EP0712365A1

EP0712365A1 - Plastic clip in two parts and device for closing the same

Info

Publication number: EP0712365A1
Application number: EP94924784A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Herbert Niedecker
Original assignee: Poly Clip System GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Poly Clip System GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1993-08-12
Filing date: 1994-07-19
Publication date: 1996-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-19
Also published as: JPH09501379A; AU7494794A; ES2146950T3; DK0786416T3; TW267141B; EP0786416B1; WO1995005320A1; DE59404439D1; ES2108487T3; EP0712365B1; US5735022A; JP3187430B2; DE59409258D1; EP0786416A1

Abstract

A plastic clip in two parts is used for closing sausage casings, bags or the like. The first part (1) holds the end of the casing gathered together into a plait in a U-shaped cavity formed by side faces and cross-bars. The second part (2) bridges the cavity (4) of the first part and is lockingly secured to the first part. The second part (2) is linked at one of its transverse ends to the first part (1) by means of a film hinge (3) and has a locking arm (16) at its other transverse end that may engage a locking projection (22) on the other cross-bar (6) of the first part for closing the clip. A traverse (8) spaced apart from the cross-bar (6) next to the hinge interconnects the side faces (5) and is gripped in the closed state by an arm on the second part, so that a high closing pressure is exercised at the same time as the required elasticity is maintained. A device for closing such a plastic clip has two cavities (37, 39) for receiving both clip parts (33, 34). One cavity (37) is fixed and the other (39) may swivel around an axis (40) aligned with the hinge axis (35) of the clip parts (33, 34). The second reception cavity (39) is swivelled into the closed position of the clip by a mechanical drive (38, 41, 42). In an improvement of the closing device, a positioning arrangement (50) feeds the clip to be closed from a supply channel (32) to the reception cavities (37, 39) of the closing mechanism by means of a cam-controlled driver (56).

Description

Two-part plastic clip and device for closing it

The invention relates to a for closing original envelopes, bags or the like. certain plastic clip made of two parts, which comprise the end of the sheath gathered into a braid and can be locked together, a first part with a receiving space formed by side walls and transverse webs partially enclosing the braid and a second part the transverse webs of the first part bridged, and wherein the second part is articulated with its one transverse end to the corresponding transverse end of the first part by means of a film hinge, engages under a section of the first part with a shoulder in the closed state and has a latching element in the region of its other transverse end, which with a complementary latching element on interacts first part. The invention further relates to a device for closing such a clip or a plurality thereof, which are connected to form a chain. A plastic clip of this type known from US-A-4,275,485 has the shape of a (largely hollow) cylinder in the closed state and is divided along an axis-parallel plane. A rib in the second (cover) part protrudes against the receiving space in the larger first part, but only 'spikes' arranged thereon reach the passage for the braid material delimited on the top by the side cheeks. An approach towards the film hinge on the rib of the second part pivots when the clip is closed into a recess which is provided on the inside in the cylindrical outer wall delimiting the receiving space in the manner of a crosspiece between the side cheeks and in this way leads to locking close to the hinge Of the parts. Opposite, a latching hook formed on the second part engages in a latch opening in the cylindrical outer wall, which forms an opposite transverse web there.

Due to the locking of the two parts in the area of the film hinge in the closed state - in addition to the plastic clip known from EP-A-356 850 - a higher closing force can be applied to the braid of the sausage casing or the like. It is unsatisfactory, however, that the locking is very rigid and, for example, does not allow the clip to give way elastically if, for example, pressure peaks occur on the clip due to heat treatment of the packaging contents and have to be reduced by ventilation. The same applies to the adaptation to different braid thicknesses.

The problem addressed by the invention is countered by the fact that a crossbar running parallel but at a distance from the cross bar near the hinge connects the side cheeks of the first part and an arm adjacent to the film hinge at a corresponding distance on the second part in the closed state between the cross bar and the Crossbar and under the crossbar. The arm, in cooperation with the traverse, ensures both secure guidance of the two clip parts during the closing process and - due to the positive locking in the closed state - a high closing force transmission in the hinge area. Above all, however, the closed clip has sufficient elasticity against different and / or changing loads due to the distance of the locking device from the receiving space, despite the high transferability of the closing force.

The design of the new plastic clip is particularly advantageous in such a way that the first part has side cheeks which run transversely to the length of the plait with centrally arranged recesses which are aligned with one another, while on the second part which essentially covers the receiving space, a projection in the form of a parallel is formed on the side walls and protruding into the receiving space rib, so that the braid is wavy deflected in the locked state of the clip and is under closing pressure.

