Beverage bottling plant for filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material and a method of operation thereof

Abstract

A beverage bottling plant for filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material and a method of operation thereof. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1 . A method of operating a beverage bottling plant for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material, said beverage bottling plant comprising: a beverage bottle filling machine being configured and disposed to fill beverage bottles with liquid beverage material; a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey beverage bottles to said beverage bottle filling machine; a beverage bottle closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled beverage bottles; a second conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled beverage bottles to said beverage bottle closing machine; a beverage bottle packing machine being configured and disposed to pack closed, filled beverage bottles; a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey closed, filled beverage bottles to said beverage bottle packing machine; a beverage bottle forming machine being configured and disposed to form beverage bottles; a central control system being operatively connected to each of said machines to monitor and control the operation thereof; said beverage bottle filling machine comprising: a rotor; a rotatable vertical machine column; said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; a plurality of beverage bottle filling elements for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; each of said plurality of beverage bottle filling elements comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold beverage bottles to be filled; each of said plurality of beverage bottle filling elements being configured and disposed to dispense liquid beverage material into beverage bottles to be filled; at least one liquid reservoir being configured to hold a supply of liquid beverage material; at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one liquid reservoir to said beverage bottle filling machine to supply liquid beverage material to said beverage bottle filling machine; a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles into said beverage bottle filling machine; and a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle filling machine; said beverage bottle forming machine comprising: a rotor; a rotatable vertical machine column; said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; a plurality of beverage bottle forming arrangements for forming beverage bottles being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; each of said plurality of beverage bottle forming arrangements comprising: a mold being configured to mold blown, plastic material into a beverage bottle; said mold comprising two movable side portions disposed opposite one another and a movable bottom portion; said movable bottom portion being configured and disposed to insert a beverage bottle sleeve in between said two movable side portions; said two movable side portions being configured and disposed to hold a beverage bottle sleeve there between; a movable blower head being configured and disposed to insert a beverage bottle blank into said mold; and said movable blower head being configured and disposed to blow air into a beverage bottle blank to expand the blank against the interior of said mold to form a beverage bottle, and to press a portion of the outer surface of the beverage bottle against the inner surface of a beverage bottle sleeve in said mold to connect the beverage bottle sleeve to the beverage bottle; and a star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle forming machine; said beverage bottle closing machine comprising: a rotor; a rotatable vertical machine column; said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; a plurality of closing devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; each of said plurality of closing devices being configured and disposed to place closures on filled beverage bottles; each of said plurality of closing devices comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold filled beverage bottles; a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled beverage bottles into said beverage bottle closing machine; and a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle closing machine; said beverage bottle packing machine comprising: a sorting arrangement being configured and disposed to sort and group beverage bottles into groups; and a packaging arrangement being configured and disposed to package the groups of beverage bottles; said method comprising the steps of: 
 moving beverage bottles to said filling machine;    moving beverage bottles into said filling machine;    filling beverage bottles with a liquid beverage material in said filling machine;    moving filled beverage bottles out of said filling machine;    moving filled beverage bottles to said closing machine;    moving filled beverage bottles into said machine;    closing filled beverage bottles with a closure in said closing machine;    prior to filling beverage bottles in said filling machine, moving beverage bottle blanks into said beverage bottle forming machine;    inserting with said blower heads beverage bottle blanks into said molds;    inserting with said movable bottom portions beverage bottle sleeves into said molds;    blowing air into beverage bottle blanks in said molds and expanding the blanks against the interiors of said molds to form beverage bottles and to press a portion of the outer surface of the beverage bottles against the inner surfaces of the beverage bottle sleeves in said molds to connect the beverage bottle sleeves to the beverage bottles;    moving beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle forming machine and to said beverage bottle filling machine;    moving filled, closed beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle closing machine;    moving filled, closed beverage bottles to said packing machine;    sorting filled, closed beverage bottles;    grouping filled, closed, sorted beverage bottles; and    packaging filled, closed, sorted, grouped beverage bottles in packages.    
   
   
       2 . The method of operating a beverage bottling plant according to  claim 1 , wherein for the blowing of the beverage bottle, the blank prepared on a blow head or a blow nozzle is introduced into the mold cavity of the blow mold from a first side, for example from the top, and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is introduced into the mold cavity from a second side, for example from the bottom of the blow mold.  
   
   
       3 . The method of operating a beverage bottling plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the introduction of the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element into the mold cavity of the blow mold takes place simultaneously or approximately simultaneously with the introduction of the blank into the mold cavity and/or the closing of the blow mold.  
   
   
       4 . The method of operating a beverage bottling plant according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is at least partly fixed and/or expanded in the blow mold, for example by vacuum or suction and/or mechanical fixing means; and the reinforcement or stabilizing element is a sleeve-like element that surrounds the beverage bottle in the beverage bottle area to be stabilized, for example a sleeve that is made of a flat material, e.g. plastic, cardboard or multiple-layer paper.  
   
