EP3583038B1 - Gripping cylinder - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a gripper cylinder arrangement for container treatment machines in the beverage industry, in particular container treatment machines with outputs of more than 10,000 containers per hour, in particular container treatment machines with an output of more than 50,000 containers per hour. Examples of such container treatment machines are, for example, bottle filling systems.

A gripper cylinder arrangement is a component of a labeling system, as it is from in the prior art Fig. 1 is known. So shows Fig. 1 shows a labeling system 10 for labeling containers, in particular bottles 12, which run on the circumference of a transport wheel 14 of a container treatment machine. The containers can also be cans and other containers. In a label magazine 16, labels 18 are held, which are removed by glue segments 20 of a glue segment carrier 22 rotating about a vertical axis. The glue segments 20 are held in a known manner on the glue segment carrier 22 so that they can rotate about their own vertical axes of rotation 21, so that they can take over the top label 18 from the label stack held in the label magazine. In the area of the glue segment carrier 22, a glue roller 24 is provided, which is pressed pivotably against the glue segments 20 and through which the receiving surface 26 of the glue segments 20 is coated with glue, after which they can again pick up a new label 18 from the label magazine 16. At a delivery point, the label 18 is transferred from the glue segment carrier 22 to a gripper cylinder arrangement 28 which carries pressure sponges 30 on its circumference at equidistant intervals. In connection with each pressure sponge 30 there is also a pivotable gripper finger 32 which is used to take over a label 18 from the glue segment 20 of the glue segment carrier 22. Each pressure sponge can be adjusted radially outward on the gripper cylinder arrangement so that it can be brought into contact with the outer circumference of a bottle in the transport area of the container transport wheel 14. A label is applied as follows: The labels 18 are held in the label magazine 16, from which they are automatically removed by the glue segments 20 of the glue segment carrier 22. The labels 18 are in the label magazine 16 with their unprinted back in the direction of Glue segments 20 arranged. The glue segment carrier 22 preferably rotates at a constant speed and direction of rotation about a vertical axis of rotation. The glue segments 22 can also rotate about their own respective axis of rotation 21, with the direction of rotation as well as the speed of rotation being able to be constant or also variable.

First, the glue segments 20 roll on the surface of the glue roller 24. The surface of the glue roller 24 is covered with a layer of glue and during the rolling of the glue segments 20 on the surface of the glue roller 24, the glue is transferred from the surface of the glue roller 24 to the surface of the glue segments 20. The glue segments 20 glued in this way are moved to the label magazine 16 by the rotation of the glue segment carrier 22. There the glue segment 20 rolls through the combination of its own movement about its own axis of rotation 21 and the movement of the glue segment carrier 22 with its glued surface on the unprinted rear side of the label 18. Since a layer of glue is arranged on the surface of the glue segment, the first label 18 in the label magazine 16 remains adhering to the glue segment 20 and is thus completely removed from the label magazine 16 by the further movement sequence through the glue segment 20. The label 18 thus adheres completely to the glue segment 20 and is moved on with it. The label 18 is then pulled off the glue segment 20 by the gripper cylinder 28 and then transferred to the container 12. The gripper cylinder arrangement 28 has a plurality of pressure sponges 30 on its circumference at equidistant angular intervals, the pressure sponges 30 being held on sponge holders of the adjusting element of a radial guide, which are held radially adjustable on a central support element of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28. During the transfer from the glue segment carrier 22 to the gripper cylinder arrangement 28, the glue segment 20 carrying the label 18 and the pressure sponge 30 of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 roll off one another. So that the label 18 is safely detached from the glue segment 20 during the rolling, a gripper finger 32 of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 engages behind the label 18 at the beginning of the downward movement and clamps it securely against a clamping edge provided in connection with the sponge holder by means of an active closing movement. After the rolling movement is complete, the label 18 lies smoothly, without creases and over the entire surface of the pressure sponge 30 and is held by it. In the further course of the process, the label 18 with the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 is moved further in the direction of the transfer point to the respective bottle 12. If a pressure sponge 30 now reaches this transfer point, the pressure sponge 30 is moved by an active radial movement in the direction of the bottle 12 to be labeled, whereby at least a partial area of the glue-coated rear side of the label 18 is actively pressed against the bottle 12. The gripper finger 28 then moves out of its clamping position into a release position. The adhesive force directly produced by the glue present on the abovementioned partial surface through the contact between the label and the bottle is so great that the label is pulled off the pressure sponge 18 during the further movement sequence through the bottle 12 and then moved on with the bottle 12. After the label 18 has been pressed against the bottle 12 by the active radial extension movement of the pressure sponge 30, the pressure sponge 30 is moved back into its rest position radially further to the central axis of rotation of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 by an active movement.