Such a clip construction is basically known from WO 93/10012. One embodiment consists of two identical parts, which are rotated by 180 ° and are locked together, another of two different parts, an open frame being provided instead of a receiving space which is closed on the bottom. Both embodiments of this known plastic clip fulfill their task of automatically adapting to different volumes of the casing braid and, if appropriate, relieving any excess pressure which may occur in the inside of the casing during the sausage production without subsequent loss of tightness by elastic yielding, but - without the connection of the two parts - leaves the processability in fast-working capping machines left something to be desired.

A secure latching and, above all, not interacting with the closing force exerted on the braid results when, according to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the Sidewalls are also extended on the locking side and connected by a second crossbar and the locking arm is guided between the second crossbar and the other crossbar adjacent to it, the locking projection on the other crossbar advantageously being part of a tongue that attaches to the free edge of the crossbar is stretched back outside the trough and is spring-biased away from the crosspiece.

Finally, the machining of the new clip will generally be facilitated in that integrally molded, separable webs connect the free end of the second part to the free end of the first part of a similar clip to form magazine chains. These webs can be easily severed during the closing process, as is also known from the processing of conventional metal clips.

The most general form of the device according to the invention for closing plastic clips of the type described above has:

a) A stationary first holder for the one clip part; b) a second holder for the other clip part, which can be pivoted about the hinge axis of the clip parts; and c) a drive leading the pivoting movement of the second holder from an open into a closed clip position.

Typically, the brackets consist of receiving troughs, the configuration of which is adapted to the outer shape of the two clip parts, so that the closing force is uniformly introduced into the clip and the two clip parts are locked in a position firmly enclosing the braid. While the first holder for one clip part is stationary and this clip part is positioned such that the braid can be inserted into this clip part through a correspondingly arranged and designed feed slot, the other clip part is (as soon as this has been done) by means of the movable one second bracket around the articulated connection of the pivoted both clip parts and made the locking.

Advantageously, the drive holding the second holder has a gearwheel which can be rotated by means of a meshing engaging drive member (toothed rack, pinion or the like) by a certain angle from the open position to the closed position of the clip. A pneumatic cylinder, for example, which drives the drive member back and forth can serve as the drive source.

Preferably, a feed channel opening into the holders perpendicular to the pivot axis (the holder and thus the hinge axis of the clip parts) is provided for a sequence of clips and an abutment which favors the separation of the clip to be closed from a clip chain when pivoting the second holder. In this way, the clip that has just been processed is, as it were, automatically removed from the strand fed through the feed channel during the closing process.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a positioning device is provided which in each case advances the clip to be closed into the holders. In particular, it has a driver which engages in each part of the clip provided in the feed channel with each feed cycle, moves it into the first holder and then moves out of the clip and back into the starting position in an arcuate way. There is therefore a positive connection between the driver and the one clip part via the feed section of the driver movement, which runs to a certain extent tangentially from the mouth of the feed channel, until it is positioned in its holder. The driver is then moved out - perpendicular to the length of this clip part - so that it clears the space for the bag plait to be introduced and leaves the clip untouched on its way back to the starting position.

The feed cycle of the driver is preferably cam-controlled, and advantageously in such a way that the driver on the piston is one pivotably mounted pressure medium cylinder is seated and a guide pin, which is also attached to the piston, engages in a link determining the driver movement.

The drawing illustrates embodiments of the invention. It shows:

Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the clip in partial longitudinal section along the line I-I in Figure 2 (in the open state).

Fig. 2 is a top view of the clip in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a representation comparable to FIG. 1

(Section line III-III in Fig. 4) of a second embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the clip in Fig. 3;

5 shows a representation of the clip corresponding to FIG. 3 in the closed state (section line V-V in FIG. 6);

6 shows a central cross section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

7 and 8 of FIG. 5 corresponding representations of the closed clip in different locking positions;

FIG. 9 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 3 of a plurality of clips connected to form a chain in a detail;

10 shows a plan view of this chain cutout corresponding to FIG. 4.

11 shows a somewhat schematic side view of an overall device for closing clips in the starting position, but with a clip inserted into the locking mechanism;

FIG. 12 shows a somewhat enlarged side view of the closing mechanism in the same position as in FIG. 11;

13 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 12 in the closed state of the clip; 14 in three different views (a - c) the gear carrying the second holder for the other clip part;

15 shows in three views (a - c) the slide of the positioning device shown in FIG. 11; and

Fig. 16 in plan view and two partial sections (a - c) the link plate of the positioning device.

