TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a bottle lifter comprising a lifting sleeve provided with an inner cavity delimited by an inner surface, which surface extends between an upper and a lower opening in said lifting sleeve, a bottle neck being inserted, when the bottle lifter is used, into said cavity through said lower opening, a connecting device disposed between the lifting sleeve and a carrying construction, said inner surface actively interacting with said bottle neck to achieve a holding force on lifting.

PRIOR ART The handling of bottles and cans in breweries and in industry involves much lifting. Due to recycling systems, the number of times that a bottle is lifted during its entire life cycle has also increased. The technique used hitherto employs various methods of gripping around a bottle neck to achieve a lift. There are many different variants and many different principles for achieving this gripping around a bottle neck. Examples of technical solutions are gripping arms activated by compressed air, expander devices activated by compressed air, electrically driven gripping arms etc.

A lilting device is previously known from e. g. WO 89/04794, which device is based on the bottle neck being inserted into a cavity and there being a cylinder in this cavity with an annular part, which is expanded by filling it with compressed air, due to which a grip is obtained around the bottle neck.

The disadvantages of this known technique are that the designs are quite complicated, with a great risk of technical problems. The wear on the technical equipment is also considerable, for which reason the requirement for servicing of the equipment is fairly great. Since gripping arms and expander devices occur in the equipment, there is also a risk of damage in the form of crushing, both of products and of people. In addition, the equipment is relatively expensive.

In automatic bottle handling, the speed is high. The lifting device must be able to grip around the bottle quickly, hold the bottle firmly during the actual lift and be able to release the bottle quickly at the destination. The attempts made hitherto to use vacuum suction when lifting bottles has not turned out well, since the surface of a bottle that can be used by a suction device, i. e. the upper part of the cork, has not been sufficient to give a firm grip around the bottle in rapid movements. It is the same with cans. The upper part of a can of modern design has been too small to be able to achieve a secure, steady lift using the known technique. Thus there has long been a requirement for a better lifting device for bottles and cans and packagings of a similar shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least minimize the aforementioned problems, which is achieved by means of a bottle lifter, comprising a lifting sleeve provided with an inner cavity delimited by an inner surface, which surface extends between an upper part and a lower opening in said lifting sleeve, a connecting device disposed between the lifting sleeve and a carrying construction, at least one part of said inner surface being intended to actively interact with a bottle neck to achieve a holding force on lifting, characterized in that said inner surface is designed so that said interaction is sealing all round in a certain area inside the lifting sleeve and that said upper part is provided with means by which a pressure pi that is below atmospheric pressure po can be created inside the lifting sleeve above said area.

One of the great advantages of handling bottles and cans by means of the device according to the present invention is that the device has a simpler design than what has been possible hitherto. This simplicity means that the accessibility of the device is high. The simple design also makes the device service-friendly, since there are few parts that wear continuously. Furthermore, it implies a very favourable cost.

Due to swift and simple attachment to a device that generates a vacuum, for example a UniGripper or device of another maker, very good flexibility can be achieved in a handling system. For example, the invention can be used in lifting a certain type of bottle and when a mixed goods pallet is to be assembled, for example at a wholesaler's, the device according to the invention can quickly be exchanged for a nozzle that can lift a different type of bottle or product.

As the bottle lifter according to the invention has a very short suction time and very short release time, a very good rapidity is obtained when handling bottles and cans. This in combination with the fact that the bottle sits firmly in the lifting sleeve means that the handling speed can be increased considerably.

