FR2528016A1 - Expanding insert for picking up bottle by neck - uses converging shoulders to compress sleeve until external circumferential ribs are formed in it - Google Patents

Abstract

The carrier uses a radially expanding insert (20) to grip the neck (13) of a bottle from the inside, being used on a conveyor associated with a label printer. The insert comprises a projection of a housed (16) retraction sprung (31) slide (28), being fitted with an elastically deformable sleeve (21) located by shoulders (23,24) incorporated on the slide and the case respectively. The sleeve forms two radial ribs (26) when compressed between the shoulders. The shoulders converge to increase the effective sleeve dia. Two sleeves with a metal ring at each end may be bonded to the rings, being further stiffened by external end ribs.

Description

 The present invention relates generally to the unit support of objects to which any treatment is to be applied, and it relates more particularly to the case of collared objects, that is to say objects which , such as bottles for example, are open to the outside through an opening, most often formed at the end of a neck, commonly known as a neck.

 In printing machines, for example, such objects are usually arranged one by one on a conveyor, which, between a loading station and an unloading station, is suitable for scrolling in line with at least one station. printing, with, possibly, passage to other treatment stations, such as steaming and / or drying stations after each printing, and which, for the support of the objects which it thus has to convey, is fitted, from place to place, specific object supports each to the individual support of such an object.

 Such object-holder supports are most often made up of cradles, in which the objects concerned are simply deposited, and which can optionally be articulated, in the manner of swings, and / or which can be reduced to two support members, in the form of a dihedral for example, on which said objects bear only by their ends.

 As a variant, when they are intended to be applied to objects with a neck, such object-holder supports may comprise a body, and, projecting from this body, a core, in practice a simple rod, on which such an object neck can be at least partially engaged by its neck.

 In both cases, the maintenance of such an object on its object support is poorly assured, in particular in the case where it is a relatively light object, as is the case when 'such an object is made of synthetic material, and / or in the case where the conveyor concerned is advance step by step and / or comprises bends which modify the path.

 I1 is not uncommon, in such cases, to observe the untimely fall of some of the conveyed objects, these coming to escape their support.

 In addition, even when they remain on the support on which they are thus simply deposited, the objects carried by such supports frequently do not lack, under the effects of the various stresses of which they are the object, in particular due to the movement of the conveyor which the doors, to move themselves, even slightly, relative to their supports.

 Their presentation at the processing station of the machine concerned may be disturbed.

 Admittedly, it has already been proposed, in particular for glass objects, to equip each object support with means suitable for ensuring a firm hold of these objects, for example by permanent grasping of these objects between their ends.

 However, such object-holder supports are inevitably heavy and expensive, and, when the conveyor to be equipped has a relatively large length, to allow the serving of several treatment stations, their implementation leads to inertia and unacceptable colts. .

 The present invention generally relates to an object-holder support making it possible to avoid these drawbacks.

 More precisely, it relates to an object-holder support, in particular for a printing machine, of the kind comprising, as regards the support of a necked object, a body, and, projecting from this body, a core on which such a necked object can be at least partially engaged by its neck, this object-holder support being characterized in that said core carries a holding member, which, established between two transverse shoulders of which at least one is mounted axially movable relative to the other, is capable of reversibly taking one or the other of two configurations, namely, a retracted waiting configuration, for which, said transverse shoulders being separated from one another, it has a smaller diameter section specific to the engagement of a necked object on it, and a deployed service configuration, for which, said shoulders being brought closer to each other, it has a larger diameter section and form annularly, remotely one on the other, at least two beads suitable for holding said object, by application against the internal wall of the neck thereof.

 According to a preferred embodiment, a holding member thus presented according to the invention an object-holder support is formed of two rings, which are arranged axially end to end, and which each comprise a sleeve of elastically deformable material, with, at each of their ends, a rigid washer, for example metallic.

 The desired obtaining of two separate beads suitably shaped is facilitated.

 Anyway, by their application against the internal wall of the neck of a treated object, these beads ensure, advantageously, not only a firm support of this object, but also the maintenance of the latter according to a determined position, by providing it, parallel to its axis, two separate annular supports, axially spaced from one another.

 Preferably, the core of the object-carrying support carrying the holding member thus capable of forming such beads is subjected to a spring, which, bearing on the corresponding body, constantly urges it in a direction for which there is approximation to each other of the transverse shoulders between which is established said holding member, and, one of said transverse shoulders being axially integral with said body, it is associated with a frustoconical bearing, which, axially integral with it also of said body, extends annularly around the axis of the assembly, for axial abutment of the end of the neck of the object concerned.

