FR3126705A3 - Device for closing a container with a screw cap - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (1) for closing a container with a screw cap, comprising a slider (2) for applying head pressure to a screw cap, a support (4) rotatable relative to the slider (2 ) around its longitudinal axis (3), a forming arm (5, 5') pivotally arranged at the support (4) with a forming roll (6, 6') rotatably accommodated at the arm (5, 5') relative to the arm (5, 5') for performing a forming in a side surface of the plug, and an actuator (7) slidably arranged at the support (4) relative to the arm (5, 5') in the direction of the axis (3) for pivoting the peripheral arm (5, 5') into a forming position, characterized in that the actuator (7) is pivotally constructed about the axis (3) between an actuating position, in which the actuator (7) causes by sliding in the direction of the axis (3) a pivoting of the arm (5, 5'), and a position of neutral, in which the actuator (7) is out of engagement with the arm (5, 5'). Figure 1

Description

Device for closing a container with a screw cap

The present invention relates to a device for closing a container with a screw cap, for example for closing a beverage container with a screw cap in a beverage filling installation.

State of the art

It is known to close beverage bottles with a screw cap. For this purpose, a closure blank made mostly of aluminum in the shape of a hollow cylinder closed on one side is placed on a container mouth provided with an external thread. The hollow cylindrical side surface/envelope surface of the stopper receives its final shape with the thread and optionally with a circlip folded down only during the closing process, after placing the blank on the container mouth.

For this purpose, a device, also called capping head, is lowered by means of a cam control on the bottle with the cap placed, in which the device applies via a slider a predefined head pressure on the front side of the stopper which corresponds to its upper side, in order to ensure that a gasket inserted between the container mouth and the stopper is maintained in a leaktight manner after closure by the stopper on the container mouth.

For the formation of the thread and the flanged edge of the circlip or the guarantee band in the side surface of the plug, the device has a plurality of forming arms pivotally arranged at a support rotatable with respect to the slider around its longitudinal axis which each have a forming roller for producing a forming in the side surface of the screw cap. For this purpose, at least one forming roll is designed as a net roll for forming the net in the side surface and at least one forming roll is designed as a edging roll for forming the folded edge in the side surface of the cap notice. For the realization of the aforementioned formings, the forming rollers are pivoted by lowering an actuator interacting with the forming arms in the direction of the side surfaces of the cap so that they respectively form with a predefined force respectively the side surface of the cap. By rotation of the carrier, the forming rolls roll in the peripheral direction on the side surface so that by a spiral movement of the net rolls the net is marked and a circular movement of the rolls to be edged with the circlip or the guarantee band be marked.

As mentioned above, screw caps can be made with or without a folded edge, therefore with or without a guarantee band or circlip. Therefore, for screw caps, for which a guarantee band or a circlip is provided, a grip of the edging roll is necessary at the level of the envelope surface of the screw cap to mark or "border" the guarantee band or the circlip. For screw caps, for which this is not provided, the edging roller also has no correspondingly folded edge to undertake. Accordingly, it is known to make capping heads for screw caps with or without flanging roller, in which these are suitable respectively only for the processing of one type, i.e. with or without folded edge. When changing from the processing of screw caps of the type with folded rim to the processing of screw caps of the type without folded rim, the capping heads must therefore be changed on the closing machine, and vice versa. This leads to relatively long refitting times. In addition, the capper heads of the two types must be manufactured separately and the capper heads of the respectively unnecessary type must be stored.

In order to take account of the aforementioned drawbacks, it is known to activate or deactivate the edging rollers for closing machines. Such a concept is known for example from documents EP 2 217 392 B1, EP 2 197 605 B1 or DE 10 2005 023 067 A1. Such closing machines, however, do not have any capping head as described above but include separate systems in order to mark the folded edge in the cap.

Representation of the invention

From the known state of the art, the present invention aims to provide an improved device for closing a container with a screw cap, reference for closing a beverage container with a screw cap. screws in a beverage filling plant.