The first part 1 and the second part 2 of the clip shown in FIG. 1, consisting of a sufficiently hard but still elastic plastic, are articulated to one another by a film hinge 3. The first part 1 consists essentially of a U-shaped wall, which is formed from parallel crosspieces 6 and a bottom 7 and serves as a receiving space 4 of the sleeve braid. On both sides, 6 side cheeks 5 attach to the transverse webs and are connected to one another near the film hinge 3 by a crossmember 8 and at the opposite end by a crossmember 9; the crossbeams 8, 9 extend parallel to the transverse webs 6.

The second part 2 has a curved cover section 11, which at one end merges into the film hinge 3, which on the other hand attaches to the cross member 8 of the first part. The width of the lid section 11 is slightly less than the clear width between the side cheeks 5 of the first part 1 (FIG. 2).

Near the hinge-side end of the cover section 11, an arcuate arm 13 is formed on the second clip part 2, which, when the clip is closed, rests with its concave inner side 14 against the correspondingly curved surface 15 of the crossmember 8.

At the opposite free end of the cover section 11, a locking arm 16 is formed, which is provided on the inside with locking projections in the form of locking steps 17, 18 and 19. In the closed state, at least one of the latching steps 17-19 engages via a corresponding latching step 20, 21 on a tongue 22 which adjoins the crossbar 9 on the upper edge. hard crossbar 6 attaches and extends into the passage 23 between this crossbar 6 and the crossbar 9. The (film hinge-like) connection 24 between the tongue 22 and the transverse web 6 of the receiving space 4 elastically biases the tongue 22 into the passage 23 and gives it the function of a pawl which resiliently during the closing process from the locking arm 16 on the second part 2 Adjacent crossbar 6 can be pivoted until the latching steps 17-19 suitable for the respective braid thickness engage on the latching arm 16 behind the latching steps 20, 21 on the tongue 22. The cross member 9 supports the locking arm 16 to the other side.

In the second embodiment of FIGS. 3 ff., The first part 1 has a trough-shaped receiving space 4 with side walls 5 running parallel to one another and transverse webs 6 running parallel to one another but also parallel to one another and a bottom 7. The side walls 5 are on both The ends are extended beyond the transverse webs 6 and are connected to one another near the film hinge 3 by a cross member 8 and at the opposite end by a cross member 9; the crossbeams 8, 9 extend parallel to the transverse webs 6. In the area of the receiving space 4, recesses 10 which are aligned with one another and do not reach the bottom 7 are formed in the side cheeks 5, into which the sleeve braid (not shown) is inserted during the closing process .

On the second part 2, a rib 12 is formed along the longitudinal center line of the lid section 11 and over a central part of its length, which in the closed state of the clip extends centrally between the side walls 5 and parallel to the latter into the receiving space 4 and the in the recesses 10 inserted sleeve braid deflected into the receiving space 4 undulating and firmly clamped. The arcuate arm 13 is, as it were, formed as an extension of the rib 12.

5, the latching of the latching steps 18, 19 on the latching arm 16 behind the latching steps 20, 21 on the tongue 22, the latching steps 17 and 18 are latched with the latching steps 20, 21 according to FIG. 7 - with a very thick braid - there is only locking between the locking stages 17 and 20.

The linking of similar plastic clips to a magazine - for example rollable - tape shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is created by separable webs 25, which can be formed during the production process of the clips and each have the free transverse edge of a second part 2 ( near the locking arm 16) with the free edge of the first part 1 in the area of the cross member 9.

Provided in the housing 31 of the device shown in FIG. 11 is a feed channel 32 for plastic clips in a chain or strand-like arrangement, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. 12 and 13, such a (partial) strand is located in the feed channel 32; each clip consists of one part 33 and the other part 34, which are hinged together at 35 by a film hinge. Easily separable webs 36 connect adjacent plastic clips to one another.

In the illustration in FIG. 12, the positioning device (to be described further below) has inserted the foremost plastic clip of the strand into the closing mechanism, which has a holder in the form of a receptacle 37 for one clip part 33 and one that is fixed in the housing on a gear 38 (see also FIG. 14) arranged second holder also in the form of a receiving trough 39 for the other clip part 34. The articulated connection between the two clip parts 33, 34 in the form of the film hinge 35 lies in the axis of rotation 40 of the gear 38.

