CH695564A5 - Apparatus for changing a disposed on a swing top bottle sealing rubber. - Google Patents

Description

CH 695 564 A5

description

The invention relates to a device for changing a arranged on a porcelain cap of a swing-top closure rubber seals, which serves to seal a strap carrying the bottle cap.

Bottles with buckles, which consist of a closure bracket, which is arranged on the closure bracket porcelain cap, which can be made contrary to the conventional name of any material, especially plastic, and the rubber seal, have long been known in practice. Such bottles are almost exclusively used as returnable bottles because of the high production costs, which go through several deposit cycles. In these pledge cycles the heaviest wear is exposed to the sealing rubber, which must not be damaged for the purpose of keeping the beverage filled in the bottle and for hygienic and aesthetic reasons, so that at the end of each deposit cycle after the return of the bottle to production by auxiliary staff visually inspecting the sealing rubbers of each bottle, and after discovering any damage, the rubber is manually changed by the assistant. Due to the labor-intensive use, this is associated with high costs, the otherwise achievable in the automated processing of the bottles per hour can not be achieved.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a device with which an automated change of the rubber seal of a clip closure is possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that a first-workstation-2f-Ausriehtung-and-lm

mobilization of the porcelain cap of the swing top closure in a pioneering position of the bottle and the rubber sealing engage behind in this position pliers and that the removed by the forceps of the porcelain cap sealing rubber is replaced by a ram by a new rubber seal.

The invention has the advantage of an automated change of the rubber seal with high processing speeds, so that for the first time there is the possibility of hygienic reasons preferred change of the rubber seal after each mortgage cycle and not only when obvious by a not error-free visual control by auxiliary forces Damage to be discovered. The alignment of the bottle with the strap closure in the first workstation facilitates the workflow for the subsequent measures, since a reference position is available.

In order to keep the space required for the inventive device low, a preferred embodiment is characterized in that a rotary star is provided for the transport of the bottle during the rubber change, on the circumference of the first workstation, a pair of pliers having second workstation and a the plunger third workstation are arranged. By using the rotary star as a proven in bottling components of the required trouble-free operation is achieved, the distribution of components required for rubber replacement on three distributed over the circumference of the rotary star workstations low complexity of each workstation keeps low and beyond a continuous, non-clocked transport Bottles allows what is important for the integration of the inventive device in existing washing and bottling plants.

A reliable trouble-free operation of the device is promoted by the fact that the first workstation is an orientation unit for storage-correct feeding of the bottle with respect to the bottle radially outwardly facing strap closure in the first workstation upstream. For the design and operation of the first workstation can be assumed as a defined orientation of the bottle, which allows for faster processing.

For this purpose, the first workstation a the clip closure lifting into a horizontal position of the closure clip slider. This slider ensures that the porcelain cap no longer rests on the bottle and is freely accessible. However, since in this position, the porcelain cap is freely rotatable about the closure bracket, it is advantageous if the porcelain cap in a position with respect to the rotary star 5 radially outwardly pointing, sealing rubber rotating and in this position immobiliser alignment head is mounted vertically adjustable , This alignment head causes a highly accurate and reproducible alignment of the porcelain cap with the rubber seal. This is convenient for synchronizing the workflows during the rubber change in the other workstations.

As appropriate, it has been proven when the alignment head has a, one-sided open receptacle for the porcelain cap, as the alignment can cause both rotation of the porcelain cap to the closure bracket and their immobilization with radially outwardly facing rubber seal in a simple manner ,

Thus, the slider and the alignment head do not interfere with each other, the alignment head is rotatably mounted about a hinge axis. So that during the rotation about the hinge axis of the straightening head follows no arc, the alignment head is connected to a parallelogram that allows a vertical lowering of the alignment on the porcelain cap.

In order to achieve high reliability of the device, the first workstation is designed so that the height adjustment of the alignment head cooperating with a guide member control cam is provided.

To increase the performance of the inventive device of the alignment and the slide are several times, evenly distributed over the circumference of the rotary star.

The increase in the workload also serves that the forceps is pivotally mounted in the second workstation about a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star between two end positions. By

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CH 695 564 A5

This design is achieved that during the rotation of the rotating star required in the second workstation steps can be performed.

