EP2653435B1 - Container closing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device for closing containers with a closure, preferably for closing beverage bottles with screw caps.

State of the art

It is known to close bottles by means of different closing devices. On the one hand, devices are known which drive corks or plugs into the openings of bottles. It is essential here to compress the respective stoppers or corks prior to the actual driving into the bottle opening. A device for closing bottles by means of crown corks is further from the DE 40 30 928 A1 known. Also known are devices for applying crown corks, wherein the crown corks are pressed onto the respective bottle openings. Such a device for applying crown caps is for example from the DE 1 939 545 A known.

Also known are devices for applying roll-on closures, in which the bottle mouths are already provided with an external thread on which the respective roll-on closure is rolled by means of a roll-on closure, which has thread and flanging rollers in its closure head.

Screw closers, in which plastic screw closures are typically screwed onto mouths of plastic bottles which are likewise provided with an external thread, are also known. Such a device is for example from the DE 10 2009 045 637 A1 known.

In order to supply the respective closures to the closure members, usually star-shaped feeders are used, which are arranged in front of the actual capper, which bring the respective closures to the predetermined by the Verschließaggregate division and then the closures supply the respective Verschließaggregaten.

These starwheels for supplying closures to closure members are typically arranged so that the overlap of the respective pitch circles takes place only at one point. For example, in the mentioned DE 40 30 928 introduced the respective crown caps on such a star wheel. Also in the mentioned DE 10 2009 045 637 A1 the screw caps are fed via a pick wheel on the defined by the path of Verschließkonen pitch circle.

Since the two pitch circles, namely the pitch circle of the feeder and the pitch circle on which the closure zones are guided, touch only in a single point of intersection, the transfer of the closures must take place at the respective Verschließerkonus exactly at this intersection and thus in a very short time , Especially with screw cappers, in which the respective capper cone must pick the screw from the usually Pickrad feeding mechanism in order to subsequently apply the appropriate torque on the screw caps for closing the respective container, this requires a very high relative vertical speed of the capper cone and the Pickrades each other , As a result, the mechanical design is complex and prone to wear, since high accelerations must be recorded here. In these devices, the capper cone must dip very abruptly down at the point of transfer of the respective screw cap, resulting in high acceleration and stress on the mechanics.

Furthermore, after picking the respective closure, for example, in the in the DE 10 2009 045 637 A1 shown embodiment, the closure cone together with the closure are lifted off the pick wheel again, so perform a short upward movement to be lowered only then to the respective bottle for screwing the screw cap. This also requires complex control, a load on the mechanism and a high overall height.

The DE 558 846 discloses a device for closing bottles and similar containers according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the pick wheel comprises movable transfer levers which are movable from a take-up position for carrying the closure from a closure feed to a transfer position for transferring the closure to the capper cone.

The EP 0414081 A2 shows a method and apparatus for closing cans.

The FR 2648124 describes a positioning device for closures for closing containers.

Presentation of the invention

Based on the cited prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for closing containers, by means of which the closing process or picking process can be further improved.

This object is achieved by a device for closing containers with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, a device for closing containers with a closure comprises a closure cone for applying the closure to the container and a pick wheel for transferring the closure to the closure cone. According to the invention, the pick wheel comprises at least one movable segment, which is movable from a driving position for carrying the closure from a closure feed into a transfer position for transferring the closure to the sealer cone.

Due to the movable design of the segment such that it can be moved from a driving position for carrying the closure into a transfer position for transferring the closure to the closing cone, it becomes possible to significantly simplify the trajectory of the closing cone. In particular, it is no longer necessary to lift the capper cone again after picking the respective closure and only then to lower it to the mouth of the respective container, but it can be carried out quasi a steady lowering movement of the capper cone.

In order to achieve the greatest possible overlap of the respective pitch circles of the pick wheel and the neck guide, the pick wheel is concentric with the path on which the at least one capper cone is guided configured. As a result, the longest possible parallel guidance of the respective closure caps, which are conveyed or taken away by the picking wheel, is achieved on the pitch circle of the capper cone. This can be achieved by the described movable segments of the picking wheel in that they dodge during Verschraubvorgang in the transfer position, but the picking wheel can still be maintained in the overlapping orientation.

