Abstract: A filling plant for handling bottles as required, has at least one bottle handling device, a first supply line which supplies a first bottle type and at least one further supply line which provides a first further bottle type, the first further bottle type differing in shape and/or size from the first bottle type. In order to increase the flexibility, to reduce the inventory and nevertheless to meet the requirements for mass production, the filling plant also has a sorter which is configured to remove bottles selectively and arbitrarily from each of the supply lines, to line up the bottles in a predetermined order on a forward section and to deliver them to the bottle handling device in the predetermined order. The predetermined order can be chosen freely.

Abstract: A filling plant for handling bottles as required, has at least one bottle handling device, a first supply line which supplies a first bottle type and at least one further supply line which provides a first further bottle type, the first further bottle type differing in shape and/or size from the first bottle type. In order to increase the flexibility, to reduce the inventory and nevertheless to meet the requirements for mass production, the filling plant also has a sorter which is configured to remove bottles selectively and arbitrarily from each of the supply lines, to line up the bottles in a predetermined order on a forward section and to deliver them to the bottle handling device in the predetermined order. The predetermined order can be chosen freely.

Abstract: A method for printing on a hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production from a perform includes, before the preform is stretched, printing on preform with at least one ink. The print is applied in a distorted manner such that presentation of a pattern which is required on the hollow body after the stretching of the preform appears upon the preform being stretched.

Abstract: A method for printing on surfaces of three-dimensional objects with a cylindrical or curved surface by means of inkjet print heads includes printing a base color layer onto the three-dimensional object. Then, an upper color layer is printed above the base color layer. The base color layer is printed smaller than the upper color layer. The dimensions of the base color layer are less than the dimensions of the upper color layer in all directions on the surface of the three-dimensional object such that the upper color layer securely covers a margin of the lower base color layer.

Abstract: A cleaning adapter cleans print heads in an installation for the printing of containers. The installation includes a printing machine having an inkjet print head and a transport system that moves the containers to be printed. The container is moved past the print head and, in so doing, is printed with liquid printing inks. The cleaning adapter is designed in such a way that it is introducible into the transport system in place of one of the containers to be printed and is moveable to the print head for cleaning purposes. The cleaning adapter comprises a container which is hollow in portions and has an opening. The cleaning adapter, in regions thereof in which the transport system acts thereon during transport, has an external form corresponding to the containers to be printed, so that the cleaning adapter is configured to be positioned utilizing the transport system.

Abstract: A rotating handling carousel includes a transfer device arranged on the outer circumference of the handling carousel. The transfer device includes a carry-along element which receives and transports an article and a guide element. The guide element is arranged in such a way that the article transported by the carry-along element is guided into or out of a handling station, for which the guide element extends into an area of the handling station in such a way that the guide element does not collide with the handling device at the transfer position. A sensor detects whether a handling device or the article are not in the transfer position, and/or whether the article is located in the handling station at all, and, after such a determination, issues a collision signal based on a kind of the transfer device.

Abstract: A printing press for digital printing on three-dimensional objects includes a plurality of printing stations arranged in a specified radian on an outer peripheral edge of a press wheel. Each one of the printing stations includes an inkjet print head for digital printing on three-dimensional objects and a rotary table for holding the three-dimensional object. A printing unit prints on the three-dimensional object by separate printing of a mark or a logo executed as a pad print. The printing unit includes a mechanical feed unit and a plurality of pads successively arranged on a rotating wheel. The pads and the surfaces of the printed three-dimensional objects held in the printing stations are held in the same radian and move at the same circumferential speed so that the pads print on the three-dimensional objects by means of a tampograph.

Abstract: A method for printing on a hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production from a perform includes, before the preform is stretched, printing on preform with at least one ink. The print is applied in a distorted manner such that presentation of a pattern which is required on the hollow body after the stretching of the preform appears upon the preform being stretched.

Abstract: A beverage bottle filling machine for filling bottles with fruit juices, beverage filling element in a beverage bottle filling machine with such beverage filling elements for filling bottles or similar containers with fruit juices, and a beverage bottle filling element for filling bottles or similar containers with fruit juices. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.

Abstract: A cyclically operating printing press includes a clocked wheel with a drivable holder for holding a three-dimensional object arranged thereon. A fixed print head is disposed in a printing station. An additional print head is disposed in the printing station at another location or side than the print head relative to the axis of rotation of the three-dimensional object in such a way that: no dirt emanating from the print head can fall down onto any other print head of the printing station as a result of gravity, the at least one additional print head can print the three-dimensional object simultaneously with the other print heads of the printing station, and none of the print heads is arranged in an interference contour formed by the holder and the three-dimensional object held therein being moved by the transport system.

Abstract: A rotary drive arrangement for a machine for printing containers includes a turntable configured to hold the container to be printed and a format adapter connected to the turntable and configured to transmit a rotational movement to the turntable. A rotary drive is configured to drive the format adapter in rotation about an axis of rotation by means of a transmission element that engages with the format adapter, wherein, in an engagement portion of the transmission element, the format adapter is designed to match an outer periphery of a surface of the container to be printed.

