DE102019113687A1 - Closer arrangement for closing a container with a container closure - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closer arrangement (1) for closing a filled container with a container closure comprising a closure carousel (10) with at least two closure elements arranged on its periphery and in each case corresponding transport bags (14) and an inlet guide (2) for receiving the containers to be closed from an upstream transfer device and for transferring the containers to the transport bags (14), the inlet guide (2) having an inlet area (22) which tapers in the conveying direction (F).

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a closer arrangement for closing a filled container with a container closure, for example for applying a roll-up closure to a container to be closed in a beverage filling plant.

State of the art

In beverage filling systems it is known to close the containers filled with a filling product by means of a container closure. For this purpose, the filled container is usually transported from a filling device to a closing device, then transferred to the closing device and provided with the container closure therein.

Both the filling device and the closing device can be so-called rotary machines. In a rotary filler filler, the individual filling elements are arranged on the periphery of a filler carousel, each filling element on the filler carousel forming a single filling point at which a container can be filled with the filling product per cycle. The transport between the filler carousel and the rotary closer takes place via a transfer star, for example. In the case of a rotary closer, a closer carousel is provided, on the circumference of which closing elements are arranged which can each close a filled container with a container closure.

Correspondingly, a filled container runs from the filler carousel to the closer carousel through a curved, for example also meander-shaped, conveying path which can have, for example, circular arc-shaped sections. Depending on the conveying path to be overcome, one, two or more transfer stars can be provided here in order to overcome the transport path between the filler carousel and the closer carousel.

Different types of closures are known for closing filled containers in beverage filling plants, which can be designed differently depending on the geometric shape of the respective filled container and in particular its mouth area, as well as depending on the filling product.

For example, crown corks are known which can be molded onto the mouth of a filled container. Screw caps can be screwed onto an existing thread in the mouth area of a filled container. Corks can be placed in the mouth of a filled container. Roll-up closures, for example in the form of a sleeve, are applied to an existing thread in the mouth area of a container and then formed onto the thread by rolling them up using a rolling device.

In order to achieve a correctly positioned transfer of the closures to the filled container and the filled container to the closer carousel and in particular into the respective receiving pockets of the closer carousel corresponding to the respective closing element, the filled containers are usually designed in a complex manner before they are introduced into the closer carousel Guide sets stabilized and aligned.

Here it is known, for example, to provide at least three guide levels on the transfer star, which takes over the transfer of the filled containers to the closer carousel, for example two in the area of the container belly and one in the area of the container neck. In this way, stable and secure alignment and guidance of the filled container to be closed can already be achieved in the transfer star.

Furthermore, an inlet guide is usually designed in such a way that, by means of several guide sets arranged on different levels, an orientation of the containers to be closed is achieved in a predetermined manner, in order in this way to easily transfer the container closure to be applied to the container mouth and the corresponding closing of the Ensure the container with this container closure.

Since a large number of container guides are provided, it is accordingly necessary when changing the container format, for example a different height, a different diameter of the belly area of the container, a different contour of the belly area, a different neck diameter and a different ratio between the neck diameter and Construction diameter to either readjust or completely replace the respective guide sets according to the construction diameter. Accordingly, a separate combination of different guide sets must be kept ready for each container type. Furthermore, the required changeover time results in a standstill of the beverage filling system.

Presentation of the invention

Accordingly, based on the known prior art, it is an object of The present invention specifies a closer arrangement for closing a filled container with a container closure which has a further improved structure.

This object is achieved by a closer arrangement having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments emerge from the dependent claims, the present description and the attached figures.

Accordingly, a closer arrangement is proposed for closing a filled container with a container closure, comprising a closure carousel with at least two closure members arranged on its periphery and in each case corresponding transport bags and an inlet guide for taking over the containers to be closed from an upstream transfer device and for transferring the containers to the Transport bags. According to the invention, the inlet guide has an inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction.

Because the inlet guide has an inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction, incoming containers can in any case be safely guided in their neck area and then guided in an orientation preferred for applying the container closure. In other words, the inlet area, which tapers in the conveying direction, serves to center the bottle neck and align it in such a way that a container closure can be applied without any problems. The inlet area, which tapers in the conveying direction, can be designed quasi funnel-shaped so that the incoming container necks are aligned in the correct orientation.

The inlet guide preferably has a guide channel, the tapering inlet area being part of the guide channel.

