EP0508222B1 - Method and device for closing a package - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for sealing a package for flow agents, in the top of which there is a hole with a raised collar, in which a pouring device provided with a cup-shaped recess with a collar is connected to the collar of the hole; and the invention also relates to a device for closing such a fluid packaging.

A wide variety of packaging forms and packaging materials are known for the packaging of flow agents, and the manufacturers continuously strive to produce improved packaging inexpensively and preferably in an environmentally friendly manner, which nevertheless seals with a Pouring device can be closed without the end user having too much difficulty opening and pouring out. Among the large number of packs there are also those in the top floor of which there is a hole which is closed with an openable pouring device. While packs of paper coated with plastic are known for the storage and transport of flow agents, the present invention is particularly directed to flow packs made of plastic, the hole in the top floor of which is dealt with by a collar which, so to speak, has a cylindrical shape with a central axis, which is to be thought of as lying vertically, although it can also lie at a certain angle to the plumb line, even with special types of packaging. A vertical central axis is assumed for the description of the present invention. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a pouring device which has at least one part with a cup-shaped depression with a collar, the outside of which has at least one partially cylindrical jacket-shaped wall of comparable diameter such that the collar of the pouring device can be inserted into the collar of the hole is. Such a closing of liquid containers with lids is known for tin cans, but the lid there can only be opened by pulling it out of the collar of the hole or the tube of the can, since such cans have no special top bottom. However, it becomes more difficult to seal and, at the same time, to provide a good opening possibility for a pouring device for a plasticizer pack which has an upper floor, of which only a part of the upper floor area is designed as a hole. The insertion of the collar of the pouring device into the collar of the hole is obviously sufficient only for dust-tightness, but on the other hand is not sufficient for tightly closing a plastic packaging even if undercuts, snap-in devices, raster devices or the like are provided due to radial deformation of the collar and collar.

The person skilled in the art knows that liquid-tight and possibly even gas-tight closures must be provided for plastic packaging.

Containers made of plastic are already known for the packaging, storage and transportation of flow agents, but the manufacture and closure of these have so far always involved a certain amount of effort, which the present invention has set itself the goal of avoiding. In the case of packings or pouring devices coated with plastic or also those made of plastic alone without a carrier material, one could think of connecting the pouring device to the pack by welding or sealing. However, problems generally arise here. For example, the sealing of one plastic to another, that is to say the sealing connection of the collar of the pouring device to the collar of the packing hole a temperature of 180 ° C is required to get a reliable and usable package. Sealing prefabricated pouring devices to the holes of separate packs is a difficult task under such a temperature condition, which is why pack manufacturers have already started to form the pouring devices in one piece with the top of the pack or to produce them by injection molding. Another difficulty when using sealing jaws for connecting the parts in question is that the heating of the sealing surfaces must take place from the outside through the layers of material, while at the same time ensuring correct and correct pressing. These methods have also not led to the desired success because many problems have also recognized that the material thickness of the plastic parts to be connected is often not exactly the same and gaps arise even with minor fluctuations which cannot be closed during sealing.

Packs formed from two parts are conceivable, in which the connecting seam after the manufacture of the pack runs across the top floor and even through the hole in the same, so that in the area of the seam there is an offset with the result of gaps which occur when the federal government is inserted Pouring device and welding with welding material would have to be adequately filled and sealed. Here too, insurmountable difficulties have arisen, in particular when several packs are to be closed simultaneously with the pouring devices in question for the cheaper mass production of sealed plasticizer packs. Already arranging a single pouring device on a single hole must be very precise and cannot be achieved without effort. This sealing of packs becomes significantly more problematic in mass production, for example if five, ten or more packs are to be closed at the same time, because the simultaneous precise placement of the pouring device in the holes and then the sealing seemed very difficult.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a method and a device for closing a plastic packaging with the features mentioned at the outset, with which it is possible to reliably and precisely mount the collar of a pouring device in the collar of a hole, even in the case of Multiple application the previously feared problems are eliminated.

According to the invention, this object is achieved for the method in that the individual pouring device is placed on a holder and is preferably rotated therewith about a longitudinal axis of the holder by at least 360 °, while a glue thread continuously rotates around this longitudinal axis of the holder the Bund of the pouring device is placed, and then the collar of the pouring device is brought into contact with the collar of the hole.

