EP4134315A1 - Device for gripping and for holding the neck of a goatskin - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for gripping and holding the neck (2) of a goatskin for a goatskin filling machine, the neck (2) comprising a tubular sleeve (21) lined at its free end with a rim outer peripheral annular ring (22), and the device comprising a slot (41) in which said sleeve (21) can be moved and guided until it is immobilized in the bottom of said slot (41) which constitutes the receiving seat of said neck ( 2). It further comprises a movable finger (60), designed capable of moving in the slot (41) to take an active position by closing said U-shaped slot (41) behind said sleeve (21) and placing itself under said flange (22), for this purpose, one (43) of the two rectilinear banks which delimit the U-shaped slot (41), has a cutout (46) constituting a waiting housing for said movable finger (60) when he is in an inactive position.

Description

The subject of the present invention is a device for gripping and holding the neck of a skin, used on a machine for filling skins used in systems for packaging liquid and semi-liquid products, food or not, which allow in particular extend the shelf life of such products.

These skins are made of more or less flexible plastic material, are often, but not limited to, placed in an envelope in the form of a cardboard box, and are provided with a neck fitted with a stopper, preferably a tap. The skin allows the storage of the product, while the envelope protects the skin and facilitates transport.

The filling of the skins is carried out automatically on machines. On these machines, the skins arrive empty, the neck already fitted with a stopper or a tap, which is forced into the said neck. The filling operation thus requires carrying out prior to the removal of the stopper or the valve, then putting it back in place after filling. It is therefore necessary to be able to hold the neck in order to extract the stopper or the valve therefrom, and to hold it for the closing operation after filling.

In order to save raw material, the original necks have been replaced by necks using less material, there are therefore two neck versions.

Thus, with reference to FIG. 1A one can see a neck 1 in the classic version, and in FIG. 1B a neck 2 in the economical version.

The neck 1 comprises a flange 10 welded to the wall P of the wineskin, and which is surmounted by a tubular sleeve 11 intended to receive a stopper or a tap, and which is provided externally at its free end with an annular rim peripheral 12, and in its intermediate part of a second peripheral annular flange 13, these elements being intended to maintain the neck during its seizure.

The neck 2 of the economic version has been simplified, it also comprises a flange 20 welded to the wall P of the addition, which is surmounted by a tubular sleeve 21 intended to receive a stopper or a tap, on the other hand the tubular sleeve 21 is shorter and has only one annular flange device 22, disposed at its free end. In addition, the thickness of the various walls has been reduced.

If modifications have been made to the neck, the gripping devices of the filling machines have been retained by only making changes to the settings.

There picture 2 shows such a gripping device 3. It is in the form of a clamp, essentially comprising two branches 30 and 31 pivotally mounted on separate axes 32 and 33, provided at one end 34 with a cylinder 35 whose action controls the separation or the approximation of the two branches 30 and 31 at the other end 36. The two branches 30 and 31 have on the side of this end 36, internally at the level of the approximation zone, two notches, respectively 37 and 38 , which delimit during the approximation, a U-shaped light 39.

In practice, the skin is moved flat, neck 2 directed upwards, until the engagement of the sleeve 21 in the bottom of the slot 39 which thus constitutes the receiving seat of the said sleeve 21, the collar 20 passing under the branches 30 and 31, while the annular rib 22 passes above.

It will be understood that the clamp 3 can hold the neck 2 for the time of the removal of the plug or the valve, as well as the time of filling and closing, then that the opening of the branches 30 and 31 under the action of the cylinder 35, releases the neck 2 and therefore the wineskin.

It will be noted that such a device is described in the document KR 101 278 451 .

If such a gripping device gave complete satisfaction with the necks 1 of the classic version, it is not the same with the necks 2 of the economic version. Indeed the thinness of the walls and therefore the greater flexibility of the tubular sleeve 21, requires a high precision of adjustment of the width of the slot 39, obtained by means of the cylinder 35, knowing that insufficient maintenance can be detrimental to the closing, and that excessive tightening can deform the tubular sleeve making it difficult to fit the stopper or valve, risking damage to the walls in contact, which is likely to generate leaks.

It should be noted that it has also been proposed, in particular in the documents EP 2 028 108 And US 2013/16040 , wineskin filling machines comprising gripper devices designed to envelop entirely, or even practically entirely, the neck of a goatskin. The disadvantage of this type of device is that the neck must be positioned with precision, and preferably be immobile, in order to be able to be grasped perfectly, which is not self-evident since this neck is part of a flexible skin.