 This results, advantageously, in the object concerned being urged towards the frustoconical bearing by the two beads of the holding member with which it is engaged, automatic centering of this object around the axis of the assembly .

 Anyway, because of these beads, the angular orientation of this object around its axis is advantageously kept permanently.

 In short, the object-holder support according to the invention, although light, and relatively economical to produce, is advantageously capable of permanently ensuring a firm hold, and according to a determined position and / or angular orientation, of the object he is carrying.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which
- Figure 1 is an elevational view, along arrow II of Figure 1, of an object holder according to the invention, the holding member is shown in retracted configuration;
- Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of this object support, along the line II-II of Figure 1
- Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, for the deployed configuration of the holding member that comprises according to the invention this object holder
- Figure 4 is a view which, similar to that of Figure 2, illustrates the implementation of the object holder according to the invention for the support of a necked object
- Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the part of the object holder according to the invention carrying the characteristic holding member thereof
- Figure 6 is an axial sectional view of this holding member, shown in isolation
- Figure 7 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of Figure 6 identified by an insert VII thereon
- Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 6, for an alternative embodiment of the holding member concerned.

 As illustrated in broken lines in Figure 4, the object holder 10 according to the invention is intended to carry an object with a neck 11, that is to say an object opening to the outside through an opening 12 formed at the end of a neck 13.

 This is for example a bottle, and, for example, a bottle made of synthetic material.

 In the illustrated embodiment, the object support 10 is inserted transversely, in the manner of links, on two chains 15, which, established parallel to each other, jointly constitute the conveyor which carries it, and which thus present, from place to place, with regular pitch, a plurality of such object-holding supports 10.

 In general, and as shown, an object support 10 according to the invention comprises a body 16, which is tubular, and which, laterally, and on either side, have two parallel ears 17 for its articulation to the chains 15 which carry it, and, projecting from this body 16, in the axis thereof, a core 20, on which an object with a neck 11 can be at least partially engaged by its neck, that is -to say, in practice, by its neck 13.

 According to the invention, the core 20 carries a holding member 21, which, established between two transverse shoulders 23, 24, at least one of which is mounted movable axially relative to the other, is capable of reversibly taking one or the other of two configurations, namely, a retracted waiting configuration, FIG. 3, for which, said transverse shoulders 23, 24 being separated from one another, it generally has a section of smaller diameter D1 suitable for the engagement on him of a necked object 11, and a deployed service configuration, FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, for which, said transverse shoulders 23, 24 being brought together, it has a cross section of greater diameter D2 and annularly forms, at a distance from each other, at least two beads 26, suitable for holding said object with a neck 11, by application against the internal wall of the neck or neck 13 thereof.

 In the embodiments shown, the core 20 is slidably mounted axially with respect to the body 16 which carries it while being in practice, rotatably mounted on itself in the latter, and has, on the one hand, on the one hand a head 27, the front face of which is generally frustoconical and split, and on the other hand a tail 28, which, after sliding passage through a nut 30 associated with the body 16, according to methods described in detail below, then extends axially in this body 16, to be subjected to a spring 31 disposed therein.

 This spring 31, which, in practice, is disposed in the annular volume delimits between the tail 28 of the core 20 and the internal wall of the tubular body 16, bears on this tubular body 16, and, more precisely, through a stopper needles 32, on a cover 33 attached for this purpose by screws 34 on the end of this tubular body 16 disposed on the side of the head 27 of the core 20, and it carries, through a needle stop 36 and a washer 37 , on a split elastic ring 38 engaged in a groove 39 formed annulairenxit 9 this effect at the end of the core 20 opposite its said head 27, 1 inside the tubular body 16.

 In the embodiment shown, and, as regards the treatment of neck bottles 11 made of synthetic material, the core 20 is axially pierced with a bore 40, for internal pressurization of such a ccl bottle 11 during of the treatment to be applied to it, using a blowing nozzle, and according to modalities, which, not falling within the scope of this application, and well known to those skilled in the art, will not be described here.

 In practice, in the embodiment shown, the nut 30, which is crossed by the tail 28 of the core 20, has, beyond a shoulder 41 by which it bears axially against the cover 33, a bearing 44, by which it crosses this cover 33, and a bearing surface 45, by which it crosses the needle stop 32, FIG. 2.

 It thus serves to center the core 20 in the tubular body 16.

