EP0104292B1 - Method and device for feeding heat-shrinkable covers to fall into moving containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Method of applying heat-shrinkable skirts at speed to moving containers of the type consisting of deforming a moving flattened tubular sheath (2) in order to crush its folds (8) and form a tubular sheath flattened in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the initial sheath, of cutting-off a portion (14) of this sheath (2) and of applying it to a container, the skirt obtained then having a square section whereof the sides alone ensure its retention on the container, characterised in that after cutting-off the portion (14) of sheath, it consists of moving this portion along at a speed higher than the speed of movement of the sheath, of controlling the transverse deformation of this portion so that, at the time when at least part of its lower edge arrives in the horizontal trajectory of movement of the container, its edges corresponding to the folds (8) of the initial sheath and disposed in the longitudinal plane of movement of the axes of the containers, converge away from the containers, whereas its other edges converge in the direction of the container, of causing the moving container to grip the moving portion of sheath and of terminating the application of the portion of sheath onto the container.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for dispensing heat-shrinkable skirts on the fly on moving containers.

To decorate various containers, it is known to use skirts made of heat-shrinkable synthetic material. These skirts are cut from a flattened sheath to form a section which must then be opened to present the tubular shape allowing its introduction onto the container. Subsequently, the container, with its skirt, passes close to heating means which, by their heat release, cause the skirt to shrink on the container.

The operations of sectioning, forming and removing the skirt are delicate and have so far been unable to be carried out reliably by means operating at very high speed, that is to say at speeds close to those of current bottling machines. Furthermore, none of the existing devices makes it possible to deposit such skirts on the fly and without momentary interruption of the horizontal movement of the containers. As a result, the application of such decorative skirts is limited to containers that are conditioned, either by production lines operating at low speed and comprising means making it possible to temporarily interrupt the movement of these containers, or by passing over carousels comprising several complete cutting and depositing devices, therefore constituting complex and expensive assemblies.

The method according to the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by making it possible to continuously deposit, on moving containers, decorative skirts cut from a flattened sheath and formed before being placed on the container.

This process is of the type described in FR-A-2 387 900 in the name of the Applicant and consists in deforming a flattened tubular sheath to crush its folds and forming a flattened tubular sheath in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the initial sheath, in cutting a section of this sheath and to be distributed on a container, the skirt obtained then having a square section whose sides alone ensure its retention on the container.

It consists more specifically, after cutting the sheath section, to drive this section at a speed greater than that of displacement of the sheath, to control the transverse deformation of this section so that at the moment when at least part of its lower edge comes in the horizontal trajectory of movement of the container, its edges corresponding to the folds of the initial sheath and arranged in the longitudinal plane of movement of the axes of the containers, converge opposite to the container, while its other edges converge in the direction of the container, to cause the moving sheath section to be grasped by the moving container and to finish pressing the sheath section onto the container.

Thus, when a container passes under the device, its displacement trajectory meets that of the sheath section which, due to its positioning in space, deposits without difficulty on the container and leaves with it, without recourse to any other accessory.

The device for implementing this process is of the type described in FR-A-2 387 900, that is to say comprising a support for a flattened sheath coil, means arranged in the sheath and giving this last a flattened tubular shape whose major axis is perpendicular to that of its initial flattened shape, means for holding the aforementioned means, means for maintaining the sheath in the shape which is given to it and means for cutting a section of this sheath.

It differs from it by the structure of these sectioning and section forming means, means which are arranged so as to achieve the desired reliability and operating rate.

To this end, the sectioning means of this device are composed of two parallel rotary cylinders, at least one of which is provided with knives parallel to its axis of rotation, these cylinders being followed, in the direction of displacement of the sheath sections, on the one hand, means for driving each section at a speed greater than that of travel of the sheath and, on the other hand, guide means forcing each section of sheath to open gradually to form a tubular body the lower part of which, coming out of the aforementioned means, has a square shape in cross section and is oriented relative to the trajectory of the containers, while its upper part has a lozenge shape.

Immediately after the sheath is cut continuously, the sheath section is driven by the drive means at a speed higher than that of the sheath running, so that its posterior end is distant from the anterior end of the sheath continuing to advance. When entering the guide means, the section is subjected to transverse stresses which tend to open it gradually, so as to give it the optimal shape, that is to say the shape allowing its introduction under the best conditions on the moving container which it will meet as soon as it leaves these guide means.