It can be seen from the above-described sequence of the labeling process that the gripper cylinder arrangement carries a number of movable components that are subject to wear in the above-mentioned container handling machines with throughputs of 10,000 to 50,000 containers / hour. Replacing such components is a time consuming affair because it involves dismantling essential components of the gripper cylinder assembly. The downtimes always result in a considerable loss of production in the container treatment system, usually a bottle or can filling system.

A gripper cylinder assembly according to the preamble of claim 1 is from US Pat DE 29 13 505 known. Another example of a gripper cylinder assembly is shown in FIG DE 80 23 841 U1 disclosed.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to create a gripper cylinder arrangement of the type mentioned above which enables operation with only short downtimes.

This object is achieved by a gripper cylinder arrangement with the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims. Advantageous developments and embodiments of the invention are also shown in the description and in the figures.

According to the invention, the gripper cylinder arrangement has a central axis of rotation on which a central support element is rotatably mounted and which has receptacles for radially outwardly pointing radial guides at equidistant intervals around the central axis of rotation. These radial guides contain a guide profile and an axially displaceable adjusting element held on the guide profile. Each adjusting element carries at least one sponge holder for receiving at least one pressure sponge, which pressure sponge takes over a label from a glue segment carrier in the manner described above and passes it on to a container to be labeled. The gripper cylinder arrangement also contains a fixed, ie non-rotating, control cam carrier surrounding the central axis of rotation and having a control cam which cooperates with a guide element connected to the actuating element of each radial guide in order to transfer the actuating element and the sponge holder radially outward in a defined sector of the gripper cylinder arrangement. or to move the application position. According to the invention, the guide element is pretensioned against the cam carrier by means of a spring, the radial guide being held releasably on the central support element and / or the guide element releasably on the actuating element and / or the spring being held releasably between the actuating element and the guide profile.

This has the advantage that the components susceptible to wear such as the entire radial guide, the guide element or even the spring for biasing the guide element against the control cam can be easily detached and replaced without having to dismantle essential components of the gripper cylinder arrangement. As a rule, it is sufficient to loosen only the connecting element, usually a screw, in order to dismantle and replace the corresponding wear-prone element from the gripper cylinder arrangement.

In particular, the radial guides, in particular together with the guide element, can be exchanged without the entire gripper cylinder arrangement disassemble. The gripper cylinder arrangement only has to be stopped briefly, and the detachable connection of the radial guide to the central support element is released, and the radial guide is exchanged for a new or overhauled radial guide.

Detachable in the sense of the present patent application means that the radial guide and / or the guide element and / or the spring can be dismantled or detached from a larger component or a larger assembly, the detachment by dismantling, loosening, unlocking or removing only fewer components or fasteners takes place, a complete or almost complete dismantling of the larger component or the larger assembly is avoided or is not necessary. The gripper cylinder arrangement therefore does not have to be partially dismantled in order to replace the radial guides which are subject to wear. "Detachable" is preferably understood to mean that the radial guidance takes place without dismantling other structural components of the gripper cylinder arrangement. The assembly of a cover of a cover is thus already possible and this does not noticeably delay the replacement process.

