EP2881359B1 - Device and method for applying a moulded part to a container - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device and a method for applying a molded part to a container, preferably for closing a container with a container screw in a beverage filling plant.

State of the art

When bottling beverages in beverage filling plants, it is known to seal containers which have been filled with a filling product by means of a container screw closure. In this case, it is known, for example, to close glass bottles or plastic bottles, for example PET bottles, with a prefabricated plastic screw cap having an internal thread. The Kunststoffschraubverschluss is screwed onto a corresponding mating thread at the mouth of each bottle.

The Kunststoffschraubverschlüsse used in this context may have different configurations with respect to their outer shape. For example, asymmetric and non-round plastic screw caps are known in their outer contour. Furthermore, known Kunststoffschraubverschlüsse on different thread heights. For example, flat caps, known as flat caps, are known, which are used for closing bottles in which a low internal pressure prevails, so for example when filling still waters or other non-carbonated drinks are used. Plastic screw caps are also known for closing carbonated beverage bottles, these plastic screw caps having a significantly higher thread in order to counteract the internal pressure can.

Furthermore, Kunststoffschraubverschlüsse are known which use a security tape, for example in the form of a tear-off, to make visible to the end user, whether it the bottle is an originally filled or already opened bottle. These plastic screw caps have a greater extent in the direction of the screw axis, as a flat cap.

Furthermore, more complex forms of Kunststoffschraubverschlüssen are known, for example, so-called sports caps, which have a molded drinking nozzle and which may be provided in certain embodiments, with a cover covering the drinking spigot.

For applying Kunststoffschraubverschlüssen it is known to apply these by means of a corresponding capping head in production on the filled container and in particular unscrew it. The plastic screw caps are usually added in the capping head in a capper cone. The capper cone has an inner contour which is complementary to the outer contour of the plastic screw cap to be applied. The plastic screw caps are pressed accordingly into the capper cone, then pressed onto the mouth region of the respective bottle to be closed and screwed by rotation until the predetermined Aufschraubdrehmoment is reached. Then the capper cone is pulled upwards.

In a variant, it is known to hold the respective moldings, so for example the Kunststoffschraubverschlüsse, by means of grippers on Verschließkopf, whereby for example tolerances in the outer dimensions of the screw can be better compensated and not rotationally symmetrical closures and closures can be used with more complex outer shapes, so that Here, too, the desired closing torque can be applied.

For example, from the WO 2005/054113 A1 a device for screwing caps on vessels is known, which in each case has a controllable gripping tongs, which serves to grip the respective closures. The said gripper arms are each pivotable about horizontal axes, ie about axes which are arranged perpendicular to the screw axis, around which the screwing of the actual closure takes place. The gripping arms are driven by a control head, which is moved over a vertical rod which can perform a directed in the direction of the screw axis movement, such that the gripping arms are opened and closed.

Also from the DE 101 21 081 A1 An apparatus for screwing on prefabricated threaded closure capsules is known in which closing levers can be pivoted about a pivot axis arranged perpendicular to the screw axis and the closing levers can be actuated via a closing member moving in the direction of the screw axis.

In the gripping arms according to the prior art, the height of the coatable with the device closure is limited by the arrangement of the pivot axes and the length of the gripping arms. In other words, any desired closure height, for example a sports cap, can not be absorbed by the gripper arms in such a way that any tolerances in the outside diameter can be compensated at the same time since too far pivoting of the gripper arms to the outside would be necessary.

It is known that circulate in Beverage bottling several Verschließköpfe in a circular path, the actual screwing the closures takes place on the container to be closed in a certain angle section of this orbit. This type of capper is also referred to as a round robin server.

The JP H08 91484 A describes a device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for gripping an article. The WO 2012/155208 A1 and US 2006/0150580 A1 describe holding devices for screw caps for closing bottles.

