JP2001031132A - Cap seal assembly and method for handling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cap seal assembly which can be set on an existing cap seal attaching apparatus so that cap seals can be surely prevented from being deformed and in which the cap seals can be pulled out one by one, and provide a method for handling the assembly. SOLUTION: The cap seal assembly comprises a cap seal group 2 wherein a large number of cap seals 10 each with a top plate are stacked and a seal keeper 3 fitted in an end of the group 2. The entire length of the keeper 3 is set longer than that of the seals 10. When the cap seal assembly 1 is set, as is, on an attaching apparatus to attach the cap seal to a mouth part of a container by successively pulling out the seals 10, the keeper 3 is handled in the same manner as the seals 10, and by detecting that the entire length of the keeper 3 is longer than that of the seals 10, the keeper 3 is automatically removed from a feed system of the cap seals.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap seal assembly having a group of cap seals stacked so that a plurality of preformed cap seals with a top plate are fitted to each other, and a method of handling the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cap seal attached to the mouth of a container such as a milk bottle or a vial barrel is designed to prevent dust and the like from entering the mouth of the container and to be designed. For this purpose, there is a cap seal with a top plate in which one end side of a cylindrical main body made of a shrink film is closed by a top plate. As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), such a cap seal with a top plate is preformed so that one end has a small diameter portion 51 and the other end has a large diameter portion 52. In general, the top plate 53 is supplied in a state where the top plate 53 is fixed to the end, and the cap seal 50 with the top plate thus preformed is fitted into each other as shown in FIG. Are transported (transported) as a cap seal group CG stacked as described above, and set in a cap seal mounting device.

[0003] In such a cap seal mounting device with a top plate, there is provided a extracting means for extracting the cap seals 50 one by one from the set cap seal group CG, and a cap seal 50 extracted by the extracting means for milk. A shooter is provided for guiding a container such as a bottle or a vial barrel to a mounting position where the container is conveyed. The cap seal 50 extracted by the extracting means and supplied to the shooter is conveyed to the mounting position through the shooter and mounted. It is adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the container at the position.

A set of cap seals CG to be set
Depending on the fitting state of the cap seals 50, the cap seals 50 may be pulled out at a time in a fitted state. In such a mounting device, the total length of the cap seals 50 is measured at the stage of pulling out from the cap seal group CG. If the total length of the cap seal 50 measured by the measuring means is longer than the entire length of a single cap seal 50, it is determined that a plurality of cap seals 50 have been removed at one time. Is discharged without being supplied to the shooter.

In the above-described cap seal 50 with a preformed top plate, the large-diameter portion 52 to which the top plate 53 is not fixed is easily deformed. Fig. 7
As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a seal keeper 60 made of a plastic material or the like having a certain thickness and having a small-diameter fitting portion 61 at one end is provided with a cap seal group CG as shown in FIG. The shape of the cap seal 52 is maintained by fitting it into the large diameter portion 52 of the cap seal 50 located at the other end of the cap seal 50.

For this reason, an operator who sets the cap seal group CG on the mounting device needs to put the seal keeper 60 fitted into the large diameter portion 52 of the cap seal 50 located at the other end of the cap seal group CG each time. It is necessary to set only the cap seal group CG in the mounting device while removing the cap seal group, and there is a problem that the setting operation of the cap seal group CG is complicated.

Further, when the worker removes the seal keeper 60, the large-diameter portion 52 of the cap seal 50 into which the seal keeper 60 is fitted may be deformed.
Cap seal group CG while removing seal keeper 60
Was set on the mounting device, the cap seal 5
There is also a problem that the deformation of 0 cannot be reliably prevented.

When sequentially removing the cap seals 50 from the cap seal group CG set in the mounting device, the large-diameter portion 52 of the cap seal 50 located in front of the cap seal 50 to be removed is gripped. Generally, the cap seal 50 is used.
When the number of pieces becomes smaller, the shape retention of the gripping portion is reduced, so that it is not possible to securely grip, and there is also a problem that it is impossible to reliably pull out from the first cap seal to the last cap seal. .