The object is achieved by a device for closing a container with a screw cap, preferably for closing a beverage container with a screw cap in a beverage filling plant with the following characteristics. Advantageous improvements result from what follows, from the description and the figures.

Accordingly, a device for closing a container with a screw cap is provided, preferably for closing a beverage container with a screw cap in a beverage filling plant, comprising a slider for the application of a head pressure on a screw cap, a support rotatable relative to the slider about its longitudinal axis, a forming arm pivotally arranged at the support with a forming roller rotatably accommodated relative to the forming arm at the forming arm for performing forming in a side surface of the screw cap, and an actuator slidably arranged at the holder relative to the forming arm in the direction of the longitudinal axis for pivoting the peripheral arm into a forming position. The actuator is designed to pivot about the longitudinal axis between an actuation position, in which the actuator causes the forming arm to pivot by sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and a point position. death, in which the actuator is out of engagement with the forming arm.

Due to the fact that the actuator is made in a pivoting manner about the longitudinal axis between an actuation position, in which the actuator causes by sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis a pivoting of the forming arm, and a neutral position, in which the actuator is out of engagement with the forming arm, it is not necessary to decide beforehand whether the closing machine should be made for closing containers with a screw cap with a formation of a folded edge for making a circlip or a guarantee band in the screw cap or without a folded edge having to be formed.

A closing machine is then not limited to its upstream determination for the processing of screw caps of a type, i.e. of the type with folded edge or of the type without folded edge, as is the case for closing machines capping heads with traditional capping heads due to the large differences in the interfaces between capping machine and capping head depending on the respective system. For this reason, it was also hardly possible for traditional closing machines to integrate a modernized capper head with switchable flanging rollers.

Due to the foresight of the swivel actuator described above, it is on the contrary possible to provide also for existing closing machines or systems by equipment with the aforementioned device which represents or is a closing head, in a simple way a change between activation of a folded edge for the production of a circlip or a guarantee band when screw caps of the type with guarantee band or security ring are to be processed, and a deactivation of the folded edge when screw caps of the type without warranty band or circlip must be treated.

According to another preferred embodiment, the actuator has an interaction section for actuation of the forming arm for sliding of the actuator in the direction of the longitudinal axis, in which the interaction section is positioned in the actuating position with respect to the longitudinal axis in the circumferential direction at the height of the forming arm, in which the interaction section preferably extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis away from the forming arm an increasing radial extent, and/or the actuator has a recess for receiving the forming arm when the actuator slides in the direction of the longitudinal axis in the neutral position. Thus, it is possible to pass in a simple manner from the actuation position to the neutral position and the actuator can moreover have a simple structure and be simple to manufacture.

According to another preferred embodiment, the support comprises a stop element for stopping the actuator in the actuation position or the neutral position. It can thus be ensured that the actuator remains in the intended position and does not move during operation unintentionally out of the set position. The stopper is preferably designed to slide in the direction of the longitudinal axis. In order to prevent an unintentional movement of the actuator from the respective position or position, the stop element can be held and/or pre-tensioned in a stop position and be movable for detachment of the stop from the position. stop. Preferably, the stopper is held by gravity in the stop position. Additionally or alternatively, a safety element, for example an elastically deformable safety element, can be provided for example in the form of an O-ring made of an elastomer and/or a thermoplastic which prevents unintentional displacement of the safety element. from the stop position. Preferably, the safety element is made in such a way that upon application of a predefined detachment force, the locking element can be moved beyond the protective element in order to detach again the stop.

It has proven advantageous when the stop element has a projection or an extension which can be brought into engagement and out of engagement with a first housing provided at the level of the actuator, preferably a housing made in the form of a a pocket for receiving the extension in the actuating position, and/or with a second housing provided at the level of the actuator, preferably a housing made in the form of a pocket, for receiving the extension in the position dead point.

