EP4069477A1

EP4069477A1 - Apparatus and method for producing a cutting geometry in a closure cap for a container

Info

Publication number: EP4069477A1
Application number: EP20800165.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paul FLÜKIGER
Original assignee: Packsys Global AG
Current assignee: Packsys Global AG
Priority date: 2019-12-05
Filing date: 2020-11-05
Publication date: 2022-10-12
Also published as: EP3831557A1; WO2021110350A1; US20230001596A1; US11919187B2; CN115103744A; CA3163475A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction, in particular for producing a locking ring, in a shell of a closure cap for a container, comprising the steps of providing the closure cap and transporting the closure cap by means of a transport device along a transport path. The closure cap is fed to a machining section of the transport path, in which machining section a stationary cutter having a cutting blade extending along a cutting section is arranged, and a cutting process is carried out in the machining section by rolling of the shell on the cutting blade of the stationary cutter to produce the cutting geometry. The closure cap is fed to the machining section with a predeterminable orientation of a rotational position relative to a centre axis of the closure cap, and a driver of the transport device which rotates about an axis of rotation is made to engage with a stop of the closure cap and a movement of the rotating driver is controlled in such a way that, when the closure cap enters the machining section, the driver has a rotated position corresponding to the predeterminable orientation of the closure cap. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Description

Device and method for producing a cutting geometry in a closure cap for a container

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for producing a cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction, in particular for producing a securing ring, in a casing of a closure cap for a container. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out such a method.

State of the art

In order for consumers to purchase a container such as B. a beverage bottle, to ensure that the container is still in its original state and has not previously been intentionally or unintentionally opened, closure caps for such containers are usually provided with a locking ring. This locking ring is connected to a base part of the closure cap that fulfills the closing function via a predetermined breaking point, so that when the container is opened, the predetermined breaking point is inevitably damaged and the first opening of the container can thus be reliably recognized from the outside. In order to ensure this safety function, the safety ring is held on the container when the cap part is pulled off or unscrewed at least until the predetermined breaking point breaks. For this purpose, the container usually has an undercut in the pulling direction on a connecting piece on which the closure cap is seated, e.g. B. in the form of a bead, which is engaged from behind by the locking ring from below, ie against an opening direction. As a result, when the closure cap is removed, the locking ring prevents it from being pulled off the bead of the container, so that the predetermined breaking point tears open. For this purpose, a circumferential, sometimes interrupted, inwardly folded fold is typically formed on the securing ring, with which the locking ring engages behind the bead on the container. It is also known to provide a thickened section on the inside of the locking ring instead of a fold.

In order to prevent the base part from being separated from the container after it has been removed, the breaking point can be designed in such a way that a connection between the base part and the locking ring remains after removal (“tethered cap”). This is with a view to ecological compatibility, in particular a reduction in z. B. uncontrolled disposed plastic waste, advantageous.

As a rule, such securing rings are produced by cutting a cut geometry into a closure cap. The cutting geometry corresponds to one or more predetermined breaking points. For this purpose, the sealing caps can be moved past a cutting knife and rolled on this to break the predetermined breaking point in the form of a z. B. to produce partially interrupted slot in the jacket of the closure cap. For numerous applications it is irrelevant here in which orientation of the rotational position with respect to their central axes the closure caps are fed to the cutting knife.

In the case of closure caps that are not completely rotationally symmetrical, however, it is often desirable or necessary to produce the cut according to a predeterminable orientation of the closure cap. This can e.g. B. be the case when a print image to be applied is to be aligned with non-rotationally symmetrical elements of the closure cap. Such elements can include, for example, a non-rotationally symmetrical securing ring (guarantee band) produced in the course of the cutting process or a securing strap of the closure cap. In the case of closure caps with a lid that can be opened via a hinge and which is secured with bars on the base body until it is opened for the first time, it is also essential that the hinge is not destroyed during the cutting process ("flip-top" arrangement). At most, cutouts for the hinge in the cutting geometry of the slot are even required here. In addition, asymmetrically formed material thickenings can also be present, in which the securing ring should not be separated from the cover, so that a cutting geometry must be aligned accordingly. From EP 3 103 603 B1 (Bortolin Kemo SPA) it is known to optically detect an orientation of the rotational position of a closure cap held in a chuck before making the cut and to set a desired orientation of the rotational position via a controlled drive of the chuck. However, such a method is complex and costly in terms of control technology. In addition, the measurement and alignment of the closure cap are time-consuming, which limits the process speed and thus the possible throughput.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a method belonging to the technical field mentioned at the beginning and a device for producing a circumferential cutting geometry, in particular for producing a locking ring, in a casing of a closure cap for a container, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art . In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a method and device for producing the circumferential cutting geometry in the jacket of the closure cap for the container, which is reliable and economical to purchase and operate.

The solution to the problem is defined by a method according to the features of independent claim 1 and a device according to the features of independent claim 11. Modifications of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the method for producing a cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction, in particular for producing a securing ring, in a casing of a closure cap for a container comprises the following steps: a) providing the closure cap; b) Transporting the closure cap with a transport device along a transport path, wherein c) the closure cap is fed to a processing section of the transport path, in which processing section a stationary cutting knife is arranged with a cutting blade extending along a cutting section, and d) a cutting process in the processing section by rolling the jacket on the cutting blade of the stationary cutting knife to generate the cutting geometry is carried out.

The closure cap can be provided in a number of known ways. For example, the closure cap from a reservoir of a separating device such. B. a disc sorter or a carousel. The transport device detects the closure caps that are provided individually and transports them along the transport path. A number of ways in which the transport device can grasp the closure cap are known to the person skilled in the art. It is conceivable, for example, for the closure cap to be accommodated in a receptacle movable along the transport path or in a chuck movable along the transport path, which surrounds the closure cap from the outside. In other embodiments, the transport device can comprise a support mandrel which engages in an interior space of the closure cap and thus transports the closure cap along the transport path.

The transport path which the closure cap traverses in the course of the method according to the invention designates at least one section of a process path. In the present case, the transport path comprises at least the processing section in which the closure cap is processed, ie in which a condition of the closure cap is changed. In principle, the processing line can comprise a plurality of processing stations such as, for. B. a cutting knife for generating a cutting geometry in the jacket of the closure cap, a printing station for printing the closure cap and / or a folding device which folds a jacket portion of the closure cap to produce a locking ring. According to the invention, the processing section comprises at least one cutting section, along which the cutting blade or several cutting blades of the cutting knife extend or extend. The cutting path forms at least part of the processing path, but can in particular also correspond to the entire processing path. Each cutting blade protrudes like this in the transport path of the closure cap that a cutting edge or several cutting edges of the cutting blade produce one or more cuts in the casing of the closure cap when it is transported by the transport device along the cutting path. Preferably, the closure cap is moved from the transport device to the cutting blade in the cutting section.