For example, with complete overlap of the pitch circles of the path of the closing cone and the pockets of the segments of the pick wheel, the segments can also in the pitch circle area, in which the capper cone applies the closure to the respective container may be present.

In this way, the wear on the capper cone or on the lifting mechanism can be reduced accordingly, since the jerky movements known from the prior art are no longer necessary.

A reliable entrainment of the closure in the segment can be achieved in that at least one segment has a pocket for receiving a closure.

At least one segment is movable relative to the plane of rotation of the picking wheel, preferably perpendicular to the plane of rotation. Thereby, a movement of the segment can be achieved during the rotation of the picking wheel in the direction of the lifting movement of the capper cone, so that the segments can escape the stroke of the capper cone and thus a lifting of the capper cone after picking the respective closure is no longer necessary.

A simple embodiment can be achieved in that at least one segment comprises a flexible material. By using a flexible material, the segment can be easily moved from the driving position to the transfer position.

In further preferred variants, at least one segment is pivotable about an axis of rotation, which is preferably spaced parallel to the axis of rotation of the picking wheel and particularly preferably also from this. By pivoting the segment about the axis of rotation also a transfer of the segment from the driving position in which the pocket of the segment is engaged with the closure, in the transfer position, in which the segment is no longer in contact with the closure, effectively achieved become.

In a further variant, the segment can be arranged to be movable from the driving position into the transfer position radially to the axis of rotation of the pick wheel.

In order to make the closing operation even more effective, at least one segment in the transfer position makes it possible to completely close the container by means of the closing cone. In other words, despite the presence of the segment, the occlusion cone can completely occlude the container. In this case, as described above, the segment can be moved relative to the plane of rotation so far that it lies between the container and the closure cone the full closing is not adversely affected. In the case of a possible radial movement of the segment, it can be retracted radially in such a way that it does not affect the complete closure of the container. In the presence of segments pivotable about a rotation axis, they can likewise be pivoted so far that they do not adversely affect the closing process.

The capper cone may preferably be suitable for screwing on plastic screw caps.

In a further preferred variant, at least one segment is biased into the driving position. In this way, a passive control of the segment can be realized.

In this connection, it is advantageous to provide the occlusion cone with an actuating element for moving the segment from the driving position into the transfer position. Thus, excessive wear of the segment and / or the occlusion cone can be avoided.

Active control of the segments can furthermore be achieved by the provision of at least one actuating device for moving a segment from the driving position into the transfer position, preferably in the form of a rail, a mechanical guide, a cam roller, a magnet and / or a ramp. In this case, advantageously, a lifting drive, which allows the stroke of the closing cone, also serve as an actuating device for moving the segment.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

schematisch einen Verschließer mit Verschließerkonen, einem Pickrad mit beweglichen Segmenten und Halsführungen für zu verschließende Behälter;

Figur 2

einen Ausschnitt aus dem Verschließer der Figur 1 und unterschiedliche Positionen der beweglichen Segmente des Pickrades;

Figur 3a

schematisch eine Draufsicht auf eine Variante eines Pickrades mit beweglichen Segmenten, bei welcher die Segmente des Pickrades radial ausweichen;

Figur 3b

eine schematische Seitenansicht des Pickrades der Figur 3a in einer Mitnahmeposition zum Mitnehmen eines Verschlusses;

Figur 3c

eine schematische Seitenansicht des Pickrades der Figuren 3a und 3b in einer Übergabeposition zum Übergeben des Verschlusses an einen Verschließerkonus;

Figur 4

schematisch eine weitere Variante des Pickrades mit beweglichen Segmenten, in welcher die Segmente um eine Drehachse verschwenkbar sind; und

Figur 5

schematisch eine weitere Variante des Pickrades mit beweglichen Segmenten, in welcher die Segmente flexibel angeordnet sind und in einer Schwenkbewegung ausweichen.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

schematically a capper with capping, a pick wheel with movable segments and neck guides for containers to be closed;