A toothed rack 41 mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the housing 31 can be moved from its rest position shown in FIG. 12 into that in FIG. 13 shown working position are moved, with the aid of a pneumatic cylinder indicated only by the dash-dotted line 42 in Fig. 11 (the rack 41 is also only indicated with a schematic outline).

When the pneumatic cylinder 42 is actuated, the toothed rack 41 rotates the toothed wheel 18 in a clockwise direction about the axis of rotation 40. The second receiving trough 39 takes the other clip part 34 with it until it is locked with the one clip part 33, which remains firmly in its first receiving trough 37; this state is shown in Fig. 13.

Previously - while the parts were still in their relative position shown in FIG. 12 - the plait 43 of a packaging bag, a sausage casing or the like, represented by a black circular area in FIGS. 11-13, was through the slot 44 in the housing 31 and into the receptacle-ready opening of the clip part 33. A correspondingly shaped recess 45 is provided in the gear 38 so that the pigtail 43 and the packing sections adjoining in its longitudinal direction do not collide with the gear 38 when the pigtail is inserted into the plastic clip and its pivoting movement is not in the way when it is closed (FIG. 14 a and c). 14b illustrates that the actual gear wheel 38 is laterally offset from the feed channel 32 and only projects with a lateral shoulder 46, for example in the form of a quadrant, into the feed path of the plastic clips, the shoulder 46 with the second receiving trough, of course, in this feed direction 39 for the clip part 34 is aligned with the receiving trough 37 for the one clip part 33.

The positioning device for the plastic clips in the receiving troughs 37, 39 can be seen in total from FIG. 11. It has a pneumatic cylinder 50 which is pivotally mounted in a pivot bearing 51 on the housing 31 about an axis running perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The piston 52 sits in a slide 53 continues, the training of which is shown in detail in FIG. 15. A guide pin 54 is attached to the slide 53 (near the piston) and protrudes laterally and engages (by means of a roller mounted on it) in a link 55, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 16. At its end opposite the cylinder 50, the slide 53 carries a driver 56 which laterally protrudes in the same direction as the guide pin and which carries out the actual positioning of the clips in the receiving troughs 37, 39.

The design of the slide 53 is shown in FIG. 15. The piston 52 is fastened in the threaded bore 53a. The guide pin 54 is to be inserted into the blind hole 53b, while the blind bore 53c serves to receive the driver 56.

If the piston 52 of the pneumatic cylinder 50 is in its retracted initial position, which is shown in FIG. 11, the guide pin 54 (on the slide 53) engages in the link 55 in its lower left corner (FIGS. 11, 16). When the piston 52 is extended, the slide 53 moves to the right (in FIGS. 11, 16) and the guide pin 54 moves in the lower, largely horizontal branch of the link 55 in its lower right corner. When the piston 52 is then retracted into the cylinder 50, a partial depression 55a of the link 55, which acts as a chicane (which results in a shoulder 55b towards the horizontal branch of the link 55) in conjunction with a laterally outwardly directed spring preload arranged on the guide pin 54 Roller (not shown) for the fact that the guide pin 54 cannot return to the essentially horizontal branch of the link 55, but instead runs through its upper, arcuate branch, a type of ramp 55c leading back to the initial depth of the link 55 (FIG. 16b ). The slide pin 53 and, via the piston 52, the cylinder 50 must follow the guide pin 54 by pivoting about its pivot bearing 51. When the piston 52 has been completely retracted to its starting position (FIG. 11), the cylinder 50 also has its essentially resumed horizontal position; on the last, largely vertical piece of the link 55, the return movement is favored by the greater weight acting on the right of the pivot bearing 51 in FIG. 11.

