Patents Assigned to Krone Aktiengesellschaft
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Patent number: 12130240Abstract: Inspection method for inspecting containers, such as bottles, where an image of a container moved past an inspection device is recorded by the inspection device and the recorded image is compared with a reference image, where the reference image is formed from a number of previously recorded images of containers moved past the inspection device and it is determined in dependence of the comparison of the recorded image with the reference image whether the inspection device is operational.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2020Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: KRONES AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Christof Will
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Patent number: 12077328Abstract: Disclosed is a method for packaging articles (2). Outer packages (3) are moved by a first conveying device (10) and then by a second conveying device (20), which second conveying device (20) is located next to the first conveying device (10). Furthermore, articles (2) are inserted into an outer package (3), while the outer package (3) is located on the first conveyor (10) and/or the second conveyor (20). The outer packages (3) are received on the first conveyor (10) by format parts (5) and, together with their respective format part (5), are transferred to the second conveyor (20). The outer packages (3), which will be continuously arranged on the format parts until then, will be removed from the format parts (5) together with the inserted articles (2). The format parts (5) will then be returned to the first conveyor (10) for renewed seizure of outer packages (3).Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: Krones AktiengesellschaftInventor: Jens Losert
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Patent number: 12060189Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device (1) used to package articles into printed packaging blanks (2). In the method, a plurality of packaging blanks are first positioned in a magazine (4) and subsequently extracted from the magazine (4). Subsequently, articles are brought together with the packaging blanks (2) extracted from the magazine (4) such that a particular packaging blank (2) forms a particular packaging or a particular component of a particular packaging for in each instance at least one article. It is moreover provided that the packaging blanks (2) are printed onto, with the printing onto a packaging blank (2) being carried out temporally after the positioning of the packaging blank (2) in the magazine (4) and temporally before the particular bringing together of the packaging blank (2) with the particular at least one article. The device (1) can be operated in a corresponding manner.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2020Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: Krones AktiengesellschaftInventors: Tobias Gut, Johannes Kirzinger
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Patent number: 11964395Abstract: The invention relates to a method to calibrate a handling device (18) including a handling robot or parallel kinematic robot (24), with a tool head (28) suspended from at least two parallel kinematically movable arms (26). Each of the at least two arms comprises an upper arm, which is movable between two end positions about a defined upper-arm swivel axis (38). Each of the at least two arms also comprises a lower arm (40), which is swivelably mounted on the upper arm. The upper arms are brought into approximately corresponding angular positions by detection of load torques and/or of angle positions. First one, than another of the upper arms is brought into one of the two end positions, and the angular position reached is detected and used for the position initialization or angle initialization of the particular upper arm, whereupon the upper arm is returned.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2019Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Krones AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christian Dany, Arsalan Mehdi, Erhard Beer, Manuel Kollmuss
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Patent number: 11891207Abstract: A container treatment machine comprises a treatment unit, for the treatment of containers, and container receptacles, in which containers can be received such that they can rotate about an axis, the container treatment machine comprising a camera, for capturing an image of a container transported upstream of the treatment unit in a container receptacle, and an alignment module, the alignment module being designed to rotate a container into a target position by actuating the container receptacle. The alignment module comprises a neural network, which, by processing the image of a container transported upstream of the treatment unit in a container receptacle, can determine a necessary rotation of the container from the current position of same to the target position, and the alignment module can control the rotation of the container receptacle on the basis of the determined rotation.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: KRONES AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Herbert Kolb
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Patent number: 11772902Abstract: The invention relates to a handling device or layer forming device (10) and a method for forming piece good layers. Piece goods (14) are conveyed on a horizontal conveying device (16) to a grouping station and/or layer forming station (12) comprising a manipulator (20). In a work cycle, the manipulator (20) seizes at least one piece good (14) and moves it into a target position or target alignment, in particular with regard to a piece good layer to be formed. The horizontal conveying device (16), which is arranged upstream of the grouping station and layer forming station (12), comprises at least one sensor device (24) for obtaining positional data or dimensional data or alignment data of the transported piece goods (14). Based on the obtained data, the control device (28) controls the movements of the manipulator (20) within the movement range for the purpose of the layer formation.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manuel Kollmuss, Thomas Hensel, Thomas Lehner
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Patent number: 11530060Abstract: The invention includes a method used to place article groups into outer packagings (22) packaging apparatus (10). Article groups are transferred by a handling device (26) from a staging location (46) to a conveyor line (20) and are placed into the outer packagings (22). The conveyor line (20) serves to successively transport outer packagings (22). At least some of the articles (14) of a particular article group are directed and/or guided during a placing procedure by a centering device (32) assigned to the conveyor line (20) and moved along with the outer packagings (22), which are being transported on the conveyor line (20) and which are to be loaded with article groups.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Thomas Stadler, Markus Gabler