For feeding the closure cap to the processing section, the transport path can comprise a feed section which lies in the process direction in front of the processing section and preferably directly adjoins it. As a rule, the feed section only serves to feed the closure cap to the processing section, i.e. the closure cap is not processed on this section of the transport route. During transport along the feed path, the closure cap can, for. B. can be brought into a position desired for later processing, in particular the predeterminable orientation of the rotational position with respect to the central axis. However, a feed path does not necessarily have to be present and the closure cap can, for. B. detected in a separating device and fed directly to the processing line. In this case, the predeterminable orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap with respect to its central axis, for. B. can be produced when feeding in the course of grasping the closure cap.

The transport path defines a transport plane through its course in the area of the cutting path. The cutting blade of the cutting knife extends essentially parallel to the transport plane. The entire processing line and, if applicable, the feed line can lie in the transport level.

According to the invention, the closure cap is fed to the processing section with a predeterminable orientation of a rotational position with respect to a central axis of the closure cap. The center axis corresponds to an axis of rotational symmetry of the closure cap, the closure cap not needing to be designed to be strictly rotationally symmetrical and the center axis denotes a main axis of symmetry of the basic shape of the closure cap. In the present sense, the closure cap can therefore also have non-rotationally symmetrical elements such as, for example, a non-rotationally symmetrical sectional geometry, an internal thread and / or a cover fastened on one side via a hinge. According to the invention, it is thus achieved that the closure cap can be machined in the machining path starting from a predeterminable rotational position. This is particularly advantageous in the case of not completely rotationally symmetrical closure caps, in which z. B. a print image to be applied should be aligned on elements of the closure cap. Such elements include, for example, a non-rotationally symmetrical securing ring (guarantee band) generated in the course of the cutting process or a securing strap of the closure cap. Likewise, in the case of closure caps with a lid that can be opened via a hinge and which is secured with bars on the base body until it is opened for the first time ("flip-top" arrangement), it is essential that the hinge is not destroyed during the cutting process. At most, cutouts are required for the hinge in the cutting geometry of the slot, so that an oriented feeding of the closure cap is essential. In addition, there can also be asymmetrically formed material thickenings in which the securing ring should not be separated from the cover (“tethered caps”) and a cut geometry must be aligned accordingly.

According to the invention, the feeding of the closure cap to the processing line is achieved with a predeterminable orientation of a rotational position with respect to a central axis of the closure cap by bringing a driver of the transport device rotating about an axis of rotation into engagement with a stop of the closure cap during feeding. A movement of the rotating driver is controlled in such a way that the driver has a rotational position corresponding to the predeterminable orientation of the sealing cap when the closure cap enters the processing path.

The rotating driver is preferably brought into engagement with the stop of the closure cap by means of a rotary movement about its axis of rotation. The engagement allows the rotational movement of the rotating driver to cause a corresponding rotation of the closure cap about its central axis. The orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap with respect to the rotating driver, ie a relative rotational position between the driver and the closure cap, is thus defined via the engagement of the stop and the driver. The engagement takes place preferably via a form fit between the driver and the stop. For this purpose, the driver and the stop are designed to be complementary to one another and aligned with one another in such a way that they can be brought into engagement. "Intervention" can refer to a simple one-sided application of the driver to the stop, but also, for example, the interaction of more complex shapes such. B. engaging behind an undercut of the stop by a correspondingly designed driver. The stop and the driver can thus, for. B. be designed as simple cams, which are mutually brought into engagement for engagement. However, more complex forms of stop and driver are also conceivable, which enable the desired interaction. Of course, depending on the requirements, there can also be more than one driver and / or more than one stop on the closure cap.

In that, according to the invention, the rotating driver of the transport device is brought into engagement with the stop of the closure cap during feeding and the rotating driver is controlled according to the invention in such a way that it has the rotational position corresponding to the predeterminable orientation of the closure cap when the closure cap enters the processing path the engagement with respect to the rotational movement to the driver coupled to the locking cap at this point the predefinable orientation with respect to their rotational position. In particular, the method according to the invention allows reliable feeding of a closure cap, which is provided in any desired rotational position, in a predeterminable orientation to the processing path. In particular, no complex and thus time-consuming regulation with optical inspection and corresponding adjustment of the rotational position of the closure cap is required, as is known from the prior art.

The center axis of the closure cap is preferably perpendicular to the transport plane, at least in the processing section, optionally also in the feed section. Likewise, the axis of rotation of the rotating driver is advantageously arranged perpendicular to the transport plane. In order to ensure that the closing cap is carried along by the rotating driver via the stop during feeding, the movement of the rotating driver is preferably controlled in such a way that the rotating driver and the stop of the closing cap within a complete relative rotation between the closing cap and driver during feeding necessarily come to the intervention. In this case, the rotation of the driver "overtakes" any spontaneous or previously introduced rotation with any initial orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap, so that the driver and the stop can be brought into engagement in any case. Alternatively, the closure cap can already be provided with a certain orientation or with a certain orientation range, so that, starting from an initial rotational position of the driver, no complete relative rotation is required for reliable engagement of the stop and the driver.

If the rotating driver continues to rotate, the engagement is preferably maintained at least until it enters the processing section.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotational movement of the rotating driver about its axis of rotation is controlled in such a way that a rotational speed during the feeding corresponds to a rotational speed in the area of the processing path. In other words, the rotating driver rotates at a constant speed as it traverses the transport path. This has the advantage that the rotational movement of the rotating driver can be controlled in a particularly simple manner. The speed of rotation is preferably selected in such a way that the driver and the stop can engage during feeding, i.e. the speed of rotation of the driver is higher than a rotation of the closure cap about its central axis.

In the processing line, the speed of rotation of the closure cap can be increased in such a way that it rotates faster than the driver. The engagement can thus be released by the lower rotational speed of the driver. The speed of rotation of the cap can, for. B. by passive control means such as a contact surface on which the cap rolls, controlled or z. B. by active control means such as a controlled rotation of a chuck in which the closure cap is held during transport. In the Cutting path, the cutting resistance during rolling can in principle already be sufficient to ensure a corresponding rotation of the closure cap.

In other words, the rotating driver can rotate at a constant rotational speed, and the engagement or the disengagement of the engagement can be achieved by controlling the rotation of the closure cap.

Conversely, the engagement or the release of the engagement can also be achieved by controlling the rotational speed of the rotating driver. In another embodiment, the rotational movement of the rotating driver is therefore controlled about its axis of rotation in such a way that a first rotational speed during feeding is higher than a second rotational speed in the area of the processing path, in particular during rolling in the cutting process. This ensures that, on the one hand, the driver and the stop can reliably intervene during feeding and, on the other hand, in the processing section in which a rotation of the closure cap can be determined by other means, the engagement can be released by the lower rotational speed, so that the rotating driver does not interfere or collide with the stop. In particular, a transition into the processing line can be better controlled by controlling the rotational speeds. For example, through targeted and possibly continuous control of the rotational speed of the driver in the feed path, a sudden change in speed when entering the processing path can be avoided.

