EP3630439A1

EP3630439A1 - Method for producing a seal in or on a closure for a container, closure, and apparatus for producing a closure.

Info

Publication number: EP3630439A1
Application number: EP18726147.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marcus Naroska
Original assignee: Neoform Flensburg & Co KG GmbH
Current assignee: Neoform Flensburg & Co KG GmbH
Priority date: 2017-05-24
Filing date: 2018-05-22
Publication date: 2020-04-08
Also published as: WO2018215422A1; DE102017111348A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a seal in or on a closure (10) for a container, characterized by the following steps: a) pre-metering a sealing compound which contains a polymer, b) plasticising the pre-metered sealing compound by means of ultrasound, c) applying the pre-metered sealing compound to a sealing face (22) of the closure (10). The invention further relates to a closure for a container, comprising a seal, and an apparatus (50) for producing a closure (10) for a container.

Description

METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SEAL IN OR ON A CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER, CLOSURE AND DEVICE

FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A CAP

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a gasket in or on a closure for a container.

The container closures of the type relevant here are, for example, metal closures for glass containers, such as glass bottles or the like, which are provided on their inside with a seal. The seal is applied flat on an inner side of the closure, typically annular, so that it reliably seals the closure body against the edge of the container.

Are known seals that are made of a sealant containing a polymer. This polymer composition is introduced, for example, in an injection molding process in the closure. Such methods and corresponding devices are shown for example in US 2012/0171381 AI and in US 2016/0318212 AI. A method for producing an annular seal is further disclosed in US 2011/0100994 Al.

US 2012/0171381 AI and US 2016/0318212 AI each describe methods in which the annular seal of the injection molding tool is produced with a central, in the tool die axially extending feed channel. Radial channels extend from this axial feed channel, from which the sealant exits and is sheared off by an outer punch. The seal can then optionally be completed by another punch.

In general, high production rates are necessary in the production of container closures. However, the use of an injection molding technique has proven problematic in this context. In this case, in the method described above, the gap between the central punch and the outer punch, which is movable thereon, repeatedly sticks to a bonding of the narrow gaps between the moving parts of the spray head and to a structure of dried sealant at the outlet openings of the extrusion channels. This results in production interruptions, since the tools concerned have to be maintained or replaced. Temperature, pressure and flow rate of the sealant must be precisely controlled in this injection molding process, especially at the already mentioned high application rates, to keep the deviations of the predetermined amount of sealant low. This is problematic in the above-mentioned methods in that during the short time in which the outlet opening (s) is closed, a backlog and thus a standstill of the sealant forms in the channels, up to the continuously conveying extruder screw can go back. The resulting high-frequency pressure fluctuations can lead to uneven amounts of applied sealant, increase the wear of the extruder / plasticizers and / or require the use of additional devices that can compensate for these pressure fluctuations. The energy used in such injection molding processes to obtain pressure, temperature and viscosity of the sealant is also relatively high.

Although the method described in US 2011/0100994 AI uses a different technique in which the sealant is pressed into an annular channel. Here, however, pose other problems, since the annular chamber to form the seal can fill unevenly, d. h., The seal is formed as a result uneven. Also, this method does not provide satisfactory results. Above all, the pre-metering / shearing of plasticized sealant and the transfer of this plasticized mass into the closure also cause unavoidable contamination of the tools, which leads to high maintenance costs and downtimes.

There is therefore a need for an improved method of manufacturing gaskets in container closures which works reliably even at high production rates and produces the gaskets in constant quality.

The object of the present invention is thus to provide such a method, as well as a corresponding device for producing a container closure, which overcomes the above problems. The aforementioned objects are achieved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 1, and by a device having the features of claim 18.

In the method according to the invention, the sealant is predosed and plasticized by means of ultrasound. For this plasticization, experience in the field of ultrasonic welding can be used, in which a welding head, a so-called sonotrode, which is in contact with the workpieces to be welded, is excited to ultrasonic vibrations, by which the workpiece or workpieces are fused in the weld zone.

In the method according to the invention only a predosed part of the sealant is plasticized, d. h., The plasticization takes place only when a provided for forming the seal part of the sealant is separated from a sealant mass supply. Both the dosage of the required sealant and their plasticization can then be carried out more targeted and with higher precision. The problems encountered in the injection molding process described above, such as a sticking of the tools, a backwater or the like, are thereby avoided.

