Abstract: A method for printing on a hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production from a perform includes, before the preform is stretched, printing on preform with at least one ink. The print is applied in a distorted manner such that presentation of a pattern which is required on the hollow body after the stretching of the preform appears upon the preform being stretched.

Abstract: A method for printing on surfaces of three-dimensional objects with a cylindrical or curved surface by means of inkjet print heads includes printing a base color layer onto the three-dimensional object. Then, an upper color layer is printed above the base color layer. The base color layer is printed smaller than the upper color layer. The dimensions of the base color layer are less than the dimensions of the upper color layer in all directions on the surface of the three-dimensional object such that the upper color layer securely covers a margin of the lower base color layer.

Abstract: A cleaning adapter cleans print heads in an installation for the printing of containers. The installation includes a printing machine having an inkjet print head and a transport system that moves the containers to be printed. The container is moved past the print head and, in so doing, is printed with liquid printing inks. The cleaning adapter is designed in such a way that it is introducible into the transport system in place of one of the containers to be printed and is moveable to the print head for cleaning purposes. The cleaning adapter comprises a container which is hollow in portions and has an opening. The cleaning adapter, in regions thereof in which the transport system acts thereon during transport, has an external form corresponding to the containers to be printed, so that the cleaning adapter is configured to be positioned utilizing the transport system.

Abstract: A rotating handling carousel includes a transfer device arranged on the outer circumference of the handling carousel. The transfer device includes a carry-along element which receives and transports an article and a guide element. The guide element is arranged in such a way that the article transported by the carry-along element is guided into or out of a handling station, for which the guide element extends into an area of the handling station in such a way that the guide element does not collide with the handling device at the transfer position. A sensor detects whether a handling device or the article are not in the transfer position, and/or whether the article is located in the handling station at all, and, after such a determination, issues a collision signal based on a kind of the transfer device.

Abstract: A printing press for digital printing on three-dimensional objects includes a plurality of printing stations arranged in a specified radian on an outer peripheral edge of a press wheel. Each one of the printing stations includes an inkjet print head for digital printing on three-dimensional objects and a rotary table for holding the three-dimensional object. A printing unit prints on the three-dimensional object by separate printing of a mark or a logo executed as a pad print. The printing unit includes a mechanical feed unit and a plurality of pads successively arranged on a rotating wheel. The pads and the surfaces of the printed three-dimensional objects held in the printing stations are held in the same radian and move at the same circumferential speed so that the pads print on the three-dimensional objects by means of a tampograph.

Abstract: A cyclically operating printing press includes a clocked wheel with a drivable holder for holding a three-dimensional object arranged thereon. A fixed print head is disposed in a printing station. An additional print head is disposed in the printing station at another location or side than the print head relative to the axis of rotation of the three-dimensional object in such a way that: no dirt emanating from the print head can fall down onto any other print head of the printing station as a result of gravity, the at least one additional print head can print the three-dimensional object simultaneously with the other print heads of the printing station, and none of the print heads is arranged in an interference contour formed by the holder and the three-dimensional object held therein being moved by the transport system.

Abstract: A rotary drive arrangement for a machine for printing containers includes a turntable configured to hold the container to be printed and a format adapter connected to the turntable and configured to transmit a rotational movement to the turntable. A rotary drive is configured to drive the format adapter in rotation about an axis of rotation by means of a transmission element that engages with the format adapter, wherein, in an engagement portion of the transmission element, the format adapter is designed to match an outer periphery of a surface of the container to be printed.

Abstract: A rotating handling carousel includes a transfer device arranged on the outer circumference of the handling carousel. The transfer device includes a carry-along element which receives and transports an article and a guide element. The guide element is arranged in such a way that the article transported by the carry-along element is guided into or out of a handling station, for which the guide element extends into an area of the handling station in such a way that the guide element does not collide with the handling device at the transfer position. A sensor detects whether a handling device or the article are not in the transfer position, and/or whether the article is located in the handling station at all, and, after such a determination, issues a collision signal based on a kind of the transfer device.

Abstract: A device for printing rotationally asymmetrical containers includes at least one print head and a rotary table configured to rotationally drive at least one receptacle attached to the rotary table for a rotationally asymmetrical container to be printed about a first rotational axis. The receptacle is arranged eccentric to the first rotational axis of the rotary table and accommodates the container in such a way that an outermost section of a surface to be printed of the container accommodated in the receptacle is guided in a first circular path about the first rotational axis.

Abstract: A cleaning adapter cleans print heads in an installation for the printing of containers. The installation includes a printing machine having an inkjet print head and a transport system that moves the containers to be printed. The container is moved past the print head and, in so doing, is printed with liquid printing inks. The cleaning adapter is designed in such a way that it is introducible into the transport system in place of one of the containers to be printed and is moveable to the print head for cleaning purposes. The cleaning adapter comprises a container which is hollow in portions and has an opening. The cleaning adapter, in regions thereof in which the transport system acts thereon during transport, has an external form corresponding to the containers to be printed, so that the cleaning adapter is configured to be positioned utilising the transport system.