It goes without saying that the speed of rotation of the closure cap can also be controlled during feeding, by z. B. passive control means such as a contact surface can be present in a feed path of the transport path, with which the closure cap interacts in such a way, for. B. unrolls or slidingly unrolls that a rotation is generated about its central axis. Likewise, the rotation can be achieved by active control means, e.g. B. by a controlled rotation of a chuck in which the closure cap is held during transport.

A rotation of the closure cap about its central axis in the processing path is preferably controlled in such a way that the closure cap is set in a predeterminable rotation about its central axis, which in particular is largely independent from the rotary motion of the rotating driver. This is preferably done by rolling the jacket of the closure cap on a contact surface. The contact surface can be designed in sections, but preferably extends over the entire processing path in order to ensure a clearly defined rotational position of the closure cap at every point. The contact surface therefore advantageously interacts with an outside of the jacket in such a way that slippage is prevented. This can be achieved, for example, via a form fit and / or friction fit between the jacket and the contact surface. For this purpose, the contact surface can, for example, have a surface structure that is suitable for this, which increases friction with the jacket or in which complementary surface structures on the outside of the jacket can engage.

The rotational movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap after entering the processing line is preferably controlled in such a way that an angular speed of the rotating driver around its axis of rotation, in particular by a maximum of 20%, differs from an angular speed of the closure cap around its central axis. The angular speed of the driver is preferably lower than the angular speed of the closure cap. Due to the lower angular speed of the driver, the engagement between the rotating driver and the stop of the closure cap can be released.

The upper limit can prevent the faster rotating stop of the closure cap, in particular during the cutting process, from being brought up to the slower rotating driver, i.e. from catching up to it or overtaking it. As a rule, the cutting process does not require more than 1 to 2 complete revolutions of the sealing cap, so that with the specified upper limit of a maximum of 20%, a collision with the driver can be prevented with sufficient reliability.

In a preferred embodiment, a rotational movement of the closure cap about its central axis is inhibited during feeding in order to ensure the engagement of the driver and stop during feeding or to reduce or eliminate any spontaneous or previously introduced rotation of the closure cap. The inhibition takes place in particular before an engagement between the driver and the stop takes place. The inhibition can be selective along the whole Transport route, in particular in the feed line, take place and z. B. can be achieved by the action of a frictional resistance on the cap. The inhibition prevents any rotational movement of the closure cap from running ahead of the rotational movement of the driver. In this way it can be ensured that there is inevitable engagement between the driver and the stop during feeding. Alternatively, a rotational speed of the driver can be selected such that it is higher in each assumed case than any spontaneous or previously introduced rotation of the closure cap, so that it does not need to be inhibited.

Depending on the requirements, any rotational movement can be completely braked by the frictional resistance. Without a rotational movement of the closure cap about its central axis, a maximum of one full rotation of the driver is required in order to bring it into engagement with the stop of the closure cap with certainty during feeding. The frictional resistance can be applied selectively, for example, via a surface texture of a transport pad for the closure cap and, if necessary, by a z. B. applied to a perforated sliding surface of the transport pad vacuum can be specifically strengthened. The inhibition can also take place via a separate braking device, for example in the sense of a brake shoe, which interacts with the closure cap.

When the closure cap is grasped by the transport device, there is preferably a relative movement of the rotating driver and the closure cap in the direction of the central axis. For this purpose, z. B. a support mandrel, on which the driver can be arranged, engage in the axial direction in the interior of the closure cap and thus grasp the closure cap for transport. In another embodiment, the closure cap can be introduced in the axial direction into a receptacle of a chuck that is movable along the transport path.

In order to ensure during the axial relative movement of the rotating driver and the closure cap in the direction of their central axis that the rotating driver and the stop of the closure cap do not hinder the gripping of the closure cap, the driver and the stop preferably have a profile that diverges in a direction parallel to the central axis on. In particular, the elements are designed in such a way that due to the diverging profiles, the stop can slide on the driver or vice versa if these are arranged one above the other in the direction of the central axis when the closure cap is grasped by the transport device

The rotating driver is preferably at least partially introduced into an interior space of the closure cap when the closure cap is grasped. In this way, the stop of the closure cap can be formed on an inside of the closure cap, which is particularly advantageous since an external shape of the closure cap, with which a later user is confronted, is not disturbed by the stop.

In a preferred embodiment, the driver is arranged on a support mandrel of the transport device, which has at least one rotation axis, in particular largely circular cylindrical, rotatable around an axis of rotation, in particular oriented perpendicular to the cutting path, for supporting the casing of the closure cap, the casing of the closure cap during rolling is supported on the support area from an inside. In the cutting section, the support area is preferably opposite the cutting blade and guides the jacket to the cutting blade.

The support area can be mounted rotatably with respect to the rest of the support mandrel or can be fixedly connected to the support mandrel, in the latter case the entire support mandrel is rotatably mounted. The support area or the support mandrel can preferably be set in a controlled rotary movement via a drive. The rotating driver can be arranged fixedly on the support area or fixedly on the rotating support mandrel, so that the driver can be rotated together with the support area or together with the entire support mandrel. In a preferred embodiment, depending on the requirements, the rotating driver is rotatably arranged on the support mandrel independently of the support mandrel or the support area and z. B. rotatably mounted on this. The axis of rotation of the driver is preferably arranged concentrically to a longitudinal axis of the support mandrel.

The driver is preferably arranged on an axial end face of the support mandrel and the stop is arranged on an inner side of the bottom of the closure cap. In this way, on the one hand, the closure cap can be grasped in a simple manner by the support mandrel of the transport device. On the other hand, due to the axial arrangement of the driver on the end face of the support mandrel and the formation of the stop on the inside of the bottom simple way a reliable intervention can be ensured without z. B. the external shape or an internal thread of the cap is disturbed by the stop. Since the support mandrel has a support area which supports the jacket from an inside during rolling on the cutting blade, the jacket can be guided to the cutting blade in a controlled and reliable manner. The support area preferably supports the jacket in an instantaneous cutting area in which the cutting blade penetrates the jacket, so that the cutting geometry can be reliably introduced into the jacket.

In a preferred embodiment, the axis of rotation of the rotating driver is guided parallel and eccentrically with respect to the central axis of the closure cap in the processing section, in particular in the cutting section. This is particularly advantageous in an embodiment in which there is a support mandrel on which the driver is arranged. As a result of the eccentric guide, it can be achieved that a support area of the support mandrel, which has a smaller diameter than an inner diameter of the closure cap, can rest against the casing of the closure cap from the inside. In particular, the support area can thus guide the jacket from the inside against the cutting blade during rolling in a momentary cutting area.