The adhesive thread must be compatible with the packaged goods. This question becomes particularly interesting when packaging food, and it must be assumed that the adhesive used according to the invention is food-compatible. Some examples are given below, among which there is a sufficient selection for food-compatible substances.

The special and novel feature of the method according to the invention is the placement of the adhesive thread on the collar of the pouring device while it is being rotated, mounted on a holder, after which the pack and pouring device are brought together and connected. It has been shown that despite the differences in thickness of the material in the production processes of such packs, there is no difficulty in inserting the collar of the pouring device into the collar of the hole, and that any tolerances are compensated for by the adhesive thread applied. This also means that several packs can be closed at the same time, because the precise placement of the pouring devices on the respective holes in the packs can be carried out sufficiently well.

It is known per se to connect or glue plastic parts by introducing hotmelts, but the spray nozzles used therefor are only suitable for use in the sense of the methods and devices dealt with here under certain conditions according to the invention. Thus, for an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is expedient if the adhesive thread is let out vertically by means of gravity from a nozzle onto the collar of the pouring device rotating about a horizontal longitudinal axis, preferably over three times 360 °. In the previously known methods for applying hot melt to an adhesive point, nozzles were used which work with high pressures and ejected masses. Surprisingly, it has been shown according to the invention that an adhesive thread running around the collar of the pouring device can be applied particularly favorably with the aid of gravity in the aforementioned sense. According to the invention, much lower pressures are used in the nozzle, so that the adhesive thread requires gravity and consequently runs out of the outlet opening of the nozzle approximately vertically in one direction. In the meantime, the collar of the pouring device is rotated at least 360 ° about an axis perpendicular to the outlet direction of the plastic cord, so that the entire circumference of the collar is provided with the adhesive cord.To avoid gaps, overlaps, thickened points and the like, it is particularly advantageous if the covenant during the

Leakage of the adhesive thread is completely rotated three times around its axis, i.e. So it has passed through an angle of three times 360 °, taking into account the beginning and the end of the glue line. In other words, the point of impact of the adhesive thread appears on the collar of the pouring device four times, once before the start or at the beginning of the plastic thread and the last time at the end of the same.

It is expedient according to the invention if a hot melt thread is used as the adhesive thread. Hotmelt is a collective name from the English language for hot melt adhesives and hot melt materials. Correctly one would have to speak of hot melt adhesive. The hotmelt adhesives designated in this way and used according to the invention are solid at room temperature and are usually free of water or solvents. To produce the bond, they are applied as melts and, when they cool down and solidify, produce the desired bond. The hot melt adhesives are made from EVA, PA or PES, also from EEA, PVB or PIB, often together with natural or synthetic resins and / or paraffin or micro wax. The heat seal adhesives can also be heat activated. They are applied as a solution, emulsion or dispersion, but also as a powder or melt, according to the invention here in the form of the adhesive thread, to the surface of the federal government and initially bind there as a result of evaporation of the solvents or by cooling to form a non-tacky one Adhesive. When joining and pressing together the surfaces to be connected, i.e. the collar of the pouring device with the collar of the hole, the adhesive can also be activated by heating. The adhesive then solidifies on cooling. (Co) polymers based on, inter alia, ethylene, (meth) acrylates, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride and vinyl acetate as well as polyamides, polyesters and polyurethane are used as heat seal adhesives.

The material for the collar of the hole in the top floor of the package, ie also the entire plasticizer package, is preferably a thermoformable plastic material, for example a thermoplastic material, for example polypropene. PVC can also serve as such plastic, with polypropene also being widely known in the art as polypropylene. The package to be closed then consists of perfectly reprocessable and easily rotten parts and materials (in contrast to composite materials - paper / plastic). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic material, for example the polypropene, can also be filled, the fillers here being chalk, mica, talc, plaster or the like. In practice, filling levels of up to 70%, preferably 60%, have proven to be favorable. It has been shown that filled plastic materials of this type are easily rotten on the one hand, can of course also be worked up or recycled again easily and using simple methods, and on the other hand, do not impair the properties of a plastic, so that such filled plastic materials are particularly deep-drawable and also sealable.

Even the pouring device could be made from the deep-drawable plastic materials described above, and such plastics can be bonded well and tightly using the hotmelts described above.