According to another preferred embodiment, the stopper is integrated into a quick-change coupling for coupling the device with a capper for closing containers with a screw cap. Thus a particularly simple structure of the device can be obtained. In particular two functionalities, namely a coupling of the device with a capper or synonym of the last "closing machine", and the pivoting capacity of the actuator between the actuation position and the neutral position in a stoppable manner can be provided with the quick-change coupling.

It has proven particularly advantageous when the quick-change coupling has a locking member sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis, preferably comprising a locking pin for stopping the quick-change coupling in a coupled position , wherein the stop element is preferably arranged at the level of the stop member.

According to another preferred embodiment, the locking member comprises an annular body, in which the locking element is designed as a projection at a front side facing towards the actuator of the annular body.

Preferably, the actuator comprises a housing for receiving the stop element in the actuation position and/or in the neutral position, preferably two housings for receiving the stop element, wherein preferably a first housing, preferably a housing made in the form of a pocket, is made for receiving the locking element in the actuating position, and/or a second housing, made preferably in the form of a pocket, is made for receiving the stopper.

According to a preferred embodiment, the forming roll is designed as a net roll for forming a net in the side surface of the screw cap. Alternatively, the forming roll can also be designed as a edging roll for forming a folded edge in the side surface of the screw cap.

Preferably, the device has a plurality of forming rolls, wherein preferably at least one forming roll is designed as a net roll and preferably at least one forming roll is designed as an edge roll. For this purpose, it has proven advantageous when the device has precisely two rolls of net and precisely two rolls for edging.

Brief description of figures

Other preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detail by the figures described below which represent:

schematically a side view of a device for closing a container with a screw cap;

schematically a side detail view of a partial area of the ;

schematically an elevational view along the longitudinal axis of the ;

schematically another side detail view of the partial area of the ;

schematically an elevational view along the longitudinal axis of the ;

schematically another side detail view of the partial area of Figures 2 and 4;

schematically a pivoting movement of the actuator of the device of Figures 1 to 6 from an actuation position into a neutral position;

schematically a bottom view of an actuator of a device for closing a container with a screw cap according to another embodiment; And

schematically another bottom view of the actuator of the .

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Below, preferred embodiments are described with the aid of the figures. Identical, similar or identically acting elements in the different figures are provided with the same numerical references, and a repeated description of these elements is partially waived in order to avoid redundancy.

There schematically shows a side view of a device 1 for closing a container with a screw cap, in this case produced as an option for closing a beverage container with a screw cap in a filling installation for beverage. The device 1 comprises a slider 2 for applying head pressure to a screw cap, a support 4 rotatable relative to the slider 2 around its longitudinal axis 3, and a plurality of forming arms 5, 5' pivotally arranged at the level of the support 4 which respectively have a forming roller 6, 6' rotatably accommodated relative to the forming arm 5, 5' at the level of the forming arm 5, 5' for the production of a forming in a side surface of the screw cap.

In the present preferred embodiment, two forming rolls 6 opposite with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 are made as net rolls 6' for the formation of a net in the side surfaces of the screw cap, and two further rolls forming rolls 6 opposite with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 are additionally designed as flanging rolls 6 for forming a folded edge in the side surface of the screw cap in order to form a circlip or a guarantee band at the level of the screw cap.

The device 1 further comprises an actuator 7 arranged in a sliding manner at the level of the support 4 with respect to the forming arms 5, 5' in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3 for the pivoting of the peripheral arms 5, 5' in a position of forming.

The actuator 7 is made, as explained in detail with regard to Figures 2 to 9, between an actuation position, in which the actuator 7 causes by sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3 a pivoting of the forming arm 5 comprising the flanging rollers 6, and a neutral position, in which the actuator 7 is out of engagement with the forming arms 5 comprising the flanging rollers 6, pivotally around the longitudinal axis 3 .

There schematically represents a detail side view of a partial zone of the support 4 and of the actuator 7 of the . The actuator 7 comprises an interaction section 8 for actuating the forming arms 5, 5' when the actuator 7 slides in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3.