Abstract: Described is a machine for printing containers such as bottles or cans, with a plurality of treatment stations, on which printing heads and if applicable further devices required for the pre-treatment and post-treatment of the containers are provided, with a carrier for a plurality of containers, which are arranged next to one another on the carrier. In the process it is provided that the carrier can be transported via a conveyor belt from one treatment station to the next, in that a plurality of treatment stations each are arranged in line next to one another substantially transversely to the conveyor belt, in that the carrier is arranged substantially transversely to the conveyor belt and in that the treatment stations and the carrier can be moved relative to one another in substantially vertical direction. Instead of the conveyor belt, a rotary device can also be provided.

Abstract: Described is a machine for printing containers such as bottles or cans, with a plurality of treatment stations, on which printing heads and if applicable further devices required for the pre-treatment and post-treatment of the containers are provided, with a carrier for a plurality of containers, which are arranged next to one another on the carrier. In the process it is provided that the carrier can be transported via a conveyor belt from one treatment station to the next, in that a plurality of treatment stations each are arranged in line next to one another substantially transversely to the conveyor belt, in that the carrier is arranged substantially transversely to the conveyor belt and in that the treatment stations and the carrier can be moved relative to one another in substantially vertical direction. Instead of the conveyor belt, a rotary device can also be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for palletizing packing drums (7) on a load platform (P), especially barrels, kegs or the like in substantially cylindrical or barrel-shaped receptacles, and/or for depalletizing the packing drums. The inventive method provides as high turnover speed as possible for a layer of, for instance, six or eight packing drums (7*) without causing problems related to the inertia of masses and oscillating phenomena limiting turnover speed. This is achieved by vertically lifting each respective layer (7*) of packing drums in relation to a direct or indirect carrier contact surface (A1, A2) to the packing drum layer during transfer to or from a palet (P). The packing drum layer and the pallet are placed separately from each other (palletizing) or together (depalletizing) in a continuously identical receiving and lift movement position (G) by displacing their contact surface on a plane on which the lift movement is vertically performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for filling barrels (4), specially kegs, with liquids, wherein at least one gas is dissolved. The barrel (4) is pre-stressed using a gas before the liquid is filled. Liquid is then fed into the barrel (4) by means of a filling valve (2) pertaining to a filling station (1) and connected to a feed line (3, 8). During filling, the pre-stress gas contained in the barrel (4) is evacuated. So as not to impair the product, the pre-stress gas in the barrel (4) is pre-stressed at only a partial pressure which corresponds approximately to the saturation pressure of the CO2 or N2 which is dissolved in the filled liquid. Said partial pressure is lower than the maximum product pressure occurring in the feed line (8) prior to the filling valve (2).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for filling barrels (4), specially kegs, with liquids, wherein at least one gas is dissolved. The barrel (4) is pre-stressed using a gas before the liquid is filled. Liquid is then fed into the barrel (4) by means of a filling valve (2) pertaining to a filling station (1) and connected to a feed line (3, 8). During filling, the pre-stress gas contained in the barrel (4) is evacuated. In order to guarantee economical and ecological product processing, the pre-stress gas in the barrel (4) is pre-stressed at only a partial pressure which corresponds approximately to the saturation pressure of the CO2 or N2 which is dissolved in the filled liquid. The flow rate speed is measured in the product feed line and is directly adjusted by adapting the volumetric flow rate of said product.

Abstract: Beverage containers such as kegs are cleaned by pre-rinsing the containers and then cleaning the containers with a cleaning solution. Post-rinse of the containers is carried out in order to remove the cleaning solution. The post-rinse includes an earlier rinsing phase in which a containers is rinsed with a first rinsing fluid, and a later rinsing phase rinses out one of the containers that has gone through the earlier rinsing phase with a second rinsing fluid. The second rinsing fluid that has been used in the later rinsing phase is used as the first rinsing fluid in the earlier rinsing phase of the post-rinse.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a reusable container includes the steps of (1) pre-rinsing the container with a pre-rinse fluid; (2) chemically cleaning the container; (3) post-rinsing the container with a post-rinse fluid; (4) introducing a contaminate indicator into the container prior to the step of post-rinsing; and (5) testing the post-rinse fluid for the presence of the contaminate indicator during at least a portion of the post-rinsing step. A number of alternative embodiments employ various contaminate indicators which may be introduced into the container at various points during the cleaning process.

Abstract: The automation of a keg filling process is enhanced by classifying the abnormalities detected during a multi-stage treatment and filling process, the abnormalities being classified as either container-related or treatment step-related. Kegs for which an abnormality has been detected are ejected from the production line and are automatically routed either to a repair station or reintroduced into the production line as a function of the classification of the abnormality.

Abstract: In the filling of a keg with a beverage via a filling head, the filling head is sterilized immediately prior to initiating the flow of the beverage into the keg via the head and a fitting on the keg. Complete sterilization is achieved by ensuring that the temperature of the normally coldest portion of the filling head will be raised to a sufficiently high level and maintained at least at this level until a predetermined number of Pasteur units has been reached.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for determining whether kegs, which are to be cleaned and filled on a bottling plant production line, have physical distortions which may prevent cleaning and/or filling and/or emptying. The testing of the barrels is accomplished by capturing images of the ends and processing the data commensurate with the captured images to identify radial distortion. Axial distortion, which may accompany any radial distortion, is determined by measuring the distances between plural points on the keg and a reference plane to which the keg axis would, under normal conditions, be transverse.