Presentation of the invention

Starting from the known prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for applying a molding to a container, which allow a more reliable application of moldings.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, an apparatus for applying a molded part to a container, preferably for closing a container with a Behälterschraubverschluss in a beverage filling plant, proposed, wherein the molded part aligned to a screw axis on the container can be applied and at least one pivotable about a pivot axis Gripper for gripping the molding comprises. According to the pivot axis of the gripper is arranged parallel to the screw axis.

Characterized in that the pivot axis of the gripper is aligned parallel to the screw axis, a - seen relative to the screw axis - lateral gripping or clamping of the respective molded part can be achieved by the gripper. Thus, a more reliable gripping or clamping of the respective molded part can be achieved, which is insensitive to tolerances of the molded part with respect to its outer diameter.

The gripping or clamping of the molded part can furthermore be achieved independently of the height of the respective molded part in the direction of the screw axis in a predetermined plane of the molded part.

In the case of the present embodiment according to the invention, it follows that the shaped parts can be gripped in any plane along the extension of the molded part in the direction of the screw axis, since the pivot axes extend parallel to the molded part. This increases the flexibility with regard to the molding heights to be processed as well as the flexibility with respect to the tolerances in the diameter. Likewise, it is easily possible not to grip rotationally symmetric or asymmetrical moldings.

For actuating the gripper, a control element which can be moved along the screw axis is provided, by means of which the pivoting of the gripper about the swiveling axis can be effected. Due to the design of the control element such that it can be displaced along the screw axis, a device for applying a molded part can be formed, which allows simple control of the grippers by displacing the control element in the direction of the screw axis, for example with a conventional slide control. This can be done for example via a known link control above the capping in a Rundläuferverschließer.

In order to enable a transmission of the pivoting movement of the gripper about the pivot axis, the control is preferably arranged rotationally fixed relative to the screw axis. In this way, the registered via the gripper torques can be supported on the control and at the same time can achieve a simple mechanical construction.

The control element is provided movably in the direction of the screw axis in order to achieve a pivoting movement of the gripper about the pivot axis. Such a design of the control makes it possible to achieve the closing, holding, clamping, as well as the opening of the gripper by a simple linear lifting movement of the control. The operation of the gripper can be achieved accordingly in a simple mechanical manner, for example by a backdrop.

The control element is preferably arranged concentrically to the screw axis in order to achieve a rotationally symmetrical design of a closure head.

The device comprises at least one transmission means, by means of which a translational movement of the control element in the direction of the screw axis is effected in a pivoting movement of the gripper about the pivot axis aligned parallel to the screw axis. Accordingly, by moving the control element along the screw axis, a gripping of a molded part, a holding or clamping of the molded part during application to the container, as well as a subsequent release of the molded part from the device can be controlled in a simple manner. Accordingly, a translational movement in the direction of the screw axis is deflected into a rotational movement of the gripper about the pivot axis arranged parallel to the screw axis.

The transmission means comprises a lever, preferably a toggle lever which is pivotally connected at its one end to the control and is connected at its other end to the gripper via a ball joint, preferably via a ball joint arranged on an axle element and / or lever. In this way, a pivoting of the lever can be achieved with a displacement of the control in the direction of the screw axis, whereby the distance between the pivot axis and the axis defined by the ball joint axis element changes. This is easily comprehensible through the Pythagorean theorem. Thus, using a mechanically simple lever mechanism, a rotation of the axle element and thus of the gripper about the pivot axis due to a linear displacement of the control element is made possible.

The control element is thus connected via a lever with a rotatably connected to the gripper axis element so that a translation of the control in the direction of the screw axis in a rotation or pivoting of the gripper results around the parallel to the screw axis aligned pivot axis of the gripper.

