JP7153914B2 - Retightening device and method - Google Patents

Description

According to the present invention, a pump cap that discharges a predetermined amount of a filling liquid from a discharge nozzle formed in the presser lid by pushing down a presser lid disposed on a cap body is directed in a predetermined direction with respect to the container. The present invention relates to a retightening device for completing retightening of the opening of the container in a closed state, and a retightening method thereof.

Conventionally, there has been used a pump-type discharge container that sucks up and discharges a liquid such as shampoo, hair conditioner, liquid soap, etc., filled in the container by pumping by pushing down a presser lid on which the discharge nozzle is formed. .

Such a pump-type discharge container is in a state in which the press lid is forcibly locked at the lower limit position at the time of distribution and sale before the consumer starts using it (in the specification of the present invention, it is convenient to use (generally referred to as a lock type pump cap), and a state in which the presser lid is positioned at the upper limit position and a stopper is interposed between the presser lid and the cap body to prevent the lowering of the presser lid (this In the specification of the invention, etc., it is referred to as a non-locking pump cap for the sake of convenience.) However, in any type of pump-type discharge container, the pump cap is provided with a discharge nozzle attached to its pressing lid. It is distributed and sold in a state of being seamed around the mouth of the container body so as to face in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body.

Therefore, the seaming device for seaming the pump cap to the container body is also in a state in which the discharge nozzle is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body so as to omit the process and device for adjusting the direction of the discharge nozzle after the seaming process. It is required to complete seaming in such a manner as to be, and various seaming devices for that purpose have been developed.

For example, the conventional device described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of opening and closing clamp fingers that clamp a pressing lid so as to hold the orientation direction of the discharge nozzle in a predetermined direction, and a cap body that rotates to rotate the mouth of the container body. Elastic contact rollers are provided at a plurality of positions (four locations (four rollers)) on the outer periphery of the cap body so as to be screwed and tightened.

Then, when the discharge container is transported to a predetermined position of the retightening device in a state in which the cap body with the discharge nozzle directed in a predetermined direction temporarily covers the mouth of the container body into which the filling liquid has been injected in the previous step. The push lid is held from the sides by clamp fingers, the cap body is held in a posture in which the discharge nozzle is oriented in a predetermined direction, and then a plurality of elastic rollers are pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the cap body and rotated. As a result, the cap body is rotated and tightened around the opening of the container body.

JP-A-61-127485

However, in this winding device, in addition to a plurality of elastic contact rollers for winding the cap body around the mouth of the container and its driving section, a pair of opening and closing clamp fingers are provided to regulate the direction in which the discharge nozzle is oriented. and its driving section are also provided, the configuration of the apparatus becomes large.

In addition, the retightening of the cap to the mouth of the container is performed in a "temporary tightening" state in which it is lightly tightened, and in a "final tightening" state in which the temporary tightening is further tightened and tightened with a normal torque. The retightening process is always carried out for the purposes of securing the correct threaded state between the cap and the container and applying torque to open the cap. For the final tightening (re-tightening process), if the elastic roller pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the cap body made of resin as described above is used to tighten the seam, the cap body and, in some cases, even the mouth of the container will be tightened. The crimping caused distortion, unstable seaming torque, and poor plugging.

Furthermore, in the non-locking pump cap, when the cap body is rotated, the push lid rotates together with the cap body, and when the cap body is completely tightened to the mouth of the container, the push lid stays in its position. On the other hand, when a force to rotate only the presser lid acts, it is inserted so as to rotate freely with respect to the cap body separately from the cap body, so the direction of the discharge nozzle of the presser lid is restricted As described above, it is quite difficult to easily perform seaming without using a device for adjusting the directional direction.

Therefore, the present invention specializes in retightening in particular among the seaming processes, and performs normal retightening while regulating the direction in which the discharge nozzle of the non-locking pump cap is oriented with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a retightening device and a retightening method.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the tightening device of the present invention temporarily tightens a pump cap having a press lid formed with a discharge nozzle projecting outward from the cap body to the extent that opening torque is not generated. Above the final tightening work position where the discharged container is supplied, the seaming means is suspended so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction by driving the chuck lifting mechanism and to be rotatable forward and backward by driving the chuck rotating mechanism. A retightening device in which three or more chuck arms that cooperatively hold a cap body of a pump cap are arranged so as to be capable of forward and reverse rotation, and when the seaming means is lowered by driving the chuck elevating mechanism, An oriented region consisting of a region between a position where the discharge nozzle is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body of the container and a position spaced apart in the counter-sealing direction around the mouth of the container is divided and pinched, It has a pair of stoppers that advances to a position where the discharge nozzle rotating around the mouth portion can abut, and the pair of stoppers are activated when the contact load of the discharge nozzle caused by the rotation of the push cover deviates from the allowable range. It is characterized in that it is configured to avoid excessive load by escaping in the direction of rotation.