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Patent number: 11498710Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus (22) for closing the top side of external cardboard packagings (1). The external cardboard packagings (1) comprise two top closing flaps (3, 4) located opposite each other. Side edges (42) of the closing flaps (3, 4) are connected to each other via two fold-in flaps (5, 6). During closing, at least two external cardboard packagings (1) are positioned in a group (50) contiguous to each other or slightly spaced apart. At least two folding devices (23) are advanceable toward each other to engage the fold-in flaps (5, 6) of each of the at least two external cardboard packagings (1), thus pressing the fold-in flaps (5, 6) toward each other and folding them over their particular second fold edges (60) and third fold edges (7), thereby folding down the top closing flaps (3, 4).Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventor: Thomas Stadler
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Patent number: 11485530Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus to transfer and place articles (12) into outer packages (16), which are open at the top and which each receive at least one article group (18) composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is seized by at least one handling device (46) and is placed from above into one of the outer packages (16). An article group (18), which has been seized by the handling device (46), already is compacted or will be compacted during placement of the article group into the outer package (16) by reducing the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18). The article group may also be subsequently spread out.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Martin Dietersberger, Markus Gabler, Jens Losert, Thomas Stadler, Christian Canalicchio
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Patent number: 11485586Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method handling moved piece goods. The apparatus comprises a manipulator for the piece goods, at least one transport device transporting the moved piece goods to a seizing range of the at least one manipulator and at least one horizontal conveying device assigned to the seizing range and/or to a movement range of the at least one manipulator, via which horizontal conveying device the moved piece goods are transported in the seizing range of the at least one manipulator. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises at least one detection device for obtaining space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data of piece goods to be seized by the manipulator, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying device and the at least one transport device are calibratable and/or controllable based on the space coordinates and/or position data and/or contour data.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2017Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manuel Kollmuss, Erhard Beer, Michael Astner, Arsalan Mehdi
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Patent number: 11390405Abstract: An apparatus (1) for assembling several beverage containers (2) into a multipack (4) is disclosed. The apparatus (1) comprises a horizontal conveying device (5) for moving groupings (3), each grouping (3) comprising several beverage containers (2). The apparatus (1) also comprises at least one working device (25) that applies packaging blanks (41) to the groupings (3). The beverage containers (2) of a grouping (3) pass through openings in the packaging blank (41) and are held together by the packaging blank (41). The apparatus (1) furthermore comprises at least one handling apparatus (15) which places the beverage containers (2) on the horizontal conveying device (5) such that the beverage containers (2) are in alignment with respect to one another. The alignment of the beverage containers (2) allows the packaging blank (41) to be applied to the beverage containers (2) directly upon their placement on the horizontal conveying device (5).Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Herbert Spindler, Markus Gabler, Thomas Stadler, Johann Luber, Tobias Gut
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Patent number: 11345499Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging apparatus (1) for combining a plurality of articles (8) an outer package (6) formed from a cardboard blank (3). The packaging apparatus (1) comprises a magazine (2) for cardboard blanks (3), the cardboard blanks (3) being stacked and lying on top of one another within the magazine (2), a removal apparatus (4) for the cardboard blanks (3), and a handling device (5). The removal apparatus (4) is vertically and horizontally movable and comprises at least one suction tool (9) for withdrawing a cardboard blank (3) from the magazine (2). The suction tool (9) arranged pivotally movable within the removal apparatus (4) or on the removal apparatus (4) for executing a compensation movement and aligning the withdrawn cardboard blank (3) in a horizontal plane. The invention also concerns the removal apparatus (4) (3) and a method for withdrawing cardboard blanks (3).Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christian Canalicchio, Rudolf Schrems, Wolfgang Fechter
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Patent number: 11338537Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for transferring compartments (3) to outer packagings that comprises at least one stock of compartments (3), at least one transport path (5) for outer packagings, and a working system that is designed to remove compartments from the stock and that can insert compartments (3) removed from the stock into a respective associated outer packaging. The working system is designed for removing a plurality of compartments (3) from at least one specific stock, for moving the plurality of compartments (3) in the direction of the at least one transport path (5) in a temporally overlapping manner, and for inserting the plurality of compartments (3) into a respective outer packaging of the at least one transport path (5).Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Alban Hutter, Wolfgang Fechter, Markus Prinz
