Patents Assigned to KHS GmbH
  • Patent number: 10639900
    Abstract: A cleaning head includes an end face that faces an inkjet print head to be cleaned. A supply opening and a discharge opening are spaced apart on the end face. A supply channel carries cleaning fluid to the supply opening. The discharge opening receives cleaning fluid that is to be conveyed away after having been emitted through the supply opening. The cleaning head emits a cleaning fluid jet through the supply opening with the cleaning fluid jet being emitted in a direction having a component that is directed towards the discharge opening so that the cleaning fluid can be conveyed away by suction through the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Engin Gencan, Markus Reiniger, Werner Van De Wynckel
  • Patent number: 10640250
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating containers includes treatment positions arranged on a transport element with a rotor, a transport element, treatment blocks, and functional elements. The treatment positions are formed on the treatment blocks, with at least two per block. Each treatment position ha all functional elements required for treating a container. The functional elements can be for controlled relative movement between treatment blocks and containers, for control of controlled fluid paths for a fluid treatment medium, for monitoring the treatment process, a functional element for controlling the treatment process, or for actuating elements or drives. At least one common functional element needed for treatment of the containers is provided jointly for all treatment positions assigned to one treatment block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Ludwig Clusserath
  • Patent number: 10640350
    Abstract: Cleaning a sealing element includes pausing a rotor that bears the sealing elements at an angle from a set of discrete angles such that a sealing element is brought to a cleaning station. The station's coupling piece connects to the sealing element and allows cleaning medium to flow into it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Härtel, Michael Beisel, Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Patent number: 10618790
    Abstract: A container-filling method includes executing a learning phase by starting a filling operation with a filling parameter that was used to start filling of a another product. The learning phase includes the filling element and saving relationships between a filling parameter, such as expected filling time or foam formation, and a value indicative of that filling parameter. The method includes comparing a saved target with this value to see a termination criterion has been achieved. If not, the filling parameter is varied in response to instructions provided by a simulator and the process repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KHS Gmbh
    Inventors: Jochen Ohrem, Ludwig Clüsserath
  • Patent number: 10611174
    Abstract: A method comprising printing multicolored images on containers includes providing overall-image data, extracting partial-image data from the overall-image data, print-head-specific calibration-data for the print heads, using the partial-image data and the first print-head-specific calibration-data for calculating print-head image-data for each print head, and causing the print heads to print corresponding partial images on containers, each partial image corresponding to one of the colors in the multicolored images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Sascha Koers, Katrin Preckel, Markus Reiniger, Werner Van De Wynckel
  • Patent number: 10603697
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a keg's interior comprises first and second tanks that maintain treatment medium at respective first and second temperatures, a first heat-exchanger, and a waste-air line. The first heat-exchanger is arranged upstream of a second-tank inlet for using heat recovered from the treatment medium through heat exchange with a heat-transfer medium to pre-heat treatment medium that is being conducted to the second tank. The heat-transfer medium includes any one or more of treatment medium conducted out of a keg interior after a treatment step, treatment medium in the first tank, and waste air in the waste-air line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Hilmar Fickert
  • Patent number: 10597175
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing a container filled with a liquid filling material from preforms made of a thermoplastic material, wherein each preform is thermally conditioned and subsequently, during a molding and filling phase, remolded into the container in a mold having at least one liquid filling material as a pressure medium. The filling material or parts of the filling material are supplied at at least two points in time and/or in at least two process phases with different contents of carbon dioxide and/or at different temperatures. In the second process phase, dry ice, particularly in form of pellets, is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignees: KHS GMBH, KHS CORPOPLAST GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Klatt, Frank Haesendonckx, Ludwig Clüsserath, Manfred Härtel, Wilfried Ehmer
  • Patent number: 10591421
    Abstract: A beverage bottle checking arrangement is designed to check beverage bottles in a beverage bottle handling arrangement. The beverage bottle checking arrangement includes a single framework and checking devices mounted on the framework, which checking devices are designed to essentially simultaneously check characteristics of beverage bottles being moved through or past the framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen-Peter Herrmann, Marius Michael Herrmann, Wolfgang Schorn, Xiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10589976
    Abstract: A filling element for container filling includes a liquid-valve arrangement disposed in a liquid channel with its flow valve. A positioning drive regulates opening and closing of the flow valve so as to regulate flow of liquid through the liquid channel. A stop valve lies in the liquid channel between the flow valve and a dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter-Rudolf Krulitsch
  • Patent number: 10585046