The eccentric guidance can be achieved by guiding a movement path of the axis of rotation of the driver along the transport path in the lateral direction towards the cutting blade and / or by having a guide means in the area of the cutting path, in particular a contact surface, in such a way that its center axis is opposite the axis of rotation of the driver is offset parallel. In other words, the eccentric guidance can be achieved in that either the center axis of the closure cap is offset from the axis of rotation of the driver or the axis of rotation of the driver is offset from the center axis of the closure cap.

In contrast to this, the axis of rotation of the rotating driver during feeding is preferably guided parallel and largely concentrically with respect to the center axis of the closure cap, in particular with a smaller eccentricity than in the processing path. This is particularly advantageous in an embodiment in which there is a support mandrel on which the driver is arranged. Due to the largely concentric arrangement, the engagement of the driver and the stop can be simplified during feeding. In particular, the support mandrel can be introduced largely concentrically into the closure cap and the driver arranged thereon can be brought into engagement with the stop of the closure cap in a simple manner by a rotary movement. In the case of a largely concentric arrangement, the closure cap and driver rotate essentially at the same, largely constant angular speed after the engagement has taken place, which can simplify the inventive oriented feeding of the closure cap to the processing area.

Alternatively, the relative arrangement of the axis of rotation of the driver and the center axis of the closure cap can already be arranged eccentrically during feeding, in which case the closure cap rotates at a non-uniform angular speed at a constant angular speed of the driver due to the eccentric relative arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment, the processing section comprises a feed section which is arranged in the process direction in front of the cutting section and extends in particular from the start of the processing section to the start of the cutting section, a rotation of the closure cap about its central axis being clearly controlled in the feed section. The rotation of the closure cap is preferably controlled largely independently of the rotating driver at least in the advance section, preferably in the entire processing section.

For this purpose, control means such. B. a stop surface with which a rotation of the closure cap about its central axis in the feed path can be controlled, so that an orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap when entering the cutting path is clearly determined based on its orientation when entering the processing path. In this case, the jacket of the closure cap is forcibly rolled onto a stop surface in the lead section, so that an orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap with respect to its central axis when entering the cutting section is clearly determined by the length of the lead section. In an embodiment that may also be preferred, depending on the embodiment, there is no advance section and the processing section corresponds to the cutting section, so that the entry into the processing section corresponds to a first contact point of the jacket of the closure cap with the cutting blade. In this case, the rotational movement of the closure cap is predetermined by the rolling during the cutting process, but can be controlled by additional control means such as a stop surface.

The invention also comprises a device for producing the cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction, in particular for producing a securing ring, in the jacket of the closure cap for a container. The device is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the device comprises a transport device for transporting the closure cap along a transport path which comprises a processing path, a stationary cutting knife with a cutting blade extending along a cutting path for generating the cutting geometry in the casing of the closure cap being present in the processing path. The device is characterized in that the transport device comprises a driver rotating about an axis of rotation, which can be brought into engagement with a stop formed on the closure cap and is controllable in such a way that the rotating driver has a predeterminable orientation when the closure cap enters the processing path the closure cap has a corresponding rotational position about its central axis.

The rotating driver and the stop of the closure cap are preferably designed in such a way that they can be brought into engagement in any rotational position even with an eccentric arrangement of the axis of rotation and the central axis. For this purpose, the driver and the stop can each have such an extension in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation or the central axis that the volumes swept over by the driver and stop in a complete rotation around the respective axis overlap in the entire angular range of the rotation.

The device advantageously comprises, along the transport path in front of the processing path, a feed path for transporting the closure cap during feeding. Depending on the requirements, the feed path can be a contact surface for rolling an outer side of the jacket of the closure cap, so that it can be set in a controlled rotation about its central axis. This rotation can be largely independent of the rotational movement of the rotating driver.

The device according to the invention preferably comprises a control device which is designed and configured to control a rotary movement of the rotating driver along the transport path. If the driver is fixedly arranged on a rotating support mandrel or a rotating support area of the support mandrel, the control device is designed and configured in particular to control a rotational movement of the support mandrel. The control device is advantageously designed and configured to control both a rotary movement of the rotating driver and a feed movement of the transport device with which the closure cap is conveyed along the transport path. The control device can for this purpose. B. provide a mechanical or an electronic coupling between the feed and rotary movement.

The mechanical coupling can be achieved, for example, in that an axis of a rotatable mounting of the rotating driver is mechanically coupled to the feed movement of the transport device via a gear. The coupling can be variable, so that in the course of a passage through the transport path, depending on the section and requirement, different ratios of feed and rotary movement can be set. The transmission can form and / or non-positively interacting components such. B. gears, friction rollers, ring-shaped internal gears or traction drives such as V-belts / toothed belts or chains, etc. include. The transmission is typically designed in such a way that there is a forced coupling between the rotary movement of the driver and the advance of the transport device. The transmission can also have a coupling device, through which the rotary movement and the feed movement if necessary, for. B. for maintenance, can be decoupled.

The electronic coupling can, for. B. can be achieved via an electronic control, which z. B. controls the feed movement of the transport device and the rotary movement of the driver via separate electric drives. For this purpose, a first electric motor can be used to drive an axis of the rotating driver or, if necessary, a support mandrel or a chuck on which the driver is arranged is, as well as a second electric motor for the feed movement of the transport device along the transport path. As electric motors, for. B. servomotors, stepper motors or linear motors or combinations thereof are used, with which the desired movements can be achieved.

The device can also have one or more sensors, which are connected to the control device and with which z. B. a rotational position of the axis of the support mandrel and / or a position of the transport device can be monitored or measured. The corresponding measurements can be evaluated by the control device, with which the movements provided by the transport device can be continuously adapted. It goes without saying that the control device can be designed as a control or as a regulation.

In a preferred embodiment, the control device is designed and configured to control the rotational movement of the rotating driver in such a way that a rotational speed during the feeding corresponds to a rotational speed in the area of the processing path.

In an embodiment that is also preferred depending on the requirement, the control device is designed and configured to control the rotary movement of the rotating driver in such a way that a first rotational speed during feeding is higher than a second rotational speed in the area of the processing path. This has the advantage that it can be ensured during feeding that the driver can reliably come into engagement with the stop due to the higher rotational speed, while in the area of the processing path it can be ensured that the engagement can be released due to the lower rotational speed.

The control device is preferably designed and configured to control the rotational movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap in the processing section in such a way that an angular speed of the rotating driver around its axis of rotation, in particular by a maximum of 10%, differs from an angular speed of the closure cap around its Center axis differs. In particular, the angular speed of the rotating driver is lower than the angular speed the cap. Due to the lower angular speed of the driver, the engagement between the rotating driver and the stop of the closure cap can be released. The upper limit can prevent the faster rotating stop of the closure cap, in particular during the cutting process, from being brought up to the slower rotating driver, ie from catching up to it or overtaking it. As a rule, the cutting process does not require more than 1 to 2 complete revolutions of the cap, so that with the specified upper limit of a maximum of 10%, a collision with the driver can be prevented with sufficient reliability. Because of the different angular speeds, particularly in the case of a rotating support mandrel, a circumferential speed on the circumference of a co-rotating support area is lower than a rolling speed of the shell. The rolling speed of the shell thus also differs by a maximum of 10% from the circumferential speed of the support area. In this case, there can therefore be a slip between the support area and the inside of the jacket on which the support area rolls.

