Patents Assigned to KHS GmbH
  • Patent number: 12767367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a handling apparatus for containers (I), in particular for beverage containers, having a transporting carousel, which can be driven in rotation about a central axis of rotation (D), and container mounts, which are arranged on the transporting carousel and are designed to transport containers (I) along a transporting route (T), which extends over a circumferential portion of the transporting carousel, wherein the container mounts can be driven in rotation at least along part of the transporting route (T), and wherein the container mounts are each assigned a braking device (IO). According to the invention, the respective braking device (IO) is designed to brake the rotation of the container mounts variably in a braking portion (B), which extends at least along part of the transporting route (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Nitsch
  • Patent number: 12767454
    Abstract: A device for handling and/or grouping piece goods having a handling table extending along a main axis with a manipulation zone and a collection zone disposed one behind the other along the main axis in a transport direction. A first manipulator manipulates the piece goods and is designed to be movable at least partly in the direction of the main axis with variable positions. The first manipulator is moved between at least one normal position and at least one required position differing from the normal position. The first manipulator has a base working region paired with the normal position for manipulating the piece goods in the manipulation zone and a required working region paired with the required position for manipulating the piece goods outside of the base working region. An optical detection device monitors the manipulation of the piece goods in the manipulation zone and/or collection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Habermann, Alexander Mann
  • Publication number: 20260316981
    Abstract: A packaging system for packaging a container group including multiple containers is provided, wherein the packaging system is configured to continuously feed a separated material blank along a feed path to a blank carrier system in such a way that the separated material blank crosses a circulation path of product carriers at an intersection point without collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2024
    Publication date: October 15, 2026
    Applicant: KHS GMBH
    Inventors: Simon Uphues, Manfred van Triel
  • Patent number: 12515836
    Abstract: A container handling machine, such as a container filling machine or container closing machine, is used to handle containers, such as bottles, cans, and similar containers, which containers are configured to hold or contain a beverage, such as water, soft drinks, beer, wine, and juices, or a similar product for transport and consumption by consumers of beverages and similar products. Such container handling machines are usually supported on container handling machine feet, which can be adjusted in height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Beisel
  • Patent number: 12280964
    Abstract: A method and device for grouping packages into specified package groups in an interference-free and fault-free manner with a conveyor having multiple individually actuatable conveyors arranged one behind the other with an inlet-side and a discharge-side end. The packages are supplied to the conveyor device at the inlet-side end one after the other, and a control algorithm is carried out to interpolate and/or detect the position and/or the speed of each individual package. A target speed is determined for each individual package based on the detected and/or interpolated position and/or speed of the package. A target speed is determined for the individual conveyors to achieve the target speed for each package to set a specified distance to the leading and/or following package at the discharge-side end. The speed of the individual conveyors is controlled to the respective determined target speed for the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Diesner, Stefan Helfrich, Ralf Kretschmann, Adil Kuscu, Tobias Laubscher, Christoph Wiesenack
  • Patent number: 12234050
    Abstract: A linear filling machine for filling containers that are transported in groups along a linear conveying path has a plurality of machine sections following one another along the conveying path. The respective machine sections form an input station for receiving the containers, a handling station for treating the containers, a filling station for filling the containers, and a discharge station for delivering the containers. The machine sections are exchangeable machine modules, wherein each machine module forms an independent functional unit with a power supply unit and a media supply unit, in particular a pneumatic medium supply unit. The supply units are arranged spatially separate from one another, with the power supply unit arranged on a first side and the pneumatic medium supply unit arranged on an opposite, second side of the machine module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Niehr, Alexander Danelski, Thorsten Mietsch
  • Patent number: 12214922
