EP0031644A1 - Procédé et appareil de positionnement d'un récipient et d'un couvercle appartenant à une série de couvercles prédécoupés - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil de positionnement d'un récipient et d'un couvercle appartenant à une série de couvercles prédécoupés Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0031644A1
EP0031644A1 EP80304128A EP80304128A EP0031644A1 EP 0031644 A1 EP0031644 A1 EP 0031644A1 EP 80304128 A EP80304128 A EP 80304128A EP 80304128 A EP80304128 A EP 80304128A EP 0031644 A1 EP0031644 A1 EP 0031644A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
lid
lids
flange
conveyor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP80304128A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Derek Vincent Mancini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Consumers Glass Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Consumers Glass Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Consumers Glass Co Ltd filed Critical Consumers Glass Co Ltd
Publication of EP0031644A1 publication Critical patent/EP0031644A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
    • B65B7/2807—Feeding closures
    • B65B7/2814—Feeding closures the closures being interconnected
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
    • B65B7/2842—Securing closures on containers
    • B65B7/2878—Securing closures on containers by heat-sealing

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus and method for precisely locating and aligning a flange of a container and a precut lid of a series of interconnected lids, such that after the heat sealing operation, the body portion of the lid does not overhang the flange of the container.
  • Kith method echoa the precise location of a precut lid relative to a container is not required, however, the resulting product even with the overhanging lid portion pressed down has the appearance of poor workmanship. This problem is further compounded by damage during shipment where the overhanging portion of the lid becomes tattered.
  • the resulting product has the appearance of being produced by a cheap process and if the overhanging portion of the lids becomes crimped or torn it leads to the appearance of shoddy workmanship and the suggestion that the product has been tampered with. Therefore, it is desirable to produce a product where the precut lid is of sufficient area to cover the container and align the lid for heat sealing, such that the lid does not overhang the flange after it has been sealed in place. The only exception to this being the tab portion of the lid which projects outwardly from the flange, such that the lid may be removed.
  • a continuous sheet has been applied over nested containers and a dye cutting operation is used to cut out the sealed lid from the sheet material and in some circumstances this cutting operation also dye cuts the container flange.
  • the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art machines which have used preprinted and precut labels while providing the more deriable characteristics of containers sealed with a continuous sheet material and dye cut after the heat sealing operation.
  • the present invention provides a method for accurately positioning a container and a lid of a series of precut lids for sealing the lid to the container where each lid has a body portion corresponding to the area defined by such container flange and a tab portion for removing a sealed lid, such that the body portion of a heat sealed lid is aligned with and essentially within the periphery of such container flange.
  • the method comprises the steps of:
  • An apparatus for accurately positioning and aligning a lid of a series of interconnected lids above a container flange in preparation for sealing such a lid to a container.
  • the apparatus includes a conveyor bed for conveying containers and has locating means for spacing containers in the coveyor bed, drive means for indexing the conveyor bed and halt the conveyor at fixed intervals corresponding to the container spacing, and means for synchronously positioning a lid of such series of lids over conveyed containers preparatory to heat sealing a lid to a container flange.
  • the conveyor bed includes alignment means for engaging a container flange and accurately position said flange relative to said conveyor bed, and the alignment means further engages a portion of the periphery of a lid of the series of interconnected lids advancing such series and positioning the body portion of a lid directly above the flange of a nested container and within the periphery thereof.
  • the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is designed to fill individual portion creamer containers which have gained wide acceptance throughout both the European and the North American markets.
  • the apparatus has a container supply chute 2, which receives a stack of nested containers and drops the containers at the appropriate time such that a container is received within the coveyor bed 10.
  • the product filling station is generally shown as 4 and is synchronized with the movement of the conveyor bed to fill a container located beneath the spout 5.
  • the lid supply system 6 is adapted to receive a roll of interconnected preprinted and precut container lids with a series of lids being fed past the roller 34 and onto the lid drive drum 32.
  • the drum 32 is constantly driven, in contrast to the intermittent movement of the conveyor bed, such that the series of lids has a curved downward portion 30 which provides some compensation as the series of lids engage alignment means provided with the conveyor bed.
  • the series of lids are generally advanced by the drive drum 32 and the conveyor bed is provided with alignment means for positioning the series of lids directly above containers.
  • the roller 34 and the drive drum 32 form the lid drive mechanism 8.
  • Both the lid severance station 12 and the heat seal station 14 are driven in timed relationship with the conveyor bed movement and will be more fully described in relation to the remaining figures.
  • a container unloading system is generally shown as position 16 in Fig. 1.
  • the clamping pads support block 62 is shown in Fig. 2 with individual clamping pads 64 journalled within the support block and having a positioning rod 66 adapted to maintain the orientation of the clamping pads.
  • These clamping pads are spring loaded and adapted to move relative to the support block when the drive means 60 lowers the support block relative to the conveyor bed, firmly positioning two adjacent lids and allowing the severance of the interconnecting tab between the lids.
  • the clamping pads are designed to engage only a portion of the lid as the guide rails 17 extend beneath the lid severance station and contact a portion of the lid urging it downwardly into engagement with the lugs 122 and 124 which position and advance the series of interconnected lids with the conveyor movement.
  • the clamping pads 64 must maintain their orientation relative to the conveyor bed and thus the rod 66 positively maintains this position and the brackets 68 assure the rod does not accidently disengage the clamping pads.
  • the rod merely moves upwardly with the clamping pads and the brackets 68 are of sufficient height such that the rod does not strike above the brackets.