In a preferred embodiment, the device in the processing line comprises, at least in sections, a contact surface as control means for an outside of the casing of the closure cap, on which the closure cap can be rolled off, in particular without slipping. By rolling on the contact surface, the closure cap rotates about its central axis, which is preferably largely independent of a rotation of the driver of the transport device. This rotation is preferably completely determined by the contact surface and the advancing movement of the transport device. The contact surface advantageously has a surface structure which interacts with an outside of the jacket in such a way that slippage is prevented. For this purpose, the contact surface can, for example, have a surface structure that is suitable for this, which increases friction with respect to the jacket or in which complementary surface structures of the jacket can intervene. Particularly advantageously, the contact surface has a toothing with notches running perpendicular to the processing path, which with an edge, in particular a corrugation, of the jacket with notches of the closure cap running along the axis of rotation, in the manner of a toothed wheel or rack cooperates. The contact surface can extend only in certain areas or over the entire processing path.

The contact surface is preferably arranged in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the driver in such a way that the closure cap, due to the rolling on the contact surface, has its center axis opposite the axis of rotation of the driver or possibly the axis of rotation of a support mandrel or a support area of the support mandrel on which the driver is arranged , is offset in parallel. In other words, a lateral distance between the contact surface and the movement path of the axis of rotation of the driver is preferably smaller than an outer radius of the closure cap.

In a preferred embodiment, the processing section comprises a feed section which is arranged in the process direction in front of the cutting section and extends from the beginning of the processing section to the beginning of the cutting section. Means are advantageously provided with which a rotation of the closure cap about its central axis in the feed path can be positively controlled, so that an orientation of the rotational position of the closure cap when entering the cutting path is clearly determined based on the orientation when entering the processing path. Such a means can e.g. B. be provided by the abovementioned contact surface in the processing area, on which the closure cap rolls off without slipping. In the lead line, for. B. a lateral position of the cap, i.e. a position perpendicular to the center axis relative to the axis of rotation of the rotating driver can be adjusted.

In an embodiment that may also be preferred depending on the requirements, the cutting blade of the cutting knife extends over the entire processing path and the cutting path corresponds to the processing path. The entry into the processing section corresponds in this case to a first contact point of the jacket of the closure cap with the cutting blade.

The rotating driver is preferably arranged on a support mandrel of the transport device, which has at least one rotation axis rotatable, in particular largely circular-cylindrical, around an axis of rotation, in particular largely circular-cylindrical, for supporting the casing of the closure cap. The support area can be rotatably mounted with respect to the rest of the support mandrel or be fixedly connected to the support mandrel, in which case the entire support mandrel is rotatably mounted. The rotating driver can be arranged fixedly on the support area or fixedly on the rotating support mandrel, so that the driver can be rotated together with the support area or with the entire support area. Alternatively, the rotating driver can also be rotatably arranged on the support mandrel independently of the support mandrel or the support area and z. B. be rotatably mounted on this. The axis of rotation of the driver is preferably arranged concentrically to a longitudinal axis of the support mandrel.

The support area is arranged in such a way that it can support the casing of the closure cap, in particular during rolling on the cutting blade, from an inside and bring it up to the cutting blade, being opposite the cutting blade during the cutting process. The support area supports the jacket in particular in a current cutting area in which the cutting blade penetrates the jacket. The support area advantageously rolls off the inside of the jacket. For this purpose, the support area or the entire support mandrel is preferably rotatable. In principle, however, it is not ruled out that the support area can also be designed to be rotatable without a drive. In the latter case, the rotating driver can be rotated independently of the support area.

The rotating driver is particularly advantageously arranged on an axial end face of the support mandrel. In this way, the rotating driver can be brought into engagement particularly easily with a stop formed on the inside of the bottom of the closure cap.

In a preferred embodiment, the transport device is designed as a turntable, with several rotating drivers, in particular several support mandrels, on each of which a driver is arranged, are arranged along a circumference of the turntable, and the processing section, in particular the cutting section, and preferably also if necessary the feed path extends along the circumference of the turntable.

The turntable can be used by itself or as a separate, e.g. B. fixed, part include a support or guide for the closure cap, which supports or guides this along the transport path. A support area is at least in the area of the Processing section, in particular the cutting section, preferably arranged parallel to the transport plane.

An axis of rotation of the turntable is preferably arranged parallel to the axes of rotation of the drivers or possibly the support mandrels, the drivers or support mandrels being moved past the cutting knife when the turntable is rotated. The turntable can, for. B. have two largely parallel spaced apart and perpendicular to the axis of rotation support structures, on which axes of the driver or the support mandrels can be rotatably mounted directly or indirectly. The turntable can, however, also be designed in such a way that the axes of the drivers and, if applicable, the support mandrels are only supported on one side of the turntable.

It goes without saying, however, that there need not be a turntable and that the transport path can also be linear, i.e. the transport device can be designed in such a way that it transports the closure cap on a straight path.

Further advantageous embodiments and combinations of features of the invention emerge from the following detailed description and the entirety of the patent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The drawings used to explain the exemplary embodiment show schematically: FIG. 1 A device according to the invention with a transport device which has a

Closure cap transported along a cutting path;

2 shows a side view of a support mandrel of the transport device in front of a

Grasping the closure cap;

3 shows a side view of the support mandrel of the transport device shortly before the closure cap is grasped; 4 shows a side view of the support mandrel of the transport device when the closure cap is grasped;

5 shows a sectional view in a sectional plane which lies parallel to a transport plane and goes through a driver and a stop; 6 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 5 in a later method position in which the driver and the stop come into engagement;

7 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 6 in a later method position shortly before entry of the closure cap into a processing section; 8 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 7 in a later method position when the closure cap enters the processing path;

FIG. 9 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 8 in a later method position shortly after the closure cap enters the processing path; FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 9 in a later method position when the closure cap enters the cutting path; FIG.

11 shows a sectional view analogous to that in FIG. 10 in a later method position during a cutting process in the cutting path.

In principle, the same parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

Ways of Implementing the Invention FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a device 1 according to the invention with a transport device 2 which transports a closure cap 3 along a cutting path S. FIG. 1 shows only certain elements of the device 1, further elements being masked out for better clarity. The transport device 2 comprises a turntable 4 (shown in dashed lines) and a support mandrel 5. The support mandrel 5 is mounted on the turntable 4 so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis B. The turntable 4 is only indicated schematically and can comprise one or more support structures on which the support mandrel 5 is mounted on one or more counter bearings 4.1 with respect to the turntable 4 so as to be rotatable about the axis of rotation B. The support mandrel 5 can also, for. B. have a housing in which the rotatable bearing is formed and which is firmly anchored on the turntable 4.

