# US 10,795,339 B2 · Apparatus and method for processing containers having querying processing devices

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- Number: US 10,795,339 B2
- Document ID: US10795339B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/757,670
- Filed: 2016-09-07
- Published: 2019-01-24
- Granted: 2020-10-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-07
- Assignees: Krones AG
- Applicants: Krones AG
- Inventors: Andreas Gschrey; Thomas Hensel; Falk Huppelsberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10795339B2

## CPC

- G05B 19/4083: {Adapting program, configuration}
- B29C 49/78: Measuring, controlling or regulating
- B65C 9/40: Controls; Safety devices
- B67C 3/007: {Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery (flow-control B67C3/28)}
- B67C 2003/227: {Additional apparatus related to blow-moulding of the containers, e.g. a complete production line forming filled containers from preforms}
- G05B 2219/31103: Configure parameters of controlled devices
- G05B 2219/31206: Exchange of parameters, data, programs between two station, station and central or host or remote
- G05B 2219/45244: Injection molding
- G06F 16/245: Query processing
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B65C: LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; applying labels for packaging purposes B65B; labels, name-plates G09F ){(series-printing machines B41L; containers for the storage or transport of packages B65D)}
- B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Provided is a method for processing containers, wherein the containers are processed by. a first processing device in a first predetermined manner and are transported by. a transport device to a second processing device and are processed by this second processing device in a second predetermined manner, and wherein the processing devices are in each case controlled by at least control devices, wherein for the control parameters are used which are characteristic of the containers and/or the processing of the containers. According to the embodiment, predetermination parameters are output on at least one and preferably on several control devices, and said output predetermination parameters are compared with parameters required by at least one processing device, and it is checked whether the parameters required by the at least one processing device can be derived at least from the predetermination parameters.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing containers, wherein the containers are processed by a first processing device in a first predetermined manner and are transported by a transport device to a second processing device and are processed by this second processing device in a second predetermined manner, and wherein the processing devices are in each case controlled by control devices, wherein for control parameters are used which are characteristic of the containers and/or the processing of the containers, comprising: outputting predetermination parameters, on a plurality of the control devices, and comparing these output predetermination parameters with parameters required by at least one processing device, and checking whether the parameters required by the at least one processing device can be derived at least from the predetermination parameters, wherein required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters are requested and outputting the requested parameters to all processing devices, wherein at least one sequence control device requests the required parameters from a main control device and the sequence control device and/or the main control device determines the required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters, itself from the predetermination parameters, on the basis of data or parameters earlier used and/or already stored.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermination parameters are output for carrying out a change of processing and in particular a change of type.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least on parameter is a parameter which is characteristic for the container to be processed and this parameter is selected from a group of parameters which includes a container height, a container diameter, a container volume, a container material, and a wall thickness of the container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one parameter is a parameter which is characteristic for the processing of the container, this parameter is selected from a group of parameters which includes a working speed of a machine, a heating temperature of plastics material parisons, a temperature for a label glue, a pressure, and a temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one processing device is selected from a group of processing devices which includes heating devices for heating plastics material parisons, sterilizing devices for sterilizing plastics material parisons and/or plastics material containers, transforming devices for transforming plastics material parisons into plastics material containers, filling devices for filling containers, closure devices for closing containers, labelling devices for labelling containers, and printing devices for printing containers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the sequence control device itself determines the required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the processing devices are blocked with one another.

### Claim 8

An apparatus for processing containers, comprising a first processing device, which processes the containers in a first predetermined manner, a second processing device, which processes the containers in a second predetermined manner, and a transport device, which transports the containers from the first processing device to the second processing device, wherein the two processing devices are each controlled by control devices, and the control devices control the processing devices using parameters which are characteristic for the containers and/or the processing of the containers, wherein the apparatus has a main control device, which outputs predetermination parameters to at least one sequence control device which serves for controlling at least one processing device, and the apparatus is suitable and intended for checking whether all parameters required by the processing device controlled by this sequence control device can at least be derived from the predetermination parameters, wherein required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters are requested and the requested parameters are output to all processing devices, wherein at least one sequence control device requests the required parameters from a main control device and the sequence control device and/or the main control device determines the required parameters which cannot be derived from the predetermination parameters, itself from the predetermination parameters, on the basis of data or parameters earlier used and/or already stored.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the main control device controls at least one processing device.