EP2155598B1 - Quick release capping head - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for closing containers, particularly bottles, with screw caps, having at least one rotatably drivable closing head in which a closure-specific closing element is exchangeably retained, a positive-fit quick-change mechanism for the respective closing element is embodied in the closing head, and in the release state of the quick-change mechanism the closing element can be laterally removed or inserted essentially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the closing head.

Description

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of patent claim 1; a generic device is JB in the DE 19755727 shown.

In such devices used in practice, for example, for closing PET bottles with screw caps, such as the DE-A-101 24 659 known type, the locking element used must be screwed down from the capping head together with a fitting sleeve when converting to another type of screw cap. Since there are installed under the capping head and relatively close to it various bottle conveying and handling components, eg neck guide blanks, at least some of which need to be precisely adjusted to the capping head, the change of closure means requires disassembly of at least some components to provide space and access to the bottom create and subsequent new Einjustierungen. This requires considerable set-up times and is a difficult job that is carried out with tools. Since often even bottles of the same producers have different screw caps, although the bottles are equal to each other, ie would actually require after a closing element change no Einjustierungen of the adjoining the closing head components, the long set-up time significantly. In addition, results in frequent closing element change the risk of feeding the Thread, with which the closing element is fixed in the closing head.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type mentioned above, which allows a quick Verschließelementwechsel without disassembly to the capping of adjacent components, such as a neck star or Führungsronden.

The stated object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

The closing element is not held directly in the closing head, but in the quick-change mechanism, which is designed so that the closing element is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the closing head and laterally removable or usable. Such a change can be done quickly and results in a very short set-up time, because no adjacent components dismantled and then need to be re-adjusted. There is enough room on the side of the capping head and above the adjacent components for easy manipulation. The quick change mechanism is useful with various capping systems, such as both plunger and stop systems, and can also be used for segmented closure elements.

In an expedient embodiment, the respective closing element is held in a removable part of the quick-change mechanism and inserted or removed together with the removable part. The interchangeable part is coupled via the interchangeable-part form-locking coupling with the remaining in the locking head and permanently fixed recording force and motion transfer. This positive coupling can be used for changing and in the Release the release state of the quick-change mechanism laterally. Here, an additional advantage is that the thread in the capping head no longer wear, since the recording, if at all, rarely needs to be dismantled. The inclusion of the removable part can fit to various screw caps. Alternatively, distinctly different screw closures may include different change parts.

A particular advantage of the device is that the quick-change mechanism can be operated by hand and without tools. A change can be done with a few simple steps and without significant effort.

Suitably, the form-locking coupling is even designed so that you can work to remove or insert the removable part of two with respect to the axis of rotation of the closing head diametrically opposite sides. Since in the area in which the interchangeable part is removed and inserted laterally, there is usually very good accessibility to change, for example over about 300 °, under some circumstances the closure head coupled with a gearbox for a plurality of capping heads may not even be turned for a change because one page is always accessible for the change.

In an expedient embodiment, the receptacle is a pipe section that can be fixed in the closing head, preferably a pipe section with an external thread and a fitting cone at one end. At the other end of the receptacle, a socket is formed, which has a first part of the form-locking coupling. The change part may be a hollow body having at one end a second part of the form-locking coupling and in the other end has the receptacle for the closure element.

For ease of handling the interchangeable part fuse may include a ring axially displaceable on the outside of the socket, which engages in the locked position outside over both interlocked parts of the form-locking coupling, thus preventing inadvertent release of the form-locking coupling and the replacement part clean on the recording or the Verschließkopf centered.

Expediently axially spaced stops are provided on the receptacle and the removable part, between which the ring is axially back and forth. To be able to ensure that the ring does not move uncontrollably into the release state under operational shocks, it is expedient to bias the ring in the direction of the locking position by spring force. The spring force only needs to be so high that the ring is unable to automatically abandon its locking position, but can easily be brought to the release state by hand. However, the ring should remain secured after removal of the removable part of the recording.

Montagetechnisch favorable at least the stop on the recording is a snap ring or other suitable stop that can be easily attached and remove if the quick change mechanism is to disassemble.

In an expedient embodiment, the form-locking coupling is designed in the manner of a dovetail guide aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the closing head. This has, preferably, at one end of the hollow body outside two mutually parallel, straight and from outer webs limited grooves, and on the socket inside two parallel to each other and limited by inside webs grooves. The webs are inserted linearly into the grooves. This results in a stable mounting of the removable part with large power transmission surfaces and the advantage of being able to easily solve or engage the positive coupling with little effort. Optionally, a plurality of groove and web pairs, for example, each offset by 60 ° or 120 ° in the circumferential direction in the socket and / or provided on the removable part to easily find a suitable change position even without twisting the capping.