It is also possible to carry out the plasticization of the pre-dosed sealant by means of ultrasound shortly before or during application to the sealing surface of the closure provided for this purpose. Compared to the injection molding method described above, the energy for obtaining pressure, temperature and viscosity of the sealant can be saved from the time of plasticizing until reaching the job site. In this case, in particular, the tool provided for application, such as, for example, an application stamp, which moves the pre-metered sealant against the sealing surface, can serve as sonotrode, that is to say for the contact transmission of the ultrasonic vibrations. The plasticization can thus take place, for example, after such an application stamp has taken over the predosed sealant and transported against the sealing surface, so even before the predosed sealant contacts the sealing surface, or at a time when the sealant has already been applied by the application tool on the sealing surface so she is in contact with this. Another possibility is plasticizing to perform the above-described application of the sealant to the sealing surface, so for example when the application tool is already back in a retraction movement. Then, the plasticization can take place in other ways, such as by transmitting the ultrasonic vibrations to the container itself, or by a separate sonotrode.

As described above, according to the invention, the plasticization of the predosed sealing compound can be carried out prior to its application to the sealing surface, or simultaneously with the application, or subsequently.

In the following preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described, as set forth in the subclaims, wherein the respective embodiments can be implemented separately from one another, but can also be combined with one another, as far as is technically possible and reasonable.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealing compound applied to the sealing surface is deformed under mechanical pressure. This can be done after completion of the application of the pre-metered sealant to the sealing surface, so for example by another tool such as a forming die, which gives the seal its final shape.

Further preferably, the sealant is still formed during application to the sealing surface under mechanical pressure. In particular, the applicator can be used for this purpose, which applies the predosed sealant to the sealing surface in the manner already described above. The applicator also has the function of a Umformstempels in this embodiment.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the deformation is carried out in the at least partially plasticized state of the sealant.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, at least the sealing surface of the closure is preheated before or during the application of the predosed sealing compound. This can be achieved that the plasticity of Sealant is maintained even after application and this does not cease on contact with the sealing surface abruptly.

This preheating of the sealing surface of the closure may, according to one embodiment of the invention, be carried out by induction heating, according to another embodiment by means of infrared heating. It is understood that different types of heaters can also be combined with each other.

More preferably, at least the sealing surface of the closure is coated with a coating to provide a bond with the sealant applied thereon. This coating can promote adhesion of the sealant to the sealing surface. Under certain circumstances it may be necessary for this purpose to thermally activate the coating, for example by heating the closure as described above. The coating can be formed as a lacquer, as a single- or multi-layer coating or lamination or the like.

Preferably, the bond between the sealant of the coating is produced by heating the coating and / or the sealant.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of pre-metering the sealant and the step of applying the pre-metered sealant are performed simultaneously.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the metered in the step of predosing the sealant sealant is present as granules. The predosing can be done in this case by the fact that individual granules are produced by the predosing, or in that individual granules are selectively separated from a supply of granules.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the pre-metered sealant is present as a strip, rod, wire or ring. This ring may be a welded (endless) or open ring, which corresponds in the basic form of the seal to be produced and inserted only on / in the closure, plasticized and its For example, circular cross-section must be reshaped to the cross section of the final seal.

This predosed strip, the rod or the wire is further preferably formed into an open or closed ring, which corresponds in its basic form of the seal to be produced.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the sealant in the predosing is punched out of a film in a ring-shaped or disc-shaped manner such that the predosed sealant is in the form of a ring or disc.

The present invention further relates to a closure for a container comprising a seal made according to the methods described above.

A device according to the invention for producing a closure for a container provided with a seal on a sealing surface comprises: a metering device for pre-metering a sealant containing a polymer, a plasticizing device for plasticizing the pre-metered sealant by means of ultrasound, and a device for applying the pre-metered sealant on the sealing surface.

Preferably, this device comprises a forming device for forming the sealant on the sealing surface under mechanical pressure.

More preferably, the means for applying the pre-metered sealant to the sealing surface comprises at least one applicator, and the applicator and the shutter are movable relative to each other. Further preferably, the forming device comprises at least one forming die, wherein the forming die are movable under shutter relative to each other.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the forming punch and the application punch are identical.

Further preferably, the forming die and / or the applicator are formed as a sonotrode for transmitting ultrasound to the sealant and for plasticizing the same. In this case, for example, a forming die, which is formed separately from an applicator, may be formed as a sonotrode, or the applicator can form the sonotrode, or a stamp, which simultaneously forms the forming die and the applicator, serves as a sonotrode for plasticizing the sealant ,

According to a further preferred embodiment, the applicator is movable within a channel in which the pre-metered sealant is introduced laterally by the metering device.