The above-described movement of the guide pin 54 in the link 55 during a working stroke of the piston 52 (and thus of the slide 53) must also involve the driver 56. In the starting position, it engages positively in that clip part with a mandrel 56a, which is adapted to a part 33 of the clip; this position of the driver 56 is marked "A" in FIG. 11. When the piston 52 is extended and the guide pin 52 moves correspondingly in the (essentially) horizontal branch of the link 55, the driver 56 moves accordingly to the right in FIG. 11 and takes the clip part 33 and the other clip part 34 articulated thereon. Because in this way the one clip part 33 has to pass through the recessed receiving trough 39, a corresponding recess 55d (FIGS. 16a and c) is provided in the link 55, due to which the cylinder 52 and correspondingly the slide 53 pivot somewhat downwards and there is no risk that the positive connection between the driver 56 and the one clip part 33 is lost. In the further course of the outward movement of the piston 52, the driver 56 finally presses the one clip part 33 into the stationary receiving trough 37, so that the plastic clip as a whole has reached its initial position for the closing process; the driver is in position "B". During the subsequent return stroke of the piston 52, the driver 56 moves due to the pivoting of the cylinder 50, forced by the link 55, with the slide 53 through the channel 57 formed in the housing 31; for illustration the driver 56 is (only) shown in various intermediate positions. Finally, the driver 56 returns to its initial position shown in FIG. 11, while the closing mechanism carries out the closing process described above. Unless the driver 56 engaging in the next clip does the necessary Abutment for the separation of the clip in the closing process forms, this task is performed by the abutment 58 on the core surrounded by the channel 57.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1. For closing sausage casings, bags or the like. Certain plastic clip made of two parts (1, 2), which comprise the sheathed end of the casing and can be locked together, a first part (1) with one of side cheeks ( 5) and transverse webs (6) formed receiving space (4) partially covers the braid and a second part (2) bridges the transverse webs (6) of the first part (1), and wherein the second part (2) with its one transverse end on ent ¬ speaking transverse end of the first part (1) is articulated by means of a film hinge (3), engages under a section of the first part with a shoulder in the closed state and has a latching element (16) in the region of its other transverse end, which is connected to a complementary latching element ( 20, 21) cooperates on the first part (1), characterized in that a crossbar (8) running parallel but at a distance from the hinge near the crossbar (6) connects the side cheeks (5) of the first part and one with a corresponding distance Movie Hinge (3) adjacent arm (13) on the second part (2) in the closed state between the crosspiece (6) and the crossbar (8) and under the crossbar.

2. Plastic clip according to claim 1, characterized in that the first part (1) transverse to the Zopflängs¬ extending side cheeks (5) with centrally arranged, aligned U-shaped depressions (10), while on the second part (2nd ) a projection is formed in the form of a rib (12) extending parallel to the side cheeks (5) and projecting into the receiving space (4), so that when the clip is locked, the braid is deflected in a wave shape.

3. Plastic clip according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a second cross member (9) connects the side cheeks (5) of the first part (1) also on the locking side and the locking arm (16) between the second cross member ( 9) and the other cross bar (6) [passage 23] adjacent to it.

4. Plastic clip according to claim 3, characterized in that the latching projection (20, 21) is part of a tongue (22) on the other crosspiece (6), which attaches to the free edge of the crosspiece (6), outside the receiving space ( 4) extends back and is resiliently biased away from the crosspiece.

5. Plastic clip according to claim 4, characterized in that on the latching arm (16) and on the tongue (22) a plurality of latching steps (17-21) are formed, which allow differently narrow plait openings to be set.

6. Plastic clip according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that separable webs (25) connect the free end of the second part (2) with the free end of the first part (1) of a clip of the same type to form magazine chains.

7. A device for closing a plastic clip consisting of two articulated parts around an end shirred at the end of a sausage casing, a bag or the like, in particular a clip according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by

a) a stationary first receiving trough (37) for the one clip part (33); b) a second holder (39) for the other clip part (34) which can be pivoted about the hinge axis (35) of the clip parts (33, 34); and c) a pivoting movement of the second holder (39) from an open drive (38, 41) leading into a closed clip position.

8. The device according to claim 7 for closing clips of a clips chain according to claim 6, characterized by a perpendicular to the pivot axis (40) in the brackets (37, 39) opening supply channel (32) for a sequence of clips and a separating the abutments (58) which favor clips to be closed by a clip chain when the second holder (39) is pivoted.

9. The device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the second bracket (39) leading drive has a gear (38) which by means of a meshing driving member (rack 41, pinion or the like) around a certain angle is rotatable from the open to the closed position.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a positioning device is provided, which in each case pushes the clip to be closed into the holders (37, 39).

11. The device according to claim 8 and 10, characterized in that the positioning device has a driver (56) which engages in each feed cycle in one part (33) of the clip held in the feed channel (32), this in the first holder (37 ) moves and then moves back out of the clip and along an arcuate path (channel 57) to the starting position.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the feed cycle of the driver (56) is cam-controlled.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the driver (56) on the piston slide (52, 53) of a pivotally mounted th pressure medium cylinder (50) sits and a guide pin (54) also fastened to the piston slide in a the Mitnehmerbewe¬ set determining backdrop (55) engages.