In order to be able to easily remove the closing element from the exchangeable part, it is expedient if the exchangeable part has a spring lock in the receptacle for the inserted closing element.

Appropriately, the recording, the removable part and the ring plastic or metal moldings.

Furthermore, it may be appropriate to center the replacement part on the receptacle in the dovetail guide a kind of locking, e.g. a Kugelverrastung to arrange, which additionally or basically provides for the centering of the removable part of the recording.

The receptacle should have circumferentially distributed cleaning openings so that the capping head, as usual, can be conveniently rinsed and cleaned.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer Vorrichtung zum Verschließen von Behältern, insbesondere Flaschen, mit Schraubverschlüssen, wobei ein Schnellwechselmechanismus gezeigt in einer Betriebsstellung kurz vor einem Wechsel gezeigt wird,

Fig. 2

einen Längsschnitt des Schnellwechselmechanismus von Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt durch den Schnellwechselmechanismus in der Schnittebene III-III in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf den Schnellwechselmechanismus in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5

eine Perspektivansicht des Schnellwechselmechanismus in der Betriebsstellung von Fig. 1, und

Fig. 6

eine Perspektivansicht des Schnellwechselmechanismus bei der Durchführung eines Wechsels.

With reference to the drawings, an embodiment of the subject invention will be explained. Show it:

Fig. 1

a side view of a device for closing containers, in particular bottles, with screw caps, wherein a quick change mechanism shown in an operating position is shown shortly before a change,

Fig. 2

a longitudinal section of the quick-change mechanism of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a section through the quick-change mechanism in the sectional plane III-III in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4

a plan view of the quick change mechanism in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 5

a perspective view of the quick change mechanism in the operating position of Fig. 1 , and

Fig. 6

a perspective view of the quick change mechanism in the implementation of a change.

From a device V for closing containers, such as PET bottles, in a capper of a filling plant is in Fig. 1 dashed lines a lower part of a capping K indicated. The closing head K can be driven in the axial direction and / or in the direction of rotation in order to attach a screw closure positioned in a closing element E to the external thread of the bottle neck of a bottle positioned below the closing head K. For positioning and conveying the containers are in Fig. 1 not shown components adjacent to the capping and under this present.

The closing head K in Fig. 1 is with a quick-change mechanism S for interchangeable holding the configured respective closing element 1. Main components of the quick change mechanism S in Fig. 1 (see also Fig. 2 in a longitudinal section) are a receptacle 1, a removable part 2, in which the closing element E is held, a removable part-form-locking coupling 3, and a removable part-fuse 4. The quick-change mechanism S is preferably operated without tools by hand and makes it possible when inserting or Take the closing element E with the removable part 2 to move these parts laterally, ie, perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the closing head K.

The recording 1 ( Fig. 2 ) is a pipe section with a mating cone 5 and an external thread 6 at one end and a socket 7 at the other end. In the receptacle 1 distributed in the circumferential direction cleaning openings 8 may be provided. Outside is located on the receptacle 1 a stop 9, for example, a circlip to which a spring 10 is supported, which acts on an axially displaceable ring 11 of the interchangeable part fuse 4 in the direction of a locking position. Another, the movement path of the ring 11 limiting stop 12 is formed for example on the socket 7, for example in the form of a circumferential shoulder.

The laterally detachable and engageable exchange part-form-fitting coupling 3 is designed in the manner of a straight dovetail guide and consists of two parts. The one part, ie two mutually parallel, linearly extending grooves 13, which are bounded above by straight webs 16, are formed in the upper end of the removable part 2. The other part of the change-fit coupling 3 are two mutually parallel, inside the socket 7 continuously formed here U-shaped grooves 15, the underside of also straight and continuous Bars 14 are limited. The webs 14, 16 are with a straight motion (part 23 in Fig. 6 ) inserted or pulled out. The grooves 15, 13 are either at the in the plane of Fig. 2 rear or front side open, or on both sides, so that the change part 2 in Fig. 2 can be separated laterally upwards or downwards from the receptacle 1. The ring 11 is shown in a position in which it does not allow the separation of the receptacle 1 of the removable part 2. To change the ring 11 in the direction of arrow 22 ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) are moved upwards. Optionally, a plurality of groove and web pairs are provided offset from each other in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the cross section of the grooves and lands can be chosen arbitrarily.

In the lower end of the removable part 2, a receptacle 17 for the closing element E is formed. The closing element E sits e.g. with a hollow projection 18 in the receptacle 17 and has an inner cone for receiving a rotary closure, which is held by an O-ring 20 radially inwardly acted balls 19.

In the section in the sectional plane III-III in Fig. 1 in Fig. 3 It can be seen that the grooves 13 leak free front and rear to the change part 2 in Fig. 3 either to be able to separate down or up from the recording 1.