FIG. 2

a section of the capper of the FIG. 1 and different positions of the movable segments of the pick wheel;

FIG. 3a

schematically a plan view of a variant of a Pickrades with movable segments, in which the segments of the Pickrades dodge radially;

FIG. 3b

a schematic side view of the pick wheel of FIG. 3a in a driving position to take a closure;

Figure 3c

a schematic side view of the pick wheel of FIGS. 3a and 3b in a transfer position for transferring the closure to a capper cone;

FIG. 4

schematically another variant of the pick wheel with movable segments, in which the segments are pivotable about an axis of rotation; and

FIG. 5

schematically another variant of the pick wheel with movable segments, in which the segments are arranged flexibly and dodge in a pivoting movement.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, the same, similar or equivalent elements are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part in order to avoid redundancies.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a capper 1 for closing containers with closures. A neck guide 2 is provided which serves to guide the respective containers, for example PET bottles, to their neck. In the embodiment shown, it is accordingly a so-called "neck handling" closer. The containers are typically received in the neck guide 2 so that the necks are received in pockets 20 of the neck guide 2 and then guided along the path defined by the trajectory of the neck guide 2. The neck guide 2 is designed here in the form of a star wheel, so that according to the containers are guided on a circular path or on a circular pitch circle.

The guided in the neck guide 2 containers are closed via Verschließerkonen 3 with Veschlüssen. The closure zones 3 are formed in a known manner and provided in the embodiment shown in the form of Schraubverschließerkonen. The capping zones 3 move on the same track and directly over the pockets 20 of the neck guide 2 such that when a capper cone 3 is lowered, a cap located in the capping cone 3 is applied directly to the mouth of a bottle located in a pocket 20 of the neck guide 2 can. In the case of PET bottles plastic screw caps are preferably screwed onto the bottles here.

The capping zones 3 perform an upward and downward movement along their path by a lifting drive (not shown) such that the closing cone 3 is lowered towards the mouth of the container for screwing on the respective closure and a corresponding rotational movement is applied to the closure, to allow the screwing. After completion of the Verschraubvorganges the Verschließerkonus 3 is raised again to release the container and thus remove the closure from the Verschließerkonus 3 again. Thereafter, the finished sealed container is removed from the neck guide 2. The capper cone 3 is then guided to a picking area, in which a new cap is transferred to the capper cone 3, to then again close a new container.

The closures are supplied via a closure feed 4 in the form of a closure trough, for example from a preceding sterilization device, and then fed to the closure cone 3. In the embodiment shown, the closure channel 4 opens on the capper in such a way that a closure is entrained via a pick wheel 5. The pick wheel 5 has movable segments 52, which each have a pocket 50, in each of which a closure can be received. Accordingly, the segments 52 are moved with the pockets 50 on the shutter feed 4, so that in each pocket 50, a closure is taken. Through the pockets 50, the entrained closures are then brought to the appropriate pitch, so that they can be placed directly below the capping 3 and centered to the Verschließkonen 3.

The pick wheel 5 and the pockets 50 of the segments 52 are in the in FIG. 1 shown embodiment concentric with the pockets 20 of the neck guide 2 and also arranged concentrically to the trajectory of the capping 3.

FIG. 2 shows a section of the in FIG. 1 shown capper 1 to better illustrate the function of the pick wheel 5 with the segments 52 can.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the picking wheel 5 has a multiplicity of individual, movable segments 52 which each have their own pocket 50 for carrying a single closure. The segments 52 are in the illustrated embodiment in a central region 500 of the Pickrades 5, which in the FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed as a ring, held and made of a flexible material, such as a spring steel. Alternatively, plastic is possible. The segments 52 can be correspondingly raised and lowered relative to the plane defined by the inner ring 500 at its peripheral region.

To the representation in the FIG. 2 To make clearer, only a few capping 3 are shown here. But it is about each pocket 20 of the neck guide 2, and above each pocket 50 of the segments 52 of the Pickrades a closing cone 3 is arranged.