• Figure 1 est une vue de côté en élévation avec coupe partielle montrant, à échelle réduite, une forme de réalisation du dispositif,
• Figure 2 est une vue de côté en élévation montrant à échelle agrandie les moyens de sectionnement, d'entraînement et de guidage du dispositif représenté à la figure 1,
• Figure 3 est une vue partielle en coupe suivant 3-3 de figure 2,
• Figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un tronçon de gaine au moment de sa distribution,
• Figure 5 est une vue en perspective montrant, à échelle agrandie, l'une des deux glissières,
• Figure 6 est une vue partielle en coupe suivant 6-6 de figure 1, montrant une forme d'exécution des moyens contrôlant l'enfoncement des jupes sur les récipients.

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing and representing, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of the device for the implementation of this process.

• Figure 1 is a side elevation view in partial section showing, on a reduced scale, a embodiment of the device,
• FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing, on an enlarged scale, the means of sectioning, driving and guiding the device shown in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view along 3-3 of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a section of sheath at the time of its distribution,
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing, on an enlarged scale, one of the two slides,
• Figure 6 is a partial sectional view along 6-6 of Figure 1, showing an embodiment of the means controlling the penetration of the skirts on the containers.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 2 designates a sheath of heat-shrinkable synthetic material unwinding from a reel 3 carried by a support 1.4 designates means disposed in the sheath 2 and giving the latter a flattened tubular shape whose major axis is perpendicular to that of its initial flattened shape. These means are, for example, constituted by a polyhedron of the type described in FR-A-2 387 900 in the name of the Applicant, a polyhedron whose upper edge 4a is held between two guide rollers 5, and whose lower edge 4b is held between two other guide rollers 6 whose axes of rotation are offset by 90 ° relative to those of the rollers 5.

Complementary guide rollers 7, whose axes of rotation are parallel to the rollers 5, are arranged on either side of the lateral faces of the polyhedron in order to avoid any displacement of the latter during the travel of the sheath. During this operation, the two lateral folds 8 of the sheath 2, which came from the crushing of the edges of the latter during its winding on the coil 3, come into the central part of the sheath, as shown in 8 to Figure 4, while the central parts of the sheath unwinding from the coil 3 constitute the side edges 9 of the new flattened shape.

The flattened sheath, the median plane of which forms an angle of 90 ° with the median plane of the sheath unwinding from the reel 3, passes between drive rollers 10 whose axes of rotation are parallel to those of the rollers 6. These rollers, which are arranged so as to come into contact with the central zones of the sheath, are separated from each other by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the sheath, so as to crush the folds 8 which pass between them.

According to the invention, this device also comprises means 12 for cutting the sheath, means for driving the section 14 thus cut and means 15 for guiding and controlling the transverse deformation of each section.

The sectioning means 12 consist of two rotary cylinders 16a-16b, arranged on either side of the path of the sheath 2 and whose axes of rotation, parallel to each other, are parallel to those of the rollers 10 and 6. The cylinder 16a is provided with knives 17 which are parallel to its axis of rotation. The drive means of the sections consist of two rollers 18 arranged on either side of the path of the sheath sections 14. These rollers, the axes of rotation of which are parallel to those of the cylinders 16a-16b, are brought together. one from the other so as to crush between them at least the central part of the sheath sections 14. The distance e between the plane P1 containing their axes of rotation and the plane P2 containing the axes of rotation of the cylinders 16a and 16b, has a value substantially equal to or less than the length 1 of a section, so that, as soon as it is cut into the sheath 2, the section is driven by these rollers. These rollers are connected by a movement transmission, not shown, to the motor means 19 ensuring the rotation drive of the cylinders 16a and 16b. The transmission ratio is determined so that the circumferential speed of these rollers is greater than the linear speed communicated to the sheath 2 by the drive rollers 10 and, for example, is equal to twice this speed.

In this device, the guide means 15 are associated with means 51 for spacing and positive drive of the sections 14. These positive drive means are constituted by two toothed belts 52 parallel, driven by toothed pulleys 53 arranged with on either side of one of the rollers 18 and also passing over toothed return pulleys 54 wedged on a shaft 55 parallel to that 56 carrying the roller 18 and the pulleys 53. Each belt 52 has, projecting from its face exterior, several tabs 57 which coincide with the tabs 57 of the other belt. The interval between two cleats is at least equal to the length of the sheath sections. In this embodiment, this interval is greater than the length of a section, so as to space the successive sections. In addition, the shaft 55 is carried by links 58 articulated on the shaft 56 and angularly adjustable as a function of the dimensions of the sections, so that the belt can drive these sections without disturbing their shaping.

