Patents Assigned to Krones AG
  • Patent number: 11648725
    Abstract: Provided is a method for heating plastic preforms, wherein the plastic parison are transported along a predetermined transport path and are heated during this transport, wherein at least one first heating section with at least one first heating element as well as at least one second heating section with at least one second heating element is arranged along the transport path, by a first temperature measuring device an actual temperature of the plastic preforms is measured in or before a start region of the transport path, and as a function of this actual temperature of the plastic preforms the at least one first heating element is controlled in such a way that the plastic preforms reach a predetermined target temperature after heating by this at least one first heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger
  • Patent number: 11643316
    Abstract: Machine (1) for distributing flowable media to containers with a housing (2), with a transport device (12) for transporting the containers (10) which is arranged at least partially inside the housing (2), wherein this transport device has a rotatable carrier (14) with a distributor device (4) which is arranged inside this housing (2) an accommodates at least one inlet (42) for the flowable medium and a plurality of outlets (44) to which the flowable medium can be distributed, and with a supply conduit (6) which is suitable and intended for supplying the flowable medium to the inlet (42). According to the invention the distributor device (4) is non-rotatably connected to the carrier (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Soellner, Waldemar Suppes, Florian Geltinger, Thomas Hoellriegl, Andreas Brunner
  • Patent number: 11643282
    Abstract: A method and a device for buffering containers grouped in a single row in a filling system are described. For this purpose, the containers are entered into storage on at least one infeed conveyor belt in the infeed direction, moved in a single row onto a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to the infeed direction, and are removed from storage on at least one outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in the buffering direction. Due to the fact that the row pushers receive the containers in a single row in a guide channel formed/defined by an anterior row guide leading in the buffering direction and by a trailing posterior row guide, the groups of containers can be moved in the buffering direction and positioned precisely, quickly and secured against falling over without back pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Alexander Demel, Christian Holzer, Franz Lautenschlager, Christian Richter, Konrad Senn, Peter Muehlstein, Torsten Kilgenstein, Helmut Schuesslburner
  • Patent number: 11642828
    Abstract: Provided is a device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a feed device for feeding the plastic preforms to the device, at least one first preform store, a multiplicity of plastic preforms being arranged unsorted in the preform store, and having an alignment device for bringing the plastic preforms into a predetermined position before feeding them to the device. The device includes at least a second preform store, wherein a plurality of plastic preforms of exactly one production batch can be accommodated in each preform store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Lappe, Jochen Hirdina, Robert Aust
  • Patent number: 11639269
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for transporting objects and in particular containers and/or liquid containers with a first conveyor device which is arranged at least temporarily below the objects to be conveyed and which conveys the objects, wherein the conveyor device includes a point device, and a feed section which conveys the objects to the point device, and wherein the objects are selectively conveyable along at least a first discharge section and a second discharge section by the point device, wherein the feed section extends substantially rectilinearly and wherein the first discharge section follows the feed section in a rectilinear manner and the second discharge section deviates from the rectilinear course of the feed section, and wherein the apparatus includes a selection tool for selectively conveying the objects onto the first discharge section or the second discharge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Miriam Hartwig, Tobias Puerzer, Thomas Lehner
  • Patent number: 11628965
    Abstract: A labeling device and a method for applying labels to containers comprising an unwinding unit for receiving thereon at least one supply roll with a label tape; having an intermediate buffer unit for temporarily storing the label tape unwound from the supply roll, the intermediate buffer unit comprising at least one first movable roller unit; a drive unit arranged downstream of the intermediate buffer unit when seen in the conveying direction and used for driving the label tape in the conveying direction and processing unit for separating the label tape into the individual labels and for optionally coating the labels with glue and for transferring the labels to the containers wherein the intermediate buffer unit and the drive unit have arranged between them a separately configured, dynamic buffer unit comprising at least one second roller unit which is movable independently of the intermediate buffer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Johannes Strauss, Christian Holzer, Bernd Schroll
  • Patent number: 11624711