In order to solve such a problem with respect to the operation of removing the cap seals 50, when a certain number of the cap seals 50 are removed from the already set cap seals CG, the cap seals CG are removed from the cap seals CG. By inserting a new cap seal group CG into the large-diameter portion 52 of the cap seal 50 that is finally extracted, the cap seal 50 at the time of extraction is inserted.
The shape retention of the cap seals 50 is always kept constant. However, if such a method is adopted, the fitting depth between the cap seals 50 increases due to the pushing force when the new cap seal group CG is fitted. And a plurality of cap seals 50
A new problem arises in that the frequency of extraction of all at once increases.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to prevent deformation of the cap seal by setting the cap keeper on an existing cap seal mounting device without removing the seal keeper. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cap seal assembly capable of reliably extracting one cap seal at a time and a method of handling the same.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is preformed so that one end has a smaller diameter than the other end, and a top plate is fixed to one end of the small diameter. A plurality of cap seals are stacked while being fitted with each other, and a seal keeper having a fitting portion fitted into a large-diameter portion of the cap seal located at the other end of the cap seal group. In the cap seal assembly, the seal keeper is
The overall length was set to be longer than the overall length of the cap seal.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the cap seal assembly is supplied while sequentially removing the cap seal from the cap seal assembly, the seal keeper is connected to the cap keeper in the same manner as the cap seal. By detecting that the total length of the seal keeper is longer than the total length of the cap seal, the seal keeper can be removed from the supply system of the cap seal. Instead, it can be set on an existing mounting device.

Thus, the setting operation of the cap seal group can be performed more easily, and the deformation of the cap seal that occurs when the seal keeper is removed can be reliably prevented.

Further, since the seal keeper is fitted, a certain degree of shape retention is ensured over the entire length of the set cap seal group, so that the cap seal before the cap seal to be removed is securely held. And it is possible to reliably extract from the first cap seal to the last cap seal.

Further, as in the cap seal assembly according to the second aspect, the fitting portion of the seal keeper is provided with a holding surface capable of suction holding corresponding to the top plate of the cap seal. As described in claim 4, from the cap seal assembly, when supplying while sequentially pulling out the cap seal by sucking and holding the top plate portion, by sucking and holding the holding surface, the seal keeper The seal keeper can be removed from the supply system of the cap seal by handling the same as the cap seal and detecting that the total length of the seal keeper is longer than the total length of the cap seal.

[0016]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the cap seal assembly 1 includes a cap seal group 2 in which a number of preformed cap seals 10 with a top plate are stacked.
And the seal keeper 3 fitted to the other end of the cap seal group 2. The cap seal 10 is conveyed (transported) in such a state, and the cap keeper 3 is moved as it is (the seal keeper 3 is removed). (In a state of being fitted into the cap seal).

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a), the cap seal 10 is a pre-shaped tapered shrink film having a circumferential recess 11a and having a thickness of about 40 to 70 μm. A cylindrical main body 11 made of a material having a thickness of 100 to close an open end on the small diameter side of the main body 11.
And a circular top plate 13 made of a plastic sheet having a thickness of about 300 μm.
When the preform 1 is preformed, it is fused to the inner surface of the inner flange portion 12 that protrudes inward from the opening end on the small diameter side.

A large number of preformed cap seals 10 are sequentially fitted with one end (small diameter side) of one cap seal 10 to the other end (large diameter side) of the next cap seal 10. Thus, a cap seal group 2 in which a large number of cap seals 10 are stacked as shown in FIG.

The seal keeper 3 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 3B, a cylindrical main body 21 fitted into the other end side (large diameter side) of the cap seal 10.
And a closing plate 22 for closing the opening on one end side of the main body 21 is a plastic molded body having a thickness of about 1 mm, which has a certain degree of shape retention.

The main body 21 has a tapered fitting portion 2 whose one end is fitted into the main body 11 of the cap seal 10.
1a and a cylindrical extending portion 21b connected to the fitting portion 21a. As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the entire length of the main body 21, that is, a seal is provided. The total length of the keeper 3 is ΔL with respect to the total length of the cap seal 10.
(About 1 cm).

As described above, the seal keeper 3 is fitted into the cap seal 10 located at the other end of the cap seal group 2 to form the other end (open end side) of the cap seal group 2. Is held, and the deformation of the cap seal 10 during the transportation (transport) is prevented.