The invention is also directed to a device for sealingly closing a package for superplasticizers, in the upper floor of which there is a hole with an upstanding collar, in that a pouring device provided with a cup-shaped recess with a collar is connected to the collar of the hole. Such a device necessarily includes devices for feeding and connecting the packs and the pouring devices. The above-mentioned object is achieved with respect to the device according to the invention in that a swiveling device is provided which is intermittently rotatably driven about a horizontal main axis and which has at least two diametrically opposite mandrels, which are each additionally rotatably driven about their longitudinal axis, and in a vertical distance above the free end of the horizontal one mandrel the outlet opening of an adhesive device is arranged. Such a device is particularly suitable for carrying out the methods described above. The centerpiece of the new machine is the rotatable swivel device, which can be used to intermittently rotate the two mandrels, which are arranged one after the other in a line. These mandrels can each hold a single pouring device in such a way that the collar is clamped or placed or pushed over the outer end of the respective mandrel and can be moved with the mandrel non-rotatably therewith. The respective mandrel with the attached collar of the pouring device can therefore be rotated intermittently around the horizontal main axis, preferably by 90 ° in each case, and also preferably in a certain position if its longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the horizontal main axis, but is then also arranged horizontally. Under these conditions, the collar with the mandrel will be able to rotate about the horizontal axis, while the adhesive thread can flow out of the vertically arranged outlet opening of the adhesive device and be placed on the collar. If after the first application of the beginning of the adhesive thread the bundle rotates, the thread is placed on the bundle at least once around the entire circumference when the bundle rotates at least 360 ° about this longitudinal axis of the mandrel which is then located in the horizontal plane. After completing the application of the adhesive thread, the rotation of the mandrel is turned off about its own longitudinal axis, so that the entire pivoting device can again rotate in the next step about the other main horizontal axis by 90 ° and thus also the collar of the pouring device into the next Can rotate position where the pouring device with applied adhesive thread the hole of the package to be sealed can be engaged.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if, according to the invention, the peripheral speed of the mandrel rotating about the longitudinal axis is greater than the outlet speed of the adhesive thread. This allows the expiring plastic thread to be stretched and stretched. This, in turn, allows the thread to be applied in an exactly linear manner to the collar of the pouring device. It has proven to be advantageous even in a particular embodiment if the above-mentioned vertical distance between the uppermost cylindrical jacket-shaped surface of the mandrel and the outlet opening of the adhesive device located essentially vertically above the horizontal mandrel is at least 25 mm. The plastic used then hits the collar of the pouring device for the first time when the thread begins, when the thread has passed through it at least 25 mm. As a result, the thread has a certain initial stiffness, but this still allows the adhesive thread to stretch and adhere to the surface of the collar of the pouring device. These dimensions have also proven to be favorable at the end of the plastic thread, because after cutting the thread continues to drop at approximately its outlet speed, while at the same time the horizontal mandrel is rotated further, so that the hot melt is applied in a straight line to the bundle. The length of the plastic thread and the circumferential rotation of the mandrel with the attached collar are coordinated with one another in such a way that joints, thickening or exposed areas of the adhesive on the collar of the pouring device are avoided as far as possible.

It is also expedient according to the invention if a vertically upward and downward movable depressor is arranged above the swivel device and over the free end face of the one mandrel located in the vertically upward position and is preferably provided with a cutting device. The depressor can take a pouring device after or during the separation and press it onto the vertically underlying mandrel so that the collar of the cup-shaped depression of the pouring device, ie the cup with the opening, comes to sit down on the mandrel. This seat takes place with sufficient clamping such that the pouring device moves with the mandrel as it moves. The vertical up and down movement of the depressor is synchronized with the intermittent rotation of the swivel device and preferably also synchronized simultaneously with the opening of the outlet nozzle of the adhesive device, so that the isolated pouring device is pushed into the effective area between the depressor and mandrel in the correct working cycle, then the depressor the pouring device presses over the end face of the mandrel on its free end, after which the pivoting device rotates intermittently by 90 °, so that only then Nozzle begins with the plastic thread.