For this purpose, it is further provided that the forceps is translationally adjustable between two reversal points perpendicular to the pivot axis, and that the movement of the jaws is synchronized with the translational movement such that the jaws in the movement of the forceps in the direction of the porcelain cap with the Rubber seal are open and close at the front reversal point, and that the jaws are closed during the backward movement.

Thus, in the gripping movement of the pliers, the porcelain cap not only must be kept in its current position by the alignment, a pin in the front of the forceps on the porcelain cap coming to rest in a guide sleeve is adjustably mounted in the guide sleeve. This pin presses the porcelain cap into the receptacle of the alignment head and prevents the porcelain cap from following the removal movement of the forceps. At the same time, the pin also serves to remove the removed from the porcelain cap sealing rubber, which is thus removed from the work area of the pliers and can cause any malfunction in the processing of subsequent bottles.

In order to avoid accumulation of the withdrawn from the porcelain cap sealing rubbers on the pin, the pin is adjustable in the backward movement of the forceps in the guide sleeve. As a result of this movement of the pin into the guide sleeve, the sealing rubber located on the pin is stripped off and can thus be supplied, for example, via a channel to a collecting basin.

The pivotal movement of the forceps jaws of the forceps is achieved in a simple manner that an angle lever is provided for adjusting the jaws.

After removal of the sealing rubber of the porcelain cap, the application of a new rubber seal is required, which is carried out according to the invention in that in the third workstation, a guide rail for providing linearly arranged to be taken over by the plunger, new sealing rubbers. This type of feeding the new rubber seals simplifies the transfer to the plunger and also moves the sorting process to align the new rubber seals away from the rotating star. Thus, the assumption of the new rubber seal by the plunger is always in the same position, a detent position for the vordemst pending at the rail mouth new rubber seal is provided in the guide rail.

In order to achieve a high performance of the inventive device, which is not limited by the third workstation, the plunger is rotatable about a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star rotation axis and mounted translationally displaceable in the radial direction to the axis of rotation of the third workstation. Furthermore, the plunger is provided several times and arranged the plunger evenly distributed over the circumference on a turntable.

It has proved to be useful if the plunger is surrounded by a rotationally displaceable to the axis of rotation of the third workstation compression sleeve, since this compression sleeve can be used to apply the inherited from the plunger from the guide rail new rubber seal over its entire circumference Postpone pressure on the porcelain cap.

In order to avoid malfunction caused by the fact that individual positions of the rotary star are not filled with bottles, the invention is designed so that a control device for monitoring the presence of a bottle provided in the rotary star and the plunger in the detection of a missing Bottle is retractable in the compression sleeve. This avoids that the plunger from the guide rail adopts a new rubber seal that the plunger can not deliver to the porcelain cap of the clip closure due to the lack of the bottle, so that the plunger would take over a second rubber seal after a complete rotation of the turntable with the result that after the transfer of the two rubber seals on a porcelain cap a proper closure of the bottle is not possible.

Since the past has shown that a replacement of the sealing rubber after each mortgage cycle is not mandatory and the associated increased costs can be avoided, is provided in a preferred embodiment of the invention that the first workstation, an optical detector for controlling the Subsequent sealing rubbers and connected via an evaluation with the second workstation and the third workstation. The sealing rubbers oriented identically and oriented radially outwards by the alignment head can thus be easily controlled by the optical detector, for example a camera with a CCD chip, wherein the evaluation unit can effect the evaluation unit depending on the result of the check with conventional methods for image evaluation and pattern recognition in that the properly recognized rubber seal in the second work station is not removed and in the third workstation no new rubber seal is applied.

For the purpose of quality control, it is also possible that the third workstation is followed by a second optical detector for controlling the new rubber seals. This second optical detector can be used to check whether the transfer of a new rubber seal to each bottle has been carried out correctly without damaging the new rubber seal.

The required for the proper operation of the inventive device synchronization of the rotation of the rotary star with the actions of the workstations is achieved in that for the coordinated transport of the bottle in the rotary star and the operation of the first workstation, the second workstation and the third Workstation a common drive train is provided, which also causes the pivoting movement of the pliers by means of an Excenters.

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CH 695 564 A5

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail in an embodiment shown in the drawing;

show it:

1 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention with the rotary star serving for bottle transport and the working stations distributed around its circumference,

2 is a side view of the isolated representation of the alignment head in its starting position,

FIG. 3 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 with the closure bar raised by the slider, FIG.