Instead of the flexible material, the individual segments 52 can also be articulated via hinges or hinges on the central ring 500. It is only essential in the embodiment shown that the individual segments 52 can move from a driving position into a transfer position and back into the driving position.

The sequence of movement of the segments 52 of the pick wheel 5 along one revolution of the Veschließers 1 will be described below and individual segments are referred to below with small letters.

In the region of the closure channel 4, there is a first segment a in the driving position, approximately in the middle at the level of a supplied closure. In this driving position, which is a raised position relative to the plane defined by the ring 500 of the Pickrades 5, a closure from the closure channel 4 is taken. The segment a reaches the position raised in relation to the plane defined by the ring 500 of the picking wheel 5 in that the segment a is guided by a control rail 6 which extends below the segment a is arranged is raised. The segment a is thereby limited at the same time upwards by a further guide rail 60 arranged above the guide rail 6, such that the segment a is guided from below through the guide rail 6 and from above through the guide rail 60. Correspondingly, this is a positive guidance for the segment a, which is performed by the correspondingly arranged control rails 6 and 60. These control rails 6, 60 are provided in certain sections of the pitch circle of the closer 1 and raise and lower the segments 52 from the driving position to the transfer position and back to the driving position.

The segment a takes over from the closure channel 4 a closure which is received in the pocket 50 and is taken along along the trajectory of the pocket 50. The pocket 50 of the segment a engages approximately centrally with respect to the respective height of the closure on the closure wall in order to prevent tilting when taking away.

The capper cone 3 is still passed over the closure at this time and has no contact with this. In the in the FIGS. 1 and 2 shown embodiment, starting from the closure channel 4, a cover 40 is also provided above the closures, which among other things also serves to pass the closures in a predetermined orientation to the pockets 50 and thereby prevent that when taking the closures through the pockets 50 of the segments 52 of the pick wheel 5 takes place a tilting of the closure by the force applied only on one side.

The closure channel 4 has on its underside a closure guide 42, which merges into a closure guide plate 44 which extends over a predetermined machine angle along the predetermined path of the pockets 50 of the segments of the closures. Furthermore, a side guide 46 is provided, which serves to ensure that the recorded in the pockets 50 closures are not deflected radially outwards and slip out of the pockets 50, but follow the predetermined path. Both the closure guide plate 44 and the side guide 46 extend over an angular range of the pitch circle, which merges into a complete guidance of the closure by means of the closure cone 30. This is for example in FIG. 1 clearly seen, from which it follows that the side guide 46 extends over a considerable machine angle after the cover 40 has already ended. The closure guide plate 44 still extends beyond the side guide 46 to allow a safe insertion of the closure into the closure cone 3.

Accordingly, the closure is initially guided by the closure channel 4 from between the closure guide plate 44 and the cover 40, while it is taken from the pocket 50 of the segment a of the Pickrades 5.

In the area of the segment b in FIG. 2 ends the support of the segment through the lower guide rail 6 and at the same time the Verschließerkonus 3 is lowered onto the closure, which is now freely accessible after the end of the upper cover 40 for the Verschließerkonus 3. The side guide 46 still ensures that the closure is on the prescribed path, namely over the pocket 50, and does not dodge outwardly.

The closure is supported via the closure guide plate 44 downwards so that a back pressure against the pressing of the closure cone 3 is generated here. By pressing down the closing cone 3, the segment b, which is no longer supported by the lower guide rail 6, is slowly pushed down, together with the movement of the closing cone 3. Thus, the lifting drive (not shown) of the closing cone 3 acts as an actuating device for the segment b.

For this purpose, the closure cone 3 preferably has means on its outer side with which the segment b can be pressed down directly. Such a means may be, for example, the outer edge of the closure cone, which presses on the segment b in the region of the pocket 50. Accordingly, during the entire process of lowering the closing cone, the closure is still conveyed and guided over the segment b of the picking wheel 5, so that an exact transfer of the closure to the closing cone 3 is possible. At the same time, the machine angle on which the transfer of the closure to the capper cone 3 takes place is relatively extended and the capper cone 3 can be lowered accordingly slowly.