According to further aspects of the invention, it is the case that at least a part of said inner surface has the shape of a truncated cone, said part is disposed in the lower part of the lifting sleeve, preferably adjacent to said opening, 'said interacting surface between the sleeve and the bottle is located in said conical part of the inner surface, the upper part of the inner cavity in the lifting sleeve has a diameter dl that is less than the diameter of the lifting sleeve's lower opening d2, in which case preferably l Odl > d2 > 1.5 dl, more preferredly 5di 2 d2 > 2 dl, with the object of stabilizing the lifted bottle, said upper part is formed cylindrically, an angle a between an inner surface, in the part of the lifting sleeve that has the shape of a truncated cone, and a transverse plane is 10-85°, more preferredly 50-85° and even more preferredly 70-85°, the connecting device (15) between the lifting sleeve (10) and the carrying construction (20) is designed so that the lifting sleeve (10) has a degree of movement preferably both laterally and vertically,

the height of the lifting sleeve is greater than the outer diameter, the height of the conical part of the inner surface is greater than the height of the cylindrical part, the lifting sleeve is spring-fastened in the carrying construction, a spring organ preferably being disposed between the lifting sleeve and the carrying construction, the lifting sleeve is manufactured from a material, preferably a structural plastic, that is preferably harder than the plastic material that the bottle is made from, the inner conical surface is coated with a layer of a soft, workable, sealing material, the connecting device is provided with a sealing device for closing a bottle that lacks a cap, the connecting device is provided with an ejection device for removing a bottle, said inner surface is designed so that said interaction is sealing all round in an area inside the lifting sleeve and that said upper part is provided with means by which a pressure pi is created inside the lifting sleeve above said area, which pressure is below atmospheric pressure po and acts on the upper part of said bottle so that said holding force is achieved, an angle a between the inner surface, in the part of the lifting sleeve that has the shape of a truncated cone, and a transverse plane is selected so that it is 10-85°, more preferredly 50-85° and even more preferredly 70-85°, an angle ß between a surface on the bottle neck and a transverse plane is 10-85°, more preferredly 50-85° and even more preferredly 70-85°, angle a is selected so that it is greater than angle ß, the holding force is influenced in that said area is adapted to optimize said holding force, the radius (r2) in said area considerably exceeding radius (ri) for the cap of the bottle, it preferably being the case that 1.2ri < r2 < ! 9 20ri, more preferredly 1. 5r1 : ra < lOrl.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the enclosed figures, in which Fig. 1 shows an enlarged detailed view of a lifting sleeve in a bottle lifter and the fastening of the lifting sleeve into a carrying construction, Fig. 2 shows the bottle lifter seen from above, Fig. 3 shows in side view according to a preferred embodiment the bottle lifter mounted on a lifting plate of the vacuum type equipped with special valves, Fig. 4 shows in side view according to a preferred embodiment the bottle lifter mounted on a lifting plate of the vacuum type according to the conventional type, Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the bottle lifter according to Figure 1, in which the bottle lifter has been provided with a sealing device (60) and Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the bottle lifter according to Figure 1 in which the bottle lifter has been provided with an ejection device (70), Fig. 7 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the lifting sleeve has been fitted to a lifting plate of the UniGripper type, and in which the connecting device is fitted to the lower part of the lifting plate, Fig. 8 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the lifting sleeve has been fitted to a conventional lifting plate, for example a suction box, and in which the connecting device is fitted to the lower part of the lifting plate, Fig. 9 shows how the bottle lifter can be used to sort bottles of a different appearance, a difference in diameter between the shoulders of the bottles being utilized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 shows, in cross-section, a detailed enlargement of a bottle lifter 1 according to the present invention. The bottle lifter 1 comprises a lifting sleeve 10 that is disposed on a carrying construction 20 by means of a connecting device 15. Springing 16 is arranged between the lifting sleeve 10 and the carrying construction 20. Connected to the carrying construction 20 is a lifting plate 40. A seal 21 is disposed between the carrying construction 20 and the lifting plate 40.

When a bottle 30 is to be lifted, the lifting plate 40 generates a vacuum. This vacuum gives rise to an air flow that enters through a lower opening 14 of the lifting sleeve 10, passes through an inner cavity 12, through the connecting device 15 and leaves the lifting sleeve 10 through an upper opening 13 and then through a duct 22 and passes thereafter into an opening in the lifting plate 40. This air flow creates a vacuum pi in the inner cavity 12, meaning that a bottle 30 can be sucked firmly against an inner surface 11 in the inner cavity 12 and then, when the bottle lifter is lifted vertically, the bottle sits firmly in the lifting sleeve 10 and follows it in its movement.

