EP4161861B1 - Device for closing of containers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for closing containers or the like according to the preamble of claim 1.

Container treatment machines in the form of devices for closing containers are well known from the prior art in various designs and are also referred to as container closing machines or seamers.

Such a device according to the preamble of claim 1 is from US 2,987,313 A known. Further closing devices are shown here US 3,309,838 A and the DE 195 23 659 C1 .

The present invention relates in particular to a device such as that which is used in the beverage industry and preferably has an output of more than 10,000 containers per hour, particularly preferably an output of 50,000 containers per hour.

Such cappers are used, for example, in beverage bottling systems and are usually arranged in the immediate vicinity of a corresponding filling station or filling machine in its direct connection, so that the freshly filled containers can be closed immediately after filling.

Closing devices of the type mentioned can be designed for closing bottles or other containers with screw caps or as so-called crown caps for closing bottles with corresponding crown caps as a container closure.

In particular, closing devices of a rotating design are known, in which several container closing positions are formed on the circumference of a rotor driven around a vertical machine axis or central axis. Each container closing position is assigned a closing element, which can also be understood as a closing tool or a closing stamp.

The closing elements or closing tools of such closing devices can be moved axially between a raised and a lowered position along a vertical closing element axis by means of a lifting movement, this axial lifting movement also being understood as a delivery stroke. This delivery stroke is usually generated by lifting curves, which are intended to control the height of the closing elements. Examples of closing machines with stroke cam-controlled closing elements are from the DE 10 2017 112 218 B3 or from the WO 2010/118806 A2 known.

However, cappers are also known from the prior art, which generate the delivery stroke for each capping station separately by means of a drive motor that can be operated in a controlled and / or regulated manner, as is the case, for example, in the publication DE 10 2007 057 857 A1 has become known.

When height is controlled by means of lifting cams, the closing elements are positively guided in the lifting cam, with the closing elements usually having connected rollers or rollers that run in a forced-guided manner on a guide surface of the lifting cam. With such a lifting cam-controlled positive guidance, lubrication or roller lubrication, in particular an application of lubricant, takes place in the area of the rollers and/or the guide surface of the lifting cam, since dry running of the rollers on lifting cams is currently not possible.

Regardless of how the delivery stroke is generated, whether with or without a lifting curve, and also regardless of whether it is a closing machine for containers with screw caps or crown caps as a container closure, devices for closing the containers known from the prior art apply A closing tool arranged on a closing element applies a considerable force to the respective container closure, as a result of which the respective container closure is first brought into a sealing position with the container mouth that tightly closes the container interior from the environment. The container closure is then elastically and/or plastically deformed by the acting force in such a way that the closure retains the sealing effect even after the effect of the force has ended.

After the closing process has ended, the closing element is pulled vertically upwards, whereby the closing tool is also separated from the container that has just been closed.

Essentially due to the springback of the only elastically deformed portion of the overall deformation of the container closure, a considerable amount of force is required to separate the closing tool and the container. More in In detail, the closing element and thus also the closing tool are moved upwards for the separation.

It is essential that the container does not move together with the upwardly moving closing tool during separation, but remains essentially unchanged in height - i.e. fixed in position - in the position it already held during closing.

For this purpose, it is known from the prior art to provide replaceable guide elements which act on or on at least one shoulder of the respective container and thus prevent vertical movement of the container when it is separated from the respective container and the closing tool - i.e. hold it in a fixed position.

Since these guide elements interact directly with the shoulder of the respective container, the guide elements must be adapted very precisely to the outer contour of the container, which necessarily means that these guide elements when changing the container type or container format - to a different container with different external Dimensions - usually need to be replaced.

According to the prior art, this exchange is carried out by manual disassembly and subsequent, also manual assembly of the guide element adapted to the type of container now to be processed. Overall, this process is very time-consuming and therefore expensive, which is viewed as a disadvantage in practice. This is where the present invention comes into play and aims to provide a remedy and improvement in this regard.

Based on this, it is the object of the invention to provide a device for closing containers in which the guide elements can be easily adapted to different container types and/or container formats.

This object is achieved by a device for closing containers or the like according to the features of independent patent claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly advantageous developments of the invention.

