EP2376364B1 - Device and method for closing containers having a closure - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for closing containers with a closure according to the preamble of Ansprunchs 1 and as shown in US 5,313,765 known.

In this process, the capping head can be moved towards the container. Of course, a reverse procedure is conceivable by the respective container is lifted to the capping. A simultaneous movement of the container and the capping head is conceivable. The force from the outside can be exerted on the capping head directly via a control element that moves it. If the container is moved, for example, from below onto the capping head and is applied with its opening to the latter, the force from the outside results from an actuating element which raises the container and consequently causes a corresponding counterforce on the stationary capping head.

A device of the structure described above is in the DE 10 2006 035 279 A1 presented. This is about a capping machine for closing bottles or similar containers with closures. In this case, different closure positions are formed on a revolving rotor, each with a closing tool for fixing the closure. Each closing position is assigned at least two closing tools held on a tool carrier. By moving the tool carrier, the closing tools can be moved at least between a working position and a provisioning position. In the working position, the closing tool causes the fixation of the closures on the respective container. When the closing tools are rotatably mounted in the tool holder capping.

Comparable devices for closing containers or bottle sealing machines are known in practice. In all of these devices, the closure head is acted upon by a force from the outside when mounting or attaching the closure on or at the container opening. These Force is, for example, from the tool holder after the DE 10 2006 035 279 A1 exerted on the closing tool or the closing head.

Such a force application is required on the one hand to attach the closure properly on the container opening, for example by screwing. On the other hand, the pressure within the container often increases during the closing process, so that in the example case the screwing process has to be completed with increasing application of force. That is, the pressure exerted on the closure and thus the bottle at a constant position of the capping pressure, in particular in the final position of the closure, that is at the end of the travel, still be high enough to close the container properly.

Due to this requirement profile arises in practice the problem is that the pressure on the screw cap or the container as a whole at the same position of the capping, especially at the beginning or beginning of the travel is unnecessarily high, even at the end of the travel or in the final position still be sufficient for the perfect closure. Since the capping head or the container is acted on by a force from the outside and in particular to be closed disposable PET bottles in the opened state have only a low stability (for example, if CO ₂ -containing drinks are filled) is due to this force the risk that the bottle is tilted or deformed in the worst case, at least the desired closing process can not be made. This results in extreme cases, even a stoppage of the entire bottle capping machine. This is where the invention starts.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a device so that the closure can be installed correctly and any downtime in this connection no longer occurs. In addition, a suitable method for closing such containers should be specified.

This technical problem is solved by a device for closing containers with a closure according to Ansprunch 1.

In the context of the invention, the closure for closing the container (and thus also the container as a whole) is thus subjected to a composite force in this process. First of all, a force from the outside, which is exerted, for example, by the actuating element, which acts directly on the capping head, continues to act on the capping head. But it is also possible that the capping head is connected to a tool carrier, as the DE 10 2006 035 279 A1 describes and this tool holder then experiences with a control element a force from the outside or a force is exerted from the outside on the respective container and consequently the capping head. In most cases, one will choose the last-mentioned approach, because usually several containers conveyed on a circular path are simultaneously equipped with an associated closing head and undergo a closure in succession.

To this force from the outside, which operates on the capping head and / or the container and axially displaces the closing head in the direction of the container opening along the travel path and raises the container and applies it to the capping head, according to the invention, a further internal or internal force occurs added. This internal or internal force is exerted by the internal power assist member. For this purpose, the force-supporting element is arranged in the interior of the capping head, so that the relevant internal force is generated and exerted directly on the interior of the capping head.

According to the invention, the capping head has a total of two parts. Mostly there is a receptacle for the closure on the one hand and on the other hand a base. The travel is now in such a way that the receiving pot is axially displaced relative to the base.

The described inner and outer forces usually work on at least one spring element in the interior of the capping head for its compression. The spring element is supported on the one hand on the pot for the closure and on the other hand on the base. The receptacle immerses under definition of the travel in a guide cylinder of the base. In this case, the internal force-supporting element is arranged parallel to the said spring element. Most often, the spring element encloses the force-supporting element, because it is advantageous in the spring element is a helical spring with helical screw turns.