The lifting sleeve 10 consists of a cylindrical sleeve of a circular cross-section. The lifting sleeve 10 has a centre axis G. In the lifting sleeve there is an upper opening 13 and a lower opening 14, the diameter of the lower opening 14 being greater than the diameter of the upper opening 13. Between the upper opening 13 and the lower opening 14 an inner cavity 12 extends, which has an inner surface 11 that extends between the upper opening 13 and the lower opening 14. The lifting sleeve 10 is made from a structural plastic or metal.

The inner surface 11 has a different appearance and different inclination inside the inner cavity 12. Closest to the lower opening 14 the inner cavity has a conical part, which has a height h2, an inner surface A1 of this cone being the envelope surface of a straight truncated cone. An imaginary base surface to this truncated cone goes through an imaginary plane B1, which is perpendicular in relation to the centre axis G of the lifting sleeve 10. The base surface intersects the lifting sleeve 10 at the lower opening 14. An angle a occurs between the plane B1 and the inner surface A1 of the straight truncated cone. This angle a gives the inclination of the inner surface Al in the conical part of the lifting sleeve 10 and is significant for the fitting to a bottle 30.

Above the conical part of the inner cavity 12 is a cylindrical part with a height hl and a diameter dl. This cylindrical cavity is delimited by an envelope surface A3. The lower opening 14 has a diameter d2 that exceeds the diameter dl. A hole 107 extends between the

cylindrical part and the upper opening 13. The connecting device 15 is disposed in this hole, which connecting device connects and fixes the lifting sleeve 10 in a carrying construction 20. The connecting device 15 is fastened in a hole 23 in the carrying construction 20. Arranged on an outer surface As of an upper part of the lifting sleeve 10 is springing 16, which extends along the circumference of the circular outer surface As.

The connecting device 15 is arranged in the lifting sleeve 10 in such a way that the lifting sleeve 10 has a degree of movement both horizontally and vertically. In these horizontal and vertical movements, the springing 16 damps the movements and stabilizes the lifting sleeve 10 in its position. This degree of movement or play is important for the bottle lifter 1 to manage variations in the placing of bottles.

A number of lifting sleeves 10 is arranged on the carrying construction 20. The number of lifting sleeves depends for example on the crates that are to be filled in a brewery. The carrying construction 20 is made for example of metal. The connecting device 15, which is made for example of brass, is connected to the carrying construction 20 in that threads on the connecting device 15 fit into threads in the hole 23 in the carrying construction 20.

There is no play in this connection. Resting on top of the carrying construction 20 is a seal 21, which lies between the lifting plate 40 and the carrying construction 20. A number of ducts 22 is included in the seal 21, which ducts connect openings in the lifting plate 40 to the hole 23 in the carrying construction. The seal 21 is preferably made of a plastic or rubber material with suitable properties.

The lifting plate 40 generates a vacuum pl and sucks air in through the openings in the lifting plate 40 (not shown). This suction effect causes an air current to be formed, which moves through the inner cavity 12 in the lifting sleeve 10, through the hole 17 in the connecting device 15, onwards through hole 23 in the carrying construction 20, through the duct 22 and into the openings of the lifting plate. The magnitude of this air flow is determined by the properties and design of the lifting plate 40. The lifting plate can for example be a conventional lifting plate or a valve plate of the UniGripper brand. The last-

named lifting plate has special valves that enable a vacuum to be created and maintained in the valves that lie in an area of the lifting plate that is used for lifting objects, while the valves that are not used are closed.

A bottle 30 or an object with a similar shape has a sloping neck 31 with a surface A2 and an upper end 32 where a cap 33 can be provided. The cap 33 has a radius rl calculated from the centre axis G of the bottle 30 and sleeve 10. The bottle neck 31 below a line E has the shape of a straight truncated cone where the surface Aa constitutes the envelope surface and an imaginary base surface consists of an imaginary plane B l, which intersects the centre axis G of the bottle 30 and lifting sleeve 10 at right angles by the lower opening 14 of the lifting sleeve 10.