The turntable 4 is mounted on a stationary holding structure (not shown) of the device 1 so that it can rotate about an axis of rotation C. A rotary movement r of the turntable 4 around the axis of rotation C defines a feed movement V of the support mandrel 5 of the transport device 2 along the transport path T. In the embodiment of the device 1 with the turntable 4, the transport path T is segment-shaped. It goes without saying that a plurality of support mandrels 5 can be rotatably mounted on the turntable 4 along the circumference, which are moved simultaneously along the transport path T and pass a processing path W with a cutting path S one after the other.

On an axle body 5.6 of the support mandrel 5 which is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation B, a gearwheel 5.7 is fixedly arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation B. The toothed wheel 5.7 rolls on an internal toothing 15.1 of a ring 15 that is stationary with respect to the turntable 4. In this way, a control of the rotary movement R of the support mandrel 5 with the feed rate V given by the rotary movement r of the turntable 4 is achieved in a simple manner. The rotational movements R and r have opposite directions of rotation. With a suitable design of the toothing, the control can be selected in such a way that the support mandrel 5, in particular a driver 8 formed thereon (see below), has a predeterminable orientation when the closure cap 3 enters the cutting path S. The teeth of the gear 5.7 and the internal teeth 15.1 of the ring 15 are selected so that the same orientation of the driver 8 results again after one complete revolution of the turntable. The gearwheel 5.7 together with the ring 15 thus form parts of a simple to design control device of the device 1. With several support mandrels 5, the gearwheels 5.7 of all support mandrels 5 can roll on the same ring 15, so that this the rotational movements R of the support mandrels 5 around the respective Axes of rotation B are coupled. Any drives that drive the turntable 4 are not shown.

In the illustration of FIG. 1, the support mandrel 5 is located in the region of the cutting path S, which forms a section of the transport path T. The support mandrel 5 engages with a support area 5.1 in an interior of the closure cap 3 and transports it along the cutting path S. In the cutting path S, a cutting knife 6 with a cutting blade 6.1 is arranged. The cutting blade 6.1 is curved to match the transport path T and protrudes at least partially into the transport path T of the closure cap 3. In the course of the transport along the cutting path S, the closure cap 3 is rolled with a jacket 3.1 on the cutting blade 6.1 in such a way that the cutting blade 6.1 creates a cut in the jacket 3.1. The support area 5.1 supports the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3 from the inside and guides it against the cutting blade 6.1. The axis of rotation B of the support mandrel 5 is offset in relation to a central axis A of the closure cap 3 in the direction perpendicular to the cutting path S. A base on which the sealing caps 3 slide defines a transport plane E. The axis of rotation B and the central axis A are perpendicular to the transport plane E.

FIGS. 2 to 11 show a sequence of a method according to the invention, first in side views with partial sectional views (FIGS. 2 to 4) and then in a cross section perpendicular to the center axis A of the closure cap 3 (FIGS. 5 to 11). In FIGS. 5 to 11, features of the support mandrel 5 that are not relevant are masked out for better clarity.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the support mandrel 5 of the transport device 2 before the closure cap 3 is grasped. The support mandrel 5 is moved in a feed movement V and rotates with a rotary movement R about its longitudinal axis B. In the illustrated case, the closure cap 3 is moved with a feed movement v provided, which is matched to the feed movement V of the support mandrel 5. In this way, the transport device 2 does not have to be braked for grasping the closure cap 3, which is advantageous for time-saving and efficient processing. The closure cap 3 is provided in such a way that the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5, which also corresponds to its axis of rotation B, is arranged largely coaxially with the central axis A of the closure cap 3.

The closure cap 3 slides on a transport base 7, which in the present case also defines the transport plane E. The longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5 is perpendicular to the transport base 7 or the transport plane E. B. shots which move along with the turntable and which guide the closure cap 3 in the direction of the feed movement v are not shown.

The support area 5.1 of the support mandrel 5 is formed by a largely circular cylindrical outer surface of the support mandrel 5. In the present case, the support area 5.1 has two completely or partially circumferential grooves 5.2, which are provided for engagement by the cutting blade 6.1 of the cutting knife 6 or another, not shown, cutting blade of the cutting knife 6 during the cutting process.

On an end face 5.3 in an end region facing the closure cap 3 in the direction of the longitudinal axis B, the support mandrel 5 has a connector 5.4 on which a driver 8 is formed. The nozzle 5.4 can be spring-loaded. The driver 8 extends outward from the connector 5.4 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis B (see FIGS. 5-1 1). In the longitudinal direction B, the driver 8 terminates with an end face 5.5 of the connecting piece 5.4. The end face 5.5 denotes an outermost end of the support mandrel 5.

On an inner floor 3.3. a stop 9 is formed on the closure cap 3. The stop 9 is designed as a simple cam and extends eccentrically in the radial direction with respect to the center axis A of the closure cap 3. In particular, the stop 9 extends eccentrically in such a way that with an essentially concentric arrangement of the support mandrel 5 and the closure cap 3, on the one hand, the support mandrel 5 with the front face 5.5 of the nozzle 5.4 on the inner bottom 3.3. can be lowered without being hindered by the stop 9. On the other hand, the stop 9 is arranged in such a way that the driver 8 can grasp it with a relative rotation of the support mandrel 5 and the closure cap 3 about the central axis A and the longitudinal axis B, respectively. In the illustration of FIG. 2, the support mandrel 5 is in a lowering movement F in the longitudinal direction B towards the closure cap 3 in order to grasp it by introducing the end region of the support mandrel 5 into an interior 3.2 of the closure cap 3. (Alternatively, of course, the closure cap 3 can also be guided upwards on the support mandrel 5, or both elements move towards each other.)

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of the support mandrel 5 of the transport device 2 shortly before the closure cap 3 is grasped. The illustration in FIG. 3 relates to a somewhat later method position than the illustration in FIG. 2, in which the support mandrel 5 continues in direction F to the closure cap 3 has been lowered and is about to be introduced into the interior 3.2 of the closure cap 3.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the support mandrel 5 of the transport device 2 when the closure cap 3 is grasped. The support mandrel 5 is completely lowered with the end face 5.5 of the connector 5.4 onto the inner base 3.3 of the closure cap 3. The driver 8 and the stop 9 are arranged in this position in a plane parallel to the transport plane E, but have not yet been brought into engagement. The closure cap 3 is now located on a feed path Z of the transport path T, running along the track 10.

