Patents Assigned to KRONES
  • Patent number: 11203142
    Abstract: Apparatus (1) for transforming plastic preforms (10) to form plastic containers (20) with a plurality of blow moulding stations (8), wherein these blow moulding stations (8) each have a blow moulding device (14) which consists of two blow mould halves and a base mould, and wherein the blow moulding device in each case forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms (10) can be transformed to form the plastic containers (20), and which is releasably arranged indirectly or directly on blow mould supports (16), wherein each blow moulding device has at least one temperature control device (30) with at least one electrical heating element (32) for temperature control of at least some regions of the blow moulding device (14). According to the invention the apparatus (1) has at least one electrical connection (34) which can be automatically released and/or automatically made between at least one electrical heating element (32) and the blow moulding station (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Beate Dorrmann
  • Patent number: 11198528
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus Prinz, Simon Aigner, Rolf Immanuel Trussina-Kaidel
  • Patent number: 11199830
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an operating system for a machine of a food industry. The operating system includes eyeglasses for a user of the operating system and a transceiver for exchanging data between the operating system and the machine. The eyeglasses include a display system configured to display a control element and information of a human machine interface (HMI). Furthermore, the operating system includes at least one input module which receives user input from the user with respect to the control element. The operating system additionally includes a processing module. The processing module converts the received user input into an input signal for controlling at least one of the machine or the HMI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Maximilian Hoferer, Sebastian Vogl, Thomas Stauber, Johannes Reschke
  • Patent number: 11192766
    Abstract: A quick-change coupling is described for a container treatment machine, in particular a capping machine, with an outer member and an inner member engaging therewith in a positive-fit manner, between which members torques in a working direction of rotation and axial forces can be transmitted. Due to the fact that the outer member and the inner member are connectable to each other by pushing one into the other and twisting, a simple connection/separation of the quick-change coupling is possible without tools, as well as reliable and play-free transmission of unidirectional torques and contact pressure forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Tobias Angetter, Monika Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 11192768
    Abstract: A device for filling a container with a filling product (e.g., in a beverage filling system), includes: a product tank for providing the filling product, wherein a head space with a gas atmosphere is located above the filling product in the product tank; at least one filling member with a filling valve which is fluidically connected to the product tank for introducing the filling product from the product tank into the container to be filled and a gas channel for treating the container to be filled with a gas and/or for discharging gas from the container; a measuring apparatus for analyzing the gas atmosphere in the head space; and a control apparatus which is communicatively coupled to the measuring apparatus and which is designed to determine a process performance, (e.g., a quality of the filled filling product), from the analysis of the gas atmosphere in the head space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Florian Poeschl, Florian Herrmann
  • Patent number: 11174144
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a storage and distribution unit for a container filling plant and a method for storing and distributing the containers. A store is provided, which comprises storage areas for containers, the storage areas being distributed in a grid pattern, a container feed for connection to a discharge line section of a filling line, and a container outlet for connection to inspection units. The storage and distribution unit comprises a robot for putting filled containers into storage by transferring them from the container feed to the storage areas as well as for taking the containers out of storage by transferring them from the storage areas to the container outlet. Making use of a programmable control unit, the robot can be controlled for selectively taking the containers out of storage independently of the moment in time at which and/or the sequence in which they have been put into storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Markus Zoelfl, Rudolf Fiegler, Stefan Raith, Peter Lindner
  • Patent number: 11148923
    Abstract: A device for filling a container with a filling product, preferably for filling a glass container with a beverage in a bottling plant, comprising a filling valve for introducing the filling product into the container to be filled, a control device for controlling the filling valve, and a filling level sensor which communicates with the control device for detecting the presence of a target filling level (HS) of the filling product in the container, the control device being configured to close the filling valve upon detection of the target filling level (HS), the control device being configured to determine the presence of the target filling level (HS) by means of the filling level sensor again after the filling valve has been closed and to initiate an ejection process for the container if it is detected that the target filling level (HS) has been undershot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Manfred Ziegler, Florian Angerer
  • Patent number: 11136231
    Abstract: A device for treating at least one container, for example a beverage filling system for filling and/or closing a container is described. The device includes a treatment carousel rotating about an axis of rotation with at least one treatment unit, arranged in the peripheral region of the treatment carousel, for treating the container that is to be treated, and a container holder arranged on the treatment carousel and assigned to the treatment unit, for holding the container during treatment with the treatment unit. A container transfer receptacle which is assigned to the container holder and is radially displaceable with respect to the axis of rotation is provided for receiving the container to be treated from an upstream treatment carousel and/or for transferring the now treated container to a downstream treatment carousel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventor: Markus Schoenfelder
  • Patent number: 11136713