Furthermore, it is advantageous according to the invention if the adhesive device has a nozzle body with a cylindrical nozzle needle tip that tapers downwards and preferably heats the outlet opening in the center and supports the outlet opening in such a way that the nozzle needle tip closes the outlet opening in the lowest position and completely fills out. While spray nozzles previously sprayed plastic jets at high pressure and were previously designed at the spray opening in such a way that a nozzle needle was pointed at the front to close the spray opening, the invention now works with very low pressure inside the nozzle, because the plastic thread only needs to run out and must not be sprayed out. Due to the outlet opening at the bottom of the nozzle, gravity can work optimally when the plastic thread runs out. The nozzle needle, which can be moved vertically up and down within the nozzle body, has at its foremost lower end a tip designed in such a way that in the lowest position, when the tip of the nozzle needle is inserted into the outlet opening, the cylindrical nozzle needle tip completely fills the outlet opening. In other words, the outlet opening is completely emptied at the end of the drainage of the plastic thread. The outlet opening is thus completely clean, so that a plug could not form and cool in the outlet opening, which would then run out when the next thread, attached to it at the bottom, was pressed out, with the result of an imprecise impact of the beginning of the plastic thread on the collar the pouring device. Advantageously, the cylindrical nozzle needle tip not only cuts the plastic thread precisely, but the needle tip closes exactly with the outlet opening and flush with it at the front. After this closure of the outlet opening, the mandrel rotates a little further about its horizontal longitudinal axis when it is placed on the collar of the pouring device, so that the remaining thread is drawn by the rotating collar and wraps cleanly around the collar.

Furthermore, it is expedient according to the invention if the package with the hole which is arranged vertically at the top and can be closed can be arranged on a package lifter which can be displaced vertically by a sufficient stroke in order to close the hole of the package with the free end of the mandrel in the vertically downwardly projecting position Bring active intervention. One and the same swivel device can advantageously be used by the above measures for combining the pouring device and the packing hole. The pouring device was clamped onto the free end of the mandrel in such a way that there was sufficient frictional force around the pouring device around the two mentioned, perpendicular to each other Let axes rotate so that the adhesive thread could be placed exactly on the collar. This pouring device provided with the adhesive thread is now brought into operative engagement with the collar of the hole in that the package, which is supported in a holder in the form of a package lifter, is lifted so far with a vertically upward (and when retracting downward) stroke that the collar of the pouring device is inserted into the collar of the hole in the pack. When inserted, the still plastically deformable adhesive thread moves into all gaps and joints and penetrates into gaps formed by this seam, in particular in the case of plastic packings formed from two shells, in which the connecting seam runs transversely through the hole in the top floor, so that the pouring device also in the case of low-viscosity liquids in the area of the top floor is really sealed liquid-tight.

After reaching its uppermost position, in which the collar of the pouring device is completely arranged in the collar of the hole in the top panel, the vertically displaceable packing lifter reverses its working direction and moves vertically downwards. The adhesive effect of the adhesive thread or the hot melt thread is not sufficient for the pouring device to be pulled off the mandrel of the swivel device. Therefore, when moving the pack down, an auxiliary fork supports the pulling off of the pouring device from the mandrel of the swivel device, so that due to the activity of this auxiliary fork, the pack together with the pouring device then remains on the pack lifter and moves vertically downward with it. The pouring device, which was originally clamped onto the mandrel, is thus stripped from the mandrel by the auxiliary fork when the pack provided with the pouring device is lowered by the pack lifter, since the pouring device had been pushed into the hole in the top floor. The auxiliary fork is required because the hot glue does not yet have sufficient rigidity. Then the mandrel is emptied or the pouring device is removed so that it can move freely and is ready for the next work.

It is advantageously advantageous if, according to the invention, the drive control for the rotation of the mandrel about its longitudinal axis is synchronized with the drive control of the nozzle needle. This measure has already been indicated above and is used for the exact placement of the hot melt adhesive thread on the part-cylinder-shaped outer surface of the collar of the pouring device. Due to the synchronous control of the nozzle mechanics, the beginning of the hot melt adhesive thread arrives precisely at the desired location on the outer surface of the collar of the pouring device and is wrapped around the collar along the circumference from this point, so that the entire surface of the collar after cutting off the hot melt adhesive thread and if so this is ready to use, with a desired and sufficient amount of adhesive or hotmelt or hotmelt is occupied.