According to the invention, the receptacles of the central support element for each radial guide each have at least one frictional or form-fitting retaining profile complementary to a fastening section of the radial guide, and the radial guide is held in the receptacle of the central support element by means of a releasable connecting element. The retaining profile can, for example, be a step which has at least one shoulder in the axial direction to the central axis of rotation, so that the centrifugal forces acting on the radial guide are absorbed by this retaining profile. The connecting element between the radial guide and the central support element then only serves to fix the radial guide to the central support element without the latter having to absorb the centrifugal forces of the radial guide. In this way, a more reliable and simpler detachable connection of the radial guide to the central support element is possible. Above all, the connecting element to be loosened, e.g. a screw, is force-free.

The connecting element is preferably a screw which penetrates the central support element and is in the guide element, in particular in an internal thread of the guide element, is anchored or vice versa. In this way, the connecting element is made simple. Instead of an internal thread, a nut can also be received on the central support element or on the fastening section of the radial guide so that it cannot rotate.

According to the invention, the connecting element has an actuating element and a free space is arranged in front of the actuating element in such a way that the actuating element is accessible in particular in the axial direction of the connecting element. This free space in front of the actuator of the connecting element, for example in front of the screw head of a screw, makes it possible to expand the radial guide without dismantling other components of the gripper cylinder arrangement.

According to the invention, the central support element is designed as a support ring. It has at least one holding profile on each of the receptacles for the radial guides. Such a central support ring can be produced inexpensively and is technically simple. On the other hand, due to the retaining profile, it is able to absorb the centrifugal forces acting on the radial guide.

The holding profiles preferably have an edge running axially to the central axis of rotation, which edge is then able to absorb the centrifugal forces which act on the radial guides and are caused by the radial guide itself. In this way, a connecting element between the radial guide and the central support element does not have to absorb the radially acting centrifugal forces of the radial guide.

The radial guides preferably each consist of an elongate guide profile and an adjusting element that is axially adjustable on the guide profile. The guide profile is releasably fastened to the central support element via a fastening section. The adjusting element, which is radially movable on the guide profile, contains the guide element which interacts with the stationary control cam and deflects the pressure sponge into its transfer position which is radially outwardly offset. The sponge holder is also attached to the adjusting element. One Such a design of the radial guide is technically easy to manufacture and very reliable.

The guide element of the actuating element is preferably pretensioned against the control cam. For this purpose, a spring is preferably arranged between the guide profile and a part of the adjusting element. In this way, the pretensioning device is also integrated in the radial guide. If the guide profile is a hollow profile, the spring can preferably be arranged within the hollow guide profile, the actuating element arranged axially on the guide profile then being supported axially displaceably against the spring via a driver. In this way it is achieved that the spring is integrated in the guide profile and that, on the other hand, the guide element is always biased against the control cam, whereby the radial guide or the adjusting element of the radial guide can directly follow the movement profile provided by the control cam.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the guide profile has at least one guide rib which runs axially to the radial guide and which interacts with at least one corresponding recess on the adjusting element. In this way, the adjusting element is fixed to the guide profile in a rotationally fixed manner, so that the forces acting on the guide element by means of the control cam cannot lead to a rotation of the adjusting element.

The guide element is preferably a guide roller which is held rotatably on the actuating element. This can roll along the control cam of the control cam carrier without great friction, so that the actuating element can directly follow the movement profile given by the control cam.

The guide roller is preferably detachably held on the adjusting element, so that the guide roller alone can also be replaced if the rotary bearing of the guide roller is worn on its bearing formed on the adjusting element, for example a bolt. In this case, not even the entire radial guide has to be replaced. In this way, either the radial guide or only the guide element, that is to say the guide roller, can be selectively exchanged.

As already stated above, the guide profile is preferably designed as a hollow profile, e.g. tubular, with axial ribs arranged on the outer circumference. Such a guide profile has a high level of stability and, on the other hand, fixes the adjusting element rotatively on the guide profile.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the gripper cylinder arrangement has at least one cover which is arranged axially normal to the central axis of rotation and which has at least one opening for access to the actuating member of the connecting element or to the guide element. In this way, the radial guide or the guide roller or the guide element can be dismantled through this opening without the cover itself having to be dismantled. In this way, the corresponding parts can be exchanged without dismantling other components.