Further preferably, this channel is annular, or a plurality of such channels, in each of which an applicator is movable, are arranged in a ring. This ring or this annular arrangement can advantageously correspond to the final shape of the seal to be produced.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the metering device comprises at least one metering channel, in which the pre-metered sealant is conveyed and which open from the outside substantially radially or tangentially into the annular channel or the annularly arranged channels, in which or which of the applicator or the applicator is or is mobile. In the case of an annular channel, the tangential introduction provides the advantage of a substantially barrier-free transition at the mouth of the metering channel into the annular channel in which the applicator die is guided. Ideally, then the entire annular channel can be filled by the pre-metered sealant is pushed along the ring until the ring is completely or at least approximately closed. Further preferably, the metering device comprises at least one Dosierstempel which is movable to convey the pre-metered sealant.

This Dosierstempel is preferably designed as a sonotrode for contact transfer of ultrasound to the sealant for plasticizing the same.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the metering device for singulating granules is provided from a supply of a sealant present in the form of granules.

According to a further embodiment, the metering device is provided for separating a section from a strand of a strand-shaped sealant.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the metering device is provided to insert a portion of the sealant in an annular channel in which an annular applicator is movable, such that the portion assumes an at least approximately closed ring shape.

Further preferably, the device according to the invention comprises a heating device for heating the closure, which is designed as induction heating or as infrared heating.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises a cooling device for cooling the forming die and / or the application stamp.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Fig. 3 are perspective views of a portion of an interior portion of a closure for a container, along with pre-dosed sealant and a completed seal; shows a partial section through an embodiment of the inventive device for producing a seal in or on a closure for a container; is a partial section through a further embodiment of a device according to the invention, in perspectives similar to Figure 2, for illustrating a method sequence according to the invention for operating the device. Fig. 3 are schematic representations of arrangements of channels for guiding an applicator within a device according to the invention; schematically show a method sequence according to an embodiment of the invention for operating a device according to the invention for producing a seal in a container; show a further embodiment of the method according to the invention in various process steps; are horizontal sections through a further embodiment of a device according to the invention in different operating states; Figs. 9a and 9b) are horizontal partial sections through another

Embodiment of the device according to the invention in different operating conditions; and

10a) to 10c) are further partial views of those shown in Fig. 8

Embodiment of the device according to the invention in different operating conditions.

Fig. 1 shows a closure 10 for a container, not shown. The closure 10 has a bottom 12, which is circular in shape and from the edge of which a cylindrical wall 14 extends upwards. In the closed state of the container, the bottom 12 of the closure 10 closes off the opening of the container. To close the closure 10 tightly, it is provided on its inside with a seal which rests on the edge of the opening of the container and is pressed against it, so that the wall 14 of the closure 10 comprises the edge. The wall 14 may also be provided in known manner with internal engagement members for forming a screw cap or the like on the container. Such elements are omitted here, they are not the subject of the present invention.

The seal 16 is shown in Fig. Lf) in finished trained state of the closure 10 in an annular groove 18 (Fig. La) to lf)) and is itself formed annular. It consists of a polymer, in the following case of a thermoplastic polymer (TPE), which is plasticizable under heat and is substantially unplasticized at room temperature. As used herein, the term "plasticized" is intended to indicate a state in which the sealant is relatively formable to form the seal 16 while the seal 16 is dimensionally stable at room temperature In particular, the seal 16 may be compressible to achieve the desired sealing properties upon closure of the container by means of the closure 10. To form the seal 16, the sealant is predosed according to the invention. This can be done in various forms, shown in the Fig. Lb) to le). According to Fig. Lb) sets the pre-metered sealant in the form of granules 20 before. These granules 20 are distributed along the annular groove 18 for receiving the seal 16 and plasticized by means of ultrasound, as will be explained in more detail below. By this plasticization by means of ultrasound, as well as by an optionally carried out deformation under mechanical pressure, the granules 20 flow together to form a ring and form the final shape of the seal 16, as shown in Fig. Lf). The most uniform possible distribution of the granules 20 along the annular groove 18 is advantageous in order to achieve a uniform formation of the seal 16.

The inside of the groove 18 thus forms a sealing surface 22, on which the pre-metered in the form of the granules 20 sealant is first applied and then plasticized. The plasticization can also be carried out during the application of the predosed sealant according to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, or the premetered sealant is plasticized in the groove 18 prior to application to the sealing surface 22. This will be explained in more detail.