Abstract: A method of monitoring, controlling, and optimizing operation of a container filling plant, in which image data of different areas of the container filling plant is obtained using an electronic, image-detection arrangement. The image data is then analyzed by a computer to determine if a person, a machine, or a container is in an unwanted condition sufficient to cause at least one of: disruption in the operation of the plant, injury to a person, damage to a machine, or damage to a container. A signal is then generated for either automatic correction or manual correction of the unwanted condition based on the image data.

Abstract: A cyclically operating printing press includes a clocked wheel with a drivable holder for holding a three-dimensional object arranged thereon. A fixed print head is disposed in a printing station. An additional print head is disposed in the printing station at another location or side than the print head relative to the axis of rotation of the three-dimensional object in such a way that: no dirt emanating from the print head can fall down onto any other print head of the printing station as a result of gravity, the at least one additional print head can print the three-dimensional object simultaneously with the other print heads of the printing station, and none of the print heads is arranged in an interference contour formed by the holder and the three-dimensional object held therein being moved by the transport system.

Abstract: A rotating handling carousel includes a transfer device arranged on the outer circumference of the handling carousel. The transfer device includes a carry-along element which receives and transports an article and a guide element. The guide element is arranged in such a way that the article transported by the carry-along element is guided into or out of a handling station, for which the guide element extends into an area of the handling station in such a way that the guide element does not collide with the handling device at the transfer position. A sensor detects whether a handling device or the article are not in the transfer position, and/or whether the article is located in the handling station at all, and, after such a determination, issues a collision signal based on a kind of the transfer device.

Abstract: A rotary drive arrangement for a machine for printing containers includes a turntable configured to hold the container to be printed and a format adapter connected to the turntable and configured to transmit a rotational movement to the turntable. A rotary drive is configured to drive the format adapter in rotation about an axis of rotation by means of a transmission element that engages with the format adapter, wherein, in an engagement portion of the transmission element, the format adapter is designed to match an outer periphery of a surface of the container to be printed.

Abstract: A method for printing on surfaces of three-dimensional objects with a cylindrical or curved surface by means of inkjet print heads includes printing a base color layer onto the three-dimensional object. Then, an upper color layer is printed above the base color layer. The base color layer is printed smaller than the upper color layer. The dimensions of the base color layer are less than the dimensions of the upper color layer in all directions on the surface of the three-dimensional object such that the upper color layer securely covers a margin of the lower base color layer.

Abstract: A method for surface pretreatment of a three-dimensional body for preparing a three-dimensional surface of the body for printing includes, for purposes of at least one of cleaning or adaptation to a surface voltage of a printing material, moving the surface to be printed relative to a surface treatment apparatus so that the whole of the surface to be printed is treated. The three-dimensional body is treated in a conveyor track of a conveyor apparatus with a surface treatment. The three-dimensional body is moved past the surface treatment apparatus along the conveyor track of the conveyor apparatus at an adjustable transport speed in a transport direction and is simultaneously moved about its own axis in such a way that the surface to be printed is moved past the surface treatment apparatus in or against the transport direction due to the independent movement of the body about its own axis.

Abstract: A device for printing rotationally asymmetrical containers includes at least one print head and a rotary table configured to rotationally drive at least one receptacle attached to the rotary table for a rotationally asymmetrical container to be printed about a first rotational axis. The receptacle is arranged eccentric to the first rotational axis of the rotary table and accommodates the container in such a way that an outermost section of a surface to be printed of the container accommodated in the receptacle is guided in a first circular path about the first rotational axis.

Abstract: A printing press for digital printing on three-dimensional objects includes a plurality of printing stations arranged in a specified radian on an outer peripheral edge of a press wheel. Each one of the printing stations includes an inkjet print head for digital printing on three-dimensional objects and a rotary table for holding the three-dimensional object. A printing unit prints on the three-dimensional object by separate printing of a mark or a logo executed as a pad print. The printing unit includes a mechanical feed unit and a plurality of pads successively arranged on a rotating wheel. The pads and the surfaces of the printed three-dimensional objects held in the printing stations are held in the same radian and move at the same circumferential speed so that the pads print on the three-dimensional objects by means of a tampograph.

Abstract: A cleaning adapter cleans print heads in an installation for the printing of containers. The installation includes a printing machine having an inkjet print head and a transport system that moves the containers to be printed. The container is moved past the print head and, in so doing, is printed with liquid printing inks. The cleaning adapter is designed in such a way that it is introducible into the transport system in place of one of the containers to be printed and is moveable to the print head for cleaning purposes. The cleaning adapter comprises a container which is hollow in portions and has an opening. The cleaning adapter, in regions thereof in which the transport system acts thereon during transport, has an external form corresponding to the containers to be printed, so that the cleaning adapter is configured to be positioned utilising the transport system.