When the capper cone 3 has completely picked up the cap, the capping guide plate 44 also terminates, so that the cap is now completely held in the capper cone 3. After the end of the closure guide plate 44, the closure cone 3 is then further on the mouth of the located in a pocket 20 of the neck guide 2 bottle lowered. Here, the closure can then be screwed in a known manner to the bottle.

The segment c is still carried along and is also at the complete lowering of the Verschließerkonus 3 and according to the complete screwing of the closure on the mouth of the container still between Verschließerkonus 3 and the container. A complete screw is still possible because the segment c is formed so thin in the illustrated embodiment that it is not a complete screwing of the closure on the container in the way. This can also be seen, for example, in the area of the segment d.

Accordingly, in the embodiment, which in the FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown, the closure by means of the pocket 50 of a segment 52 taken from the closure trough 4, thereby brought to division and accelerated to the Verschließumlaufgeschwindigkeit. The occlusion cone 3 is lowered from the height of the upper cover plate 40 so that it can receive the closure which is still supported and guided on the closure guide plate 44 until the closure guide plate 44 ends. Then the closing cone 3 is further lowered to initiate the closing operation on the mouth of the respective container and the closure is screwed on. The segment 52 deviates further downwards in each case. After complete screwing the Verschließerkonus 3 can then be raised again to completely free the closure and to allow a discharge of the now closed bottle. The segment 52 remains at the same position over the pocket 20 of the neck guide 2 all the time.

In this way, the guidance of the closure cone 3 can be significantly simplified, since a continuous lowering movement for receiving the closure and the subsequent screwing of the bottle can be performed. Thereafter, only a lifting of the capper cone 3 is necessary to a level that allows a re-picking a closure. The lifting of the closure over a picking wheel, as taught in the prior art, is omitted in this way, so that the height of the capper 1 can be reduced because the stroke of the capper cone 3 is reduced. At the same time, no abrupt accelerations need to be applied to the capper cone, which simplifies the mechanical design and reduces wear.

In the case of segment e, this is raised again by the guide rail 60 arranged below it to the height at which it is possible to entrain the next closure.

In FIG. 1 sheets 30 are furthermore provided, which are moved together with the closing cone 3. The sheets 30 are intended to serve as a stop for the individual segments 52 in order to reduce increased wear of the segments in the region of the pockets 50 below the closure zones 3 and at the same time to reduce the wear of the closure zones 3 in this contact region. The sheets 30 serve accordingly to assist the movement of the segments 52.

In the Figures 3a, 3b and 3c schematically another embodiment of a Pickrades 5 is shown, which has movable segments 52 with pockets 50 for carrying a closure.

The movable segments 52 are in this embodiment, a flexible material, wherein the picking wheel 5 is arranged in a plane which extends above the plane of the closures. The segments 52 are, as in FIG FIG. 3b shown attached to the pick wheel 5 and are guided in a step down to take closures 10 can. Recesses 520 are provided in the segments 52 to allow for easy radial deflection of the respective segment 52 to the rear.

When lowering the closing cone 3 is achieved by a mechanism, for example by a conical or wedge-shaped design of the outer wall 32 of the closing cone 3, that the segment 52 is displaced radially inward in the region of the pocket 50. Accordingly, a movement of a segment 52 from a driving position to a transfer position in the radially inward direction takes place when the closing cone 3 is lowered. This situation is for example in Figure 3c indicated schematically. It can also be seen schematically the formation of the conical outer surface 32 of the closure cone 3, which serves to displace the segment 52 radially inwardly.

The recesses 520 serve to improve the flexibility of the segment 52 such that a retreat or a movement from the driving position, which in FIG. 3b is shown in the transfer position, which in Figure 3c is shown to simplify.

Preferably, the segments are guided on guide rails 6, which in the FIGS. 3b and 3c are indicated schematically in order to achieve the retreating and subsequent propelling of the segments 52 in the driving position defined.