Clamp devices such as the one shown in the figure 2 and the one described in the document KR 101 278 451 , do not have this disadvantage of positioning error, since the neck is guided in movement in the U-shaped slot 39, to the location of the immobilization. However, as has already been mentioned, this immobilization is not sufficient to maintain the bottlenecks of the economy version.

The object of the present invention is to propose a device for gripping and holding the neck of a skin of new design, making it possible to solve the various aforementioned drawbacks, and in particular to be able to grip the necks, whatever the version.

The device for gripping and holding the neck of a skin for a machine for filling skins used in packaging systems for liquid and semi-liquid products, food or not, said neck being of the type comprising a tubular sleeve filled with its free end from an outer peripheral annular rim, and said device being of the type comprising a light coming from the reversible bringing together of two elements, in which said sleeve can be moved and guided until it is immobilized in the bottom of said light, in shape of a circle portion with a radius corresponding to that external of said sleeve, and which constitutes the receiving seat of said neck, and it is characterized in that it further comprises a movable finger, designed able to move in said slot to take up a position activates by coming to close said U-shaped opening behind said sleeve and to be placed under said rim, for this purpose, one of the two rectilinear banks which delimit the lad ite U-shaped light, has a cutout constituting a waiting housing for said movable finger when in the inactive position.

It will be understood that the sleeve of the neck is thus entirely surrounded without pressure, so as to avoid deformation thereof, and its escape.

The movement of the finger from a lateral waiting position outside the path of movement of the neck in the U-shaped slot makes it possible not to interfere in the process of feeding the skins on.

According to an additional feature of the gripping and holding device according to the invention, it comprises a plate in which the slot is cut, and the bottom of said slot is made up of two elements moving towards each other and away from each other under the action of means motors, so as to be able to take two extreme positions, namely one, close together, to delimit, through the association of two indentations in the form of an arc of a circle each cut out in one of said two elements, an indentation in shape of a semicircle of diameter corresponding to that of the outer sleeve to form the receiving seat of the latter the other, away, to delimit an opening of insufficient dimensions to retain the sleeve.

According to another additional characteristic of the gripping and holding device according to the invention, the light has two parts, a rectilinear part made from the edge of the plate, of constant width between two banks, which opens into a second wider part, where the two moving parts act.

According to another additional characteristic of the gripping and holding device according to the invention, the cutout in which the finger can remain in the waiting position is in the shape of an arc of a circle, while said finger is of complementary shape and is pivotally mounted about an axis with which said cutout is coaxial.

According to another additional characteristic of the gripping and holding device according to the invention, the free end of the movable finger intended to come into contact with the neck, has a concave cutout in the form of an arc of a circle of radius corresponding to that external of the tubular sleeve, the movement of said finger being adjusted so that, in the active position, said concave cutout is concentric with the indentation in the shape of a semicircle obtained by bringing together the indentations of the two mobile elements, and constituting the receiving seat of the neck.

The advantages and characteristics of the gripping and holding device according to the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which relates to the appended drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment thereof.

In the attached drawing:

• [ Fig.1 ] represents a schematic view in perspective of a bottle neck, in A of the classic version, in B of the economic version,
• [ Fig.2 ] represents a diagram in perspective of a gripping and holding device of the state of the art,
• [ Fig.3 ] shows a schematic view in perspective of a gripping and holding device according to the invention in the closed position,
• [ Fig.4 ] shows a schematic perspective view of the same gripping and holding device according to the invention in the open position.

With reference to figures 3 and 4 , one can see a device 4 for gripping and holding according to the invention, intended to equip a machine, not shown, for filling in addition. This device 4 comprises a plate 40 in which is made a slot 41 which has two parts, a rectilinear part 42 made from the edge of the plate 40, of constant width between two edges 43 and 44, which opens into a wider part 45 .

It also comprises a reversible gripping means 5, which comprises two jaws 50 and 51, acting in the part 45 of the slot 41, extending in the same plane as the plate 40, pivotally mounted about two axes, respectively 52 and 53, movable under the action of a non-visible motor means, and whose facing edges are each provided with an indentation, respectively 54 and 55, in the shape of a quarter circle.