In a further development, a contact device for applying a molded part in the direction of the screw axis is provided such that the gripper can grip the molded part applied to an end face on the abutment device at a predetermined position or plane of the molded part. A predetermined distance of the gripper from a predetermined structure of the molded part is correspondingly predetermined via the abutment device, so that the gripper can engage in a predetermined plane of the molded part. In this way, a secure and reproducible gripping of the molded parts regardless of their dimensions in the direction of the screw axis, as well as independently of the tolerances of the outer dimensions of the moldings can be achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, an axle element, which is non-rotatably connected to the gripper and which extends along the pivot axis, via a bellows, preferably via a twistable bellows, sealed from the environment. In a further preferred embodiment, the control element, which is movable in the direction of the screw axis, sealed by a bellows against the environment. By providing a sealing of possible passages from an ambient atmosphere to a filler atmosphere achievable by means of a bellows, the device for applying the molded parts can also be used in aseptic filling plants.

The device is suitable for use as an aseptic capping head in an aseptic rounding server in an aseptic beverage bottling plant by means of a corresponding sealing or encapsulation.

The device furthermore preferably has a housing for encapsulation, in particular for aseptic encapsulation, which has areas which come into contact with a clean room or a filling product with respect to the environment, so that the apparatus can also be used in an aseptic beverage bottler, in particular an aseptic beverage bottling plant. For this purpose, it is particularly preferred if, in addition to the encapsulation, an embodiment of the housing is provided in such a way that any sterilization medium or cleaning medium possibly used runs off without accumulating.

In order to accommodate the molded part in a defined orientation relative to the screw axis, at least two grippers, more preferably three grippers, are preferably provided. By holding and clamping of the molding by at least two grippers and preferably three grippers can be achieved symmetrical holding and clamping to the screw axis, which is independent of the outer contours of the molding.

In a further preferred embodiment, an ejector rod is provided, by means of which a molded part held in the device can be ejected. Particularly preferably, the ejector rod is actuated via the control element.

The above object is also achieved by a method having the features of claim 10. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, a method for applying a molded part to a container, preferably for closing a container with a Behälterschraubverschluss in a beverage filling plant, proposed, wherein the molded part is applied aligned to a screw axis on the container and thereby by a pivotable about a pivoting axis gripper by pivoting the pivot axis is held. According to the invention, the gripper is pivoted for gripping the molded part about a pivot axis aligned parallel to the screw axis.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen eines Formteils auf einen Behälter in einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Figur 2

eine schematische Ansicht von oben auf die in Figur 1 gezeigte Vorrichtung;

Figur 3

eine schematische Ansicht von unten auf die Vorrichtung der Figuren 1 und 2; und

Figur 4

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht der Vorrichtung aus Figur 1 mit einem kapselnden Gehäuse.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic perspective view of a device for applying a molding on a container in a first embodiment;

FIG. 2

a schematic top view of the in FIG. 1 shown device;

FIG. 3

a schematic view from below of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and

FIG. 4

a schematic perspective view of the device FIG. 1 with a capsule housing.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, identical, similar or equivalent elements in the different figures are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part in order to avoid redundancies.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for applying a molded part 10, for example, a indicated in the figure sports cap on a container, not shown here.

The device 1 is provided in particular as an aseptic capping head of an aseptic capper in an aseptic beverage bottling plant, wherein in such a capper usually a plurality of capping heads are guided on a closed circular path. Within a certain range of this circular path, the so-called treatment angle, an application of the respective molded part 10, for example in the form of the sports cap shown, takes place on the container. For this purpose, the in FIG. 1 schematically shown device rotates about a screw axis S around, so that the received in the device 1 molding 10 is screwed by the rotation of the container to be closed. The molding 10 is held substantially rotationally fixed in the device 1, so that a corresponding torque can be applied to the molding 10. The molded part 10 is aligned with the screw axis S so that screwing with the mouth of the container can easily take place. The screw axis S is corresponding to the application of the molding 10 is substantially identical to the axis of the mouth region of the container to be closed.