By means of the guide channel, simple and efficient guidance of the containers along a predetermined guide path can be achieved, so that the containers are correctly aligned, for example for the transfer of container closures, and a safe transfer of the container closures can be achieved.

The tapering inlet area preferably makes up only part of the guide channel, in particular only 5% to 20% of the length of the guide channel.

The larger part of the guide channel can thus be used for the aligned transport of the containers, so that the container closure can reliably be applied in this area.

The guide channel is particularly preferably formed between an inner guide disk and an outer guide disk.

By means of this design of the guide channel, a change in the geometry of the guide channel adapted to the respective container shape can be achieved by exchanging the inner and / or outer guide round.

The inner edges of the guide blanks pointing towards the guide channel are preferably contoured and in particular have a bevel.

The formation of the contouring enables particularly smooth transport of the containers in the inlet guide and in particular in the guide channel.

In order to achieve a particularly secure takeover of the containers from the transfer star arranged in front, the guide channel at its entrance is preferably twice as wide as after the tapering in the conveying direction. In other words, there is a significant reduction in the width of the guide channel from the inlet area, so that, on the one hand, the containers fed in by means of the transfer star are reliably captured and, on the other hand, the containers then captured are quickly guided onto the desired transport path to achieve safe takeover of a container closure.

A closure feed is preferably provided for feeding container closures to the inlet guide and the tapering of the inlet area is completed, viewed in the conveying direction F, before a closure is transferred to a container to be closed.

This ensures that at the time the container closure is transferred to the container, the container is already aligned such that a reliable transfer can take place.

The closure feed is preferably designed to supply closure sleeves for roll-up closures.

The inlet guide is preferably designed in such a way that it covers 50 ° to 90 ° of the conveying area of the upstream transfer star.

A particularly secure takeover of the container and a particularly gentle transfer of the container into the closer carousel can thus be achieved.

In order to achieve a simple conversion of the closer arrangement, the inlet guide can be designed to be quickly exchangeable, preferably via a plug connection.

Figure list

• 1 eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer Verschließeranordnung zum Verschließen eines befüllten Behälters;
• 2 eine schematische Ansicht von unten auf die Verschließeranordnung aus 1; und
• 3 eine schematische Draufsicht auf die Verschließeranordnung aus den 1 und 2.

Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Show:

• 1 a schematic perspective view of a closer arrangement for closing a filled container;
• 2 a schematic view from below of the closer assembly 1 ; and
• 3 a schematic plan view of the closer arrangement from FIG 1 and 2 .

Detailed description of preferred exemplary embodiments

Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Identical, similar or identically acting elements are provided with identical reference numerals in the different figures, and a repeated description of these elements is partially dispensed with in order to avoid redundancies.

1 shows a schematic perspective view of a closer arrangement 1 for closing a filled container (not shown here) with a container closure.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the locking arrangement 1 provided schematically for applying a roll-up closure. First, a closure sleeve is placed on the mouth of the container to be closed, for example by towing the closure sleeve from a closure feed. Then the closure sleeve is molded onto the outer contour present at the mouth of the container to be closed by means of a roll-up head. The outer contour can be a thread, for example.

The closure arrangement described herein can also be used for crown caps, among other things.

The capper arrangement 1 includes a capper carousel 10 , which is a transport star 12 has, which on its circumference transport bags 14th has, in each of which a container to be closed can be introduced and then with the rotation of the transport star 2 in the closer carousel 10 is transported. In the 1 not shown, but the respective transport bags 14th associated closure members are provided in order to bring a container closure onto the filled container.

The transport star 12 rotates relative to fixed components 11 the closer arrangement, which are connected, for example, to a base frame and which can carry further machine components not shown here at the top.

To move the containers from an upstream transfer star (not shown here) to the transport star 12 the closer arrangement 1 is an introductory tour 2 provided which at the entrance 20th the container, for example in its neck area, takes over from the upstream transfer star and then the transport bags 14th feeds.

The inlet guide 2 has an inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction 22nd on how particularly good in the 2 and 3 can be seen.

The inlet guide 2 is in the embodiment shown by the transport star 12 of the closer carousel 10 radially closer circular guide 24 and one correspondingly from the transport star 12 of the capper carousel 10 outer guide disc located radially further outwards 26th educated. Between the inner guide disc 24 and the outer guide disc 26th becomes a guide channel accordingly 28 formed, in which, for example, the container necks of the container to be closed are guided.