In mass production, according to the invention, measures can be taken to multiply the operations described, in that a large number of swivel devices are arranged so as to be rotatable about a common horizontal main axis, that a correspondingly large number of adhesive devices and preferably also depressors are provided and that the package lifter is elongated to accommodate a corresponding number Packs. Package manufacturing and sealing machines are in the planning stage in which a large number of packages are manufactured, treated and sealed in one piece. For example, the idea is to create, fill and seal ten packs at the same time from one strand. These ten packs would then be pushed onto the correspondingly elongated pack lifter, which is confronted vertically by the corresponding number of mandrels of the corresponding number of pivoting devices. It is by no means difficult to build a corresponding number of depressors and correspondingly locally assigned adhesive devices, because the depressors can sit on a common axis, the rotary drive of which can be set up by reliable machine elements with little effort.

If the packaging of sterile goods is desired, it can also be provided according to the invention that at least the swivel device, the adhesive device and the package lifter are accommodated in an aseptic chamber. The arrangement of a conveyor belt, a press-down device, even if it is provided with a cutting device, a swiveling device and even the package lifting device within an aseptic chamber is problem-free. The arrangement of the entire adhesive device within this aseptic space would be a little more difficult. Here it was recognized according to the invention that it is not necessary to arrange the entire adhesive device within the room, but that it is sufficient if only a part of the nozzle tip, e.g. projects into the aseptic space with the aid of a seal, while the rear main part of the nozzle, the heating devices and the other elements of the adhesive device remain arranged outside the aseptic space.

The above measures make it possible to use the described device according to the invention for producing a plastic package provided with a closed, openable pouring device. This means that the pouring device can also be applied to the hole in a package filled with liquid - even under aseptic conditions - in a precise and time-controlled manner with the desired work cycle. By the method described above and the special device according to the invention even five or more packs, preferably ten packs, can be closed at the same time in such a way that all holes in the top bottoms of the packs are reliably closed in a liquid-tight manner by the pouring devices.

Figur 1

schematisch die in einem aseptischen Raum angeordneten Einrichtungen, insbesondere oben der Niederhalter, darunter die Schwenkvorrichtung und in der unteren Hälfte die auf dem Packungsheber aufgesetzte Packung,

Figur 2

eine vergrößerte Querschnittsansicht der Düse der Klebstoffeinrichtung mit darunter angeordneter Ausgießeinrichtung mit dem Bund zum Auflegen des Klebstoffadens,

Figur 3

perspektivisch und vergrößert eine Packung mit Loch im Oberboden,

Figur 4

eine Ausgießeinrichtung perspektivisch in einer speziellen Ausführungsform und

Figur 5

eine Querschnittsansicht einer ähnlich wie bei der Ausführungsform der Figur 4 aufgebauten Ausgießeinrichtung, die im Kragen des Loches sitzt und teilweise geöffnet ist.

Further advantages, advantageous features and possible applications of the present invention result from the following description in conjunction with the drawings. Show it:

Figure 1

schematically the devices arranged in an aseptic room, in particular the hold-down device above, the swivel device underneath and the pack placed on the pack lifter in the lower half,

Figure 2

2 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the nozzle of the adhesive device with a pouring device arranged underneath with the collar for placing the adhesive thread,

Figure 3

perspective and enlarged a pack with a hole in the topsoil,

Figure 4

a pouring device in perspective in a special embodiment and

Figure 5

a cross-sectional view of a pouring device constructed similar to the embodiment of Figure 4, which sits in the collar of the hole and is partially open.

The pouring device, generally designated 10 in the figures, consists of a lower part 20 and a closure part 21 which is connected to the latter by a hinge 22 and which at the rear end, according to the embodiment in FIG. 4, even has a retaining web 60 and from the opposite side with a Gripping device 43 can be provided in the form of a triangular hole. Both the lower part 20 and the closure part 21 each have a cup-shaped recess 36 and 39, whereby in the closed state the entire pouring device 10 has a collar 38 which can be used in the collar 1 of the hole 13 of the top 9 of a pack 18 and according to Cross-sectional representation of Figure 5 is used. The special packing 18 shown in perspective in FIG. 3 is essentially square in cross-section, forming an elongated tube with rounded longitudinal edges 6-8, between which essentially flat side walls 2, 3 and the like connect the top floor 9 to the bottom floor (not shown). A reinforcing rib 12 runs all around in a recess 11 which runs through the center of the top floor 9 and includes the hole 13 and which at the same time represents a liquid-tight connection of the two shell halves from which the packing 18 is formed. Because the reinforcing rib 12 is also present in the region of the hole 13, the collar 1 of the hole 13 can have slight gaps or gaps on diametrically opposite sides of the same on the inner surface thereof Insertion of the pouring device 10 must be closed, as described above.