FIG. 4 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 with the aligning head coming into contact with the porcelain cap, FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 with the porcelain cap aligned and immobilized by the alignment head, FIG.

6 is a perspective view of the isolated alignment head with its recording,

7 is a plan view of the second work station with the pliers, just before their engaging behind the sealing rubber,

8 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 7 in a later phase of the method sequence of the second workstation, FIG.

Fig. 9 is a bar-position corresponding to Fig. 7, with respect to Fig. 7; 8nochmalsspäteren phase;

FIG. 10 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 7 in a phase which is again later than in FIG. 9, FIG.

11 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 7 in the phase of the process cycle of the second work station in which the old sealing rubber is released, FIG.

12 is a perspective view of the forceps jaws of the forceps,

13 is a schematic representation with transparent imaginary plate of the rotating star, the first workstation, the second workstation and the third workstation coordinated drive driveline, with a first predetermined by the eccentric pivot position of the pliers,

14 a of FIG. 13 corresponding representation with a more advanced pivotal movement of the pliers,

15 a of FIG. 13 corresponding representation with a further advanced pivotal movement of the pliers,

16 shows a schematic, partial view of the third workstation, with the plunger in front of the new sealing rubbers providing guide rail,

17 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 16 in a later phase of the cycle of the third workstation when taking over the new sealing rubber from the guide rail, FIG.

FIG. 18 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 16 in a phase which is again later than in FIG. 17, FIG.

FIG. 19 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 17 of the third workstation in the transfer of the new rubber seal on the porcelain cap, and

Fig. 20 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 17 after the transfer of the new rubber seal through the compression sleeve.

In Fig. 1, a device is shown schematically, which serves to replace in bottles 1, which have a clip closure 2, arranged on the porcelain cap 3 sealing rubber 4. This device has a rotating star 5, through which the individual bottles 1 are transported through the device in a known manner, and a first workstation 6 for aligning the swing lock 2 and the porcelain cap 3, a second workstation 7 for removing the old rubber seal 4 of the Porcelain cap 3 by means of a pair of pliers 18 and a third work station 9 for replacing the removed sealing rubber 4 by a new rubber seal 10th

The first work station 6 is generally designated A in FIG. 1 and shown more clearly in FIGS.

The marked in Figure 1 with the letter B second workstation 7 is described in detail in Figures 7 to 12 ..; with the letter C in Fig. 1, the third workstation 9 shown in Figs. 16 to 20 is marked.

The first workstation 6 is preceded by a not shown in the drawing itself orientation unit for the correct position supply of the bottle 1 with respect to the bottle 1 radially outwardly pointing bracket closure 2. Such an orientation unit is already known and described in DE 19 646 147 A1, so that it requires no further explanation here. The orientation unit can also be realized by a above the bottle 1 height-adjustable mounted cam carrier, which has on the side facing the bottle 1 a cam which comes in an adjustment of the cam holder in the direction of the misoriented bottle 1 at the open strap closure 2 to the plant, wherein the shape of the control cam is such that in the continued adjustment of the cam holder of the swing-top closure 2 is rotated with the bottle 1 about its longitudinal axis. The cam carrier has on the side facing the bottle 1 a central receptacle whose wall forms the control cam, which comes to the attached to the bottleneck loop 8 of Büqelverschlusses 2 Anlaae.

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CH 695 564 A5

In the correct position arranged in the rotary star 5 bottle 1 2 is raised in the first workstation 6 by a slider 11 of the swing-top closure 2 so far that the closure bar 12 is in a horizontal position. In this position, the porcelain cap 3 is removed from the bottle 1 and mounted freely rotatable about this closure bar 12, so that in the first workstation 6 by an alignment head 13, the porcelain cap 3 can be rotated (Fig. 4) until the sealing rubber 4 related on the rotary star 5 shows radially outward and is immobilized in a receptacle 14 open on one side of the alignment 13. The alignment head 13 is height adjustable; wherein the height adjustment is effected by a cooperating with a guide member 15 control cam 16 which controls the altitude of the alignment head 13 in the circumferential direction of the rotary star 5. The alignment head 13 is rotatably mounted about a hinge axis, wherein in addition a parallelogram 17 is provided to prevent movement of the alignment head 13 on a circular arc in the region of interaction with the porcelain cap 3 of the flip-top closure 2.