 In the embodiment shown, one of the shoulders 23, 24 between which is established the holding member 21 is axially integral with the core 20, and it is in practice the shoulder 23, the latter being shaped by the rear face of the batten 27 of this core 20, and, jointly, the other of said transverse shoulders 23, 24 is axially integral with the body 16, and it is in practice the shoulder 24, the latter being formed by the end of the front face of the nut 30, and the latter being in axial abutment against the tubular body 16 by means of the cover 33.

 In practice, in the embodiment shown, the transverse shoulder 24 thus axially integral with the tubular body 16 is associated with a frustoconical bearing 47, which is axially integral with this tubular body 16, and which extends annularly around the 'axis of the assembly, for axial stop of the end of the neck or neck 13 of the neck bottle 11 to be treated.

 In the embodiment shown, this frustoconical bearing 47 is formed on the nut 30.

 I1 emerges from the above that, in the embodiments shown, the spring 31 to which the core 20 is subjected continuously urges the latter in the direction for which there is a reconciliation with one another transverse shoulders 23, 24 between which is established the holding member 21 which it carries.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7, this holding member 21 is freely engaged on the core 20 which carries it, and, more precisely, on the tail 28 thereof, and it is formed of two rings 50, which are arranged axially end to end, and which each comprise a socket of elastically deformable material 51, with, at each of their ends, a rigid washer 52.

 In the embodiment shown, the two rings 50 are identical to each other, the rigid washers 52 which they have at their ends are metallic, and these rigid washers 52 are linked, and, in practice, adhered, to the corresponding ends of the sleeve of elastically deformable material 51 with which they are associated.

 Preferably, and as shown, such a socket made of elastically deformable material 51 comprises annularly, in contact with each of the rigid washers 52 which are associated with it, a stiffening means.

 It is, in practice, in the embodiment shown, a thickening rib 53, which locally increases the thickness.

 For passage of the holding member 21 in the retracted standby configuration, FIG. 3, it suffices to exert on the core 20 an action tending to push the latter against the spring 31, and therefore to make it protrude a little further out of the tubular body 16, along arrow F1 in FIG. 3.

 Indeed, it results from such an action, which can be exerted manually, or mechanically, using a pushing finger controlled accordingly, that the transverse shoulders 23, 24 between which is established the holding member 21 move away from each other, and that, thus freed, the sockets 51 of the rings 50 constituting this holding member 21 re take on their own, due to their elasticity, the tubular configuration which is the their at rest.

 I1 is therefore possible to engage on the core 20, by its neck or neck 13, the neck bottle 11 to be treated, the diameter D1 which, in its retracted waiting configuration, the holding member 21 carried by this core 20 being chosen to be less than the diameter D3 of the internal wall of this neck or neck 13.

 The action previously exerted on the core 20 is released, and the latter, under the stress of the spring 31, moves axially in the opposite direction to the previous one in the tubular body 16, along arrow F2 in FIG. 4.

 I1 follows that, the transverse shoulders 23, 24 approaching one another, the holding member 21 is the object of an axial compression action causing the passage in bead configuration, radially projecting towards the outside, of the elastically deformable sleeve 51 of each of the rings 50 which constitute it.

 Due to the rigid washers 52 flanking such an elastically deformable socket 51 at each of its ends, the passage in bead configuration thereof is done, with reliability, in a controlled and repetitive manner.

 For their part, the thickening ribs 53 which furthermore has at its ends such a sleeve made of elastically deformable material 51 participate both in the regularity of the bead configuration which it takes, and in the durability of its conditions of adhesion to the corresponding rigid washers 52.

 Anyway, the diameter D2 that thus presents in the deployed service position, by the beads 26 that it forms, the holding member 21 according to the invention is chosen slightly greater than the diameter D3 of the internal wall from the neck or neck 13 of the neck bottle 11 to be treated.

 I1 follows that, in the deployed service position, the retaining member 21 according to the invention is applied energetically, and elastically, by the beads 26 which it forms, against the internal wall of such a neck or neck 13 .

 Therefore, under the influence of these beads 26, the neck bottle 11 concerned is, via the core 20, biased by the spring 31 towards the frustoconical surface 47, and, by the end of its neck or neck 13, it is therefore applied axially against the latter, which advantageously ensures centering about the axis of one set.

 Anyway, taking into account that, by these beads 26, the holding member 21 according to the invention offers two distinct supports to the neck object 11 to be treated, and that these distinct supports are axially spaced apart from one another, this holding member 21 imposes on said object a determined position, and it maintains it firmly throughout the transport thereof by the conveyor which carries it.

