Patents by Inventor THOMAS KITZINGER

THOMAS KITZINGER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • 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
  • Publication number: 20230134386
    Abstract: Apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a forming device which has a plurality of forming stations each having a stretching bar for stretching the plastic pre-form and an application device act upon the plastic container with a flowable medium. The forming device has at least four pressure reservoirs for the flowable medium, which each have predetermined pressures, and a valve block with at least five process valves. The application device is configured for producing a fluid connection between the valve block and a mouth region of the plastic preform in order to act upon the plastic preforms with the pressurised flowable medium, and the process valves are configured to act upon the plastic pre-forms with different pressures, wherein at least one process valve is configured for producing a connection between the plastic preform and an environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Benedikt HENGL, Andreas BRUNNER, Dieter FINGER, Markus KULZER, Dominik MEIER, Thomas KITZINGER, Konrad SENN, Daniel VOGLER, Thomas HOELLRIEGL, Klaus VOTH, Christian BETZ
  • Patent number: 11440236
    Abstract: A system for processing containers with a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein a plurality of holding devices for holding the containers is arranged on the transport device, wherein the system has at least one rotating device which rotates the plastic parisons with regard to a rotational position with respect to the longitudinal directions thereof. According to the invention the rotating device has an electrically operated driving device for producing the rotary movement of the plastic parisons with respect to the longitudinal directions thereof as well as at least one measuring device, which at least at times determines at least an electrical characteristic quantity of this driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger
  • Patent number: 11426920
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for expanding plastics material parisons into plastics material containers by a liquid medium with at least two transforming stations which fill and expand the plastics material parisons with the liquid medium with at least one common delivery device, which delivers the liquid medium to both transforming stations, wherein the transforming stations in each case have filling devices which fill the liquid medium into the plastics material parisons. According to the embodiments these transforming stations and/or filling devices in each case have a throttle device which are suitable and intended for changing the volume flow of the liquid entering the plastics material parisons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kitzinger, Cora Hanesch, Dieter Finger, Dominik Meier, Andreas Pense, Andreas Vornehm, Christian Betz
  • Patent number: 11383421
    Abstract: ABSTRACT The invention provides a method for leakage detection in a device for shaping container preforms, comprising a compressed air system which is connected to a compressed air source and comprises at least two fluidically connected regions that can be separated from each other and/or from the environment by shut-off elements. The method comprises a leakage test run conducted in an automated manner in which at least one of the blocking elements and/or the compressed air supply into the compressed air system is controlled in such a way that it can be determined separately for each region whether compressed air escapes therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Philipp, Robert Aust, Thomas Kitzinger, Dieter Finger, Thomas Rauschendorfer
  • Patent number: 11260571
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for heating plastic preforms, with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein this transport device has a plurality of holding elements for holding the plastic preform, and with at least one first heating section which is arranged along the transport path, and at least one second heating section which is arranged along the transport path downstream of the first heating section, wherein the heating sections each include a plurality of independently controllable heating elements which allow heating of the plastic preforms in several heating zones, lying above each other in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, with a temperature profile which changes in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, wherein the apparatus includes a control device for controlling these heating sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kitzinger, Dieter Finger
  • Patent number: 11090855
    Abstract: A machine for expanding plastic parisons into plastic containers by a liquid medium with at least two transforming stations. These transforming stations fill and expand the plastic parisons with the liquid medium, with at least one pressure generating device. This pressure generating device is suitable and intended to deliver the liquid medium to at least one filling device which fills the plastic parisons with the liquid medium, wherein at least one shut-off device is installed in at least one connection channel between the pressure generating device and the filling device, inside which the liquid medium is conveyed. This shut-off device is configured and provided in order that a fluid path inside the connection conduit can be at least partially interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Andreas Vornehm, Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger, Dominik Meier, Christian Betz, Cora Hanesch, Andreas Pense
  • Publication number: 20210107206
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for leakage detection in a device for shaping container preforms, comprising a compressed air system which is connected to a compressed air source and comprises at least two fluidically connected regions that can be separated from each other and/or from the environment by shut-off elements. The method comprises a leakage test run conducted in an automated manner in which at least one of the blocking elements and/or the compressed air supply into the compressed air system is controlled in such a way that it can be determined separately for each region whether compressed air escapes therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas PHILIPP, Robert AUST, Thomas KITZINGER, Dieter FINGER, Thomas RAUSCHENDORFER
  • Publication number: 20210078235
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for heating plastic preforms, with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein this transport device has a plurality of holding elements for holding the plastic preform, and with at least one first heating section which is arranged along the transport path, and at least one second heating section which is arranged along the transport path downstream of the first heating section, wherein the heating sections each include a plurality of independently controllable heating elements which allow heating of the plastic preforms in several heating zones, lying above each other in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, with a temperature profile which changes in the longitudinal direction of the plastic preforms, wherein the apparatus includes a control device for controlling these heating sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas KITZINGER, Dieter FINGER
  • Publication number: 20200307064
    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: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger
  • Publication number: 20200262127
