EP2958848A1

EP2958848A1 - Closing element and closing machine for closing containers

Info

Publication number: EP2958848A1
Application number: EP14701910.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matthias Naaber; Bernd Bruch
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2013-02-21
Filing date: 2014-01-16
Publication date: 2015-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 2034-01-16
Also published as: US20150375980A1; EP2958848B1; SI2958848T1; DE102013101716A1; WO2014127878A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a closing element for closing bottles or similar containers by placing the container closures (6) onto the respective container (5) in a closing-element axis (VA) and by fastening the container closures to the respective container, preferably by screwing the container closures onto a container thread by means of a closing head (8).

Description

LOCKING ELEMENT AND SEALING MACHINE

FOR CLOSING CONTAINERS

The invention relates to a closing element according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a closing machine according to the preamble of claim 10.

Closing elements for closing bottles or similar containers, in particular with container closures in the form of screw caps are known. Basically, such closure elements each consist of a closing head or Verschließkonus for receiving the respective container closure, which placed with the capping on the respective container in a feed movement or in a delivery stroke in the region of its container mouth (joining) and then under pressure against the container on this by An - Is screwed or screwed. The capping head is for this purpose in a vertical Verschließelementachse with a lifting movement in a joining or Zustubhub (Spindelhub) axially movable between a raised and a lowered position and about the Verschließelementachse (VA) for fixing or tightening the container closure rotatable on the container (rotary or screwing). The closing thus includes the delivery or joining and the subsequent fixing of the container closure, z. B. by screwing or on or on the container.

In known closing or closing machines, a motor drive (electric spindle drive) is provided for the rotating and screwing movement, while the feed stroke is usually generated by lifting curves. The disadvantage here is that the lifting curves must be replaced to adapt the delivery and Anpresshubes or the lifting movement to different container closures or height of container closures. A further disadvantage is that many times for the feed stroke and the locking head bearing shaft or spindle must be moved with and that known locking elements have a variety of moving parts, guides, bearings, possibly also gears, etc., u. difficult to access areas, such as corners, columns, etc., with the risk of microbial contamination and functionally located in a room in which the Verschließpositionen and thus the initially still open containers are arranged. As a result, there is a high microbiological risk for the just filled and still open container. A further disadvantage of the known closing elements or closing machines is that they are still very limited for use in sterile, clean or ultra-clean rooms. This limited usability results from the fact that these known elements always have a combination of a rotational movement with an axial movement, which can be entered by the axial movement always contaminants and / or germs from the environment in the room with special purity requirements, thereby ultimately a contamination The bottled products can not be completely excluded.

The object of the invention is to show a closure element, which has a simplified and compact design and in which the contamination risk described above is at least significantly reduced. To solve this problem, a closing element according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A closing machine is the subject of patent claim 10.

The closing element according to the invention is characterized i.a. in that not only for fixing or screwing the respective closure onto the container, i. for generating the rotational and screwing movement required for this purpose, but also for the vertical lifting movement (spindle stroke) a drive arranged for each closing element of a closing machine is provided. These drives are further designed such that at least the drive member of a drive and thereby preferably at least the drive for the rotational and screwing movement with respect to the Verschließelementachse when closing, i. performs no axial movement when joining and fixing the container closure, but is formed as rotatably driven by its drive spindle or shaft. This makes it possible to arrange the drives outside or above the space in which the Verschließköpfe and containers move, while providing a simplified effective seal for the axially non-moving drive member at the passage in this space.

In a preferred embodiment, the drive member of the drive for the lifting movement and the drive member of the drive for the rotating and screwing a rotatably mounted, but not axially moving spindle or shaft, said waves then preferably coaxially arranged with each other and for this purpose at least one shaft Hollow shaft is formed. The rotational movement a shaft is thereby converted via a lifting or spindle gear in the axial stroke movement, which is then generated as well as the rotation and screwing by a corresponding control of the two drives relative to each other. The lifting or spindle gear, which can be made very compact or small volume and structurally simple, is for example arranged directly above the capping head or in the space in which the containers also move at least with their container opening.

The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 6, each showing in a simplified representation and partly in section closing elements according to the invention in different embodiments together with a container in the form of a bottle. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a variant of the closing element in which the axis of the drive for the controlled lifting movement is not arranged concentrically with the axis of the drive for the controlled rotational movement of the closing head, but offset parallel thereto.