    Abstract: A wire rope is disclosed that comprises metal wires, preferably steel wires, as a load-bearing material, which rope comprises at least one or more strands laid from said metal wires and which rope is lubricated with a lubricant. Another object is the use of the aforementioned lubricant for lubricating a steel rope. The lubricant comprises at least oil and powder substance, which powder substance comprises at least particles whose hardness is greater than 4 on the Mohs scale. A traction sheave elevator comprising such a wire rope as a suspension rope is disclosed, too.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Krone Corporation
    Inventor: Raimo Pelto-Huikko
  • Patent number: 11130667
    Abstract: A device for filling a container with a filling product includes a filling valve for influencing the supply of the filling product into the container to be filled, generally during the transport, by means of a container transporting device, of the containers to be filled, a dosing valve for dosing a dosing product from a dosing product reservoir into the filling valve, and a main component reservoir for providing a main component at the filling valve. A dosing product changing device is provided for changing the dosing product in the dosing product reservoir during the filling operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Valentin Becher, Josef Knott, Florian Angerer, Ute Winter, Stefan Poeschl, Josef Doblinger
  • Patent number: 11124327
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Wittmann, Herbert Spindler, Olaf Treter, Juergen Werner
  • Patent number: 11117749
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Wittmann, Juergen Werner, Herbert Spindler
  • Patent number: 11117699
    Abstract: A rotary machine for the treatment of containers is described. This rotary machine comprises a stationary underframe, a rotatable container table for receiving the containers, a motor designed as an internal rotor for direct drive of the container table, a bearing for supporting the container table and/or a non-rotatably connected supporting structure on the underframe radially outside the motor, and a rotary encoder for determining the rotational position of the container table. By positioning the rotary encoder radially outside the motor, the accuracy of the rotary position determination can be improved, especially for rotary machines with comparatively large pitch diameters and the accessibility of the rotary encoder for maintenance measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: August Peutl, Johannes Strauss, Veronika Bauer
  • Patent number: 11117754
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Simon Berger, Richard Eschlbeck, Thomas Hensel, Herbert Spindler, Martin Bauer, Lucas Kiefer, Georg Goetz
  • Patent number: 11111124
    Abstract: A method for filling with a filling product, for example for filling with a beverage in a beverage filling plant by the free jet method, includes supplying a flow of filling product through a filling product supply line by opening a filling valve disposed in the filling product supply line and opening an associated regulating valve for regulating a volume flow, and closing the regulating valve and the filling valve in order to end the flow of filling product at the end of filling. The closing of the regulating valve and the filling valve are synchronized. A corresponding device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Anton Huber, Josef Doblinger, Florian Angerer
  • Patent number: 11104465
    Abstract: In an installation for the treatment of containers, comprising at least one filling station and a packing station for processing film or packaging material blanks and having work components acting upon the packaging material and forming packages, at least one measuring device for dimensional deviations of filled containers, and a control unit for automatically adjusting at least one installation station depending on a dimensional deviation detected, work components in the packing station (P) acting upon the packaging material when the filled containers are packed are automatically adjustable by way of the control unit. In a method for packing filled containers, work components of the packing station acting upon packaging material are adjusted automatically depending on dimensional deviations measured in order to form packages of different dimensions with at least substantially the same packing density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Herbert Spindler, Martin Bauer
  • Patent number: 11089735
    Abstract: A baler for agricultural crop has a pressing channel and a needle rocker pivotably arranged at the pressing channel about a rocker pivot axis arranged in a plane that is orthogonal to the longitudinal center axis of the pressing channel. A drive arrangement connected to the needle rocker pivots the needle rocker relative to the pressing channel. The needle rocker has tying needles that are moved through the pressing channel when the needle rocker is pivoted. The drive arrangement has a drive element, rotatably supported about a drive axis of rotation; a coupling device pivotably supported about a coupling pivot axis positioned stationarily relative to the pressing channel; and a drive lever with a first end eccentrically connected to the drive element and a second end connected to the coupling device. The coupling device is connected to the needle rocker spaced from the rocker pivot axis of the needle rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Kreyenhagen
  • Patent number: 11084068
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a plant part that is to be cleaned in a beverage filling plant, including a medium inflow for supplying a cleaning medium to the plant part that is to be cleaned, and having a medium return flow for removing the used cleaning medium from the plant part that is to be cleaned is described. A heating unit is provided for heating the cleaning medium in the medium inflow, and a recuperator is provided for transferring heat energy from the cleaning medium that is removed via the medium return flow to the cleaning medium that is to be supplied to the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Juergen Soellner, Holger Mueller
  • Patent number: 11084700
    Abstract: A device for transporting a filled container in a rotary device, for example from a rotary filler to a capper, includes a rotary element rotating about an axis of rotation with a holding element for accommodating the container. The holding element is designed such that the filled container is held so that a container axis, which passes through and is perpendicular to a mouth aperture cross-sectional plane of the container, is oriented below the holding element toward the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Kai-Uwe Dreger, Martin Wagner
  • Patent number: 11085883
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a frame for fastening inspection modules for containers. The frame includes a conveyor for the containers and a plurality of rails. The plurality of rails includes a first rail and a second rail arranged on a first side of the conveyor and a third rail and a fourth rail arranged on a second side of the conveyor. Each of the plurality of rails are for the fastening of the inspection modules. The present disclosure further relates to an inspection unit including the frame and at least one of the inspection modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Thorsten Gut