The guide means 15 are constituted, as shown in FIG. 3, by two opposite slides 59 each having, facing each other, a groove 60 of variable triangular section. In fact, as shown in FIG. 5, the faces 61a-61b of each groove move away from one another from top to bottom, in the direction of travel, while their bottom 62 moves closer to the bottom on the other groove. These slides are arranged laterally on either side of the trajectory of the lugs 57 of the belts and so as to cooperate only with the edges 9 of the sections.

In the embodiment shown, corresponding to a direct distribution on moving containers 40, the longitudinal axis of the device, as well as the path of movement of the sheath 2, then of the sections 14, are inclined on the horizontal downstream by relation to the direction of movement of the containers.

With this device, as soon as a sheath section 14 has been sectioned by one of the knives 17 of the rotary cylinder 16a, it is first driven by the rollers 18, then as soon as its rear end comes into contact with two of the tabs 57 of the belts 52, it is moved positively by these tabs, first in the direction of the means 15 ensuring the guiding and controlling its deformation, then in the direction of the container 40 passing below the device.

When a section 14 passes between the guide means 15, its lateral edges meet the bottoms 62 of the slides 59 which exert stresses on them tending to bring them closer and therefore causing the spacing of the folds 8 still marking the section, so as to give to the latter, a cross section progressively passing from the lozenge shape to the square shape. In fact, as long as this section 14 is not completely out of the slides 59, only its front end has a square section with concave sides as shown in FIG. 4, while its rear end retains a lozenge section. Therefore, when the front end of the section 14 exceeds means 15 for guiding and controlling its deformation, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, its shape is close to that shown in Figure 4. In other words , it forms a polyhedron whose edges corresponding to the folds 8 of the initial sheath go away from its anterior end to its rear end, while its edges corresponding to its lateral edges 9 go closer to its front end at its posterior end.

Thus, when the container 40 moving in the direction of the arrow 27 comes in the vicinity of the section 14 moving in the direction of the arrow 21 in FIG. 1, its neck can very easily penetrate the skirt during formation. The container 40, thus capped with the section 14 constituting the decorative skirt, continues its movement and drives this decorative skirt which escapes from the means 15. The final insertion of the skirt on the container 40 is terminated by means independent of the housing and, in particular , by an adjustable pallet 42, but wedged in position.

Advantageously, and as shown in FIG. 6, this pallet 42 has two lateral wings 43 having a U-shaped section and which, thanks to its inclination, but also to the square section of the skirt and to the orientation which is given to it. when it is placed on the container, allow the penetration depth of this skirt to be perfectly adjusted on the container neck and even, as shown in FIG. 6, to lower this skirt below the ring of the container 40.

Figure 1 shows that the sensor 28, triggering the operation of the stepping motor ensuring the drive of the cylinders 16a and 16b and the drive rollers 18, cooperates with metal studs 64 disposed on the hub 65 of a star 66 mounted to rotate freely on a vertical shaft 67. The studs 64 are the same number as the cells of the star with which they coincide and are intended to trigger the operation of the motor when each container 40 passes.

It should be noted that, if it is necessary to distribute sections having a length greater than that of the arc of a circle separating the knives 17 from the cylinder 16a, the cylinders 16a and 16b are then driven by a stepping motor. not different from that 19 ensuring the drive of the rollers 18, this stepping motor then being triggered only when there has passed, between the two cylinders, a length of sheath equal to the difference between the total length of a section and the length of the circular arc separating two knives 17.

The device according to the invention, which has been described above in the case of its application to the distribution of decorative skirts, can also be used for the distribution of guarantee skirts or decorative sheath completely enveloping the container. It can also be used to distribute sheath sections on containers stopping under it, in which case its longitudinal axis, corresponding to the path of movement of the sheath and of the sheath sections, is vertical. Finally, in the case where the section has a height less than its diameter, which makes direct deposit on a container very difficult, the device is associated with rotary transfer means comprising bosses with the transverse dimension of the containers and suitable, each to receive a section of sheath delivered by the device. At a next station, each section is pressed onto its boss which thus ensures its front positioning, that at the transfer station of the complementary means make this section slide over the underlying container, whether moving or not.