    Abstract: A beverage container handling machine, such as a beverage container filling machine or a beverage container closing machine, is used to handle beverage containers, such as bottles, cans, and similar containers, which containers are configured to hold or contain a beverage, such as water, soft drinks, beer, wine, and juices, or a similar product for transport and consumption by consumers of beverages and similar products. Container packages, such as multipacks, are used for transporting groups of beverage containers, such as bottles, cans, and similar containers, for containing beverages or other products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Schiekiera, Sebastian Pieters
  • Patent number: 12172848
    Abstract: A system for assembling layers of packages and for forming transport and storage units from the layers. A grouping station has a grouping table for arranging and grouping the packages in a predefined layer arrangement. A package delivery feeds the packages to the grouping table in a conveying direction. The package delivery has two row conveyors for transporting at least one row of packages each on either side of the grouping table. A transfer unit transfers the packages from the row conveyors to the grouping table by sliding them in a respective sliding direction over a slide-over buffer region between each row conveyor and the grouping table, in order to form the layer of packages. A layer stacker then slides the layer of packages from the grouping table over onto a plate provided in the layer stacker, while maintaining the layer arrangement, in order to form the transport and storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Helfrich, Alexander Mann, Martin Rübsaamen
  • Patent number: 12145754
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a folding unit and a transport unit that transports a package assembly on a transport plane towards the folding unit, the package assembly comprising containers that have been wrapped in a paper blank that comprises tabs that project past the containers. The tabs comprise a lower tab that is coplanar with the transport plane. The folding unit comprises a folding-device that folds lower tabs with plates arranged on both sides of the transport unit. The plates move with three degrees-of-freedom: along the transport unit, towards the package assembly, and perpendicular to the transport plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lelie, Bernd Cox, Michael Jörissen
  • Patent number: 12139386
    Abstract: A container-handling apparatus, in particular a filling machine for filling cans or similar containers with liquid contents, has a first transporter for a container infeed, a downstream rotor with a plurality of handling positions for handling the containers, and a second transporter downstream of the rotor and forming a container outfeed. The second transporter is a chain conveyor with at least one guide finger having first and second guide portion, which receives the as yet unsealed containers and guides them by the first guide portion initially along a first, at least partially curved transport path portion, continuously in contact with a guide rail, before the second guide portion of the guide finger then conveys the container on a straight, second transport path portion along the container treatment path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Matle
  • Patent number: 12115714
    Abstract: A gripper for holding preforms or containers in their neck region having two pivotable gripper arms held in a base position under spring tension such that their gripping ends jointly enclose and hold the neck region. They are pivotable out of the base position jointly in one direction if they come into contact with an obstacle. In the base position, a main gripper arm is clamped via a spring with the gripper base, which pulls the main arm into contact with the other secondary gripper arm. The main and secondary arms are each mounted in a respective joint. The joint of the secondary arm is closer to its gripping end than the joint of the main arm is to its gripping end. The arms press against one another in the closed position at least in two regions, one above the joint of the secondary arm and the other below it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Baumgarte, Dieter Klatt, Frank Lewin, Michael Linke, Jan Fabian Meyer, Dirk Schumacher
  • Patent number: 12091200
    Abstract: A tray packer includes a positioning-and-folding unit, an application unit, and a storage-and-feed unit. The positioning-and-folding unit arranges a container group on a packaging blank's bottom and places its sides against the group. The application unit places a material blank on the group opposite the bottom portion such as to form a bundle. The storage-and-feed unit stores and provides the material blanks to the application unit. The application unit comprises a pressing element that comprises a tool plate that moves continuously on a circular path in such a way that the tool plate adjusts between engagement positions with the containers. The circular path spans a plane oriented parallel to a transport plane along which the groups travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Look, Alexander Hermsen
  • Patent number: 12030728