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Patent number: 11319163Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus (10) for handling piece goods (2) moved one after another in at least one row (1). Immediately consecutive piece goods (2) in a row (1) without spaces or with minimal spaces are transported as a closed formation (F). At least one transported piece good (2, 2*) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner from the closed formation (F); is spatially separated from the closed formation (F); and is brought into a specified relative target position (P) and/or target alignment in relation to subsequent piece goods (2).Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2017Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manuel Kollmuss, Erhard Beer, Michael Astner, Arsalan Mehdi
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Patent number: 11220000Abstract: The invention includes a method and a handling system for manipulating and/or for handling piece goods (2) moved one after another in at least one row (1, 1a, 1b) in a transport direction (TR) on a horizontal conveying device (6). In each work cycle, seizing at least one transported piece good (2) from the at least one row (1, 1a, 1b) by at least one handling device (10); spatially separating it from the row (1, 1a, 1b); and bringing it into a specified relative target position and/or target alignment relative to subsequent piece goods (2). After a failure event with an at least a temporary standstill of the horizontal conveying device (6) and/or of the handling device (10), the handling device (10) is initialized, and, after the failure has been remedied, the horizontal conveying device (6) automatically restarts and continues the previously interrupted process.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manuel Kollmuss, Erhard Beer, Michael Astner, Arsalan Mehdi
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Patent number: 11198528Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging device (1) and method for fitting an external package (3) with a dividing element (2) and for filling a divided external package (3) with articles (4). The packaging device (1) comprises a first supply station (70) for external packages (3) that are open on one side, a second supply station (60) for expanded and/or unfolded dividing elements (2), a placement device (6) for placing the expanded and/or unfolded dividing element (2) into the external package (3), at least one holding device (9) that holds and/or stabilizes the expanded and/or unfolded dividing element (2) inside the external package (3) prior to the articles (3) being placed therein, and an article feed station (11) for placing the articles (4) into an external package (3) that is divided by the dividing element (2).Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Markus Prinz, Simon Aigner, Rolf Immanuel Trussina-Kaidel
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Patent number: 11124327Abstract: Disclosed is a system (1) for forming a transport section for a packaging line and for coordinating the transport section to individual articles or article sets with different packaging types. The system (1) comprises at least one module (3), which at least one module (3) has at least two individual module units (5, 7), which at least two individual module units (5, 7) cooperate in a first operating mode (B1) of the system (1) for the transport of individual articles or article sets provided for a first packaging type. It is furthermore provided that the at least two individual module units (5, 7) are each designed to be movable, and that the system (1) is transferable by way of a movement of the at least two individual module units (5, 7) into a second operating mode (B2), which is aligned to a transport of individual articles or article sets provided for a second packaging type that differs from the first packaging type.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Stephan Wittmann, Herbert Spindler, Olaf Treter, Juergen Werner
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Patent number: 11117754Abstract: The invention includes a method (100) and an apparatus to handle irregularly conveyed and/or irregularly aligned and/or non-upright articles of an article stream under prevention of disturbances. The method (100) comprises the following steps: identifying at least one non-upright article in an article stream as an error; performing a correction step to resolve the error, the correction step comprising removal from the article stream of the at least one irregularly aligned article, or transfer to an upright orientation of the at least one irregularly aligned article, with a defined action being exerted temporally before and/or in temporal overlap with the correction step upon the at least one irregularly aligned article or upon regularly conveyed articles of the article stream.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Simon Berger, Richard Eschlbeck, Thomas Hensel, Herbert Spindler, Martin Bauer, Lucas Kiefer, Georg Goetz
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Patent number: 11117749Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) with at least two modules that are selectively transferable into a specific operating position (BL) for handling of individual articles or article sets. The apparatus (1) comprises at least one transport module (3) that moves individual articles or article sets with a first packaging type and at least one work module (5) that moves individual articles or article sets with a second, different, packaging type. The work module (5) can handle packaging material during the movement, with the packaging material being in contact with the individual articles or article sets. The apparatus (1) has an operating position (BL) and a waiting position (W1), into which operating position (BL) the transport module (3) or the work module (5) can be selectively inserted, and into which waiting position (W1) the transport module (3) is transferable by removing it from the specific operating position (BL).Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Stephan Wittmann, Juergen Werner, Herbert Spindler
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Patent number: 11053082Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for handling piece goods (2) moved one after another being transported to a seizing range (4) of at least one manipulator (5). Hereby at least two transported piece goods (2) are seized, spatially separated from the closed formation (F) and brought into a specified relative first target position (P1) and/or target alignment in relation to the subsequent piece goods (2). There at least one of the piece goods (2) is released. The at least one second piece good (2) seized from the formation (F) is seized again and is brought into a specified relative second target position and/or target alignment that is spaced apart from the first target position (P1).Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2017Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: KRONES AktiengesellschaftInventors: Frank Winzinger, Johannes Kirzinger, Manuel Kollmuss