The closing elements designated in FIGS. 1 to 6 in each case generally with 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d, 1 e and 1 f respectively form part of a closing machine 2 (capper) of circumferential design and together with a multiplicity of similar closing elements 1 a - 1 f provided on the circumference of a rotatable about a vertical machine axis MA rotor 3. Each closing element 1 a - 1 f forms on the circumference of the rotor 3 a Verschließposition 4 for closing containers 5 in the form of bottles, each with a cap-like container closure 6, as a screw on the container through Turning is fixed on a provided in the container opening container thread. The containers 5 are in this case held on a container carrier 7 with a container or mouth flange hanging under the respective closing element 1 a-1 f co-axial with a vertical Verschließelementachse VA, in principle, the container can also stand on the ground.

Each closing element 1 a - 1 f is formed with a closing cone or head 8. When the rotor 3 rotates, the closing cone or head 8 receives the respective container closure 6 at a closure loading position of the closing machine 2, so that it is then held in the downwardly open recess of the closing head 8 in a suitable manner, for example by a press fit.

With further rotation of the rotor 3, the capping head 8 executes a lifting movement A, with which the respective container closure 6 is lowered onto the container opening of the container 5 to be closed and then attached to the container 5 by rotation about the closing element axis VA by rotation on the container 5 , Preferably, the lifting movement A is such that it represents a, relative to the Verschließelementachse VA axial joining or Zustellhub.

Subsequently, the closing head 8 releases the container closure 6 by an axial, upward return stroke. For this purpose, at least two movements of Verschließkopf 8 are required, namely the lifting movement A for the delivery down and return stroke and the rotational movement B to the Verschließelementachse VA for screwing the respective container closure 6 on a container 5. Furthermore, it is also necessary, possibly in Closing head 8 remaining container closures 6, ie such container closures 6, which were not applied to a container 5, eject prior to receiving a further container closure 6 from the capping 8. These basic features are common to all closure elements 1 a - 1 f. Furthermore, it is necessary to axially press the respective container closure 6 against the container 5 during screwing onto the container thread (closure contact pressure). In detail, the closing elements 1 a - 1 f are designed for this purpose in the manner described below. For the sake of simplified Representation, no pressure spring for the contact pressure of the capper head is shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Closing element 1 a

The closure element 1 a shown in FIG. 1 has u.a. two concentric or coaxially arranged drives 10 and 1 1, of which the drive 1 0, the controlled lifting movement A in the Verschließelementachse VA and the drive 1 1, the controlled rotational movement B of the closing head 8 about the Verschließelementachse VA cause. Both drives 1 0 and 1 are located above the top of the rotor 3 and thus outside the space of Verschließposition 4, the (space), for example, in filling and sealing systems for aseptic or sterile filling and sealing the container 5 with a sterile gas and / or vapor medium, for example, is subjected to sterile air and in which the containers 5 move at least with their upper container portions having container openings. The drives 1 0 and 1 1 are firmly connected to the rotor 3.

The drive 10, which is provided in the illustrated embodiment above the drive 1 1 and is designed as a lifting drive or lifting element, acts on the upper end of a guide device 1 2, which consists of two parallel to Verschließelementachse VA and against this radially offset guide rods 1 third consists, which are guided in the rotor 3 in local guides 14 axially displaceable. At its upper, on the rotor 3 and the drive 1 1 protruding ends, the two guide rods 13 are interconnected by a cross member 1 5, to which the drive 1 0 acts. At the bottom, over the underside of the rotor 3 protruding ends, the two guide rods 13 are interconnected by a cross member 1 6, in which a shaft 1 7 is rotatably mounted about the Verschließelementachse VA. At the bottom, on the underside of the traverse 16 projecting end of the shaft 1 7 of the same axis with this shaft and arranged with the Verschließelementachse VA Verschließkopf 8 is provided. By acting between the cross member 1 6 and the top of the capping 8, the shaft 1 7 enclosing pressure or pressure spring 9 of the capping head 8 is biased to generate the closing contact pressure in a lower position.