The opening is preferably covered by a detachably mounted cover plate, so that on the one hand the guide roller or the connecting element are accessible when the cover plate is loosened, but on the other hand, when the cover plate is installed, greater operational reliability is provided by covering the rotating elements of the gripper cylinder arrangement.

Of course, the invention also relates to a labeling system for arrangement in connection with a conveying station of a container treatment system, which labeling system has at least one gripper cylinder arrangement of the type mentioned above, at least one known glue segment carrier and at least one known label magazine. Such a labeling system has a short service life when there is wear on a radial guide or a guide element.

The invention also relates to a container treatment device with a labeling system of the type mentioned above, in which the gripper cylinder arrangement is arranged in the circumferential area of a transport device, e.g. a transport wheel for the containers, so that the label is applied to the container by the gripper cylinder arrangement in a sector of the transport wheel, for example Bottles, can be applied.

The following expressions are used synonymously: guide element - guide role; Guide profile - guide hollow profile; Container - bottle - can;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Greiferzylinderanordnung mit lösbar befestigten Radialführungen,

Fig. 3

eine teilgeschnittene perspektivische Ansicht der Greiferzylinderanordnung nach Fig. 2,

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht des zentralen Tragelements und einer Radialführung der Greiferzylinderanordnung nach Fig. 2 oder 3, und

Fig. 5

einen vertikalen Schnitt durch das zentrale Tragelement und die Radialführung aus Fig. 4.

The invention is described below, for example, with reference to the schematic drawing. In this show:

Fig. 2

a perspective view of a gripper cylinder arrangement with detachably attached radial guides,

Fig. 3

a partially sectioned perspective view of the gripper cylinder assembly according to FIG Fig. 2 ,

Fig. 4

a perspective view of the central support element and a radial guide of the gripper cylinder arrangement according to Fig. 2 or 3 , and

Fig. 5

a vertical section through the central support element and the radial guide Fig. 4 .

Fig. 2 shows the gripper cylinder assembly 28 from Fig. 1 in the embodiment according to the invention with detachably attached radial guides. The pressure sponges 18 are held on sponge holders 34, which in turn are arranged on adjusting elements 36, which are held in a radially displaceable manner on radial guide profiles 38 pointing radially away from the central axis of rotation. The guide profiles 38 together with the adjusting elements 36 form the radial guides. The sponge holders 34 are held on the adjusting element 36 in a removable manner by means of fastening screws 40a, b.

Fig. 3 shows the entire gripper cylinder arrangement 28 in the area of the central axis of rotation 44 in more detail. The core of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 is a central support element 46 in the form of a support ring (see also Fig. 4 and 5 ), in which receptacles 42 for the radial guides 48 are formed at equidistant intervals.

Each radial guide 48 contains an elongated guide profile 38 and an adjusting element 36 which can be moved thereon in the longitudinal direction. The guide profile 38 has a fastening section 50 with which it is hooked into the receptacle 42 of the support ring 46 and fastened. For this purpose, each receptacle 42 of the support ring 46 has a support profile with an axially extending section 49, which is engaged from behind by the fastening section 50 of the guide profile 38. In this way, centrifugal forces acting on the radial guide 48 due to the rotation of the supporting ring 46 are absorbed by the axial section 49 of the holding profile of the supporting ring 46.

The radial guide 48 is fixed on the support rim 46 via a connecting element in the form of a screw which penetrates an axial bore 52 in the support rim 46 and engages in an internal thread 54 formed in the fastening section. Of course, the bore 52 can also be arranged in the fastening section 50 and the internal thread 54 in the receptacle 42 of the central support ring 46. In this way, the radial guide 48 is releasably secured to the central support ring 46, with high centrifugal forces acting on the radial guide 48 being able to be absorbed by the support ring 46.

the Fig. 4 and 5 also show the structure of the radial guide 48 including the radial guide profile 38, on which the adjusting element 36 of the radial guide 48 is held in an axially displaceable manner (in the longitudinal direction of the guide profile). The adjusting element 36 contains a fastening flange 56 for the sponge holder 34 as well as a guide element 58 in the form of a guide roller, which is detachably held on the adjusting element 36 by means of a bolt 60 and a screw 62.