According to an essential aspect, the invention relates to a device of a rotating type for closing containers or the like, having a plurality of closing stations arranged on the circumference of a gyroscope which can be driven in a motor-driven rotation around a vertical central axis of the device for closing the containers with a container closure, the gyro rotating in a rotating manner a stationary central column extending along the vertical machine axis is arranged, the closing stations rotating around the central column each having at least one lowering and lifting closing element and a container carrier provided below the respective closing element, which is used to hold a respective container in a standing and/or hanging manner is provided all around on the central column. The present invention is characterized in particular in that at least one guiding and holding device is provided with at least two guide elements adapted to different container formats, which are rotatably arranged on the circumference of a base body of the guiding and holding device in such a way that at least one guide element is at least during the separation of the closure element from the container closed with a container closure can be brought into an engaged position with its respective container shoulder, while the at least one further guide element is in a non-engaged position.

According to an advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that, depending on a predetermined container format, the base body is designed to be rotatable through a defined angle of rotation in such a way that a guide element adapted to the container format to be processed can be brought from a non-engaged position into an engaged position.

According to a further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the holding and guiding device is provided in an angular range between a container inlet and a container outlet of the device, in which the respective closing element is removed from a container closed with a container closure.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the angular range, viewed in the transport direction, extends over the last 40% of the entire container treatment route between the container inlet and the container outlet.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the guiding and holding device has a holding element, by means of which the guiding and holding device is arranged in a stationary manner on the device.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the base body is star-shaped and has at least two guide elements adapted to the outer container geometry of the container shoulder on the circumference.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the plurality of guide elements are distributed at uniform or approximately uniform angular distances on the circumference of the base body.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that three, four or more guide elements are provided.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the base body is arranged to be rotatable by a motor about an axis A.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the base body is connected to the axle in a rotationally fixed manner in the region of a first free end of the axle, while the axle is rotatably mounted on the holding element at its second free end opposite the first free end.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the guiding and holding device for a motor-assisted rotation of the base body has a stall drive, by means of which a regulated and/or controlled angular position of the base body can be approached.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the actuator is designed as a stepper motor, in particular as a servo motor.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the guiding and holding device has a locking device by means of which the base body can be held in a rotation-proof manner in defined rotation angle positions.

For the purposes of the invention, “containers” are understood to mean any container, in particular bottles, cans, cups, etc., each made of metal, glass and/or plastic, preferably made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

For the purposes of the invention, a “revolving type sealing machine” is a sealing machine with a rotating transport element, preferably a rotor, and with sealing stations formed on the transport element for sealing the containers or the like.

In the sense of the invention, the expression “essentially” or “approximately” means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and/or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and possible applications of the invention also emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

Fig. 1

grob schematisch und nur beispielhaft skizziert eine Ausführungsvariante einer Vorrichtung zum Verschließen von Behältern oder dergleichen gemäß der Erfindung, bei der die Behälter auf einem Behälterträger stehen,

Fig. 2

eine grob schematische Ansicht einer beispielhaften weiteren Ausführungsvariante einer Halte- und Führungseinrichtung mit einer nur teilweise dargestellten Vorrichtung zum Verschließen von Behältern, bei der Behälter an einem Behälterträger hängen.

The invention is explained in more detail below using the figures and exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

roughly schematically and only by way of example outlines an embodiment variant of a device for closing containers or the like according to the invention, in which the containers stand on a container carrier,

Fig. 2

a roughly schematic view of an exemplary further embodiment variant of a holding and guiding device with an only partially shown device for closing containers, in which containers hang on a container carrier.

Identical reference numbers are used in the figures for elements of the invention that are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference numbers that are necessary for the description of the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The invention is also shown in the figures only as a schematic view to explain how it works. In particular, the representations in the figures only serve to explain the basic principle of the invention. For reasons of clarity, all components of the device have not been shown.

In the Figure 1 The device designated 1 is a closing device or closing machine of rotating design for closing containers 20 such as bottles or the like with a crown cap and / or screw cap as a container closure 21.

The person skilled in the art knows the structure of a closing device with a container closure 21 in the form of a so-called crown cork (cf. Figure 1 ) for example from the publication going back to the applicant DE 10 2018 124 874 A1 , or as a closing device with a container closure 21 designed as a screw cap (cf. Figure 2 ) from which also goes back to the applicant DE 10 2017 112 218 B3 or the DE 10 2013 101 716 A1 .

The invention explained below is described using a closing device 1 designed as a crown corker as an example. However, the invention can also be applied or used on a closing device for a screw cap as a container closure 21, without departing from the idea underlying the present invention.

So it's in Figure 1 a special embodiment variant of a closing machine 1 according to the invention is shown merely as an example, with only a few components of the entire closing machine 1, namely components, for reasons of clarity. which are relevant for the description of the present invention, are explained explicitly and in Figure 1 are provided with reference numbers. For reasons of clarity, further components and elements of the closing machine 1 that are not particularly important in connection with the invention will not be discussed in more detail here, but rather by reference to relevant text passages in the publications DE 10 2018 124 874A1 , DE 10 2017 112 218 B3 or DE 10 2013 101 716 A1 referred.