An angle ß occurs between the plane Bl and the surface Aa on the bottle neck 31 and indicates the inclination of the bottle neck 31. The angle a, which indicates the inclination of the inner surface A1 of the lifting sleeve 10 and the angle (3, which indicates the inclination of the bottle neck 31, must be matched to one another for a contact surface A4 to be formed between the surface Aa and the inner surface Ai. Angle a must be greater than angle p. The difference between angle a and angle (3 determines how great the contact surface A4 is. If the difference between angle a and angle B is too small, the contact surface A4 will be great, which may result in difficulties in removing the bottle 30.

Since it is the contact surface A4 that seals between the vacuum pi prevailing in the inner cavity 12 in the lifting sleeve 10 and the outer atmospheric pressure po, it is important for the contact surface A4 to be sufficiently great for the bottle 30 to sit firmly during the lifting operation.

The height h2 of the conical part of the lifting sleeve 10 determines how far down the lifting sleeve 10 will go over the cone-shaped bottle neck 31. This is definitive for how great the lifting force must be. The lifting force obtained is determined by the cross-sectional area at

the contact surface A4. The cross-sectional area is determined in turn by the radius r2. The cross-sectional area is 7r r22. If the vacuum pl is constant, then the higher the height h2 of the conical part of the lifting sleeve 10, the better the lifting force obtained.

If a bottle has a shape that means that sealing at the contact surface A4 is insufficient, there is a possibility of coating the inner surface A1 with a material that is soft and can thereby adapt itself to the shape of the bottle neck 31, meaning that satisfactory sealing is obtained and the lifting force is sufficient to lift the bottle 30.

The lifting sleeve's 10 cylindrical part with height hl of the lifting sleeve 10 has a stabilizing influence on the bottle during a lift. The diameter dl is adapted according to the diameter of the cork 33 and the upper end 32 of the bottle 30. There must be sufficiently great play between the inner surface 11 and the cork 33 to minimize wear, but the inner surface 11 must at the same time be able to serve as a control surface if the inclination of the centre axis of the bottle and lifting sleeve deviates too greatly from one another when the lifting sleeve is lowered down over the bottle 30.

The springing 16 and connecting device 15 facilitate movement of the lifting sleeve 10 vertically and laterally. The vertical play in the current execution is 3 mm and the variation laterally is less than 1 mm from the centre.

The angle a, i. e. the inclination of the inner surface A1 of the lifting sleeve 10, is 79°. The angle ß, the inclination of surface A2 of the bottle neck 31, is 75°. A difference of 4° that makes it possible for the bottle to be released easily when the lifting operation is finished and the bottle 30 is to be released from the contact surface A4.

The height hl of the cylindrical part of the lifting sleeve 10 is 4/11 (0.36) of the total height ho of the lifting sleeve 10 in the embodiment shown. The height h2 of the conical part of the lifting sleeve 10 is 6/11 (0.55) of the total height of the lifting sleeve 10.

The ratio between the diameter dl in the cylindrical part and the diameter dz of the lower opening 14 is 0.51. The ratio between the total height ho of the lifting sleeve 10 and the outer diameter do of the lower opening 14 is 1.4.

Fig. 2 shows the bottle lifter 1 from above. The seal 21 covers an upper surface 24 of the carrying construction 20. In this seal 21 circular ducts 22 are made around each hole 23.

The diameter of the ducts 22 is greater than the diameter of the hole 23. This is so that several suction ducts in the lifting plate 40 shall be able to act on each hole 23 that leads to a lifting sleeve 10. Several suction ducts means increased lifting power for each lifting sleeve 10.

The carrying construction 20 consists of a rectangular plate with an upper surface 24. This carrying construction 20 is covered by a seal 21. Coupling devices 50 are located at each comer of the carrying construction 20, facilitating quick coupling to a lifting plate 40 that is lowered down perpendicularly on the upper surface 24.

