GB2038295A

GB2038295A - Closure cap for containers and method for feeding such caps at high speed along a feed channel

Info

Publication number: GB2038295A
Application number: GB7911801A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-12-28
Filing date: 1979-04-04
Publication date: 1980-07-23
Also published as: DD147230A6; CH644323A5; FR2445295A2; ES483845A2; FR2445295B2; ES245324Y; GB2038295B; NL7906491A; IE791474L; BR7905948A; IE48610B1; BE877960A; JPS5597387A; LU81549A1; SE7906321L; IT1166896B; IT7924729A0; ES245324U; DK312079A

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure cap 2 for containers, such as bottles, and to a method for feeding such closure caps 2 at high speed along a feed channel 14, 17, each cap 2 having two tongue or tab portions 3a, 3b which form between them a V-shaped space in the plane of a rim portion 10 of the cap 2, each tongue or tab portion 3a, 3b having an end portion 13 which is bent upwardly at 13a, 13b and which ensures that the rim portion 10 of the following cap 2 in the channel becomes engaged under the tongue or tab portions 3a, 3b of the preceding cap 2 as they are moved along the feed channel to prevent the caps 2 jamming in the feed channel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Closure cap for containers and method for feeding such caps at high speed along a feed channel This invention relates to a closure cap for a container such as a bottle and to a method for feeding such closure caps at high speed to a station where they are secured to a container.

Before metal closure caps used for closing containers, such as bottles, are crimped onto the neck of the container they are produced by deformation of a blank cut or stamped from a metal strip. Many of the these caps are provided with tongue or tab portions to facilitate opening of the cap by hand. Each cap is either produced in a station which is integrated in a container filling plant, or is pre-fabricated outside of the plant.

In the first case, the cap is received in a suitable orientation at the outlet of the cap producing station and is fed along a passage to the closing station. In the second case, the caps are tipped in a loose state into a device which orients the caps and supplies them to a passage along which they are fed to the closing station.

During the feeding of the caps to the closing station, and also when the caps are introduced into the crimping head, it can happen that the caps become wedged, either by caps siding up onto the preceding caps, or by virtue of defective orientation of a tongue ortab portion on the caps. This results in interruptions in the feed to the crimping head and therefore the operation of closing the containers and in the operation of the bottling plant.

Such interruptions are frequent when each cap has two tongue or tab portions, mainly if they are diametrically opposed.

It is known from French Patent Patent Number 2375136 that it is possible for caps which have two tongue portions to be fed at high speed along a feed channel, even if the caps are produced from a tearable and deformable material such as thin aluminium, provided that the caps are of a particular configuration.

In most cases, the caps are produced with flat tongue or tab portions which are disposed in the plane of a rim portion which borders the bottom of a skirt portion of the cap.

With this arrangement, the portion of the rim portion which extends between the two tongue or tab portions forms, with the inside edges of the two tongue or tab portions, a curvilinear opening which is disposed substantially at a tangent to a circle having a diameter which is equal to the largest diameter of the rim portion of the cap.

In the case of caps which are disposed in line in a feed channel, the above-mentioned opening makes it possible for each cap to engage between the tongue or tab portions of the preceding cap. The caps thus guide each other, forming a regular chain in the feed channel.

Moreover, the outer edges of the tongue portions of each cap are substantially parallel with each other and spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to the diameter of the rim portion and preferably, slightly greater than said diameter.

Now, in order to reduce friction against the side walls of the channels, while also reducing the dangers of the caps becoming jammed when the channel is curved in a horizontal plane, it has been found that it was advantageous to have tongue portions whose outer edges are very slightly divergent towards their ends. The angle which the two outer edges make between them is generally in the order of 10 . Thus, at the position of the tongue portions, there is theoretically no contact between the cap and the side wall of the channel, except at a point on each side of the cap, which point is substantially at the outer end of each tongue or tab portion. The theoretical clearance between the cap and the side edges of the channels is greater at a position in line with the cover portion of the cap, than at a position in line with the ends of the tongue portions.

In a channel in which the caps with flat tongue or tab portions are disposed in line, each cap theoretically bears by way of its skirt portion against the inside edges of the tongue portions of the preceding cap. They retain their initial orientation during their movement.

However, if the tongue portions are strictly in the plane of the rim portion of the cap, the rim portion of the following cap can equally well become engaged above instead of below the tongue or tab portions of the preceding cap. When the rim portion engages below the tongue or tab portions, the positioning is as desired. In the opposite case, in which the rim portion engages above the tongue or tab portions, the following cap can bear, by way of the front of its rim portion, against the skirt portion of the preceding cap, between the two tongue or tab portions.

