the support device has a first lateral part support and a second lateral part support, the first lateral part being arranged on the first lateral part support and the second lateral part being arranged on the second lateral part support. Also disclosed is a transforming station for transforming plastic parsons into plastic containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Norbert Kindl, Florian Geltinger