    Abstract: Method for the optical inspection of containers, where the containers are transported with a conveyor as a container mass flow, where the containers are each captured with an optical inspection unit as first image data, and where the first image data is evaluated with an image processing unit for contamination and/or defects on the respective container, where the first image data of several containers is overlaid to form an overlay image, and where the overlay image is evaluated for the presence of points of contamination in a beam path of the optical inspection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Alexander Hewicker
  • Patent number: 11590684
    Abstract: Method for operating an apparatus for producing plastic preforms and plastic containers, comprising at least one injection moulding machine and one blow moulding machine, wherein the plastic preforms are injection moulded within the injection moulding machine and are formed into plastic containers within the blow moulding machine and are transported from the injection moulding machine to the blow moulding machine, wherein a heating device is arranged downstream of the injection moulding machine and the injection moulding machine and the blow moulding machine are coupled to one another. According to the invention, the plastic preforms produced in the injection moulding machine are transferred directly after production to a thermal preform storage, which holds the plastic preforms at a predetermined temperature and wherein a speed and/or at least one parameter of at least one subsequent treatment device can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Jochen Hirdina
  • Patent number: 11577914
    Abstract: A method and device for treating containers with at least two container treatment machines, between which a transport device for transporting the containers is arranged, where the transport device is divided into several transport sections, where the flow of containers is changed from containers of type A to containers of type B, where a separating device is activated once the first transport section has run empty of containers of type A, where containers of the type B are transported into the first transport section and backed up at the separating device, while containers of type A are transported from the second transport section to the second container treatment machine, and where the separating device is deactivated once the second transport section has run empty of containers of the type A, so that the containers of type B are transported through the second transport section to the second container treatment machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hahn, Norbert Risse, Heinz Woelfel
  • Patent number: 11577948
    Abstract: A device for treating container closures, for example for disinfecting container closures in a beverage bottling plant, includes a transport disk, rotatable about a vertical rotational axis, for transporting the container closures, and a helical closure guide, arranged above the transport disk, for laterally guiding the container closures, wherein the closure guide has a ceiling guide for guiding the container closures from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Markus Schoenfelder, Klaus Buchhauser, Angela Grünwald, Sebastian Klepatz
  • Patent number: 11577445
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blow mould for transforming plastic parisons to form plastic containers, having a base part, a first side part and a second side part, wherein, in the assembled state of the blow mould, this base part together with the side parts form a hollow space, within which the plastic parisons can be expanded to form the plastic containers. According to the invention, at least one element of the blow mould has a first fastening section to which a first adapter element can be attached, which adapter element facilitates changing of the blow mould by means of a robot device, wherein this fastening section is formed in such a way that this adapter element can be attached releasably to this fastening section, and wherein this fastening section is formed in such a way that the blow mould can be arranged both with this adapter element and also without this adapter element on a transforming device for transforming plastic parisons to form plastic containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Florian Geltinger
  • Patent number: 11577444
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for processing containers and in particular for reshaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, including a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein this transport device has a movable support, on which a plurality of processing stations are arranged, which in each case are suitable and intended for processing the plastic preforms, with a clean room, which surrounds at least portions of the transport path of the plastic preforms and which is delimited by at least one wall relative to the environment. Further, the apparatus has at least one inspection device for inspecting the containers, wherein this inspection device has an image capturing device, wherein this image capturing device is arranged at least partially outside the clean room and monitors at least one region of the containers through at least one wall of the clean room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Höllriegl, Robert Schmitt, Günter Frankenberger, Andreas Eichenseher
  • Patent number: 11577950