In the embodiment shown, 12 lifting sleeves 10 are arranged on the carrying construction 20. The number of lifting sleeves and their positioning on the carrying construction 20 can be adjusted entirely to suit the customer's wishes.

Since the appearance of bottles varies most considerably, both within a country and between different countries, it is extremely important to be able to adapt the lifting sleeve 10 to the appearance of the bottle 30.

By varying the angle a and the height ho and diameter d2 as well as the appearance and composition of the inner surface Al in the inner cavity 12, a lifting sleeve can be fully tailored to a certain type of bottle 30. Fitting and sealing at the contact surface A4 is then good, due to which the bottle 30 will sit in a firm grip in the lifting sleeve 10 throughout the lifting operation.

It is to be perceived in this connection that the cross-section of the object that is to be lifted obviously does not need to be circular. A rectangular can with sloping upper surfaces, like the bottle's surface A2, can then be lifted with a lifting sleeve that is tailor-made according to the shape of the can. The basic prerequisite for all types of bottles and cans, however, is that a contact surface A4 between the object and the inner surface Al of the lifting sleeve 10 is sufficiently hermetic so that a sufficiently great vacuum pi can be formed in the inner cavity 12 in the lifting sleeve 10, due to which a lifting force occurs that holds the object firmly in the sleeve 10. The inner surface A1 can also be adapted to bottles 30 that have a surface A2 with an uneven, facet-like pattern.

Since several lifting. sleeves 10 are placed side by side on a carrying construction 20, the lateral distance between the centre of a first lifting sleeve and the centre of a second lifting sleeve, the so-called C-C measurement, can never be less than the diameter of the type of bottles that are to be lifted by the bottle lifter. The number of lifting sleeves 10 on a carrying construction 20 is determined more often than not by the number of bottles in a crate. When the number of bottles increases in a crate, the increase is usually according to the series 6 bottles per crate, 12 bottles per crate, 24 bottles per crate, 48 bottles per crate, 96 bottles per crate etc., i. e. an increase by a factor of 2.

The pattern that the lifting sleeves 10 form in Fig. 2 is only one example of how the lifting sleeves 10 can be placed in relation to one another. In the example shown, the centre of a lifting sleeve 10 in a first row lies centrally over a centre of a lifting sleeve 10 in a second row. It is also possible for example to displace the rows in relation to one another so that the centre of a lifting sleeve in a first row lies centrally over the space between two lifting sleeves 10 in a second row.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the bottle lifter mounted on a lifting plate 40.

The lifting plate 40 as shown in Fig. 3 is of the UniGripper brand, i. e. a vacuum plate with individual valves. The lifting plate 40 that is shown in Fig. 4 may represent all the other

types of lifting plates and suction boxes that can be used, i. e. vacuum plates without individual valves.

Fig. 3 shows a snap-on coupling 50 that fastens the bottle lifter 1 to the lifting plate 40.

This type of coupling makes release of the bottle lifter 1 from the lifting plate 40 quick and easy, when the lifting plate is to be used for example for lifting objects with a different shape.

The type of coupling that is used varies from case to case. There are a number of conventional couplings, for example click-on or snap-on, that can generally be called quick couplings. The method that is used to fasten the bottle lifter to the different lifting plates can be varied within wide margins.

Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a bottle lifter 1 that has been provided with a sealing device 60. This is of immediate importance among other things when a bottle 30 without a cap 33 is to be lifted. With a sealing device 60 the liquid is prevented from being sucked up from the open bottle. The sealing device 60 also prevents an empty bottle 30 of smaller dimensions from being compressed by the vacuum generated.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a bottle lifter 1 provided with an ejection device 70.

When a lifting operation is concluded and the bottles are placed in the desired position, the bottles must be released from the bottle lifter 1. This is achieved most easily in that the lifting plate 40 ceases to generate a vacuum pl. The pressure in the inner cavity 12 is then po, i. e. the ambient atmospheric pressure.