In this position, the support area 5.1 of the support mandrel 5 is arranged radially within a jacket area 3.4 of the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3, in which the cut or a cut geometry is to be produced in the further process.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view in a sectional plane which lies parallel to the transport plane E and goes through the driver 8 and the stop 9. One line of sight is directed towards the transport support 7. The process position in FIG. 5 corresponds to the process position in FIG. 4 after the locking cap 3 has been gripped by the support mandrel 5 of the transport device 2. The start of the feed path Z, on which the closure cap 3 is fed to a processing area W, is indicated by dashed lines. In the present sense, a start of the feed path Z can be defined by the grasping of the closure cap by the support mandrel 5.

In the sectional view of FIG. 5 it can be seen that the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3 has notches 3.6 on a jacket outer side 3.5 parallel to the central axis A, which give a gear-like cross-section. The notches 3.6 extend over a certain height in the direction of A of the closure cap 3 and form an edge or corrugation.

The driver 8 is slightly inclined with respect to a radial direction with respect to B in order to ensure better contact with the stop 9, which is radially aligned with respect to A, when the driver 8 and stop 9 later engage.

The support mandrel 5 performs a rotary movement R. The closure cap 3 transported by the transport device 2 initially has no defined rotational movement about its central axis A. Due to the feed, a disordered rotation can result. The driver 8 of the support mandrel 5 is intended to come into engagement with the stop 9 of the closure cap 3 due to the rotary movement R. In order to prevent the stop 9 from running ahead of the driver 8 due to an initial rotational movement of the closure cap 3, which would make secure contact impossible, the original rotational movement of the closure cap 3 can be inhibited, e.g. B. by frictional engagement between the outer side of the jacket 3 of the cap 3 with resilient elements, for. B. the cap holder, and / or by means of a vacuum system in the turntable.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 5 in a later method position in which the driver 8 and the stop 9 have come into engagement.

The transport device 2 has transported the closure cap 3 further along the transport path T along the feed path Z. On the outside, along the transport path T in this section of the feed path Z, a contact surface 11 is formed which guides the closure cap 3 during transport. The contact surface 11 is arranged in such a way that the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5 and the central axis A of the closure cap 3 remain arranged essentially concentrically. For this purpose, the contact surface 11 typically has a distance from the movement path of the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5, which corresponds to half the outer diameter of the outer side 3.5 of the casing.

Due to the engagement between the driver 8 and the stop 9, the closure cap now performs a rotary movement D, which corresponds to the rotary movement R of the Support mandrel 5 corresponds. This means that with a constant feed movement V, the outer jacket surface 3.5 of the closure cap 3 rolls with slippage on the contact surface 11, ie also slides.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 6 in a later method position shortly before the closure cap 3 enters the processing section W.

In this method position, the rotation D of the closure cap 3 is further determined by the rotary movement R of the support mandrel 5, which is transmitted to the closure cap 3 by the engagement of the driver 8 with the stop 9. The contact surface 11 has a ramp 12 towards the transition to the processing surface, which, starting from the previous course of the contact surface 11, curves towards the transport path T. The ramp 12 guides the closure cap 3 in a direction X largely perpendicular to the course of the transport path T and moves it with respect to the path of movement of the support mandrel 5. The closure cap 3 is in particular displaced so far that when it later enters the processing path W it is the inner surface of the contact surface 11 rests against the support area 5.1 of the support mandrel 5 (not shown) and the rotational symmetry axis A has an offset Y with respect to the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5. The closure cap 3 is thus displaced laterally relative to the support mandrel 5, so that the center axis A of the closure cap 3 is arranged eccentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5. The driver 8 and the stop 9 are dimensioned in the radial direction in such a way that the engagement remains due to the eccentric displacement.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 7 in a later method position when the closure cap 3 enters the processing path W.

The processing section W has a contact surface 13 which is offset from the contact surface 11 of the feed path Z to the transport path T. The ramp 12 of the feed line Z at the transition to the processing line enables a continuous transition. When entering the processing path W, the axis of rotational symmetry A of the closure cap 3 thus has an offset in the direction with respect to the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5, which corresponds to the displacement caused by the ramp 12. The The contact surface 13 runs at a constant distance along the transport path T, so that the offset Y is retained.

The contact surface 13 has a toothing 14 with teeth 14.1 which extend perpendicular to the transport plane E, ie parallel to the center axis A of the closure cap 3 and parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the support mandrel 5. The toothing 14 is designed in such a way that the teeth 14.1 can engage in the notches 3.6 of the casing outside 3.5 of the closure cap 3. When entering the processing section W, the teeth 14.1 come into engagement with the notches 3.6, with the result that the closure cap 3 rolls with its outer side 3.5 on the contact surface 13. Due to the toothing 14 and because the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3 is guided against the contact surface 13 due to the offset Y from the support area 5.1, a forced control of a rotation D 'of the closure cap 3 as a function of the feed movement V. The rotational speed of the rotation D ¹ the closure cap 3 in the processing section W is greater than the rotational speed of the rotational movement R of the support mandrel 5 (see FIG. 9). When the closure cap 3 enters the processing section W, the support mandrel 5 and thus the driver 8 arranged on it have a predetermined rotational position M. Since the driver 8 and the stop 9 are in engagement when entering the processing path W, the closure cap 3 has an orientation of its rotational position that can be predetermined via the rotational position of the support mandrel 5. By appropriately controlling the rotational movement of the support mandrel 5, a desired rotational position of the closure cap 3 can thus be set. Since the closure cap 3 in the further course of the process in the processing path W inevitably rolls on the contact surface 13, a rotational position of the closure cap 3 about its center axis A in the processing path W is uniquely determined in each process position. In the processing path W, after a leading path P in the cutting path S, the cutting blade 6.1 of the cutting knife 6 is arranged and protrudes in the direction of the transport path T beyond the contact surface 13. The feed section P and the cutting section S form sections of the processing section W. FIG. 9 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 8 in a later process position shortly after the entry of the closure cap 3 into the processing section W.

In the processing area, the rotation D ′ of the closure cap 3 is forcibly controlled via the contact surface 13. The rotational speed of the rotation D 'of the closure cap 3 in the processing section W is greater than the rotational speed of the rotational movement R of the support mandrel 5 and thus of the driver 8. Due to the difference in the rotational speeds, the stop 9 rotates faster about the central axis A of the closure cap 3 than the Driver 8 about the axis of rotation B. The stop 9 therefore lifts off from the driver 8, whereby the engagement of the driver 8 with the stop 9 is released.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 9 in a later method position when the closure cap 3 enters the cutting path S.

The entry of the closure cap 3 into the cutting section S corresponds to a first contact point of the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3 with the cutting blade 6.1 of the cutting knife 6. Since the cutting blade 6.1 protrudes in the direction of the transport path T over the contact surface 13, it can penetrate into the jacket 3.1 and make the cut. On the inside, the jacket 3.1 is supported by the support area 5.1 of the support mandrel 5, which is arranged opposite the cutting blade 6.1. The cutting blade 6.1 can penetrate the jacket 3.1 and protrude into the grooves 5.2 arranged in the support area 5.1.