The special design of the pouring device 10 is not important for the method described here and the device for sealing the package 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, especially since other forms of pouring devices can also be used for closing if they only use the collar already described Have 38. To understand FIGS. 4 and 5, however, it should be added that the lower part 20 is provided with a pouring opening 35 which is covered by a plastic film 51. The pouring edge 42 remains uncovered. A sealing connection between the plastic film 51 and the lower part 20 exists only between these two last-mentioned parts, while the closure part 21 can be pressed in and folded up for opening as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 without the pouring opening which has been sealed by the plastic film 51 being opened would. To finally open the plastic film 51 must be removed.

A partially hatched aseptic space 5 is arranged in the wall 4 shown broken off in FIG. 1, in which the most essential parts of the closing device for the pack 18 described here are arranged. Outside of this wall 4 is the adhesive device 14 with the nozzle 15, the tip 16 of which is arranged in a sealed manner in the wall 4 of the aseptic space 5 with the aid of an annular seal (not shown) such that only the tip 16 of the nozzle 15 projects into the aseptic space 5 , while the main parts of the nozzle 15 and in particular also the adhesive device 14 are arranged outside the aseptic space 5.

1, a schematically shown pusher 19, a conveyor 23, a cutting device 24 possibly connected to the pusher 19, and a swivel device 25, including the pack 18 arranged in the pack lifter 26, are arranged from top to bottom within the aseptic room 5.

The pusher 19, like the rod 27, which is guided in the guide 28, can be moved vertically up and down according to the double arrow 29, around the pouring devices 10, which are conveyed intermittently on the conveyor 23 from right to left according to arrow 30, in each case at the front left in the area below to separate the depressor 19 and press it onto the vertically upstanding first mandrel 31 arranged at the top and then to move it back vertically in the direction of the arrow 29.

The swiveling device 25 can be rotated intermittently about a horizontal main axis 32, wherein at the same time the second mandrel 33 diametrically opposite the first mandrel 31, which is arranged so as to protrude downwards in FIG. 1, can also be rotated. The mandrels 31 and 33 have a cylindrical shape. They can be pivoted about the axis 32 by 90 ° in the direction of rotation of the curved arrow 37, for example from the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to the horizontal position shown in broken lines. In this horizontal position, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, a further rotation, in particular of the first mandrel 31 ′ which then projects to the left, is possible about its longitudinal axis 40, specifically in one step by 360 ° or by a multiple of 360 °, preferably by an angle of three times 360 °, after which the rotation about this longitudinal axis 40 is interrupted.

The above-mentioned guide 28 rests on the horizontal machine frame 4 ', in which the rod 27 can be moved up and down with a sufficient stroke b in the direction of the arrow 29 and then moved down again such that the free end of the mandrel 31 or 33 is also included the top floor 9 of the pack 18 can come into active engagement.

The nozzle 15 shown in Figure 2 can be constructed from a conventional spray nozzle, in which, however, the operating conditions are modified in such a way that the pressures of e.g. 60 bar are reduced to 5 to 7 bar, so that the nozzle 15 according to FIG. 2 preferably works at a pressure of 5 bar in the feed.

The outer, cylindrical jacket-shaped nozzle wall 41 tapers downward in the form of a cone 50 in which the outlet opening 52 with a cylindrical jacket shape is provided at the front.

As in the case of the conventional spray nozzles, a nozzle needle 53 with a cylindrically designed nozzle needle tip 54 arranged in the center in the front is also arranged in the center of the converted nozzle 15. The nozzle needle 53 can also be moved up and down vertically in the direction of the double arrow 29. In the vertically upward position, it is shown in Figure 2, and when the nozzle needle 51 is moved vertically down to its extreme downward position, the cylindrical nozzle needle tip 54 is flush with the outlet opening 52, this opening 52 being completely closed and is filled out.

If you extend the center line of the nozzle needle 53 downwards, you can see the dashed double line, which is to represent the adhesive thread 55 schematically. It goes without saying that this double-dashed glue line 55 is not shown to scale, especially since it is completely wrapped around the part-cylindrical surface of the collar 38 of the pouring device 10 such that at least one Thread line 55 lies on the surface of the collar 38, but in the above-described rotation of the pouring device 10 by three times 360 ° but three plastic threads lie next to or on top of each other. This rotation takes place about the longitudinal axis 40 indicated by dashed lines, whereby according to the illustration in FIG. 2 the mandrel 31 'is to be thought of as being arranged on the left side.