In a further preferred embodiment, which in FIG. 4 is shown, the movable segments 52 are provided in the form of pivotable about an axis of rotation 522 brackets, which serve to entrain the respective closure 10. The segments 52 of the Pickrades are mounted here via the axes of rotation 522 directly to the neck guide 2, so that here the pick wheel 5 coincides with the neck guide 2. The segments 52 can be moved around the rotation axis 522 in such a way that they can pivot from the driving position shown at the segment a into the transfer position shown at the segment c. The pivoting of the segments can either passively controlled by the closing cone 3 take place, which displaces the segments 52, for example, with a conical outer surface 32, or the segments 52, for example, via a mechanical positive control, such as a roller guide, are actively pivoted.

In FIG. 5 is shown a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the closures 10 here again by the already in FIG. 1 shown feed on the shutter guide plate 44 with the side guide 46 and the cover 40 are supplied to the pick wheel 5. The picking wheel 5 here has segments 52, which in turn are fastened directly on the neck guide 2 in the embodiment shown, so that here the picking wheel 5 coincides with the neck guide 2.

The respective segment 52 is fastened here via a spring plate 524 to a receptacle 526, such that the segment 52 is movable relative to the receptacle 526 elastically from a driving position into a transfer position and is preferably pivotable. The pivoting of the segment 52 is achieved when lowering the Verschließerkonus 3, for example by a correspondingly shaped geometry of the outer surfaces of the Verschließerkonus 3. Again, by the slow lowering of the Verschließerkonus 3 on the closures 10 and the subsequent further lowering of the driving position on the Transfer position and further the subsequent still further lowering for screwing on the respective container easier guidance of the locking cones achieved.

As a result of the simpler guidance of the closure cones 3 and, in particular, the smaller stroke, it can also be achieved, among other things, that the entire height of the closure can be reduced. For example, water locks, which serve to seal the capper, can also be made lower.

In addition to controlling the movement of the segments on the Verschließerkonus 3, this control can also be made possible by other mechanisms, for example by providing a ramp or a wedge along the respective angular section of the pitch circle, or via a cam roller control, which the respective segments in the desired Swivel position. Furthermore, the movement of the segments can also take place without contact, for example by the provision of magnets which carry out the control of the segments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

capper

10

shutter

2

neck guide

20

bag

3

Verschließerkonus

30

sheet

4

cap feed

40

cover

42

shutter guide

44

Shutter guide plate

46

cornering

5

Pickrad

50

bag

52

segment

500

inner ring of the pick wheel

520

recess

522

Rotary axis of the segment

524

spring plate

526

admission

6

lower guide rail

60

upper guide rail

a, b, c, d, e

segment positions

Claims (11)

1. Device (1) for closing containers with a closure (10), comprising a closure cone (3) for applying the closure (10) to the container and a picking wheel (5) for transferring the closure (10) to the closure cone (3), wherein the picking wheel is designed so as to be concentric with the path on which the closure cone is guided, characterized in that the picking wheel (5) comprises at least one mobile segment (52) which is movable from a carrying position for carrying the closure (10) from a closure infeed (4) to a transfer position for transferring the closure (10) to the closure cone (3), and that at least one segment (52) is movable in relation to the rotation plane of the picking wheel (5).
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one segment (52) has a pocket (50) for receiving a closure (10).
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one segment (52) is movable perpendicularly to the rotation plane of the picking wheel (5).
4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one segment (52) comprises a flexible material.
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one segment (52) is pivotable about a rotation axis (552) which is preferably parallel with the rotation axis of the picking wheel and particularly preferably spaced apart from said axis.
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one segment (52) is movable in a radial manner to the rotation axis of the picking wheel (5) from the carrying position to the transfer position.
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one segment (52) in the transfer position enables complete closure of the container by means of the closure cone (3).
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure cone (3) is suitable for screwing on plastic screw-type closures.
9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one segment (52) is biased into the carrying position.
10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure cone (3) comprises an actuating element (30, 32) for moving a segment (52) from the carrying position to the transfer position.
11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one actuating device for moving a segment (52) from the carrying position to the transfer position is provided, preferably in the form of a guide rail (6, 60), a mechanical guide, a cam roller, a magnet, and/or a ramp.

Images