By providing such a configuration, it is possible to avoid the application of excessive force to the device itself and/or the discharge container including the pump cap, thereby preventing failures and filling failures.

Further, in the tightening method of the present invention, the container is filled by pumping by pushing down a press lid which is rotatably inserted by itself into the cap body and formed with a discharge nozzle projecting outward from the cap body. A pump cap that sucks up the filled liquid and discharges it from a discharge nozzle, wherein the pump cap is in a state in which a stopper is interposed between the press lid and the cap body to prevent the press lid from lowering, and the discharge nozzle is placed in the container. A pump cap retightening method for completing retightening of a container while the pump cap is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the main body, comprising: The cap body is placed in the oriented area consisting of the area between the positions (the end in the anti-seaming direction) spaced apart in the anti-seaming direction around the mouth of the container, and the cap body is placed against the mouth of the container so that opening torque is not generated Temporary tightening process to retighten to the extent,
a final tightening step of directing the discharge nozzle in the predetermined direction and tightening the cap body against the mouth of the container so as to generate opening torque,
In the final tightening process,
1: Place the container in which the temporary tightening process is completed at the final tightening work position, and clamp the outer circumference of the cap body using three or more chuck arms provided in the tightening means,
2: A pair of stoppers sandwiches the orientation region S with respect to the container body and advances to a position where the discharge nozzle rotating around the mouth of the container abuts,
3: Rotate the seaming means that grips the cap body with the chuck arm in the reverse seaming direction, and rotate the cap body so that the rotation angle of the discharge nozzle in the directional region S is X degrees, which is larger than X degrees. Rotate at an angle in the direction opposite to seam tightening,
4: Subsequently, the seaming means is rotationally driven in the seaming direction, and the cap body is rotated in the seaming direction at an angle larger than the rotation in the reverse seaming direction to generate an opening torque. Tighten to
5: It is characterized in that the clamping of the cap body by the chuck arms of the seaming means is released and the stopper is withdrawn.

In the final tightening step, the seaming means is rotationally driven in the reverse seaming direction, and the cap body is counter seamed at an angle larger than X degrees when the rotation angle of the discharge nozzle in the directional area S is X degrees. When rotating in the direction, the push lid rotates in the counter-rotational direction, but it abuts and stays on the stopper positioned in the counter-rotational direction of the directional area S, and only the cap body rotates at an angle larger than X degrees. . In this way, once the seaming of the cap body is loosened, subsequently, the chuck arm of the seaming means is driven to rotate in the seaming direction, and the cap body is further rotated in the reverse seaming direction. When rotated in the seaming direction at a large angle, the push lid also rotates in the rotational direction, abuts against the stopper positioned in the rotational direction of the directional area S, and stays at the position where the discharge nozzle is oriented in the predetermined direction. After that, by rotating only the cap body at an angle larger than X degrees, tighten it so that the opening torque can be obtained.

At that time, the cap body is clamped using three or more chuck arms provided in the seaming means, and by rotating the seaming means, even if the cap body is made of resin, the cap body can be tightened during seaming. can be prevented from bending or deforming, and can be closed with a stable seaming torque.

Further, when the lid is fully tightened, the discharge nozzle of the push lid is closed while being in contact with the stopper positioned in the direction of rotation of the directional area S, so that the discharge container orients the discharge nozzle in the predetermined direction. In this state, the winding is completed.

As described above, according to the pump cap retightening method and the pump cap retightening device of the present invention, normal retightening can be performed while regulating the direction in which the discharge nozzle is oriented with a simple configuration.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the essential configuration of the seaming device of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the chuck arm is closed; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the main configuration of the seaming device of FIG. 1, showing a state in which a chuck arm is opened; Partially see-through explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a non-locking discharge container Explanatory drawing of rotation direction and rotation angle of the push lid (discharge nozzle) and the cap body in the retightening method using the seaming device of FIGS. 1 and 2

The retightening device 1 of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 aligns the direction of the discharge nozzle 13 in the process of retightening the non-locking pump cap 10 so that an appropriate opening torque can be obtained. A tightening device 1 for capping.