Fig. Lc) shows a further embodiment in which the pre-metered sealant is present as a ring 24. This ring 24 may be fully closed or, as demonstrated in FIG. 1c), opened at a location 26. In the present case, it is a ring 24 with a circular cross-section, ie a so-called O-ring.

According to the embodiment in FIG. 1 d), the pre-metered sealant is in the form of a number of individual ring segments 27, which together form a ring and are correspondingly distributed along the groove 18 onto its sealing surface 22. These ring segments are shown here as arcuate strips or wires, but may also be formed as a straight strip or rods and are distributed on the sealing surface 22 that results after plasticizing and forming a closed seal. Fig. Le) shows a closed ring 28 which forms the pre-metered sealant. However, this ring 28 has a different cross-section than the ring 24 in Fig. Lc), namely a rectangular flat cross-section.

For plastification of the according to the Fig. Lb) to le) predosed sealant is a punch 30, which is pressed from above, so from the inside of the closure forth on the predosed and applied to the sealing surface 22 sealant. The punch 30 is designed as a sonotrode for transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to the sealant.

The punch 30 may be an application punch which serves to apply the pre-metered sealant to the sealing surface 22, and also a forming die which reshapes the sealant already applied, or a die which simultaneously performs the functions of application and forming. In this case, application stamps and forming dies are identical parts.

Fig. 2 shows various partial sections through an apparatus for producing a closure 10, as shown in Fig. 1, which is provided on its sealing surface 22 with a seal 16 as shown in FIG. Lf).

2a) to 2c) show a part of a vertical section through a device 50 for producing the closure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a tool 52, against which the closure 10 (Fig. 2c) in a vertical direction from below is movable (arrow A) that the bottom 12 is moved against the bottom 56 of a lower tool punch 54 of the tool 52. Within the tool punch 54 extends a vertical channel 58, which is open towards the bottom 56 and opens over the region of the bottom 12, in which the groove 18 extends with the sealing surface 22. Within this channel 58, a punch 60 is movable up and down, from a top dead center, which is shown in Fig. 2a), to a bottom dead center in Fig. 2c), at which the lower end of the punch 60 from the Bottom 56 of the tool punch 54 protrudes. Side opens into the channel 58, a metering 62. Within the metering 62, a Dosierstempel 64 is horizontally movable. A BefüUungskanal 66 opens from above into the metering channel 62. This contains a sealant in the form of a series of granules 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as grains 20). The BefuUungskanal 66 has a diameter which is not or not substantially greater than the diameter of the grains, so that the grains 20 stacked above each other in the BefüUungskanal and by their own weight can slide down into the dosing channel 62. Its diameter corresponds approximately to the diameter of the filling channel 66, ie, the height of the metering 62 and the grain size are adapted to each other so that a grain in the height direction fills the metering 62, but an overlying grain can not fall into the metering 62. Thus, in each case only the lowest grain of the stack present in the BefüUungskanal 66 fall into the dosing channel 62.

This situation is shown in Fig. 2a). The Dosierstempel 64 is completely withdrawn here, so that the lower mouth of the filling channel 66 is free for Dosierkanal 62 out. The lowermost grain 68 of the sealant may then fall into the metering channel 62 and be detected by movement of the metering plunger 64 in the direction of the channel 58 and inserted into the channel 58 (Figure 2b).

In the present embodiment, the metering ram 64 thus serves as a metering device for separating a part of the sealant used to form the seal from a supply of granules 20. This results in pre-metering of the sealant. In an alternative embodiment, sealing compound in rod or wire form, ie as a supply strand, can be introduced into the BefüUungskanal 66 and the grain 68 are separated by the metering die as pre-metered sealant.

However, in the present embodiment, the metering ram 64 further serves to plasticize the pre-metered sealant, as shown in Fig. 2b). For this purpose, the Dosierstempel 64 is designed as a sonotrode. As a result, ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the singulated and transported in the channel 58 grain 68. As a result, the grain 68 of the sealant is melted, at least to such an extent that it can be deformed into the final shape of the seal 16. This can, as will be explained in more detail below, done by additional mechanical deformation. However, it is also conceivable embodiments of the invention, in which the sealant is melted so far that it flows independently within the groove 18 in the final shape of the seal 16.