It will be understood that when bringing together the two jaws 50 and 51, the meeting of the two indentations 54 and 55 forms a semicircular opening, in the extension of the rectilinear part 42 of the light 41, to be able to accommodate and block the neck 2 , shown on the figure 4 .

The two jaws 50 and 51 are connected in pivoting through two toothed sectors, respectively 56 and 57, each coaxial with an axis respectively 52 and 53, meshed one inside the other.

The device 4 also comprises a blocking means 6 comprising a finger 60 movable in the plane of the plate 40, and capable of coming to move in the rectilinear part 42 of the slot 41.

For this purpose the plate 40 comprises a cutout 46 which opens into the rectilinear part 42 of the opening 41 at the new bank 43, while the finger 60, which is of complementary shape to the cutout 46 which serves as a slide, is carried by a lever 61 pivotally mounted on the plate 40 under the action of a cylinder 62, around an axis 63 to which the cutout 46 is coaxial.

This construction allows the finger to remain in the same plane as the plate 40, and therefore the light 41.

It will be understood that when the lever 61 pivots, the finger 60 moves from the cutout 46 to engage in the rectilinear part 42, until its free end 64 reaches the part 45 of the slot 41, and more exactly comes into contact with the sleeve 21 of the neck 2, under its rim 22.

Advantageously the free end 64 of the finger 60 is concave in shape, so that in its locking position of the neck 2 it is concentric with the indentations 54 and 55, the stroke of the finger 60 being of course calibrated accordingly.

In practice, the jaws 50 and 51 come together so that the notches 54 and 55 form a receiving seat in the shape of a semicircle, the neck 2 engages in the rectilinear part 42 of the slot 41 until it comes into abutment against the notches 54 and 55, the cylinder 62 is deployed, it causes the lever 63 to pivot which drives the finger 60 into the slot 41, until it comes into contact with the sleeve 21 under the rim 22. After filling and resealing, the cylinder 62 retracts, the finger 60 returns to the cutout 46, the jaws 50 and 51 move apart to free the skin.

The gripping and holding device according to the invention allows perfect holding of the neck 2 without pressure, whatever the characteristics of the latter.

Claims (5)

Device for gripping and holding the neck (2) of a skin for a machine for filling skins used in packaging systems for liquid and semi-liquid products, food or not, said neck (2) being of the type comprising a tubular sleeve (21) furnished at its free end with an outer peripheral annular rim (22), and said device being of the type comprising a slot (41) coming from the reversible bringing together of two elements (50, 51), in which be moved and guided said sleeve (21) until it is immobilized in the bottom of said slot (41) which is in the shape of a circle portion of radius corresponding to that external of said sleeve (21), and which constitutes the receiving seat of said neck (2), characterized in that it further comprises a movable finger (60), designed capable of moving in said slot (41) to assume an active position by coming to close said U-shaped slot (41) behind said sleeve ( 21) and stand under the said edge (22), for this purpose, one (43) of the two rectilinear banks which delimit said U-shaped opening (41), has a cutout (46) constituting a waiting housing for said movable finger (60) when it is in an inactive position. Gripping and holding device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plate (40) in which the slot (41) is cut, and the bottom of the said slot (41) consists of two elements (50, 51) mobile in approach and away under the action of motor means, so as to be able to take two extreme positions, namely one, in approach, to delimit, through the association of two notches (54, 55) in arcuate shape each cut in one of said two elements (50, 51), an indentation in the shape of a semicircle of diameter corresponding to that external of the sleeve (21) to form the receiving seat of the latter, the the other, away, to delimit an opening of insufficient dimensions to retain the sleeve (21). Gripping and holding device according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening (41) has two parts, a rectilinear part (42) made from the edge of the plate (40), of width constant between two banks (43, 44), which opens into a second wider part (45), where the two mobile elements (50, 51) act. Gripping and holding device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that the cutout (46) in which the finger (60) is guided is in the form of an arc of a circle, while the finger (60) is of complementary shape and is pivotally mounted about an axis (63) to which said cutout (64) is coaxial. Gripping and holding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the free end of the movable finger (60) intended to come into contact with the neck (2) has a concave cutout (64) arc of a circle with a radius corresponding to that external of the tubular sleeve (21), the movement of said finger (60) being adjusted so that, in the active position, said concave cutout (64) is concentric with the notch in the shape of a semicircle obtained from bringing together the notches (54, 55) of the two movable elements (50, 51), and constituting the receiving seat of the neck (2).

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