The interaction section 8 is positioned in the actuation position considered with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 in the peripheral direction at the height of the forming arms 5, in which the interaction section 8 preferably presents in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3 moving away from the forming arm an increasing radial extent. In this case, the radial extent begins at a first radius r and increases therefrom successively up to a second radius R which is greater by a predefined value Δr than the first radius r. The actuator 7 also has two opposite recesses 9 with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 for receiving a forming arm 5 during a sliding of the actuator 7 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3 when that it is in the neutral position.

There schematically represents an elevational view along the longitudinal axis 3 of the , in which an orientation of the recess 9 visible on the is indicated by means of the numerical reference 10, when the actuator 7 is positioned in the actuating position.

As indicated in Figures 1 and 2, the support 4 comprises a stop element 11 for stopping the actuator 7 in the actuation position or the neutral position. In this case, the stop element 11 is made in a sliding manner in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3. The stop element 11 is held according to this embodiment by gravity in the stop position shown in Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively or additionally, the stop element 11 can also be pretensioned into the stop position. For the detachment of the stop, the stop element 11 can be moved from the stop position against gravity in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3.

In this optional embodiment, the stopper 11 is integrated into a quick-change coupling 13 for coupling the device 1 with a capping machine for closing containers with a screw cap. The quick-change coupling 13 comprises a stop member 14 sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis 3, comprising a stop rod (not shown) for stopping the quick-change coupling 13 in a coupled position, in which the stop element 11 is arranged at the level of the stop member 14.

In this case, the stopper 14 comprises an annular body or is made like this. The stopper 11 is designed as a projection at a front side facing towards the actuator 7 of the annular body.

The actuator 7 comprises a housing 15 turned in the direction of the stop member 14 for receiving the stop element 11 in the actuating position and another housing 15 'for receiving the element of stopper 11 in the neutral position, in which the housing 15 for receiving the stopper element 11 in the actuating position is spaced from the other housing 15' for receiving the stopper element stop 11 in the neutral position with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 by a predefined angle in the peripheral direction.

There schematically indicates another side detail view of the partial area of the support 4 and the actuator 7 of the , wherein the stopper 14 and thus the stopper 11 have been moved from the stop position shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the stopper 14 is lifted against gravity parallel to the longitudinal axis 3 in a lifting direction 16 by a predefined value so that the stopper 11 has been brought out of engagement with the housing 15. Thus the actuator 7 can be pivoted in the direction 17 represented on the around the longitudinal axis 3 of the actuation position shown in Figures 1 to 3, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

There schematically shows another detail side view of the partial area of the support 4 and of the actuator 7 according to Figures 2 and 4, in which the actuator 7 has been pivoted into the neutral position. In addition the stopper 14 has been lowered in the direction of gravity on the actuator 7 so that the stopper 11 engages the housing 15'. Thus the actuator 7 is stopped in the neutral position. As described above, the recess 9 is arranged in the neutral position in such a way that it receives, when the actuator 7 is lowered on the forming arms 5, 5′, the forming arm 5, at the level at which a flanging roller 6 is arranged, without the forming arm 5 pivoting by interaction with the actuator 7. As a result, pivoting caused by interaction with the interaction section 8 of the 'actuator 7 of the forming arms 5' is carried out just when lowering the actuator 7 on the forming arms 5, 5' for the realization of the thread in the screw cap but not of a folded edge of a security band or a circlip.

As we further recognize from the , a safety element is provided in the form of an O-ring 12 which prevents unintentional displacement of the stop element 11 from the stop position.

On the , the pivoting movement of the actuator 7 around the longitudinal axis 3 of the predefined pivoting angle 19 from the actuation position indicated by means of the numerical reference 10 in the neutral position is indicated schematically, in which the position or orientation of the recess 9 in the neutral position is indicated with the numerical reference 18.