1, the alignment head 13 and the slider 11 are multiply, evenly distributed over the circumference of the rotary star 5, so as to increase the capacity of the device.

The second work station 7 has a pair of pliers 18 which is pivotally mounted about a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star 5 pivot axis 19 between two end positions and perpendicular to the pivot axis 19 translationally adjustable between two reversal points. The movement of the forceps jaws 20 of the forceps 18 is synchronized with the translational movement of the forceps 18 such that the forceps jaws 20 are opened in the movement of the forceps 18 in the direction of the porcelain cap 3 with the Dichtungsaummi 4 and close in the front Um-kehrpunkt, so as to engage behind the sealing rubber 4, wherein furthermore the pliers jaws 20 are closed during the backward movement of the pliers 18 so as to withdraw the sealing rubber 4 from the porcelain cap 3. In the forceps 18 is in the front reversal point of the forceps 18 on the porcelain cap 3 coming to rest coming pin 21 is adjustably mounted, which is an abutment for the porcelain cap 3, to exert no force acting in the radial direction of the rotary star 5 force when the rubber seal 4 is removed by the forceps 18. The pin 21 is adjustably mounted in a guide sleeve 22 and is adjusted in backward movement of the forceps 18 in this guide sleeve 22 to release the transferred from the porcelain cap 3 on the pin 21 rubber seal 4 again, so to remove from the pin 21. The pivotal movement of the jaws 20 is generated by means of an angle lever 23, so that this pivotal movement can be effected by a translational adjustment of a connected to the angle lever 23 rod 24.

For the attachment of a new rubber seal 10 on the empty after the second workstation 7 Porzellankappe 3 of the flip-top closure 2, a plunger 25 is provided in the third work station 9, which is rotatable about a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star 5 rotation axis 16 and Radial direction to the axis of rotation 16 of the third workstation (9) is mounted translationally displaceable. On a turntable 27 a plurality of these rams 25 are arranged to increase the working capacity of the device.

The plunger 25 is surrounded by a to the axis of rotation 16 of the third workstation (9) radially displaceable compression sleeve 28, so that upon rotation of the turntable 27, the plunger 25 of a guide rail 29 approaches, in the linear alignment of several new sealing rubbers 10th are provided, wherein in the guide rail 29, a locking position 30 is provided for the vorsterst pending on the rail mouth new rubber seal 10 to pass at a well-defined position this new rubber seal 10 to the plunger 25 at the circular movement can (Fig. 17). In the continued circular movement of the plunger 25 of this comes to rest against the zoom-in with the rotary star 5 Porzellankappe 3, wherein in a linear orientation of the porcelain cap 3 with the plunger 25 via the compression sleeve 28 of the new rubber seal 10 is pressed onto the porcelain cap 3.

According to an embodiment not shown in the drawing, the rotary star 5 is associated with a control device which serves to check whether a bottle 1 is supplied to the rotary star 5 of the third workstation 9 to the detection of a missing bottle 1 the Pull plunger 25 back into the compression sleeve 28 and so to avoid that this can take over a new sealing rubber 10 from the guide rail 29.

Further provided, but not shown to avoid an impairment of clarity in Fig. 1 is a first workstation 6 downstream optical detector for controlling the rubber seals 4, which connected via an evaluation with the second workstation 7 and the third workstation 9 is, so that can be controlled with the known methods and apparatus for image analysis and pattern recognition, whether the rubber seal 4 must be replaced or alternatively the second workstation 7 and the third workstation 9 can be made without function during the transport of the bottle 1 with the rotary star ,

For quality assurance, the third workstation 9, a second optical detector with an evaluation unit for controlling the new rubber seals 10 is further downstream.

For the concerted transport of the bottle 1 in the rotary star 5 and the operation of the first workstation 6, the second workstation 7 and the third workstation 9, a common drive train 30 is provided, which by means of an eccentric 31, the pivoting movement of the pliers 18th causes.