However, it can occur that the bottle 30 that has been lifted remains fixedly in the lifting sleeve 10 in spite of the fact that the pressure has been equalized between the inner cavity 12 and the environment. The ejection device 70 can then be used to push the bottle out of

the bottle lifter 1. The ejection device 70 can consist for example of a non-return valve. It is also possible to provide a duct 71 in the inner cavity 12 through which air can be introduced and create an. excess pressure p2 inside the inner cavity 12. This excess pressure p2 pushes the bottle 30 from the lifting sleeve 10.

It is to be perceived that there are many different ways of introducing an excess pressure into the inner cavity 12 in the lifting sleeve 10 and of how the connecting device 15 is provided with additions for the ejection or closure of bottles.

It is to be perceived that the embodiments of the invention shown can be combined freely with one another, i. e. an embodiment can be provided e. g. with both an ejection device 70 and a sealing device 60.

Fig. 7 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a lifting sleeve 10 is fitted to a lifting plate 40 by means of a connecting device 15. The lifting plate 40 is of the UniGripper@ type.

The connecting device 15 is arranged in the lifting sleeve 10 and on the inside of the lifting plate 40. The connecting device 15 can also be disposed in the carrying construction 20. A seal 21 is disposed between the carrying construction 20 and the lifting plate 40.

The example shows an alternative embodiment of how the lifting sleeve can be fastened on a lifting plate. The detailed design of the connecting device 15, seal 21 and the carrying construction 20 can be varied in many different ways. Alternatively, the seal can be left out. Where and how a fastening 80 is fitted to the lifting plate 40 can be varied in many different ways.

In the example shown of the alternative embodiment, the lifting plate 40 thus has valves that can be closed if a bottle 30 should be missing for some reason when the lifting sleeve 10 is lowered down to lift a bottle.

Fig. 8 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the lifting sleeve 10 is fitted to a lifting plate 40 by means of a connecting device 15, in which case the lifting plate 40 can consist of a so-called suction box, i. e. a lifting plate that has no valves.

In a comparison with Fig. 7, it is evident that the carrying construction 20, seal 21 and a cavity 22 can be left out in the present embodiment.

In the upper part of the lifting sleeve 10 is a hole 107. The connecting device 15 is arranged in this hole. A hole 17 passes through the connecting device 15 and connects the cavity in the lifting sleeve 10 to the air ducts in the lifting plate 40.

The lifting plate 40 in the example shown of an alternative embodiment of the invention has no valves. This means that, if no bottle 30 should be present, when a bottle lifter is to lift a set of bottles, an air flow will be introduced into the lifting sleeve 10 where a bottle is missing. Difficulty in maintaining the vacuum in the lifting plate as a whole can then be the consequence. This does not necessarily have to be a great problem if for example the lifting plate 40 can be provided with a great flow capacity of air, or if the hole 17 can be made extremely small. Valves such as those found in a lifting plate of the UniGripper type are however to be preferred to guarantee a secure lift, in which no bottles risk coming loose owing to a reduced vacuum in the lifting plate. How the connecting device 15 is arranged in the lifting plate 40 is not shown in detail in Fig. 8. A fastening similar to the fastening 80 in Fig. 7 can be used alternatively, or a fastening of a different kind.

How a lifting sleeve 10 can be fitted to a lifting plate 40 is not limited to the embodiments described above, but can be varied in a number of different ways within the scope of the claims in this patent.

Fig. 9 shows how the bottle lifter can be used for sorting bottles depending on their different appearance in the area of the bottle neck and shoulders where the bottle lifter operates.

The example of bottles shown in Fig. 9 consists of bottles of the same height between the bottom and mouth of the bottle.