The drive 1 1 is designed as a rotary drive or electric rotary or servo drive, with a spindle or shaft 18 a, which is arranged coaxially with the Verschließelementachse VA and through a bore of the rotor. 3 passed through and z. B. is rotatably mounted in the housing of the drive 1 1, so that the shaft 18a when closing, ie when joining and fixing the container closure 5 relative to the Verschließelementachse VA is not moved axially.

At its lower, the drive 1 1 remote end, the shaft 18 is designed as a hollow shaft, in the recess 1 9, the shaft 1 7 extends with its upper portion, in such a way that the shaft 1 7 within the recess 19 relative to the Shaft 18a is axially movable about the feed and return stroke of the lifting movement A. By at least one driver 21, which engages in a slot 20 of the shaft 18 a, the shaft 1 7 for the rotational movement B about the Verschließelementachse VA is drivingly connected to the shaft 1 8a. The passage of the guide rods 13 through the rotor 3 is sealed with a respective only schematically indicated bellows seal 22 or a suitable other seal.

Since the shaft 18a is closed when closing, i. when joining and fixing the container closure 5 performs no axial movement, the sealing of the passage of this wave through the rotor 3 with relatively simple seals reliably possible, so that a total close a tight closure of the sterile space of Verschließpositionen 4 over the outer environment above the rotor 3 achieved can be, namely arranged outside the sterile room drives 1 0 and 1 1. Closing elements 1 b

2 shows a closing element 1 b, which in turn has the form of a lifting drive drive 10 and formed as a rotary drive or as an electric servo drive drive 1 1 The drive 10 acts in this embodiment on the upper end of a coaxially with the Verschließelementachse VA arranged lifting rod 23 a, which is provided at its on the underside of the rotor 3 projecting area with a collar 23.1, on which a guide piece 24 is supported. The latter is part of a coaxial with the Verschließelementachse VA arranged hollow shaft 25, at the lower end of the closing head 8 is fixed. The guide piece 24 is axially displaceably guided with respect to the Verschließelementachse VA guide rods 26 which are arranged parallel to Verschließelementachse VA and radially offset from this. The guide rods 26 are frontally mounted with its upper end to the shaft 18 b of the drive 1 1, which is designed as a hollow shaft. With her lower ends, the guide rods 26 are connected to each other via a ring 27. The closing element 1 b in turn has a pressure spring designed as a compression spring and surrounding the lifting rod 23 for the closing contact pressure, which acts between the guide piece 24 and an upper on the lifting rod 23 above the guide piece 24 formed collar 23.2.

As Figure 2 also shows, the shaft 1 8b forms the rotor of the drive 1 1 and is not only rotatably mounted in the housing of this drive, but also has the cooperating with an outer stator or with an outer stator winding 28 rotor elements 29 which For example, are formed by a rotor winding or preferably of a plurality of permanent magnets. With the drive 10, the controlled lifting movement A of the capping head 8 is possible via the lifting rod 23. About the guide rods 26 and guided on these guide rods guide piece 24 and the hollow shaft 25, the rotational movement B of the closing head with the drive 1 1 is possible. As FIG. 2 further shows, the lifting rod 23 projects beyond the lower collar 23.1 with a partial length. This partial length is chosen so that the lower end of the lifting rod 23 is formed as a plunger 23.3, which extends with the capping head 8 raised through an opening 8.1 in this capping 8 and thereby ejects a possibly remaining in the capping container closure 6. Also in the closing element 1 b, the shaft 18 b of the drive 1 1 when closing, i. not moved axially during joining and fixing. Closing element 1 c