According to the invention, the force-assisting element is designed as a magnetic element of two magnets, in particular permanent magnets. The two magnets are usually arranged with different poles and opposite each other. Furthermore, the invention recommends an overall rotationally symmetrical design of the capping head in comparison to a rotation axis. Mostly, the capping head is rotated about this axis of rotation to apply the closure to the container opening and close it by means of the (screw) closure.

The inner force and the outer force operate substantially rectified on the spring element, which is arranged in the interior of the capping head. As already described, the spring element is clamped on the one hand between the receptacle for the closure and on the other hand between the base. As soon as a force is exerted externally on the capping head, this causes the spring to undergo compression and the pot more and more to dive into the guide cylinder of the base.

The same process occurs when the internal force support element or the magnetic element takes effect at this point. Because by the connection of the power support element on the one hand to the pot and on the other hand to the base, the internal force support element as well as the internal spring element on the one hand to the pot and on the other hand connected to the base and thus can contribute directly and in addition to the external force for compression of the spring element. This applies even more and advantageous because the force-supporting element and the spring element are substantially the same length and cover each other.

The overall design is such that the force support element or magnetic element from the two magnets corresponds to a certain distance of the magnets at the beginning of the travel, wherein the distance between these two magnets at the end of the travel reduced to zero or almost zero. That is, not only immersed in the guide cylinder of the base pot defines the travel, but this travel is also at the same time from the first spaced and then approaching both magnets of the force support element designed as a magnetic element and limited.

Due to this arrangement and design, the force-assisting element or magnetic element also unfolds an inner force which increases along the travel in the direction of the container opening. Because this growing inner force results from the usually exponentially increasing and increasing attraction of the two magnets to each other with decreasing distance. This also makes it clear that both the internal force and the external force are substantially rectified to the spring element to its compression. In fact, both the external force and the internal force act with a rectified force component on the spring element, which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the spring element or the coil spring. In general, the longitudinal direction of the helical spring or its axis of rotation coincides with the axis of rotation of the closing head as a whole. This ensures that the closure received in the receiving pot and consequently also the container as a whole experiences the desired axial application of force during the closing process.

As a result, an apparatus for closing containers with a closure and an associated method are described, with the aid of which the closure can be properly installed on the container opening. For the outer force acting on the closing head external to compress the spring element in its interior is reduced according to the invention over the prior art. This is ensured by the internal force-assisting element located in the closing head, which operates in the same direction as the external force and also compresses the spring element. As a result, as a result, the external force acting on the capping head can be reduced not only at the beginning of the travel but along the entire travel as compared with the previous approach, even observing an additional decrease in the external force towards the end of the travel. This is in crass article of the prior art, which works with an increasing external force along the travel and in particular at the end of the travel to compensate for the growing opposing forces just before the complete closure of the container opening can.

These growing opposing forces are usually explained by the fact that, in particular, CO ₂ -containing beverages produce a considerable pressure during sealing in the interior of a bottle made of PET, for example, which is expressly desired. Because only by this increased pressure is necessary for the subsequent transport stability of such (disposable) PET container provided.

Since, according to the invention, the outer force on the capping head is significantly reduced compared to the prior art and can also be worked, tilting of the bottle during application of the closure, damage to the same etc. are reduced to a minimum or can be completely excluded. This can essentially be attributed to the fact that an external force which does not act exactly axially on the closing head always corresponds to a more or less large torque at the container opening, which causes the described tilting up to damage to the bottle.

By now according to the invention, this external force is significantly reduced, also the possible attacking torques are reduced to a minimum. Rather, by the internal attachment of the force-supporting element or the magnetic element not only the external force undergo a reduction, but applied by the internal force support element internal force acts almost exclusively axially, so that such jamming or instabilities no longer occur.

In this case, built up by the force support element and usually with decreasing distance of the magnets exponentially increasing internal force ensures that the force applied to the capping outer force along the adjustment path is at least partially compensated, so that the capping head overall with unchanged force and consequently unchanged pressure ensures the attachment of the closure during the closing process. That is, the actual closing process is completed with a similar application of force as before, but with compared to this significantly reduced external force, along the entire travel. Here are the main benefits.