Fig. 9 shows in part a lifting sleeve 10 that has been lowered down over a bottle 30B of a certain appearance. The lifting sleeve 10 is fitted to a lifting plate 40 (not shown), which is fitted in turn to a lifting device, for example an industrial robot with a lifting arm. This lifting robot can be set so that it lowers the lifting sleeve 10 an exact distance vertically down, the lifting sleeve 10 being lowered down so far onto the bottle 30B that the lifting sleeve 10 seals in an area A4 at the lower part of the lifting sleeve. A vacuum can thereby be created inside the lifting sleeve, so that the bottle 30B can be lifted.

A distance y2 indicates how far down, in a vertical direction, an upper surface 109 of the lifting sleeve 10 can be lowered down, for example by a robot, in relation to a given fixed point.

Fig. 9 also shows a lifting sleeve 10 that has been lowered down over a bottle 30A with a different appearance to bottle 30B. In this case the bottle has axes with a sharper inclination, meaning that the lifting sleeve 10 can go further down over the bottle.

The upper surface 109 of the lifting sleeve 10 can therefore be lowered down a distance y, from a given fixed point. The distance yl is further than distance y2. The length difference between the distances consists of a distance H.

Sorting of a quantity of bottles consisting of bottle types 30A and 30B can take place in the following manner. The robot or other device is programmed to first lower the upper surface 109 of the lifting sleeve by a distance y2. In this position a vacuum is provided in

the lifting sleeve 10, and all bottles of type 30B that have a lifting sleeve over them are sucked tight, and when the robot raises the lifting sleeves the bottles of type 30B follow.

Then only bottles of type 30A remain.

When the robot with the lifting sleeve has lifted away all bottles of type 30B to another place, it can lower the upper surface 109 of the lifting sleeve by the distance yl in relation to the fixed point. All bottles of type 30A can then fit each in its lifting sleeve 10, and when the vacuum is provided in the lifting sleeves they are sucked firmly into said lifting sleeve. The robot can then lift this bottle type away also. Quick and easy sorting of these two bottle types has thereby been achieved by using the difference H in the distance lowered.

If further types of bottles should be present that have an appearance that facilitates this kind of separation, more bottle types than two can thus be sorted by means of a similar procedure, with the difference that several distances for lowering can be used. How the variation in the distance lowered is achieved is not fixed in the aforesaid example, but can be varied in many different ways. It does not need to be a robot, but purely mechanical solutions or other solutions are conceivable.

It is also possible to use a sleeve of a different appearance to facilitate sorting of bottles with a further variation in appearance. This second sleeve can then be used in combination with the sleeve above. A different order for sorting the bottles can then be possible.

The invention is not restricted by what has been described above but can be varied in the scope of the following claims. The expert will perceive that the exact design of various constituent parts can be varied in many ways.

For example, the lifting sleeve can have a shape that is entirely adapted to the product that is to be lifted, i. e. the circular shape can be relinquished and replaced with a rectangular appearance or an appearance in the form of a polygon. The material and the appearance of

the cavity can also deviate from the embodiments shown. Material such as metal and suitable plastic material is conceivable. In extreme cases, other types of material, for example ceramic material, are conceivable if cold or heat or other circumstances call for this.

There are many objects, apart from bottles and cans, that are suitable for lifting using the bottle lifter 1. The common factor with all these objects is that they lack a suitable suction surface for a lifting device of the vacuum type according to the prior art.

The design of the carrying construction and material from which it is made can be varied.

The number of holes in the seal can be designed according to the vacuum plate. A polygonal shape is conceivable on the carrying construction and the fastening to the lifting sleeve by means of the connecting device can be achieved in many ways, for example by means of welding, and the actual connecting device can be separated from the opening in the lifting sleeve.

The springing can be achieved using plastic material or rubber material or with metal springs. The number can be increased and the positioning changed if trials in the use of the bottle lifter demand it.

The arrangement of the sealing device and its design are determined by the appearance of the product. It is conceivable for example to make a movable extension of the connecting device or provide a sealing device separate from the connecting device.

The ejection device can be mechanical or pneumatic, i. e. a device can press on the bottle so that it comes loose from the lifting sleeve or a powerful air current can be directed against the bottle itself and achieve the same aim.