The handling after the cap seal assembly 1 configured as described above is set in the cap seal mounting device will be described below. As shown in FIG. 4, the cap seal mounting device includes a holding unit 31 for housing and holding the cap seal assembly 1,
Drawing means 32 for pulling out the single cap seal 10 from the cap seal assembly 1 housed and held at the extraction position X, and an illustration for measuring the total length of the cap seal 10 drawn from the cap seal assembly 1 by the extracting means 32 A curved shooter 33 that conveys the cap seal 10 extracted from the cap seal assembly 1 by the extracting means 32 to the mounting position Y,
It is provided with container transport means (not shown) for sequentially transporting the container B to the mounting position Y, and fitting means 34 for inserting the cap seal 10 into the mouth of the container B at the mounting position Y.

The holding means 31 comprises an inclined cylindrical holder 31a for accommodating the cap seal assembly 1, and the cap seal assembly 1 accommodated in the holder 31a.
31 that always positions one end of the member at the extraction position X
b and a holding mechanism (not shown) for holding the cap seal assembly 1 positioned by the stopper 31b at that position. After the cap seal assembly 1 is held by the holding mechanism, the stopper 31b is used. The positioning state is released.

4 and 5 (a).
, A suction head 32a which moves forward and backward with respect to the extraction position X, and a clamp member 32b which grips the cap seal 10 located immediately before the cap seal 10 to be extracted, are provided. As shown in FIG. 1A, the top plate 13 of the cap seal 10 located at one end (lower end) of the cap seal assembly 1 held in the holder 31a by the advancing of the suction head 32a. At the same time as holding the portion by suction, after the clamp member 32b grips the cap seal 10 located immediately before the portion, as shown in FIG.
Is retracted, so that the cap seal 10 is withdrawn from the cap seal assembly 1.
The cap seal 10 thus extracted is
Is moved to the supply port of the chute 33, the suction by the suction head 32a is released, and the chute 33 is supplied to the chute 33.

The fitting means 34 is, as shown in FIG.
A suction head 34a that moves up and down at the mounting position Y is provided. The suction head 34a sucks and holds the top plate 13 of the cap seal 10 that has been transported to the mounting position Y through the chute 33, and then descends. As shown by a dashed line in the figure, the cap seal 10 is inserted into the mouth portion of the container B conveyed immediately below. When the cap seal 10 is inserted into the mouth of the container B, the suction head 34
“a” releases its suction and rises to its original position.

Further, in this mounting device, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the cap seal 10 is extracted from the cap seal assembly 1 by the extracting means 32, the total length L _{1 of the} cap seal 10 is immediately measured by the measuring means. Is measured, and when the measurement result and the preset total length of the cap seal 10 are the same length, the extracted cap seal 10 is supplied to the shooter 33 as described above.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Depending on factors, multiple cap seals 10 fit together
At the same time, the
Total length L of the number of cap seals 10_TwoIs a single capsi
Is always longer than the entire length of the
Therefore, the total length L of the plurality of cap seals 10 measured _Two
And the predetermined total length of the single cap seal 10
By comparison, a plurality of cap seals 10 can be simultaneously pulled out.
Can be determined, and in that case,
This is discharged without being supplied to the computer 33.

In this manner, the cap seal assembly 1
When the cap seal 10 is sequentially pulled out from the container B and inserted into the mouth of the container B, the seal keeper 3 is finally left in the holder 31a, but as shown in FIG. Similarly to the case of the cap seal 10, the seal keeper 3 is pulled out of the holder 31a by the suction head 32a sucking and holding the outer surface (holding surface) of the closing plate 22.
Seal keeper 3 withdrawn from the holder 31a, as described above, because the total length L _n is longer by [Delta] L (about 1 cm) than the length of the cap seal 10, fitting a plurality of cap seal 10 to each other It is handled in the same manner as when it is extracted in the combined state, and is discharged without being supplied to the shooter 33.

As described above, in the cap seal assembly 1, the total length of the seal keeper 3 fitted into the cap seal group 2 in order to maintain the shape is longer than the total length of the cap seal 10. Even if the cap keeper 3 is set in the cap seal mounting device while being fitted in the seal group 2, the seal keeper 3 is removed in the same manner as when the cap keeper 3 is pulled out with the cap seals 10 fitted together. Can be automatically excluded from the supply system.

Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to remove the seal keeper from the cap seal group when setting the same on the mounting device, as in the related art. The deformation of the cap seal, which may occur when a person removes the seal keeper, can also be reliably prevented.