Fig. 1

die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung schematisch, reduziert auf die wesentlichen Bauteile und

Fig. 2

einen Kraft-Weg-Verlauf, wie er erfindungsgemäß mit dem Verschließkopf absolviert wird.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1

the inventive device schematically, reduced to the essential components and

Fig. 2

a force-displacement curve, as it is completed according to the invention with the capping.

In the figures, a device for closing containers is shown, each with a closure 1, wherein it is in the context of the example, a bottle-closing machine, which is similar in its basic structure to that of those in the DE 10 2006 035 279 A1 is described in detail. With the aid of the device or the bottle sealing machine shown, the closure 1, which is not designed to be a screw cap, is applied to a container opening 2 of a container 3.

The container 3 is not limited to a PET disposable bottle, which receives a CO ₂ -containing beverage in its interior or which has been filled before the application of the closure 1 in the container 3 in an upstream station. The individual containers 3 and bottles are regularly guided along a circular path, each container 3 is assigned its own capping 4. All Verschließköpfe 4 may be connected to a rotary rotating tool carrier, which is not shown in detail, however. In any case, can be applied to the container opening 2 by means of the Verschließkopfes 4 of the closure 1 by the Verschließkopf 4 is adjusted in the direction of the container opening 2 along a travel H. Of course, alternatively or additionally, the container 3 can be raised in the direction of the closing head 4. The travel H corresponds to a stroke H of about 10 to 15 mm in the example case, which performs the capping 4 during application of the closure 1.

It can be seen that the closing head 4 is constructed substantially in two parts and has in detail a receiving pot 4a for receiving the closure 1 and a base 4b with guide cylinder 4c. The receiving pot 4a can be moved relative to the base 4b and the guide cylinder 4c, respectively. In this process, the receiving pot 4a immersed in the guide cylinder 4c of the base 4b and defined in this way the stroke H.

Between the receiving pot 4a on the one hand and the base 4b on the other hand, a spring element 5 is interposed, in which it is a helical spring with helical coils in the embodiment, which are helical compared to a rotation axis A. Compared to this axis of rotation A, the entire capping head 4 is rotationally symmetrical and can also be rotated about this axis of rotation A, as a double arrow in the Fig. 1 suggests. By rotation of the capping head 4 about the axis of rotation A, the closure or screw cap 1 is screwed onto the container opening 2 of the container or the bottle 3 in the example case.

Like the spring element or the helical spring 5, a force-assistance element 6, 7, which will be described in more detail below, is supported on the one hand on the receiving pot 4a and on the other hand on the base 4b. The force-supporting element 6, 7 is arranged parallel to the spring element 5, specifically axially in comparison to the common axis of rotation A. The design is such that the spring element 5 surrounds the force-supporting element 6, 7. The force-supporting element 6, 7 and the spring element 5 overlap each other.

It can be seen that the internal force-assisting element 6, 7 in the example case consists of two magnets 6, 7, consequently formed as a magnetic element 6, 7. In this case, the two magnets 6, 7 are opposite with different poles N, S, as the Fig. 1 immediately makes it clear.

With the aid of the force-supporting element or magnetic element 6, 7, an external force F _A acting on the closing head 4 in the axial direction or along the axis of rotation _{A is} supported. For the internal, that is arranged in the interior of the Verschließkopfes 4, force support element 6, 7 also exerts an internal or internal force F _I on the capping 4 from. In this case, both forces, that is, the external force F _A and the internal force F _I rectified and work together on the spring element 5 to its compression. The spring element 5 itself acts on the receptacle 4a, in the direction of the container opening 2. In addition, the internal force F _{I increases} along the travel H in the direction of the container opening 2, and almost exponentially, as shown in the illustration in FIG Fig. 2 becomes clear and will be explained in more detail below an explanation.

The operation is as follows. Starting in the in Fig. 1 the biased spring element or the coil spring 5 ensures that the receiving pot 4a carrying the closure 1 has its maximum distance from the base 4b. For this purpose, the receiving pot 4a is equipped with a circumferential ring 8, which bears against an associated annular stop 9 of the guide cylinder 4c of the base 4b. In this position, the capping head 4 is placed above the container or the bottle 3, and of course axially aligned with respect to the axis of rotation A equal. The container or the bottle 3 is already filled with a liquid or a drink.