The non-locking pump cap 10 is, as shown in FIG. a cap body 11, and a pressing lid 14 formed with a discharge nozzle 13 positioned above the cap body 11 and projecting outward when the cap body 11 is screwed to the mouth portion 7 of the container body 6, The liquid is discharged through a cylinder 15 that is fixed to the lower surface of the cap body 11 and vertically installed from the mouth portion 7 of the container body 6 toward the inside, a piston (not shown) that moves up and down inside the cylinder, and the cylinder 15 . A pumping pipe 16 communicating with the nozzle 13 and a plurality of check valves (not shown) are integrally assembled, and the press lid 14 and the piston are opened in the center of the top plate of the cap body 11. It is connected by a cylindrical stem 17 penetrating through the opening formed in the cylinder 15 and vertically movable with respect to the cylinder 15 by the spring force of a coil spring (not shown) interposed between the cylinder 15 and the piston. They are rotatably inserted into the cap body 11 while being normally biased upward. Then, the pressing lid 14 and the piston, which are maintained at the upper limit position by the biasing force of the coil spring, are not subjected to the biasing force of the coil spring in a state where the stopper 18 is not interposed between the pressing lid 14 and the cap main body 11. It is formed so that it can be pushed down to its lower limit position by pushing down the presser lid 14 from above.

The retightening device 1 of the present embodiment constitutes a chuck lifting mechanism (not shown) in which a drive system such as a motor and a speed reducer driven by the control of a control unit (not shown) is arranged, and the drive system A chuck rotation mechanism in which a shaft 41 that moves up and down in the vertical direction by means of a control unit (not shown) is arranged concentrically with the shaft 41 inside, and a drive system such as a motor and a reduction gear that is driven by the control of a control unit (not shown) is arranged. (not shown) has a rotating shaft 40 that rotates the outer periphery of a shaft 41 forward and backward by the drive system (not shown). is provided at the lower end of the rotating shaft 40 .

The chuck arm 21 has cap gripping portions 22 arranged at the open end of each chuck arm 21 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical cap body 11 of the pump cap 10 to be gripped with respect to the chuck body 23 . The cap body 11 is supported by a shaft 24 so as to be radially rotatable from the center of the cap body 11, and biased by a garter spring 25 in an opening direction. A cap gripper 22 made of rubber is attached to the tip of each chuck arm 21 , and a cam roller (not shown) is provided at the end of each chuck arm 21 located inside the chuck body 23 . there is

The structure for opening and closing each chuck arm 21 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, a piston having a conical cam portion formed at the lower end thereof is axially slidable inside the chuck body 23 . It is freely movable, and is normally urged upward inside the chuck body 23 by an urging member (not shown). can. The seaming means 20 opens the chuck arm 21 by the biasing force of the garter spring 25 when pressure such as air pressure is not supplied to the pressure chamber, and when pressure such as air pressure is supplied to the pressure chamber, the chuck arm 21 is opened. 2, the piston is lowered to push up the cam roller along the cam portion, and the chuck arm 21 is rotated by the shaft 24 against the biasing force of the garter spring 25 to be in the closed state.

A cap abutting member 30 is provided at the tip of the shaft 41 protruding downward from the tip surface of the chuck body 23, and a contact projection 27 protruding downward is formed at the center of the tip surface. ing. Further, in the present embodiment, a pair of rotation stoppers 28 and 29 (see FIG. 4) are arranged on the tip surface of the cap contact member 30 to regulate the position of the discharge nozzle 13. As shown in FIG.

Here, in the retightening device 1 of the present embodiment, the final tightening work position M is provided below the tip of the chuck arm 21, where the filling liquid is filled and the pump cap 10 is temporarily tightened to the container body 6. are arranged in a certain direction, the discharge nozzle 13 is directed toward the directional area S for the container body 6 , and the cap body 11 is positioned under the center of the chuck body 23 .

Therefore, in this embodiment, the pair of stoppers 28 and 29 are positioned at positions (ends in the seaming direction) at which the discharge nozzle 13 is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body 6 of the discharge container 5 arranged at the final tightening work position M, In the seaming operation, at positions defined by sandwiching a directional region S consisting of a rotation region between positions spaced apart in the counter seaming direction around the mouth portion 7 of the container body 6 (ends in the counter seaming direction), the seaming operation is performed. By lowering the shaft 41 together with the tightening means 20, the discharge nozzle 13 rotating around the mouth portion 7 of the container body 6 is lowered to a position where it can abut. It is arranged so that it can be retracted from the position by raising the shaft 41 .