    Abstract: A system for processing containers with a transport device which transports the containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein a plurality of holding devices for holding the containers is arranged on the transport device, wherein the system has at least one rotating device which rotates the plastic parisons with regard to a rotational position with respect to the longitudinal directions thereof. According to the invention the rotating device has an electrically operated driving device for producing the rotary movement of the plastic parisons with respect to the longitudinal directions thereof as well as at least one measuring device, which at least at times determines at least an electrical characteristic quantity of this driving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger
  • Publication number: 20190291328
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for expanding plastics material parisons into plastics material containers by a liquid medium, having at least one transforming station, which fills and expands the plastics material parisons with the liquid medium with at least one pressure generating device, which is suitable and intended to deliver the liquid medium to at least one filling device, which filling device fills the plastics material parisons with the liquid medium, wherein the pressure generating device has a pressure outlet which at least at times can be fluidically connected to the plastics material parison to be filled. The apparatus has a removal device which is suitable and intended at least at times to remove a flowable medium from a plastics material container, wherein the pressure generating device has a suction intake which at least at times can be fluidically connected to this removal device in order to remove the flowable medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: DIETER FINGER, ANDREAS VORNEHM, DOMINIK MEIER, THOMAS KITZINGER, ANDREAS PENSE, CORA HANESCH, CHRISTIAN BETZ
  • Publication number: 20190291329
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for expanding plastics material parisons into plastics material containers by a liquid medium with at least two transforming stations which fill and expand the plastics material parisons with the liquid medium with at least one common delivery device, which delivers the liquid medium to both transforming stations, wherein the transforming stations in each case have filling devices which fill the liquid medium into the plastics material parisons. According to the embodiments these transforming stations and/or filling devices in each case have a throttle device which are suitable and intended for changing the volume flow of the liquid entering the plastics material parisons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: THOMAS KITZINGER, CORA HANESCH, DIETER FINGER, DOMINIK MEIER, ANDREAS PENSE, ANDREAS VORNEHM, CHRISTIAN BETZ
  • Publication number: 20190291330
    Abstract: A machine for expanding plastic parisons into plastic containers by a liquid medium with at least two transforming stations. These transforming stations fill and expand the plastic parisons with the liquid medium, with at least one pressure generating device. This pressure generating device is suitable and intended to deliver the liquid medium to at least one filling device which fills the plastic parisons with the liquid medium, wherein at least one shut-off device is installed in at least one connection channel between the pressure generating device and the filling device, inside which the liquid medium is conveyed. This shut-off device is configured and provided in order that a fluid path inside the connection conduit can be at least partially interrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Andreas VORNEHM, Dieter FINGER, Thomas KITZINGER, Dominik MEIER, Christian BETZ, Cora HANESCH, Andreas PENSE
  • Publication number: 20190275725
    Abstract: An apparatus for expanding plastic preforms into plastic containers by a liquid medium using at least one forming station that fills and expands the plastic preforms used in the liquid medium using at least one supply device that supplies the liquid medium to a filling device of this forming station, wherein this filling device is configured to fill the liquid medium into the plastic preforms, and wherein the apparatus has a pressure generation device that supplies the liquid medium under pressure to the filling device. The pressure generation device has at least two pressure generation units that are configured to provide the liquid medium under pressure to the filling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas KITZINGER, Cora HANESCH, Andreas VORNEHM, Andreas PENSE, Dieter FINGER, Dominik MEIER, Klaus VOTH, Christian BETZ
  • Publication number: 20190275726
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for expanding plastics material parisons into plastics material containers by a liquid medium having at least one transforming station, which fills and expands the plastics material parisons with the liquid medium with at least one delivery device, which delivers the liquid medium to a filling device of this transforming station, wherein this filling device is suitable and intended to fill the liquid medium into the plastics material parisons, and wherein the apparatus has a pressure generating device which delivers the liquid medium under pressure to the filling device. According to embodiments of the invention the pressure generating device has at least two pressure generating units which are suitable and intended to provide the liquid medium under pressure to the filling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: CHRISTIAN BETZ, THOMAS KITZINGER, DOMINIK MEIER, ANDREAS VORNEHM, DIETER FINGER, CORA HANESCH, ANDREAS PENSE
  • Patent number: 10086533
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for producing plastic containers, comprising a heating device that heats plastic preforms, and including a shaping device provided downstream of this heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, which shaping device shapes the plastic preforms into the plastic containers, wherein a tempering device for tempering the plastic preforms heated by the heating device is provided in the transport direction of the plastic preforms between the heating device and the shaping device, which tempering device has at least one tempering unit provided on a carrier rotatable about a predetermined rotary axis, and which tempering unit has at least two contacting devices, between which at least one section of the plastic preform can be received, which contacting devices can be moved in relation to one another along a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Dieter Finger, Thomas Kitzinger
  • Publication number: 20160361841
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for producing plastic containers, comprising a heating device that heats plastic preforms, and including a shaping device provided downstream of this heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, which shaping device shapes the plastic preforms into the plastic containers, wherein a tempering device for tempering the plastic preforms heated by the heating device is provided in the transport direction of the plastic preforms between the heating device and the shaping device, which tempering device has at least one tempering unit provided on a carrier rotatable about a predetermined rotary axis, and which tempering unit has at least two contacting devices, between which at least one section of the plastic preform can be received, which contacting devices can be moved in relation to one another along a predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: DIETER FINGER, THOMAS KITZINGER