Patents by Inventor Stefan Piana
Stefan Piana has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20180136142Abstract: A container inspection device and a container inspection method for inspecting containers are provided. The container inspection device comprises at least one light fixture for illuminating containers at a predetermined inspection instant of time for inspecting the containers, and an electrical line for connecting the at least one light fixture to an electrical energy supply and to a bus system, so that the electrical line serves both to supply the at least one light fixture with electrical energy and to connect with a real time data network.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2016Publication date: May 17, 2018Applicant: Krones AGInventors: Christof Will, Anton Niedermeier, Karl Aichinger, Reinhard Klinger, Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20170343483Abstract: The present disclosure provides an inspection device for continuously inspecting fed containers, in particular bottles, said inspection device comprising a feed device configured to feed containers thereto in succession, at least one inspection unit, configured to inspect the fed containers, a discharge conveying device configured to discharge the inspected containers, and a throughput station for the containers, which is arranged between the feed conveying device and the discharge conveying device, wherein the throughput station comprises a conveyor arrangement with an individual drive and a plurality of conveying units, which are movable by means of the individual drive individually and independently of one another, the conveyor arrangement being configured to convey the containers from the feed conveying device to the discharge conveying device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2015Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: Stefan PIANA, Stefan RICHTER
-
Patent number: 9302802Abstract: A method of operating a plant for the treatment of containers may include treating the containers with pre-set treatment parameters by a first treatment unit of the plant. The treatment parameters are capable of being altered at least in part and depend at least in part upon product parameters—characteristic of the container—of the containers to be treated. At least one product parameter characteristic of the container is determined by detecting a recognition mark associated with the container, and at least one treatment parameter is altered on the basis of this characteristic product parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: KRONES AGInventor: Stefan Piana
-
Patent number: 8867045Abstract: A triggering light grid and a method for registering the position of containers and/or for checking their alignment on a conveyance path. Due to the fact that a plurality of light barriers provided at different height levels with respect to the conveyance path and having light sources that can be activated separately of one another and a shared housing are provided, as is a triggering unit for the generation of control signals on the basis of output signals of the light barriers, different container types can be registered by reprogramming the triggering light grid without mechanical adjustment of the same.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Stefan Piana, Thorsten Gut, Bernhard Dunzinger, Helmut Schäffer
-
Patent number: 8696840Abstract: An apparatus for processing strips of labels includes a strip of labels having a plurality of individual labels following one after the other. The apparatus includes a conveying device that conveys the strip of labels along a conveying path, and a position detection device provided along the conveying path that detects a position of the strip of labels. The apparatus includes a processing device that is provided along the conveying path. The processing device includes a cutting unit that is constructed and arranged to cut the strip of labels. The apparatus includes a labelling device that is arranged downstream with respect to the processing device along the conveying path. The labelling device is constructed and arranged to attach processed labels to containers. The position detection device includes an image detection device that is configured to capture two-dimensional images of regions of the strip of labels.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Stefan Piana, Anton Niedermeier
-
Patent number: 8677721Abstract: An apparatus for marking plastic containers, comprising a marking device which applies a marking to the containers and a checking device in the form a temperature-sensitive sensor which checks for the presence of the marking on the container.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Krones AGInventor: Stefan Piana
-
Patent number: 8665426Abstract: Provided is an optical thread position detection device for detecting the rotational position of threads of containers. The thread position detection device comprises at least an optical detector and a positioning device for the defined orientation of a longitudinal axis of the containers relative to the detector ,the positioning device and a defined coupling area of the container being connectable to one another. The optical detector , without coming into contact, registers items of information on at least one relative rotational position of at least one thread portion, the processor device serving to generate data on the rotational position of the container, incorporating a defined reference variable and the items of information.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Gerald Huettner, Stefan Piana, Robert Schmitt, Ulrich Lappe, Gerhard Fischer
-
Patent number: 8593515Abstract: A method for quality control of a stretch-blow-molded plastic container by inspecting its base, which method is easy to execute and is not highly susceptible to faults. Such inspection of the container bases includes determining quality features such as the surface area of an unstretched and/or only slightly stretched region of the base of the plastic container.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2006Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Christian Detrois, Peter Lindner, Rainer Kwirandt, Anton Niedermeier, Stefan Piana
-
Patent number: 8305570Abstract: Method and device for determining a foam density of foam in beverage containers utilizing the Tyndall effect, and having a focused light bundle emitted into the foam by means of a light source, where the light bundle is refracted in the foam and a scattered ray becomes visible on a surface of the foam. Via a measurement of the contour of such a light spot, conclusions on the foam density can be drawn. For this, one or several lasers can be integrated into existing filling level measuring means which are coupled to the already existing measuring means.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Krones AGInventor: Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20120086143Abstract: The invention relates to an optical thread position detection device (1) for detecting the rotational position of threads (2) of containers (3). The thread position detection device (1) comprises at least an optical detector (4a, 4b) and a positioning device (6) for the defined orientation of a longitudinal axis (L) of the containers (3) relative to the detector (4a,b), the positioning device (6) and a defined coupling area (8a,b,c) of the container (3) being connectable to one another. According to the invention the optical detector (4a,b), without coming into contact, registers items of information on at least one relative rotational position of at least one thread portion (2a), the processor device serving to generate data on the rotational position of the container, incorporating a defined reference variable and the items of information.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Inventors: Gerald Huettner, Stefan Piana, Robert Schmitt, Ulrich Lappe, Gerhard Fischer