In the present embodiment, the pair of stoppers 28 and 29 are arranged so that, when the contact load of the discharge nozzle 13 due to the rotation of the cover 14 deviates from the allowable range, the stoppers 28 and 29 escape in the direction of rotation and apply an excessive load. To avoid this, it is formed as a flexible pin with a flexible region 31 and depends from the distal face of the cap abutment member 30 .

Next, a retightening method using the seaming device of the present embodiment will be described.

First, before the work of the retightening process using the retightening device 1 of the present embodiment, in the temporary tightening process, when the discharge container 5 is placed at the final tightening work position M, the discharge nozzle 13 is oriented. The cap body 11 is retightened to the extent that the opening torque does not occur to the mouth portion 7 of the container so that the cap body 11 is positioned within the region S.

Next, the container body 6 is aligned in a certain direction at the final tightening work position M provided below the tip of the chuck arm 21, the discharge nozzle 13 is directed toward the direction area S for the container body 6, and the cap body 11 is tightened. is positioned below the center of the chuck body 23, the temporarily tightened discharge container 5 is arranged.

In this state, the seaming means 20 is lowered by driving the chuck elevating mechanism to bring the contact projection 27 of the cap contact member 30 into contact with the upper surface of the push lid 14 of the pump cap 10, and the pair of stoppers 28, 29 is advanced to a position where the discharge nozzle 13 that rotates around the mouth portion 7 of the container abuts the direction area S with respect to the container body 6 . As a result, the temporarily tightened discharge nozzle 13 of the discharge container 5 is positioned within the orientation area S, that is, between the pair of rotation stoppers 28 and 29 (see FIG. 4(1)).

Next, a pressure such as air is applied to the pressure chamber to lower the piston, push up the cam roller along the cam portion, and rotate the chuck arm 21 around the shaft 24 against the biasing force of the garter spring 25. to close. Then, the cap gripping portion 22 at the tip of each chuck arm 21 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cap body 11 to clamp the cap body 11 (see FIG. 1).

In this state, the drive system of the chuck rotating mechanism reversely rotates the rotary shaft 40 (indicated by the counterclockwise arrow in FIG. 4(2)) to rotate the seaming means 20 in the counter seaming direction. At this time, assuming that the rotation angle of the discharge nozzle 13 in the directional area S is X degrees as shown in FIG. The cap body 11 is temporarily loosened by rotating it at an angle (X+α) in the opposite direction of seaming. At this time, the pressing lid 14 also rotates in the counter-rotational direction, but as shown in FIG. Only the cap body 11 rotates at an angle greater than X degrees.

Subsequently, the drive system of the chuck rotating mechanism rotates the rotary shaft 40 forward (as indicated by the clockwise arrow in FIG. 4(4)), and rotates the seaming means 20 in the seaming direction. ), the cap body 11 is rotated in the seaming direction at an angle (X + β, α < β) larger than the rotation angle ((X + α) in the counter seaming direction. At this time, the lid 14 is also rotated. 4(5), it abuts against the stopper 28 positioned in the direction of rotation of the orientation area S, and stays at the position where the discharge nozzle 13 is oriented in the predetermined direction. By further rotating only the main body 11, it is possible to strongly retighten so as to obtain the opening torque.

After that, the clamping of the cap body 11 by the chuck arm 21 of the seaming means 20 is released, the seaming means 20 is lifted by driving the chuck elevating mechanism, and the abutment of the contact projection 27 against the upper surface of the push lid 14 is released. At the same time, the pair of stoppers 28 and 29 are withdrawn (see FIG. 2).

According to this retightening method, it is not necessary to control the orientation of the protruding nozzle 13 in the temporary tightening process as precisely as at the time of shipment. In other words, the protruding nozzle 13 of the temporarily tightened projecting container 5 may be regulated so as to be positioned within the directional area S when the discharge container 5 is placed at the final tightening operation position M. When the discharge container 5 is retightened, the discharge nozzle 13 of the pressing lid 14 is closed with the discharge nozzle 13 in contact with the stopper 28 positioned in the direction of rotation of the directional area S. The seaming can be completed in the state of being oriented in the predetermined direction.
The specified region S is an angular region extending from the predetermined direction to the direction opposite to the seaming direction, where the seaming of the temporarily tightened cap body 11 is once loosened. Although the angle depends on the shape of the discharge nozzle 13, etc., by setting a region of about 80° at maximum, preferably 50° from the predetermined direction as the designated region S, the temporary tightening is performed and the final tightening work position M is reached. The discharge nozzle 13 of the placed discharge container 5 can be easily sandwiched between the pair of rotation stoppers 28 and 29 in the seaming direction and the anti-seaming direction, and the final tightening (re-tightening) driving operation can also be performed. It can be executed reliably and quickly.