So that the glue thread 55 that runs vertically downward from the nozzle 15 can actually be pulled by the peripheral speed of the collar 38 or the surface of the mandrel 31 'being greater than the falling speed or the speed of the glue thread 55 flowing out of the discharge opening 52 and thus at the same time a certain speed Stiffness arises, the distance a between the nozzle tip 16 and the uppermost first point of contact of the adhesive thread 55 on the collar 38 should not be less than a minimum length. In a preferred embodiment, this length is 25 cm for the distance a. This applies to the embodiment in which the temperature of the hot melt thread is approximately 170 ° C. The amount of hot melt for a thread between the first opening of the outlet opening 52 and the closing again is approximately 0.18 g.

The device described in this way works as follows.

The nozzle needle 53 has moved downward from the position shown in FIG. 2, so that the nozzle needle tip 54 completely fills and closes the outlet opening 52. In the direction 30, the conveyor 23 conveys a chain of pouring devices 10 connected to one another in such a way that a pouring device 10 is pushed completely to the left under the cutting device 24 and lies over the upper end face of the upstanding mandrel 31. Thereafter, the depressor 19 descends vertically downward in accordance with arrow 29, with the cutting device 24 actuated at the same time first separating the foremost left pouring device and then pressing it onto the first mandrel 31. The pouring device 10 now sits in a clamped manner on the first mandrel 31 in such a way that it is moved so that it cannot slip against it (without strong external influences). The following cycle must now be completed within four seconds.

The pivoting device 25 moves the first mandrel 31 by pivoting about the main horizontal axis 32 to the left in the counterclockwise direction along the curved arrow 37 from the upper position I, in which the mandrel is designated 31, to the horizontal left position II, in which the mandrel is denoted by 31 '. The pivoting device 25 has now moved the two diametrically opposite mandrels 31, 33 into the position shown in dashed lines in such a way that the first mandrel 31 'now lies horizontally in position II in such a way that its longitudinal axis 40 likewise runs horizontally and perpendicular to the main axis 32. About this longitudinal axis 40 of the mandrel 31 ', this begins to rotate through an angle of three times 360 °. At the beginning of the rotation, the nozzle needle tip 54 is pulled out of the outlet opening 52 by pulling out and moving the nozzle needle 53 upward in the direction of the double arrow 29, so that the adhesive thread 55 exits and strikes the collar 38 of the pouring device 10 at a point of impact. The hot glue is applied by rotating the mandrel 31 'or the collar 38 about the longitudinal axis 40. The adhesive thread 13 thus runs out of the outlet opening 52 under the influence and with the aid of gravity. In the particular embodiment under consideration here, with the distance a between the nozzle tip and the collar of at least 25 mm, the circumferential minimum speed of the collar 38 is 300 mm per second with three turns. As a result, the adhesive strip 55 is stretched and a straight-line application on the collar 38 is ensured. The outlet speed of the nozzle 15 is therefore lower than the peripheral speed of the mandrel 31 in position II or the collar 38. The stretching and stretching of the outlet adhesive thread 55 ensures an exact linear application. The triple rotation before the end of the adhesive thread 55 by completely closing the outlet opening 52 avoids any butt, start or end positions which would differ from one another. Rather, the job is even without running joints. This also succeeds in that when the adhesive thread 55 is torn off or terminated, the cylindrical nozzle needle tip 54 completely closes the outlet opening 52 and thus presses empty of any adhesive. The remaining thread is pulled up by the adhesive thread 55 that is just running onto the bundle and is wound up straight and clean. The control of the rotation of the mandrel 31 'with respect to the movement of the nozzle needle 53 is precisely synchronized.

In the next intermittent step of the swiveling device 25, the mandrel 31 'is swiveled downward into the vertical by 90 °, so that it assumes the position 33 shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, but the pouring device is still placed there.

In the direction of arrow 29, the rod 27 guided in the guide 28 with the packing lifter 26 moves upward by the stroke b, so that the collar 38 of the pouring device is pressed into the collar 1 of the hole 13 in the packing 18. The upstanding collar 1 of the opening 13 thus touches the pouring device 10 via the adhesive or the hot melt and adheres to it. Any gaps or gaps are closed by the pressed-in adhesive.