-
Publication number: 20120067502Abstract: An apparatus for processing strips of labels includes a strip of labels having a plurality of individual labels following one after the other. The apparatus includes a conveying device that conveys the strip of labels along a conveying path, and a position detection device provided along the conveying path that detects a position of the strip of labels. The apparatus includes a processing device that is provided along the conveying path. The processing device includes a cutting unit that is constructed and arranged to cut the strip of labels. The apparatus includes a labelling device that is arranged downstream with respect to the processing device along the conveying path. The labelling device is constructed and arranged to attach processed labels to containers. The position detection device includes an image detection device that is configured to capture two-dimensional images of regions of the strip of labels.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: KRONES AGInventors: Stefan Piana, Anton Niedermeier
-
Publication number: 20120032364Abstract: A method of operating a plant for the treatment of containers may include treating the containers with pre-set treatment parameters by a first treatment unit of the plant. The treatment parameters are capable of being altered at least in part and depend at least in part upon product parameters—characteristic of the container—of the containers to be treated. At least one product parameter characteristic of the container is determined by detecting a recognition mark associated with the container, and at least one treatment parameter is altered on the basis of this characteristic product parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: KRONES AGInventor: Stefan Piana
-
Patent number: 7858942Abstract: A method for detecting the wall thickness of a container such as a bottle made of PET, for example, in which the absorption of radiation along a first and a second test path of the measurement radiation is ascertained, whereby the test paths intersect the container at two points of intersection such that the two test paths have at least one point of intersection approximately in common. Further, a method for detecting the wall thickness of a container such as a bottle made of PET, for example, such that the wall thickness is detected in the transitional area of a side wall of the container to a bottom area of the container.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Armin Ott, Stefan Piana, Christian Detrois
-
Publication number: 20100302540Abstract: Method and device for determining a foam density of foam in beverage containers utilizing the Tyndall effect, and having a focused light bundle emitted into the foam by means of a light source, where the light bundle is refracted in the foam and a scattered ray becomes visible on a surface of the foam. Via a measurement of the contour of such a light spot, conclusions on the foam density can be drawn. For this, one or several lasers can be integrated into existing filling level measuring means which are coupled to the already existing measuring means.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: KRONES AGInventor: Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20100147418Abstract: An apparatus for marking plastic containers, comprising a marking device which applies a marking to the containers and a checking device which checks for the presence of the marking on the container. According to the invention, the checking device comprises a temperature-sensitive sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Inventor: Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20090147082Abstract: A method for quality control of a stretch-blow-molded plastic container by inspecting its base, which method is easy to execute and is not highly susceptible to faults. Such inspection of the container bases includes determining quality features such as the surface area of an unstretched and/or only slightly stretched region of the base of the plastic container.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2006Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Krones AGInventors: Christian Detrois, Peter Lindner, Rainer Kwirandt, Anton Niedermeier, Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20090010385Abstract: A method for detecting the wall thickness of a container such as a bottle made of PET, for example, in which the absorption of radiation along a first and a second test path of the measurement radiation is ascertained, whereby the test paths intersect the container at two points of intersection such that the two test paths have at least one point of intersection approximately in common. Further, a method for detecting the wall thickness of a container such as a bottle made of PET, for example, such that the wall thickness is detected in the transitional area of a side wall of the container to a bottom area of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2006Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: KRONES AGInventors: Armin Ott, Stefan Piana, Christian Detrois
-
Patent number: 6859270Abstract: A process for inspecting transparent containers (B), in which every container is illuminated and at least two exposures of the same container are produced by means of a single CCD camera (K) and evaluated, whereby one exposure images the container profile and the other exposure images the container wall, the exposure time of the CCD camera (K) is changed, between the two exposures, from an exposure time for a container to an exposure time for a container profile. A control device (C2) for changing the sensitivity of exposure of the CCD camera (K) is produced.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2001Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Krones AGInventors: Lothar Werzinger, Stefan Piana
-
Publication number: 20030035103Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inspecting transparent containers (B), whereby each container is illuminated and at least two images of said container are taken and analysed by a single CCD camera (K), whereby one image pictures the container profile and the other image pictures the container wall. In between taking both images the exposure time of the CCD camera (K) is altered from a container wall exposure time to a container profile exposure time. Within the device, a controller (C2) is provided for changing the light sensitivity of the CCD camera (K).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2002Publication date: February 20, 2003Inventors: Lothar Werzinger, Stefan Piana