In FIG. 3 the device 1 is shown in a view from below, here also the molding 10 is clearly visible, which is to be screwed onto the corresponding container.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the device 1 comprises three grippers 2, which are held at one end of their gripper arm 26 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis V on the device 1. As a result of the pivoting of the grippers 2 about the swiveling axis V, an opening of a holding region 20 defined in this way can accordingly take place, in which the molded part 10 is held. By pivoting out of the gripper 2, the molding 10 is released accordingly or it may be a new molding 10 in the holding area 20th be introduced. By an inwardly pivoting the gripper 2 in the direction of the pivot axis S to a arranged in the holding portion 20 molded part 10 can be held and clamped accordingly.

In a preferred embodiment, the clamping side 22 of the gripper arms 26 is structured so that slippage of the molded part 10 during application of a torque, for example when screwing the molding 10 onto a container, can be easily transferred. For example, the clamping side 22 of the gripper arms 26 may be structured with nubs or teeth, which can engage in complementary nubs or teeth of the molding 10 so that here a positive connection for transmitting a torque arises. The transmission of torque through a pure traction, only due to the clamping force of the gripper 2 on the molding 10, but is also possible.

The pivot axes V of the gripper 2 are guided parallel to the screw axis S. Accordingly, an opening and closing of the gripper 2 allow lateral clamping of the molding 10. By the lateral clamping of the molded part 10 by the gripper 2, an improved balancing of manufacturing tolerances of the molded part 10 can take place. Furthermore, the distance of the plane E of an overlying housing part, such as a bottom plate 3 of the device 1, arbitrarily adjustable, since the gripper 2 can be spaced over an axis element 24 as desired from the bottom plate 3. Accordingly, no limitation is given for the shape and in particular the height of the molded part 10 in the direction of the screw axis S. Accordingly, molded parts 10 of any height can be applied by the device 1.

Again, there is no limitation with respect to the position at which the gripper 2, the molding 10 engage. The grippers 2 can engage, for example, in a lower region of the molded part 10, that is, in a region on which, for example, a thread is provided, by means of which the molded part 10 is screwed onto a corresponding mating thread of a container. However, the molding 10 can also be gripped in an overlying area or in a central area with respect to the height (along the screw axis S) of the molding 10. Furthermore, it is also possible by this configuration, over a wide pivoting range of the gripper 2, even with heavily undercut moldings 10 a reliable attack in any position along the vertical extent (along the screw axis S) of the molding 10 to achieve. The grippers can by the pivoting about the pivot axis V around also occupy a large displacement, which leads to a reliable recording of the molded part 10 in the device 1 regardless of tolerances.

An abutment device 30 is provided on the bottom plate 3, which serves to provide a contact surface for an end face region of the molded part 10. Thus, a pressure along the screw axis S can be exerted on the molding 10 while it is applied to a container. The abutment device 30 is here provided with openings 300, which serve to provide for a ventilation of the molded part 10, on the one hand, and to enable a proper cleaning of the device 1 with cleaning fluids.

The grippers 2 are arranged so that they are freely pivotable below the abutment device 30 so that an intervention in the molded part 10 in the plane E is made possible. As already described, the molded part 10 is a sports cap with a drinking spout 12, which can be seen schematically through an opening 300 in the abutment device 30.

The position of the gripper 2 below the bottom plate 3 and below the abutment device 30 is made via the axle elements 24, which protrude through the bottom plate 3 and which take over a pivotable about the pivot axis V storage of the gripper 2. An axial displacement along the pivot axis V of the axle elements 24 is prevented by a corresponding bearing, so that only a rotational movement or a pivoting about the pivot axis V is possible.

The axle elements 24 can be sealed off from the base plate 3 by means of a bellows 4, in particular a twistable bellows. Since it is in the pivoting movement of the gripper 2, also depending on the selected lever, only a fraction of a revolution having rotational amount, a twistable bellows 4 here provide a reliable seal against the environment.

Above the bottom plate 3, a control element 5 extending along the screw axis S is provided, which is movable in the direction of the screw axis S. Such a translation of the control element 5 along the screw axis S is used to control and trigger the pivoting movement of the gripper 2 about the pivot axis V. About a corresponding transmission mechanism, the along the screw axis S directed translation movement of the control element 5 in a pivoting movement of the axle elements 24 and thus also reaches the rotatably connected with this grippers 2 to the pivot axis V.