In the present embodiment, the grain 68 plasticized in the situation in Fig. 2b) is detected by the applicator ram 60 as it moves downwardly, after or while the dosing ram 64 retracts (Fig. 2c), and the grain 68 goes down into the groove 18 is pressed onto the sealing surface 22. In this way, the pre-metered sealant is applied to the sealing surface 22 of the closure 10. The punch 60 thus serves as an applicator and thus as a means for applying the predosed sealant to the sealing surface 22, or is part of the same.

According to the present embodiment, the applicator 60 also serves as a forming die. It exerts mechanical pressure on the sealant such that a plurality of grains 68 distributed along the groove 18 (as shown in FIG. 1b) connect to the annular seal 16. As will be shown in more detail below, namely several channels 58 are arranged annularly within the tool punch 54 corresponding to the shape of the groove 18 and the final seal 16, together with corresponding arrangements of metering channels 62, 64 Dosierstempeln and filling channels 66, as shown in FIG. 2a to c). However, it is also conceivable according to a further embodiment, the arrangement of an annular or cylindrical channel 58, in which the applicator 60 or forming die is movable.

The forming by the applicator 60 or forming die can be supported, that this is also designed as a sonotrode and thus the introduced into the groove 18 sealant is additionally plasticized. That is, the seal 16 is formed under the action of heat and mechanical pressure by the application punch 60 or forming die. The plasticization of the pre-dosed sealant by means of ultrasound and the application of the pre-dosed sealant to the sealing surface can thus take place simultaneously, or the plasticization can take place before application, in the form of complete or partial plasticization of the pre-dosed sealant. However, according to another embodiment, it is also conceivable that pre-metered sealant first applied to the sealing surface 22 within the groove 18 and only then plasticized, such as by a subsequently applied forming die, which is also designed as a sonotrode.

It is also possible to heat the closure 10 by an additional heating device of the device 50, such as by an induction heater or an infrared heater, so that a plasticization of the applied to the sealing surface 22 sealant is promoted. On the other hand, an applicator 60 and / or forming die can be cooled.

3a) to 3d) show a partial section through an embodiment of the device 150 according to the invention, the device 50 of FIG. 2 with respect to the course of the channel 58, in which the applicator 60 or forming die is guided vertically, the dosing channel 62 with the horizontally movable Dosierstempel 64, and the filling channel 66 which is filled with granules 20 of the sealant is similar. The transport of a single grain 68 through the metering ram 64 within the metering channel 62 into the channel 58 (Figures 3a and b) substantially corresponds to Figure 2. In the present embodiment, however, the metering ram 64 is not formed as a sonotrode, but the grain 68 is detected in the non-plasticized state in the channel 58 by the application stamp 60, transported downwards (FIG. 3c) and applied to the sealing surface 22 (FIG. 3d). The applicator 60 is also formed in this case as a forming die and at the same time designed as a sonotrode. As a result, the sealing compound applied to the sealing surface 22 is plasticized and formed under mechanical pressure. In this case, it is possible to carry out the plastication and the deformation of the pre-dosed sealant even after the application of the same to the sealing surface 22, that is, already after the sealant has contact with the sealing surface 22, or during it.

Figs. 4 and 5 show two different arrangements according to different embodiments of the devices 50 and 150 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As shown in Fig. 4, separate channels 58 are disposed annularly within the tool punch 54 so as to be operational the devices 50 and 150 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are located directly above the groove 18 and thus from these Channels 58 downwardly exiting sealant is introduced directly into the groove 18, as already shown above. The emerging from the channels 58 grains 68 of the pre-dosed sealant are then initially in an arrangement according to Fig. Lb) before, ie, they are isolated from each other along the annular groove 18 and are by subsequent forming and / or plasticizing the annular seal 16 according to Fig. Lf) transformed.

4, the metering channels 62 radially toward the center of the tool punch 54 and the ring, along which the channels 58 are distributed. The diameter of each channel 58 in the horizontal plane is circular and approximately corresponds to the diameter of a grain 68 or is slightly larger. In the upper part of Fig. 4, an arrangement of application punches 60 is shown, which correspond in shape to the channels 58 shown below in Fig. 4, d. H. each of these application punches 60 has approximately the shape of a cylindrical pin, which is guided within a channel 58 down.