At that time, the cap body 11 is clamped using three or more chuck arms 21 provided in the seaming means 20, and by rotating the seaming means 20, even if the cap body 11 is made of resin, , the cap main body 11 can be prevented from being bent or deformed during the seaming, and the cap can be closed with a stable seaming torque.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Further, the configuration of the seaming device used in the temporary tightening process is not limited. As described above, the cap chuck of the elastic contact roller is not suitable for the seaming method in the final tightening process of the present invention. A seaming device may also be used.

Reference Signs List 1 retightening device 5 discharge container 6 container body 7 mouth portion 8 threaded portion 10 pump cap 11 cap body 12 threaded portion 13 discharge nozzle 14 lid 15 cylinder 16 pumping pipe 17 stem 18 stopper 20 seaming means 21 chuck arm 22 cap Grip Part 23 Chuck Main Body 24 Shaft 25 Garter Spring 27 Abutment Protrusion 28 Rotation Stopper (End of Winding Direction) 29 Rotation Stopper (End of Winding Direction) 30 Cap Contact Member 31 Flexible Region 40 Rotating Axis 41 Shaft M Final tightening work position S Directional area

Claims (2)

Above the final tightening work position where the pump cap having the press lid formed with the discharge nozzle protruding outward from the cap body is temporarily tightened to such an extent that it does not generate opening torque, the discharge container is supplied. Three or more chuck arms that cooperate to hold the cap body of the pump cap are suspended from the seaming means that can be moved up and down in the vertical direction by the drive of the chuck rotation mechanism and can be rotated forward and backward by the drive of the chuck rotation mechanism. A retightening device arranged to be rotatable forward and backward,
By driving the chuck elevating mechanism, when the seaming means is lowered, between a position where the discharge nozzle is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body of the container and a position spaced apart in the anti-seaming direction around the mouth of the container. having a pair of stoppers that divide and sandwich the directional area consisting of the area of and advance to a position where the discharge nozzle that rotates around the mouth of the container can abut,
The pair of stoppers are configured to avoid an excessive load by escaping in the direction of rotation when the contact load of the discharge nozzle caused by the rotation of the push lid deviates from an allowable range. and retightening device. A pump that is rotatably inserted into the cap body and has a discharge nozzle that protrudes outward from the cap body. A pump cap in which a stopper is interposed between the pressing lid and the cap body to prevent the pressing lid from lowering is placed against the container with the discharge nozzle oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the container body. A pump cap retightening method for completing retightening, comprising:
positioning the discharge nozzle in an orientation region defined by a position between a position where the discharge nozzle is oriented in the predetermined direction with respect to the container body and a position spaced apart in an anti-sewing direction around the mouth of the container, A temporary tightening step of tightening the cap body to the mouth of the container to the extent that opening torque is not generated;
a final tightening step of directing the discharge nozzle in the predetermined direction and tightening the cap body against the mouth of the container so as to generate opening torque,
In the final tightening process,
1: Place the container in which the temporary tightening process is completed at the final tightening work position, and clamp the outer circumference of the cap body using three or more chuck arms provided in the tightening means,
2: advance a pair of stoppers to a position where a discharge nozzle that rotates around the mouth of the container abuts on both sides of the directional region with respect to the container body,
3: Rotate the seam-fastening means that grips the cap body with the chuck arm in the opposite seam-fastening direction so that the cap body is rotated by X degrees, which is larger than X degrees when the rotation angle of the discharge nozzle in the directional area S is X degrees. Rotate at an angle in the direction opposite to seam tightening,
4: Subsequently, the seaming means is rotationally driven in the seaming direction, and the cap body is rotated in the seaming direction at an angle larger than the rotation in the reverse seaming direction to generate an opening torque. Tighten to
5: Release the clamping of the cap body by the chuck arm of the seaming means, and withdraw the stopper.
characterized by
How to tighten the pump cap.

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