There schematically shows a bottom view of an actuator 7 according to another embodiment, in which the actuator 7 is in the neutral position so that the interaction section is certainly in engagement with a forming arm 5 ' indicated by means of broken lines so that a thread can be formed in the screw cap, however without the forming arm 5, through which a folded edge could be made for the manufacture of a guarantee band or a circlip on the screw cap. As the actuator 7 is in the neutral position, the recess 9 is arranged seen with respect to the longitudinal axis 3 in the peripheral direction at the height of the actuator 7. The position of the recess 9 in the neutral position is again indicated by means of the numerical reference 10.

On the , another bottom view of the actuator 7 of the is shown schematically, in which the actuator 7 is in the actuating position. The position or the orientation of the recess 9 in the actuating position is indicated in this case with the numerical reference 18. In the actuating position, the actuator 7 is pivoted by the pivot angle 19 around of the longitudinal axis 3. Thus not only the peripheral arm 5 'but also the forming arm 5 come into engagement with the interaction section 8 of the actuator 7 during a lowering of the actuator 7 on the arms of forming 5, 5'. The recess 9 is arranged in the actuating position in such a way that when the actuator 7 is lowered in the direction of the longitudinal axis on the forming arms 5, 5' there is no influence on the positioning of the forming arms 5, 5'.

If necessary, all the individual characteristics which are represented in the embodiment examples can be combined and/or replaced with each other without departing from the scope of the invention.

List of numerical references

1. Device
2. Slider
3. Longitudinal axis
4. Support
5. Forming arm
6. Forming roll
7. actuator
8. Interaction section
9. recess
10. Orientation of recess 9 in neutral position
11. Stop element
12. O-ring
13. Quick change coupling
14. Stopper
15. Accommodation
16. Lifting direction
17. Sense
18. Orientation of recess 9 in actuation position
19. Swivel angle

g Weight

r First ray

R Second ray

Claims (6)

Device (1) for closing a container with a screw cap, preferably for closing a beverage container with a screw cap in a beverage filling plant, comprising a slider (2) for application of a head pressure on a screw cap, a support (4) rotatable with respect to the slider (2) around its longitudinal axis (3), a forming arm (5, 5') arranged so pivoting at the support (4) with a forming roll (6, 6') rotatably accommodated at the forming arm (5, 5') relative to the forming arm (5, 5') for the production of a forming in a side surface of the screw cap, and an actuator (7) slidably arranged at the holder (4) with respect to the forming arm (5, 5') in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) for pivoting the peripheral arm (5, 5') into a forming position,
characterized in that
the actuator (7) is designed to pivot around the longitudinal axis (3) between an actuation position, in which the actuator (7) causes by sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) a pivoting of the forming arm (5, 5'), and a neutral position, in which the actuator (7) is out of engagement with the forming arm (5, 5'). Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (7) has an interaction section (8) for actuating the forming arm (5, 5') during sliding of the actuator (7) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3), in which the interaction section (8) is positioned in the actuating position with respect to the longitudinal axis (3) considered in the direction peripheral to height of the forming arm (5, 5), wherein the interaction section (8) preferably has in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) away from the forming arm (5, 5') a increasing radial extent, and/or the actuator (7) has a recess (9) for receiving the forming arm (5, 5') when the actuator (7) slides in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) in the neutral position. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (4) has a stop element (11) for stopping the actuator (7) in the actuating position or the neutral position, in which the stopper (11) is preferably designed to slide in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3), in which the stopper (11) is preferably held and/or preloaded into a stop position and is movable for detachment of the stopper from the stop position. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the stopper (11) is integrated in a quick-change coupling (13) for coupling the device (1) with a capper for closing containers with a screw cap. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the quick-change coupling (13) has a locking member (14) sliding in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3), preferably comprising a stopper for stopping the quick-change coupling (13) in a coupled position, in which the stopper (11) is arranged at the stopper (14). Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the stop member (14) comprises an annular body and the stop element (11) is produced in the form of a projection at the level of a front side facing towards the actuator (7) of the annular body.