According to the embodiment in Fig. 5, a circumferentially closed annular channel 158 is provided, in which the grains 68 of the granules of the sealant are transported radially from the outside. The horizontal cross-section of the annular channel 158 corresponds to the annular shape of the finished seal 16. Within this annular channel 158, a likewise annular applicator 160 can move up and down. If the applicator die 160 is simultaneously provided as a forming die, described in conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 3, the pressure surface of the applicator die 160 or forming die may serve to apply a uniform pressure over the entire surface of the seal 16 and thus contribute to the uniform formation of the seal , As already described, the application stamp 160 or forming punch can be designed as a sonotrode.

Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of a device 250 according to the present invention for forming a seal 16 on a sealing surface 22 of a closure 10. A partial section through the closure 10 is shown in Fig. 6a). According to FIG. 6b), the closure 10 and a tool punch 154 perform a relative movement relative to one another in the vertical direction, such that the tool punch 154 and the closure 10 are moved toward one another. The sealant for forming the seal 16 is in present case has already been predosed by a metering device not shown and on the sealing surface 22 of the groove 18 in the bottom 12 of the container 10 has been applied. This can be carried out in a preceding method step, for example by a tool not shown in detail in FIG. 6, which is separated from the tool punch 154.

Within the tool punch 154 shown in FIG. 6b), a forming punch 162 is movable within an annular channel 164 vertically relative to the tool punch 154. This annular channel 164 may have a shape corresponding to the channel 158 in Fig. 5, and accordingly, the forming die 162 may have a shape corresponding to the applicator die 160 in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figure 6c), the bottom 12 of the container 10 is pressed against the bottom 166 of the tool punch 154 while the forming punch 162 is in a slightly raised position within the annular channel 164 such that the bottom mouth end 168 of the annular channel 164 is free remains. Only in the situation in Fig. 6c), in which the bottom 12 contacts the bottom 166 of the tool punch 154, the forming die 162 is pressed down and forms the sealing compound in the groove 18 to the final seal 16, as in Fig. 6d ).

Also in the present embodiment, the forming die 162 may be formed as a sonotrode, so that the mechanical pressure is exerted by the forming die 162 under the simultaneous action of ultrasound to plasticize the sealant.

In the embodiment in FIGS. 6a) to d), the sealant may also be present in other forms than in granular form. In particular, predosing of the sealing compound according to FIGS. 1c), d) and e), ie in the form of a ring which is closed or opened, or in the form of ring segments, are conceivable.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing a seal in a closure 110 for a container. In the present embodiment, the closure 110 is a crown cap for closing a not closer illustrated bottle. The closure 110 is thus formed with a bottom 112 and a beaded edge 114 which surrounds the bottom 112 in an annular manner.

The top of the bottom 112 in the present case forms the sealing surface 122. This sealing surface 122 is coated to provide a bond with the sealant to be applied thereon. This coating can be thermally activated, ie in particular plasticized, so that it forms a bond with the applied sealant. For this purpose, the shutter 110 is heated. According to FIG. 7a), a preheating takes place by means of an induction heating, or alternatively, according to a further embodiment, by means of an infrared heater.

According to FIG. 7b), a grain 68 of a granulate of the sealant is applied to the center of the sealing surface 122. For this purpose, a device 850 is used with a tool 254 in which runs a vertical channel 258 which is open at its lower end. Within this channel 258, an applicator 260 is movable up and down. Laterally, a horizontal metering channel 262 opens into the vertical channel 258, and within this metering channel 262 a Dosierstempel 264 is movable. From above, a vertical filling channel 266 opens into the metering channel 262. Within the filling channel 266, a number of grains of a granulate 20 of the sealant is arranged.

In the same way as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the metering ram 264 serves to grasp, from a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 7b, a lowermost grain 68 of the granulate 20 and insert it into the vertical channel 258. This grain 68 can then be grasped from the applicator die 260 from above and brought down through the opening of the vertical channel 258 from the tool 254 and also the coated sealing surface 122. As a result, then a single grain 68 of the sealant is on the coated sealing surface 122.

The arrangement of the vertical channel 258 with the applicator 260, the metering 262 with the Dosierstempel 264 and the filling channel 266 is thus similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, except that the vertical channel 258, from which the grain 68 down is applied centrally over the shutter 110 is arranged. Also at the In the present embodiment, the metering punch 264 and / or the application punch 260 may be formed as a sonotrode for plasticizing the grain 68. It is conceivable, for example, that the grain 68 of the granulate 20 of the sealant is first pre-plasticized by the metering die 264 and is fully plasticized by the applicator die 260. Plastification and application of the pre-dosed sealant can thus also be carried out simultaneously or in succession. The plasticization can also take place before application. It is also conceivable that the applied grain 68 in the state shown in Fig. 7b), in which it is already on the coated Dichtungsfiäche 122, is plasticized by heating the shutter 110.