  • the heat sealing unit 40 has a number of individual heat sealing pads 42 spring loaded to the base of the heat sealing unit and the drive mechanism 44 secures the heat sealing unit and synchornizes it with the movement conveyor bed.
  • the heat sealing unit is secured to the drive 44 by the yoke and axle arrangement 46 and 48 in combination with the lock pins 50 and apertures 52.
  • Figs. 3 and 4 the lid severance and heat sealing station are shown in more full detail.
  • the series of interconnected lids 100 curve downwardly towards the conveyor bed immediately upstream of the clamping station such that only approximately 3 lids of the series engage the conveyor bed prior to severance of a lid from this series.
  • the lid 101 immediately upstream of the severance station is engaging the forward alignment lug 122a of that particular conveyor plate but due to the series of lids curving upward toward drive drum 32, the trailing periphery of the lid has not yet engaged alignment lug 124a.
  • only two lids of the series of interconnected lids fully engage or lie within conveyor plates and the third lid, has not fully engaged a conveyor plate. This aspect of controlling the number of lids engaging the conveyor is important because tolerance variations in the exact spacing between lids of the series
  • the conveyor apparatus as shown in Fig. 3 is positioned such that the conveyor bed is now stationary and the clamping pads 64 and heat sealing head 40 will move downwardly to free a lid from the series of interconnected lids and heat seal a lid to a container.
  • the knife 63 contacts the interconnecting tab portion of a lid and severs it freeing a lid from a series of interconnected lids.
  • the guide rails 17 assure the series of interconnected lids remain in engagement with a portion of the conveyor bed and also assure the freed lid remains in proper location with the alignment lugs in preparation for the heat sealing operation.
  • These guide rails 17 are supported by bar member 19 which traverses across the width of the conveyor and, is secured to the supporting sidewalls of the machine.
  • FIG. 5 Several plates of the conveyor bed are shown in Fig. 5 in relation to the guide rails 17.
  • the conveyor plate 120b has been cut away through a nested container, showing the relationship between the alignment lugs 122 and 124, flange 200 of a nested container and aperture 121 provided in the conveyor plate.
  • Each of the alignment lugs has been provided with a curved portion 125 corresponding to a portion of the outer periphery of the flange 200.
  • the curved portion 125 is adapted to essentially contact the outer periphery of the flange 200 with both sets of alignment lugs 122 and 124.
  • the curved portion 125 tapers upward and outwardly from the upper surface of the conveyor plate to provide a guide means for initially, loosely receiving the container flange 200 and subsequently aligning this flange in relationship to the conveyor plate which has been recessed to receive the flange.
  • the aperture 121 provided in the plate is oversized relative to the body of the nested container such that the exact position of the container in the conveyor bed is determined by the inter-engagement of the container flange and the alignment lugs.
  • tolerance variations in the size of lias and the diameter of creamer containers may be up to approximately four thousandths and three thousandths of an inch respectively whereas variations in the position of the center of the container may be as much as 20 thousandths of an inch.
  • the guide rail 17 shown in Fig. 5 extends between alignment lugs of adjacent container apertures 121c and is of sufficient width to contact a portion of both adjacent lids. Although this rail is in close proximity to the conveyor bed, it is not in contact with the bed and actually allows the series of interconnected lids to move along a portion of the tapered surface 125, but not above the alignment lugs thus, providing some compensation for tolerances.
  • a lid in contact with the alignment lug is forced downwardly and the tapered section contacts the periphery of the lid and positions it relative to the container flange. Therefore, the precise location of th lid is assisted due to the clamping action of the clamping pad 64 and during the downward movement of the heat sealing head 40, prior to bottoming out against the conveyor bed.
  • the present system achieves the result of precisely locating the lid above a container flange by allowing for a small degree of tolerance variations due to the tapered alignment lugs 124 and 122 as well as the curved portion 100 of the series of interconnected lids which is achieved through the operation of the drive drum 32.
  • This drive drum is shown in more detail in Fig. 6 and is provided with projecting lugs 37 for engaging the series of interconnected lids. Because the drive drum 32 is constantly driven and the conveyor is intermittently advanced, the curved portion 100 is always varying to a certain extent. However, the arrangement is such that the series of lids may be positioned on drum 32 such that free end portion of the lids always curve downward to the conveyor bed in a manner such that they readily engage and move with advancement of the conveyor bed.
  • drum 32 isolates the free end portion of the series of lids from velocity and tensions, fluctuations between drum 32 and the supply roll 36. It is preferred to have the drum 32 constantly driven to avoid problems such as tearing of the lids between the drum and the supply roll 36 which may occur should the drum be indexed with movement of the conveyor bed.
  • the clamping pads 64 are not circular so they do not contact the guide rails 17 during the clamping operation.
  • Figs. 8 and 9 show containers heat sealed by this process and the body portion 102 of the lid is located within the periphery of the flange.
  • the tab portion 104 of the lid projects from the lid and assists in removal of the lid by the end user.
  • the overall appearance of the finished product is enhanced as only one tab portion is provided and is preferred according to the invention.
  • the present invention utilizes precut, preprinted interconnected lids in combination with containers mass produced by thermoforming techniques while still providing a system in which the lid essentially corresponds to the periphery of the flange of the containers and is heat sealed thereto.
  • a system results in cost savings due to the reduced size of container lids and provides a product that is less vulnerable to lid damage. Thus the final product does not appear tattered when served for consumption and the consumer is not as likely to immediately question the quality of the product.
  • Prior art systems have provided wide tolerance allowances in both the apparatus for handling this type of packaging operation as well as in the individual components but result in a somewhat shabby looking finished product.
  • the present system is capable of high production output as well as obtaining the desirable characteristics of a more finished final product.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closing Of Containers (AREA)
EP80304128A 1979-12-21 1980-11-18 Procédé et appareil de positionnement d'un récipient et d'un couvercle appartenant à une série de couvercles prédécoupés Withdrawn EP0031644A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA342495 1979-12-21
CA000342495A CA1155431A (fr) 1979-12-21 1979-12-21 Machine de remplissage de contenants a couvercles ajustes de precision