    Abstract: A device for treating containers, for example, for filling and closing containers in filling plants is described. The device includes an isolator chamber in which the treatment of the containers takes place, and an outlet disposed beneath the isolator chamber for discharging fluids, wherein the outlet has a housing for receiving ejected containers and a suction device for extracting gases from the isolator chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Soellner, Franz Braun, Holger Mueller, Bruno Landler
  • Patent number: 11572215
    Abstract: Labelling machine for labelling containers, having at least one docking station for a labelling apparatus and a machine control system, wherein the docking station comprises at least one network access for establishing a network connection between the machine control system and a docked labelling apparatus, wherein the network connection is designed to transmit security-relevant data and/or time-critical data, and wherein the network access is connected to a manageable Ethernet network switch of the machine control system with a DHCP server, wherein the DHCP server is adapted to assign a preset IP address determined by the DHCP server to a labelling apparatus connected to the network access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Norbert Heimann
  • Patent number: 11565931
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for filling containers with a positioning surface on which a container to be filled can be arranged, with a filling device which is suitable and intended for filling the container via its container opening. According to embodiments of the invention, the apparatus has a contour detection device which is suitable and intended for determining a contour of the container to be filled, as well as a determination device which, taking into account the contour of the container, detects an internal volume of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Michael Neubauer, Alexander Hafner, Benedikt Paulus, Linda Feldmeier, Christoph Sonnauer
  • Patent number: 11565458
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a blow mould which forms a cavity within which the plastic preforms can be expanded to form the plastic containers, and having an application device which is suitable and intended for acting upon the plastic preforms with a flowable medium in order to expand them, which is suitable and intended for acting upon the plastic preforms with a flowable medium in order to expand them, wherein the application device is placed against a mouth area of the plastic preforms in order to act upon these with the flowable medium. The application device forms at least one first flow channel for the flowable medium, which guides and/or directs at least a portion of the flowable medium to an inner wall of the mouth area in order to temper and, in particular, cool this inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Hoellriegl, Markus Stiegler, Oliver Apfelbacher, Markus Kulzer, Gerald Huettner
  • Patent number: 11559933
    Abstract: Apparatus (1) for forming plastic preforms (10) into plastic containers (20). In a closed state of a blow mould (14), a contact area is formed between side parts (14a, 14b), in which the two side parts (14a, 14b) rest against each other, the side parts (14a, 14b) form a mould separation seam (5) in the contact area. In accordance with the invention, at least one section of at least one side part (14a, 14b) has a coating and/or an additional element (60) in a region of the mould separation seam (5), so that a heat transfer between the plastic preform (10) and the inner wall (52, 54) in the contact area can be delayed at least in places at these at least one section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Markus Kulzer, Juergen Soellner, Thomas Spitzer
  • Patent number: 11555857
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described for monitoring the wear of a long stator linear motor system comprising at least one motor train with stators and at least one transport vehicle that is driven electromagnetically thereby. Due to the fact that a force exerted electromagnetically and/or mechanically upon said motor train by the transport vehicle transverse to the latter's direction of transport or a differential force exerted in such manner by the transport vehicle upon two oppositely disposed motor trains is measured using sensors, changes in the forces between the motor train and the vehicle caused by dimensional tolerances and/or wear can be detected in order to prevent a malfunction of the track switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kiendl, Hartmut Davidson, Stefan Elsperger
  • Patent number: 11545884
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a stator module for a linear drive of a container-handling machine in the beverage processing industry, comprising a housing in which a core and at least one coil are arranged, wherein the stator module comprises a media supply for supplying a gas into the interior of the housing and the media supply is adapted to pressurize the interior of the housing, as well as a corresponding container-handling machine and a method of operating a container-handling machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Michael Neubauer, Hartmut Davidson
  • Patent number: 11541325
    Abstract: A device for evaporating a fluid medium in a filling product filling plant includes an inclined evaporator surface, a medium supply line for applying the fluid medium that is to be evaporated to the evaporator surface, and grooves in the evaporator surface for conducting the fluid medium. The grooves along the evaporator surface have a non-linear design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Michael Peter, Juergen Soellner