According to Fig. 7c), the grain 68 of the sealant is pressed by a forming die 270, which is moved from above into the closure 110. By this pressing, the sealant of the grain 68 spreads over the entire sealing surface 122, as shown in Fig. 7d). The entire bottom 112 of the closure 110 is then covered by the sealant, as shown in Fig. 7e). The forming die 270 may be provided on its underside with a profiling, such as an annular profiling, to form the seal accordingly.

The forming die 270 may in turn be designed as a sonotrode. Furthermore, it is possible to cool the forming die 270.

Fig. 8a) and b) show a horizontal partial section through a further embodiment of a device 350 for forming a seal, in the present case an annular seal, in or on a closure, not shown, for a container 10. The sealing material is here in front of stranded and is pre-metered by a metering device, which is part of the device 350, into individual strands which are cut off from a supply strand.

The device 350 comprises a tool 354 with an annular channel 358 in which an application punch 360 (not shown in detail in FIGS. 8a) and 8b) is movable perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. In this annular channel 358 opens laterally a metering channel 362, through which a strand of the sealant in the direction of the annular Channel 358 is pushed. This strand may in particular be a polymer wire.

For advancing the strand 324 is a feed device 364, which in the present case comprises two on the strand 324 oppositely arranged and counter-rotating conveyor rollers 366. These conveyor rollers 366 abut against the opposite outer sides of the strand 324 and convey it to a cutting tool 368 which serves to sever a portion of the strand 324.

According to FIG. 8 a), the strand 324 is first inserted from the metering channel 362 into the annular channel 358 so far that the section 370 of the strand 324 formed therein is approximately decided. In this situation, the cutting tool 368 is actuated and cuts off the leading portion of the strand 324.

As shown in Fig. 8b), then the feed device 364 is further actuated until the rear cut end 372 of the leading portion of the strand 324 has fully entered the annular channel 58. At the same time, the leading end of the strand 324 is pushed further along the circumference of the annular channel 358, i. H. its leading end 374 pushes further in the direction of the mouth of the metering channel 362. The resulting annular portion 370 is then almost completely closed and is present as a predosed ring of the sealant. This ring can then be detected by the applicator and applied to the sealing surface.

9a) and b) show a further embodiment of the device 450 according to the invention, also with an annular channel 458, for receiving an annular section 470 of a polymer wire as a pre-metered sealant, which is cut off from a strand 424. The metering channel 462 also runs here on the annular channel 458 laterally, but is arranged approximately tangentially thereto. The feed device 464 corresponds to that which is designated by the reference numeral 364 in FIGS. 8 a) and b). The cutting tool 468 in the present case is a cutting punch which is movable transversely to the strand 424 and approximately radially to the center of the annular channel 458. 9a) shows the cutting punch 468 in a position in which the strand 424 is freely inserted into the annular channel 458 until the leading end 474 of the strand 424 again approaches the cutting tool 468 and thus the mouth of the metering channel 462. In this situation, the cutting punch is actuated as shown in Figure 9b), and the cutting punch 468 shears the strand 424 radially inward and forces the severed rear end 472 of the annular wire portion 470 of the polymer wire into the channel 458 , This creates an almost completely closed ring of pre-dosed sealant.

FIGS. 10 a) to c) show a further section through the embodiment of the device 350 from FIGS. 8 a) and b). The cutting plane here runs perpendicularly through the tool 354. The closure 10, in which the seal 16 is formed, is also shown. Within the tool 354 is a horizontal support plate 376, in a position below the mouth of the metering channel 362 in the annular channel 358. This support plate 376 serves to support the annular portion 370 of the sealant when inserted into the annular channel 358 , Fig. 8b) shows the process of detecting the pre-dosed within the annular channel 358 sealant by a forming die 160, which also serves as a forming die in the present embodiment. The annularly pre-dosed sealant is brought down from the applicator or forming die 160 on the sealing surface 22 after the support plate 376 has been removed, that is pulled out laterally from the tool 454 (Fig. 10c)).

It is noted that in embodiments other than the apparatuses 350 and 450 of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a separate cutting tool may be dispensed with and instead the separation of the annular portion 370 or 470 from the strand 324, 424 by the applicator die 160 can be made. This applicator die 160 then separates the strand 324, 424 (shown in FIG. 10b) as it moves within the channel 358, 458 and moves the severed portion down onto the closure 10.