It emerges from the above that this device continuously supplying sheath sections can, because of its structure, be used to deliver, at high speed, continuously or discontinuously, sheath sections to containers of any shape, movement or stopped.

In addition, in a simplified form, the device uses sheath comprising two central folds, that is to say having the characteristics of that coming out of the rollers 6. In this case, it does not include the rollers 5, 6 and 7, as well as the polyhedron 4, but only a coil support 3 and guide means lead the preformed sheath to the rollers 10 and to the downstream mechanism which is unchanged. In addition to simplifying the mechanism, this arrangement makes it possible to shape the sheath at high speed by a specialized, but simple device, and facilitates the loading of the device according to the invention.

Claims (8)

1. Method of applying heat-shrinkable skirts at speed to moving containers of the type consisting of deforming a moving flattened tubular sheath (2) in order to crush its folds (8) and form a tubular sheath flattened in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the initial sheath, of cutting-off a portion (14) of this sheath (2) and of applying it to a container, the skirt obtained then having a square section whereof the sides alone ensure its retention on the container, characterised in that after cutting-off the portion (14) of sheath, it consists of moving this portion along at a speed higher than the speed of movement of the sheath, of controlling the transverse deformation of this portion so that, at the time when at least part of its lower edge arrives in the horizontal trajectory of movement of the container, its edges corresponding to the folds (8) of the initial sheath and disposed in the longitudinal plane of movement of the axes of the containers, converge away from the containers, whereas its other edges converge in the direction of the container, of causing the moving container to grip the moving portion of sheath and of terminating the application of the portion of sheath onto the container.

2. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, of the type comprising a support for a reel (3) of flattened sheath (2), means (10) for the entrainment of this sheath and means (12) for cutting-off a portion of this sheath, characterised in that the cutting means (12) are composed of two parallel rotary cylinders (16a-16b) of which at least one (16a) is provided with cutters (17) parallel to its axis of rotation, these cylinders being followed, in the direction of movement of the portions of sheath (14), on the one hand by means (18) for moving each portion along at a speed higher than the speed of travel of the sheath (2) and, on the other hand, external guide means (15) forcing each portion of sheath (14) to open progressively in order to form a tubular body whereof the lower part, leaving the said means has, in cross section, a square shape and is orientated with respect to the trajectory of the containers, whereas its upper part has a diamond shape.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterised in that the entrainment means for the portions of sheath are constituted by two parallel rollers (18), connected to drive means and arranged on either side of the trajectory of the portions (14), in order to squeeze each portion in its central area, the plane (P1) containing the axes of these rollers (18) being separated from the plane (P2) containing the axes of the cutting cylinders (16a-16b), by a distance (e) at the most equal to the length (1) of a portion.

4. Apparatus according to Claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the means (15) for guiding and controlling the deformation of the portions are constituted by opposed guides (59) which, comprising each facing the other a groove (60) whereof the triangular section varies from top to bottom in the direction of movement of the portions, both by separation of its side faces (61 a-61 b) as by the approach of its base (62) in the direction of the bottom of the groove (60) in the facing guide (59), are disposed laterally with respect to the trajectory of the portions (14) in order to co-operate solely with the edges (9) of the portions (14).

5. Apparatus according to Claims 2 and 4, characterised in that the guide means (15) are associated with means for the spacing and positive entrainment of the portions.

6. Apparatus according to Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the means for the spacing and positive entrainment of the portions are constituted by two belts (52) which, arranged on either side of one of the rollers (18) for the entrainment of the portions, each pass over a drive pulley (53) keyed on the shaft (56) of the roller and over a return pulley (54) keyed on a shaft (55) parallel to the former, but located below, each of these belts comprising external stops (57), which, separated by a gap at least equal to the length of a portion, coincide with those of the other belt and are able to bear against the rear edge of one of the portions (14) as soon as the latter escapes from the two entrainment rollers (18).

7. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the rotary cylinders (16a-16b) for cutting-up the sheath (2) and the means (15) by for the entrainment of the portions (14) are connected/movement transmissions to the same electric motor, of the stepping type, whereof the actuation putting these members into operation for a single operation, is dependent upon a sensor (28) detecting the arrival of a new container.

8. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 7, characterised in that it is inclined with respect to the horizontal and towards the downstream end of the conveyor moving the containers, so that each container (40) first of all encounters the edge of the portion of sheath which is downstream with respect to the direction of movement of this container.

Images