Now, the closing head 4 is acted upon by means of an actuating element, not shown, or by means of the tool carrier, not shown, with the force from the outside or the external force F _A in the axial direction A and simultaneously rotated in this process about the axis of rotation A. Alternatively, of course, the container 3 can be moved towards the capping head 4 and optionally rotated. As a result, the spring element or the coil spring 5 is compressed and exerts an increasing force on the pot 4a and thus the closure 1 and thus the container opening 2 and the container 3 from. Because the force from the outside or the external force F _A causes the pot 4a along the stroke or stroke H increasingly immersed in the guide cylinder 4c of the base 4b.

Simultaneously with this reduction in distance between the receiving pot 4a and the base 4b along the travel H, the two magnets or permanent magnets 6, 7 of the internal force-supporting element 6, 7 approach each other. As a result, the internal force F _I also exerted on the spring element 5 increases. That indicates the Fig. 2 with the corresponding force curve of the force F or the internal force F _I and the external force F _A via the path s along the stroke H at.

As a result of the increasing internal force F _I , according to the invention, the force F _A acting on the closing head 4 _a along the travel s or along the stroke H can be increasingly reduced, as is the course of the force F _A in FIG Fig. 2 suggests. Nevertheless, as a result, the spring element 5 is acted upon by a composite force F _A + F _I , which roughly describes the dashed force curve and thus corresponds to the force curve, as previously applied in the prior art alone by the force from the outside F _A.

Claims (14)

1. Device for closing containers (3) having a closure (1), particularly a bottle closing machine, with at least one closing head (4), for applying the closure (1), that is displaced in a direction towards a container opening (2) along an axial displacement path (H) and is subjected to a prescribed external force (F_A), wherein the closing head (4) comprises a base (4a) and an accommodation cup (4b) to accommodate the closure, which can be displaced relative to one another to adjust the displacement path, characterised in that the device comprises an internal force supporting element (6, 7), which supports the external force (F_A) by means of an internal force (F_I) which is thereby created, wherein the internal force (F_I) and the external force (F_A) take effect on at least one spring element (5) so as to compress the spring element, and the internal force supporting element (6, 7) is configured as a magnetic element (6, 7) formed of two magnets (6, 7).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the force supporting element (6, 7) deploys an internal force (F_I) which increases along the displacement path (H) in the direction towards the container opening (2).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the spring element (5) supports the accommodation cup (4a) for the closure (1) and, supports the base (4b), wherein the accommodation cup (4a), following the defined displacement path (H), dips into a guide cylinder (4c) of the base (4b).
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the force supporting element (6, 7) is arranged parallel to the spring element (5).
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the spring element (5) surrounds the force supporting element (6, 7).
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the force supporting element (6, 7) is connected to the accommodation cup (4a) and to the base (4b).
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the force supporting element (6, 7) is configured as a magnetic element (6, 7) formed of two magnets (6, 7).
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that the two magnets (6, 7) are arranged with different poles (N, S) lying opposite one another.
9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the closing head (4) is configured to be rotationally symmetrical overall relative to a rotation axis (A).
10. Method for closing containers (3) with a closure (1), with a device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closing head (4) for applying the closure (1), is displaced in a direction towards a container opening (2) along an axial displacement path (H) and is subjected to a prescribed external force (F_A), wherein an internal force (F_I) is created, inside the closing head (4), by means of the internal force supporting element (6, 7), to support the external force (F_A).
11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the internal force (F_I) and the external force (F_A) are essentially oriented onto the spring element (5), in order to cause compression of the spring element.
12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the spring element (5) applies force onto the accommodation cup (4a) carrying the closure (1) in the direction of the container opening (2).
13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the internal force (F_I) increases along the displacement path (H) in the direction of the container opening (2), in particular increasing exponentially.
14. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the closing head (4) rotates about the rotation axis (RA), in order to screw on the closure (1), which is preferably configured as a screw closure.

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