The closing element 1 c shown in FIG. 3 again has the two concentrically or coaxially arranged drives 1 0 and 1 1 above the upper side of the rotor 3, specifically in the illustrated embodiment the drive 10 above the drive 11. In this embodiment, the drive 1 0 is also designed as a rotary drive, with a spindle or shaft 30 c, which is enclosed by the formed as a hollow shaft 18 c of the drive 1 1. Both shafts 1 8c and 30c are arranged coaxially with each other. The shaft 30c is formed at its lower end as a threaded spindle with a thread 31 which engages in a threaded sleeve 32 arranged coaxially with the VA. On the threaded sleeve 32, a ring 33 is provided, on the underside of the closing head 8 is attached. The co-operating with the internal thread of the threaded sleeve 32 thread 31 forms a lifting or spindle gear 34, which converts the rotational movement of the shaft 30c in the stroke A movement. about Guide rods 35, which are arranged parallel to Verschließelementachse VA and radially offset with respect to this and project beyond the top 8 of the sealing ring 8, this ring 33 is guided relative to the Verschließelementachse VA axially displaceable at the lower end of the shaft 1 8c. Furthermore, the ring 33 is also movable relative to the threaded sleeve 32 by a smaller stroke in the direction of the closing element axis VA, but this threaded sleeve is secured against rotation relative to the ring 33 by means of guide pins 35.1. This relative movement between the threaded sleeve 32 and the ring 33 makes it possible for the contact pressure spring 9 to produce the closing contact pressure necessary when closing the container 5. The the threaded sleeve 32 enclosing and designed as a compression spring pressure spring 9 acts for this purpose between a collar at the upper end of the threaded sleeve 32 and the top of the ring 33. The peculiarity of the closing element 1 c is that both drives 1 0 and 1 1 as rotary actuators, for example as electric servo-drives are formed, that on the shafts 18c and 30c, which are each mounted in the housing of the drives 10 and 1 1, the rotor of the drives forming and cooperating with the respective stator winding 28 rotor elements 29 (rotor winding or permanent magnets) are provided , Both shafts 18c and 30c are not moved axially when closing, ie during the joining and fixing of the container closure 5, whereby the sealing of a sterile space forming the closure positions 4 with respect to the environment is simplified. The lifting movement A and the rotational movement B is achieved by controlling the relative movement of the two drives 10 and 1 1 to each other or the waves 1 8c and 30. In order to achieve the desired movement of the capping 8 is provided, the drives 1 0 and 1 1 simultaneously to control so that their rotational movements and behavior to each other set .. It should be noted that different rotational behavior of the drives 1 0 and 1 1 at their Shafts 30c and 18c inevitably lead to a rotation angle offset from each other. This offset is converted via the pitch of the thread 31 in the stroke movement A.

In this case, it is also possible, in particular, to raise the ring 33 by appropriate control of the relative movements of the drives 10 and 11 so that the lower end of the shaft 30c passes through the opening 8.1 into the closing head 8 occurs, and indeed for ejecting any remaining there container closure 6. The shaft 30c is mounted at 36 in the shaft 18c.

Closing element 1 d

FIG. 4 shows, as a further embodiment, a closing element 1 d, which differs from the closing element 1 c essentially only in that the thread 31 provided on the shaft 30d of the drive 10 engages in an internal thread which axially engages on one of the guide rods 35 guided ring 37 is provided so that this ring and the thread 31 form the lifting or spindle gear 34. The guide rods 35 are connected at their upper ends fixed to the lower end of the turn executed as a hollow shaft 18 d of the drive 1 1. The shaft 18d encloses the shaft 30d. Both shafts 18d and 30d are arranged coaxially with the closing element axis VA and are locked when closing, i. when joining and fixing the container closure 5 is not moved axially. The lower ends of the guide rods 35 are connected to each other via a ring 38. The ring 37 is part of a hollow shaft 39 which is arranged coaxially with the Verschließelementachse VA arranged at its lower end the capping 8. This performs by controlled rotation of the shafts 18d and 30d relative to each other via the lifting or spindle gear 34, the lifting movement A and on the guide rods 35, the rotational movement B from. Also in this embodiment, the closing head 8 with the lifting movement A can be raised so far that the lower end of the shaft 30 d for the ejection of any remaining container closures 6 enters through the opening 8.1 in the capping 8.

Closing element 1 e

FIG. 5 shows, as a further embodiment, a closing element 1 e, which essentially differs from the closing element 1 d only in that the closing head 8 is provided at the lower end of a hollow shaft 40 which is axially or axially connected to an upper section with respect to the closing element axis VA ., Is arranged telescopically in the form of a hollow shaft 18 e of the drive 1 1 slidably. The shaft 1 8e surrounds the shaft 30e. Both shafts 18e and 30e are arranged coaxially with the closing element axis VA and are not moved axially when closing, ie during the joining and fixing of the container closure 5. The thread 31 of the shaft 30 engages in an internal thread, which is formed at the upper end of the hollow shaft 40 received in the shaft 18e, so that this internal thread together with the thread 31 form the lifting or spindle gear 34. The wave 1 8e is in the direction of Verschließelementachse VA extending slots 41 provided in the driver 42 of the hollow shaft 40 engage, so that this is relative to the shaft 18e axially displaceable, but with the shaft 1 8e is rotated. The lifting movement A and the rotational movement B of the closing head 8 are again achieved by controlled relative movement of the drives 10 and 11 or their shafts 18e and 30e.