Since the closure cap 3 inevitably rolls on the contact surface 13 in the area of the feed path P, a rotational position of the closure cap 3 about its central axis A when entering the cutting path S is clearly determined. The first contact point of the jacket 3.1 with the cutting blade 6.1 is thus also clearly determined, with which the cut or the cutting geometry can be introduced into the closure cap 3 in a clearly predeterminable orientation.

Due to the difference in the rotational speeds of the closure cap 3 and the support mandrel 5, the stop 9 moves further away with the rotation D ′ from the driver 8, which rotates with the rotational movement R. FIG. 11 shows a sectional view analogous to FIG. 10 in a later method position during the cutting process in the cutting path S.

In the course of the cutting process, the jacket 3.1 of the closure cap 3 is rolled onto the cutting blade 6.1. The rotation D ′ of the closure cap 3 about its central axis A is clearly determined in the entire processing path W by the toothing 14 of the contact surface 13. In this way, the entire cut can be made in the closure cap 3 with a high degree of accuracy and in a predeterminable orientation of the latter.

Due to the rotational movements of the closure cap 3 and the driver 8 about different, mutually offset axes of rotation A and B, the driver 8 can approach the stop 9 again in stages of rotation. It is therefore advisable to select a difference between the rotational speeds of the rotation D 'and the rotational movement R that is sufficiently large that the driver 8 does not collide with the stop 9 in the machining path W.

Claims

1. A method for producing a cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction in a jacket of a closure cap for a container, comprising the following steps: a) providing the closure cap; b) Transporting the closure cap with a transport device along a

Transport path, wherein c) the closure cap is fed to a processing section of the transport path, in which processing section a stationary cutting knife is arranged with a cutting blade extending along a cutting section, and d) a cutting process in the processing section by rolling the jacket on the cutting blade of the stationary cutting knife for Generating the cutting geometry is carried out; wherein the feeding of the closure cap to the processing section takes place with a predeterminable orientation of a rotational position with respect to a central axis of the closure cap by a driver rotating about an axis of rotation

Transport device is brought into engagement with a stop of the closure cap and a movement of the rotating driver is controlled in such a way that the driver has a rotational position corresponding to the predeterminable orientation of the closure cap when the closure cap enters the processing path, characterized in that a rotation of the closure cap by its center axis in the processing line is controlled in such a way that the closure cap is set in a predeterminable rotation about its center axis, the rotational movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap after entering the processing path is controlled in such a way that an angular speed of the rotating driver about its axis of rotation is smaller than the angular speed of the closure cap about its central axis.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotational movement of the rotating driver about its axis of rotation is controlled in such a way that the rotating driver and the stop of the closure cap in the context of a complete relative rotation between the closure cap and the driver during the feeding necessarily come into engagement and especially this intervention with further

Rotation of the rotating driver is maintained at least until it enters the processing section.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the rotational movement of the rotating driver about its axis of rotation is controlled in such a way that a rotational speed during the supply of a rotational speed in

Corresponds to the area of the processing path, or that a first rotational speed during the feeding is higher than a second rotational speed in the area of the processing path, in particular during the rolling in the cutting process.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a rotation of the closure cap about its central axis in the processing line is controlled in such a way that the closure cap is set in a predeterminable rotation about its central axis, which is largely independent of the rotational movement of the rotating Driver is, preferably by rolling the jacket of the closure cap on a contact surface.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotary movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap is controlled after entering the processing line such that an angular speed of the rotating driver around its axis of rotation, by a maximum of 10%, from an angular speed the closure cap differs around its central axis.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a

Rotational movement of the closure cap about its central axis during feeding, in particular before the engagement of the driver and the stop, is inhibited.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a relative movement when the closure cap is detected by the transport device of the rotating driver and the closure cap takes place in the direction of the central axis.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotating driver is at least partially introduced into an interior of the closure cap, preferably the stop of the closure cap on an inside of the

Closure cap is formed and in particular the rotating driver and the stop have a profile that diverges in a direction parallel to the central axis.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the driver is arranged on a support mandrel of the transport device, which at least one about a, in particular perpendicular to the cutting path, rotatable axis of rotation, in particular largely circular cylindrical, support area for supporting the shell of the Has closure cap and the jacket is supported during rolling over the support area from an inside, in particular the driver on an axial end face of the support mandrel and the

Stop are arranged on a bottom inside of the closure cap.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the axis of rotation of the rotating driver, in particular optionally the support mandrel, is guided parallel and eccentrically with respect to the central axis of the closure cap in the processing section, in particular in the cutting section.

1 1. Device for producing a cutting geometry running in the circumferential direction in a jacket of a closure cap for a container, in particular for carrying out a method according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising: a) a transport device for transporting the closure cap along a transport path which includes a processing path comprises, wherein b) there is a stationary cutting knife in the processing section with a cutting blade extending along a cutting section for generating the cutting geometry in the jacket of the closure cap, wherein the transport device comprises a driver rotating around an axis of rotation, which can be brought into engagement with a stop formed on the closure cap and is controllable in such a way that the rotating driver when the closure cap enters the processing path corresponds to a predeterminable orientation of the closure cap around its central axis Having rotational position, characterized in that the control device is designed and configured to control the rotational movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap in the processing section such that an angular speed of the rotating driver around its axis of rotation is less than the angular speed of the closure cap.

12. The device according to claim 1 1, characterized in that a control device is present which is designed and configured to control a rotational movement of the rotating driver along the transport path.

13. The device according to claim 1 1 or 12, characterized in that the control device is designed and configured to control the rotational movement of the rotating driver in such a way that a rotational speed during feeding corresponds to a rotational speed in the area of the processing path, or that a first Rotational speed during feeding is higher than a second rotational speed in the area of the processing line.

14. Device according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the control device is designed and configured to control the rotational movement of the rotating driver and / or the closure cap in the processing section in such a way that an angular speed of the rotating driver about its axis of rotation differs by a maximum of 20% from an angular velocity of the sealing cap about its central axis.

15. Device according to one of claims 1 1 to 14, characterized in that in the processing line at least in sections a contact surface as There is control means for an outside of the casing of the closure cap on which the closure cap can be unrolled, in particular without slipping.

16. Device according to one of claims 1 1 to 15, characterized in that the driver is arranged on a support mandrel of the transport device, which is at least one oriented around a, in particular perpendicular to the cutting path,

Has a rotating axis of rotation, in particular largely circular cylindrical, support area for supporting the jacket of the closure cap, the rotating driver preferably being arranged on an axial end face of the support mandrel.

17. Device according to one of claims 1 1 to 16, characterized in that the transport device is designed as a turntable, with several rotating ones

Carriers, in particular several support mandrels, on each of which a carrier is arranged, are arranged along a circumference of the turntable, and that the processing section, in particular the cutting section, and in particular possibly also a feed section, extends along the circumference of the turntable.