Claims

Method for producing a seal (16) in or on a closure (10, 110) for a container, characterized by the following steps:

a) pre-metering a sealant containing a polymer,

b) plastification of the pre-dosed sealant by means of ultrasound,

c) applying the predosed sealant to a sealing surface (22) of the closure (10, 110),

wherein step b) is optionally carried out before, after or simultaneously with step c).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in step c) applied to the sealing surface sealing compound is deformed under mechanical pressure.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealant is formed during the performed in step c) applying to the sealing surface (22) under mechanical pressure.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the deformation is carried out in the at least partially plasticized state of the sealant.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a tool used for forming is cooled during the forming.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the sealing surface (22) of the closure is preheated prior to or during the application of the predosed sealant in step c).

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the preheating is carried out by means of an induction heater.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the preheating is carried out by means of an infrared heater.

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the sealing surface (22) of the closure is coated with a coating to create a bond with the sealant applied thereon.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the bond is produced by heating the coating and / or the sealant.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steps a) and c) are carried out simultaneously.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that the pre-metered in step a) sealant is present as granules (20).

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that the pre-metered in step a) sealant is present as a strip, rod, wire or ring.

A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the pre-metered strip, rod or wire is formed into an open or closed ring (24, 28).

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that in step a) the sealant is punched annular or disc-shaped from a foil, such that the pre-metered sealant is present as a ring or disc.

16. Closure for a container, comprising a seal, produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 15.

Device (50, 150, 250, 350, 450, 850) for producing a closure (10, 110) for a container, which closure (10, 110) is provided on a sealing surface (22) with a seal (16) , full:

a metering device for pre-metering a sealant containing a polymer, a plasticizer for plasticizing the pre-metered sealant by means of ultrasound,

- And means for applying the pre-metered sealant on the sealing surface (22).

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized by a forming device for forming the sealant on the sealing surface (22) under mechanical pressure.

19. The device according to any one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the means for applying the predosed sealant on the sealing surface at least one applicator (30, 60, 160, 260) and the applicator (30, 60, 160) and the Closure (10, 110) are movable relative to each other.

20. Device according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the forming device comprises at least one forming die (30, 162, 270) and the forming die (162, 270) and the closure (10, 110) are movable relative to each other.

21. The device according to claim 20 in conjunction with claim 19, characterized in that the forming die (30, 162, 270) and the applicator punch (30, 60, 160, 260) are identical.

22. Device according to one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the forming die (30, 162, 270) and / or the applicator (30, 60, 160, 260) as a sonotrode for contact transfer of ultrasound to the sealant for plasticizing the same is formed or are.

23. Device according to one of claims 19 to 22, characterized in that the applicator (30, 60, 160, 260) within a channel (58, 158) is movable, in which the pre-metered sealant is introduced laterally by the metering device.

24. The device according to claim 23, characterized in that the channel (58, 158) is annular or a plurality of such channels, in each of which an applicator is movable, are arranged in a ring.

25. The device according to claim 24, characterized in that the metering device comprises at least one metering channel (62, 262, 362), in which the pre-metered sealant is conveyed and which from the outside substantially radially or tangentially into the annular channel (58, 158, 358, 458) or the annularly arranged channels open, in which or which of the or the applicator punches (30, 60, 160, 260) is movable or are.

26. Device according to one of claims 17 to 25, characterized in that the metering device comprises at least one Dosierstempel (64, 264) which is movable to convey the predosed sealant.

27. The device according to claim 26, characterized in that the Dosierstempel is designed as a sonotrode for contact transfer of ultrasound to the sealant for plasticizing the same.

28. Device according to one of claims 17 to 27, characterized in that the metering device for separating granules (20, 68) is provided from a supply of a sealing compound present as granules.

29. Device according to one of claims 17 to 27, characterized in that the metering device is provided for separating a portion of a strand (324, 424) of a strand-shaped sealant.

30. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the metering device is provided to insert a portion of the sealant in an annular channel (358, 458) in which an annular applicator is movable, such that the portion of an at least approximately closed ring shape accepts.

31. The device according to any one of claims 17 to 30, characterized by a heating device for heating the closure (10, 110), which is designed as induction heating or infrared heating.

32. Device according to one of claims 17 to 31, characterized by a cooling device for cooling the Umformstempels (30, 162, 270) and / or the application stamp (30, 60, 160, 260).