Apparatus and method for the production of sets of containers

Abstract

An apparatus ( 1 ) for the production of sets of containers ( 10 ), wherein the apparatus has a packaging device ( 2 ) which wraps a plurality of containers ( 20 ) at least in part with a film-like packaging material ( 12 ) and thus forms a set of containers ( 10 ), with a shrinking device ( 4 ) which shrinks the packaging material ( 12 ) which wraps the containers ( 20 ) at least in part, with a conveying device ( 6 ) which conveys the containers ( 20 )—wrapped by the packaging material ( 12 )—in a pre-set conveying direction, and with an inspection device ( 8 ) which inspects the containers ( 20 )—wrapped at least in part by the packaging material ( 12 )—after the shrinking procedure.

1 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for the production of sets of containers ( 10 ), wherein the apparatus has a packaging device ( 2 ) which wraps a plurality of containers ( 20 ) at least in part with a film-like packaging material ( 12 ) and thus forms a set of containers ( 10 ), with a shrinking device ( 4 ) which shrinks the packaging material ( 12 ) which wraps the containers ( 20 ) at least in part, with a conveying device ( 6 ) which conveys the containers ( 20 )—wrapped by the packaging material ( 12 )—in a pre-set conveying direction, and with an inspection device ( 8 ) which inspects the containers ( 20 )—wrapped at least in part by the packaging material ( 12 )—after the shrinking procedure. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) is arranged downstream of the shrinking device ( 4 ) in the conveying direction (R) of the containers ( 20 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) has an image-recording device ( 82 ) which is suitable and provided for recording images of the set ( 10 ) of containers. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) is suitable for detecting a relative position of at least one container ( 20 ) of the set of containers ( 10 ) with respect to at least one further container ( 20 ) of this set of containers ( 10 ). 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 1 ) has a position detection device ( 16 ) which detects a position of the containers wrapped by the packaging material in the conveying direction. 
     
     
         6 . An inspection device ( 8 ) for the inspection of sets of containers, wherein the sets of containers ( 10 ) have a plurality of containers ( 20 ) which are wrapped by a packaging material, with an image-recording device ( 82 ) which observes the sets of containers ( 10 ), wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) has an output device ( 84 ) which emits at least one signal which is characteristic of a relative position of at least one container ( 20 ) of the set of containers ( 10 ) with respect to at least one second container ( 20 ) of this set of containers ( 10 ) and/or which signal is characteristic of at least one external surface of the set of containers ( 10 ). 
     
     
         7 . The inspection device ( 8 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the image recording device ( 82 ) is arranged in such a way that it observes the set of containers ( 10 ) from above. 
     
     
         8 . The inspection device ( 8 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) has at least one lens member ( 86 ) which is arranged between the set of containers and the image-recording device ( 82 ). 
     
     
         9 . The inspection device ( 8 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) has at least one beam deflection element ( 96 ) which allows at least one lateral face of the set of containers to be observed. 
     
     
         10 . The inspection device ( 8 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the inspection device ( 8 ) has at least one illumination device ( 92 ) for illuminating the set of containers ( 10 ) during the inspection. 
     
     
         11 . A method of producing sets of containers with the steps of:
 forming a set from a plurality of containers ( 20 );   applying a film-like packaging material to the containers ( 20 ), wherein this film-like packaging material ( 12 ) surrounds the set of the containers ( 10 ) at least locally;   shrinking the film-like packaging material ( 12 ) onto the containers ( 10 );   inspecting the containers ( 20 ) with the packaging material arranged on them for the shrinkage of the packaging material ( 12 ).   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one relative position of a first container ( 20 ) of the set of containers ( 10 ) with respect to a second container of the set of containers ( 10 ) is detected.