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0031644A1 true EP0031644A1 (fr) 1981-07-08

Family

ID=4115885

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP80304128A Withdrawn EP0031644A1 (fr) 1979-12-21 1980-11-18 Procédé et appareil de positionnement d'un récipient et d'un couvercle appartenant à une série de couvercles prédécoupés

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0031644A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS5691940A (fr)
AU (1) AU543318B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA1155431A (fr)
DK (1) DK539880A (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1987003536A1 (fr) * 1985-12-04 1987-06-18 Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat Oy Procede de preparation d'un recipient et ebauche pour le former
CN103658442A (zh) * 2013-12-12 2014-03-26 无锡四方友信股份有限公司 桶身自动封底盖、封顶盖机

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5951451A (en) * 1993-07-27 1999-09-14 L.A.S. Pty. Ltd. Apparatus for fitting lid to a container
US10239109B2 (en) * 2016-03-01 2019-03-26 Stolle Machinery Company, Llc Shell system locating assembly for shells

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1955974A1 (de) * 1969-11-07 1972-11-30 Ganzhorn & Stirn Spezialfabrik Becherabstapel-Vorrichtung

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1955974A1 (de) * 1969-11-07 1972-11-30 Ganzhorn & Stirn Spezialfabrik Becherabstapel-Vorrichtung

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1987003536A1 (fr) * 1985-12-04 1987-06-18 Yhtyneet Paperitehtaat Oy Procede de preparation d'un recipient et ebauche pour le former
CN103658442A (zh) * 2013-12-12 2014-03-26 无锡四方友信股份有限公司 桶身自动封底盖、封顶盖机
CN103658442B (zh) * 2013-12-12 2015-09-16 无锡四方友信股份有限公司 桶身自动封底盖、封顶盖机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK539880A (da) 1981-06-22
AU6561380A (en) 1981-06-25
JPS5691940A (en) 1981-07-25
AU543318B2 (en) 1985-04-18
CA1155431A (fr) 1983-10-18

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): BE CH DE FR GB NL

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19811105

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: CONSUMERS GLASS COMPANY LIMITED

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19831212

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: MANCINI, DEREK VINCENT