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for tracking defects in sheet materials. 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. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen-Peter Herrmann, Marius Michael Herrmann, Wolfgang Schorn
  • Patent number: 10577139
    Abstract: Rotating conveyor circuits that carry containers to be formed into packaging units to a binding-and-packing station that has parallel binding guides supported by carriers. Each binding guide has a deflection element facing the circuits. Coupling elements provide jointed connections between the binding guides and the circuits. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a channel width between the binding guides such that the binding guides remain parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum
  • Patent number: 10569313
    Abstract: A treatment head for cleaning a container that has a valve arrangement that includes a tappet that is configured to move relative to the treatment head's housing to open the valve arrangement and fluid channels leading into the container. A first channel of the fluid channels has an annular fluid channel section and surrounds the second channel. A flow twister is disposed in either the first channel or in a line connected to the first fluid-channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Hilmar Fickert
  • Patent number: 10569971
    Abstract: An apparatus for promoting rotation-free transport of containers along an arcuate path includes a belt that presses against containers carried by a transport star along that path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lelie, Sebastian Pieters
  • Patent number: 10569919
    Abstract: An apparatus to permit transferring the retaining-and-centering unit that has been supplied to the first handling-station in a receiving direction thereof to a second handling-station includes a carrier that carrier secures a securing device to the first handling-station, a receiving unit, a drive, and a securing apparatus that cooperate to detachably secure a retaining-and-centering unit to a first-handling station. The securing apparatus detachably secures the retaining-and-centering unit to the first handling-station. The receiving unit, which is on the carrier, connects the securing apparatus to the carrier. The drive moves the receiving unit parallel to the receiving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Reiniger, Holger Stenner
  • Patent number: 10562747
    Abstract: A method of operating a closing station includes decoupling a first closing element from a working position of the closing station and moving it away from the working position, bringing a second closing element into the working position, and coupling it into the container transport path at the working position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Naaber
  • Patent number: 10556714
    Abstract: In a container treatment device, retaining-and-centering units hold a container as it traverses a transport path that passes through a set of treatment stations, each having a rotor that propels a retaining-and-centering unit along the transport path. Sometimes, a retaining-and-centering unit becomes defective and must be removed from the transport path. A storage-and-replacement device receives a defective retaining-and-centering unit that is removed from the transport path and supplies a replacement. This occurs with no interruption of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Magerstedt
  • Patent number: 10543697
    Abstract: A method for printing on at least partially transparent containers, wherein, in a first printing step, a first printing image is printed onto the container by the application of at least one printing ink, and wherein, in a second printing step, a second printing image is printed onto the container by the application of at least one printing ink, wherein the printing images are printed at least partially covering one another, and specifically in such a way that ink layers are applied in a temporal offset sequence onto the container, wherein a first ink layer is allocated to the first printing image and a second ink layer is allocated to the second printing image, and that between the first and second printing image a reflection layer is at least partially provided, by means of which the printing images are at least partially optically separated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Katrin Preckel, Alexandra Theopold
  • Patent number: 10538355
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating packages by applying furnishing features to the packages includes pressure segments, each of which is configured as a fully functional assembly unit having at least one ink-jet print head. The furnishing features are polychrome printed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Schach, Markus Reiniger, Katrin Preckel, Werner Van de Wynckel
  • Patent number: 10538110
    Abstract: A printing method includes providing metadata, image information, and coding data. The method also includes, based at least in part on the metadata, selecting a local region at which the coding data is to be arranged in the image when the image is printed, generating coded printed-image information, and directly printing a printed image on the container based on the coded printed-image information. Generating the coded printed-image information includes modifying the printed-image information based on the coding data. A location of the printed-image information is selectively modified based at least in part on the selected local region. Metadata includes information representative of the container's geometry. The printed-image information includes data representing a printed image to be applied to the container. The coding data includes information to be applied to the container in steganographically-coded form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Magerstedt, Katrin Preckel
  • Patent number: 10538393
    Abstract: An apparatus for transporting containers or packs of containers includes an endlessly circulating belt driven by a drive. A mark marks a position on the belt and a sensor detects the mark. A controller receives data from the drive's rotation-angle detector and from the sensor. It then uses this data to either determine an extent to which the belt has elongated or to control the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Wagner, Andreas Linder, Dominik Thiesing, Thomas Lelie, Josef Düpper, Reinhard Wilzeck