Further, since the seal keeper 3 is set in the mounting device in a state of being fitted into the cap seal group 2, it is compared with a case where only the cap seal group 2 is set with the seal keeper 3 removed. The cap seal 10 located on the other end side of the cap seal group 2 also has a certain degree of shape retention. Therefore, the cap seal 10 in front of the cap seal 10 to be extracted can always be reliably held by the clamp member 32b during the period from the start of the extraction of the set cap seal group 2 to the end of the extraction. All cap seals 10 from one end to the other end of the group 2 can be reliably removed one by one.

In the above-described embodiment, the suction head 32a suction-holds the top plate 13 of the preformed cap seal 10 with the top plate so that the cap seal 10 is removed from the cap seal group 2. In order to cope with the configured mounting device, a configuration is adopted in which the sealing keeper 3 is provided with a closing plate 22 that can be suction-held by the suction head 32a.
By gripping the tip portion of the cap seal 10 to which the
In the mounting device configured to extract 0, it is not always necessary to provide the closing plate 22, and a completely cylindrical seal keeper may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, the seal keeper 3 having substantially the same shape as the preformed cap seal 10 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The shape of the cap seal group can be held in the inserted state, and various shapes can be adopted as long as the entire length is longer than the entire length of the cap seal.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the difference ΔL between the total length of the seal keeper 3 and the total length of the cap seal 10 is set to about 1 cm. However, the ΔL is not limited to 1 cm, and is not limited to 1 cm. It is desirable to set the length to a minimum length in consideration of measurement accuracy.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case of the cap seal 10 in which the circular top plate 13 is fixed to the main body 11 preformed in a cylindrical shape has been described. However, the cap seal is limited to such. Instead, an elliptical or polygonal top plate may be fixed to a main body preformed in an elliptical or polygonal cylindrical shape.

The top plate 11 is not limited to the plastic sheet as described above, but can be formed of various materials such as a paper plate or an aluminum foil. Top plate 1 on the outer surface of 12
It is also possible to fix 1.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a cap seal assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a cap seal forming the same cap seal assembly, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a seal keeper forming the same cap seal assembly.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view showing a cap seal according to the first embodiment;
(B) is sectional drawing which shows the seal keeper same as the above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a cap seal mounting device.

FIGS. 5A to 5D are explanatory views for explaining handling when the cap seal assembly is set in the mounting device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing a preformed cap seal with a top plate, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing the same cap seal.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view showing a conventional seal keeper,
(B) is sectional drawing which shows the seal keeper same as the above.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a conventional cap seal assembly.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cap seal assembly 2 cap seal group 3 seal keeper 10 cap seal 11 main body part 12 inner flange part 13 top plate 21 main body part 21 a insertion part 21 b extension part 22 closing plate 31 holding means 32 extraction means 33 shooter 34 insertion means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3E066 AA44 BA01 CA01 HA01 LA01 MA09 NA48 3E080 AA11 CE11 CE15 DD01 3E084 AA12 AB01 BA02 BA05 BA08 CA01 CC02 CC03 CC07 DA01 DB11 FA09 FD09 GA08 HA01 HB01 HD01 KA15

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cap seal group formed by stacking a plurality of cap seals which are preformed so that one end side has a smaller diameter than the other end side, and a top plate is fixed to one end side of the small diameter while being fitted to each other. And a seal keeper having a fitting portion fitted on the large-diameter side of the cap seal located at the other end of the cap seal group, wherein the total length of the seal keeper is equal to that of the cap seal. A cap seal assembly characterized by being set longer than the entire length. 2. The seal keeper, wherein:
2. The cap seal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a holding surface capable of holding by suction corresponding to the top plate of the cap seal. 3. 3. When the cap seal is sequentially extracted from the cap seal assembly according to claim 1 and supplied, the seal keeper is handled in the same manner as the cap seal, and the total length of the seal keeper is the cap seal. A method of handling a cap seal assembly wherein a point longer than the total length of the cap seal is detected to exclude the seal keeper from the supply system of the cap seal. 4. When the cap seal assembly according to claim 2 is supplied while sequentially pulling out the cap seal by sucking and holding the top plate portion, the holding surface is sucked and held, whereby the seal is held. A cap seal assembly in which the keeper is handled in the same manner as the cap seal, and the seal keeper is removed from the supply system of the cap seal by detecting that the total length of the seal keeper is longer than the total length of the cap seal. How to handle.