Closing element 1 f

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a closing element which initially differs from the closing elements 1 c-1 e in that, in the case of the closing element 1 f, the drive 1 1 is provided above the drive 10 and the shaft 30f of the drive 10 designed as a hollow shaft the shaft 18f of the drive 1 1 encloses. Both drives 1 0 and 1 1 and their shafts 1 8f and 30f are in turn arranged concentrically with the closing element axis VA and the shafts 18f and 30f and are closed when closing, i. when joining and fixing the container closure 5 is not moved axially.

The shaft 30f is provided in the region of its lower end with an internal thread 43 into which the external thread of a threaded piece 44 engages, which forms the lifting or spindle gear 34 together with the thread 43. About parallel to Verschließelementachse VA and with respect to this axis radially offset guide pins 45 which engage in guide holes 46 of the shaft 18f, the threaded piece 44 relative to the Verschließelementachse VA axially displaceable, but drivingly connected (rotationally) with the shaft 1 8f.

The guide pins 45 are connected with their lower, over the threaded portion 44 downwardly projecting ends with the closing head 8, so that this is also rotated for the rotation and screwing B with the shaft 1 8f. On each guide pin 45 a pin surrounding this and is provided on the closing head 8 and the threaded portion 44 supporting pressure spring 9 is provided for the closing contact pressure. As FIG. 6 shows, both shafts 18f and 30f are in turn part of the rotor of the drives 10 and 11, ie these shafts carry the rotor-side rotor elements 29 cooperating with the stator winding 28. 47 designates a ram which is coaxially aligned with the closing element axis VA arranged axially non-displaceable and enclosed by the shaft formed as a hollow shaft 1 8f. In the raised position of the capping head 8 is used this plunger 47 in turn for ejecting any remaining in the closing head 8 container closures. 6

All the above-described embodiments are u.a. in common that at least the shaft 1 8a - 18f for the rotational movement B, but in the closing elements 1 1 c - 1 f and the shafts 30c - 30f for the lifting movement A of the respective capping head 8 are rotatably provided, but not axially movable, thereby an effective but simplified sealing of the passage of the respective wave through the rotor 3 or another partition or in which the Verschließposition 4 having space can reach, in particular the closing elements 1 c - 1 f are thus without lifting movement and are particularly suitable as aseptic closure elements;

that the two drives 10 and 1 1 are arranged coaxially with each other and also coaxially with the Verschließelementachse VA and fixedly connected to the rotor 3 and thus when closing, i. not be moved when joining and fixing the container closures in the Verschließelementachse VA;

that the drives 10 and 1 1 are outside the space having the Verschließpositionen 4;

in that for the lifting movement A a separate drive is provided for each closing element of the closing machine;

in that the drive elements of the respective rotary drive, which are designed as shafts, i. the shafts 18a - 18c as well as the shafts 30c - 30f directly, so without an intermediate gear, at the same time also part of the respective rotor of the electric motor drive. Thus, the shafts 18a to 18f and 30c to 30f are directly connected without Zwischenaufpassungsglieder with the rotors of the respective drives 1 0 or 1 1 fixed.

In the figures 7 and 8, two variants of the closing element are shown, in which each of the axis of the drive for the controlled lifting movement is not concentric with the axis of the drive for the controlled rotational movement of the

Closing head is arranged, but this has been offset in parallel, namely offset radially inward, the arrangement of course, a different analogous arrangement for this is possible, esp. A reverse

Drive arrangement. In the case of a very small, tight design, the

Drives are arranged radially and offset in the circumferential direction. Closing element 1 g

FIG. 7 shows a closing element 1 g which is comparable to the one shown in FIG

Closing element 1 a has a lifting rod 48, at the lower end of a facing in the direction of the capper axis VA arm 49 is arranged. The storage 50 at the free end of the arm 49 is used for rotatably supporting and receiving the guide rods 26, analogous to the aforementioned embodiments, in particular the closing elements 1 a and 1 b, so that the bearing 50 to the cross member 1 6 and the ring 27 analogous function takes over. The lifting rod 48 is coaxially with the Hubantriebsachse HA of the drive 1 0 for controlled lifting and lowering of the

Closing head 8 and arranged offset in parallel to Verschließelementachse VA.