It is then possible to have caps which are at different levels in the channel, some caps resting completely on the bottom of the channel while the other caps are in an inclined position, for example with the front resting on the bottom of the channel and with the rear resting by way of its tongue portions on the rim portion of the following cap, while yet other caps may be slightly raised, with their front resting on the tongue portions of the preceding cap and with their rear resting on the rim portion of the following cap. The difference in level between such caps corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the caps.

Now, if the feed channel is curved in a vertical plane, if for example, it must include a vertical portion followed by a horizontal portion, or viceversa, it is important for all the caps to be strictly at the same level, so that there is no possibility of the caps jamming each other up. Such jamming, in a curve in a vertical plane, further increases the apparent difference in thickness of the caps in the feed channel. This problem can be alleviated by inclining the tongue portions downwardly. This solution makes it necessary to provide a channel whose bottom has a central rib and two grooves on each side of the rib, as shown in the French patent referred to above.

According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided a method for feeding caps at high speed along a channel, each cap having a body portion, a rim portion and two tongue or tab portions forming a V-shaped space in the plane of the rim portion, the outer side edges of the tongue ortab portions being spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to the largest diameter of the cap, said method comprising displacing each cap with its two tongue portions to the rear and substantially parallel to their axis of symmetry and transversely guiding each cap by contact between the outer side edges of its tongue or tab portions with the side walls of the channel, the distance between said walls being substantially equal, apart from a clearance, to the distance between the outer side edges of said tongue or tab portions, said caps being positioned longitudinally with respect to each other by having the front part of their skirt portion abutting against the facing edges of the V-shaped space formed by the two tongue portions of the preceding cap, the end of each tongue or tab portion being folded upwardly, said fold on each tongue or tab portion causing each rim portion to be engaged under the tongues or tabs of the preceding cap. In this way all the caps are in a position in which they are slightly inclined forwardly.

In order to guide the caps more certainly in the twisting paths comprising vertical portions or curves in several planes, closed channels are used, which have a cross-section equal to that ofthe caps except for the clearance required.

In each cap the distance between the most remote portions of the outer side edges of the two tongue portions is at least equal to the largest diameter of the skirt portion. In the case of tongue portions whose opposite edges diverge towards the ends, this distance is even slightly greater than the diameter of the rim portion. In order to improve the guiding of the caps, it will be advantageous to use channels of non-rectangular cross-section but whose cross-section is in the shape of an inverted T with short wings. These are, as it were, channels of rectangular cross-section, in which grooves have been formed at the bottom of each of the side walls.

The width of the channel at its base at the level of the grooves is equal, apart from the necessary clearance, to the largest width of the caps. At the upper part, the width L is somewhat greater than the diameter of the skirt portion of the caps. Thus, the opposite edges of the tongue portions engage in the grooves, while the skirt portion is guided by the upper part of the channel.

According to the present invention in another aspect there is provided a closure cap for a container comprising a body portion having a rim and two tongue or tab portions forming between them a substantially V-shaped space and disposed in the plane of the rim portion, the inside edges of the two tongue ortab portions forming, with the edge of the rim portion in the space between the two tongue portions, a curvilinear opening which is substantially at a tangent to a circle having a diameter equal to the diameter of the rim portion, the ends of the two tongue ortab portions being curved upwardly along two symmetrical folds.

An embodiment of the method and an embodi ment of the cap will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure lisa plan view from above of the cap, Figure2 is a longitudinally section of the same cap, Figure 3 shows an elevational view of the same cap after it has been placed in position and crimped on a bottle neck, Figure 4 is a plan view of a conveying channel in which caps are arranged in line, Figure 5 is a view in section through a vertical transverse plane of the same channel, the channel illustrated here being a closed channel, and Figure 6 is a view in section of the channel through a vertical axial plane.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a cap 2, which is preferably formed of metal, such as thin aluminium. The cap 2 comprises two tear-off tongue or tab portions 3a and 3b forming a V-shaped arrangement, the tongue portions 3a and 3b being disposed symmetrically with respect to a central plane Pofthe cap2.

Perforations 7 are provided at the ends of the tongue or tab portions 3a and 3b. The cap 2 comprises also a top portion 8, a skirt portion 9 which is flared outwardly at 9a and which terminates in a rim portion 10. The tongue or tab portions 3a and 3b are disposed substantially in the plane of the rim portion 10.

The tongue or tab portions 3a and 3b are curved upwardly at their ends, along two symmetrical folds 13a and 13b to form upwardly curved portions 13.

It will be seen from Figures 4 and 6 that the portions 13 allow the front of each rim portion 10to become engaged under the rear of the tongue portions 3a and 3b of the preceding cap 2. The caps 2 either rest flat on the bottom 14 of the channel or, as shown in Figure 6, are slightly inclined in a forward direction. The front of the rim portions 10 rests on the bottom 14 of the channel, while the rear of the tongue portions 3a and 3b either rests on the same channel bottom 14 or on the rim portion 10 of the following cap 2, this occurring when the caps 2 are pushed against each other, for example in an inclined part of the channel. It is not possible for a cap 2 to be jammed up by being caught between the preceding cap 2 and the following cap 2. This is particularly important in parts of the channel which are curved, where a cap 2 could be markedly raised with respect to the two caps 2 which are disposed on respective sides thereof, the different caps being disposed along the chords of the curved part of the channel.

The cap 2 shown herein is made of a sheet of aluminium which is 0.16 mm in thickness. The height of the cover portion of the cap is 7 mm, while the diameter D of the rim portion 10 is 30 mm. The distance H corresponding to the maximum width of the tongue portions 3a and 3b at the rear thereof is 33 mm, while the height h of the portions 13 folds 13a and 1 3b is of the order of 2 mm. The height fof the channel is 8 mm.

It will be noted that the outer edges 15a and 1 sub of the tongue portions 3a and 3b are not precisely parallel but divergent slightly towards the rear. This reduces the friction of the tongue portions 3a and 3b against the side walls 1 2a and 1 2b of the channel.

Two grooves 16a and 1 6b are provided at the bottom of the two side walls 12a and 12b and the ends of the opposite edges of the tongue portions engage in the grooves 16a and 16b, as shown in Figure 5. These grooves 16a and 16b provide for perfect guiding of the caps 2, even in the vertical parts of the channel.

Thus, the width Loathe lower part of the channel at the level of the grooves 16a and 16b is equal, apart from a clearance, to the maximum distance H between the opposite edges of the tongue portions 3a and 3b, while the width of the upper part of the channel is slightly reduced, while however remain ing greater than the diameter D of the skirt portions 9 of the caps.

As will be readily understood, when studying Figure 5 or Figure 6, to assure that the front of a rim portion 10 cannot under any circumstances engage above the rear of the tongue portions 3a and 3b of the preceding cap, the folds 13a and 13b are provided with a height h greater than the vertical clearance e of the cap 2 in its channel, that is to say h > e.

Thus, even if the cover portion of the second cap is laid against the roof 17 of the channel, the front of its rim portion 10 remains engaged below the upper part of the folds 13a and 13b.

Claims

1. A closure cap for a container comprising a body portion having a rim and two tongue or tab portions forming between them a substantially V-shaped space and disposed in the plane of the rim portion, the inside edges of the two tongue or tab portions forming, with the edge of the rim portion in the space between the two tongue portions, a curvilinear opening which is substantially at a tan gent to a circle having a diameter equal to the diameter of the rim portion, the ends of the two tongue or tab portions being curved upwardly along two symmetrical folds.

2. A cap as claimed in claim 1, in which the outer side edges of the two tongue or tab portions diverge rearwardly.

3. A cap as claimed in claim 2, in which the outer side edges form between them an angle in the region of 10 .

4. A cap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the height of the folds is greater than the vertical clearance of the cap in its channel.

5. A method for feeding caps at high speed along a channel, each cap having a body portion, a rim portion and two tongue or tab portions forming a V-shaped space in the plane of the rim portion, the outer side edges of the tongue or tab portions being spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to the largest diameter of the cap, said method comprising displacing each cap with its two tongue portions to the rear and substantially parallel to their axis of symmetry and transversely guiding each cap by contact between the outer side edges of its tongue or tab portions with the side walls of the channel, the distance between said walls being substantially equal, apart from a clearance, to the distance, between the outer side edges of said tongue or tab portions, said caps being positioned longitudinally with respect to each other by having the front part of their skirt portion abutting against the facing edges of the V-shaped space formed by the two tongue portions of the preceding cap, the end of each tongue or tab portion being folded upwardly, said fold on each tongue or tab portion causing each rim portion to be engaged under the tongues or tabs of the preceding cap.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, in which grooves are provided in the bottom of the side walls of the channel, said tongue or tab portions engaging in said grooves.

7. The method claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, in which the channel is closed and the folds of the tongue or tab portions have a height greater than the vertical clearance of the tongue portions in their channel.

8. A method for feeding caps a high speed along a channel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A closure cap for a container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.