Typically, in such a device 1 for closing containers 20 in a transport direction A, a filling machine (not shown in detail in the figures) is provided upstream for filling the containers 20 with a liquid filling material in spatial proximity. The containers 20 filled by the filling machine are transported to the closing machine 1 via transport devices, for example conveyor belts, and are transferred to the actual closing machine 1 on the input side at a container inlet BE by transfer elements (also not shown in detail, for example an inlet star).

After passing through the closing machine 1 in a treatment direction A, that is to say the closing of the individual containers 20 with a container closure 21 in the form of a crown cap or screw cap, the containers 20 then closed in this way are at a container outlet BA on the output side of the closing machine 1 by another, not shown and in the treatment direction A on the closing machine 1 subsequently provided transfer element, for example an outlet star, is taken over and transported away in a manner known to those skilled in the art. For reasons of clarity, the feeding and provision of the individual container closures 21 to the closing machine 1 is not shown in the figures, since this can also be done in a manner known per se.

The closing device 1 has a stationary central column ZS extending along a vertical central axis MA, on which at least one motor-driven gyroscope 2 is provided, which rotates in a motor-driven manner in a direction of rotation indicated by the rounded double arrow. On the circumference of the gyroscope 2 there are several closing stations BS, BS` arranged around the gyroscope 2, of which in Figure 1 For the sake of clarity, only two are shown.

Each closing station BS, BS' each has at least one closing element 6, which extends along its length along a respective vertically oriented closing element axis VA. The closing elements 6 are each designed to be movable up and down.

In more detail, the closing elements 6 can be moved axially between a raised and a lowered position, namely up and down in the vertical direction, when the gyroscope 2 rotates, for example by means of a lifting movement. The closing element 6 in Figure 1 The closing station BS shown assumes the raised position and that of the one in Figure 1 The closing station BS shown on the right is in its lowered position. The axial lifting movement is also understood as a delivery stroke and forms a height control of the closing elements 6.

For example, a lifting curve 4 can be provided for this height control, by means of which the closing elements 6 are positively guided around the central axis MA. For this purpose, the closing elements 6 have a roller 5 on the top side, namely at their upper end, which runs on a guide surface 4a of the lifting curve 4. The roller 5 therefore interacts via its running surface 5a with the guide surface 4a of the lifting cam 4, which in the sense of the present invention is seen as the roller 5 running along the guide surface 4a of the lifting cam 4 but also as the roller 5 sliding along the guide surface 4a Lift curve 4 can be understood.

Since a so-called dry running of the rollers 5 on the lifting curve 4 is currently not possible, lubrication, in particular an application of lubricant, such as grease, is provided in the area of the lifting curve 4 and the roller 5 to facilitate running or sliding of the roller 5 . In the present case, the terms roller lubrication or lubricant application are used synonymously with the term lubrication.

The axial lifting movement of the closing elements 6 along the closing element axis VA for their height control takes place during the rotation of the closing elements 6 around the central axis MA due to the positive guidance of the rollers 5 in the lifting cam 4 and is therefore referred to in the present case as a lifting cam-controlled height adjustment or as a lifting cam height control.

The lifting curve 4 of the exemplary closing device 1 has a substantially L-shaped cross section with a horizontal and a vertical leg, the horizontally oriented leg forming or providing the guide surface 4a. The vertical extent varies over the circumference of the lifting curve 4, in particular a length of the vertical leg, which has the shortest length in the closing station BS shown and the greatest length in the closing station BS`. An outer circumference 4.1 of the lifting curve 4 is defined by the approximately vertically oriented end face of the horizontally oriented leg, which also forms the outer, in particular radially outer, circumferential surface and therefore specifies the outer diameter of the lifting curve 4.

In the example shown the Figure 1 In addition to the roller 5 on the closing element 3, a further roller 5 'is also provided, which is opposite the roller 5 with respect to the guide surface 4a of the lifting cam 4 and engages the horizontal leg of the lifting cam 4 on the underside.

The closing stations BS, BS' that rotate around the central column ZS, i.e. that rotate with it, each have at least one lowering and lifting closing elements 6 arranged on the gyroscope 2 designed as a rotor, as well as a container carrier 8 provided below the closing elements 6. The respective container carrier 8 can be standing (cf. Figure 1 ) or hanging bracket (cf. Figure 2 ) of the respective container 20 can be formed at the closing station BS, BS`. A hanging bracket can be used, for example, as in the publication DE 10 2017 112 218 B3 , or the DE 10 2007 057 857 A1 described, realized.