In the embodiment shown, u.a. the lifting rod 48, the arm 49 and the bearing 50 and the shaft 1 8 with the guide rods 26 in one

Insulator space 51, which is formed by a fixed non-rotating wall 51 .1 and rotating boundaries. As lower, also rotating

Limiter serves a diffuser plate 52. The upper insulator space 51 has one or more inlets 54, which via a common channel 53 or a plurality of supply lines (not shown), with a gas, i.d.R. sterile air, can be supplied. The closing head 8 or the supporting shaft is guided through the diffuser plate 52 into the lower insulator space 51 .2, so that a calmed gas flow can be formed in the area of the container closure 6 or the container mouth (insulator space 51 .2). The lifting rod 48 is further sealed with a bellows 55 and the

Coupling of the lifting rod 48 with the lifting rod 56 of the drive 1 0 via a coupling element 57, which ensures by means of a spring element 9 a defined contact force of the capping 8, analogous to the function of

Pressing spring 9 of the closing element 1 b, for example. Spring element 9 and

Coupling member 57 are in a space 58 on the rotor of

Capping machine 2 arranged on or above which the drive 10 is placed. The space 58 may also be filled with a sterile gas or a

Sterilization be supplied (not shown). The isolator chamber 51 with the corresponding inlets and outlets is shown by way of example only for the closing element 1 g, but can advantageously be provided in an analogous manner for the other embodiments of the closing elements described.

Closing element 1 h

8 shows a closing element 1 h, which differs from the embodiment of the closing element 1 g essentially in that the drive 10 has a shaft 59 which comprises a threaded section 59.1 at the lower end. The arm 49 has a mating thread 60, in which the

Threaded portion 59.1 is received and guided. Depending on the direction of rotation, rotation of the shaft 59 causes a raising or lowering of the bearing 50 and thereby of the closing head 8.

A comparable to one of the preceding embodiments coupling and / or pressure spring for determining and limiting the contact force of the closing head 8, is not shown, but can be provided analogously. By means of a dashed bellows shown 55 (optional), the entire shaft 59 and a portion of the arm 49 is enclosed in the illustrated embodiment. As stated above, an isolation space can additionally be provided.

One of the advantages of these embodiments according to FIGS. 7 or 8 is that the control technology is simplified because the external lifting drive is independent of the rotational movement of the closing spindle with respect to its rotational movement, resulting in a control-related simplification for an electrically simulated stroke curve. In addition, motors can be used with a simpler technique, compared to hollow shaft motor, which are provided in the case of the embodiments of Figures 1 to 6 as a closing motor. The invention has been mentioned and described above for rotary machines, but in principle this can also be used in linear machines or series closers. Furthermore, with regard to the embodiments that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 a - 1f closing element

2 sealing machine

3 rotor of the closing machine

4 closing position

5 containers

6 container closure

7 container carriers

8 capping head

8.1 opening

9 contact spring

10, 11 drive

12 guide element

13 guide rod

14 leadership

15, 16 traverse

17, 18 wave

19 recess

20 slot

21 drivers

22 seal

23 lifting rod

23.1, 23.2 Collar of the lifting rod 23

23.3 ram of the lifting rod 23

24 guide piece

25 hollow shaft

26 guide rod

27 ring

28 stator winding

29 engine element

30c - 30f wave

31 thread

32 threaded sleeve

33 ring

34 lifting or spindle gear

35 guide rod

35.1 guide pin 36 bearings

37, 38 ring

39, 40 hollow shaft

41 slot

42 drivers

43 internal thread

44 threaded piece

45 guide pin

46 guide bore

47 pestles

48 lifting rod

49 arm

50 storage

51 insulator space (upper)

51 .1 Wall of insulator room, fixed

51 .2 Isolator room (lower)