The guide channel 28 between the inner guide round 24 and the outer guide disc 26th is formed, has - except for the inlet area 22nd - a width which corresponds to the maximum expected diameter of the respective section of the filled container which is to be closed, with a narrow surcharge additionally being granted to prevent containers from jamming in the guide channel 28 absolutely to prevent.

In the view of the closer arrangement 1 from below that in the 2 is shown once again the mentioned construction of the closer carousel 10 with the transport star 12 that has a large number of transport bags on its circumference 14th has shown. The inlet guide can also be seen 2 , which is the inner guide disc 24 and the outer guide washer 26th has, which between them the guide channel 28 form.

On the two guide discs 24 , 26th is on the guide channel 28 facing inner edge 240 , 260 a contouring is provided in each case, which is designed, for example, in the form of a chamfer can be. This contouring can correspond to the shape of the filled container to be closed, which is guided in this area. This contouring can, for example, be designed to correspond to the shoulder area of a bottle.

In this view from below is the tapered inlet area 22nd particularly easy to recognize. The inlet area 22nd tapers in the conveying direction F such that at the entrance 20th on which the container enters the guide channel 28 run in, the guide channel 28 has a greater width than in all other sections of the guide channel 28 along the conveying direction F.

The inlet area 22nd , which tapers in the conveying direction F, accordingly forms a type of inlet funnel or catching area, which makes it possible to securely pick up or catch the incoming containers or the incoming container necks by means of the inlet area and then quickly insert them through the guide channel 28 Bring predetermined transport path.

On the one over the elongated holes 30th The symbolized position is a closure feed (in the version of the 4th and 5 shown), by means of which in each case a container closure on the then after passing through the inlet area 22nd correctly within the in the guide channel 28 aligned and positioned container necks can be applied.

In the elongated holes 30th or at least at the position predetermined by this, such a closure feed can be connected, by means of which closures can be towed through the incoming container necks or container mouths, so that a container provided with a container closure or a container closure sleeve in this way is put into a transport bag 14th of the transport star 12 of the closer carousel moves in.

In other words, when in the closer assembly 1 a container in the conveying direction F in the guide channel 28 is run in by means of one in the elongated holes 30th arranged closure feed made a transfer of a closure sleeve for a roll-up closure. The closure sleeve is then on the container, which is in a transport bag 14th of the transport star 12 of the capper carousel 10 is received, closed by means of a closure member moved synchronously with the transport bags with a container closure, in particular the closure sleeve is rolled up onto an outer contour of the container neck. The closing elements are not shown in this view.

The closure feed can, for example, comprise a closure feed rail, not shown here, in which closures are held ready in a predetermined orientation, so that a container passing under the closure feed takes such a closure with it or tows it away.

In the inlet area 22nd it can be seen that it has a shape that tapers in the conveying direction F. An incoming container is created accordingly by the inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction F. 22nd centered and guided in such a way that, as soon as it passes the closure transfer, it can simply be provided with a closure, for example in the form of a closure sleeve, which then, as soon as the container with the closure sleeve is attached to the closure carousel 10 is passed, applied by means of the closing member, not shown, for example rolled up.

The capping assembly formed in this way 1 accordingly enables the container or the container necks by means of the inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction F, even at higher speeds 22nd from the entrance 20th from safe to take over and then within the guide channel 28 to be centered in such a way that the towing of the container closures at the closure feed takes place so easily and reliably that the subsequent closure process takes place on the closure carousel 12 in which, for example, a closure sleeve applied to the respective container can be rolled up onto a prefabricated thread by means of a rolling tool, can take place safely.

Accordingly, it can be avoided that when the respective container closures are towed and in particular when the closure sleeves for roll-up closures are towed, the towing either does not work at all or the closure sleeves are placed incompletely or at an angle, so that a faulty closure can occur during the subsequent roll-up or roll-up closure or even a correct closure is not possible at all.

The inlet guide 2 can also be designed so that by means of the guide channel 28 the containers and, in particular, the container necks are fully guided until the containers are taken over into the respective transport bags 14th of the transport star 12 of the closer carousel takes place. Correspondingly, the containers are guided after they have been taken over by the transfer star until they are transferred to the respective sealing head or the transport bag assigned to the respective sealing head 14th instead of.