In the in Figure 1 In the embodiment variant shown as an example, the respective container carrier 8 is in turn provided or arranged so that it can rotate and move on a motor-driven support ring 7 that can be driven around the central column 4. For the closing movement, i.e. the mutual pressing of the container 20 with the container closure 21, for example, only the container 20 can be lifted over the container carrier 8. Alternatively, the container 20 can be raised via the container carrier 8 and the closing element 6 can also be lowered at the same time or with a time delay. Finally, the container 20 can also be held in a fixed position with the container carrier 8 and only the closing element 6 can be lowered.

According to the invention, at least one guiding and holding device 25 is provided with at least two guide elements 26... 30, each adapted to different container formats or container types, which are rotatably arranged on the circumference of a base body 31 of the guiding and holding device 25 in such a way that at least one Guide element 26 can be brought into an engagement position EP with its respective container shoulder 20.1 at least during the separation of the closure element 6 from the container 20 closed with a container closure 21, while the at least one further guide element 27...30 is in a non-engagement position NP.

Preferably, at least one guide element 26...30 in the respective engagement position EP is at least partially in contact with the respective container shoulder 20.1 of the associated container 20 with its guide surface 26.1, 30.1 facing the container 20.

It can be provided that the respective guide surface 26.1...30.1 of the guide elements 26...30 is adapted to different geometric container formats. In more detail, the respective guide surface 26.1...30.1 is adapted to the geometric shape of the respective container shoulder 20.1 of a corresponding container format or container type.

As already explained, after the closing process has ended, the closing element 6 is pulled vertically upwards, whereby the closing tool is also separated from the container 20 that has just been closed.

The holding and guiding device 25 is provided in an angular range of the closing machine 1 in which the respective closing element 6 is removed from the container 20 closed with a container closure 21, i.e. has just been separated.

In particular, this angular range, viewed in the transport direction A, is provided over approximately 0-30, preferably over 5-15% of the entire container treatment distance between the container inlet BE and the container outlet, specifically opposite the transport direction A and in front of the container outlet BA. In other words, the angular range extends over approximately the last 40% of the container treatment section between the container inlet BE and the container outlet BA.

According to an advantageous embodiment variant, the holding and guiding device 25 can be provided, in particular arranged, in a stationary manner on the closing machine 1. For this purpose, the holding and guiding device 25 can have a holding element 32, for example a holding plate, by means of which the holding and guiding device 25 is firmly but releasably connected, in particular arranged, on the closing machine 1. In other words, the holding and guiding device 25 does not run together with the rotating gyroscope 2 of the closing machine 1, but always remains in the same angular range of the closing machine 1. The holding element 32 can be arranged on the periphery of the rotating gyroscope 2, for example the hall floor, or on the locking device 1 itself, for example on the foot or foundation ring of the locking device 1. The holding element 32 is particularly advantageously arranged on the central column ZS.

Alternatively, it is also possible for the holding and guiding device 25 to rotate with the gyroscope 2, i.e. to rotate with it. For this purpose, the holding and guiding device 25 can be arranged on the support ring 7 and/or gyroscope 2 by means of its holding element 32.

The base body 31 can be star-shaped and have at least two guide elements 26...30 adapted to the outer container geometry of the container shoulder 20.1 on the circumference. In more detail, four guide elements 26...30 can be provided on the base body 31, which are each arranged at approximately 90° angular distances from one another on the circumference of the base body 31, preferably evenly distributed. The opposite guide surfaces 26.1 and 28.1 or 27.1 and 30.1 of the respective associated guide elements 26 and 28 or 27 and 30 can be provided pointing away from one another.

The base body 31 of the guiding and holding device 25 can be arranged on a motor-rotatable axis A. The motor-rotatable axis A can be oriented in its longitudinal extent parallel to the machine axis MA or the closing element axis VA. In more detail, the base body 31 is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the area of a first free end E1 of the axis A, while the axis A is rotatably mounted, in particular received, on the holding element 32 at its second free end E2 opposite the first free end E1.

For a motor-assisted rotation of the base body 31 about the axis A, the guiding and holding device 25 can have a stall drive 37, by means of which a regulated and / or controlled angular position of the base body 31 can be approached. In particular, the actuator 37 can be a stepper motor, in particular a servo motor, which has a rotary angle sensor.

Furthermore, the guiding and holding device 25 can have a locking device 38, by means of which the base body 31 can be held in a rotation-proof manner in defined rotation angle positions in order to avoid unintentional angular adjustment of the base body 31 and/or to achieve precise compliance with the target angle.