Claims (24)

claims 1. A device for changing a on a porcelain cap (3) of a clip closure (2) arranged sealing rubber (4), the sealing of a strap closure (2) carrying bottle (1), characterized in that a first workstation (6) for Alignment and immobilization of the porcelain cap (3) of the temple closure CH 695 564 A5 2) in a position pointing away from the bottle (1) and a pliers (18) engaging behind the sealing rubber (4) in this position, and that the sealing rubber removed by the pliers (18) from the porcelain cap (3) 4) by means of a plunger (25) by a new rubber seal (10) is replaceable. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that for the transport of the bottle (1) during the gum miwechels a rotary star (5) is provided, on the circumference of the first workstation (6), a pliers (18) having second Workstation (7) and a plunger (25) having third workstation (9) are arranged. 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first workstation (6) an orientation unit for the correct position supply of the bottle (1) with respect to the bottle (1) radially outwardly-pointing strap closure (2) in the first workstation (6). is upstream. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the first workstation (6) has a clip closure (2) has up to a horizontal position of the closure clip (12) lifting slide (11). 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that in the first workstation (6) a porcelain cap (3) is mounted vertically adjustable in a position with respect to the rotary star (5) radially outwardly facing rubber seal (4) and in this position immobilizing alignment head (13). 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the alignment head (13) has a receptacle open on one side (14) for the porcelain cap (3). 7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the Äusrichtköpf_ (T3) is rotatably mounted about a hinge axis. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the alignment head (13) on a parallelogram (17) is connected. 9. Device according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that for adjusting the height of the alignment head (13) with a guide member (15) cooperating control cam (16) is provided. 10. Device according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the alignment head (13) and the slide (11) are provided repeatedly, evenly distributed over the circumference of the rotary star (5). 11. Device according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the pliers (18) in the second work station (7) about a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star (5) lying pivot axis (19) is pivotally mounted between two end positions. 12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the forceps (18) perpendicular to the pivot axis (19) is translationally adjustable between two reversal points, and that the movement of the jaws (20) of the forceps (18) is synchronized with the translational movement such that when the pliers (18) are moved in the direction of the porcelain cap (3) with the sealing rubber (4), the pliers jaws (20) close at the front reversal point and the pliers jaws (20) are closed during the backward movement so as to peel off the sealing rubber (4) from the porcelain cap (3). 13. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, characterized in that in the pliers (18) in the front reversal point of the pliers (18) on the porcelain cap (3) coming to bear pin (21) is adjustably mounted in a guide sleeve (22) in order not to exert on this force acting in the radial direction of the rotary tower (5). 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the pin (21) during the backward movement of the pliers (18) in the guide sleeve (22) is adjustable in order to release the of the porcelain cap (3) on the pin (21) accepted sealing rubber (4) again. 15. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that an angle lever (23) for adjusting the jaws (20) is provided. 16. Device according to one of claims 2 to 15, characterized in that in the third workstation (9) a guide rail (29) for providing linearly arranged, from the plunger (25) to be taken over, new sealing rubbers (10) is provided. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that in the guide rail (29) is provided a detent position (30) for, vorderst at the rail mouth pending new sealing rubber (10). 18. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the plunger (25) about a parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary star (5) lying rotation axis 16 is rotatably mounted and in the radial direction to the rotation axis (16) of the third work station 9 translationally displaceable , 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the plunger (25) is surrounded by a rotation axis (16) of the third workstation 9 radially displaceable press sleeve (28) to postpone the inherited from the plunger from the guide rail sealing rubber. 20. The apparatus of claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the plunger (25) is provided several times and the plunger (25) evenly distributed over the circumference on a turntable (27) are arranged. 21. The apparatus of claim 19 or 20, characterized in that a control device for monitoring the presence of a bottle (1) provided in the rotary star (5) and the plunger (25) in the detection of a missing bottle (1) in the compression sleeve ( 28) is retractable. CH 695 564 A5 22. Device according to one of claims 2 to 21, characterized in that the first workstation (6) an optical detector for controlling the sealing rubbers (4) is arranged downstream and via an evaluation unit with the second workstation (7) and the third workstation (9 ) connected is. 23. Device according to one of claims 2 to 22, characterized in that the third workstation (9) is followed by a second optical detector with an evaluation unit for controlling the new sealing rubbers (10). 24. Device according to one of claims 2 to 23, characterized in that for the coordinated transport of the bottle (1) in the rotating star (5) and the operation of the first workstation (6), the second workstation (7) and the third Workstation (9) a common drive train (30) is provided, which also causes the pivoting movement of the pliers (18) by means of an eccentric (31).