Because the adhesive force of the adhesive is not sufficient on the outside after the hot melt thread has been applied to the pouring device, one assists in moving the package 18 down Auxiliary fork, not shown, the stripping of the pouring device 10 from the mandrel 33. The pack 18 is now sealed liquid-tight with the pouring device 10.

While the mandrel 33 is still in the lower position, designated III or is emptied by pressing it into the collar 1 of the hole 13, the first mandrel 31, now in position I, is already pushed up by the depressor 19 on the opposite side next pouring device filled, which is pressed onto the mandrel and clamped.

The pivoting device 25 then rotates the mandrel 33 from position III through 90 ° to position IV, where the mandrel is empty and has no function. The opposite mandrel 31 'is then again in position II, where the same processes as described above take place. The game repeats at the next incremental spin.

Claims (12)

1. Process for sealed closure of a package (18) for fluid goods, in the top (9) of which a hole (13) with a raised collar (1) is located, wherein a pouring device (10) provided with a cup-shaped depression (36, 39) and a band (38) is connected to the collar (1) of the hole (13), characterised in that the individual pouring device (10) is positioned on a mounting (31, 31') and is preferably rotated about a longitudinal axis (40) with respect thereto, while during rotation of the mounting (31, 31') by at least 360° a thread of adhesive (55) is continuously deposited on the band (38) of the pouring device (10), and subsequently the band (38) of the pouring device (10) is brought into contact and connection with the collar (1) of the hole (13).
2. Process according to claim 1, characterised in that the thread of adhesive (55) is discharged vertically, with the assistance of gravity, from a nozzle (15) onto the band (38) of the pouring device (10) which is rotating about a horizontal longitudinal axis (40) preferably three times by 360°.
3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a hot-melt thread is used as the adhesive thread (55).
4. Device for sealed closure of a package (18) for fluid goods, in the top (9) of which a hole (13) with a raised collar (1) is located wherein a pouring device (10) with a cup-shaped depression (36, 39) and a band (38) is connected to the collar (1) of the hole (13) with devices for bringing together and connecting the packages and the pouring devices, characterised in that a rotating mechanism (25) intermittently moveable about a horizontal main axis (32) is provided with at least two diametrically opposite pins (31, 33) which are each additionally moveable about their longitudinal axes (40), and that the discharge aperture (52) of an adhesive device (14, 15) is arranged at a vertical distance (a) above the free end of one of the pins which is horizontally positioned (31'; position II).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the circumferential speed of the pin (31') rotating about the longitudinal axis (40) is greater that the discharge speed of the adhesive thread (55).
6. Device according to claim 4 to 5, characterised in that over the rotating mechanism (25) and over the free end face of one pin (31) located in the vertically upward protruding position (I), a depressor (19) which can be moved vertically up and down is arranged, and is preferably provided with a cutting device (24).
7. Device according to one of claim 4 to 6, characterised in that the adhesive device (14, 15) is provided with a nozzle body (15, 41) which narrows towards the bottom, has the discharge opening (52) centrally at the bottom, and preferably can be heated, with a valve needle (53) which can be moved up and down, having a cylindrical valve needle tip (54), such that in the lowest position the valve needle tip (54) closes and completely fills the discharge opening (52).
8. Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the package (18) with the hole to be closed, which is arranged vertically upwards, can be arranged on a package litter (26) which can be displaced vertically by an amount of lift (b) sufficient to bring the hole (13) in the package (18) into operating contact with the free end of the pin (33) in the vertically downward protruding position (III).
9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the drive control for rotating the pin (31') about its longitudinal axis (40) is synchronised with the drive control of the valve needle (53).
10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that a large number of rotating mechanisms are arranged rotatably about a common horizontal main axis (32), that a corresponding number of adhesive devices (14, 15) and preferably also of depressors (19) are provided and that the package litter (26) is configured so as to be long, for receiving a corresponding number of packages (18).
11. Device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that at least the rotating mechanism (25), the adhesive device (14, 15) an the package lifter (26) are housed in an aseptic chamber (4, 5).
12. Use of a device according to one of claims 4 to 11 for manufacture of a package made from plastics material with a closed, openable pouring device (10)

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