Depending on which container type or container format is to be processed following a change in the container type to be processed, the base body 31 can be rotated by a specific angle of rotation, preferably by a rotation angle of less than 360°, preferably by a rotation angle of approximately 90°, so that a specific guide element 26...30, which is adapted to the container format now to be processed, can be rotated from a non-engagement position NP into the engagement position EP. The remaining guide elements 26... 30 present on the base body 31 are then in a non-intervention or waiting position NP. If a different container format is now to be processed, only the base body 31 has to be rotated again by a predefined angle of rotation in order to bring another guide element 26...30 from its non-engaged position NP into the engaged position EP. Depending on a predetermined container format, the base body 31 can therefore be designed to be rotatable by a defined angle of rotation in such a way that a guide element 26...30 adapted to the container format to be processed is rotated from a non-engagement position NP into an engagement position EP.

The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It is understood that a large number of changes or modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the patent claims.

Reference symbol list

1

Capping machine

2

Spinning top

3

Closing element

3.1

Outer circumference

4

Lift curve

4a

Guide surface of the lifting curve

4.1

Outer circumference of the lifting curve

5, 5'

Roller

5a

Running surface of the roller

7

Support wreath

8th

Container carrier

20

container

20.1

container shoulder

25

Guidance and holding device

26...30

Leadership element

26.1...30.1

Guide surface

31

Basic body

32

Holding element

37

Actuator

38

Locking device

B.A

Container outlet

BE

Container inlet

BS, BS`

Closing station

E1

first ending

E2

second ending

M.A

Central axis

VA

Closing element axis

A

axis

E.P

Engagement position

NP

Non-intervention position

ZS

Central column

Claims (13)

1. Device of circulating type for sealing containers (20) or the like, comprising a plurality of sealing stations (BS, BS') arranged at the circumference of a rotor (2), which can be driven by a motor such as to rotate about a middle axis (MA) of the device (1), for sealing the containers (20) with a container seal (21), wherein the rotor (2) is arranged such as to circulate at a stationary central column (ZS) extending along the vertical machine axis (MA), wherein the sealing stations (BS, BS') rotating about the central column (ZS) comprise in each case at least one sealing element (6) which can be lowered and raised, and a container carrier (8) provided beneath the respective sealing element (6), which is provided so as move conjointly at the central column (4) and hold a respective container (20) standing upright or suspended, characterised in that at least one guidance and holding device (25) is provided with at least two guidance elements (26...30) adapted in each case to different container formats, which are arranged such as to rotate at the circumference at the circumference of a main body (31) of the guidance and holding device (25) in such a way that at least one guide element (26...30), at least during the separation of the sealing element (6) from the containers (20) sealed with a container closure (21), can be brought into an engagement position (EP) with its respective container shoulder (2.1), while the at least one other guide element (26...30) is in a non-engaged position (NP).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that, depending on a predetermined container format, the main body (31) is configured such as to rotate by a defined rotation angle in such a way that a guide element (26...30), adapted to the container format which is to be treated, can be brought from a non-engaged position (NP) into an engaged position (EP).
3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guidance and holding device (25) is provided in an angle range between a container inlet (BE) and a container outlet (BA) of the device (1), in which the respective sealing element (6) is drawn off a container (20) which is closed with a container closure (21).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that, seen in the transport direction (A), the angle range extends over the last 40% of the total container treatment segment between the container inlet (BE) and the container outlet (BA).
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guidance and holding device (25) comprises a holding element (32), by means of which the guidance and holding device (25) is arranged stationary at the device (1).
6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the main body (31) is configured as star-shaped, and comprises at the circumference the at least two guide elements (26...30) adapted to the outer container geometry of the container shoulder (20.1).
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plurality of guide elements (26...30) are provided distributed at uniform or approximately uniform angular distances at the circumference of the main body (31).
8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that three, four, or more guide elements (26...30) are provided.
9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the main body (31) is arranged such that it can be driven by a motor such as to rotate about an axis A.
10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the main body (31) is connected in a torsionally-resistant manner to the axis (A), in the region of a first free end (E1) of the axis (A), while the axis (A) is provided at its second free end (E2), opposite the first free end (E1), such as to be rotatably mounted on the holding element (32).
11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guidance and holding device (25) comprises an actuator drive (37) to provide a motor-supported rotation of the main body (31), by means of which a regulated and/or controlled angle setting of the main body (31) can be moved into.
12. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the actuator drive (37) is configured as a stepping motor, in particular as a servomotor.
13. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide and holding device (25) comprises a locking device (38), by means of which the main body (31) can be held in a defined angle of rotation secured against further rotation.

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