    Abstract: A container guiding device has a railing with two guide elements that are spaced from one another, that extend in the transport direction of a container transport device, and that guide containers or packages. At least one guide element can be adjusted transversely to the transport direction relative to the other guide element by an adjusting device. The adjusting device has a drive body which can be rotated about a rotational axis and a coupling element which is connected to the at least one guide element and to the drive body such that a rotation of the drive body produces a translation of the coupling element transversely to the transport direction. The drive body has a control element which is in engagement with the coupling element and which runs in a spiral shape about the rotational axis of the drive body, at least along some sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Stenner, Andreas Fahldieck
  • Patent number: 12024415
    Abstract: A beverage bottle and container handling arrangement for handling beverage bottles, cans, or similar containers, and a method of operating a beverage bottle and container handling arrangement, and an adjustment arrangement configured to adjust components of the beverage bottle and container handling arrangement and a method therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Siegmar Stang, Andreas Krieg
  • Patent number: 12024332
    Abstract: A label box includes a dispensing region and a storage region for holding a stack of labels, all of which have the same two-dimensional contour. The dispensing region includes a guiding-and-holding body that has been manufactured by an additive-manufacturing process based on a three-dimensional computer model thereof. The guiding-and-holding body forms a guide space for receiving and guiding of the stack and for dispensing the labels. The guide space includes a guide section that is adjustable to conform to the contour. The guiding-and-holding body also includes a securing region for at least partially securing the label box to a holding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Diego Francisco Arias Macias, Matthias Jansen, Florian Dieckmann, Thomas Stienen
  • Patent number: 12017867
    Abstract: A container transport device for transporting containers in a container handling system includes a chassis for supporting the container transport device on a track. The chassis is equipped with a frame on which at least one tray for transporting the containers is provided in a vertically adjustable manner. The at least one tray has a transport surface with multiple transport elements arranged in a substantially parallel manner for temporarily storing and conveying containers in rows, and each transport element is drivable in a controlled and/or closed-loop manner independently of one another in two different conveying directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Kahe, Ulrich Scholz, Thomas Stienen
  • Patent number: 12017864
    Abstract: A transport system for transporting containers along a transport path in a transport direction includes first and second transporters that define first and second transport-path sections, at least one of which follows a circular arc. A third transport-path section between the first and second transport-path sections comprises an adjustable transition curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Muszinski, Andreas Fahldieck, Thomas Stolte, Dominik Weirich
  • Patent number: 12017810
    Abstract: A bundling machine includes a wrapper that wraps the combination while it rests on a forward end of a paper cutout and a rear end of the paper cutout overlaps the forward end of the paper cutout while the combination moves in a transport direction, a transporter having a wrapping belt and a removal belt that follows the wrapping belt along the transport direction for conveying the combination of packages along a transport plane in the transport direction through the wrapper, and a controller that controls the relative speed of the belts so that, while the combination contacts both belts, the wrapping belt moves faster than the removal belt, thereby causing the rear end to sustain a tension in the direction of the forward end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Cox, Michael Jörissen, Thomas Lelie
  • Patent number: 11999578
    Abstract: A palletizing apparatus and a method for stacking packages on a load carrier. The palletizing apparatus has a stacking location for palletizing the packages and at least two supply stations, which are in conveying connection with the stacking location and each have an intermediate carrier formed for receiving the packages. It is possible for the intermediate carriers to be vertically adjusted by a motor at least to some extent independently of one another between a low-level position and a high-level position. In order to make a rapid palletizing cycle possible, provision is made for the intermediate carriers to be horizontally adjustable by a motor-drive independently of one another between a starting position and an end position. The intermediate carriers are arranged at the supply stations for adjustment in a collision-free manner in opposite adjustment directions between a receiving position and a transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Diesner, Hans-Werner Holzer, Stefan Helfrich, Adil Kuscu
  • Patent number: 11999605
    Abstract: A method for filling and closing containers at a filling and closing unit of a handling station. After the completion of a filling phase, a handling phase is carried out at the filling and closing unit of the handling station, in which the process chamber is pre-loaded, in particular above the container opening of the corresponding container, by way of nitrogen to a pressure which is at or above the saturation pressure of the CO2 contained in the filling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Cluesserath