# US 9,003,742 B2 · Closure top buffer with an inspection unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,003,742 B2 - Document ID: US9003742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/560,061 - Filed: 2009-09-15 - Published: 2010-03-18 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-16 - Assignees: Krones AG - Applicants: Wolfgang Hahn - Inventors: Wolfgang Hahn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9003742B2 ## CPC - B67B 3/262: {Devices for controlling the caps} - B67C 7/0073: {Sterilising, aseptic filling and closing (B67C3/2642 takes precedence)} - B29C 49/06: Injection blow-moulding - B29C 49/42378: {Handling malfunction} - B29C 49/4238: {Ejecting defective preforms or products} - B29C 49/42418: {for sterilizing} - B29C 49/42802: {a closure or a sealing foil to the article or pincing the opening} - B29C 49/42808: {Filling the article} - B29C 2049/7878: {Preform or article handling, e.g. flow from station to station} - B29C 2949/0715: the preform having one end closed - B65B 7/2807: {Feeding closures} - B65B 57/005: {Safety-devices (B65B57/18 takes precedence)} - B67B 2201/08: Aseptic features - B67C 2003/227: {Additional apparatus related to blow-moulding of the containers, e.g. a complete production line forming filled containers from preforms} - B67B: APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS (opening or closing devices attached to, or incorporated in, containers or container closures B65D) - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS - 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) - 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) ## Abstract An apparatus for producing containers may include a transport unit which transports the containers along a specified transport path, at least one handling unit which handles the containers in a specified manner, a closing unit which is located downstream of the handling unit in a transport direction of the containers and which fits closure tops onto the containers, and a feeding unit which feeds the closure tops to the closing unit. An inspection unit may be provided upstream of the feeding unit in a transport direction of the closure tops. The inspection unit inspects the closure tops and emits at least one signal which is characteristic of the physical condition of the closure tops. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for producing containers, comprising: a transport unit configured to transport containers along a specified transport path; at least one handling unit configured to handle the containers in a specified manner; a closing unit downstream of the handling unit in a transport direction of the containers, the closing unit being configured to fit closure tops onto the containers; a feeding unit configured to feed the closure tops to the closing unit; and an inspection unit upstream of the feeding unit in a transport direction of the closure tops, the inspection unit being configured to inspect a physical condition of the closure tops themselves and emit at least one signal which is characteristic for a faulty physical condition of the closure tops themselves, wherein the inspection unit includes a removal device configured to remove defective closure tops, wherein the closure tops are guided in the feeding unit one immediately following another in a closure top stream, wherein by the removal of defective closure tops at the removal device the closure top stream between the feeding unit and the closing unit downstream from the removal device is not interrupted and no gaps form in the closure top stream. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein that the handling unit comprises a reforming unit which transforms preforms into containers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a blocking unit upstream of the handling unit in the transport direction of the containers, the blocking unit being configured to interrupt the supply of containers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the blocking unit is configured to be controlled as a function of a signal emitted by the inspection unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a heating unit for the containers, the blocking unit being positioned upstream of the heating unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closing unit and the handling unit are disposed together in a block system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein that the number of closure tops that can be accommodated in the feeding unit is adapted to the number of containers that can be accommodated in the block system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inspection unit is located at the same level as the block system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the closing unit and the handling unit are interlocked with each other or permanently synchronized. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stocking unit for the closure tops. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein that the inspection unit is integrated in the stocking unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the physical condition of the closure tops is checked directly in a magazine for the closure tops. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a sterilization unit integrated in the stocking unit for sterilizing the closure tops. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sterilization unit that both uses a disinfectant and performs a sterilization process that includes radiation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the disinfectant includes hydrogen peroxide and the radiation includes electron radiation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a further blocking unit which allows a blocking of the closure tops. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the faulty condition of the closure tops is selected from a group of faulty conditions which comprises faulty threads, missing threads and a deformation of the closure top. ### Claim 18 A method of producing containers, comprising: transporting the containers along a specified transport path; handling the containers in a specified manner along the transport path; feeding, at a feeding unit, closure tops to a closing unit; fitting the closure tops onto the containers; inspecting the closure tops before feeding the closure tops to the closing unit; and emitting at least one signal to indicate a specified physical condition of the closure tops in response to said inspection of the closure tops, wherein the closure tops are guided in the closing unit one immediately following another in a closure top stream, wherein defective closure tops are removed at a removal device, and wherein the removal of the defective closure tops at the removal device the closure top stream between the feeding unit and the closing unit downstream from the removal device does not interrupt the closure top stream and no gaps form in the closure top stream. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising blocking, at least temporarily, said transporting of containers as a function of the emitted signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the physical condition of the closure tops is checked directly in a magazine for the closure tops. ### Claim 21 An apparatus for producing containers, comprising: a transport unit configured to transport containers along a specified transport path; at least one handling unit configured to handle the containers in a specified manner; a closing unit downstream of the handling unit in a transport direction of the containers, the closing unit being configured to fit closure tops onto the containers; a feeding unit configured to feed the closure tops to the closing unit; and an inspection unit upstream of the feeding unit in a transport direction of the closure tops, the inspection unit being configured to inspect a physical condition of the closure tops themselves and emit at least one signal which is characteristic for a faulty physical condition of the closure tops themselves, wherein the closure tops are guided in the feeding unit one immediately following another in a closure top stream, wherein by removal of defective closure tops the closure top stream between the inspection unit and the closing unit is not interrupted and no gaps form in the closure top stream, and wherein the faulty physical condition of the closure tops is selected from a group of faulty physical conditions, which comprises faulty threads and missing threads of the closure tops.