The control element 5 is secured against rotation about the screw axis S. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this is achieved via an anti-rotation lock 50, which is correspondingly connected to the control element 5. The anti-rotation device 50 may be formed, for example, via a sleeve of polygonal cross-section arranged non-rotatably on the base plate 3, in which a corresponding, polygonal section of the control element 5 complementary thereto is arranged to be movable along the screw axis S. In addition to such an anti-twist device which is produced via a simple positive connection, all other possibilities for producing such an anti-rotation device are also conceivable for the anti-twist device 50.

It follows that a translational movement of the control element 5 along the screw axis S results in a pivoting of the gripper 2 about the pivot axis V, which is parallel to the screw axis S.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, a transmission means 6 is provided in the form of a toggle lever 60, which is arranged on the control element 5 via a bolt 62 pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the screw axis S axis. On the axle member 24 of the toggle lever 60 is pivotable about a ball member 64 disposed about a perpendicular to the pivot axis V axis, as well as pivotable about an axis parallel to the pivot axis V arranged axis. In the example shown, not only the toggle lever 60 but also another lever 66 is provided, which is rotatably connected to the axle member 24 and which is arranged perpendicular to the pivot axis V so that via the lever 66, a movement of the toggle lever 60 in a corresponding rotational movement the axis element 24 and thus of the gripper 2 can be achieved around the pivot axis V around.

The toggle lever 60 moves due to its pivotability about the bolt 62 when moving the control element 5 along the screw axis S, for example in FIG. 1 in the upward direction, accordingly pulled by the bolt 62 also upward. The toggle lever 60 pivots simultaneously about the ball joint 64. Due to the deflection of the toggle lever 60 from the parallel to the bottom plate 3 arrangement, as in FIG. 1 is shown schematically, in an orientation in which the toggle lever 60 is inclined with respect to the bottom plate 3, wherein the bolt 62 arranged on the part of the toggle lever 60 then, for example, upwards is deflected, the lever 66 is pulled towards the control element 5 or towards the center of the device 1 out. This is easy to understand about Pythagoras' theorem. Due to the ball joint 64, the pivoting movement can be correspondingly easily triggered by the toggle lever 60, since the pivoting movement of the axle member 24 and the axis member 24 fixedly connected lever 66 about the pivot axis V around due to the ball joint 64 not to tilting or wedging the toggle lever 60th leads. Accordingly, by raising the control element 5 upward along the swiveling axis S, pivoting of the toggle lever 60 and thus attraction of the lever 66 in the direction of the screw axis S and thus then pivoting of the axle element 24 about the swiveling axis V can be achieved. Thus, the translational movement of the control element 5 along the screw axis S in a rotational movement of the gripper 2 is deflected about the pivot axis V around.

Accordingly, in a pushing back of the control element 5 in the embodiment shown in the in FIG. 1 shown position pivoting back of the gripper 2 and thus closing the gripper 2 and thus grasping a molding 10 are made possible.

Of course, in the embodiment shown, a displacement of the control 5 down in the FIG. 1 possible to cause the gripper 2 to open.

In a preferred embodiment, in which the device 1 is accommodated in a capping head of a rotary sealer in a beverage filling installation, the control element 5 can be controlled, for example, via a slotted guide which runs above the respective closing head, such that the grippers 2 are moved by a corresponding movement of the gripper Control element 5 are opened at a predetermined position, remain in this open position until a molding 10 is present in the receiving position 20 and the molding 10 accordingly rests against the abutment device 30 until it abuts an end face. Then, by a corresponding method of the control element 5 relative to the bottom plate 3, a closing and clamping of the mold element 10 is performed by the gripper 2, to then achieve a pressing and screwing the mold element 10 to a corresponding container by the movement of the corresponding capping head. After completion of the application process, the gripper 2 are opened by a corresponding relative movement of the control element 5 relative to the bottom plate 3 again.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, in the event that when molding the molding 10 on the container, the molding 10 does not remain on the container, or a corresponding container to be sealed was not supplied, the molding 10 are ejected from the receiving area 20 again, the control element 5 is moved downwards and the control element 5 is ejected downwards via an ejector rod (not shown in the figures), which is actuated by the control element 5 or which constitutes an extension of the control element 5, while the grippers 2 open simultaneously. In this way, a not applied to a container molding 10 can be reliably removed from the device 1 to avoid a system failure when re-receiving a molded part.

In FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the device 1 is shown, wherein in addition a housing 7 is provided, in which the in FIG. 1 mechanism provided above the bottom plate 3 is received. Furthermore, a bellows 40 is provided, which seals the relative movement of the control element 5 relative to the housing 7 or relative to the bottom plate 3. Recesses 70 are correspondingly provided in the housing 7 again, which ensure that the bellows 40 can be cleaned or sterilized and no areas arise in which product or cleaning fluids can stand, so that a hygienically perfect device is provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Device for applying a molding to a container

10

molding

12

drinking nipples

2

grab

20

holding area

22

terminal side

24

axis element

26

gripper

3

baseplate

30

conditioning apparatus

300

perforation

4

bellow

40

bellow

5

control

50

twist

6

transmission means

60

toggle

62

bolt

64

ball joint

66

lever

7

casing

70

perforation

S

screw axis

V

pivot

e

level

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus (1) for applying a shaped part (10) to a container, preferably for closing a container using a screw cap in a beverage-filling installation, wherein the shaped part (10) can be applied to the container aligned to a screw axis (S), the apparatus comprising at least one gripper (2), pivotable about a pivot axis (V) for gripping the shaped part (10), wherein the pivot axis (V) of the gripper (2) is arranged parallel to the screw axis (S), and at least one transmission means (6) is provided, said transmission means converting a translatory movement of a control element (5) in the direction of the screw axis (S) into a pivoting movement of the gripper (2) about the pivot axis (V),
   characterized in that
   the transmission means (6) comprises a lever, preferably a toggle lever (60), which, at its one end, is connected in a pivotable manner to the control element (5) and, at its other end, is connected to the gripper (2) via a ball joint (64), preferably via a ball joint (64) arranged on an axis element (24) and/or lever (66).
2. Apparatus (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the control element (5) is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in relation to the screw axis (S).
3. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a positioning device (30) for positioning a shaped part (10) is provided such that the shaped part (10), positioned on the positioning device (30), can be gripped at a predetermined position of the shaped part (10) by the gripper (2).
4. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an axis element (24), which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the gripper (2) and extends along the pivot axis (V), is sealed against the environment via a gaiter (4), preferably via a twistable gaiter (4).
5. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control element (5), which can be moved in direction of the screw axis (S), is sealed against the environment via a gaiter (40).
6. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a housing (7) for sealing at least one region of the apparatus (1) in relation to the environment is provided.
7. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control element (5) is arranged preferably concentrically in relation to the screw axis (S).
8. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two grippers (2), preferably three grippers (2), for gripping the shaped part (10) are provided.
9. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an ejector rod for ejecting a shaped part (10) retained in the apparatus (1) is provided, wherein the ejector rod is activated preferably via the control element (5) for actuating the grippers.
10. Method of applying a shaped part (10) to a container, preferably for closing a container using a screw cap in a beverage-filling installation, by means of an apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaped part (10) is applied to the container aligned in relation to a screw axis (S) and wherein the container is retained by a gripper (2) pivotable about a pivot axis (V) by pivoting about the pivot axis (V), wherein the gripper (2), for gripping the shaped part (10), is pivoted about a pivot axis (V) aligned parallel to the screw axis (S).
11. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that a pivoting of the gripper (2) about the pivot axis (V) for the purpose of gripping the shaped part (10) is caused by the movement of the control element (5) along the screw axis (S).

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