In plan view (in Fig. 2 from above) according to Fig. 4 it can be seen that the stop 9 is formed by a snap ring or similar stop ring, and that a flange of the closing element E protrudes outward. Fig. 4 shows the view of the upper end of the picture 1.

In the perspective view of the quick-change mechanism S in Fig. 5 the ring 11 is slightly in the direction of the arrow 22 pushed up against the spring 10 in the direction of the upper stop 9, just so far that the positive coupling 3 is not yet solvable. The change part 2 may have lateral cutouts 21, for example, for reasons of processing technology.

To the change part 2 with the closing element E laterally in the direction of the double arrow 23 (FIG. Fig. 6 ) to be able to separate from the receptacle 1, the ring 11 according to Fig. 6 moved slightly further in the direction of the arrow upwards, and the change part in the dovetail guide with the web 16 is pulled out of the groove 15 linear, while the web 14 slides out of the groove 13.

Optionally, in the dovetail guide a latch 24 is provided, which already centers the change part 2 on the receptacle 1 when the ring 11 is not yet moved down.

To insert another removable part 2, the ring 11 is first moved in the direction of arrow 22 upwards until the groove 15 of the receptacle 1 is exposed, and the web 16 is threaded into the groove 15 and at the same time the web 14 in the groove 13, before the change part 2 is inserted until it aligns with the axis of rotation of the closing head K or the receptacle 1. Then, the ring 11 is released, so that it automatically slides under the force of the spring 10 down, for example, up to the stop 12 and secures the clutch against loosening. Optionally, assisting in the downward movement of the ring 11 by hand.

The parts of the quick-change mechanism may be plastic moldings or metal moldings. It can also be trained for distinctly different screw caps of different sizes or in terms of their Receiving seats differently designed change parts are used, but all of which have the same part of the form-locking coupling. When changing, no components installed below the capping head K need to be disassembled or relocated. If only different screw caps are processed for the same container or bottle type, no new adjustments of these components need to be made after a change. It would even be conceivable to design the closing element E directly with the one coupling part and insert it without replacement part 2.

Claims (12)

1. Device (V) for closing containers, in particular bottles, with screw closures, with an at least rotatably drivable closure head (K) in which a closure-specific closure element (E) is exchangeably retained, and a positively fitting quick-change mechanism (S) for the respective closure element (E) is incorporated in the closure head (K), characterised in that when the quick-change mechanism (S) is in a released state, the closure element (E) can be laterally removed or inserted essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the closure head (K).
2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the respective closure element (E) is retained in a replacement part (2) of the quick-change mechanism (S) which has an accommodating means (1) for the replacement part (2) which remains in the closure head (K) with a replacement part positive coupling (3) releasable in the lateral direction (23) and a replacement part lock (4) displaceable between a locked position and the released state.
3. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the quick-change mechanism (S) can be operated by hand and without tools.
4. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the positive coupling (3) can be released or inserted from two diametrically opposite sides relative to the closure head (K), releasable by straight movements (23), in order to remove or insert the replacement part (2).
5. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the accommodating means (1) is a tubular piece which can be inserted in the closure head (K) with an external thread (6) and a fitting cone (5) at one end and a mount (7) at the other end, and the mount (7) incorporates a first part of the positive coupling (3), and the replacement part (2) is a hollow body which incorporates a second part of the positive coupling (3) at one end and an accommodating means (17) for the closure element (E) at the other end.
6. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the replacement part lock (4) comprises a ring (11) which is able to slide axially on the outside of the mount (7) of the accommodating means (1) between the locked position and the released state, which locates around the outside of the two mutually engaged parts of the positive coupling (3) in the locked position.
7. Device as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that axially spaced apart stops (9, 12) are provided on the accommodating means (1) and on the replacement part (2) between which the ring (11) can be moved backwards and forwards, and the ring (11) is biased by spring force (10) in the direction towards the locked position.
8. Device as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the stop (9) on the accommodating means (1) is a removable circlip or similar stop ring.
9. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the positive coupling (3) is provided in the form of a dovetail guide oriented essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the closure head (K) and comprises at least two straight grooves (13) extending parallel as a pair on the outside of one end of the hollow body and bounded by external webs (16) and two grooves (15) extending in parallel on the inside of the mount (7) and bounded by internal webs (14), and the webs (16, 14) are linearly displaceable in the grooves (15, 13).
10. Device as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the accommodating means (1), replacement part (2) and ring (11) are moulded plastic parts or moulded metal parts.
11. Device as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that a ball lock (24) is provided on the accommodating means (1) in the dovetail guide as a means of centring the replacement part (2).
12. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the accommodating means (1) has cleaning orifices (8) distributed in the circumferential direction.

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