   
       5 . The method of operating a beverage bottling plant according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is a grid-shaped, cage-like and/or hook-like element that at least partly surrounds the beverage bottle in the area to be stabilized; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is elastically deformable; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element has raised mold elements on its inner jacket surface.  
   
   
       6 . The method of operating a beverage bottling plant according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element has depressions on its inner jacket surface; and/or the at least one reinforcing or stabilizing element has at least one hole that penetrates its jacket surface; and the at least one reinforcing or stabilizing element has flexible elements on its inner jacket surface; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element, at least on its surface facing away from the beverage bottle outside, is at least partly printed and/or contains a graphic and/or color design; and the method further comprises the manufacture of the beverage bottles on a blowing machine that employs a rotary construction with a plurality of blow molds provided on a rotor that is driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis.  
   
   
       7 . A container made by inserting with blower heads beverage bottle blanks into molds; inserting with movable bottom portions of said molds beverage bottle sleeves into said molds; blowing air into beverage bottle blanks in said molds and expanding the blanks against the interiors of said molds to form beverage bottles and to press a portion of the outer surface of the beverage bottles against the inner surfaces of the beverage bottle sleeves in said molds to connect the beverage bottle sleeves to the beverage bottles; said container comprising plastic, in particular a PET bottle, wherein the container is provided on the outer surface of a container area to be stabilized with at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element which during the molding or blowing is connected with the container positively or non-positively.  
   
   
       8 . The container according to  claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement or stabilizing element is a sleeve-like element that surrounds the container in the container area to be stabilized, for example a sleeve manufactured from a flat material, e.g. from plastic, cardboard or multiple-layer paper.  
   
   
       9 . The container according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is an element that at least partly surrounds the container in the area to be stabilized, for example a grid, cage or hook-like element.  
   
   
       10 . The container according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is at least partly printed and/or has a graphic and/or color design on its surface facing away from the outside of the container; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is at least partly printed and/or has a graphic and/or color design on its surface facing the inside of the container.  
   
   
       11 . The container according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element has at least one hole which is located opposite the printing applied to the inside of the reinforcement or stabilizing element; and the container has a larger diameter, at least below the specified position of the lower end of the reinforcement or stabilizing element.  
   
   
       12 . A method of operating a container filling plant, said method comprising the steps of: 
 moving containers to a filling machine;    moving containers into said filling machine;    filling containers with a liquid beverage material in said filling machine;    moving filled containers out of said filling machine;    moving filled containers to a closing machine;    moving filled containers into said machine;    closing filled containers with a closure in said closing machine;    prior to filling containers in said filling machine, moving container blanks into a container forming machine;    inserting container blanks into a mold in forming arrangements of said container forming machine;    inserting container sleeves into said molds;    blowing air into container blanks in said molds and expanding the blanks against the interiors of said molds to form containers and to press a portion of the outer surface of the containers against the inner surfaces of the container sleeves in said molds to connect the container sleeves to the containers;    moving containers out of said container forming machine and to said container filling machine;    moving filled, closed containers out of said container closing machine;    moving filled, closed containers to a packing machine;    sorting filled, closed containers;    grouping filled, closed, sorted containers; and    packaging filled, closed, sorted, grouped containers in packages.    
   
   
       13 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 12 , wherein for the blowing of the container, the blank prepared on a blow head or a blow nozzle is introduced into the mold cavity of the blow mold from a first side, for example from the top, and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is introduced into the mold cavity from a second side, for example from the bottom of the blow mold.  
   
   
       14 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 13 , wherein the introduction of the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element into the mold cavity of the blow mold takes place simultaneously or approximately simultaneously with the introduction of the blank into the mold cavity and/or the closing of the blow mold.  
   
   
       15 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is at least partly fixed and/or expanded in the blow mold, for example by vacuum or suction and/or mechanical fixing means.  
   
   
       16 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 15 , wherein the reinforcement or stabilizing element is a sleeve-like element that surrounds the container in the container area to be stabilized, for example a sleeve that is made of a flat material, e.g. plastic, cardboard or multiple-layer paper.  
   
   
       17 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is a grid-shaped, cage-like and/or hook-like element that at least partly surrounds the container in the area to be stabilized.  
   
   
       18 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element is elastically deformable; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element has raised mold elements on its inner jacket surface.  
   
   
       19 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element has depressions on its inner jacket surface; and/or the at least one reinforcing or stabilizing element has at least one hole that penetrates its jacket surface.  
   
   
       20 . The method of operating a container filling plant according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one reinforcing or stabilizing element has flexible elements on its inner jacket surface; and the at least one reinforcement or stabilizing element, at least on its surface facing away from the container outside, is at least partly printed and/or contains a graphic and/or color design; and the method further comprises the manufacture of the containers on a blowing machine that employs a rotary construction with a plurality of blow molds provided on a rotor that is driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis.