GB2332195A

GB2332195A - Quick change coupling for a closuring head

Info

Publication number: GB2332195A
Application number: GB9826885A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl-Ekkehard Stauder; Markus Commandeur
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1997-12-15
Filing date: 1998-12-07
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-07
Also published as: FR2772362B1; GB9826885D0; FR2772362A1; GB2332195B; DE19755727C1

Abstract

A quick change bayonet coupling for a closuring head 13 on a container handling station includes at least one retaining cam 16 on the coupling end of the closuring head, which engages in a recess 32 on a receiving element 30. The coupling may also include a spring 25 and a sleeve 20 with a catch element 23 that ensures correct angular fixing of the closuring head, the sleeve being joined to the closuring head in a torsionally rigid and axially displaceable manner. The closuring head may include a stop element 28 to limit the axial displacement of the sleeve. The container handling station may have an extension portion 35 which projects into the closuring head as a guide aid.

Description

2332195 1 - Quick-change device for a format head on a container handling

station

The invention concerns a quick-change device for a format head on a container handling station, particularly a container closing device, according to the pre-charactenzing clause of Claim 1, such as that known from, for example, DE 16 07 944 Al. In the case of the known device, the format head has a connection piece on which there is fashioned an external screw thread. The connection piece can be screwed into the receiver of a screw head which is fashioned with an internal screw thread. Also provided on the format head are recesses for a wrench, by means of which the format head can be secured to the screw head in a torsionally ngid manner.

Such a device has the disadvantage that the replacement of a format head requires an additional tool in order both to unfasten the existing format head from the screw head and to secure the new format head to the screw head in a torsionally rigid manner. In addition, the format head must be inserted in the receiver with a certain amount of care so that there is no tilting and thus no damage to the thread.

For this reason, there is generally known in other applications the practice of using so-called bayonet fixings, which simplify the joining of two parts. However, in order for the parts to be joined together in a torsionally secure manner, as is necessary in the transrfflssion of torques in the case of a screw head, for example, bayonet type fixings have thread-like ramps which assure the mutual torsional security of the parts. Thus, even with this design, a certain tightening moment is required in order for the parts to be coupled together in a torsionally secure manner.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to design a quick-change device for a format head on a container handling station which can be manually operated without the use of an additional tool, is easy to manipulate and assures a 2 secure fastening of the format head in the station. This object is achieved with the characterizing features of Claim 1.

Further advantages and advantageous developments of the quickchange device according to the invention are disclosed by the sub-claims and the description.

An embodiment example of the invention is described more fully below with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows, in longitudinal section along a line 1-1 of Figure 3 and partly in side view, a part of a screw head for the closing of containers, Figure 2 shows a simplified top View of a format head, Figure 33 shows a section in the plane 111-111 of Figure 1 and Figure 4 shows a section in the plane W-W of Figure 2.

The screw head 10 of a container closing machine depicted in Figure 1 has a spindle head 11 and an exchangeable format head 12 which is joined to the spindle head 11. The format head 12 is fashioned in its upper region essentially in the form of a sleeve and at its lower end carries a format gripper 13, depicted in schematic form only, which is matched to the particular format of the container closure.

At its upper end, the format head 12 has two retaining cams 16 (Figures 2 3 )), extending outwardly in the form of a flange and offset by 180 degrees, of which only one retaining cam 16 is visible in Figure 1. Fashioned on the outer wall of the format head 12, below the retaining cams 16, is a recess 18 which is rectangular in longitudinal section.

The central region of the format head 12 is encompassed by an arresting sleeve 20. In its upper portion, the arresting sleeve 20 has a section 21 in which a feather key 19 is disposed in a corresponding longitudinal groove. The feather key 19 serves as a torsion lock between the arresting sleeve and the format head 12. At the same time, however, the longitudinal groove for the feather key 19 is elongated to the extent that the arresting sleeve 20 is capable of longitudinal 3 displacement on the format head 12. Also fashioned in the section 2 1 are two diametrically opposing stop cams 22 and two raised, likewise diametrically Opposing catch cams 23.

Bearing on the inner wall of the arresting sleeve 20 is a compression sp d against ring 25 which is supported both against the lower side of the section 21 an a shoulder 26 fashioned on the format head 12. The compression spring 25 applies its spring force to the arresting sleeve 20 towards the retaining cams 16 of the format head 12. In order to locate the arresting sleeve 20 in its position relative to the format head 12, the format head 12 is offset relative to the arresting sleeve 20 by an angle a of approximately 7.5 degrees (Figure 2), so that the retaining cams 16 and the stop cams 22 partially overlap one another. The retaining cams 16 thus form a stop for the stop cams 22 and, consequently, for the arresting sleeve 20 (Figure 4).

Disposed below the arresting sleeve 20, in a groove of the format head 12, is a circumferential stop ring 28 which limits the longitudinal displacement capability of the arresting sleeve 20 in the direction of the format gripper 13. The format head 12 and the arresting sleeve 20 act in combination with an exchangeable format retaining plate 30 disposed at the lower end of the spindle head 11.

The format retaining plate 30 has a first, narrowed section 31 facing towards the format head 12 and a second, widened section 32 facing away from the format head 12. The first section 3 1 has on its inner wall a recess 353, the contour of which is matched to the shape of the facing side of the format head 12 with its two retaining cams 16, i.e., the corresponding side of the format head 12 can be inserted in the recess 333. The second section -332, by contrast, has such a contour that the format head 12 with the retaining cams 16 is freely rotatable by a certain angle and then strikes against two stops 34 disposed in the section 3) 2.

The design of the format head 12 and of the format retaining plate 30 described thus far is directed towards the correct angular aligirrient and fixing of the axial position of the format head 12 in relation to the spindle head 11. For the - 4 purpose of locating the format head 12 in its honzontal position, the lower side of the spindle head 11 which faces towards the format head 12 is fashioned with a centring pin 35.

The centring pin 35, one end of which projects into the spindle head 11, has a horizontally circumferential web 36 which serves for mounting of the format retaining plate 30. Also fashioned in its interior is a multiply graduated bore 37 which can be connected to a negative pressure source, not depicted. The external diameter of the centring pin 35 which projects approximately half way into the format head 12 is matched to the internal diameter of the format head 12. A sealing ring 338 is disposed at the lower end of the centring pin 335, in an annular groove fashioned on the outer diameter.

The replacement of a format head 12 on the spindle head 11 is effected as follows. To mount the format head 12, the latter is placed on the centring pin 35 and guided towards the format retaining plate 30. When it reaches the latter, the format head 12 is rotated until the retaining cams 16 can be inserted in the recess 33 of the first section 3 1. In this position, the format head 12 is inserted further towards the spindle head 11, until inserted in the second section -3 32 of the format retaining plate 30, the arresfing sleeve 20 being moved., against the spnng force of the compression spnng 25, towards its stop ring 28. In the position in which the retaining cams 16 bear on the lower side of the web 36 of the centring pin 35, the retaining cams are completely located in the region of the second section 32 of the format retaining plate 30. The format head 12 is then rotated (by approximately 90 degrees) until the retaining cams 16 strike against the stops 34 disposed in the second section 32. In this position, the catch cams 23 also come into the region of the recess -3.3 of the first section 3 1. As a result, the catch cams 23 enter the recess 33 due to the spnng force of the compression spnng 25. The catch cams 23 thus prevent reverse rotation of the format head 12 on the spindle head 11, i.e., the format head 12 is secured in its angular position in the spindle head 11.

The removal of a format head 12 from the spindle head 11 is effected analogously in the reverse sequence. Following drawing of the arresting sleeve 20 towards the stop ring 28 so that the catch cams 23 come out of the recess 33, the format head 12 can be rotated until the two retaining cams 16 can be brought into coincidence with the contour of the recess 33 of the format retaining plate 30. In this position, the format head 12 can be withdrawn out of the format retaining plate 30 and out of the centring pin 35.

6

Claims

1. Quick-change device for a format head (12) on a container handling station (10), in which a socket-type end of the format head (12) engages in a receiving element (30) of an actuating device (11) of the container handling station (10), where it is positively retained, charactenzed in that the socket- type end of the format head (12) has at least one cam-type retaining element (16), that the receiving element (30) has a recess (3)')) corresponding to the at least one retaining element ( 16) and a widened region (32), axially offset from it towards the actuating device (11), so that the at least one retaining element (16) and the receiving element (30), and the widened region (32), form a bayonet-type fixing, and that an additional device (20) is provided for the correct angular fixing of the format head (12) in the receiving element (30).

2. Quick-change device according to Claim 1, charactenzed in that the additional device (20) is disposed on the format head (12).

3. Quick-change device according to Claim 2, charactenzed in that the additional device is fashioned as a sleeve-type element (20) which concentrically encompasses the format head (12) on the side facing towards the receiving element (370), that the sleeve-type element (2) is subjected to the spnng force of a spnng (25) towards the at least one cam-type retaining element (16), that the sleeve- type element (20) is joined to the format head (12) in a torsionally ngid and axially displaceable manner and that on the sleeve-type element (20) there is provided at least one catch element (23) which acts together with the receiving element (30).

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4. QUIck-change device according to Clann 3, characterized In that on the format head (12) there is disposed a stop element (28) to limit the axial displacement course of the sleeve-type element (20) on the format head ( 12).

5. Quick-change device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on the container handling station (10) there is fashioned an extension (35), as a guide aid, which projects into the format head (12) and simultaneously locates the latter in its horizontal position.

6. A quick-change device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.