 In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the holding member 21 according to the invention is formed of a single ring 50 ′, which comprises a sleeve made of elastically deformable material 51 ′, with, at each of its ends, a rigid washer 52, for example metallic, as above, and of which said sleeve of elastically deformable material 51 ′ has annularly, in its median zone, a stiffening means.

 I1 is a simple thickening rib 53 'in the embodiment shown.

 As before, when it is subjected to axial compression between its ends, such a holding member 21 is capable of passing from the retracted standby configuration shown in solid lines in FIG. 8, to the deployed configuration of service, which is shown schematically in broken lines in this FIG. 8, and for which it forms annularly, at a distance from each other, two beads 26.

 Indeed, everything happens as if, on either side of its central thickening rib 53 ′, the portions of its sleeve made of elastically deformable material 51 ′ each formed such a bead 26, in the manner of the sleeve in elastically deformable material 51 of the preceding rings 50.

 Of course, the present invention is not limited moreover to the embodiments and implementation described and shown, but encompasses any variant.

 In particular, the transverse shoulders between which the holding member according to the invention is established may both be axially movable.

 Alternatively, in the case where only one of these transverse shoulders is axially movable, it may be not that associated with the core, but that associated with the tubular body.

 In all cases, a number of beads greater than two may be provided for such a holding member, and the spring to which the core which carries it is subjected could act in a direction for which there is, not an approximation of the shoulders between which it is established, but a spacing thereof.

 Finally, in the case in particular where the retaining member according to the invention consists of several distinct rings, such rings are not necessarily identical, so as for example to be able to give rise to beads of different diameters, if the neck of the neck object to be treated is not cylindrical.

Claims (9)

 1. Object-holder support, in particular for a printing machine, of the type comprising, as regards the support of an object with a neck (11), a body (16), and projecting from this body (16), a core (20) on which a necked object (11) can be at least partially engaged by its neck (13), characterized in that said core (20) carries a holding member (21), which, established between two transverse shoulders (23, 24) of which at least one is mounted axially movable relative to the other, is capable of reversibly taking one or the other of two configurations, namely, a retracted standby configuration, for which the said transverse shoulders (23, 24) being spaced from each other, it has a smaller diameter section (D1) suitable for the engagement on it of a neck object (11), and a deployed service configuration , for which, said transverse shoulders (23, 24) being brought closer to each other, it has a section of greater diameter (D2) and annular shape. nt, at a distance from each other, at least two beads (26) suitable for holding said object by application against the internal wall of the neck thereof.  2. Object holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding member (21) is formed by two rings (50), which are arranged axially end to end, and which each comprise a socket (51) in elastically deformable material, with, at each of their ends, a rigid washer (52), for example metallic.  3. Object holder according to claim 2, charac terized in that, at its ends, the sleeve made of elastically deformable material (51) of a ring (50) is linked, and for example adhered, to the rigid washers (52 ) associated with it.  4. Object holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding member (21) is formed by a single ring (50 '), which comprises a sleeve made of elastically deformable material (51'), with, at each of its ends, a rigid washer (52), for example metallic, and of which said bush made of elastically deformable material (51 ') has annularly, in its median zone, a stiffening means, such as a thickening rib ( 53 ').  5. Object holder according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, at its ends, the sleeve of elastically deformable material (51, 51 ') of a ring (50, 50') has annularly , in contact with the rigid washers (52) associated therewith, a stiffening means, such as a thickening rib (53).  6. Object holder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the holding member (21) is freely engaged on the core (20) which carries it.  7. Object holder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the core (20) is slidably mounted axially relative to the body (16) which carries it, one of the transverse shoulders (23, 24) between which is established the holding member (21) is axially integral with said core (20), and the other of said transverse shoulders (23, 24) is axially integral with said body (16).  8. Object holder according to claim 7, charac terized in that the core (20) is subjected to a spring (31), which, bearing on the body (16), permanently biases said core (20) in the direction for which there is a rapprochement one with respect to the other of the transverse shoulders (23, 24) between which is established the holding member (21) which it carries.  9. Object holder according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, one of the transverse shoulders (23, 24) between which is established the holding member (21) being axially integral with the body (16), there is associated, with said transverse shoulder, a frustoconical bearing (47), which is axially integral with said body (16), and which extends annularly around the axis of the assembly, for axial stop of the end of the neck (13) of the neck object (11) concerned.