The tapered inlet area 22nd extends in the conveying direction F preferably only in a section of the guide channel 28 in which the handover or towing of the respective container closures has not yet taken place. In other words, the taper is the lead-in area 22nd preferably completed before a takeover of closures or closure sleeves takes place, so that at the time at which the container neck or the container mouth passes the respective closure feed, the container mouth is already completely aligned, so that a reliable transfer of the container closure, for example the closure sleeve, to the to be closed container takes place.

The closing carousel can furthermore have a lower transport star, not shown here, which additionally guides the containers to be closed in their abdominal area. The containers stand, for example, on a transport plate. Correspondingly, the containers to be closed are guided both in their neck area by means of the transport star 12 , as well as in their stomach area by means of the lower transport star, with the containers standing on a transport plate.

By means of an inlet area which is designed in this way and tapers in the conveying direction F. 22nd It can also be achieved that an upstream transfer star, which in conventional capper arrangements was equipped with complex guide sets, usually in three levels, i.e. two guide arrangements in the belly area and one guide arrangement in the neck area of the respective container to be transferred, can be designed more easily.

In particular, it is possible, for example, to dispense with an upper guide plane for the container neck, since the inlet area tapers in the conveying direction F 22nd the inlet guide 2 a corresponding alignment of the containers to be closed entering the closer arrangement can be achieved, which is sufficient for the closures to be reliably taken over and towed away.

The inlet guide 2 is preferably designed in such a way that it guides the container conveyed by the transfer star approximately in a conveying range of 50 ° to 90 ° of the rotation of the transfer star. The inlet area which tapers in the conveying direction F. 22nd has only a relatively small proportion over this funding range, for example from 2 ° to 20 °.

In other words, the inlet guide can advantageously extend over an area of approximately 5% to 20% of the guide channel 28 extend.

The tapering of the tapered inlet area 22nd can for example be designed so that at the entrance 20th of the guide channel 28 the width of the guide channel 28 is about twice as wide as after the end of the taper in the conveying direction F.

In a preferred embodiment, the inlet guide is 2 quick change. In particular, the inner circular guide 24 and / or the outer guide disc 26th be exchanged quickly, for example, to achieve an adaptation to a different type of container, for example a differently dimensioned guide channel 28 and / or differently contoured inner edges 240 , 260 required in order to achieve gentle handling of the container.

The parts of the inlet guide are preferably connected to the closer arrangement via plug connections 1 attached so that the replacement can preferably take place without tools

As far as applicable, all the individual features that are shown in the exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another and / or exchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

List of reference symbols

1

Closer arrangement

10

Closer carousel

11

fixed components

12

Transport star

14th

Transport bag

2

Inlet guide

20th

entrance

22nd

Inlet area

24

inner guide disc

26th

outer guide disc

240

Inside edge

260

Inside edge

28

Guide channel

30th

Long hole

F.

Conveying direction

Claims (10)

Closer arrangement (1) for closing a filled container with a container closure, comprising a closure carousel (10) with at least two closure members arranged on its circumference and in each case corresponding transport bags (14) and an inlet guide (2) for taking over the container to be closed from an upstream one Transfer device and for transferring the containers to the transport bags (14), characterized in that the inlet guide (2) has an inlet area (22) which tapers in the conveying direction (F). Closer arrangement (1) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the inlet guide (2) has a guide channel (28), the tapering inlet area (22) being part of the guide channel (28). Closer arrangement (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the tapering inlet area (22) only makes up part of the guide channel (28), in particular only 5% to 20% of the length of the guide channel (28). Closer arrangement (1) according to Claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the guide channel (28) is formed between an inner circular guide (24) and an outer circular guide (26). Closer arrangement (1) according to Claim 4 , characterized in that the inner edges (240, 260) of the guide discs (24, 26) pointing towards the guide channel (28) are contoured and in particular have a bevel. Closer arrangement (1) according to one of the Claims 2 to 5 , characterized in that the guide channel (28) at its inlet (20) is twice as wide as after completion of the tapering in the conveying direction (F). Closer arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a closure feed is provided for supplying container closures to the inlet guide (2) and the tapering of the inlet area (22), viewed in the conveying direction F, is completed before a closure is transferred to a to be closed container takes place. Closer arrangement (1) according to Claim 7 , characterized in that the closure feed is designed to supply closure sleeves for roll-up closures. Closer arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet guide (2) is designed so that it covers 50 ° to 90 ° of the conveying area of the upstream transfer star. Closer arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet guide (2) is designed to be quickly exchangeable, preferably via a plug connection.

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