52 diffuser plate

53 channel

54 inlet

55 bellows

56 lifting rod

57 coupling element

58 room

59 wave

59.1 threaded section

60 mating threads

A axial lifting movement of the capping head

B Turning and screwing movement of the capping head 8 VA locking element axis

MA machine axis

HA drive axle for lifting movement

Claims

claims

1. closing element for closing bottles or the like

Container (5) by placing the container closures (6) on the respective container (5) in a Verschließelementachse (VA) and by fixing the container closures (6) to the respective container (5), preferably by screwing on or on a container thread, with a

Closing head (8) for receiving the container closure (6) during placement and fixing, with a first drive (10) having a first drive member (12, 23, 30c - 30f) for generating an axial lifting movement (A) of the closing head (8 ) for the joining of the container closures (6), as well as with a second drive (11) with a second drive member (18a - 18f) drivingly connected to the closing head (8) for fixing the container closures (6) to the containers (5). is connected, wherein the second drive member is a shaft (18 a - 18 f), which are parallel to their

Verschließelementachse (VA) oriented axis, preferably around the

Locking element axis (VA) is rotatable,

characterized,

in that the shaft (18a-18f) forming the second drive member and / or a shaft (30c-30f) forming the first drive member rotate about their axis oriented parallel to the closure element axis (VA), preferably around the

Locking element axis (VA) is rotatable, with the axial lifting movement (A) of the closing head (8) are not moved axially with.

2. Closing element according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second drive member forming shafts (12, 23, 30c - 30f; 18a - 18f) are arranged with their axes coaxially with each other and preferably also coaxially with the Verschießelementachse (VA) ,

3. Closing element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first drive member by the first drive (10) in the direction of Verschließelementachse (VA) for the lifting movement (A) movable

Guide element (12) or in the Verschließelementachse (VA) movable plunger (23.3, 47), and that the Verschließkopf (8) rotatably mounted on the guide element (12) or on the plunger (23.3, 47) and with the shaft ( 18a, 18b) is drivingly connected in such a way that a relative movement between said shaft (18a-18f) and the closing head (8) in the direction of the closing element axis (VA) for the lifting movement (A) and a co-rotation of the capping head (8) with the shaft (18a - 18f) are possible.

4. Closing element according to claim 3, characterized in that the

Closing head (8) via a stroke movement (A) enabling

Rotary coupling (20, 21, 26) with the drive member of the second drive (11) forming the shaft (18a, 18b) is connected.

5. Closing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first drive member of the first drive (10) and the second drive member of the second drive (1 1) each one by their drive (10, 11) about an axis parallel to Verschließelementachse ( VA), preferably about the Verschließelementachse (VA) driven shaft (30c - 30f; 18c - 18f), which is axially not moved when closing with the axial lifting movement (A) of the capping head (8), and that the shaft (30c - 30f) of the first drive (10) via a rotational movement in the

Hubbewegung converting Hubgetriebe (34), preferably via a

Spindle gear, drivingly connected to the closing head (8).

6. Closing element according to claim 5, characterized in that the

Shafts (18c - 18f; 30c - 30f) are arranged coaxially with one another and preferably coaxially with the closing element axis (VA), and that at least one shaft (18c - 18d; 30f) is a hollow shaft enclosing the other shaft (30c - 30d, 18f) is trained.

7. Closing element according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized by at least one plunger (23.3, 47), which in a raised position of the closing head (8) extends into this for ejecting a possibly remaining container closure (6).

8. Closing element according to claim 7, characterized in that the

Plunger (23.3) from a lower end of the drive member of the first drive (10) forming the lifting rod (23) and / or from the lower end of the drive member of the first or second drive (10, 1 1) forming the shaft (30c - 30d) or from a coaxial with the Verschließelementachse (VA) arranged plunger (47) is formed.

9. Closure element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is part of a system for aseptic filling and closing of containers.

10. Closing machine for closing bottles or the like

Containers (5) with container closures (6), preferably in the form of

Screw caps, with several on one revolving

Transport element, for example, at one to a vertical

Machine axis (MA) circumferentially driven rotor (3) provided closing elements (1 a - 1 f), characterized in that the

Closing elements (1 a - 1 f) are formed according to one of the preceding claims.

11.Zerschließmaschine according to claim 10, characterized in that the drives (10, 11) of the closing elements (1 a - 1 f) are arranged outside a space in which the Verschließköpfe (8) and container (5) are located, for example on the Top of the rotor (3), and that only the drive members (12, 23, 30c - 30f; 18a - 18c), preferably sealed in this space extend.