As in Fig. 5 can be seen, the guide profile 38 is designed as a hollow profile and a spring 68 is arranged in the cavity of the guide profile 38, which is supported on one edge at the axial end of the guide profile 38 and on the other side on a part connected to the actuating element 36, so that the actuating element 36 is pretensioned radially inward by the spring 60 in the direction of the central axis of rotation 44.

By means of the bolt 60 and the screw 62, the guide roller 58 is fixed to the adjusting element 36 in an exchangeable manner. In the wall of the guide profile 38 designed as a hollow profile, elongated holes 63a, 63b are formed through which the bolt 60 for the guide roller 58 passes. In these elongated holes 63a, 63b, the bolt 60 is guided in the longitudinal direction of the guide profile 38 within the limits of its travel range. The spring 68 rests against a contact surface 65 formed on the bolt 60.

The elongated hollow guide profile 38 has axially (in the longitudinal direction of the guide profile 38) running guide ribs 64 on its outer circumference, which interact with corresponding recesses in the adjusting element 36, so that the adjusting element 36 is on the guide profile 38 (in the radial direction of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 ) is axially displaceable, but held in a rotationally fixed manner. The guide roller 58 runs, as in FIG Fig. 3 can be seen, along the guide curve on the outer circumference of a guide curve carrier 70, which is non-rotatably, that is to say stationary, mounted around the central axis of rotation 44.

On the other hand, the support ring 46 rotates around the central axis of rotation 44 by means of a rotary bearing 72 and a rotatable hollow shaft 73, so that through the interaction of the guide cam carrier 70 and the guide roller 58, the actuating element 36 in a certain sector of the gripper cylinder arrangement 28 (on the right in the figure) radially outwards is moved in order to press a label on a container 12, for example on a bottle. The gripper cylinder assembly 28 preferably includes an upper cover 74 and a lower cover 76 above and below the central support ring, which rotates about the central axis of rotation 44. The top cover 74 is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner. Both covers 74, 76 have openings 78a, 78b through which both the connecting element 55, e.g. screw, which penetrates the bore 52 in the central support ring 46 and the internal thread 54 in the fastening section 50 of the guide profile 38, and the screw 62 are accessible , with which the bolt 60 carrying the guide roller 58 is fixed on the adjusting element 36. To remove the guide roller 58 or the entire radial guide 48, the gripper cylinder arrangement therefore only has to be stopped briefly so that the corresponding components, as described above, pass through them

Openings 78a, 78b can be screwed through and removed. The openings 78a, 78b can of course be covered by a detachably screwed-on cover, so that the risk of injury from openly rotating parts is reduced during operation of the gripper cylinder arrangement.

The described embodiments are not to be understood as limiting the invention, which can be varied within the scope of the following patent claims.

List of reference symbols

10

Labeling system

12th

Container - bottle

14th

Transport wheel - transport device

16

Label magazine

18th

label

20th

Glue segment

22nd

Glue segment carrier

24

Glue roller

26th

Receiving surface of the glue segment

28

Gripper cylinder arrangement

30th

Pressure sponge

32

Gripper fingers

34

Sponge holder

36

Guide profile

38

Control element

40a, b

Fastening screws for the sponge holder on the control element

42

Recordings of the support ring for the radial guides

44

central axis of rotation of the gripper cylinder assembly

46

central supporting element - supporting ring

48

Radial guide

50

Fastening section of the guide profile of the radial guide on the support ring

52

axial bore in the support ring for fastening the radial guide

54

Internal thread in the fastening section

55

Fastener - screw

56

Fastening flange of the adjusting element for the sponge holder

58

Guide element - guide role

60

Bolt for the rotatable fastening of the guide roller on the control element

62

Screw for fixing the bolt on the adjusting element

64

Guide ribs to prevent the adjusting element from rotating on the guide profile

68

Spring to bias the control element against the control cam

70

Cam carrier

72a, b

Ball bearing for the rotative mounting of the rotating shaft

73

Rotary shaft to accommodate the support ring

74

top cover

76

lower cover

78a, b

Openings for access to screws 55 and 62 and guide roller 58

Claims (16)

1. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) of a labelling system (10) for containers (12), in particular beverage containers, said gripper cylinder arrangement (28) comprising a central axis of rotation (44), on which a central support element (46) is rotatably mounted, on which radial guides (48) pointing radially away from the central axis of rotation (44) are held, each of which contains at least one positioning element (36) which is movably guided on a radially extending guide profile (38), which positioning element (36) carries at least one sponge holder (34) for accommodating at least one pressure sponge (30). The gripper cylinder arrangement (28) further comprises a fixed arranged control cam carrier (70) surrounding the central axis of rotation (44), with a control cam which interacts with a guide element (58) connected to the positioning element (36) in order to move the positioning element (36) with the sponge holder (34) radially outward in a defined sector of the gripper cylinder arrangement (28) into a label transfer position, wherein the guide element (58) is subjected to preliminary tension against the control cam carrier (70) by means of a spring (68), and wherein the radial guide (48) is releasably held on the central carrier element (46) by means of a releasable connecting element (55) comprising an actuating element, characterised in that the central carrier element (46) and a securing section (50) of the radial guide (48) comprise holding profiles (49) which are complementary to one another in non-positive or positive fit, wherein the central carrying element is configured as a support rim, wherein the holding profile is configured in such a way that it accommodates the centrifugal forces taking effect on the radial guide (48), and that a free space is arranged upstream of the actuating element in such a way that the actuating element is accessible in particular in the axial direction of the connection element (55).
2. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to claim 1, characterised in that the connection element (55) is a screw, which passes through the central carrier element (46) and is anchored in the securing section (50), in particular in an inner thread (54) of the securing section (50).
3. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the central element (46) comprises equidistantly spaced cut-out openings (42) with holding profiles (49) for the radial guides (48).
4. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to claim 3, characterised in that the holding profiles (49) comprise an edge running coaxially to the central axis of rotation (44).
5. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide profile (38) is connected by means of a securing section (50) to the central carrying element (46), and that the guide element (58) and the sponge holder (34) are connected to the positioning element (36).
6. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to claim 5, characterised in that the positioning element (36) is subjected to preliminary tension against the control cam carrier (70) by a spring (68) supported on the guide profile (38).
7. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the guide profile (38) comprises at least one axial guide rib, which interacts with at least one corresponding cut-out opening on the positioning element (36).
8. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the guide element (58) is a guide roller held at the positioning element (36).
9. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the guide roller is held at a bolt which is secured to the positioning element (36).
10. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that the guide profile (38) is a tubular hollow profile with axial guide ribs (64) arranged on the outer circumference.
11. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least one cover (74, 76) arranged as axis-normal to the central axis of rotation (44), which comprises at least one opening (78a, 78b) for accessing to the actuation element of the connecting element (55) or to the bolt (60) of the guide roller (58).
12. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to claim 11, characterised in that the opening (78a, 78b) is covered by a releasably mounted cover plate.
13. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide element (58) is releasably held at the positioning element (36).
14. Gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring (68) is releasably held between the positioning element (36) and the guide profile (38).
15. Labelling system (10) for arrangement in conjunction with a container transporter (14) of a container handling system, which labelling system (10) comprises at least one gripper cylinder arrangement (28) according to any one of the preceding claims, at least one glue segment carrier (22), and at least one label magasine (16).
16. Container handling device with a labelling system according to claim 15, with which the gripper cylinder arrangement (28) is arranged in the circumferential region of a transport wheel (14) for the containers (12).

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