# US 10,246,202 B2 · Container-treatment machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,202 B2 - Document ID: US10246202B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/203,071 - Filed: 2016-07-06 - Published: 2018-01-11 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-06 - Assignees: KHS GmbH - Applicants: KHS GmbH - Inventors: Heinrich-Dieter Froehlich; Thomas Matheyka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246202B2 ## CPC - B65B 3/04: Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles - B08B 9/0826: {the containers being brought to the cleaning device} - B65B 55/24: Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging {; Preventing of fouling} - B65B 57/04: and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages - B65B 65/003: {Packaging lines, e.g. general layout} - B65G 37/02: Flow-sheets for conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops - B67C 3/00: Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids - B67C 3/30: Filling of barrels or casks - B67C 7/00: Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS ## Abstract A method for treating kegs in a container-treatment machine includes passing a first keg through a first set of treatment stations on the container-treatment machine and passing a second keg through a second set of treatment stations on the container-treatment machine. The first and second sets depend on a condition of the first and second kegs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising a container-treatment machine for treating kegs that have valve closures that are pressed by a ram during treatment of said keg, said apparatus comprising parallel first and second transport devices for transporting said kegs, a filling station and a cleaning station arranged between said first and second transport devices and being configured to use a ram to press a valve closure of a keg, and first and second intermediate conveyors that convey said kegs to said filling and cleaning stations respectively and that extend between said first and second transport devices, wherein said intermediate conveyors convey said kegs in contrary directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said container-treatment device is configured to operate said first and second transport paths and at least one of said intermediate conveyors to define a serpentine path along which a container meanders through said container-treatment machine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning station comprises a a main cleaning module at which kegs arrive after having passed through a pre-cleaning module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning station comprises a pre-cleaning module at which kegs arrive before proceeding to a main cleaning module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning station comprises an external cleaning station that cleans the outside of a keg. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein comprises further comprising a buffer module for station for holding and pausing kegs when throughputs of said filling and cleaning stations do not match. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cleaning station comprises a sterilization station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inspection-and-test station that is configured to receive said kegs after said kegs have been processed by said cleaning station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inspection-and-test station that controls feeding of kegs to said cleaning station. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third transport device, wherein said third transport device is arranged in parallel adjacent to said first transport device, wherein said third transport device conveys in a direction contrary to that of said first transport device, wherein said third transport device is connected to said intermediate conveyor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a third transport device, wherein said third transport device is arranged in parallel adjacent to said first transport device, wherein said third transport device conveys in a direction contrary to that of said first transport device, and wherein said inspection-and-test station connects to said third transport device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a third transport device, wherein said third transport device is arranged in parallel adjacent to said first transport device, wherein said third transport device conveys in a direction contrary to that of said first transport device, and wherein said inspection-and-test station controls said third transport device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third transport device and a container discharge station, wherein said third transport device is arranged in parallel adjacent to said first transport device, wherein said third transport device conveys in a direction contrary to that of said first transport device, and wherein said third transport device connects to said container discharge station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising switchable deflection-elements that are arranged in a connection region between said first and second transport devices and said intermediate conveyors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said deflection elements are mounted on said intermediate conveyors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said intermediate conveyors are configured to have reversible conveyor directions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second transport devices comprise elliptically displaceable lifting beams. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising stop elements arranged in conjunction with said intermediate conveyors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising guide elements that are arranged in conjunction with said intermediate conveyors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transfer conveyor with no associated cleaning station or filling station arranged between said transport devices, wherein said transfer conveyor transfers kegs from one transport device to another. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third transport device, wherein said third transport device is arranged in parallel adjacent to said first transport device, wherein said third transport device conveys in a direction contrary to that of said first transport device, and wherein said third transport device is connected a separate transfer conveyor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a frame that removably holds said cleaning station and said filling station, said cleaning station and said filling station being detachable from said frame. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a frame that holds said intermediate conveyors, said intermediate conveyors being detachable from said frame. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first conveying device conveys in a first direction and wherein said second conveying device conveys in said first direction. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second transport devices comprise endless conveyor-belts. ### Claim 26 A method comprising using a container-treatment machine for treating kegs in a container-treatment machine that have valve closures that are pressed by a ram during treatment of said keg, said container-treatment machine having parallel first and second transport devices for transporting said kegs, treatment stations that include a filling station and at least one cleaning station arranged between said first and second transport devices and being configured to use a ram to press a valve closure of a keg, said treatment stations being arranged between parallel first and second transport devices, wherein at least one of said treatment stations is configured to use a ram to press a valve closure of a keg, and first and second intermediate conveyors that convey said kegs to said filling and cleaning stations respectively, wherein said conveyors extend between said first and second transport devices, and wherein said intermediate conveyors convey said kegs in contrary directions, said method further comprising passing kegs through different treatment stations based on a condition of said kegs. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said container-treatment machine comprises a fluid interface that couples automatically to fluid interfaces on said cleaning station and on said filling station when said cleaning station and said filling station are pushed into a frame. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said container-treatment device accommodates a plurality of treatment modules that can be latched or pushed into a frame between said first and second transport devices. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, said container-treatment device accommodates a plurality of treatment modules that can brought together as a combined module to form treatment groups. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, said container-treatment device accommodates a plurality of treatment modules, one of which comprises a transfer module at which a keg waits while fluid introduced by another treatment module is given time to act.